• Training

  Lockheed T-50A completes first flight

  3rd June 2016

  Lockheed Martin has successfully completed the first test flight of the T-50A, its proposed aircraft for the US Air Force Advanced Pilot Training (APT) programme, …

• Training

  Canada selects Textron NEWTS

  3rd June 2016

  Textron Systems Electronic Systems has been selected by Canada to provide the New Electronic Warfare Threat Simulator (NEWTS), an implementation of its Advanced Architecture Phase …

• Land Warfare

  ILA 2016: MBDA/Lockheed aim for Wisla

  3rd June 2016

  The heated competition between MBDA and Raytheon for the German TLVS programme has spilled over into Poland. After MBDA was selected for TLVS with its …

• Defence Helicopter

  ILA 2016: Boeing reaches for heavy lift

  3rd June 2016

  The German Heavy Transport (STH) helicopter programme is a priority for Boeing, which is putting forward its Chinook CH-47F twin rotor helicopter. The numbers needed …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Italian MQ-9 to get reconnaissance pod

  3rd June 2016

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) will integrate the RecceLite imagery reconnaissance pod onto a Predator B/MQ-9 UAS from the Italian Air Force, the company announced …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UDT 2016: Fully autonomous MCM tests conducted

  2nd June 2016

  The US and UK militaries have trialled fully autonomous unmanned mine disposal systems, as industry and operators look to determine the future make up of …

• Land Warfare

  ILA 2016: Gloves come off in TLVS fight

  2nd June 2016

  MBDA and Raytheon are fighting a bloody battle over the German Tactical Air Defence System (TLVS). Although MBDA was selected with its Medium Extended Air …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Predator B Big Wing flies 37 hours

  2nd June 2016

  The Big Wing Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper UAS variant has completed its longest endurance flight of 37 hours, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) announced on 1 June.  The endurance …

• Land Warfare

  ILA 2016: Close range impact

  2nd June 2016

  Rheinmetall and MBDA have launched a new very short range air defence system that is on display for the first time at the ILA 2016 …

• Defence Helicopter

  ILA 2016: Airbus Helicopters everyone's friend in Germany

  2nd June 2016

  As the competition to replace Germany’s CH-53G helicopters with a new platform heats up, Airbus Helicopters is keeping its options open. This takes place amid …

• Defence Notes

  Australia seeks SM-2 Block IIIB

  2nd June 2016

  The US State Department is considering a possible $301 million foreign military sale (FMS) of SM-2 Block IIIB standard missiles and associated equipment and support …

• Defence Helicopter

  ILA 2016: Sikorsky builds up heavy lift offering

  1st June 2016

  With a request for proposal (RFP) for Germany’s Heavy Transport (STH) helicopter programme expected in 2017, Sikorsky is ramping up its efforts to win the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus DS awarded German satcom contract

  1st June 2016

  Airbus Defence and Space (Airbus DS) has been awarded a $126.78 million contract by the German armed forces to provide commercial satellite communication services until …

• Military Logistics

  KC-30A offloads 50 million lbs of fuel

  1st June 2016

  A Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) deployed for Operation OKRA has reached a major milestone, offloading 50 million pounds of …

• Naval Warfare

  US CBP receives first interceptor vessel

  1st June 2016

  SAFE Boats International (SBI) has completed and delivered a new Coastal Interceptor Vessel (CIV) for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Data links

  Data links | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390 [Brazil]

  Programme Background Requirement The aircraft deliveries were scheduled to start by the end of 2016 and continue over a period of ten years. However,  the first ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-130H Replacement [Sweden]

  Programme Background Requirements Sweden has five C-130H aircraft (designated Tp-84) and one KC-130H. Two C-130Es bought in the 1960s have retired, but the six H ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Hermes 900 [Chile]

  Methodology Unit cost In 2024, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired one Hermes 900 for 50 million reais ($9.14 million), giving each drone an estimated ...

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS 39E/F Gripen [Brazil]

  Background In 2016, Gripen’s Project and Development Center was opened in Sao Paulo to allow Sweedish and Brazillian engineers to work together in the Gripen ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  H145M [Brazil]

  Background  Brazilian leadership announced in February 2022 that the Sabre Mil Mi-35M Hind-E attack helicopters were being retired from active service. This decision came as a ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Hermes 900 [Colombia]

  Methodology Unit cost In 2024, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired one Hermes 900 for 50 million reais ($9.14 million), giving each drone an estimated gross ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Hermes 900 (5) [Brazil]

  Background First three batches (2014-2024) Across three purchases, Defence Insight estimates that Brazil has acquired five Hermes 900 UAVs. In 2014, Elbit reported supplying one ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Hermes 900 (1-4) [Brazil]

  Background First batch (2014) In 2014, Elbit reported supplying one Hermes 900 UAV to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB). The drone is called the RQ-900 in Brazilian ...

• Maritime patrol

  C295 add-on [Brazil]

  Programme Background  In 2014 Brazil signed a contracted for two additional C-295 SAR platforms with the option to acquire one additional platform. In 2018, reports ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Hermes 900 [Undisclosed European Country]

  Background Various Contracts On 18 November 2024, Elbit Systems announced it had awarded various contacts with a combined $335 million to an undisclosed European country. ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air-to-surface missiles

  MAR-1

  The MAR-1 is a Brazilian air-to-surface anti-radiation missile (ARM) developed by Mectron in collaboration with the Aerospace Technology and Science Department (DCTA) of the Brazilian ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Harpia

  Described as the UAV with the most onboard technology in Latin America, Harpia is a multifunctional fixed-wing Brazilian drone developed by Advanced Technologies Security & Defence.  The Uruguayan ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  EMB-312 Tucano

  The EMB-312 Tucano (Brazilian designation T-27) is a trainer and light attack aircraft developed by Embraer to meet the training requirements of the Brazilian Air ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  TPTS

  Tactical Procedures Training Simulators (TPTS), operating with SWARM software, can be used to provide most core training elements to pilots or offload training tasks from ...

• Guided munitions

  SMKB (Smart-MK-Bomb)

  The Smart-MK-Bomb, or the SMKB, is a precision guidance kit developed by Mectron and designed to turn Mk 82 and Mk 83 bombs into guided munitions.

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Albatroz Vortex

  The Albatroz Vortex from Stella Tecnologia is a development of the company's Albatroz UAV.  The key differentiator is that the Vortex is fitted with an ATJR ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Condor

  The Condor, or Atobá XR, is an in-development MALE-class UAV from Stella Technologia.  The development of the multi-role is tied to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), which has ...

• Trainer, Transport

  EMB-121 Xingu

  The EMB-121 Xingu is a twin-turboprop light transport and advanced multi-engine trainer aircraft developed by Embraer based on the EMB-110 Bandeirante. Its maiden flight was ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Arkhe Mission & Combat

  Launched in 2017, Atech's Arkhe Mission & Combat solutions offer a variety of solutions enabling operator to conduct missions from planning to execution and debriefing. It ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390/C-390 Millennium

  The KC-390 is a high-wing, twin-turbofan, T-tail design intended to meet the needs of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) for a tanker/transport aircraft. Developed and ...

• Fighter - air superiority

  F-5E/F Tiger II

  The F-5E (single-seat)/F (twin-seat) Tiger II is an air superiority fighter developed by Northrop Grumman based on the original F-5 Freedom Fighter. Production of the ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M

  The medium-weight, 11t-class H225M (formerly known as the EC725) is the latest military Super Puma/Cougar family member.  Technical features include a modular design of mechanical ...

• EO/IR systems

  Skyward

  The SkyWard system is an advanced Infrared Search and Track (IRST) solution developed for next-generation airborne platforms, including 5th-generation fighter aircraft.  Designed with modularity in ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Saber M60

  The Saber M60 is a low-altitude air-defence radar developed by the Brazilian Army's CTEx (Army Technology Centre) in collaboration with Bradar, part of Embraer Defence ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  RBS 70 system

  The RBS 70 was developed in the 1970s to meet the Swedish Army’s requirement for a low-cost, easy-to-use MANPADS which could function in extreme climatic ...