• Digital Battlespace

  RAF considers Tornado simulator extension

  7th October 2013

  As the RAF’s GR-4 Tornado simulator celebrates ten years in service, military and industry are considering ways to extend the life of the system to …

• Defence Helicopter

  Merlin celebrates ten years in service

  30th September 2013

  The Royal Air Force (RAF) has celebrated ten years of continuous Merlin operations at a ceremony at RAF Benson on 27 September.  Speaking to journalists …

• Defence Helicopter

  Turbomeca signs UK RTM 322 engine service contract

  24th September 2013

  The RTM 322 engines powering Merlin and Apache helicopters in the UK military’s fleet are to be supported by Turbomeca under a new arrangement announced …

• 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 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Government body calls for Reaper transparency

  16th September 2013

  A UK government official representing the ‘All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Drones’ has challenged the Ministry of Defence’s use of armed UAVs, calling for …

• Defence Helicopter

  DSEI 2013: UK Chinook upgrade brings export potential

  13th September 2013

  Thales is pitching its avionics upgrade developed for the UK under Project Julius to existing CH-47 Chinook users around the world. At the DSEI exhibition …

• Defence Notes

  DSEI 2013: F-35 programme supports UK supply chain

  13th September 2013

  The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme has had a significant impact on the UK defence industry benefitting companies across the supply chain, sustaining high …

• Defence Helicopter

  DSEI 2013: Minister reveals new contracts

  12th September 2013

  Three new contracts for military vehicles, helicopter support and the creation of a new armour facility were announced by the Minister for Defence Equipment, Support …

• Defence Helicopter

  DSEI 2013: Air chief looks to increased synthetic training

  11th September 2013

  For the RAF to retain the current level of capability in the face of lower budgeted flying hours, it will need to increase its reliance …

• Military Logistics

  DSEI 2013: BAE offers air-to-air refuelling variant of BAe 146/Avro RJ

  11th September 2013

  BAE Systems has unveiled its proposition for an air-to-air refuelling variant of the BAe 146/Avro RJ aircraft, which it argues offers an affordable solution in …

• Military Logistics

  DSEI 2013: New Zip replacement cooking fuel unveiled

  10th September 2013

  Zip unveiled its new powerful, lightweight, non-toxic Military Cooking Fuel in the UK for the first time at the DSEI exhibition as a replacement fuel …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DSEI 2013: Assistant air chief hits out against Reaper opponents

  10th September 2013

  In a somewhat defiant act against domestic critics of the RAF’s MQ-9 Reaper operations, the assistant chief of the air staff (ACAS) has played down …

• Defence Notes

  Typhoon deployment postponed

  27th August 2013

  The RAF has postponed the deployment of ten Typhoon fighter aircraft and supporting elements to its airbase at Akrotiri on Cyprus because of the tensions in the …

• Defence Helicopter

  RAF completes flight tests of Mk6 Chinook

  23rd August 2013

  The Royal Air Force (RAF) has completed final testing of its first Chinook Mk6 helicopter, with the assistance of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft …

• Defence Helicopter

  Defence sources slam auditor's report on AW101 deal

  21st August 2013

  Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) sources have criticised the findings of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), claiming the auditor’s report into the controversial AW101 …

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 ...