• Defence Notes

  MBDA makes Australia hub of Asia Pacific growth

  9th October 2013

  MBDA has opened an office in Canberra, making Australia the centre of its targeted growth in the Asia Pacific region.  The company is looking at …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Watchkeeper receives MAA approval

  7th October 2013

  The WK450 Watchkeeper UAV design has finally received certification from the UK’s Military Aviation Authority (MAA), Thales UK has announced. According to Thales, which manufactures …

• Naval Warfare

  New Zealand selects Sea Ceptor for ANZAC Frigate upgrade

  7th October 2013

  MBDA’s Sea Ceptor has been selected by the New Zealand Ministry of Defence (MoD) as the Local Area Air Defence (LAAD) system for the Royal …

• Digital Battlespace

  French Navy ATL2 aircraft set for upgrade

  4th October 2013

  The French Navy’s fleet of Atlantique 2 (ATL2) maritime patrol aircraft are set to undergo a modernisation programme under a new contract between the French …

• Digital Battlespace

  Saab signs contract for Thai Navy frigate systems

  3rd October 2013

  Saab will supply combat management and radar systems for a new frigate being built for the Royal Thai Navy. The company announced on 3 October …

• Land Warfare

  US Army orders Mantis i23 gimbaled sensor payloads

  2nd October 2013

  The US Army has ordered Mantis i23 gimbaled sensor payloads from AeroVironment for its fleet of RQ-11B Raven unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The contract, worth …

• Land Warfare

  Turkey selects Chinese missile defence system

  2nd October 2013

  In an unexpected move, Turkey has selected a Chinese firm as the preferred bidder for its Turkish Long Range Air and Missile Defence System (T-LORAMIDS) …

• Land Warfare

  AI3 successfully defeats first UAS target

  26th September 2013

  Raytheon’s Accelerated Improved Intercept Initiative (AI3) system programme has reached a new milestone with the system’s successful defeat of a UAS in flight. The intercept …

• Digital Battlespace

  IAMD IBCS integrates Patriot missiles and Sentinel radar

  23rd September 2013

  The Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS) will be capable of launching and controlling Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2) and PAC-3 missile …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  High five for Phantom Eye

  20th September 2013

  Boeing Phantom Works has conducted the fifth flight test of its Phantom Eye HALE demonstrator, which saw the UAV reach an altitude of 28,000ft. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Saab receives IDAS order for Indian ALH

  20th September 2013

  Saab will commence serial production of an integrated electronic warfare self-protection system for installation on the Indian Army’s and Air force’s Advanced Light Helicopter. The …

• Naval Warfare

  FREMM frigate Provence ready for outfitting

  19th September 2013

  The fourth Aquitaine-class FREMM frigate to be built by DCNS for the French Navy has been floated out of its building dock at the Lorient …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Northrop Grumman details Triton radar development progress

  19th September 2013

  Northrop Grumman is in the midst of risk-reduction tests of the Multi-Function Active Sensor (MFAS) to be installed on the US Navy’s Triton unmanned aircraft …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Aurora announces Orion UAS’ first flight

  18th September 2013

  The Orion unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) being developed by Aurora Flight Sciences successfully completed its first flight on 24 August. The company announced the news …

• Defence Helicopter

  Brazilian EC725 integrated with self-protection system

  17th September 2013

  A chaff and flare countermeasures dispensing system developed by Helibras’ Engineering Center has been integrated onto an EC725 helicopter as part of Eurocopter’s programme to …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  ISTAR UAS project (Canada)

  Programme Background Objective The Royal Canadian Navy's (RCN) main significant UAV project is the RCN Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Unmanned Aircraft System (RCN ...

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

  Flexible Tactical Uncrewed Air System (FTUAS) [UK]

  Programme Background Tender Notice & Timeline On 25 May 2021, the MoD published a tender notice for the urgent acquisition of a UAS and ancillaries under ...

• 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 - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  DEF129 Nano UAS [Australia]

  Programme Background DEF129 The Australian Ground Service has combined various army procurement efforts under the DEF129 programme to increase the abundance and proliferation of UAVs ...

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

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (South Korea)

  Programme Background Requirments Seoul required UAS assets to help monitor its neighbour to the north and, increasingly, Chinese activities in waters and in the air near ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Aeromobila A Pilotaggio Remoto (Mini) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirement Released on 5 August 2021, the Italian MoD's Multi-Year Defence Programme Document for 2021-2023 announced a programme aimed at acquiring a mini-UAS capable ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Aeromobila A Pilotaggio Remoto (Micro) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirement Released on 5 August 2021, the Italian MoD's Multi-Year Defence Programme Document for 2021-2023 announced a programme aimed at acquiring a micro-UAS capable ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  RQ-20 Puma (Belgium)

  Programme Background Requirement The Belgian MoD outlined plans to procure more mini and tactical UAS in its Strategic Vision for Defence published in 2016. According ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

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

  Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Goal The Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) programme stems from the Military Sealift Command and Fleet Forces Command identifying, in 2018, a ...

• Military UAS - small

  Puma 2 AE (Germany)

  Programme Background The Germany navy had an urgent requirement for three UAS required for reconnaissance and identification in maritime operations. A platform was required that ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Mini UAS [Spain]

  Programme Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational ...

• 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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: air defence radar

  MPDR 12

  The MPDR 12 is a high-data-rate (60rpm) pulse-Doppler radar with good clutter rejection performance. Teamed on Gepard with a Siemens pulse-Doppler tracking and FCR. Used ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  SPS-550K

  SPS-550K is a medium- to long-range 3D air and surface surveillance radar. It employs digital multi-beam forming, pulse-Doppler and medium pulse repetition frequency techniques to ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Grifo S

  The Grifo-S fire control radar is the most powerful version of the Grifo radar family for combat aircraft, featuring a 560W air-cooled travelling-wave tube-based transmitter ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  MM/SPS-702

  Developed by Leonardo, MM/SPS-702 is an air and surface search radar. The SPS-702 features Moving Target Indicator (MTI),  Pulse Doppler Radar and IFF interrogator.

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  N011

  The N011 is an updated version of the N001 for more advanced Su-27 family aircraft featuring both air-to-air and air-to-ground (terrain following/avoidance and mapping) modes ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  N019 Sapfir-29

  The N019 Sapfir-29 is a pulse-Doppler fire control radar with look-down/shoot-down capability developed for the MiG-29. Dedicated to air-to-air combat, it has three pulse repetition ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  RDI

  The RDI is an optimised pulse-Doppler radar installed on Mirage 2000B and C models used in the air superiority role. The slotted flat-plate antenna features ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Kopyo

  The Kopyo is a multi-mode coherent pulse-Doppler radar aimed at the MiG-21 upgrade market. It uses a slotted flat-plate antenna and digital signal processing. Air-to-air ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Zaslon AM

  Zaslon AM is a variant with upgraded data-processing systems for all in-service MiG-31s. 

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  NR-100

  The NR-100 is a man-portable pulse-Doppler radar designed to detect and track moving people and vehicles, providing targeting information for infantry weapons. 

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-66

  The AN/APG-66 is a coherent pulse-Doppler fire control radar originally developed for the F-16, now adapted to platforms including Hawk 200, PBN Defender, Skyhawk, T-39N and ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  N001

  The N001 is a mechanically scanned pulse-Doppler fire control radar associated with the Su-27, -30 and -33 fighters. The system features single-target engagement capability. 

• Air: weather radar

  TWR-850/WXR-840/WXR-80

  The TWR-850/WXR-840/WXR-80 weather radar systems use Doppler-based turbulence and weather detection for faster analysis and a solid-state transmitter for optimum pulse width for different ranges ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Zaslon M

  Zaslon M is a further upgrade to the Zaslon series, including the addition of a larger 1.4m-diameter phased-array antenna. Performance is reported to be 50-100 ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  EL/M-2238 STAR

  EL/M-2238 Surveillance Threat Alert Radar (STAR) is an S-band, pulse-Doppler, 3D, surface and air search radar for naval platforms. The STAR has three antenna variants: ...