• Defence Notes

  Why China's surveillance balloon is more intriguing than alarming

  3rd February 2023

  While capturing headlines, the intelligence-collection capabilities of the Chinese balloon currently floating over the US are likely limited.

• Air Warfare

  Thales and Schiebel give Royal Navy new eye in the sky

  10th February 2023

  The Royal Navy has selected Thales and Schiebel to provide a rotary-wing UAS for its warships under the Peregrine programme.

• Air Warfare

  Defiant protest grounds US Army FLRAA contract

  4th January 2023

  Boeing and Sikorsky think the US Army's decision on the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft was not made in the right way and have filed a protest with the US Government Accountability Office, pausing the programme for more than three months.

• Air Warfare

  Aeralis to contribute to Global Combat Air Programme efforts

  13th December 2022

  The UK MoD will use Aeralis's digital enterprise system for development of a variety of future programmes, including the Global Combat Air Programme and Future Combat Air System, with the goal of reduced timescale and cost.

• Defence Helicopter

  Nigeria to receive new attack helicopters

  9th December 2022

  The Nigerian Air Force is to receive more than 50 attack air assets to strengthen its ability to fight insecurity within its borders.

• Defence Notes

  Japan to increase ammunition stockpiles and munition depots

  11th December 2022

  The ongoing Ukraine conflict is showing countries like Japan that they need to boost stocks of ammunition and missiles.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2022: ASTi integrates simulated environment in Lockheed Martin demo centre

  26th November 2022

  ASTi's Simulated Environment for Realistic ATC can enhance training scenarios simulated in Lockheed Martin demonstration centre.

• Air Warfare

  UPDATED: FCAS is ‘on the way to first flight’, says Airbus

  20th December 2022

  The Franco-German Future Combat Air System programme is moving onto Phase 1B, where Dassault, Airbus, Indra and Eumet will develop a demonstrator.

• Air Warfare

  Saab naval air traffic control radar enters next production phase

  10th November 2022

  Saab has received a contract from the US Navy for an additional two Shipboard Air Traffic Radar sets to equip aircraft carriers and large-deck amphibious ships.

• Training

  First T-6C trainers arrive in Thailand

  17th November 2022

  Deliveries have commenced of new trainer aircraft for Thailand's air force.

• Air Warfare

  First T-6C Texan II arrives for Tunisian Air Force

  10th November 2022

  The T-6C Texan II delivered is the first of the eight training aircraft the Tunisian Air Force is set to receive under a US Foreign Military Sales contract.

• Naval Warfare

  HII to build new America-class Amphibious Assault Ship for US Navy

  28th October 2022

  HII has already built two America-class LHAs, USS America (LHA 6) and USS Tripoli (LHA 7), with a third, USS Bougainville (LHA 8) under construction.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2022: The new programmes at the forefront of US Army training

  1st December 2022

  Openness and transparency are to the fore as the US Army's Program Executive Office for Simulation Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI) seeks closer ties with industry to deliver major projects.

• Air Warfare

  India searches for foreign partners to build engines

  19th October 2022

  Sourcing engines for home-grown military platforms and weapons is proving a thorn in the side of India.

• Air Warfare

  Brazil becomes first 4th gen plus jet operator in South America

  21st December 2022

  Brazil became the first South American country to operate a fourth-generation-plus advanced combat jet by inaugurating its first Gripens.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Loyal Wingman [France]

  Programme Background Rafale F5 Companion During a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the French Strategic Air Forces (FAS) at Saint-Dizier Air Base in October 2024, France's Minister of ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook

  As the Army's only heavy-lift helicopter, the CH-47F Improved Cargo helicopter is an essential component of the Army's Multi-Domain Battle framework. The CH-47F and MH-47G ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale (1-12) [Serbia]

  Programme Background Timeline The military aviation capabilities of the Serbian Armed Forces have been actively expanded — and Belgrade was confirmed to be negotiating with ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook-Saudi Arabia- Contracted

  The helicopters will increase the Royal Saudi Land Forces Aviation Command's interoperability with the US and advance the development of the country's heavy-lift helicopter capability.

• 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 ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Rafale (1-12) [Serbia]

  As President Aleksandar Vucic confirmed in April 2022, Serbia is planning to buy 12 Rafale fighters from Dassault Aviation. A contract worth almost $3 billion ...

• Data links

  Data links | Rafale (1-12) [Serbia]

  As President Aleksandar Vucic confirmed in April 2022, Serbia is planning to buy 12 Rafale fighters from Dassault Aviation. A contract worth almost $3 billion ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Rafale (1-12) [Serbia]

  As President Aleksandar Vucic confirmed in April 2022, Serbia is planning to buy 12 Rafale fighters from Dassault Aviation. A contract worth almost $3 billion ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Rafale (1-12) [Serbia]

  As President Aleksandar Vucic confirmed in April 2022, Serbia is planning to buy 12 Rafale fighters from Dassault Aviation. A contract worth almost $3 billion ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Rafale (1-12) [Serbia]

  As President Aleksandar Vucic confirmed in April 2022, Serbia is planning to buy 12 Rafale fighters from Dassault Aviation. A contract worth almost $3 billion ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  SW-4

  The SW-4 is aimed at the basic and advanced pilot training, troop transport and ISR missions. Its Polish designation is Puszczyk. The SW-4s are based ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Project Land 4503

  Programme Background The Australian Army has begun its search for a successor to the Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH), with an RfI issued by the ...

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

  Akinci [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Erdogan Visit On 17 July 2023,  President Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Jeddah for the first stop of his Gulf tour. The following day, ...

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

  Project Vixen [UK]

  Programme Background Project Goal The Royal Navy uses Leonardo crewed Merlin (AW101) helicopters fitted with CROWSNEST pods to provide airborne early warning capabilities for carriers. An early ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook-Saudi Arabia

  In addition to this, the request includes M134D mini-Guns, aircraft survivability equipment, infrared signature suppression system, fast rope insertion extraction system, extended range fuel system, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  AN/ZPY-1 STARLite

  The AN/ZPY-1 Small Tactical Radar-Lightweight (STARLite) is a synthetic aperture radar/ground moving target indication (GMTI) sensor for UAVs and manned platforms that support tactical operations. ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  GE Aviation Avionics

  GE Aviation's advanced avionics suite comes with a high performance software package installed on a number of civil and military aircraft. It's open architecture  platform ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  AR682R

  The AR682R has been developed to power UAVs which require up to 120bhp. It is based on the proven AR642 core that was designed to ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  AE50R

  The AE50R is an aviation gasoline single rotary engine with an output of 40.4kW. The engine is certified according to European Aviation Safety Agency Part ...

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

  Nighthawk

  Aviation Industry Corporation of China displayed its new Nighthawk UAV at the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in November 2012. Nighthawk is designed for tactical ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  CH-47F CAT

  The CH-47F Chinook Avionics Trainer (CAT) is a high-fidelity hands-on training system that provides task training through the simulation of all avionics systems in integrated ...

• Snow Owl

  Snow Owl is a MALE UAV that was developed by Aviation Industry Corporation of China's Guizhou Aviation Aircraft Co. The UAV is claimed to have ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  German Army Aviation School

  CAE is the prime contractor for the German Army’s Night-Time Low-Level Flight Training Facility, commonly known as the German Army Aviation School, at Bückeburg. This ...

• Air: mission management systems

  HERGIS

  The HERGIS C2 system provides network-centric warfare capabilities to German Army Aviation, integrating the service into the overall FüInfoSys Heer army C2 system. At all ...

• Trainer

  L-15/JL-10 Falcon

  The L-15 Falcon is a supersonic advanced jet trainer and light attack aircraft developed by Hongdu Aviation Industry Group, a subsidiary of the Aviation Industry ...

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

  PEN 55V

  The PEN 55V is a small rotary-wing cargo-carrying UAV manufactured by Pen Aviation. 

• Subsystems: software

  Terrain Databases

  With Terrain Databases generated by the Saab Digital Map Generation System, correlated geo databases are provided to aircraft systems, operational support systems, aviation training systems ...

• Air: mission management systems

  HawkEye 7200A

  The HawkEye 7200 is a portable tracking and SATCOM solution, designed for aviation, marine or mobile assets. The GNSS receiver provides continuous satellite-based tracking, autonomous ...

• Major networking projects

  Nodal Switch

  A modular, IP-based voice communications system designed to support applications where factors such as reliability, performance, size and weight are considerations. The underlying IP architecture ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Australian Defence Force MRH90 Training

  As prime contractor for the ADF's MRH90 training programme, CAE has provided two MRH90 full-flight mission simulators (FFMS), training facilities and engineering and support services. ...