• Defence Notes

  EW community to reunite at AOC Europe 2022

  14th April 2022

  AOC Europe 2022 is returning in 10-12 May at Parc des Expositions, Montpellier in France to reunite the European electronic warfare community under one roof.

• Digital Battlespace

  UK seeks US-made ballistic missile defence equipment

  18th March 2022

  Less than a month after delaying a BMD radar plan until 2029, the UK MoD is now requesting equipment from Lockheed Martin under the FMS programme.

• Defence Notes

  Russia hesitates as Ukraine grits its teeth (Opinion)

  3rd March 2022

  Although Russia should win the war in Ukraine with firepower alone, the latter still has a number of factors in its favour.

• Defence Notes

  US blocks Polish MiG-29 fighter jet plan for Ukraine

  9th March 2022

  The US has described as not 'tenable' a proposal from Poland to supply it with MiG-29 fighter jets.

• Defence Notes

  Russia-Ukraine war challenges UK force structure assumptions (Opinion)

  25th March 2022

  Barely a year after the publication of the Integrated Review, the UK MoD now finds itself observing a major conflict in Europe, and it will have to draw conclusions on what this means for force structures and presence.

• Defence Helicopter

  UK orders more Airbus helicopters

  2nd February 2022

  Five extra H135s are being supplied by Airbus to the UK MoD.

• Defence Notes

  UK buys Dassault 900LX to replace BAe 146 command support transport fleet

  8th February 2022

  The UK has decided to buy two new Dassault 900LX trijets.

• Air Warfare

  UK MoD invests in Falklands amid Argentine protests

  4th February 2022

  The UK MoD has appointed Aquila for air traffic support in the Falklands, while Argentina criticises British presence in the region.

• Defence Notes

  Annual UK defence equipment spending jumps by more than £1 billion, deliveries nearly double

  28th January 2022

  The latest annual figures from MoD Defence Equipment & Support describe a significant increase in UK defence equipment spending.

• Defence Notes

  UK MoD Equipment Plan is affordable, but watchdog warns of risks

  22nd February 2022

  The National Audit Office has warned that the MoD’s 10-year Equipment Plan could be ‘over-optimistic’.

• Air Warfare

  Where is the Russian Air Force? (Opinion)

  28th March 2022

  Despite its reputation, the Russian Air Force has failed to make significant advances in Ukraine — but the lessons that will be likely to emerge will be applicable to all.

• Air Warfare

  RAF receives final P-8A Poseidon

  11th January 2022

  Boeing has successfully completed the delivery of all nine P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft as contracted by the RAF.

• Training

  Qatar changes tack by basing M-346s in-country for training

  26th February 2022

  Leonardo has confirmed a long-speculated order from Qatar for six M-346 trainer aircraft, which will fly alongside the country’s diverse fighter jet fleet — but will the small Gulf country have sufficient logistical abilities, training footprint and personnel to make effective use of it?

• Training

  What to expect at IT²EC 2022 (Sponsored)

  8th March 2022

  IT²EC will bring the military training and simulation community together under one roof at the ExCel Centre, London, on 26-28 April 2022, to once again share knowledge and gain insights into training, simulation and education.

• Defence Helicopter

  GE Aviation chases place in New Medium Helicopter programme

  24th February 2022

  Engine manufacturer GE Aviation emphasises maintenance and sustainable fuel benefits as it chases a place in the UK’s New Medium Helicopter programme.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• ISR/special mission

  Shadow R1 (UK)

  Programme Background The RAF is moving forward with an ambitious plan to transform its intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) force to enable greater ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M (UK)

  RAF base at Brize Norton built a new training facility for A400M pilots and crew. The aircraft will look to reach full operation capability by 2022 when ...

• AEW&C

  E-7 Wedgetail (737) - UK

  Programme Background Seeking to replace its six ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry AEW&C;, the British Royal Air Force awarded Boeing a £1.89 billion contract in 2019 covering the ...

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

  Tier 1 Disposable [UK]

  Programme Background Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) Strategy Reflecting on lessons learned from the cancellation of the Mosquito programme, the Royal Air Force (RAF) redefined the role of ...

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

  Protector RG1 [UK]

  Programme Background Programme Goal The programme aims to replace the MQ-9As in the RAF's inventory with the new, improved MQ-9Bs. With MQ-9B delivering a UK Sovereign capability for ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H-47ER Chinook [UK]

  Programme Background 2021 FMS Announcement In October 2018, the US State Department approved a $3.5 billion FMS of 16 CH-47 Chinooks fitted with extended-range fuel tanks ...

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

  Low-Cost Uncrewed Air Systems (LANCA) Follow-On Project [UK]

  Programme Background Project Mosquito Beginning in 2019, the UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), in collaboration with the Royal Air Force (RAF), began the ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8A Poseidon [UK]

  Programme Background In July 2016, the UK government announced that it had ordered nine aircraft for service with the RAF. Under this frame, in January ...

• AEW&C

  E-7 Wedgetail - UK (Second Order)

  Programme Background Seeking to replace its six ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry AEW&C;, the British Royal Air Force awarded Boeing a £1.89 billion contract in 2019 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Typhoon Tranche 3A - Qatar

  As a part of the agreement to sell Typhoon, the UK is establishing a ‘Joint Operations Squadron’ (to be known as 12 Squadron) with the ...

• Transport

  Command Support Air Transport Recapitalisation (UK)

  Programme Background The tender, originally released on 28 October 2021, requires industry bidders to put forward aircraft that can achieve a minimum unrefuelled range of ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Project Mosquito [UK]

  Programme Background Inception and Capabilities In 2019, in collaboration with the RAF, the UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) released details of its new UAS ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 (Second Batch) [Morocco]

  Programme Background Morocco's military modernisation In 2017, Morocco established a five-year plan to modernise the military equipment of its navy, army and airforce to bring ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | E-7 Wedgetail - UK (Second Order)

  The UK MoD signed a £1.51 billion ($1.98 billion) deal to purchase five E-7 Wedgetail aircraft from Boeing for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in ...

• Data links

  Data links | E-7 Wedgetail - UK (Second Order)

  The UK MoD signed a £1.51 billion ($1.98 billion) deal to purchase five E-7 Wedgetail aircraft from Boeing for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• EO/IR systems

  DJRP

  The Digital Joint Reconnaissance Pod (DJRP) is a tactical EO/IR reconnaissance system. It provides simultaneous high resolution and wide field-of-view EO imagery and horizon-to-horizon day/night ...

• EO/IR systems

  RAPTOR

  The Reconnaissance Airborne Pod for Tornado (RAPTOR), based on Raytheon's DB-110, was developed for the UK RAF Tornado GR4s. RAF specifications required target recognition with ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Air Combat Training

  Boeing has experience in delivering training for fixed-wing air combat platforms including F-15C/E, F-16, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G, F-22 and MV/CV-22.

• Air: air combat simulators

  Tornado GR4 Synthetic Training Service

  Thales provides its Tornado GR4 Synthetic Training Service (TSTS) through its 100%-owned subsidiary, Ace. The service is a complete suite of synthetic training for Tornado ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  FIASTS

  Thales, through 100%-owned subsidiary Merlin, is delivering a ‘packaged’ training and maintenance system for RAF aircrew through the FsAST Integrated Aircrew Synthetic Training Service (FIASTS). ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Tornado (IDS/ADV)

  The Tornado is a family of two-seat, twin-engine, variable-sweep wing multirole fighters manufactured by Panavia, a trans-European consortium of BAE Systems, Airbus Space and Defence ...

• Air: Displays

  Tornado Advanced Radar Dsiplay & Information System (TARDIS)

  The Tornado Advanced Radar Display & Information System (TARDIS) is developed by BAE Systems, UK, specifically for the UK's Royal Air Force's (RAF) fleet of ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  A400M Training

  Thales is the principal training provider for the Airbus A400M with a contract to provide FFSs and flat-panel trainers. Four A400M FFS and two flat-panel ...

• Air: maintenance simulators

  Engineering and Maintenance Training

  BAE Systems designs and delivers engineering and maintenance training, with the ability to provide a package to address the needs of all personnel ranging from ...

• ISR/special mission, Trainer

  TC-135S/W

  The TC-135S and TC-135W are training aircraft developed by Boeing based on the EC-135 to provide crew training for RC-135S Cobra Ball optical and electronic ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  LANCA / Mosquito

  The Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft (LANCA) is a developmental 'Loyal Wingman' UAS that the RAF and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) hoped would support its crewed ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Eurofighter HMSS

  Eurofighter Typhoon’s Helmet Mounted Symbology System (HMSS) provides pilots with enhanced situational awareness, data display and sensor/effector cueing. Developed by BAE Systems, it is in ...

• Guided munitions

  Paveway

  Paveway is a series of laser guidance systems that can be fitted to a wide range of free-fall bombs to create Precision Guided Munitions (PGMs). ...

• Air: maintenance simulators

  C-17 Globemaster III MTS

  TRU Simulation and Training C-17 Maintenance Training System (MTS) supports training needs for this complex computerised aircraft. The MTS provides skill development for more than 1,100 ...

• Trainer

  Hawk AJT

  The Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) is the latest version of what is claimed to be the world’s most widely used advanced jet trainer. Almost ...