Defence Notes

Podcast: Revolutions in Vertical Flight S1 E4 - The Future Battlespace

20th December 2019

Welcome to Shephard Studio’s podcast series on Revolutions in Vertical Flight, sponsored by our partner Bell. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more. The Revolutions in Vertical Flight …

Defence Notes

Podcast: Revolutions in Vertical Flight S1 E5 - The Dream of Urban Air Mobility

20th December 2019

Welcome to Shephard Studio’s podcast series on Revolutions in Vertical Flight, sponsored by our partner Bell. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more. The Revolutions in Vertical Flight …

Defence Notes

Podcast: Revolutions in Vertical Flight S1 E6 - the Future of VTOL Innovation

20th December 2019

Welcome to Shephard Studio’s podcast series on Revolutions in Vertical Flight, sponsored by our partner Bell. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more. The Revolutions in Vertical Flight …

Military Logistics

Czech Air Force orders new C295s

19th December 2019

The Czech Air Force has ordered two additional C295 airlifters from Airbus Defence and Space, the company announced on 16 December. The aircraft, equipped with …

Military Logistics

Burkina Faso orders C295​ military airlifter

16th December 2019

The Ministry of Defence of Burkina Faso has placed an order with Airbus Defence and Space for a C295 military airlifter, the company announced on …

Military Logistics

Ireland orders maritime patrol aircraft

16th December 2019

The Irish Department of Defence has ordered two Airbus C295 medium airlifters in maritime surveillance configuration. The aircraft will be delivered fitted with the Fully …

Defence Helicopter

BASARNAS receives two Dauphin​ helicopters

16th December 2019

Indonesia’s national National Search and Relief Agency (BASARNAS) has taken delivery of two AS365 N3+ Dauphin helicopters from PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI). The two helicopters …

Uncrewed Vehicles

US Army invests in Gray Eagle ER capabilities

13th December 2019

The US Army has awarded multiple contracts to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) to upgrade the MQ-1C Gray Eagle Extended Range's (GE ER) capabilities and …

Defence Helicopter

First H145 SAR helicopter delivered to Germany

11th December 2019

The first H145 helicopter has been delivered to the German armed forces’ search and rescue service by Airbus Helicopters, the company announced on 10 December.Germany’s …

Digital Battlespace

NATO takes first steps beyond AWACS

9th December 2019

The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) has awarded six contracts as it plans for the follow-on capability to the NATO AWACS fleet. Contracts went to …

Digital Battlespace

RAAF C-130J LAIRCM reaches FOC

5th December 2019

The Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF’s) C-130J Large Aircraft Infra-Red Counter-Measures has achieved Final Operational Capability, the Australian Department of Defence announced on 4 December. …

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 ...

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 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 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 ...

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. ...

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 helicopters - transport/heavy lift

H225M (Kuwait)

Programme BackgroundThe Kuwait MoD has decided to stop receiving further deliveries of the Airbus H225M Caracal heavy-lift helicopter, following the discovery of technical faults on ...

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 - 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 ...

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 ...

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 ...