• Defence Notes

  Nimrod MRA4 declared 'ready to train'

  15th March 2010

  The Nimrod MRA4 has made significant steps forward with the UK Ministry of Defence formally accepting the aircraft and declaring it ‘ready to train'. This …

• Digital Battlespace

  RAF will lead future ISTAR efforts

  16th February 2010

  The head of the Royal Air Force (RAF) says the air arm should play a leading role in future ISTAR gathering efforts and cyber warfare. Speaking …

• Defence Helicopter

  Joint Helicopter Command supports Afghan deployment exercise

  9th February 2010

  Nearly 20 helicopters from the UK's Joint Helicopter Command have been involved in their first major exercise of 2010. The helicopters from the RAF, Fleet …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UK officer joins Predator squadron through exchange programme

  9th February 2010

  The first remotely piloted aircraft exchange officer stationed at the 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada is not bothered by …

• Defence Helicopter

  Chinooks prepare to head for Norway

  20th January 2010

  In February and March some of RAF Odiham personnel are deploying to Norway on Exercise Clockwork for a month. The recent heavy snowfall at RAF …

• Defence Helicopter

  Mk3 Chinook joins the ranks, finally

  13th January 2010

  The RAF could deploy its new Mk3 Chinooks to the Afghan theatre as early as this summer, it was revealed today. Secretary of State for …

• Defence Helicopter

  What's next for the UK's military helicopter fleets?

  13th January 2010

  While the introduction of the Chinook was making headlines at RAF Odiham there was further discussion about the government's new Future Helicopter Strategy first announced …

• Military Logistics

  Fighting Talk

  12th January 2010

  EADS’ CEO, defence industry veteran Louis Gallois, was in fighting mood concerning the A400M programme contract at the New Year’s press conference. ‘I cannot accept …

• Defence Helicopter

  RAF saves lives from the winter skies

  11th January 2010

  The Royal Air Force has been helping to save lives from the skies over Suffolk, as local Police called upon the Search and Rescue team …

• Defence Helicopter

  Busy week for RAF and Navy Search and Rescue teams

  8th January 2010

  Royal Navy and RAF Search and Rescue crews have had a busy start to 2010 with their Sea King helicopter crews responding to various call-outs …

• Defence Helicopter

  2,000th Makila engine of Turbomeca flying round the world

  8th January 2010

  Turbomeca has delivered its 2,000th Makila engine to Eurocopter. The 2A1 variant was installed in an EC225 and has just entered into service. In nearly …

• Defence Helicopter

  QinetiQ brings Combined Aerial Target Service for Mirach online

  22nd December 2009

  QinetiQ has officially brought into service the Mirach advanced sub-sonic aerial target, as part of the Combined Aerial Target Service (CATS) contract for the UK's …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing Delivers 1st Mk3 Chinook to UK Royal Air Force

  18th December 2009

  Boeing Defence UK have confirmed the November 30 delivery of the first converted Chinook Mk3 helicopter to the Royal Air Force (RAF). Following the delivery, …

• Defence Helicopter

  RAF helicopters scramble to aid of capsized ship

  18th December 2009

  84 Squadron based at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, were called out to search for survivors from a Panamanian registered ship, the Danny F2 carrying livestock …

• Military Logistics

  Royal Air Force to Acquire 7th Boeing C-17 Globemaster III

  17th December 2009

  The Boeing Company and the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence this week announced an agreement for the acquisition of a seventh C-17 Globemaster III for …

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 ...