• Digital Battlespace

  Podcast: Five Eyes Connectivity - Tactical data links

  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 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Kratos to expand capability of tactical jet UAS

  9th October 2019

  Kratos Defense & Security Solutions’ Unmanned Systems Division has received a $3.6 million contract for capability expansion, mission system integration, and test work associated with …

• Naval Warfare

  Safran sub-systems for RAN future sub

  9th October 2019

  Safran Electronics & Defense Australasia has been selected by he Australian Department of Defence to design three major combat system components for the Royal Australian …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  South Korean firms display new and future UAVs

  25th October 2019

  While the most impressive UAV on display at Seoul ADEX 2019 was a prototype of the KUS-FS MALE platform from Korean Air, there were also …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2019: IM-SHORAD paves the way for rapid prototyping efforts

  17th October 2019

  With General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) showcasing the Initial Maneuver Short-Range Air Defence (IM-SHORAD) Stryker solution for the first time at AUSA the effort demonstrates how …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Camcopter completes Norwegian SAR demo

  7th October 2019

  Schiebel has completed a shipboard demonstration of its Camcopter S-100 unmanned helicopter for the Norwegian coast guard. Showcasing the unmanned aerial vehicle’s ability to support search …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2019: New Javelin launch unit on road to fielding in 2023

  16th October 2019

  Raytheon Missile Systems expects to go to low-rate initial production (LRIP) for its new Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Unit (CLU) in 2021 and full rate …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUSA 2019: MUTT gets a radio boost

  15th October 2019

  The Persistent Systems MPU5 radio has been installed on General Dynamics’s Multipurpose Unmanned Tactical Transport (MUTT) UGV as part of the latter’s Small Multipurpose Equipment …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUSA 2019: AeroVironment takes punt on Puma LE

  14th October 2019

  Manufacturer AeroVironment has unveiled a new addition to its sUAS collection, the Puma LE, a hand-launched platform designed for ISR missions across land and sea. …

• Training

  Taiwan rolls out jet trainer prototype

  25th September 2019

  The Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) rolled out a prototype of Taiwan’s new advanced jet trainer (AJT) on 24 September, in a ceremony witnessed by …

• Defence Helicopter

  ADEX 2019: Korean naval and training helicopters still up in the air

  17th October 2019

  Two helicopter programmes for South Korea’s military remain unresolved, with no discernible progress or sign of an announcement regarding the Maritime Operations Helicopter Batch 2 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Leidos to provide US Army ISR aircraft support

  18th September 2019

  Leidos will provide aircraft ISR support services to the US Army under a new task order announced on 16 September. The single award task order, …

• Naval Warfare

  Carrier Strike Group forms for the first time

  30th September 2019

  The UK's HMS Queen Elizabeth Carrier Strike Group has formed for the first time on the Westlant 19 deployment, the Royal Navy announced on 26 …

• Defence Notes

  A-Darter missile issued type certificate

  1st October 2019

  A type certificate for the South African/Brazilian A-Darter infrared short-range air-to-air missile has been granted, marking the completion of development of the system.  The certification …

• Digital Battlespace

  More ALR-69A radar receivers for KC-46A

  25th September 2019

  Raytheon will supply 111 ALR-69A systems, including spares, for installation on the US Air Force's KC-46 Pegasus tanker, the company announced on 24 September. Under …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  IAR-99 Replacement (Romania)

  On 29 August 2017, Leonardo announced that the IAR-99 trainer technology demonstrator (TD) will be fitted with company's Vixen 500E AESA radar. The Vixen 500E AESA ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Requirement Turkish Air Force ordered 100 F-35A aircraft as a partner nation, however, the country was removed from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW101-Norway

  AgustaWestland is also providing initial support and training services, including spares at each of the operating bases and aircrew training. It will then provide performance ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Horizon 2 - Multirole Fighter Programme [Philippines]

  Programme Background Requirement The Philippines wants a fighter able to perform score missions such as air-to-air combat, air-to-ground tasks and reconnaissance, including over water. It ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Project Halcon I [Spain]

  Programme Background The Spanish Air Force began requirements assessments, although potential suppliers including Boeing (F/A-18E/F), Lockheed Martin (F-35), Airbus-BAE-Leonardo (Eurofighter Typhoon) are already engaged with ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Multi Role Combat Aircraft [Bangladesh]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) continues its quest to acquire a new multirole combat aircraft. Under the country’s Forces Goal 2030 plan, which ...

• 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 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V (9-16) [Bulgaria]

  Programme Background In April 2022, the US State Department approved a potential FMS worth $1.673 million to procure eight F-16Vs to Bulgaria. The aircraft are ...

• Fighter - multirole

  H-X Fighter Programme (Finland)

  Programme Background In June 2020, Finnish MoD announced that the Hornet fleet life extension programme is neither cost-effective solution nor sufficient in terms of Finland’s ...

• 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 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) [Japan]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that GCAP's Japanese, British and Italian components are tracked in separate entries. Programme Timeline 2020: The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency of Japan issued ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Project Quadriga [Germany]

  Programme Background Under Project Quadriga, Berlin is seeking a replacement for its 33 Typhoon Tranche 1. Furthermore, Germany is offering its Tranche 1 fleet to ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA)

  Programme Background Five prototypes will be manufactured for developmental tests. Indian Air Force will buy 36 AMCA Mark-I aircraft from 2029-30. The Mark-I configuration will ...

• AEW&C

  Airbus A330 AWACS (India)

  Programme Background India is planning to increase its AEW&C; capabilities with indigenous radar systems. IAF has requested to procure six Airbus 330 airliner to host ...

• Frigates

  FFX Batch III - 1 [South Korea]

  Programme Background The new Chungnam-class (FFX Batch III) will consist of six new improved anti-aircraft detection vessels to replace the ageing escort and patrol ships ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-83 SABR

  The AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) is an active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control radar being developed by Northrop Grumman using its own ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V Block 70/72

  The F-16 Block 70/72, also referred to as the F-16V, is a fourth-generation multirole fighter aircraft. It is the latest version of Lockheed Martin's F-16 ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Raven ES-05

  The Raven ES-05 is an AESA fire-control radar developed by Leonardo in close collaboration with Saab for the Gripen E/F. It features a repositionable AESA ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-81

  AN/APG-81 is operating in the X-band active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control radar designed by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems for the F-35 “Lightning” all-weather ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-63(V)2

  The AN/APG-63(V)2 is a significant radar upgrade for the U.S. Air Force F-15C aircraft. This upgrade replaces the mechanically-scanned antenna (MSA) with an AESA antenna,  ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-82(V)1

  The AN/APG-82(V)1 is an X-band active electronically scanned array radar system that combines the AN/APG-79 processor with the AESA antenna of the AN/APG-63(V)3. The system ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-68

  The AN/APG-68 is a pulse-Doppler radar with increased range, modes, and resolution compared to the APG-66 radar. The F-16C/D Block 25 was the first Fighting ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  USAF F-16 Training System

  L3Harris Technologies is supporting approximately 180 F-16 pilot and maintenance trainers as part of the USAF’s F-16 Training System. Programme contract options extend through 2019. ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16C/D Block 50/52/52+

  A member of the F-16 Fighting Falcon family, the F-16C/D Block 50/52 ('C' single-seat, 'D' dual-seat) is a third-generation multirole fighter that was rolled out ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-76

  The AN/APG-76 is a Ku-band multimode radar system providing high-resolution synthetic aperture radar capabilities with moving target indicator overlays. The system was developed primarily for ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16C/D Block 25, 30/32, 40/42

  The F-16C/D ('C' one-seat, 'D' two-seat designation) is the second generation of the F-16 Fighting Falcon family. The production of the F-16C/D began in 1983 with ...

• Air: Displays

  F-16 Center Pedestal Display

  Produced by Elbit Systems of America, the F-16 Center Pedestal Display (CPD) provides a high-resolution colour display that replaces several legacy instruments on F-16 aircraft. 

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-79

  The AN/APG-79 is an agile beam radar with a solid-state digital array that scans at nearly the speed of light, enabling detection and tracking of ...

• 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.

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-77

  The AN/APG-77 is a low-probability-of-intercept fire control radar for the F-22 Raptor. It is designed to significantly improve capability in air-to-air combat, allowing the pilot ...