• Air Warfare

  China and Iran look beyond Russian market for UAS and precision weapon exports

  6th September 2023

  Chinese and Iranian firms unveiled new UAS and smart munitions at Army-2023, claiming they reflected lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian conflict and were attracting international interest.

• Special Operations

  UPDATED: Romania orders Polaris DAGOR special operations vehicles

  12th July 2023

  Polaris has been awarded a contract to provide 50 of its DAGOR ultralight tactical vehicles to Romania, joining other NATO countries such as Canada, the UK and US as operators.

• Land Warfare

  Germany, Netherlands place €1.9 billion order for Caracal airmobile vehicles

  11th July 2023

  Germany and the Netherlands have signed a contract with Rheinmetall for the supply of Caracal airmobile platforms, worth €1.9 billion.

• Naval Warfare

  Is the end in sight for Canada’s painful Joint Support Ship procurement journey?

  1st November 2023

  The launch of the second of two new Joint Support Ships for the Royal Canadian Navy has represented steps forward on a project that has suffered huge delays due to supply chain issues and the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Canada's DND.

• Air Warfare

  Indra to enhance protection of Spanish Air Force C295 aircraft

  1st August 2023

  Indra has won a contract to upgrade the radar warning and self-protection suite of the Spanish Air Force's C295 aircraft fleet to the ALR-400 system which will replace the legacy solution, enhancing their capabilities in conflict zones.

• Air Warfare

  Australia decides to expunge entire MRH90 helicopter fleet

  2nd October 2023

  Australia has decided to withdraw its MRH90 helicopter fleet, even though the aircraft had another 14 years of life left in them.

• Training

  CAE takes US Army flight school training support subcontract

  1st June 2023

  CAE has been awarded a contract from General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) to support the US Army’s Flight School Training Support Services (FSTSS) at Fort Novosel (formerly Fort Rucker), Alabama.

• Defence Helicopter

  CH-47F Chinook Block II reaches final assembly line as wider programme moves forward

  26th May 2023

  The Block II upgrade incorporates various enhancements to increase lift capability and commonality between US Army and allied fleets, reducing maintenance costs.

• Training

  Adacel and SkyWarrior win $7m deal for US Army simulators

  6th July 2023

  Adacel and SkyWarrior have been awarded a subcontract by GDIT to replace the US Army's Enhanced Tower Simulator and Aviation Radar Training Simulator as part of the Flight School Training Support Services program.

• Training

  CAE wins US Air Force helicopter introductory training contract

  13th June 2023

  CAE has been awarded the USAF Rotary Wing Introductory Flight Training (IFT-R) contract to support Air Education and Training Command (AETC).

• Land Warfare

  Australia embarks upon a massive restructure of army

  3rd October 2023

  In response to strategic circumstances, the Australian Army is in for a massive overhaul and redistribution of units and equipment.

• Air Warfare

  Australia receives its first UH-60M Black Hawks

  8th August 2023

  Sikorsky has been extremely rapid in delivering Black Hawks to Australia, with the first two already handed over.

• Naval Warfare

  Work starts on first Canadian Coast Guard Arctic patrol ship

  14th August 2023

  Construction on the first of two new patrol ships for the Canadian Coast Guard has started at Irving Shipbuilding in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

• Defence Helicopter

  Canada to upgrade AW101 rescue helicopters in-country under Leonardo-IMP deal

  3rd May 2023

  Canada's IMP Aerospace will carry out upgrades on 13 of the 16 AW101 aircraft covered by the CMLU programme under a sub-contract from Leonardo Helicopters UK.

• Land Warfare

  US marines get expeditionary boost from new ULTV vehicle programme

  20th June 2023

  The USMC has reached the IOC milestone and started fielding the Ultra Light Tactical Vehicle.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Heavy-lift Helicopter STH (Germany)

  Programme Background The German government issued a tender in March 2019 for the procurement of heavy-lift helicopters under the Schwerer Transporthubschrauber (STH) program, 60 units are ...

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

  CH-5 [Iraq]

  Programme Background CH-4 Troubles According to a Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve report, Iraq acquired 20 CH-4 platforms from China. However, eight ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-53K - Options (Israel)

  Programme Background The Israeli Air Force (IAF) plans to buy around 18 heavy-lift helicopters to form a squadron that replaces its current CH-53 Yasur helicopters that ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-53K (Israel)

  Programme Background The Israeli Air Force (IAF) plans to buy around 18 heavy-lift helicopters to form a squadron that replaces its current CH-53 Yasur helicopters that ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook

  As the Army's only heavy-lift helicopter, the CH-47F Improved Cargo helicopter is an essential component of the Army's Multi-Domain Battle framework. The CH-47F and MH-47G ...

• Military helicopters - maritime, Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-53K - US Navy

  Programme Background The Marine Corps is replacing its aging CH-53E helicopters with the CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter. Designed as an evolution of the CH-53E, the CH-53K ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-53K - US Navy Follow-On

  Programme Background The Marine Corps is replacing its ageing CH-53E helicopters with the CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter. Designed as an evolution of the CH-53E, the CH-53K ...

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

  CH-5 (Algeria)

  Programme Background Chinese UAV Purchases In recent years, Algeria has purchased several UAVs from China. It operates the CH-3, CH-4 and has also ordered the Wing ...

• 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 - MALE

  CH-4 - Saudi Arabia

  Programme Background Riyadh had already experience to operate various Chinese-made UAVs, including Wing Loong I,  Wing Loong II and CH-4.   Saudi Arabia was planning to ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  MH-47 Chinook

  The US DoD report, Enhancing Security and Stability In Afghanistan, published in December 2019 doesn't disclose the number of Chinook platforms but media sources suggest ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  LuWa [Germany]

  Programme Background The German Army has a requirement for a new airmobile AFV to replace the Wiesel 1s used by its 1st Airmobile Brigade, as ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Thailand CH-47D Replacement

  The RTA divested its six Boeing CH-47D Chinooks after failing to sell the 25-year-old aircraft on the second-hand market. Thailand found Chinook maintenance costs were ...

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

  CH-4 (Second Batch) [Pakistan]

  Programme Background First Batch According to the Pakistan Exim Trade Info website, five aircraft were delivered to the country on 15 January 2021. According to ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F (Australia)

  Programme Background The government of Australia has requested to buy four CH-47F cargo helicopters with unique modifications: eight T55-GA-714A aircraft turbine engines, five AN/AAR-57 common ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - maritime, Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-53D Sea Stallion

  The twin-engine CH-53A (S-65) Sea Stallion was developed from 1960 to meet a USMC requirement for a heavy-lift helicopter. It entered service in 1966 and ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Flight2

  The Flight2 integrated flight and mission management system provides increased situation awareness that enables reduced pilot workload, while enhancing flight safety and improving mission effectiveness. ...

• Self-propelled mortars

  Wiesel 2 120mm

  The Wiesel 2 120mm mortar system is based on Rheinmetall’s tracked Wiesel 2 airborne armoured vehicle. Two prototypes were delivered to Germany’s BWB defence procurement ...

• Helicopter engines

  T64

  The T64 is a turboshaft/turboprop engine that has now accumulated over 11 million flight hours of operation. The T64 engine was designed to power rotary- ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  German Army Aviation School

  CAE is the prime contractor for the German Army’s Night-Time Low-Level Flight Training Facility, commonly known as the German Army Aviation School, at Bückeburg. This ...

• Military helicopters - maritime, Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-53K King Stallion

  The CH-53K King Stallion is the USMC's new-build, heavy-lift replacement for the CH-53E. The platform will transport marines, heavy equipment and supplies during ship-to-shore movement ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Mungo

  KMW developed the Mungo family to meet a requirement from the German Army for a protected multipurpose air-portable vehicle that could be carried by a ...

• Loitering munitions

  CM-501 (series)

  The CM-501 series is a family of Chinese loitering munition systems. Munitions in the series can be attached and launched from helicopters, ground vehicles or ships. The ...

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

  CH-2

  Intended for surveillance and reconnaissance missions, the CH-2 is the second member of the Rainbow series of UAVs and develops on the design of the CH-1. 

• Military helicopters - maritime

  CH-53E Super Stallion

  The CH-53E (S-80) Super Stallion is a three-engine heavy-lift helicopter derived from the CH-53D, which entered service with the USMC (170 built) as a replacement ...

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

  CH-4

  The CH-4 is a MALE UAV available in two variants, the CH-4A and CH-4B. The China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics developed the platform manufactured by the ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47D

  The CH-47D Chinook is a twin-engine, tandem-rotor, heavy-lift transport helicopter that emerged from a US Army contract placed in 1976 to remanufacture the CH-47A/B/C. The ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Canadian CH-147F Training Services

  CAE delivered a comprehensive suite of CH-47F Chinook simulators and training devices to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) during 2015. Following on-site acceptance testing ...

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

  CH-5

  The CH-5 is a medium-altitude long-endurance UAS designed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation to carry out various military missions. Applications of the CH-5 include ...

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

  CH-3A

  Manufactured by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation, the CH-3A is a fixed-wing UAS of the Rainbow series.  The platform is a developed version of ...