• Defence Notes

  Saudi and UAE driving GCC defence

  14th December 2016

  The two military heavyweights of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are driving defence procurement in the region with recent increases …

• Defence Notes

  Analysis: Saudi Arabia - A close customer (part 3 - maritime)

  18th December 2016

  We come to the last part on Saudi Arabia's defence relationship with the West, the maritime domain. This is less high profile than the land …

• Naval Warfare

  Indian Navy to gain a dozen Dorniers

  28th November 2016

  The Indian Navy (IN) will receive 12 additional Dornier Do 228 aircraft for maritime patrol according to formal approval given by the Cabinet Committee on …

• Naval Warfare

  Japan donating large patrol boats to KL

  17th November 2016

  Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe confirmed on 16 November that his country would donate two decommissioned Japan Coast Guard (JCG) patrol boats to Malaysia. The …

• Land Warfare

  Thailand to adopt DTI-2 rocket launcher

  14th November 2016

  The latest unguided 122mm DTI-2 multiple-rocket launch (MRL) system installed on a tracked Type 85 chassis will be delivered to the Royal Thai Army (RTA) …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Zhuhai 2016: Big balloons hold sway

  11th November 2016

  While most attendees at last week’s Zhuhai Air Show were focused on sexy weaponry designed to turn heaven into hell, there were also big balloons …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UK nears end of Protector road

  17th November 2016

  The acquisition by the UK of the next generation Certifiable Predator B (CPB), which will be known as Protector when in service, has moved a …

• Land Warfare

  Turkmenistan shows new weapons

  23rd November 2016

  A lavish military parade held in Turkmenistan’s capital Ashkhabad to celebrate the 25th anniversary of country’s independence has revealed the previous unimaginable scale of new …

• Naval Warfare

  Malaysia selects Chinese warships

  9th November 2016

  Malaysia surprised many by its 5 November announcement that it will buy four Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) from China.  …

• Digital Battlespace

  Zhuhai 2016: Stealth aircraft on China’s radar

  10th November 2016

  China displayed its technological prowess with a number of air surveillance radars at the 11th Zhuhai Air Show in China. Among them were ‘cutting-edge’ radars - …

• Land Warfare

  Zhuhai 2016: China shows off brawn

  9th November 2016

  The variety of armoured vehicles on display at the 11th Zhuhai Air Show in southern China was dazzling, as China South Industries Group Corporation and …

• Military Logistics

  Zhuhai 2016: Y-20 family eyes expansion

  10th November 2016

  Two newly received units of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Y-20 Kunpeng transport aircraft participated in the Zhuhai Air Show from 1-6 November. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Zhuhai 2016: SeaFly being prepped for dual-use missions

  7th November 2016

  A scale model of the SeaFly unmanned surface vessel (USV), developed by Beijing Sifang Automation, buzzed into the 11th Zhuhai Air Show in China last …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  QuestUAV targets Chinese market with BTBT

  4th November 2016

  Beijing Topcon Business and Trade (BTBT) has entered a partnership with QuestUAV to supply and support the latter's UAVs in China, QuestUAV announced on 3 …

• Land Warfare

  Zhuhai 2016: Variety impresses on skid row

  4th November 2016

  The China South Industries Group Corporation, similar to but lesser known than the China North Industries Corporation (Norinco), exhibited a stunning line-up of skid-steer military …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Garmoosha [UAE]

  Programme Background First Contract In an interview with Shephard at the Dubai Airshow 2021, Faisal Al Bannai, CEO of EDGE, stated the development of the ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  S-70M Black Hawk [Indonesia]

  Programme Background On 23 August 2023, Lockheed Martin announced that Sikorsky had signed an agreement with PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) for a strategic partnership in ...

• AEW&C

  GlobalEye (1-3) [UAE]

  Programme Background The GlobalEye is a modification of Bombardier's Global 6000 jet aircraft fitted with the S-band Erieye Extended Range (ER) radar and mission system ...

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

  Reach-S [UAE]

  Programme Background At the Dubai Airshow 2023, held in November, EDGE Group announced that the UAE Armed Forces had acquired 100 units of the Reach-S, ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  HT-100 [Undisclosed]

  Programme Background At the Dubai Airshow 2023, EDGE Group announced that it had accepted an order for six HT-100 drones. The drones will be supplied ...

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

  Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) Project [Japan]

  Programme Background Requirement The Japanese Coast Guard (JCG) operated a few dozen Chinese-made UAVs that conducted SAR and surveillance activities. The drones performed well and ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (4-5) [UAE]

  Programme Background United Arab Emirates Air Force had a requirement for three tanker aircraft. Boeing confirmed that the UAE sent an official request for three ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Sky Mantis (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Programme Background Reuters Report Speaking to Reuters in March 2024, Evolve Dynamics stated that about 100 Sky Mantis drones were flying in Ukraine, highlighting a ...

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

  Heron Mk 1 Replacement [Singapore]

  Programme Background Ahead of the Singapore Airshow, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) outgoing chief, Major General Kelvin Khong, stated that the service would ...

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

  Wing Loong II (Saudi Arabia)

  Programme Background  Contract Saudi Arabia was planning to buy Western-made UAVs such as Predator or Reaper. However, Missile Control Technology Regime (MCTR) imposed restrictions on the ...

• Frigates

  Type 054A/P (Pakistan)

  Programme Background Contracts Pakistan has ordered four frigates from China under the Type 054AP programme, which refers to the vessels being based on the Peoples ...

• Maritime patrol

  Challenger 650 ISR - UAE

  Programme Background In February 2019 at IDEX, the UAE announced that it will procure a new special mission aircraft with an option for the second ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Hangor Class Submarines [Pakistan]

  Programme Background Timeline Chinese media first reported that the Pakistan Navy had agreed to buy eight modified Type 039B submarines in April 2015. The contract ...

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

  MQ-9B [UAE]

  Programme Background Requirement The programme is required to meet current and future threats faced by the UAE by proving ISR, target acquisition, locating submarines and counter-land and ...

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

  Hermes 450 Replacement [Singapore]

  Programme Background Ahead of the Singapore Airshow, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) outgoing chief, Major General Kelvin Khong, stated that the service would replace its ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  AR-2000

  Unveiled by the China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC) at the Dubai Air Show 2023, the AR-2000 is a large rotary-wing drone designed for ...

• VD200

  The VD200 is a tail-sitting VTOL UAV which is able to transition to fixed-wing horizontal flight. The UAV was displayed by CADI, a subsidiary of ...

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

  SW-1

  The fixed-wing SW-1 is designed to perform tactical ISTAR missions. It was displayed at the Airshow China exhibition in November 2012. 

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Sky Archer

  The Sky Archer is a short-endurance unmanned quadcopter designed for military use. It weighs 38kg and can reportedly carry two 50mm recoilless rocket launchers. 

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  TD220

  The TD220 is an electric, coaxial dual-rotor UAV manufactured by Zhong Hang Zhi (ZHZ). The aircraft, which debuted at the 2014 Singapore Airshow, is designed ...

• Self-propelled missile systems

  Sky Dragon 12

  Norinco presented a model of the FK-1000 short-range SAM system at Airshow China 2012 and unveiled the newly-named Sky Dragon 12 at Africa Aerospace and ...

• Awing-F100J

  Awing-F100J is the latest UAV from Tianjin-based Quadrant Space (Tianjin) Technology and was displayed at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in China for the first time ...

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

  WJ-500

  WJ-500 is a stealthy subsonic UAV with a low radar signature and the appearance of a cruise missile with very short mid-mounted control surfaces. It ...

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

  WJ-600

  First revealed during the 2010 China Airshow, the WJ-600is a large-scale baseline UCAV manufactured by China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation and is a maritime ...

• Transport

  Y-20

  Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation launched the development of the Y-20 strategic transport aircraft in 2006. The Y-20 incorporates a high-set wing, T-tail and rear cargo-loading ...

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

  Wing Loong 10

  The Wing Loong 10 is a HALE UAV, known as the WL-10 in the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and formally known as the Cloud ...

• Awing-F20

  The Awing-F20 is a fixed-wing UAV designed by Quadrant Space (Tianjin) Technology. The platform was displayed at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in China, alongside other ...

• Air: aerial targets

  TL-8

  The TL-8 is a target drone that can be used to simulate second- and third-generation fighters, cruise missiles and other targets in weapon testing and ...

• Awing-H100J

  The Awing-H100J is a rotary-wing UAV designed by Quadrant Space (Tianjin) Technology. The Awing-H100J was displayed at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in China, alongside other ...

• Military - USVs

  SeaFly-01

  The SeaFly-01 USV, developed by Beijing Sifang Automation, was showcased at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in China in November 2016. Phase one tests of the ...