• Land Warfare

  Chinese light tank now comes with active protection

  8th August 2019

  Norinco’s VT5 light tank, a platform dedicated to the export market, is set to receive a hard-kill active protection system (APS).  Such a system detects …

• Defence Notes

  Bulgaria’s fighter purchase on hold

  24th July 2019

  The Bulgarian Parliament has ratified the deal for the purchase of eight new-build Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 70 fighters for the Bulgarian Air Force (BuAF). …

• Defence Notes

  US air superiority effort faces uncertain funding

  8th August 2019

  The USAF is trying to stave off a deep budget cut to its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) technology development programme. While the air force …

• Naval Warfare

  TADTE 2019: Taiwanese missile systems will improve the odds in war

  15th August 2019

  As part of Taiwan’s asymmetric strategy to respond to any military threat around home waters, four-and-a-half land-based missile squadrons (known as Hai Feng Mobility Squadrons) …

• Defence Notes

  US Navy orders AARGM

  31st July 2019

  Northrop Grumman has been awarded Lot 8 Full Rate Production of the AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) by the US Navy. The awarded, announced …

• Naval Warfare

  South Korea eyes a ‘Lightning carrier’

  23rd July 2019

  As China begins the build of a planned multi-hull LHD fleet and Japan prepares to operate F-35B fighters from its two newest ‘helicopter destroyers’, the …

• Defence Helicopter

  MSPO 2019: Step in the right direction for Czech helo plans

  19th August 2019

  The Czech Republic is poised to select a new armed helicopter to replace the current Mi-24/35 Hind fleet, before the end of the year. At …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy commissions USS Billings

  5th August 2019

  The US Navy commissioned USS Billings (LCS 15) on 3 August in Key West, Florida. Billings is the newest Freedom-variant littoral combat ship (LCS) to …

• Digital Battlespace

  First NGJ-MB delivered for testing

  6th August 2019

  Raytheon has delivered the first Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB) engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) pod to the US Navy for integration testing, the company …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army awards Q-53 contracts to Lockheed Martin

  6th August 2019

  Lockheed Martin will provide additional Q-53 radar systems to the US Army and enhance its capabilities under three contracts announced by the company on 5 …

• Training

  VRSG software integrated into USAF T-1A trainer fleet

  14th August 2019

  MetaVR's Virtual Reality Scene Generator (VRSG) has been integrated into the US Air Force’s T-1A Jayhawk twin-engine jet trainer fleet, part of an embedded training …

• Defence Notes

  India’s budget shortfall is thwarting modernisation

  8th August 2019

  India’s defence budget for April 2019-March 2020 presented by the re-elected government has fallen short of expectations, with planned modernisation of the military i likely …

• Digital Battlespace

  Podcast: Five Eyes Connectivity - SATCOM

  26th September 2019

  Welcome to Shephard Studio’s special series on Five Eyes Connectivity, sponsored by our partner Viasat.  Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more. In the Five Eyes Connectivity podcast …

• Naval Warfare

  The future USS John F Kennedy comes together

  23rd July 2019

  The future USS John F Kennedy, the US Navy’s next aircraft carrier, has had its final major steel structural section installed by Huntington Ingalls’ Newport …

• Military Logistics

  Survitec Pilot Fit Facility reaches milestone

  17th July 2019

  Survitec’s work on the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme has reached a new milestone, with the 1000th pilot fitted out using the Pilot Fit Facility …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | F-35A (61-75) [Italy]

  In September 2024, the Italian MoD launched a white paper with provisions for an additional 15 F-35A and 10 F-35B aircraft for €7 billion ($7.79 billion). ...

• Data links

  Data links | F-35A (61-75) [Italy]

  In September 2024, the Italian MoD launched a white paper with provisions for an additional 15 F-35A and 10 F-35B aircraft for €7 billion ($7.79 billion). ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | F-35A (61-75) [Italy]

  In September 2024, the Italian MoD launched a white paper with provisions for an additional 15 F-35A and 10 F-35B aircraft for €7 billion ($7.79 billion). ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | F-35A (61-75) [Italy]

  In September 2024, the Italian MoD launched a white paper with provisions for an additional 15 F-35A and 10 F-35B aircraft for €7 billion ($7.79 billion). ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | F-35A (61-75) [Italy]

  In September 2024, the Italian MoD launched a white paper with provisions for an additional 15 F-35A and 10 F-35B aircraft for €7 billion ($7.79 billion). ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A Add-On [Germany]

  Programme Background The German newspaper Spiegel published a report on 20 October 2025 claiming that German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius is seeking to acquire 15 additional F-35A ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A (61-75) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirement In 2009, the Italian MoD planned to purchase 131 F-35 aircraft, which was later reduced to 90. According to the MoD documentation, ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | F-35A Add-On [Germany]

  The German newspaper Spiegel published a report in October 2025 citing a confidential report submitted to the Bundestag requesting approval for the procurement of an additional 15 ...

• Data links

  Data links | F-35A Add-On [Germany]

  The German newspaper Spiegel published a report in October 2025 citing a confidential report submitted to the Bundestag requesting approval for the procurement of an additional 15 ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | F-35A Add-On [Germany]

  The German newspaper Spiegel published a report in October 2025 citing a confidential report submitted to the Bundestag requesting approval for the procurement of an additional 15 ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | F-35A Add-On [Germany]

  The German newspaper Spiegel published a report in October 2025 citing a confidential report submitted to the Bundestag requesting approval for the procurement of an additional 15 ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | F-35A Add-On [Germany]

  The German newspaper Spiegel published a report in October 2025 citing a confidential report submitted to the Bundestag requesting approval for the procurement of an additional 15 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35I Adir (51-75) [Israel]

  Programme Background On 15 February 2015, Israel signed an FMS deal to procure 33 F-35A (F-35I Adir) fighter aircraft with an option of 17. Israel ...

• 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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Displays

  GH-4200

  L3Harris GH-4200 Electronic Standby Instrument System (ESIS) is a repeater display designed for F-15 and F/A-18 aircraft.

• Fighter - air superiority

  F-15J/DJ

  The F-15J and F-15DJ "Peace Eagle" are variants of the F-15 Eagle air-superiority tactical fighter aircraft manufactured by Mitsubishi for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.  

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  F-15 Tactical Electronic Warfare Suite (TEWS)

  The F-15 Tactical Electronic Warfare Suite (TEWS) is an integrated defence system manufactured by Northrop Grumman. It is designed for the F-15, F-15K and F-15E ...

• Fighter - air superiority

  F-15 Eagle

  The F-15 Eagle is a group of air-superiority tactical fighter aircraft that includes the F-15A/B/C/D models. The F-15A "Streak Eagle" and F-15C are single-seat versions used ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  AN/ALQ-135

  The AN/ALQ-135, manufactured by Northrop Grumman, is a mounted active jamming system carried on the F-15C and F-15 E combat aircrafts. The system is a ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  Ophir Lightweight IR Zoom Lenses

  The LightIR thermal imaging zoom lenses include the 20-275mm f/5.5 mediumwave IR(264gr) and the 15-75mm f/1.2 longwave IR (320gr). Both lenses are lightweight and high-performance, ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  AN/ALQ-128(V)

  Raytheon’s AN/ALQ-128(V) is a Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) which equips the F-15C/D Eagle and F-15E Strike Eagle series combat aircraft. The system's original manufacturer was ...

• Guided munitions

  Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM)

  The Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) is a guidance kit developed for the USAF and USN that converts unguided bombs into all-weather ‘smart’ munitions. JDAM-equipped ...

• EO/IR systems

  IRST

  IRST is a passive, long-range IR search and track (IRST) sensor system that detects and tracks airborne threats in electronic attack and heavy countermeasure environments. ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  JHMCS II

  The Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) is a joint USAF/USN programme that has fielded over 5,000 systems. The JHMCS is qualified on F-15, F-16 and ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16A/B Block 1, 5, 10, 15, 20

  The F-16 Fighting Falcon programme started as a low-cost, highly manoeuvrable day fighter to complement the higher-cost, heavier McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle air superiority fighter. ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  7020-1-D-01

  The 7020-1-D-01 is an athermal longwave infrared fixed-focal-length assembly, 25mm F/1.0. It supports multiple detectors with pitch from 15-50µm and designed for general thermal imaging ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Pakistan Air Force F-16C ATDs

  The F-16C Aircrew Training Devices built by L3Harris Technologies for the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) became ready for training in 2014. Both simulators, one a ...

• Guided munitions

  GBU-53/B StormBreaker

  GBU-53/B StormBreaker is a precision-guided glide bomb developed by Raytheon to equip F-15, F/A-18 and F-35. It is also known as the Small Diameter Bomb II. The StormBreaker includes a ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  7010-1-D-01

  The 7010-1-D-01 is an athermal longwave infrared fixed-focal-length assembly, 35mm F/1.2. It supports multiple detectors with a pitch from 15-50µm and is designed for general ...