• Defence Helicopter

  Upgraded Royal Navy Lynx simulator enters service

  22nd May 2013

  The Royal Navy's Lynx Mk8 full-mission simulator located at Royal Navy Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton is now in-service and ready-for-training following a major visual system …

• Digital Battlespace

  L-3 wins Australian SATCOM terminal contract

  22nd May 2013

  The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has selected L-3 Communications to supply 51 Hawkeye III Lite 1.2-meter Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs) as part of its …

• Land Warfare

  ITT Exelis wins US Army NVG follow-on contract

  21st May 2013

  ITT Exelis will produce additional Spiral Enhanced Night Vision Goggles (SENVG), designated AN/PSQ-20A, for the US Army under a $48 million contract option announced on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  X-47B conducts carrier touch-and-go landing operations

  21st May 2013

  The US Navy has reported that the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstrator (UCAS-D) has commenced touch-and-go landing operations on board the aircraft carrier USS …

• Digital Battlespace

  IMDEX 2013: GD Canada shows its Venom

  14th May 2013

  General Dynamics Canada has introduced the latest in its family of acoustic processing systems – the Venom UYS-505 – at the IMDEX exhibition in Singapore. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Marshall, UTC announce Middle East ISTAR contracts

  9th May 2013

  Marshall Land Systems and UTC Aerospace Systems are working together to develop new Intelligence, Surveillance and Target Acquisition (ISTAR) imagery ground control stations (GCS) for …

• Defence Notes

  SCS UK MoD training services contract extended

  2nd May 2013

  SCS will continue to provide training support to the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) Joint Forces Command (JFC) following the award of a 12-month extension …

• Defence Helicopter

  NAVAIR looks to future Seahawk replacement

  26th April 2013

  The US Navy is starting to look at replacement options for its MH-60 Seahawk helicopters, with fleet retirement expected to commence in 2028. The US …

• Defence Helicopter

  ATK to provide GATR to USSOCOM

  24th April 2013

  ATK has announced a $3.2 million contract to provide a precision guided rocket for evaluation by US Special Operation Command (USSOCOM). Awarded through the Defence …

• Defence Helicopter

  Wescam proves capability of MX series of turrets

  22nd April 2013

  In an effort to demonstrate the operational capability of its MX series of designator systems, L-3 Wescam has successfully completed a series of testing of …

• Military Logistics

  RAF augments air transport fleet with new aircraft

  18th April 2013

  The Royal Air Force (RAF) has taken delivery of two BAe 146-200 Quick Change (QC) aircraft from BAE System following their conversion into military tactical …

• Defence Notes

  Northrop Grumman pushes SABR for USAF F-16

  17th April 2013

  Northrop Grumman continues its efforts to provide its Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) for the US Air Force’s F-16 aircraft, outlining the advanced mapping capabilities …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A 2013: US Army reflects on OEF aircraft challenges

  13th April 2013

  A senior US Army officer has shone light on some of the operational errors that led to 165 aircraft being lost in Afghanistan and Iraq …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A 2013: AgustaWestland enters AAS fray

  12th April 2013

  AgustaWestland has launched its offering for the US Army’s Armed Aerial Scout (AAS) programme, the AW169 AAS. Displayed for the first time during the AAAA …

• Land Warfare

  LAAD 2013: First SA red dot sight order for Meprolight

  11th April 2013

  Israeli-sights manufacturer, Meprolight, has secured an order in South America for its MEPRO M5 red dot sight system for the first time. Speaking at the …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Surface-to-surface missiles, Loitering munitions

  Project Brakestop [UK]

  Programme Background Information Notice On 25 September 2024, the UK MoD published a prior information notice on Project Brakestop, which informed the industry about the upcoming ...

• Loitering munitions

  Medium Range Precision Strike (MRPS) [UK]

  Programme Background Prior Information Notice (PIN) On 21 October 2024, the MoD published a PIN in collaboration with the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S;). The notice ...

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

  Dominator XP [Thailand]

  Programme Background Purchase As reported by Shephard, in September 2023, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) inducted three Dominator XPs. The RTAF purchased the trio ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook (Singapore)

  Programme Background In July 2020, photos have emerged on the internet of the first Boeing CH-47F Chinook destined for the Republic of Singapore Air Force ...

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

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian (US)

  Programme Background On 6 March 2023, GA-ASI announced that the Air Force Special Operations Command (ASFOC) had contracted three MQ-9B SkyGaurdians, making it the first US customer of the ...

• Transport

  VC-25B - USAF

  The modifications to the 747-8 aircraft will include an electrical power upgrade with dual Auxiliary Power Units that are usable in flight, a mission communication ...

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

  Anka-S (Second Batch) [Turkey]

  Programme Background First Batch Based on comments by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Turkish media in 2018, Shephard believes that Türkiye acquired 26 Anka-S drones ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | SSN(X) Programme [USN]

  The US Navy may be far from reaching the end of procuring the current Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines (SSNs), but that does not mean planning for ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | SSN(X) Programme [USN]

  The US Navy may be far from reaching the end of procuring the current Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines (SSNs), but that does not mean planning for ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  New Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (NWJFAC) (India)

  Programme Background Requirements The Indian Navy is seeking replacements for a large proportion of its 19 46-49m-long waterjet-powered fast attack craft, several of which are approaching ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28NE Night Hunter

  Algerian military's follow-up order suggests that the country is satisfied with the Mi-28NE Night Hunters' performance in operational conditions in the desert environment featuring sandstorms ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  F-5E/F Adversary Trainer US Navy

  The F-5N is a single seat, dual engine supersonic land based fighter. It is designed to a service life of 9000 flight hours. The aircraft ...

• Loitering munitions

  ZT-180 [Russia]

  Programme Background Claims On 23 February 2023, DER SPIEGEL reported that, according to information it had gathered, China and Russia were negotiating the purchase of 100 ZT-180 ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  According to the FY2021 Base funding, the HH-60W helicopter unit cost is $43.2 million. The HH-60W will be capable of employment day or night, in ...

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

  Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply System (JTAARS) / Medium ULS-A [USMC]

  Programme Background US Marine ULS-A programmes The US Marines are seeking a family of Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A), which will provide logistics and ground units with ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  AN/APQ-181

  The AN/APQ-181 is a low-probability-of-intercept radar fitted to USAF Northrop Grumman B-2 stealth bombers. During the B-2 Radar Modernization Program – completed in 2012 – the ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  CreoLand HP

  CreoLand HP is a 10W MANET radio designed for command centres, long-range applications, artillery and special forces units. Notably, it offers a data throughput of 100Mbps ...

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

  H10 Poseidon

  The H10 Poseidon is a fixed-wing VTOL-capable UAV manufactured by Swamrly. Due to the UAV's electric propulsion system, small-radar cross-section, lack of detachable thermal signature and ability to operate ...

• Air: UAS radar

  ANKA SATCOM Radome

  The ANKA SATCOM Radome is a structural component developed by the Turkish defence manufacturer Meteksan Savunma Sanayi. It is designed for the protection of Ku-band ...

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

  Khronos

  The Khronos is a tethered, fully automated UAV for ISR missions in GPS/GNSS-denied and RF-denied environments. The drone's manufacturer, Elistair, stated that it could be deployed from a ...

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

  DT-101

  The DT-101 is a small fixed-wing UAV from Deftech. The VTOL-capable platform features SATCOM with up to 10Mbs bandwidth capability. DefTech lists various payloads for ...

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

  ARX

  Unveiled at Xponential 2024, the ARX is a fixed-wing drone developed by Tekever.  It features common electronics and software with other Tekever drones. Unlike those ...

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

  DT-001

  The DT-001 is a tandem wing UCAV from Deftech. It can host a range of non-offensive payloads, such as IO/EO cameras and an airborne LIDAR. ...

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

  Spider VTOL

  The Spider VTOL is a mini electrical fixed-wing UAV. Unlike traditional VTOL UAVs with dedicated motors, propellors and structural parts for performing take-off and landing, the Spider ...

• Data links

  MAQA Terminal 3.8m Flyaway Variant

  The Modular Aperture Quad-Band Antenna (MAQA) Terminal is designed to provide a ruggedised, mobile, quad-band SATCOM terminal that supports operations with the WGS constellation, legacy ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/VRC-118(V)1

  The AN/VRC-118(V)1 is a Mid-tier Networking Vehicular Radio (MNVR) which provides warfighters with the ability to share situational awareness. The MNVR utilises two joint tactical ...

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

  BLADE-55

  The Ballistic Loitering Attack Drone (BLADE, or BLADE-55) is a multi-role, weaponised rotary-wing UAV from Alare Technologies.  The drone can notably host two NAMMO M72 LAW weapons. Additionally, the ...

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

  Disruptor

  Publically unveiled at AUSA 2024, the Disruptor is a loitering munition and UAV manufactured by AEVEX Aerospace. The Group III aircraft utilises a pneumatic launcher or Rocket Assisted ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARC-231 Skyfire

  The AN/ARC-231 Skyfire is an airborne VHF/UHF/LOS and DAMA SATCOM system. This system supports US DoD requirements for airborne, multi-band, multi-mission, secure anti-jam voice, data ...

• Major networking projects

  ISOM

  Integrated SATCOM Global Information Grid Operations and Management (ISOM) develops a scalable and policy-based management system that enables automatic allocation and provisioning of SATCOM resources. ...