• Military Logistics

  RAF shakes-up transport aircraft training

  1st May 2015

  The RAF’s transport and tanker aircraft fleet training programme will see significant developments in coming years as the C130J Super Hercules makes room for the …

• Military Logistics

  RAF C-17 joins Cyclone Pam relief effort

  16th March 2015

  A Royal Air Force C-17 transport aircraft has departed from RAF Brize Norton bound for Royal Australian Air Force base at Amberley in Australia as …

• Digital Battlespace

  No R&R for RAF ISTAR

  13th March 2015

  There are ‘significant challenges’ operating in contemporary environments, says the UK RAF ISTAR command. The RAF had been looking forward to 12 months of ‘recuperation …

• Defence Helicopter

  Upgraded RAF Pumas begin Afghan deployment

  13th March 2015

  The Royal Air Force’s upgraded Puma HC Mk2 medium helicopter has achieved initial operating capability (IOC), paving the way for three to be deployed to …

• Defence Helicopter

  UK extends Boeing's Chinook support contract

  19th February 2015

  The UK Ministry of Defence has signed a five-year contract extension with Boeing for the in-service support of the Royal Air Force's (RAF) Chinook helicopters, …

• Military Logistics

  BAE wins Typhoon Availability Service extension

  22nd January 2015

  BAE Systems has won a £112 million contract extension from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to extend the Typhoon Availability Service (TAS) for the …

• Defence Notes

  UK's fairy land equipment budget

  14th January 2015

  The UK Ministry of Defence’s equipment budget is based on a dream world of accounting where they think their reduced cost forecasts will be met. …

• Military Logistics

  RAF begins A400M base proving flights

  9th January 2015

  The Royal Air Force (RAF) has announced that it has begun base proving flights for its new transport aircraft, the A400M Atlas. The RAF's first …

• Military Logistics

  France, UK issue Airbus A400M support contract

  9th December 2014

  Airbus Defence and Space will provide an in-service support (ISS) package for the initial maintenance and support of the A400M Atlas aircraft as it enters …

• Defence Notes

  I/ITSEC: UK MoD to purchase iCASS system

  3rd December 2014

  The UK MoD has signed a contract with Close Air Solutions (CAS) for the purchase of the Immersive Close Air Support Simulator (iCASS) system it …

• Defence Helicopter

  RAF receives first A400M at RAF Brize Norton

  28th November 2014

  The first A400M airlifter for the Royal Air Force (RAF) has been officially delivered by Airbus Defence and Space at a ceremony at RAF Brize …

• Land Warfare

  British troops take part in Exercise Black Eagle

  24th November 2014

  The British Army is taking part in Exercise Black Eagle in the Zagan Training area in south-west Poland as part of the largest armoured deployment …

• Digital Battlespace

  UK government-industry team focuses on EW exports

  19th November 2014

  A new UK government-industry partnership will see approved customers gain access to UK sourced technical expertise and high-fidelity data relating to Electronic Warfare (EW). The …

• Military Logistics

  MBDA awarded RAF ASRAAM support contract

  7th October 2014

  MBDA will support the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) under a £40 million contract announced on 7 October. MBDA is the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Merlins go Commando at Benson

  2nd October 2014

  The first of the Royal Air Force’s Merlin HC3/3A transport helicopters have been handed over to the Royal Navy’s Commando Helicopter Force (CHF).  In a …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• ISR/special mission

  Shadow R1 (UK)

  Programme Background The RAF is moving forward with an ambitious plan to transform its intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) force to enable greater ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M (UK)

  RAF base at Brize Norton built a new training facility for A400M pilots and crew. The aircraft will look to reach full operation capability by 2022 when ...

• AEW&C

  E-7 Wedgetail (737) - UK

  Programme Background Seeking to replace its six ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry AEW&C;, the British Royal Air Force awarded Boeing a £1.89 billion contract in 2019 covering the ...

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

  Tier 1 Disposable [UK]

  Programme Background Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) Strategy Reflecting on lessons learned from the cancellation of the Mosquito programme, the Royal Air Force (RAF) redefined the role of ...

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

  Protector RG1 [UK]

  Programme Background Programme Goal The programme aims to replace the MQ-9As in the RAF's inventory with the new, improved MQ-9Bs. With MQ-9B delivering a UK Sovereign capability for ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H-47ER Chinook [UK]

  Programme Background 2021 FMS Announcement In October 2018, the US State Department approved a $3.5 billion FMS of 16 CH-47 Chinooks fitted with extended-range fuel tanks ...

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

  Low-Cost Uncrewed Air Systems (LANCA) Follow-On Project [UK]

  Programme Background Project Mosquito Beginning in 2019, the UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), in collaboration with the Royal Air Force (RAF), began the ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8A Poseidon [UK]

  Programme Background In July 2016, the UK government announced that it had ordered nine aircraft for service with the RAF. Under this frame, in January ...

• AEW&C

  E-7 Wedgetail - UK (Second Order)

  Programme Background Seeking to replace its six ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry AEW&C;, the British Royal Air Force awarded Boeing a £1.89 billion contract in 2019 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Typhoon Tranche 3A - Qatar

  As a part of the agreement to sell Typhoon, the UK is establishing a ‘Joint Operations Squadron’ (to be known as 12 Squadron) with the ...

• Transport

  Command Support Air Transport Recapitalisation (UK)

  Programme Background The tender, originally released on 28 October 2021, requires industry bidders to put forward aircraft that can achieve a minimum unrefuelled range of ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Project Mosquito [UK]

  Programme Background Inception and Capabilities In 2019, in collaboration with the RAF, the UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) released details of its new UAS ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 (Second Batch) [Morocco]

  Programme Background Morocco's military modernisation In 2017, Morocco established a five-year plan to modernise the military equipment of its navy, army and airforce to bring ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | E-7 Wedgetail - UK (Second Order)

  The UK MoD signed a £1.51 billion ($1.98 billion) deal to purchase five E-7 Wedgetail aircraft from Boeing for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in ...

• Data links

  Data links | E-7 Wedgetail - UK (Second Order)

  The UK MoD signed a £1.51 billion ($1.98 billion) deal to purchase five E-7 Wedgetail aircraft from Boeing for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• EO/IR systems

  DJRP

  The Digital Joint Reconnaissance Pod (DJRP) is a tactical EO/IR reconnaissance system. It provides simultaneous high resolution and wide field-of-view EO imagery and horizon-to-horizon day/night ...

• EO/IR systems

  RAPTOR

  The Reconnaissance Airborne Pod for Tornado (RAPTOR), based on Raytheon's DB-110, was developed for the UK RAF Tornado GR4s. RAF specifications required target recognition with ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Air Combat Training

  Boeing has experience in delivering training for fixed-wing air combat platforms including F-15C/E, F-16, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G, F-22 and MV/CV-22.

• Air: air combat simulators

  Tornado GR4 Synthetic Training Service

  Thales provides its Tornado GR4 Synthetic Training Service (TSTS) through its 100%-owned subsidiary, Ace. The service is a complete suite of synthetic training for Tornado ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  FIASTS

  Thales, through 100%-owned subsidiary Merlin, is delivering a ‘packaged’ training and maintenance system for RAF aircrew through the FsAST Integrated Aircrew Synthetic Training Service (FIASTS). ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Tornado (IDS/ADV)

  The Tornado is a family of two-seat, twin-engine, variable-sweep wing multirole fighters manufactured by Panavia, a trans-European consortium of BAE Systems, Airbus Space and Defence ...

• Air: Displays

  Tornado Advanced Radar Dsiplay & Information System (TARDIS)

  The Tornado Advanced Radar Display & Information System (TARDIS) is developed by BAE Systems, UK, specifically for the UK's Royal Air Force's (RAF) fleet of ...

• 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 ...

• Air: maintenance simulators

  Engineering and Maintenance Training

  BAE Systems designs and delivers engineering and maintenance training, with the ability to provide a package to address the needs of all personnel ranging from ...

• ISR/special mission, Trainer

  TC-135S/W

  The TC-135S and TC-135W are training aircraft developed by Boeing based on the EC-135 to provide crew training for RC-135S Cobra Ball optical and electronic ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  LANCA / Mosquito

  The Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft (LANCA) is a developmental 'Loyal Wingman' UAS that the RAF and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) hoped would support its crewed ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Eurofighter HMSS

  Eurofighter Typhoon’s Helmet Mounted Symbology System (HMSS) provides pilots with enhanced situational awareness, data display and sensor/effector cueing. Developed by BAE Systems, it is in ...

• Guided munitions

  Paveway

  Paveway is a series of laser guidance systems that can be fitted to a wide range of free-fall bombs to create Precision Guided Munitions (PGMs). ...

• Air: maintenance simulators

  C-17 Globemaster III MTS

  TRU Simulation and Training C-17 Maintenance Training System (MTS) supports training needs for this complex computerised aircraft. The MTS provides skill development for more than 1,100 ...

• Trainer

  Hawk AJT

  The Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) is the latest version of what is claimed to be the world’s most widely used advanced jet trainer. Almost ...