• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Heron 1 completes one year in Mali

  12th December 2017

  The Heron 1 UAS has completed one year of flight operations for the German Bundeswehr in Mali. The UAS, which is stationed at the Gao …

• Special Operations

  MARSOC expands canine combat medicine

  14th December 2017

  Operators from the US Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) have become the first US Special Forces personnel to begin battlefield medicine training with …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2017: MetaVR expands its terrain

  26th November 2017

  MetaVR is set to showcase new features in its terrain and visualisation simulation technology at I/ITSEC 2017 in Oralndo.  The company will demonstrate Its Virtual Reality …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2017: Sweden prepares for Viking Exercise 2018 return

  29th November 2017

  Swedish representatives at this year’s I/ITSEC have made a big impact by being the first international element of the annual Operation Blended Warrior (OBW) event. …

• Defence Helicopter

  V-280 Valor makes maiden flight

  21st December 2017

  Bell Helicopter's V-280 Valor tiltrotor prototype has successfully completed its first flight at the company's Amarillo assembly facility in Texas.  In a short video released …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2017: CM Labs explores new simulation markets

  28th November 2017

  CM Labs is targeting new sectors of the training and simulation market as it showcases new virtual reality (VR) supported solution at I/ITSEC 2017. Best …

• Special Operations

  Thales receives IMBITR order

  14th December 2017

  Thales will equip US Army security force assistance brigades (SFAB) with the AN/PRC-148C Improved Multiband Inter-Intra Team Radio (IMBITR) under a $37 million contract announced …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2017: MASA launches latest version of SWORD

  29th November 2017

  French company MASA has launched a new version of its SWORD constructive training and wargaming solution. The latest iteration of SWORD, v.6.10, has integrated a …

• Land Warfare

  US Army goes on Christmas spending spree

  22nd December 2017

  Christmas has come early for the US Army as the service announced several contracts for key programmes on 21 December, totalling billions of dollars. The …

• Military Logistics

  US Navy to commission ninth EPF

  15th December 2017

  The US Navy will receive its newest Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessel, City of Bismarck, later this month. USNS City of Bismarck is the ninth …

• Special Operations

  SOCOM points to cyber challenges

  18th December 2017

  The US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) must become more efficient at equipping its personnel with Cyber Warfare technology, Commander Gen Raymond A Thomas III proclaimed …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2017: Simthetiq models on Station IX

  28th November 2017

  Montreal-based visualisation model specialists, Simthetiq, will be presenting key elements of its 3D model libraries and terrain using Station IX, an immersive display system, during …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2017: Rockwell Collins and CAE team up for I-LVC

  27th November 2017

  It appears the Operation Blended Warrior will not be the only I-LVC event to take place at I/ITSEC 2017. Rockwell Collins and CAE have teamed …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2017: That's a wrap (video)

  30th November 2017

  Shephard's training and simulation duo Trevor Nash and Beth Maundrill run through some of the key events that took place at this year's I/ITSEC in Orlando, …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2017: Brazil renews MASA SWORD contract

  29th November 2017

  The Brazilian Army has chosen to renew its software maintenance contract with MASA after four years of training command staff using the MASA SWORD solution. …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  F-X III Phase II (F-35) [South Korea]

  Programme Background On 14 September 2014, South Korea signed an FMS contract under the first phase of F-X III programme to supply 40 F-35As for ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35B (1-12) [Singapore]

  Programme Background Singapore is renowned as a discerning and demanding customer, so its selection of the F-35 must be seen as a vote of confidence ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A Japan

  In 2019, Japan requested to be an official partner in the F-35 programme, but this request was rejected by the Pentagon. The F-35 Joint Strike ...

• Fighter - naval

  F-35C Carrier Variant

  The US Navy is planning to order 130 F-35Cs between FY2026 and FY2030 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase is estimated be ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35I Adir (F-35A) [Israel]

  The F-35I Adir is an F-35A Lightning II variant customised to meet the requirements of the Israel Defense Forces to replace the F-16 fleet in ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A Denmark

  Denmark joined the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program in 2002 during the System Development and Demonstration phase and has influenced technical elements of the ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  SW4 Puszczyk Replacement [Poland]

  Programme Background  In 2002, Poland order 47 SW4 training helicopters from Italian manufacturer Leonardo; as of Spring 2025, the Ministry of Defence is looking to ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A Japan Follow On

  The F-35 full-rate production is expected to be further delayed following an October 2020 US DoD announcement that postponed the simulation tests, originally planned for 2017 ...

• Fighter - naval

  F-35B STOVL - US Navy

  The JSF programme will develop and field a family of aircraft that meets the needs of the US DoD and US allies with the F-35A ...

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

  Sistema RPAS Táctico de Altas Prestaciones (SiRTAP) [Spain]

  Background MoU In 2017, it was announced that Spain was jointly developing a MALE UAV with Colombia to meet the ISR requirement of both armed ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35B [Japan]

  F-35B was selected on 16 August 2019 for Japan's short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) multirole fighter aircraft requirement. Tokyo is planning  ‘partial refurbishment of ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A Joint Strike Fighter - USAF

  According to the US FY2021 budget document, Turkey's removal from the JSF program and transition to the alternate supply chain sources may challenge to achieve ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505 (South Korea - Army)

  Programme Background Requirement South Korea operates an ageing fleet of Bell UH-1s and MD 500s for training purposes. The country has already replaced a part of ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505 (South Korea - Navy)

  Programme Background Requirement South Korea operates an ageing fleet of Bell UH-1s and MD 500s for training purposes. The country has already replaced a part of ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Future Combat Air System (FCAS/SCAF) [France]

  Programme Background The governments of France and Germany have launched the demonstrator phase for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) with the issue of an ...