Digital Battlespace

France awards Symphonie contract to Airbus

23rd January 2018

Airbus has received the Symphonie contract from the French joint services directorate for defence infrastructure networks and information systems for a period of seven years, …

Military Logistics

Airbus delivers 15th A400M to Germany

18th January 2018

Airbus Defence and Space has delivered the 15th A400M multi-role military transporter aircraft to the German Air Force, the company announced on 15 January. Germany …

Uncrewed Vehicles

Airbus, Naval Group collaborate on RUAV project

17th January 2018

Airbus Helicopters and Naval Group have been contracted by the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) to develop technologies for the integration of a rotary-wing UAV …

Defence Notes

Norway's wealth fund excludes nine groups from portfolio

16th January 2018

Norway's $1 trillion sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest, has excluded nine groups, including the UK's military equipment maker BAE Systems, from its portfolio based …

Defence Notes

Airbus fined $127 million over Taiwan missile dispute

15th January 2018

Airbus announced on 13 January that it had been fined $127 million for a dispute dating from 1992 over missile sales to Taiwan by the …

Training

ETPS to continue to train RNLAF pilots

11th January 2018

QinetiQ has signed a training contract on behalf of the Empire Test Pilots’ School (ETPS) - a five-year deal worth £5.5 million with the Royal …

Defence Helicopter

Airbus Helicopters to support RAF’s Puma Mk2

2nd January 2018

Airbus Helicopters and the UK Ministry of Defence have signed a follow-on support arrangement contract to provide support to the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) Puma …

Military Logistics

A400M in complex AAR exercise

29th December 2017

An A400M has successfully refuelled six F-18 fighters in a single mission, Airbus Defence and Space announced on 21 December.The Spanish Air Force F-18 fighters …

Training

PZL to modernise 130 Orlik TC-I trainers

27th December 2017

PZL Warszawa-Okęcie has received a contract to upgrade the Polish Air Force’s PZL 130 Orlik TC-I trainer aircraft fleet to the latest standard, Airbus announced …

Uncrewed Vehicles

Williams, Airbus sign MoU for Zephyr

21st December 2017

Airbus Defence and Space has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Williams Advanced Engineering to explore potential areas of technological collaboration, the company announced …

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

Loyal Wingman (Forecast) [Germany]

Programme Background Need Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, stated in Jue 2024 that the "German Air Force has expressed a clear need for ...

Transport

A400M (Kazakhstan)

Programme Background In September 2021, it was announced that Kazakhstan ordered two Airbus A400M aircraft. According to Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, ‘The A400M ...

Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

H225M - France

Programme Background In April 2021, the French government signed a deal for the purchase of eight H225M Airbus helicopters to replace its ageing fleet of SA330 ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

Sistema RPAS Táctico de Altas Prestaciones (SiRTAP) [Spain]

Programme Background MoU In 2017, it was announced that Spain was jointly developing a MALE UAV with Colombia to meet the ISR requirement of both ...

Transport/tanker aircraft

A330 MRTT [Singapore]

In February 2020, Airbus and the Singapore government announced an agreement to collaborate on the development of an A330 Smart Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). One Singaporean ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

Eurodrone [Spain]

Programme Background Inception (Stage One) The European MALE RPAS programme was launched in September 2016. Germany, Spain, France, and Italy negotiated and agreed, in collaboration ...

Fighter - multirole

Future Combat Air System (FCAS/SCAF) [France]

Programme Background The governments of France and Germany have launched the demonstrator phase for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) with the issue of an ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing

Next-Generation Weapon System (NGWS) (FCAS) [France]

Programme Background FCAS Project As noted by Airbus, the FCAS project is a tri-nation effort which will be centred around a core Next-Generation Weapon System ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing

Next-Generation Weapon System (NGWS) (FCAS) [Spain]

Programme Background FCAS Project As noted by Airbus, the FCAS project is a tri-nation effort which will be centred around a core Next-Generation Weapon System ...

Military helicopters - maritime

Maritime Operations Helicopters

The three maritime operations helicopters will be used for logistics and personnel transport, alongside transportation of PASKAL naval special forces in operations in the area. ...

Transport/tanker aircraft

Strategic Tanker Transport [Canada]

Programme Background This project will replace the existing fleet capability, including strategic airlift, air-to-air refuelling, Aeromedical Evacuations and Strategic Government of Canada transport. The Strategic ...

Military helicopters - light/training

TH-73 Advanced Helicopter Training System - AHTS (TH-57 Replacement)

Contenders for the competition included the Leonardo single engine TH-119 – a military variant of the AW119Kx – and Bell’s newly upgraded single engine 407GXi. ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

Eurodrone [France]

Programme Background Inception (Stage One) The European MALE RPAS programme was launched in September 2016. Germany, Spain, France and Italy had negotiated and agreed, in ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

Eurodrone [Germany]

Programme Background Inception (Stage One) The European MALE RPAS programme was launched in September 2016. Germany, Spain, France and Italy had negotiated and agreed, in ...

Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

H225M (Kuwait)

Programme BackgroundThe Kuwait MoD has decided to stop receiving further deliveries of the Airbus H225M Caracal heavy-lift helicopter, following the discovery of technical faults on ...

Military helicopters - multirole

H175M

The Airbus H175M is the military variant of the H175, a seven-tonne class aircraft powered by twin PT6C 67E engines. The civilian variants produced by Airbus ...

Major networking projects

Skynet 6 SATCOM

Skynet 6 is designed to replace Skynet 5. The PFI contract for Skynet 5,  held by Paradigm Secure Communications and Airbus DS, ends in 2022. As ...

Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

Airbus Multi-Mission and Transport UAS

The Airbus Multi-Mission and Transport UAV, or cargo copter, is a rotary-wing cargo-carrying platform that Airbus is developing. The platform has yet to be formally named. The ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

Wingman

The Wingman is an Airbus concept drone unveiled at ILA Berlin in June 2024. The loyal wingman-type fixed-wing UAV is designed to accompany crewed fighters, ...

Helicopter engines

LTS101

The LTS101 was first certified in 1975. Since then, over 2,100 engines have been delivered to customers worldwide, logging over 11 million service hours. The ...

Transport

C295

The C295 is the largest member of Airbus Defence and Space’s family of medium tactical airlifters and surveillance aircraft. It is a development of the ...

Military helicopters - light/training, Military helicopters - multirole

H135M

The H135M (formerly known as the EC635 and also designated as H135) is a light utility variant of the EC135 twin-engine, multipurpose 3t helicopter. In ...

Air: mission management systems

Helionix

The Helionix digital avionics suite was developed from the need for a more powerful avionics system with greater functions and computing capacity, alongside a user-friendly interface. ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

Flexrotor

Flexrotor is a VTOL small tactical UAS manufactured by Aerovel. In a typical operational configuration, it has been designed for ISTAR missions for more than ...

Air: AEW/fire control radar

Captor-E Radar

Captor-E is a multi-mode AESA pulse-Doppler radar upgrade to the Captor-M, designed for the Eurofighter Typhoon. Captor-E is being developed under a Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH ...

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 ...

Military helicopters - multirole

H215M

The H215M (formerly the AS532 ALe) is the most recent addition to the Cougar family.  It is a medium-weight (9t-class), twin-engine helicopter, combining the AS532's ...

Military helicopters - multirole

Bo 105

The Bo 105 is a twin-engine, multipurpose, light helicopter that was developed in 1963-68. Approximately 37% of the more than 1,400 aircraft built before production ...

Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

UH-72 Logistics Connector (LC)

The UH-72 Logistics Connector (LC) is an uncrewed version of Airbus' UH-72B crewed helicopter, a derivative of the H145.  In mid-May 2024, Airbus announced that the UH-72B had ...

Air: transport/tanker simulators

Cargo Hold Trainer - Enhanced

Rheinmetall provides technology in rear crew training aids for air transport platforms. This includes the Load Master Work Station Trainer (LMWST) and Cargo Hold Trainer ...