• Defence Notes

  AAD 2012: Saab continues commitment to SA

  20th September 2012

  Saab is investing R&D funding into its South African division, including improving the sensor capability of its Land Electronics Defence System (LEDS) for combat vehicles. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Patria, Insta complete UAV MPNDL data link flight

  11th September 2012

  Patria and Insta have announced that they have successfully completed the first Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) test flights of the Multi Purpose Networking Data Link …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Fury 1500 UAS downlinks live video over SATCOM

  11th September 2012

  AME Unmanned Air Systems (AME UAS) has announced on 7 September that its Fury 1500 UAS has become the first ‘truly tactical’ UAS to downlink …

• Digital Battlespace

  RMPM-1000 NCW modem completes WGS testing

  3rd September 2012

  L-3 Linkabit has announced that has successfully tested its RMPM-1000 modem in a multi-band, multi-beam Over-The-Air (OTA) configuration using the WGS-3 satellite. It is the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Cobham issued Wideband Global SATCOM contract

  13th August 2012

  Cobham has revealed that it has been awarded a contract to supply electronic systems to Boeing’s Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellite programme. The contract, worth …

• Digital Battlespace

  COM DEV USA awarded WGS flight set contract

  3rd August 2012

  COM DEV USA has announced that it has been awarded a contract to supply equipment for use in the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) programme. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Astrium AirPatrol SATCOM terminal now flight proven

  17th July 2012

  Astrium Services’ latest generation of SATCOM terminal, the AirPatrol, has completed flight tests and is now flight proven. It commenced flight trials with the Canadian …

• Digital Battlespace

  Farnborough 2012: Raytheon bids for FAB-T

  9th July 2012

  Raytheon has announced that it has responded to an RfP from USAF to bid for the alternative Family of Beyond Line of Sight Terminals (FAB-T). …

• Defence Helicopter

  Army outlines Gray Eagle lessons learned

  27th June 2012

  Following the first full company deployment of the Gray Eagle UAS to Afghanistan in March, the US Army has described the learning process associated with …

• Digital Battlespace

  Elbit Systems' ELSAT wins SOTM contract

  19th June 2012

  Elbit Systems has announced that it has been awarded a first contract by an unnamed Latin American customer to supply the ELSAT 2100 Satellite-On-The-Move (SOTM) …

• Digital Battlespace

  Eurosatory 2012: Thales wideband datalink receives STANAG 7085 certification

  14th June 2012

  Thales' TMA 6000 wideband airborne datalink terminal has received STANAG 7085 certification by the Joint Interoperability Test Command. This certification makes it the first European …

• Digital Battlespace

  Eurosatory 2012: Athena Security launches intelligence management system

  13th June 2012

  Israeli company Athena Security Implementations has launched two new products for the intelligence community during the Eurosatory exhibition in Paris, France. The Centric Knowledge to …

• Digital Battlespace

  TactiCall deployed in Afghanistan

  13th June 2012

  Saab has announced that the TactiCall VCS has been operative as part of the Mobile Air Control Centre (MACC) in the northern NATO sector of …

• Digital Battlespace

  Eurosatory 2012: Gilat Satcom launches Iridium-based systems

  12th June 2012

  Gilat Satcom has launched the Suricate Iridium link and Iridium Tactical Radio Dynamic Relay System. Announced during the Eurosatory 2012 conference in Paris, France, the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Boeing demonstrates SATCOM on the Move

  6th June 2012

  Boeing has announced that it has successfully demonstrated its SATCOM on the Move (SOTM) product on a live Ka-band satellite network. The company made the …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Dominator XP [Thailand]

  Programme Background Purchase As reported by Shephard, in September 2023, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) inducted three Dominator XPs. The RTAF purchased the trio ...

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

  MALE Combat Drones [Thailand]

  Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events ...

• 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 - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Anka-S (Second Batch) [Turkey]

  Programme Background First Batch Based on comments by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Turkish media in 2018, Shephard believes that Türkiye acquired 26 Anka-S drones ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  New Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (NWJFAC) (India)

  Programme Background Requirements The Indian Navy is seeking replacements for a large proportion of its 19 46-49m-long waterjet-powered fast attack craft, several of which are approaching ...

• Military UAS - small

  Mini RPAS (High Altitude)

  Programme Background The Indian Army has initiated several tenders aiming to procure micro UAVs, but there has been little progress in following through with these ...

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

  AdvaNced airCraft Infrastructure-Less Launch And RecoverY (ANCILLARY) [US]

  Programme Background Aims & Timeline As stated by DARPA, the ANCILLARY programme aims to develop and fly an X-plane that will provide a "leap-ahead" in long-endurance, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Portugal VTLB

  Programme Background The Portuguese Army planned to allocate funds for the procurement of 167 VTLBs during the Military Programming Law running from 2015 until 2026. ...

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

  Akinci [Turkey]

  Programme Background Unveiling & Testing Unveiled at TEKOFEST Istanbul Aviation, Space and Technology Festival in September 2019, the Akinci completed its first flight in December 2019. In June 2021, ...

• 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 - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  DTIF GUARD (Ireland)

  Programme Background The Problem As stated by the project's website, Ireland is the "softest target in EU for smugglers" due to its 3171km of coastline, ...

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

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian - Forecasted Units (Belgium)

  Programme Background Strategic Vision 2030  In 2016, the Belgian MoD published its Strategic Vision 2030 report. In this, it highlighted the need for MALE reconnaissance drones ...

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

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian (Belgium)

  Programme Background Contract On 26 March 2019, the US State Department announced that it had approved a possible FMS of four MQ-9B SkyGuardians for an estimated cost ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer MIV [UK]

  Programme Background History The UK MoD announced in March 2018 that it would re-join the Boxer programme and pursue a sole-source acquisition of the 8x8 ...

• Military UAS - small

  Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirement & Objective The RN identified a requirement to acquire an RPAS to transport cargo and supplies between ships and personnel. When mature, it ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• UAS: communication systems

  Aviator UAV 200

  Cobham’s UAV 200 is a satcom solution designed to enhance a tactical UAV’s performance, range and payload flexibility in a number of applications.This including SAR, ...

• USV-450

  The SeaRobotics USV-450 is a lightweight USV designed for survey/surveillance, hydrographic data-gathering and general-purpose sensor transport. 

• Military - USVs

  USV-550

  The USV-550 can be used for shallow-water survey/surveillance, hydrographic data-gathering, general-purpose sensor transport and small ROV deployment. 

• UAS: communication systems

  BlackRay 1000

  The BlackRay 1000 is a ruggedised two-way SATCOM terminal for the UAV market with built-in modem and ACU. It is customisable to meet most UAS ...

• Military - USVs

  USV-11000

  The SeaRobotics USV-11000 is a long-endurance USV that can be used for military and civil missions. This includes coastal/offshore survey, hydrographic data-gathering, harbour security/surveillance, ROV ...

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

  Shadow M2

  The Shadow M2 builds on the Shadow 200, but has greater endurance and payload capability, quieter and more reliable propulsion and an optional SATCOM capability ...

• UAS: communication systems

  LAISR ULW

  Developed by Inmarsat Government, the Lightweight Airborne ISR System - Ultra Lightweight (LAISR ULW) is an L-Band SATCOM terminal providing beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) connectivity for SWaP-constrained ...

• Maritime patrol, Trainer

  DA42 MPP Pandion

  The DA42 MultiPurpose Platform (MPP) Pandion is a lightweight MPA, designed to carry out various missions, including coastal surveillance, training, anti-piracy, oil spill detection and ...

• UAS: communication systems

  Airborne Broadband SATCOM

  ViaSat’s airborne SATCOM services offer worldwide access and a range of service levels, providing connectivity and performance options tailored to meet a variety of needs. ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  ELK-1882T NC2

  Produced by Elta Systems (a subsidiary of IAI), ELK-1882T NC2 SATCOM terminals provide secure BLOS communications for fighter and special mission aircraft. The terminals utilise software-defined ...

• Land: battle management systems

  SCC Titan

  The server-based Situational Command and Control (SCC) Titan system is broken down into an HQ and a field-ready tactical satellite package, both designed to offer ...

• Military - USVs

  USV-5700

  The USV-5700, which is also designated USV 5.7, is a catamaran that can be used for military and civil missions. This includes coastal/offshore survey, hydrographic ...

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

  Integrator ER

  The Integrator Extended Range (ER) is a multi-mission modular small-UAV manufactured by Insitu. A variant of the Integrator, the ER is differentiated by its SATCOM BLOS communications ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  RF-7800B-VU104

  This land mobile broadband global area network (BGAN) SATCOM terminal provides a tactical radio network capability within the Falcon III multi-band radio family. The RF-7800B-VU104 ...

• Military - USVs

  USV-Collapsible

  The USV-Collapsible can be used for surveying, hydrographic data-gathering, harbour security/surveillance and general-purpose sensor transport. It can also be collapsed into a small shipping crate ...