• Air Warfare

  Air Warfare Review 2024: Budget cuts and delays fail to dampen modernisation efforts in 2024

  10th December 2024

  From major platform upgrades, high-value contract wins and programme delays, Shephard reported on a mixed year for air warfare in 2024, as geopolitical tensions rose across Europe and the Middle East.

• Air Warfare

  Spain acquires Skydio’s X10D in €18 million deal

  27th February 2025

  Skydio has been contracted by Spain’s Ministry of Defence to supply the Skydio 10D rotary-wing UAV to the Spanish Armed Forces. The contact is likely related to the Spanish Army’s modernisation efforts which has been enshrined in the Fuerza 35 project.

• Land Warfare

  GDLS to unveil SHORAD variant of Pandur APC

  21st March 2025

  The company sees the new model as a potential solution for the US Army's M-SHORAD Inc 4.

• Air Warfare

  Netherlands deploys F-35s for air policing in Estonia

  2nd December 2024

  The Dutch F-35s will replace the German Eurofighter Typhoons stationed in Latvia.

• Naval Warfare

  Newest Arleigh Burke Flight III destroyer launched and ready for fitting

  27th March 2025

  DDG 129, which will become the USS Jeremiah Denton on commissioning, was moved to dry dock to begin its technical fitting and testing.

• Air Warfare

  Japan approved for $3.6 billion AMRAAM purchase

  3rd January 2025

  The request is for up to 1,200 Raytheon (RTX) AIM-120 (D-3/C-8) Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs), along with ancillary equipment and services.

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed nets $4.9 billion US Army contract to build more precision strike missiles

  1st April 2025

  The PrSM missiles, known as Increment 1 weapon systems, will eventually replace the US Army’s Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS).

• Air Warfare

  Embraer “confident” as C-390 and A-29 production ramps up in 2025

  31st January 2025

  Embraer chief commercial officer Frederico Lemos said that it was aiming to produce more than 10 of its C-390 multi-mission aircraft a year by 2030, with some A-29 aircraft already allocated and ready for delivery.

• Air Warfare

  The Philippines eyes procurement of additional FA-50 jets and upgrades

  27th January 2025

  The Philippine Air Force is reportedly finalising terms for the upgrade of 12 and additional procurement of several FA-50 aircraft with KAI, with Embraer’s A-29 Super Tucanos procurement also completed.

• Air Warfare

  Boeing CEO notes “confidence” in defence arm despite 20% Q4 revenue loss

  30th January 2025

  Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg indicated ongoing improvements were being made in its defence programmes going forwards, despite being affected in Q4 by cost pressures, higher manufacturing costs and the impact of the IAM strike.

• Air Warfare

  Romania signs $7.2 billion deal to buy 32 F-35A jets

  22nd November 2024

  The Romanian government has formalised a deal to purchase 32 F-35A aircraft from the US. The jets will not be expected to be operational in Romania until 2030.

• Naval Warfare

  Avalon 2025: Kongsberg confirms its first Australian missile factory

  31st March 2025

  The deal, which has been planned since August 2024, is part of an ongoing attempt to bolster Australia’s defences against the potential of Chinese aggression.

• Air Warfare

  Data Link Solutions awarded a deal worth up to $1 billion for tactical radio systems

  12th December 2024

  The deal announced on 11 December was an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract and the first task order of $116 million has already been awarded to provide terminals and spares, with follow-on production awards expected.

• Air Warfare

  Trump offers F-35 to India, as US pledges to boost military sales by “billions”

  14th February 2025

  US President Donald Trump disclosed in a joint press conference with India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, that the US would look for opportunities to supply Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter aircraft to India as the country looks to modernise its fleet.

• Air Warfare

  First German P-8 flies and upgrade of first aircraft for USN completed

  28th February 2025

  The P-8 Poseidon multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) is based on the Boeing 737NG airliner. It has been ordered by several countries, including Germany, and US Navy (USN) P-8s are being upgraded.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  Light Attack/Trainer Aircraft - Ghana

  In 2013, the Chief of Ghana Air Force stated that A-29 is their preferred platform and this position was also submitted to the Government. In ...

• Transport

  C-130J - USAF

  Programme Background The C-130J Super Hercules is a four-engine turboprop transport aircraft developed by Lockheed Martin to replace aging C-130 variants. The US and FMS ...

• Bomber

  B-21 Raider (USA)

  Programme Background The US DoD is developing a new long-range bomber called the B-21 Raider, previously known as LRS-B. At least 100 units are expected ...

• Trainer

  Trainer Aircraft (1-12) [Vietnam]

  Programme Background After years of operating Russian-built military equipment, Vietnam is more willing to procure US-supplied equipment following the lifting of the arms embargo in ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  T-2E Replacement - Greece

  The average unit cost is estimated to be around $12 million based on the Czech Republic's $48.5 million deal for the purchase of four L-39NG ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawks [Greece]

  Programme Background In October 2023, Greece submitted a formal request to acquire 49 Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters as replacements for the Army's Bell UH-1s after launching ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505 (Jordan)

  Programme Background Requirement The Jordanian Air Force has a requirement for training helicopters that are to be used in the King Hussein Air College. The country ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Huey II

  The last announced contract, valuing at $19 million, was awarded to Bell by US Army to supply Lebanon Air Force with there furnished Huey IIs ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA)

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA)

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

• Data links

  Data links | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA)

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA)

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA)

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) [USA]

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) [USA]

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Electronic Attack - Pod, Air: chaff, flare and decoy systems

  Comet

  Mystery surrounds Raytheon’s Comet infrared (IR) countermeasures pod. The system appears to have been designed to answer a 2003 US Air Force requirement for an ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  J/ALQ-8

  Like Israel, Japan elected to outfit its McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F-15J/DJ combat aircraft with an indigenous self-protection system. This takes the form of Mitsubishi Electric’s J/ALQ-8 ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  FAB-T Force Element Terminal

  The Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals - Force Element Terminal (FAB-T FET) is a nuclear-hardened SATCOM solution designed for airborne applications. Produced by Raytheon, ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  Lynx

  Lynx is a high-resolution synthetic aperture radar with ground moving target indication (GMTI), dismount MTI (DMTI) and maritime capability. Operating in the Ku-band, it produces ...

• Fighter - air superiority

  F-5E/F Tiger II

  The F-5E (single-seat)/F (twin-seat) Tiger II is an air superiority fighter developed by Northrop Grumman based on the original F-5 Freedom Fighter. Production of the ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Warrior Systems

  General Dynamics Mission Systems is prime contractor and system integrator for the US Army’s Warrior soldier systems, which include Air Warrior, Future Force Warrior, Land Warrior ...

• Air: mission management systems

  TBMCS

  Theater Battle Management Core Systems (TBMCS) is a US joint C2 integrated BMS used to plan and execute air campaigns in theatres of operations worldwide. ...

• Trainer

  King Air trainer

  Textron / Beechcraft King Air trainers are a family twin-engine aircraft based on King Air 90, 100, 200 and 350 utility aircraft. The King Air ...

• Trainer

  T-6A/B Texan II

  The T-6 Texan II is a single-engine trainer aircraft, which was developed from the Pilatus PC-9 to meet the training requirements of USAF and USN ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-4 Phantom II family

  The F-4 Phantom II is a two-seat multirole fighter developed originally by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) to meet USN interceptor requirements. It soon became a unified ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  EMB-312 Tucano

  The EMB-312 Tucano (Brazilian designation T-27) is a trainer and light attack aircraft developed by Embraer to meet the training requirements of the Brazilian Air ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  AN/ALQ-213(V) DAC

  Terma’s AN/ALQ-213(V) electronic warfare management unit is used extensively on General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon series combat aircraft around the world. The AN/ALQ-213(V) is ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: chaff, flare and decoy systems

  ADM-141A/B/C TALD/ITALD

  Israel Military Industries’ ADM-141A/B/C Tactical Air Launched Decoy (TALD) and Improved TALD is in service with the US Navy, and possibly with the Israeli Air ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  MH-139

  The Boeing MH-139 is the military variant of Leonardo's AW139. It was selected for the USAF’s $2.4 billion UH-1N Huey Replacement Program in September 2018. ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  CV-22/MV-22 Osprey Training Devices

  As part of a joint FlightSafety/Bell Helicopter/Boeing team, FlightSafety was the first company to successfully design, manufacture and deliver full-motion flight simulators for tilt-rotor training. ...