• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Laser-based technology seeks to plug C-UAS gap in border security

  19th March 2020

  Recent Israeli media reports indicate that the Light Blade (Lahav-Or) counter-UAS (C-UAS) system, developed by startup company OptiDefense, showed impressive results in field trials against …

• Digital Battlespace

  Australia probes into space with CubeSats

  6th May 2020

  Australia is expanding its space-based surveillance and communications capability with the next stage of development of new small satellites called CubeSats. Two separate programmes – …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Coyote Block 2 UAV killer on target for IOC and sales

  17th March 2020

  Raytheon expects to begin full-rate production of Coyote Block 2 (pictured), a counter-UAS (C-UAS) UAV which is used with the Howler C-UAS system, in 2020. …

• Land Warfare

  Ukraine restores eight 4x4 BRDM-2L1s

  16th April 2020

  Ukraine-based Nikolaev Armoured Plant (MBTZ, a subsidiary of Ukroboronprom) confirmed on 16 April that it has restored eight 4x4 BRDM-2L1 armoured reconnaissance patrol cars. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Spotlight shines on US presidential helicopters

  29th April 2020

  A recent report from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) acknowledges that the presidential helicopter programme is within cost goals but asserts that some technical …

• Land Warfare

  Czechs buy thousands of small arms

  9th April 2020

  The Czech MoD has announced its intention to procure more than 39,000 assault rifles and pistols for its armed forces. A spokesperson for the ministry …

• Land Warfare

  US Army looks at precision strike through a new prism

  1st May 2020

  The US Army and Lockheed Martin successfully conducted the third flight test in their next-generation long-range missile programme at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico on …

• Air Warfare

  USMC adjusts its air power priorities

  4th May 2020

  In issuing the Force Design 2030 report into the future direction of the USMC, the corps is attempting to steer the course of its development, …

• Defence Notes

  Dutch Air Force delivers COVID-19 aid to Sint Maarten

  10th April 2020

  The Dutch Ministry of Defence reported on 8 April that medical supplies and equipment had been transported to Sint Maarten to support the Dutch overseas …

• Air Warfare

  Indonesia rolls out first F-16A eMLU fighter

  17th April 2020

  The Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) has unveiled its first F-16A enhanced Midlife Upgrade (eMLU) aircraft, with upgrades carried out locally by PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) …

• Training

  New KC-46 training scheme unveiled

  17th April 2020

  Despite the travails surrounding the USAF's KC-46 Pegasus tanker programme, the training show goes on and has just gathered pace. FlightSafety Services Corporation (FSC), the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  FTUAS competitors take heart from US Army adjustments

  29th April 2020

  The US Army has approved Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) competitors to video test flights and associated acceptance procedures of their respective systems, as an alternative …

• Digital Battlespace

  Flir launches Ranger HDC MR system

  11th March 2020

  Flir Systems has launched the Ranger HDC MR surveillance system, which provides high-definition midrange surveillance against illegal activities in a range of weather conditions. The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Boeing to deliver more MQ-25 refuelling UAS for USN

  3rd April 2020

  Boeing has been awarded a contract modification to provide three more MQ-25 unmanned refuelling aircraft for the USN, bringing the total order number to seven. …

• Land Warfare

  New IADS capabilities tipped to topple Western fighter jets

  15th April 2020

  Leading Russian and Chinese Integrated Air Defence Systems (IADS) are on course to introduce active seeker missile capabilities that will drastically reshape target identification accuracy …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - small

  Puma 2 AE (Germany)

  Programme Background The Germany navy had an urgent requirement for three UAS required for reconnaissance and identification in maritime operations. A platform was required that ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 (Qatar)

  Programme Background In 2018 at DIMDEX, it was revealed that Qatar had bought six Bayraktar TB2 UAVs from Turkey. The deal also included three ground control stations, ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  ISTAR UAS project (Canada)

  Programme Background Objective The Royal Canadian Navy's (RCN) main significant UAV project is the RCN Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Unmanned Aircraft System (RCN ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Mini Reconnaissance Drones [Lithuania]

  Programme Background Planned Purchases On 14 September 2022, the Lithuanian MoD announced in a short statement on Twitter, now X, that it had begun organising ...

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

  General-Purpose UAS [Australia]

  Programme Background Banned As reported by Shephard in August 2023, in the past, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) used commercial UAS from companies such as DJI for ...

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

  Small Reconnaissance Drones [Lithuania]

  Programme Background Planned Purchases On 14 September 2022, the Lithuanian MoD announced in a short statement on Twitter, now X, that it had begun organising ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15SA Saudi Arabia

  The aircraft deal includes 170 APG-63(v)3 AESA radar sets, 193 F-110-GE-129 Improved Performance Engines, 100 M61 Vulcan Cannons, 338 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems amongst ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Skeldar V-200 Dutch Navy

  Programme Background The Dutch Ministry of Defence issued a notice seeking information regarding the potential acquisition of a vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aerial vehicle ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Skeldar V-200 Belgian Navy

  Programme Background For the joint MCM programme between Belgium and the Netherlands, the Dutch Ministry of Defence issued a notice calling for information regarding the ...

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

  Company Level Small Uncrewed Aircraft System (SUAS) Directed Requirement (DR) [US Army]

  Programme Background Requirement The US Army approved the Co-Level SUAS DR acquisition in June 2023 to supply Brigade Combat Teams with an "immediate, commercially available capability" to ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Skeldar V-200 (ASW) [Canada]

  Programme Background Contract Award At Euronaval 2022, Shephard reported that UMS Skeldar and Ultra had been awarded a Phase 2 contract on 19 October to provide ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Flexible Tactical Uncrewed Air System (FTUAS) [UK]

  Programme Background Tender Notice & Timeline On 25 May 2021, the MoD published a tender notice for the urgent acquisition of a UAS and ancillaries under ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Replicator 2 [US]

  Programme Background 1.0 The Replicator programme is a US effort to field thousands of attritable, autonomous systems across multiple domains before the end of 2025 ...

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

  Medium Range Reconnaissance (MRR) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an organic, on-demand ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  According to the HAL's chairman R Madhavan, 'apart from all the capabilities of IOC aircraft, the FOC variant additionally comes with an air-to-air refuelling capability, close-combat ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Data links

  CLIP

  Common Link Integration Processing (CLIP) is a software product that performs data transformation and processes protocols for dissimilar communications formats. It meets requirements for common ...

• Freya

  An easy-to-use system which requires minimal training, Freya can be operated in difficult situations and weather conditions, including strong winds and mountainous areas. A tracker ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  X-MADIS

  The eXpeditionary Mobile Air Defense Integrated System (X-MADIS) is a portable, fully integrated C-UAS system for fixed site, mobile and on-the-move operations. Combining four all-threat ...

• EO/IR systems

  CM262

  The CM262 is a gyro-stabilised portable optic that includes four sensor configurations, which enables it to operate effectively in a range of harsh environments and ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Dronekiller

  The IXI Dronekiller is a handheld C-UAS device that employs software-defined radio technology to detect and affect Class 1 and Class 2 UAS devices without ...

• Loitering munitions

  Revenger

  The Revenger is a loitering munition developed by SRB Aerial Systems.  Not much is known about the platform; however, at IDEX 2023, two units were ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  C-UAS Solution

  The C-UAS Solution uses goniometry, radar technologies and various sensors to detect and remove UAS from the air. So far, the solution has been proven effective against ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Airfence 5.0

  Airfence 5.0 is a C-UAS RF technology released by Sensofusion. It is designed to protect airports, personnel, prisons and private companies from rogue UAS in ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Cobham C-UAS

  Unveiled at the AUVSI 2017 trade show in Dallas, Texas, the Cobham C-UAS primarily consists of wideband omnidirectional, directional helix (single- or dual-band), directional flat ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Skylock C-UAS

  Skylock, an Avnon Group company, has developed a C-UAS system that is intended to bring sensors, jammers and a laser effector into a single deployable ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Howler C-UAS

  Developed by Raytheon, the Howler is a counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS), which includes a Ku-band Radio Frequency Sensor (KuRFS), a command-and-control system, and a Coyote ...

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

  Penguin C VTOL

  The Penguin C VTOL is the VTOL version of the Penguin C MIL Mk2; hence it is sometimes called the Penguin C Mk2 VTOL. Edge ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Pitbull C-UAS Jammer

  In June 2018, MyDefence launched the Pitbull wearable C-UAS solution, which utilises smart jamming to defeat enemy drones. Pitbull was developed to have a minimal ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  SkyTracker

  SkyTracker is a technology suite that detects, identifies, tracks and mitigates UAS threats. The system provides continuous 24h automated monitoring in all weather conditions. The ...

• Land: RWS

  Pitbull

  General Robotics developed the lightweight Pitbull family of remote weapons station for use on aerial, land and naval crewed or uncrewed platforms. Armed with a single ...