• Air Warfare

  Nova Norway awarded contract for NH90 support

  27th February 2020

  Nova Systems Norway has received a £13 million (€15 million) contract from the Norwegian Armed Forces to provide NH90 maritime helicopter support services. The contract …

• Digital Battlespace

  Babcock to give better reception in New Zealand

  5th March 2020

  The New Zealand MoD announced on 3 March that Babcock NZ Limited has been awarded a contract to overhaul the military’s HF radio network. The …

• Training

  P-8 simulators to enhance RAF’s operational capability

  24th February 2020

  With the first of nine Poseidon MRA1 maritime patrol aircraft now delivered to the UK RAF, preparations are under way for the installation of the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bell not conceding defeat on Israeli V-22 deal

  28th February 2020

  Manufacturer Bell-Boeing will continue to push for an export order of the V-22 Osprey from Israel despite political uncertainty and funding shortages casting major doubts over …

• Special Operations

  German SF set for new rifle but Bundeswehr must wait

  9th March 2020

  Deliveries of the new HK416 rifle (pictured) to German SF are expected to start this month as the Bundeswehr ponders the replacement of its main …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sea Venom design delay raises Wildcat capability questions

  5th March 2020

  The anti-ship weapons capabilities of the RN AW159 Wildcat have been dealt a blow with confirmation that the new MBDA Sea Venom missile has suffered from design …

• Air Warfare

  F-35s carry out night landings on HMS Queen Elizabeth

  12th February 2020

  The first night landings on HMS Queen Elizabeth have been carried out by four F-35 Lightning jets in UK waters. Operational training being carried out …

• Land Warfare

  WFEL to play part in UK Boxer manufacture

  10th February 2020

  A significant portion of the manufacture of the Boxer armoured vehicles to be built for the British Army will take place at WFEL, the company …

• Naval Warfare

  Murky waters for future European Med maritime mission

  28th February 2020

  With just over a month remaining on the mandate of Operation Sophia, the European maritime security and humanitarian assistance mission to the Mediterranean, doubts persist …

• Defence Helicopter

  UK Apache crews prepare for Exercise Defender Europe 20

  14th February 2020

  UK Apache, Wildcat and Chinook helicopters are preparing to take part in Exercise Defender Europe 20 in Germany and Poland in the spring. Apaches of …

• Defence Notes

  Opinion: Transatlantic relationship enters an uncertain phase

  6th February 2020

  The decision by the UK government to approve the use of Huawei technology in “non-core” parts of the new national 5G network has been met …

• Defence Notes

  Airbus Defence & Space starts consultation on potential job losses

  20th February 2020

  Airbus Defence and Space has begun a consultation process with employee representatives from the group’s European work council over planned redundancies. It comes as the …

• Naval Warfare

  Rolls-Royce expands Canadian facility

  18th February 2020

  Rolls-Royce has broken ground on a new expansion to its Centre of Excellence for Naval Handling equipment in Peterborough, Ontario, in Canada. The site will …

• Naval Warfare

  Thales selected as Type 31 mission systems integrator

  6th February 2020

  Thales has been selected as the mission systems integrator for the Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigate programme, the company announced on 6 February.The company will …

• Land Warfare

  NATO’s Land Battle Decisive Munitions initiative grows

  13th February 2020

  Czech Republic and Sweden have joined NATO’s Land Battle Decisive Munitions initiative, with both countries signing an amendment to the initiative’s Memorandum of Understanding in …

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. ...