• Uncrewed Vehicles

  GA-ASI forms Team SkyGuardian Belgium

  17th January 2019

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has teamed with five Belgium companies to form Team SkyGuardian Belgium, the company announced on 15 January. Shephard reported in …

• Digital Battlespace

  Harris awarded wideband SATCOM support work

  2nd January 2019

  Harris Corporation received a $218 million follow-on contract from the US Army in December to continue providing mission-essential wideband satellite communications support. Under the Wideband …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Chinese FL-1 UCAV makes maiden flight

  23rd January 2019

  Yet another Chinese MALE UCAV has taken to the air, with the FL-1 successfully achieving its maiden flight from Pucheng Neifu Airport in Shaanxi Province, …

• Digital Battlespace

  Viasat's MBR-4020 ARSTRAT certified

  10th December 2018

  Viasat’s Mobile Broadband Router (MBR)-4020 airborne modem has successfully completed the US Army Forces Strategic Command (ARSTRAT) certification process. With the completion of the certification, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Second MQ-9B receives special airworthiness certification

  4th December 2018

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA ASI) has received FAA special airworthiness certification in experimental category for its second MQ-9B SkyGuardian UAS, the company announced on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  EDEX 2018: China-Saudi Arabia unmanned presence in Egypt

  4th December 2018

  UAVs from Asia and the Middle East as well as indigenous offerings are being shown in Cairo at EDEX 2018, among them China National Aero-Technology …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  E2E SATCOM UAS-I node flies

  14th November 2018

  E2E has successfully completed an over-the-air flight test of its newly launched UAS-I satellite communication node for UAS. E2E is developing the solution in order …

• Defence Notes

  Upcoming PESCO projects highlight EW and unmanned technology

  21st November 2018

  Recent updates to the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) projects, programmes that multiple countries work on together, place a strong emphasis on both unmanned systems and …

• Defence Helicopter

  AW169Ms for Italy's Guardia di Finanza

  16th November 2018

  Leonardo has signed a contract worth €280 million ($315.6 million) with Italy’s Guardia di Finanza for 22 new AW169M helicopters, the company announced on 12 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Harris’ AN/PRC-163 radio NSA Type-1 certified

  12th November 2018

  Harris Corporation has received National Security Agency Type-1 certification for its AN/PRC-163 multi-channel handheld networking radio, the company announced on 6 November. The Harris AN/PRC-163 …

• Digital Battlespace

  GovSat, Telespazio France to provide SATCOM services

  12th November 2018

  GovSat and Telespazio France have been selected by the French Joint Directorate for Infrastructure Networks and Information Systems to provide satellite telecommunications services in various …

• Digital Battlespace

  France announces plans for third Syracuse IV satellite launch

  6th November 2018

  The French Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed it intends on fielding a third independently owned satellite, as a new addition to its current Syracuse …

• Digital Battlespace

  A310 MRTT tests 'first step' toward combat cloud development

  8th November 2018

  A communications node test programme involving an Airbus A310 multirole tanker transport [MRTT] aircraft is representative of the company's 'first step' to developing a secure …

• Digital Battlespace

  First Skynet 6 contract timeline confirmed

  6th November 2018

  Skynet 6A, the first contract for the emerging British SATCOM programme Skynet 6, is expected to be issued before the end of 2019, more than …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF prepares to counter international satellite threats

  7th November 2018

  The USAF Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) will attempt to out-muscle adversaries that have been ‘outpacing’ American space and SATCOM programmes, through a newly-designed …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MALE Combat Drones [Thailand]

  Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events ...

• 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

  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 ...

• 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 UAS - small

  Mini RPAS (High Altitude)

  Programme Background The Indian Army has initiated several tenders aiming to procure micro UAVs, but there has been little progress in following through with these ...

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

  AdvaNced airCraft Infrastructure-Less Launch And RecoverY (ANCILLARY) [US]

  Programme Background Aims & Timeline As stated by DARPA, the ANCILLARY programme aims to develop and fly an X-plane that will provide a "leap-ahead" in long-endurance, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Portugal VTLB

  Programme Background The Portuguese Army planned to allocate funds for the procurement of 167 VTLBs during the Military Programming Law running from 2015 until 2026. ...

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

  Akinci [Turkey]

  Programme Background Unveiling & Testing Unveiled at TEKOFEST Istanbul Aviation, Space and Technology Festival in September 2019, the Akinci completed its first flight in December 2019. In June 2021, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (Japan)

  Programme Background Selection & Contract AwardIn 2015, Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft were selected by Japan to ...

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

  DTIF GUARD (Ireland)

  Programme Background The Problem As stated by the project's website, Ireland is the "softest target in EU for smugglers" due to its 3171km of coastline, ...

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

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian - Forecasted Units (Belgium)

  Programme Background Strategic Vision 2030  In 2016, the Belgian MoD published its Strategic Vision 2030 report. In this, it highlighted the need for MALE reconnaissance drones ...

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

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian (Belgium)

  Programme Background Contract On 26 March 2019, the US State Department announced that it had approved a possible FMS of four MQ-9B SkyGuardians for an estimated cost ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer MIV [UK]

  Programme Background History The UK MoD announced in March 2018 that it would re-join the Boxer programme and pursue a sole-source acquisition of the 8x8 ...

• Military UAS - small

  Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirement & Objective The RN identified a requirement to acquire an RPAS to transport cargo and supplies between ships and personnel. When mature, it ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• UAS: communication systems

  Aviator UAV 200

  Cobham’s UAV 200 is a satcom solution designed to enhance a tactical UAV’s performance, range and payload flexibility in a number of applications.This including SAR, ...

• USV-450

  The SeaRobotics USV-450 is a lightweight USV designed for survey/surveillance, hydrographic data-gathering and general-purpose sensor transport. 

• Military - USVs

  USV-550

  The USV-550 can be used for shallow-water survey/surveillance, hydrographic data-gathering, general-purpose sensor transport and small ROV deployment. 

• UAS: communication systems

  BlackRay 1000

  The BlackRay 1000 is a ruggedised two-way SATCOM terminal for the UAV market with built-in modem and ACU. It is customisable to meet most UAS ...

• Military - USVs

  USV-11000

  The SeaRobotics USV-11000 is a long-endurance USV that can be used for military and civil missions. This includes coastal/offshore survey, hydrographic data-gathering, harbour security/surveillance, ROV ...

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

  Shadow M2

  The Shadow M2 builds on the Shadow 200, but has greater endurance and payload capability, quieter and more reliable propulsion and an optional SATCOM capability ...

• UAS: communication systems

  LAISR ULW

  Developed by Inmarsat Government, the Lightweight Airborne ISR System - Ultra Lightweight (LAISR ULW) is an L-Band SATCOM terminal providing beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) connectivity for SWaP-constrained ...

• Maritime patrol, Trainer

  DA42 MPP Pandion

  The DA42 MultiPurpose Platform (MPP) Pandion is a lightweight MPA, designed to carry out various missions, including coastal surveillance, training, anti-piracy, oil spill detection and ...

• UAS: communication systems

  Airborne Broadband SATCOM

  ViaSat’s airborne SATCOM services offer worldwide access and a range of service levels, providing connectivity and performance options tailored to meet a variety of needs. ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  ELK-1882T NC2

  Produced by Elta Systems (a subsidiary of IAI), ELK-1882T NC2 SATCOM terminals provide secure BLOS communications for fighter and special mission aircraft. The terminals utilise software-defined ...

• Land: battle management systems

  SCC Titan

  The server-based Situational Command and Control (SCC) Titan system is broken down into an HQ and a field-ready tactical satellite package, both designed to offer ...

• Military - USVs

  USV-5700

  The USV-5700, which is also designated USV 5.7, is a catamaran that can be used for military and civil missions. This includes coastal/offshore survey, hydrographic ...

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

  Integrator ER

  The Integrator Extended Range (ER) is a multi-mission modular small-UAV manufactured by Insitu. A variant of the Integrator, the ER is differentiated by its SATCOM BLOS communications ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  RF-7800B-VU104

  This land mobile broadband global area network (BGAN) SATCOM terminal provides a tactical radio network capability within the Falcon III multi-band radio family. The RF-7800B-VU104 ...

• Military - USVs

  USV-Collapsible

  The USV-Collapsible can be used for surveying, hydrographic data-gathering, harbour security/surveillance and general-purpose sensor transport. It can also be collapsed into a small shipping crate ...