• Naval Warfare

  Russia pushes on with domestic alternative to Mistral

  10th June 2020

  The Russian MoD has signed a contract worth an estimated RUB100 billion ($1.43 billion) to build two helicopter carriers for the country’s navy, in a programme …

• Naval Warfare

  Russia dawdles on improving naval infantry equipment

  3rd June 2020

  An official keel-laying ceremony is expected in the coming weeks for two Project 23900 amphibious assault ships at the Zaliv Shipyard in Kerch, as Russia …

• Land Warfare

  Pantsir acquisition reflects broader trend for Serbian air defence

  13th May 2020

  The Serbian military recently unveiled Russian-made Pantsir-S1 (NATO: SA-22 "Greyhound") short-range SAM systems, the last of which arrived in the country in March.  The Pantsir-S1s …

• Naval Warfare

  DefExpo 2020: MBDA launches missile bids in India

  6th February 2020

  MBDA has a half-century-long history of missile cooperation in India, and the next step on the journey was a recent bid by L&T; MBDA Missile …

• Land Warfare

  Indonesian army presents its shopping list

  5th December 2019

  The Indonesian military operates on five-year procurement cycles, and Phase 3 of its modernisation programme will occur from 2020-24. As the Indonesian Army (TNI-AD) looks …

• Land Warfare

  Mistral 3 in test firing demo

  15th November 2019

  MBDA’s Mistral 3 missile has taken part in a test firing to demonstrate its enhanced capabilities, the company announced on 15 November. The demonstration saw …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Camcopter integrated with French Navy vessel

  20th November 2019

  Schiebel’s Camcopter S-100 has been fully integrated with French Navy Mistral class amphibious helicopter carrier, Dixmude, the company announced on 20 November. Naval Group carried …

• Defence Notes

  MBDA, BDL to assemble missiles in India

  20th September 2019

  MBDA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India’s Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for the final assembly, integration and test of Mistral and ASRAAM …

• Naval Warfare

  Carrier stamps France’s presence in Indo-Pacific

  6th June 2019

  The Charles de Gaulle nuclear-powered aircraft carrier entered the waters of the Pacific region for the first time in 17 years, its first deployment after …

• Naval Warfare

  First Philippine frigate launched

  28th May 2019

  The Philippine Navy’s (PN) most modern warship, the future BRP Jose Rizal, was launched in Ulsan by Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) before a high-ranking PN …

• Naval Warfare

  French Customs receives final patrol boat

  25th April 2019

  Mauric, in partnership with Socarenam, has delivered the last Vedettes Garde-Côte (VGC) 280 patrol boat, Mistral DF 28, to French Customs, the company announced on …

• Digital Battlespace

  Hensoldt to deliver IFF interrogator to France

  18th April 2019

  Hensoldt has received a contract to deliver 134 MSR1000I identification-friend-or-foe (IFF) interrogators for very short range and short range air defence applications to the French …

• Defence Helicopter

  Poland plans to modernise its combat helicopter fleet

  21st March 2019

  Warsaw’s Armament Inspectorate will launch a technical dialogue to determine a preferred scope and timeline for the planned modernisation of a fleet of Polish Mi-24 …

• Defence Helicopter

  More sea needed for the shipborne Ka-52K

  28th February 2019

  The Kamov Ka-52K ‘Katran’ new-generation shipborne attack helicopter for the Russian Naval Aviation is yet to complete its exhaustive flight-testing effort at sea. According to …

• Naval Warfare

  MBDA unveils SPIMM

  20th February 2019

  MBDA has introduced the Self-Protection Integrated Mistral Module (SPIMM), an all-in-one air defence module designed for to equip all type of ships, the company announced …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Short Range Missile Defence Systems: 0 to 20 km range

  Mistral [Romania]

  Background Romania signed a contract with the Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans of the French Republic within the "European Joint Acquisition of Mistral ...

• Short Range Missile Defence Systems: 0 to 20 km range

  Mistral 3 [France]

  Background In February 2024 France ordered 329 Mistral 3 short-range air defense systems from European missile design house MBDA.  The order is being facilitated by the ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  Mistral SHORAD [Croatia]

  Background Croatia announced the procurement of the Mistral for the Croatian Armed Forces. The procurement followed Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the crash of a Tu-141 ...

• Short Range Missile Defence Systems: 0 to 20 km range

  Mistral 3 [Estonia]

  Background In July 2025, the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments (ECDI) signed a $227.65 million contract with French defence company MBDA for the supply of Mistral ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  Mistral SHORAD [Hungary]

  Background Hungary is a member of the common procurement programme for MISTRAL 3 ground-based air defence systems for protection against air threats. The project's framework ...

• Short Range Missile Defence Systems: 0 to 20 km range

  Mistral 3 [Spain]

  Background Under the auspices of a European Union EDIRPA deal, Spain ordered 522 Mistral-3 short-range surface-to-air missiles from the local subsidiary of MBDA. The deal will supply missiles ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  Mistral 3 [North Macedonia]

  Background North Macedonia signed a contract for the procurement of Mistral 3 short-range air defence systems. The systems will modernise the Army and are expected ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Ka-52K Katran [Russia]

  Programme Background The Ka-52K Katran is a navalised version of the Ka-52 Alligator reconnaissance and attack helicopter.  The history of the Ka-52K is aligned with ...

• Amphibious assault ships

  Project 23900 UDC

  Programme BackgroundThe Project 23900 universal landing ships (UDC) which are also referred to as landing helicopter docks (LHDs) have been developed by JSC Zelenodolsk Design ...

• Loitering munitions

  Lethal Unmanned Systems (LUS): HERO [US]

  Background Contract Award On 29 September 2025, the US Department of War announced that Mistral had been awarded a $982 million hybrid cost-no-fee and firm-fixed-price contract ...

• Loitering munitions

  Lethal Unmanned Systems (LUS): Switchblade [US]

  Background DoD Contract On 27 August 2024, the US DoD announced that AeroVironment had been awarded a ceiling $990 million hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract to provide “an ...

• Loitering munitions

  HERO-120 [USSOCOM]

  Programme Background As reported by Shephard, UVision and Mistral will supply Hero-120SF Loitering Munitions to US Special Operations Command under a $73.5 million contract announced ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F [Egypt]

  Programme Background Egypt has operated the CH-47D heavy lift helicopter since the 1990s and is now seeking to replace them with new-build CH-47Fs. Approval for ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Sherpa Light [Morocco]

  Programme Background Morocco is in the midst of procuring large quantities of defence equipment from the French defence industry to modernise its forces, with much ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Landing Platform Docks [India]

  Programme Background Requirements The LPD tender, although more akin to an LHD, specifies that the quartet of ships must be built within India, although collaboration ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Mistral 3

  The Mistral 3 is the latest member of the Mistral family of very short-range surface-to-air missiles. It entered service in 2018 and has been chosen ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Mistral 2

  MISTRAL is a man-portable, fully digital, heat-seeking missile designed to meet the requirements of all branches of the armed forces to defend against air threats. ...

• Land: air defence radar

  MCP

  MBDA developed the Mistral Coordination Post (MCP) to provide optimum surveillance, command, and control functions for Mistral missile Ground-Based Air Defence (GBAD) systems. Its variants ...

• Air-to-air missiles

  Mistral ATAM

  The Mistral ATAM is a fire-and-forget air-to-air missile system that uses the Mistral SAM modified for the air-to-air role. It is in operational service on French Army ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  Mistral MANPADS

  Mistral MANPADS is a very short range air defence weapon system, firing the Mistral fire-and-forget missile.  It features a lightweight man-portable launcher that can be transported ...

• Short Range Missile Defence Systems: 0 to 20 km range

  Mistral SHORAD

  The Mistral is a French short-range air defence system developed by MBDA France, designed to counter a variety of aerial threats, including aircraft, helicopters, and ...

• Amphibious assault ships

  Mistral Class

  The Mistral-class amphibious ships were developed as a result of the evolution of the French Navy’s amphibious warfare doctrine in the late 1990s. A requirement ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  EDA-R

  Four EDA-R (Engin de Débarquement Amphibie-Rapide) fast amphibious landing craft were ordered for the French Navy in 2009 after a 12-month evaluation. They are designed ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  SENIT-9

  SENIT-9 is the most recent iteration of the SENIT series of combat management systems developed for the French Navy. Coupled with a Thales MRR3D-NG radar, it ...

• Short Range Missile Defence Systems: 0 to 20 km range

  MPCV

  The Multi-Purpose Combat Vehicle (MPCV) was developed by MBDA in cooperation with Rheinmetall Defence Electronics to provide a mobile weapon system which can be adapted ...

• Sea: procedural training

  Mistral 4000

  The Mistral 4000 Full Mission Shiphandling Simulator can simulate a range of propulsion systems and vessels in open and constrained waters and provides training for ...

• Short Range Missile Defence Systems: 0 to 20 km range

  Simbad-RC

  Simbad-RC is a short-range, anti-air system that can accommodate two fire-and-forget Mistral missiles. According to MBDA, Simbad-RC is suitable also for small vessels with small ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  Super Vulcan

  Super Vulcan is an MBT self-propelled air defence product with Eagle-Eye optronic fire control system, in service with the Israeli Air Force. It adds an enhanced ...

• Land: battle management systems, Land: fire control systems

  Platoon Command Post

  Unveiled at the IDEX 2011, Platoon Command Post (PCP) was developed by MBDA to provide adapted solutions for the Command and Control (C2) of Ground ...

• Amphibious assault ships

  Project 23900 UDC

  The Project 23900 vessels are universal landing ships (UDC) and are also considered LHDs, developed by Russia's JSC Zelenodolsk Design Bureau. Russia is reported to have ordered ...