• Land Warfare

  Brazilian Army concludes trials with domestically developed optronics

  11th April 2023

  Developed under a partnership between the Army Technological Centre and Brazilian supplier OPTO Space & Defense, the Olhar thermal imaging solution has now completed initial trials.

• Air Warfare

  Royal Air Force begins training on new Protector remotely piloted aircraft system

  10th May 2023

  The Royal Air Force has started training its first cohort of pilots, sensor operators and mission intelligence coordinators on operating its new Protector at General Atomics' Flight Test & Training Centre in the US.

• Training

  IAI delivers 100th US Air Force T-38 jet trainer wing

  13th April 2023

  The Israeli manufacturer has increased production rates to meet US Air Force T-38 Talon advanced jet trainer wing demand.

• Land Warfare

  New UAS family promises man-portable close air support

  15th March 2023

  The QuadCAS UAS range developed by BothwellRoyal comprises two single-use remote anti-personnel weapons and a multi-projectile reusable carrier.

• Air Warfare

  General Atomics achieves AI flight milestone with Avenger UAV

  14th April 2023

  General Atomics has used an MQ-20 Avenger to demonstrate collaboration between human and AI pilots over a low-Earth-orbit SATCOM data link.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Changing the game of the modern battlefield (Sponsored)

  5th April 2023

  Tactical forces today increasingly require autonomy in the field. The Orbiter 4 STUAS meets this need.

• Air Warfare

  General Atomics nets first US customer for MQ-9B SkyGuardian UAS

  6th March 2023

  Air Force Special Operations Command is procuring the MQ-9B SkyGuardian to support its Adaptive Airborne Enterprise concept.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Pentagon to focus on acquisition and development of UAV and missile capabilities

  17th January 2023

  Information and communication systems for ground troops are also likely to receive the DoD's attention in the coming years.

• Air Warfare

  Philippines approves light transport aircraft buy

  21st February 2023

  Manila is inching closer to signing up for six light twin-turboprop transport aircraft from Indonesia's primary aerospace company.

• Land Warfare

  US Marine Corps advances amphibious reconnaissance capabilities

  20th February 2023

  BAE Systems successfully tested Lockheed Martin Skunk Works’ Stalker and Indago sUAS on an Amphibious Combat Vehicle C4/UAS variant.

• Training

  General Atomics helps train Marines for MQ-9A Reaper as service struggles to meet UAV operator requirements

  4th April 2023

  General Atomics is conducting high-level training exercises with the US Marine Corps using its MQ-9A Reaper as the service experiences training problems under arrangements that could lead to a potential long-term partnership.

• Land Warfare

  Blighter radars to form part of UK laser anti-drone system

  9th March 2023

  Two Blighter A800 radars will be deployed alongside a Raytheon UK vehicle-mounted counter-UAS laser in a demonstrator programme for the UK MoD.

• Air Warfare

  IDEX 2023: Collins Aerospace partners with Saudi firm on UAS development

  22nd February 2023

  Collins Aerospace will integrate a number of its mission systems and software with SRB Aerial Systems' UAS platforms under a memorandum of understanding that is hoped to evolve into a long-term strategic partnership.

• Defence Notes

  What's new in the updated version of the US Marines Force Design 2030

  9th June 2023

  The most recent Force Design 2030 document introduces adjustments in terms of capabilities, doctrine, structure and training focusing on improving readiness.

• Naval Warfare

  SOF Week 2023: US special forces kick off search for new multi-role watercraft

  11th May 2023

  US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has kickstarted initial planning for a second-generation Combatant Craft Medium (CCM), according to service officials.

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 ...

• ISR/special mission

  MC-27J - Algeria

  Programme Background Algeria has a long standing ISR aircraft requirement to support its Beech 1900 fleet comprised of six aircraft. The new ISR fleet is ...

• 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 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V (9-16) [Bulgaria]

  Programme Background In April 2022, the US State Department approved a potential FMS worth $1.673 million to procure eight F-16Vs to Bulgaria. The aircraft are ...

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

  Mini Reconnaissance Drones [Lithuania]

  Programme Background Planned Purchases On 14 September 2022, the Lithuanian MoD announced in a short statement on Twitter, now X, that it had begun organising ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  General-Purpose UAS [Australia]

  Programme Background Banned As reported by Shephard in August 2023, in the past, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) used commercial UAS from companies such as DJI for ...

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

  Small Reconnaissance Drones [Lithuania]

  Programme Background Planned Purchases On 14 September 2022, the Lithuanian MoD announced in a short statement on Twitter, now X, that it had begun organising ...

• 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 - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Company Level Small Uncrewed Aircraft System (SUAS) Directed Requirement (DR) [US Army]

  Programme Background Requirement The US Army approved the Co-Level SUAS DR acquisition in June 2023 to supply Brigade Combat Teams with an "immediate, commercially available capability" to ...

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

  Skeldar V-200 (ASW) [Canada]

  Programme Background Contract Award At Euronaval 2022, Shephard reported that UMS Skeldar and Ultra had been awarded a Phase 2 contract on 19 October to provide ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Requirement Turkish Air Force ordered 100 F-35A aircraft as a partner nation, however, the country was removed from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme ...

• Maritime patrol

  Maritime Patrol Aircraft Procurement [Italy]

  Programme Background In an appearance before the Italian parliament’s Foreign and Defence Affairs Committee on 14 July 2022, Italian Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Adm ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Replicator 2 [US]

  Programme Background 1.0 The Replicator programme is a US effort to field thousands of attritable, autonomous systems across multiple domains before the end of 2025 ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Medium Range Reconnaissance (MRR) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an organic, on-demand ...

• 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

• Deployable/static missile systems

  Falcon

  Unveiled at IDEX 2019, Falcon is a short-to-medium range ground-based air defence system, including C-RAM and C-UAS capabilities. The Falcon consists of Lockheed Martin's Skykeeper ...

• Sea: surveillance system radar

  TRS-4D

  The TRS-4D C-band AESA multi-function air/surface radar is designed for dangerous, target-dense, blue waters and littoral environments. The TRS-4D is based on GaN AESA technology ...

• Sea: ship surveillance and fire control systems

  FCS-3

  The FCS-3 incorporates surveillance radar and fire control system capabilities in a C-band radar with AESA technology. Originally funded by the Japanese MoD, The FCS-3 ...

• Land: RWS

  Pitbull

  General Robotics developed the lightweight Pitbull family of remote weapons station for use on aerial, land and naval crewed or uncrewed platforms. Armed with a single ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  RBE2

  The AESA RBE2 is the first AESA radar produced in Europe for combat aircraft. The active phased array replaces the passive array in the RBE2 currently ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  C-UAS Solution

  The C-UAS Solution uses goniometry, radar technologies and various sensors to detect and remove UAS from the air. So far, the solution has been proven effective against ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Vixen 500E

  The Vixen 500E is an X-band, compact, lightweight AESA radar for fighter and lead-in fighter trainer aircraft. It is currently fitted to the US Customs ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Airfence 5.0

  Airfence 5.0 is a C-UAS RF technology released by Sensofusion. It is designed to protect airports, personnel, prisons and private companies from rogue UAS in ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Howler C-UAS

  Developed by Raytheon, the Howler is a counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS), which includes a Ku-band Radio Frequency Sensor (KuRFS), a command-and-control system, and a Coyote ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Cobham C-UAS

  Unveiled at the AUVSI 2017 trade show in Dallas, Texas, the Cobham C-UAS primarily consists of wideband omnidirectional, directional helix (single- or dual-band), directional flat ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Skylock C-UAS

  Skylock, an Avnon Group company, has developed a C-UAS system that is intended to bring sensors, jammers and a laser effector into a single deployable ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  KRONOS Naval

  KRONOS Naval is a multi-functional radar family based on AESA technology. Kronos can simultaneously perform a range of functions, including air and surface surveillance, threat ...

• Land: air defence radar, Land: coastal surveillance radars

  KRONOS Land

  KRONOS Land is a mobile multifunctional C-band radar system designed by Leonardo to support air and coastal defence tactical operations. The system simultaneously performs surveillance, ...

• Land: air defence radar, Land: indirect fire location radar

  KRONOS

  KRONOS is a mobile multifunctional C-band radar system designed by Leonardo to support air and coastal defence tactical operations.  The system simultaneously performs surveillance, dedicated target ...

• Land: air defence radar, Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  TMMR

  The Tactical Multi-Mission Radar (TMMR) is a 3D C-Band full AESA Antenna Radar providing detection, classification and tracking of airborne and surface targets. It is ...