• Military Logistics

  First A330 MRTT arrives at main operating base

  2nd July 2020

  The first A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft for the NATO Multinational MRTT Fleet (MMF) arrived at its main operating base in the Netherlands …

• Air Warfare

  FCAS leads the next-generation combat aircraft market

  25th June 2020

  The development of sixth-generation combat aircraft is in its infancy, yet competition to supply prospective global requirements is already ramping up. Projects already initiated by …

• Naval Warfare

  Singapore sets up USV flotilla, but some projects delayed

  30th June 2020

  Due to COVID-19 and supply chain disruptions, a handful of Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) programmes are delayed by up to a year. In his annual …

• Defence Helicopter

  Romanian Pumas light up Mali with BrightNite

  7th July 2020

  The Romanian Air Force’s contribution to the UN-led peacekeeping mission in Mali has been greatly enhanced by the use of four BrightNite-equipped IAR 330 Puma …

• Defence Notes

  UK Open Innovation – Space consortium calls for SMEs to join

  17th June 2020

  The UK’s Open Innovation – Space consortium on 16 June called for greater involvement from SMEs to provide future space solutions. The group includes defence …

• Training

  Private simulator training beckons for Indian Mi-17V-5 helicopters

  1st July 2020

  A long-delayed $210 million project to build, operate, train and maintain simulators for some 150 Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17V-5 helicopters has now been fast-forwarded. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus ships ROK ANASIS-II satellite to US

  12th June 2020

  Airbus confirmed on 10 June that it has shipped its ANASIS-II telecommunications satellite (pictured) to Cape Canaveral, Florida ahead of its planned launch. It was …

• Defence Notes

  Spanish MoD signs development protocol for NGWS

  17th June 2020

  The Spanish MoD on 16 June signed a General Action Protocol with national defence industry partners which establishes the mechanisms needed to protect industrial assets. …

• Air Warfare

  Airbus A400M achieves paratrooper simultaneous dispatch certification

  3rd June 2020

  The Airbus A400M transport aircraft has achieved certification of its simultaneous paratrooper dispatch capability and completed full industrial development of the paratrooping deployment capacity. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  French aviation rescue plan bets on defence helicopters, drones and tankers

  10th June 2020

  The French government has pledged to buy new military heavy-lift helicopters and accelerate plans for naval drone, ISTAR and tanker aircraft programmes as part of …

• Air Warfare

  Airbus obtains automatic low-level flight certification for A400M

  4th June 2020

  Airbus has secured automatic low-level flight certification for the A400M, following tests over the Pyrenees and across central France in April. The aircraft performed operations …

• Military Logistics

  Israel pushes US for accelerated KC-46 deliveries

  19th June 2020

  As the risk of regional conflict with Iran shows no sign of abating, Israel has asked the US to expedite delivery of its first pair …

• Air Warfare

  MoD reassesses abortive attempt to give Brazilian Army additional aviation capability

  23rd June 2020

  The Brazilian MoD is reassessing a cancelled presidential order that would have allowed the army to operate an air arm. Decree No. 10,386 was intended …

• Defence Helicopter

  Japan orders its first series UH-X helicopters

  10th June 2020

  The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) in Japan has placed orders for the first six production UH-X helicopters for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force …

• Air Warfare

  Hendsoldt secures German Air Force IFF modernisation contract

  28th May 2020

  Hensoldt announced on 28 May that it had secured a contract with the German Air Force to equip its fleet of 90 Tornado fighter aircraft …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Transport

  A400M (Kazakhstan)

  Programme Background In September 2021, it was announced that Kazakhstan ordered two Airbus A400M aircraft. According to Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, ‘The A400M ...

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

  Loyal Wingman (Forecast) [Germany]

  Programme Background Need Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, stated in Jue 2024 that the "German Air Force has expressed a clear need for ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M - France

  Programme Background In April 2021, the French government signed a deal for the purchase of eight H225M Airbus helicopters to replace its ageing fleet of SA330 ...

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

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

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

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT [Singapore]

  In February 2020, Airbus and the Singapore government announced an agreement to collaborate on the development of an A330 Smart Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). One Singaporean ...

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

  Eurodrone [Spain]

  Programme Background Inception (Stage One) The European MALE RPAS programme was launched in September 2016. Germany, Spain, France, and Italy negotiated and agreed, in collaboration ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Maritime Operations Helicopters

  The three maritime operations helicopters will be used for logistics and personnel transport, alongside transportation of PASKAL naval special forces in operations in the area. ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Next-Generation Weapon System (NGWS) (FCAS) [France]

  Programme Background FCAS Project As noted by Airbus, the FCAS project is a tri-nation effort which will be centred around a core Next-Generation Weapon System ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Next-Generation Weapon System (NGWS) (FCAS) [Spain]

  Programme Background FCAS Project As noted by Airbus, the FCAS project is a tri-nation effort which will be centred around a core Next-Generation Weapon System ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  Strategic Tanker Transport [Canada]

  Programme Background This project will replace the existing fleet capability, including strategic airlift, air-to-air refuelling, Aeromedical Evacuations and Strategic Government of Canada transport. The Strategic ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  TH-73 Advanced Helicopter Training System - AHTS (TH-57 Replacement)

  Contenders for the competition included the Leonardo single engine TH-119 – a military variant of the AW119Kx – and Bell’s newly upgraded single engine 407GXi. ...

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

  Eurodrone [France]

  Programme Background Inception (Stage One) The European MALE RPAS programme was launched in September 2016. Germany, Spain, France and Italy had negotiated and agreed, in ...

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

  Eurodrone [Germany]

  Programme Background Inception (Stage One) The European MALE RPAS programme was launched in September 2016. Germany, Spain, France and Italy had negotiated and agreed, in ...

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

  Eurodrone (Forecast) [Czechia]

  Programme Background Eurodrone Programme For context, the European MALE RPAS, or Eurodrone, is a quad-nation effort from some of Europe's most prominent defence manufacturers to ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H175M

  The Airbus H175M is the military variant of the H175, a seven-tonne class aircraft powered by twin PT6C 67E engines. The civilian variants produced by Airbus ...

• Major networking projects

  Skynet 6 SATCOM

  Skynet 6 is designed to replace Skynet 5. The PFI contract for Skynet 5,  held by Paradigm Secure Communications and Airbus DS, ends in 2022. As ...

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

  Airbus Multi-Mission and Transport UAS

  The Airbus Multi-Mission and Transport UAV, or cargo copter, is a rotary-wing cargo-carrying platform that Airbus is developing. The platform has yet to be formally named. The ...

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

  UH-72 Logistics Connector (LC)

  The UH-72 Logistics Connector (LC) is an uncrewed version of Airbus' UH-72B crewed helicopter, a derivative of the H145.  In mid-May 2024, Airbus announced that the UH-72B had ...

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

  Wingman

  The Wingman is an Airbus concept drone unveiled at ILA Berlin in June 2024. The loyal wingman-type fixed-wing UAV is designed to accompany crewed fighters, ...

• Helicopter engines

  LTS101

  The LTS101 was first certified in 1975. Since then, over 2,100 engines have been delivered to customers worldwide, logging over 11 million service hours. The ...

• Transport

  C295

  The C295 is the largest member of Airbus Defence and Space’s family of medium tactical airlifters and surveillance aircraft. It is a development of the ...

• Military helicopters - light/training, Military helicopters - multirole

  H135M

  The H135M (formerly known as the EC635 and also designated as H135) is a light utility variant of the EC135 twin-engine, multipurpose 3t helicopter. In ...

• Air: mission management systems

  Helionix

  The Helionix digital avionics suite was developed from the need for a more powerful avionics system with greater functions and computing capacity, alongside a user-friendly interface. ...

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

  Flexrotor

  Flexrotor is a VTOL small tactical UAS manufactured by Aerovel. In a typical operational configuration, it has been designed for ISTAR missions for more than ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Captor-E Radar

  Captor-E is a multi-mode AESA pulse-Doppler radar upgrade to the Captor-M, designed for the Eurofighter Typhoon. Captor-E is being developed under a Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  A400M Training

  Thales is the principal training provider for the Airbus A400M with a contract to provide FFSs and flat-panel trainers. Four A400M FFS and two flat-panel ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H215M

  The H215M (formerly the AS532 ALe) is the most recent addition to the Cougar family.  It is a medium-weight (9t-class), twin-engine helicopter, combining the AS532's ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Bo 105

  The Bo 105 is a twin-engine, multipurpose, light helicopter that was developed in 1963-68. Approximately 37% of the more than 1,400 aircraft built before production ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  Cargo Hold Trainer - Enhanced

  Rheinmetall provides technology in rear crew training aids for air transport platforms. This includes the Load Master Work Station Trainer (LMWST) and Cargo Hold Trainer ...