• Training

  Mirage F1 takes to the skies in Texas

  19th September 2019

  Textron subsidiary, Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC), has undertaken the first flight of its Mirage F1 aircraft from the company’s Alliance Airport Adversary Center of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Delta Digital Video to provide data encoder for US Army Shadow

  3rd September 2019

  Textron Systems has awarded Delta Digital Video a contract to supply its Model 6805R HD/SD video encoder to contribute to the modernisation of the US …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Trouble at the top for US Army's future UAS plans

  8th August 2019

  The US Army has downplayed concerns that a manufacturer involved in the service’s Future Tactical Unmanned Aerial System (FTUAS) programme could force other aircraft to …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army selects FTUAS companies

  29th July 2019

  Four companies have been named on a US Army firm-fixed-price contract announced by the US Department of Defense on 25 July. Textron, Arcturus UAV, Martin …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: Nightwarden absent as Textron Systems detail unmanned focus

  10th June 2019

  Unveiled two years ago under a blazing solar spotlight and no little attention on the ground, Textron Systems’ Nightwarden UAS will not be on display …

• Training

  TRU unveils Canadian FAcT strategy

  31st May 2019

  TRU Simulation + Training has announced that it is offering aircraft and synthetic training equipment to a number of the bidders on the Royal Canadian …

• Training

  ITEC 2019: USN’s TACT falls to ATAC

  8th May 2019

  The US Navy’s Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has selected a team led by Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC), part of Textron Airborne Solutions, to …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Textron tests Shadow Block III capabilities

  26th April 2019

  Textron Systems has commenced flight testing of the Shadow Block III UAS, the company announced on 23 April.The company is working with the US Army …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bell plans to build 407GXi in Ozark

  25th April 2019

  Bell Helicopter has proposed its final assembly plans for the Bell 407GXi aircraft, Textron announced on 18 April. Should the Bell 407GXi be selected for …

• Land Warfare

  Textron Systems delivers NGSW-T demonstrator

  28th March 2019

  Textron Systems has delivered the initial Next Generation Squad Weapon-Technology (NGSW-T) prototype demonstrator to the US Army, the company announced on 25 March. The demonstrator …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy’s new landing craft nears key tests, but challenges remain

  3rd April 2019

  The US Navy is trying to fix several technical problems with its Ship to Shore Connector (SSC) and keep the new landing craft on track …

• Digital Battlespace

  Textron Systems, IMSAR integrate NSP-3 into Aerosonde

  21st February 2019

  Textron Systems and IMSAR have successfully demonstrated the capability of the NSP-3 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) integrated on the Aerosonde small UAS, Textron announced on …

• Defence Helicopter

  Heli-Expo 2019: Bell takes diplomatic approach to FVL funding

  3rd March 2019

  Ahead of the highly anticipated US Presidential Budget 2019 scheduled for March, Bell is remaining non-committal to any suggestion that low level FVL funding could jeopardise …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  NAVAIR casts net for unmanned ISR services

  7th February 2019

  Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has made public its intention of a contract for sea-based UAS ISR services aboard a maritime support vessel (MSV), it …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Avalon 2019: Australia launches Shadow replacement

  26th February 2019

  Coinciding with the Avalon Air Show, the Australian Army released an industry engagement paper covering Project Land 129 Phase 3, the planned replacement of the …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - tactical

  Nightwarden (Qatar)

  Programme Background The Qatar MoD has established the Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center to carry out ISR missions for the Qatar Armed Forces. Among its roles ...

• Trainer

  Beechcraft King Air 260 [Canada]

  Programme Background  The Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) programme was developed by the Royal Canadian Airforce to renew aircrew training services to help maintain a multi-purpose and ...

• Military UAS - small

  Aerosonde (Qatar)

  Programme Background The Qatar MoD has established the Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center to carry out ISR missions for the Qatar Armed Forces. Among its roles ...

• Trainer

  T-6 Texan II [Japan]

  Programme Background  In January 2025, Textron Aviation confirmed that the T-6C Texan II was selected as the new trainer aircraft for the Japanese Air Self-Defence ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  T-6C (Tunisia)

  Programme Background Requirement The Tunisian Air Force has a requirement for light aircraft in order to replace its ageing SF-206 and L-59T trainers. The country ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCAC 100 Class (SSC) [USN]

  Programme Background Timeline The major role of the SSC will be deployment from landing ships in support of USN and USMC operations and the transport ...

• Trainer

  Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS)/T-45 Replacement [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy’s (USN) Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) programme is intended to replace the troubled T-45 Goshhawk trainer. The June 2024 RFI includes ...

• MPVs - 4x4, Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Iraq Federal Police 4x4 Patrol Vehicle

  The failure of this Iraqi Federal Police requirement for an additional 300 vehicles to translate into a contract may be related to issues encountered with ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505 (Jordan)

  Programme Background Requirement The Jordanian Air Force has a requirement for training helicopters that are to be used in the King Hussein Air College. The country ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505 (South Korea - Army)

  Programme Background Requirement South Korea operates an ageing fleet of Bell UH-1s and MD 500s for training purposes. The country has already replaced a part of ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505 (South Korea - Navy)

  Programme Background Requirement South Korea operates an ageing fleet of Bell UH-1s and MD 500s for training purposes. The country has already replaced a part of ...

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

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) will provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It is intended to ...

• Trainer

  T-6C [Thailand]

  Programme Background The contract is for 12 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II advanced military training aircraft, ground-based training systems for pilots and maintenance professionals, a mission ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  ARV (USMC)

  Programme Background The ARV constitutes one component of a wider USMC effort to develop an interconnected network of manned and unmanned platforms more suited to ...

• Data links

  Data links | T-6 Texan II [Japan]

  In December 2024, reports indicated that the Japanese Government selected the T-6C Texan II as the new trainer aircraft for the Japanese Air Self-Defence Forces. ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

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

  Aerosonde HQ SUAS

  The Aerosonde Hybrid Quadcopter (HQ) SUAS is the VTOL version of the Aerosonde SUAS. It combines the capabilities of a multi-rotor platform with the efficiency ...

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

  Aerosonde Mk 4.8 HQ FTUAS

  From the Texton family of Aerosonde UAS, the Aerosonde Mk 4.8 Hybrid Quad (HQ) FTUAS is a tactical drone purpose-built to meet the US Army's Future Vertical Lift ...

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

  Aerosonde Mk 4.7

  Jointly developed by AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems, a unit of Textron Systems, and Aerosonde, the Aerosonde Mk 4.7 is a fixed-wing UAV. First demonstrated in 2009, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Cottonmouth

  The Cottonmouth is a purpose-built 6x6 amphibious reconnaissance vehicle designed by Textron Systems to meet the requirements of the USMC's Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) programme. It ...

• Air: mission management systems

  iCommand 2.5

  The iCommand 2.5 is the latest version of the iCommand integrated command suite, designed by Textron Systems Advanced Information Solutions. The system has been designed ...

• Medium/general-purpose machine guns

  7.62mm CT MMG

  Since June 2014, the US Army has awarded contracts totalling $7.7 million to Textron Systems to develop a 7.62mm version of the 5.56mm light machine ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505

  The Bell 505 is a light, single-engine helicopter initially designed for the utility, executive/passenger and law enforcement markets produced by Bell Textron. The Montenegrin Air ...

• Military UGVs

  Ripsaw M3

  The Ripsaw M3 is a tracked UGV developed by Textron Systems in partnership with Howe & Howe and Teledyne FLIR Systems. The vehicle has been developed ...

• Maritime patrol

  Cessna Maritime Patrol

  The Cessna 'special mission' Maritime Patrol Aircraft is a variant of the Cessna Citation Longitude business jet developed by Textron aviation. Textron has stated the onboard systems, ...

• EW test systems, Air: air combat simulators

  PRTS

  The Portable Range Threat Simulator (PRTS) is a modular package that adds long-range capabilities to Textron Systems' Radar Signal Simulator. 

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

  RQ-7B Shadow v2 Block III

  The RQ-7B Shadow v2 Block III is an upgraded UAS developed by Textron Systems. Compared to previous versions, it has a quieter, more reliable and more powerful ...

• Trainer

  Beechcraft King Air 260 (T-54A)

  The Beechcraft King Air 260 is a twin-engine turboprop which the USN has selected as part of the Multi-Engine Training System (METS) programme. Ten aircraft were ...

• Military UGVs

  Ripsaw M5

  The Ripsaw M5 has been developed to meet the requirements of the US Army's Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) programme for a family of new UGVs. ...

• Military - USVs

  Fleet Class/Common Unmanned Surface Vessel

  Developed for the USN, the Fleet Class Common USV System that can fulfil MCM, ISR and surface combat roles. It is designed by Textron Systems ...

• EW test systems, Air: air combat simulators

  MAST

  The Man-Portable Aircraft Survivability Trainer (MAST) replicates the visual and spectral effects of a shoulder-fired IR missile threat to stimulate UV-based aircraft survivability equipment systems ...