• Defence Notes

  Ingalls to build DDG 123

  1st April 2016

  The Ingalls Shipbuilding division of Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has been awarded a $618 million contract modification by the US Navy to build the Arleigh …

• Defence Helicopter

  FIDAE 2016: Peru’s billion dollar shopping spree

  1st April 2016

  The Peruvian Air Force has set out ambitious plans to modernise its air force over the next five years with one of the main aims …

• Defence Helicopter

  DefExpo 2016: HAL LUH to fly soon

  1st April 2016

  A new helicopter emerging from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s (HAL) hangar is the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), and it is expected to perform its maiden flight …

• Digital Battlespace

  Senses heightened for Apache

  1st April 2016

  The US Army’s AH-64 Apache helicopters are to get the new sensors that will provide them with new capabilities. It has finally been decided that …

• Defence Helicopter

  Colombian Air Force gets seventh Huey II Kit

  1st April 2016

  Bell Helicopter has delivered the seventh Huey II Kit to the Colombian Air Force (COLAF), it was announced on 30 March. The delivery of the …

• Training

  CAS closes in on UK augmented success

  1st April 2016

  Close Air Solutions (CAS), in partnership with Cursive Simulation, has submitted a second bid as part of the UK’s defence growth partnership (DGP) innovation challenge and …

• Land Warfare

  DefExpo 2016: Indian Army homes in on SAMs

  1st April 2016

  An earlier survey of Indian Amy air defence requirements discussed antiaircraft artillery and VSHORADS. A third area of need is for short-range surface-to-air missiles (SR-SAM). …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Rockwell to provide sensor for FT-200FH

  1st April 2016

  Rockwell Collins has been contracted by FT Sistemas to provide its micro inertial navigation sensor (INS) for the latter's new FT-200FH unmanned Category 2 helicopter, …

• Military Logistics

  Vectrus to support US bases in Kuwait

  1st April 2016

  Vectrus Systems has been awarded a $329 million contract modification for US Army base operations and security support services in Kuwait, the company announced on …

• Land Warfare

  DefExpo 2016: Indian air defence still up in the air

  1st April 2016

  The Indian Army currently has several air defence programmes on the go. These include antiaircraft artillery, very short-range air defence systems (VSHORADS), which are outlined …

• Digital Battlespace

  DefExpo 2016: Thales, BTSL to develop fire control radar

  1st April 2016

  Thales and BEL-Thales Systems (BTSL) have entered into an agreement for the development of the Pharos fire control radar for both gun and missile systems, Thales …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sener delivers second AB212 to Spain

  1st April 2016

  Sener has delivered the second Agusta Bell helicopter 212 (AB212) to the Spanish Ministry of Defense’s Directorate General of Armament and Material, it announced on …

• Training

  Project Cerbére gathers pace

  1st April 2016

  The French Army has launched a major upgrade of its main line training sites under a project known as Cerbére (Cerberus). The service currently operates …

• Defence Helicopter

  Philippine AW159 order confirmed

  1st April 2016

  Finmeccanica has received an over $113 million contract from the Philippine Navy to supply two AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat helicopters, the company announced on 31 March. …

• Defence Notes

  FIDAE 2016: RAF eyes role in LATAM exercises

  31st March 2016

  Despite the Royal Air Force’s A400M Atlas missing this year’s FIDAE airshow due to operational commitments, the service’s deputy commander of operations still sees a …

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 ...