• Air Warfare

  FCAS leads the next-generation combat aircraft market

  25th June 2020

  The development of sixth-generation combat aircraft is in its infancy, yet competition to supply prospective global requirements is already ramping up. Projects already initiated by …

• Training

  UK launches Project VULCAN

  4th June 2020

  The UK is looking to streamline its armour training, through what MoD Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S;) describes as ‘provision of a suite of comprehensive simulator …

• Defence Notes

  Reconciled to reality, UK defence peers into the budgetary abyss

  29th May 2020

  The UK MoD looks set to continue its difficult balancing act of capability versus budgetary reality at least until the conclusions drawn up in the …

• Air Warfare

  Marshall to upgrade Austrian C-130K avionics

  5th June 2020

  Marshall Aerospace and Defence has been awarded a multimillion-pound contract by the Austrian Air Force to upgrade and modernise the avionics of its three C-130K …

• Defence Helicopter

  AW159 Wildcat conducts first Martlet LMM firing test

  26th May 2020

  Leonardo and Thales reported on 26 May that the AW159 Wildcat helicopter had completed the first successful test firing of the Thales Martlet Lightweight Multirole …

• Air Warfare

  Atkins and Gama Aviation awarded UK MAR contracts

  26th May 2020

  Atkins and Gama Aviation have been awarded contracts to carry out Military Airworthiness Reviews (MAR) for the RAF’s HQ Air Command (HQ Air) and the …

• Training

  Australia begins quest for a new trainer jet

  16th June 2020

  Australia has issued an RfI for a future lead-in fighter training system (LIFTS), in a requirement called Project Air 6002 Phase 1. This formally begins …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  GDLS awarded UGV contract by British Army

  4th June 2020

  General Dynamics Land Systems confirmed on 4 June that it has delivered two of its fully electric 8x8 Multi-Utility Tactical Transport (MUTT) UGVs to the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SeeByte to extend USN UUV capabilities

  4th June 2020

  SeeByte has secured its first delivery order in the second option year of a five-year contract from the USN. The UK-based company will provide engineering, …

• Naval Warfare

  IMSC moves to reassure mariners in Middle East

  21st May 2020

  Amid reports of an attack on a UK-flagged tanker by unknown assailants off the coast of Yemen, the UK-led International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) said …

• Defence Notes

  DASA extends biosensing competition deadline

  1st June 2020

  The UK Defence and Science Accelerator (DASA) has extended its deadline for submissions to a biosensing competition which seeks to find innovative new proposals for …

• Defence Helicopter

  Hughes builds momentum on SATCOM helicopter campaign

  15th June 2020

  Satellite network provider Hughes Defense is preparing for a new customer flight demonstration involving the company’s HeloSat SATCOM system and a high-definition EO/IR payload equipped …

• Digital Battlespace

  Boeing switches UK Wedgetail conversion contractor

  20th May 2020

  Boeing has dropped engineering supplier Marshall Aerospace and Defence as its preferred E-7 Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C;) conversion contractor and selected STS …

• Digital Battlespace

  Leonardo IPSA 6 continues E-SCAN radar tests

  1st June 2020

  Leonardo’s ISPA (Instrumented Series Production Aircraft) 6 has joined other Eurofighter Typhoon test aircraft with the E-SCAN radar after a lay-up period in November 2019. …

• Defence Notes

  India and Australia forge closer maritime co-operation

  8th June 2020

  Australia and India elevated their bilateral Strategic Partnership of 2009 to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership through a virtual summit held between Prime Ministers Scott Morrison …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H135 (UK)

  Programme BackgroundAirbus Helicopters UK announced on 2 February 2022 that it has won an order to provide five additional H135 twin-engine helicopters for the MoD. The ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme [UK]

  Programme Background The next-generation platform concept is part of the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, which sought to deliver a Future Combat Air System ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Fleet Solid Support (FSS) (1-3) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirement The 2015 Strategic Defence & Security Review (SDSR) highlighted the requirement for three Military Afloat Reach & Sustainability (MARS) Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ...

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

  Magni-X (UK)

  Programme Background On 12 January 2022, Elbit Systems UK announced it had been awarded a contract from the UK MoD's Defence Equipment & Support's Future Capability ...

• 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 ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Ukraine - UK supplied Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FIAC)

  Programme Background It was first reported in late September 2020 that the UK could provide eight Barzan-class fast attack craft to Ukraine. The platform has been ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4, Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Multi-Role Vehicle (Protected) (MRV-P) Package 1 (UK)

  Programme Background Requirement The MRV-P programme was intended to procure replacements for a diverse fleet of 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles purchased during the wars in Iraq ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) [Japan]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that GCAP's Japanese, British and Italian components are tracked in separate entries. Programme Timeline 2020: The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency of Japan issued ...

• 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 ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Armed Micro Drone [UK]

  On 19 May 2023, the UK MoD published a request for information on armed micro UAV capabilities to help it better understand the marketplace, introduce possible ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Armed Micro Drone [UK]

  On 19 May 2023, the UK MoD published a request for information on armed micro UAV capabilities to help it better understand the marketplace, introduce possible ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  New Medium Helicopter (NMH) [UK]

  Programme Background NMH Market Interest Day On 11 November 2021, the MoD communicated the requirements of the £1 billion ($1.34 billion) New Medium Helicopter (NMH) ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | F-35B Follow-On UK

  The Royal Air Force is planning to acquire 90 F-35B Joint Strike Fighters from 2026, in addition to the 48 aircraft which London had ordered for delivery ...

• Data links

  Data links | F-35B Follow-On UK

  The Royal Air Force is planning to acquire 90 F-35B Joint Strike Fighters from 2026, in addition to the 48 aircraft which London had ordered for delivery ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | F-35B Follow-On UK

  The Royal Air Force is planning to acquire 90 F-35B Joint Strike Fighters from 2026, in addition to the 48 aircraft which London had ordered for delivery ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  UK MFTS

  The Military Flying Training System (MFTS) programme, is a private finance initiative involving the MoD and Ascent, a JV of Lockheed Martin and Babcock, which was ...

• Trainer

  Phenom 100

  Phenom 100 is a very light jet originally developed for single owner-pilot operation but later gained popularity as a jet trainer aircraft. The platform first ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  CAE 700MR

  The CAE 700MR FTD is a full mission simulator platform for military helicopter-specific flight and mission training. It is a fixed-base system based on CAE's ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  UK MSHATF

  The Medium Support Helicopter Aircrew Training Facility (MSHATF) opened for training at RAF Benson, England in July 1999. It provides training services to personnel from ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  UK/ARC341 (ADRA)

  The Advanced Digital Radio Airborne (ADRA) provides a Bowman VHF radio capability to helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. It is fully compatible with the Bowman VHF ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  Quadome

  The Quadome is an AESA Naval Air and Surface surveillance Radar developed by Hensoldt UK. The radar will equip the future Fleet Solid Support ships ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  AUKUS SSN

  The AUKUS-SSN will be the submarine design resulting from the AUKUS trilateral pact between Australia, the US and the UK. Expected to incorporate technology from ...

• Major networking projects

  Project Marshall

  The Joint Military Air Traffic Services project was initiated by the UK MoD in November 2005 to identify and evaluate options for the future delivery ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  ASTOR FBFCT

  The Fixed Base Flight Crew Trainer (FBFCT) is a Level 5+ FTD for the UK RAF’s Airborne Standoff Radar (ASTOR) platform. The ASTOR FBFCT is ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  ADR+ Bowman VHF/Centaur

  The ADR+ is the VHF vehicle and manpack radio member of the ADR family of VHF radios developed initially for the UK Bowman programme. The ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BvS10 Beowulf

  BAE Systems Hägglunds launched the BvS10 Beowulf articulated tracked ATV at the September 2015 DSEI exhibition in the UK. The Beowulf is an unarmoured variant ...

• Military UGVs

  T7

  The T7 is a multi-mission robotic system designed for military, police and hazardous missions. At DSEI 2017, the UK MoD awarded the Harris Corporation a ...

• Data links

  AN/URC-138

  The AN/URC-138 is a Link 16 interoperable terminal originally developed for the Sea Harrier. It has the same Link 16 crypto as JTIDS/MIDS. The system ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Warthog

  The Warthog is based on the ST Kinetics Bronco all terrain tracked carrier (ATTC) and was developed to meet a UK MoD urgent operational requirement ...

• Air: maintenance simulators

  GenSkill

  Pennant has developed, in consultation with the UK RAF, the GenSkill trainer to introduce students to the hand skills necessary to work on aircraft components. ...