• Air Warfare

  Saab completes HX Challenge flight tests

  7th February 2020

  Saab’s Gripen E and GlobalEye AEW&C; aircraft have completed flight evaluations as part of Finland’s HX Challenge, the company announced on 6 February.The testing, carried …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky secures US Army contract modification

  11th March 2020

  Sikorsky was awarded a $525.4 million contract modification by US Army Contracting Command on 10 March. This allows Sikorsky to exercise contract options on the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Singapore Airshow 2020: Thai military collects another helicopter type

  12th February 2020

  After buying just about every other helicopter brand and type available, Thailand’s military is now adding the Airbus Helicopters twin-engine H135 to its disparate fleet …

• Naval Warfare

  Russian Navy to get additional Project 22350 frigates

  12th March 2020

  United Shipbuilding Corporation’s Severnaya Shipyard is to build an additional unspecified number of Project 22350 frigates for the Russian Navy, according to Deputy Defence Minister …

• Training

  VT MAK updates VR software

  11th March 2020

  MAK Technologies (also known as VT MAK) has released two new software updates for its VR-Forces and VR-Engage products, after the company won two major contracts. VR-Forces is a …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Hughes offers upgrade to US Army‘s Gray Eagle

  12th March 2020

  EchoStar Corporation subsidiary Hughes Network Systems has been awarded a data link modernisation sub-contract by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, to provide Next Gen SATCOMs for …

• Military Logistics

  France receives second KC-130J

  10th February 2020

  The French Air Force has received its second KC-130J Super Hercules aerial refueller from Lockheed Martin. The aircraft was delivered to representatives from France’s Armée …

• Digital Battlespace

  Flir launches Ranger HDC MR system

  11th March 2020

  Flir Systems has launched the Ranger HDC MR surveillance system, which provides high-definition midrange surveillance against illegal activities in a range of weather conditions. The …

• Training

  DCTT technology refresh for HMS Sultan

  10th March 2020

  The UK’s Defence College of Technical Training (DCTT) is updating the e-learning capabilities at HMS Sultan. The £6 million ($7.9 million) programme is providing a …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  USAFRICOM confirms Gray Eagle crash

  4th March 2020

  US Africa Command (USAFRICOM) has confirmed that one of its MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAVs crashed near Agadez, Niger on 29 February. The incident was confirmed …

• Air Warfare

  DefExpo 2020: AMCA – can it go fast enough?

  10th February 2020

  The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), part of the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), showed two slightly different scale models of India’s planned multirole fifth-generation …

• Defence Helicopter

  Denel to close aerostructures division

  10th February 2020

  Denel is to hand over the manufacture of aircraft parts to alternative suppliers, following a consultation with stakeholders which concluded that the aerostructures business was …

• Defence Notes

  US approves potential NASAMS FMS to India

  11th February 2020

  The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has received the green light for the potential FMS of the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) to India, …

• Air Warfare

  Singapore Airshow 2020: Military aircraft procurement set to rise

  11th February 2020

  As exhibitors prepare for the opening day of the Singapore Airshow, many will be eyeing opportunities in the Asia-Pacific fixed-wing aircraft market that is forecast …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Orbital UAV becomes Insitu primary engine supplier

  11th March 2020

  Orbital UAV has signed a MoU with Boeing subsidiary Insitu which identifies them as the primary supplier of two Insitu-designed engines. The MoU builds on …

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 ...