• Air Warfare

  General Atomics lines up Gray Eagle ER Link 16 tests

  9th August 2021

  Modernisation of the US Army's MQ-1C Gray Eagle ISR UAV will soon include new Link 16 tests under the aircraft's Product Improvement Program.

• Naval Warfare

  As Vikrant heads to sea, India must look at more carriers

  6th August 2021

  India's second aircraft carrier commences maiden sea trials, but more carriers are needed.

• Defence Notes

  USAF awards another Mk21A contract modification

  5th August 2021

  ​Lockheed Martin is to assist the much-needed US ICBM fuze modernisation programme, as the existing Mk21 fuze is already three times past its design life.

• Defence Notes

  UK must absorb harsh lessons from Afghan debacle (Opinion)

  21st September 2021

  Facts on the ground contrast sharply with the grand ambitions enshrined in UK defence strategy.

• Naval Warfare

  Chess Dynamics lifts the curtain on latest Sea Eagle system

  2nd August 2021

  Sea Eagle FCEO MKII will be available globally in 2022.

• Air Warfare

  AARGM-ER developer has next milestone in its sights

  4th August 2021

  AARGM-ER is scheduled to achieve IOC on USN Super Hornets in September 2023 — and Northrop Grumman also continues to work on the surface-launched AReS variant.

• Air Warfare

  Izdelie 305 adds punch to Ka-52M

  6th August 2021

  The latest missile for the Ka-52M helicopter is designed to deal with hardened targets such as concrete shelters and armoured vehicles, as well as mobile short-range air defence systems.

• Naval Warfare

  RN assesses options for next surface-to-surface weapon

  11th August 2021

  The UK RN is scoping out options for its next surface-to-surface guided weapons system but it has yet to move forward with plans for an interim Harpoon anti-ship missile replacement.

• Land Warfare

  IDEF 2021: Turkish Armoured Vehicle Procurement (Defence Insight analysis)

  13th August 2021

  The growing domestic industrial base in Turkey is capable of delivering several armoured vehicle programmes — but stumbling blocks remain, especially with the difficult Altay MBT programme.

• Training

  Aechelon reaps JSE IG reward

  7th July 2021

  The USAF's Joint Simulation Environment has taken another major step forwards with the award of the contract for image generators to Aechelon Technology.

• Naval Warfare

  Japan works on new OPV design and pushes for exports

  23rd July 2021

  A new OPV design is one item for sale as Japan pushes hard to increase defence equipment exports. (ATLA)

• Air Warfare

  Defiant team claims ‘significant milestone’

  23rd July 2021

  Sikorsky-Boeing technology demonstrator demonstrated lifting capability in mid-July flight.

• Naval Warfare

  USN orders more incremental availability work for USS Gerald R Ford

  29th July 2021

  Latest order for Huntington Ingalls follows a 2019 contract for early service life work on USN carrier Gerald R Ford.

• Naval Warfare

  US lawmakers seek land testbed for DDG(X) power system

  3rd August 2021

  The US Navy's future destroyer, known as DDG(X), will need massive power generation capabilities to run advanced sensors, directed energy weapons and propulsion systems.

• Air Warfare

  Northrop Grumman aids French Hawkeye delivery schedule

  28th July 2021

  Extra non-recurring engineering risk reduction work supports French procurement of three E-2D Hawkeyes under the FMS programme.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey [Japan]

  Programme Background Procurement Contracts The Japanese government is the first export customer of the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey, having ordered 17 helicopters from the US across ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

• Data links

  Data links | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

• Loitering munitions

  Harop [Morocco]

  Programme Background In November 2021, Haaretz reported that a $22 million drone sale between Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Morocco had occurred. That publication and ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) Forecast (South Korea)

  Programme Background The LAH is the first time that the South Korean OEM has developed an armed helicopter. The project kicked off in June 2015, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4 Triton (Announced/Contracted) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The MQ-4C Triton programme, developed under the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) programme, required an uncrewed system to provide persistent real-time intelligence, surveillance ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Spain HT-29 Caiman MSPT (NH90 NFH) - Navy

  The deliveries of seven NH-90 NFHs to the Spanish Navy are expected to between 2022 and 2025, following the completion of 22-helicopters program for the ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (1-6) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved' Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020. The contract ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey (USN)

  Programme Background Requirement According to USN FY2023 Budget Estimate documentation, the V-22 programme provides an aircraft to meet the amphibious and vertical assault needs of ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AAV7A1 RAM/RS (Japan - 2nd Batch)

  Programme Background The Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) has procured the AAV7A1 RAM/RS to equip its Amphibious Assault Brigade formed in 2018. Tasked with ...

• Frigates

  30FFM Multi-Mission Frigates [Japan]

  Programme Background Timeline The Japanese Ministry of Defense (MoD) was expected to place orders for all eight multirole frigates by fiscal year (FY) 2021, with ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift, Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey [Indonesia]

  Programme Background Announcement Indonesia issued a letter of request for pricing, which eventually triggered the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) to announce on 6 June 2020, ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Phoenix Ghost (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (21 April 2022) Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, on 21 April 2022, President Biden announced an $800 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  MD-22

  The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) unveiled the near-space hypersonic technology testbed MD-22 at the Zhuhai Airshow in 2022. Capable of speeds of Mach 7, the ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Air Combat Training

  Boeing has experience in delivering training for fixed-wing air combat platforms including F-15C/E, F-16, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G, F-22 and MV/CV-22.

• Data links

  MDM-2X02N

  The MDM-2X02N is a tactical data link modem that combines the functionalities of a Link 11 DTS and Link 22 signal processor controller (SPC) into ...

• Data links

  MLT 2920

  The MLT 2920 Multi Link Terminal is a Link 11/22 compatible data link solution. Supplied by Elbit Systems Deutschland, it comprises one Link 11 modem ...

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

  Kaman-22

  Unveiled in February 2021, the Kaman-22 is the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Forces (IRIAF) flagship UAV. With a payload capacity of 300kg and seven hardpoints, ...

• Transport

  An-22

  The largest transport aircraft of the time, the An-22 Antei (NATO reporting name Cock) is a heavy military transport aircraft developed by Antonov in the ...

• Data links

  Maritime Tactical Data Link

  The Maritime Tactical Data Link (MTDL) is a developmental tactical data link by Hanwha Systems. Offered in 16 configurations, the system is based on the ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  RP-22 Sapfir 21

  The RP-22 Sapfir 21 is an upgraded Sapfir for late-1960s MiG-21 fighters. 

• Anti-ship missiles

  P-270 Moskit

  The P-270 Moskit is a Soviet anti-ship missile designated as SS-N-22 (Sunburn) by NATO. It was not till after the end of the Cold War ...

• Sea: naval fire control radar

  Type 911

  The Type 911 is a lightweight, I-bad fire control system developed by Marconi, which is now part of BAE Systems. These radars were originally developed ...

• Data links

  LinkPro

  LinkPro is a standards-based, high fidelity, software-only, multi-link Tactical Data Link (TDL) processing engine that improves tactical communications, reduces the time, risk and expense of ...

• Corvettes

  Shahid Soleimani class

  At the beginning of September 2022, Iran unveiled the new Shahid Soleimani-class warship. The vessel features a catamaran design with a stealthy superstructure. Two other units are reportedly ...

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

  Air Wolf

  The Air Wolf, or Airwolf, is a catapult-launched developmental UAS manufactured by Kratos Defense & Security Solutions.  On 25 August 2021, Kratos announced the platform had completed its ...

• ISR/special mission

  IL-22

  The IL-22 Bison (NATO reporting name Coot-B), also known as IL-18D-36, is a special mission aircraft designed as an airborne command post for the Soviet Air Force.  ...

• Helicopter guns

  RGS (AWG-35)

  The RGS (AWG-35) fulfils the USMC requirement for an Interim Defensive Weapon System for the MV-22 tiltrotor. Armed with a three-barrel 7.62mm GAU-7 minigun, the ...