• Military Logistics

  A400M tests airport seizure operation

  18th July 2013

  The A400M has proven its capability to rapidly deploy vehicles and troops to seize an enemy airfield during a series of tests at RAF Boscombe …

• Digital Battlespace

  RAF hopeful of Sentinel role beyond 2014

  5th July 2013

  The future of the RAF’s Sentinel R1 reconnaissance aircraft remains unclear according to service chiefs, despite positive feedback from recent operations in Mali earlier this …

• Defence Helicopter

  First USAF Ospreys arrive in UK

  30th June 2013

  The first US Air Force Special Operations Command CV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft to be permanently based in the UK have arrived at RAF Mildenhall, England. …

• Military Logistics

  Northrop Grumman announces UK Sentry FQIS order

  20th June 2013

  Northrop Grumman will design, develop, integrate, test and support a Fuel Quantity Indicator System (FQIS) for the UK’s Sentry E-3D Airborne Warning and Control System …

• Military Logistics

  DVD 2013: British Army and industry links to deepen

  20th June 2013

  Industry will have to develop its relationship more with the British Army and less with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to secure future equipment …

• Defence Helicopter

  Eurocopter wins Puma Mk2 support contract

  6th June 2013

  Eurocopter UK has been awarded a three-year contract to support the fleet of 24 Royal Air Force Puma Mk2 helicopters it is currently upgrading for …

• Military Logistics

  RAF augments air transport fleet with new aircraft

  18th April 2013

  The Royal Air Force (RAF) has taken delivery of two BAe 146-200 Quick Change (QC) aircraft from BAE System following their conversion into military tactical …

• Defence Helicopter

  New RAF Mk6 Chinook completes first flight

  15th April 2013

  Boeing has revealed that the first flight of the newest CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter for the Royal Air Force (RAF) took place on 15 March …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  RAF RPAS pilots awarded their wings

  2nd April 2013

  The Ministry of Defence MoD has announced that the Royal Air Force (RAF) has certified its first Remotely Piloted Air System (RPAS) pilots in a …

• Defence Helicopter

  GKN Aerospace to upgrade RAF Puma fuel tanks

  27th March 2013

  The UK Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) Puma helicopter fleet will receive upgraded fuel tanks from GKN Aerospace under a new contract announced on 26 March. …

• Military Logistics

  Thales, Airbus Military selected for UK A400m training contract

  4th March 2013

  Thales UK and Airbus Military will provide training services for the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’S) A400M Atlas under a new contract issued by the UK …

• Defence Notes

  AUSA Winter: US Army plans force transition

  25th February 2013

  The US Army plans to reduce its Active Component (AC) from 570,000 to 490,000 personnel by 2017, retain the strength of the Army National Guard …

• Defence Helicopter

  Heli-One selected for RAF Puma HC2 engine support

  11th February 2013

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has selected Heli-One for a long-term Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) arrangement for the Puma HC2 helicopter fleet’s Makila 1A1 …

• Defence Notes

  RAF augments Brimstone missile stocks

  18th January 2013

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a contract with MBDA to increase the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) Brimstone missile stocks. The £14 million …

• Military Logistics

  New Rolls-Royce service centre opens at RAF Marham

  14th January 2013

  A new Rolls-Royce Service Delivery Centre has opened at the Royal Air Force (RAF) base at Marham in Norfolk, UK. The new centre officially opened …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme [UK]

  Programme Background The next-generation platform concept is part of the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, which sought to deliver a Future Combat Air System ...

• Fighter - naval

  F-35B UK

  The total cost of the currently funded programme as reported through the UK Major Projects Report is expected to be £10.5 billion ($13.5 billion), covering ...

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

  FCAS Loyal Wingman [UK]

  Programme Background FCAS Loyal Wingman Tim Martin reported for Shephard in December 2021 that the international partners involved in the sixth-generation Future Combat Air System (FCAS)/Tempest programme ...

• 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 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme [Italy]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that the Italian, British and Japanese components of GCAP are tracked in separate entries. Programme Timeline 2019: In September 2019, the UK and Italian ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Praetorian DASS

  The Praetorian Defensive Aids Sub-System (DASS) for the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft provides protection against air-to-air and surface-to-air threats. It integrates an Electronic Support Measure ...

• Data links

  Pioneer Express (GRRIP, AN/PSC-15)

  The Pioneer Express (GRRIP, AN/PSC-15) is a small, lightweight flyaway communications system that allows access to secure and non-secure networks and can be used in ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/VRC-99A

  The AN/VRC-99A is a programmable, wideband, secure, open-architecture tactical communications system providing virtual circuit and datagram service. These services are designed for reliable, simultaneous, multichannel ...

• 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 ...