• Defence Notes

  Airbus and Fraunhofer FKIE form panel on responsible tech use

  15th May 2020

  Airbus and the Fraunhofer Institute for Communications, Information Processing and Ergonomics (FKIE) have created an independent panel of experts on the responsible use of new …

• Land Warfare

  Russian S-400 SAMs hit ballistic targets

  9th May 2020

  S-400 Triumf long-range air defence system crews from the Russian Central Military District destroyed simulated enemy ballistic missiles last month during an exercise at the …

• Air Warfare

  Qatar to get F-15 support services through FMS

  7th April 2020

  Qatar will be provided with maintenance and logistical support for F-15 aircraft and related training devices as part of a $68.06 million undefinitised contract with …

• Defence Notes

  Norway unveils strategic investment plan

  21st April 2020

  The Norwegian government has announced a new long-term strategic development plan for its armed forces, with an emphasis on greater investment in upgrades and new …

• Military Logistics

  MARAD warns of shortage of mariners in event of sealift surge

  15th April 2020

  The US Maritime Administration (MARAD) could suffer from a shortfall of nearly 2,000 mariners in the event that national security requirements demand an increase in …

• Defence Notes

  Russia eyes new bases to project global power

  26th May 2020

  Recent statements from senior military commanders, as well as insight gleaned by Shephard from military analysts, indicate that Russia is intent on expanding and reinforcing …

• Land Warfare

  Russia boosts missile defence with S-350 systems

  21st April 2020

  Russia’s Aerospace Force and Navy are set to receive additional self-propelled S-350 'Vityaz' missile defence systems which the Defence Ministry’s Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper reports will …

• Defence Notes

  NATO Military Committee holds virtual meeting

  15th May 2020

  The NATO Military Committee convened on 14 May against the backdrop of the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The committee received an update on the ongoing …

• Land Warfare

  Brazilian Army tests system to manage Guarani vehicles

  17th March 2020

  The Brazilian Army is improving the situational awareness of the 6x6 Guarani VBTP through an indigenously developed system that will manage these platforms: the Proteus-SGP. In early …

• Land Warfare

  Poland seeks modern anti-tank missiles

  16th April 2020

  The Armament Inspectorate of the Polish MoD has launched a technical dialogue as it prepares to procure a series of man-portable, lightweight, single-shot anti-tank missile …

• Land Warfare

  Norway to procure new artillery location radars

  28th April 2020

  The Norwegian government has asked the national parliament for approval to procure five new artillery location radars for the army, along with associated armoured vehicles, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Bundeswehr Heron 1 to continue Mali operations

  15th May 2020

  The Budget Committee of the German parliament on 13 May approved funding for the extension of the Heron 1 UAS deployment in Mali. Approximately €30 …

• Defence Notes

  Pentagon extends travel restrictions to end of June

  21st April 2020

  US Secretary of State, Mark T Esper, has extended the stop move order for all DoD personnel until 30 June, to minimise the risk of …

• Air Warfare

  Northrop Grumman and Raytheon working on NGI

  7th May 2020

  Northrop Grumman on 4 May confirmed that it has partnered with Raytheon Technologies to develop the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) as part of a US …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Textron to produce Aerosonde Mk4.7s in Nigeria and Uganda

  13th May 2020

  Textron Systems has secured two contracts to produce Aerosonde Mk4.7 systems, initial spare parts, logistics support, training services and field representatives for the US Army …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Data links

  Data links | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390 [Brazil]

  Programme Background Requirement The aircraft deliveries were scheduled to start by the end of 2016 and continue over a period of ten years. However,  the first ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-130H Replacement [Sweden]

  Programme Background Requirements Sweden has five C-130H aircraft (designated Tp-84) and one KC-130H. Two C-130Es bought in the 1960s have retired, but the six H ...

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

  Hermes 900 [Chile]

  Methodology Unit cost In 2024, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired one Hermes 900 for 50 million reais ($9.14 million), giving each drone an estimated ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  H145M [Brazil]

  Background  Brazilian leadership announced in February 2022 that the Sabre Mil Mi-35M Hind-E attack helicopters were being retired from active service. This decision came as a ...

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS 39E/F Gripen [Brazil]

  Background In 2016, Gripen’s Project and Development Center was opened in Sao Paulo to allow Sweedish and Brazillian engineers to work together in the Gripen ...

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

  Hermes 900 [Colombia]

  Methodology Unit cost In 2024, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired one Hermes 900 for 50 million reais ($9.14 million), giving each drone an estimated gross ...

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

  Hermes 900 (5) [Brazil]

  Background First three batches (2014-2024) Across three purchases, Defence Insight estimates that Brazil has acquired five Hermes 900 UAVs. In 2014, Elbit reported supplying one ...

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

  Hermes 900 (1-4) [Brazil]

  Background First batch (2014) In 2014, Elbit reported supplying one Hermes 900 UAV to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB). The drone is called the RQ-900 in Brazilian ...

• Maritime patrol

  C295 add-on [Brazil]

  Programme Background  In 2014 Brazil signed a contracted for two additional C-295 SAR platforms with the option to acquire one additional platform. In 2018, reports ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Polar Support Vessel [Brazil]

  Programme Background Requirements In June 2020, the Brazilian Navy released a Request for Proposal (RfP) to procure a new Antarctic vessel to be manufactured in Brazil. The ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air-to-surface missiles

  MAR-1

  The MAR-1 is a Brazilian air-to-surface anti-radiation missile (ARM) developed by Mectron in collaboration with the Aerospace Technology and Science Department (DCTA) of the Brazilian ...

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

  Harpia

  Described as the UAV with the most onboard technology in Latin America, Harpia is a multifunctional fixed-wing Brazilian drone developed by Advanced Technologies Security & Defence.  The Uruguayan ...

• 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: air combat simulators

  TPTS

  Tactical Procedures Training Simulators (TPTS), operating with SWARM software, can be used to provide most core training elements to pilots or offload training tasks from ...

• Guided munitions

  SMKB (Smart-MK-Bomb)

  The Smart-MK-Bomb, or the SMKB, is a precision guidance kit developed by Mectron and designed to turn Mk 82 and Mk 83 bombs into guided munitions.

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Albatroz Vortex

  The Albatroz Vortex from Stella Tecnologia is a development of the company's Albatroz UAV.  The key differentiator is that the Vortex is fitted with an ATJR ...

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

  Condor

  The Condor, or Atobá XR, is an in-development MALE-class UAV from Stella Technologia.  The development of the multi-role is tied to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), which has ...

• Trainer, Transport

  EMB-121 Xingu

  The EMB-121 Xingu is a twin-turboprop light transport and advanced multi-engine trainer aircraft developed by Embraer based on the EMB-110 Bandeirante. Its maiden flight was ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Arkhe Mission & Combat

  Launched in 2017, Atech's Arkhe Mission & Combat solutions offer a variety of solutions enabling operator to conduct missions from planning to execution and debriefing. It ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390/C-390 Millennium

  The KC-390 is a high-wing, twin-turbofan, T-tail design intended to meet the needs of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) for a tanker/transport aircraft. Developed and ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M

  The medium-weight, 11t-class H225M (formerly known as the EC725) is the latest military Super Puma/Cougar family member.  Technical features include a modular design of mechanical ...

• EO/IR systems

  Skyward

  The SkyWard system is an advanced Infrared Search and Track (IRST) solution developed for next-generation airborne platforms, including 5th-generation fighter aircraft.  Designed with modularity in ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Saber M60

  The Saber M60 is a low-altitude air-defence radar developed by the Brazilian Army's CTEx (Army Technology Centre) in collaboration with Bradar, part of Embraer Defence ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  RBS 70 system

  The RBS 70 was developed in the 1970s to meet the Swedish Army’s requirement for a low-cost, easy-to-use MANPADS which could function in extreme climatic ...