• Air Warfare

  Farnborough 2022: IAI developing Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier-capable Heron UAS

  20th July 2022

  IAI is exploring the capability of its Heron UAS to fly from aircraft carriers, making the most of its ability to take off and land on short runways.

• Naval Warfare

  Fragile grain deal unlikely to significantly shift Black Sea security situation, expert says

  12th August 2022

  The limited and tentative nature of a deal between Moscow and Kyiv, brokered by the UN and Turkey to allow foodstuff exports from Ukrainian ports, is unlikely to shift the security situation in the Black Sea significantly.

• Defence Notes

  New UK Prime Minister has mountain to climb on delivering defence promises (Opinion)

  28th July 2022

  Whoever becomes the next UK Prime Minister may find it near-impossible to overcome the perennial procurement and spending issues facing the MoD, as well as recently generated geopolitical problems such as the Russo-Ukrainian War.

• Training

  Boeing raises HATS for Australian helicopter pilots

  21st September 2022

  Training of helicopter pilots and aircrew continues apace for the Australian navy and army at Nowra.

• Training

  Hadean joins Thales and Plexsys to develop training solution

  28th July 2022

  A new MoU between three technology companies seeks to understand how distributed computing and digital twin solutions can be used to create multi-domain training solutions for the UK.

• Air Warfare

  Italy puts extra €1.8 billion toward Tempest/FCAS funding

  26th July 2022

  Italy is to invest heavily in the multinational Tempest/FCAS programme.

• Defence Notes

  Farnborough 2022: UK solidifies hypersonics team plan

  21st July 2022

  The RAF Rapid Capabilities Office is sponsoring the HVX initiative to develop a UK hypersonic platform — with a cold test of a full-scale engine expected by late 2022.

• Air Warfare

  Farnborough 2022: MBDA outlines vision for Tempest Weapon Effects Management System

  28th July 2022

  Last week saw big announcements by Team Tempest and MBDA was eager to talk about their own progress at the Farnborough International Airshow.

• Training

  Germany receives robotic models of Russian tanks

  18th August 2022

  Training tanks produced by GaardTech are equipped with a combination of active and passive equipment that allows for realistic live fire training against static and moving objects.

• Defence Notes

  UK closes in on E-7 AEW&C full business case with full fleet ready for production

  15th July 2022

  Boeing and STS Aviation are set to start production of a third UK E-7 AEW&C aircraft, as the UK MoD focuses on developing a full business case for the programme.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  XV Patrick Blackett opens up broad range of experimentation possibilities, says RN

  12th August 2022

  The RN will push 'hard' to operate the optionally crewed experimental vessel XV Patrick Blackett as an autonomous platform.

• Air Warfare

  AW149 Multi-Role, Multi-Missions, Multi-Environments (Sponsored)

  7th July 2022

  The AW149 medium lift twin-engine multi-role helicopter is designed to ensure excellent performance, lower lifecycle costs and all-weather capability.

• Naval Warfare

  Harland & Wolff to revamp ex-Royal Navy MCMV for Lithuania

  15th July 2022

  Harland & Wolff has won a £55 million ($65 million) contract to revamp the former RN MCMV HMS Quorn for the Lithuanian Navy at its Appledore shipyard.

• Land Warfare

  US greenlights sale of Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Units to the UK

  3rd August 2022

  The US State Department has approved the possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Units (LWCLUs) to the UK worth up to $300m.

• Land Warfare

  Low artillery ammunition stockpiles threaten British Army readiness

  8th July 2022

  Low artillery ammunition reserves could be a pressing concern in the short term for the British Army, especially if it finds itself engaged in intense exchanges of fire similar to those seen in Ukraine.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H135 (UK)

  Programme BackgroundAirbus Helicopters UK announced on 2 February 2022 that it has won an order to provide five additional H135 twin-engine helicopters for the MoD. The ...

• 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 ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Fleet Solid Support (FSS) (1-3) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirement The 2015 Strategic Defence & Security Review (SDSR) highlighted the requirement for three Military Afloat Reach & Sustainability (MARS) Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Magni-X (UK)

  Programme Background On 12 January 2022, Elbit Systems UK announced it had been awarded a contract from the UK MoD's Defence Equipment & Support's Future Capability ...

• 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 ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Ukraine - UK supplied Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FIAC)

  Programme Background It was first reported in late September 2020 that the UK could provide eight Barzan-class fast attack craft to Ukraine. The platform has been ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4, Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Multi-Role Vehicle (Protected) (MRV-P) Package 1 (UK)

  Programme Background Requirement The MRV-P programme was intended to procure replacements for a diverse fleet of 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles purchased during the wars in Iraq ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) [Japan]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that GCAP's Japanese, British and Italian components are tracked in separate entries. Programme Timeline 2020: The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency of Japan issued ...

• 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 ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Armed Micro Drone [UK]

  On 19 May 2023, the UK MoD published a request for information on armed micro UAV capabilities to help it better understand the marketplace, introduce possible ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Armed Micro Drone [UK]

  On 19 May 2023, the UK MoD published a request for information on armed micro UAV capabilities to help it better understand the marketplace, introduce possible ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  New Medium Helicopter (NMH) [UK]

  Programme Background NMH Market Interest Day On 11 November 2021, the MoD communicated the requirements of the £1 billion ($1.34 billion) New Medium Helicopter (NMH) ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | F-35B Follow-On UK

  The Royal Air Force is planning to acquire 90 F-35B Joint Strike Fighters from 2026, in addition to the 48 aircraft which London had ordered for delivery ...

• Data links

  Data links | F-35B Follow-On UK

  The Royal Air Force is planning to acquire 90 F-35B Joint Strike Fighters from 2026, in addition to the 48 aircraft which London had ordered for delivery ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | F-35B Follow-On UK

  The Royal Air Force is planning to acquire 90 F-35B Joint Strike Fighters from 2026, in addition to the 48 aircraft which London had ordered for delivery ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  UK MFTS

  The Military Flying Training System (MFTS) programme, is a private finance initiative involving the MoD and Ascent, a JV of Lockheed Martin and Babcock, which was ...

• Trainer

  Phenom 100

  Phenom 100 is a very light jet originally developed for single owner-pilot operation but later gained popularity as a jet trainer aircraft. The platform first ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  CAE 700MR

  The CAE 700MR FTD is a full mission simulator platform for military helicopter-specific flight and mission training. It is a fixed-base system based on CAE's ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  UK MSHATF

  The Medium Support Helicopter Aircrew Training Facility (MSHATF) opened for training at RAF Benson, England in July 1999. It provides training services to personnel from ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  UK/ARC341 (ADRA)

  The Advanced Digital Radio Airborne (ADRA) provides a Bowman VHF radio capability to helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. It is fully compatible with the Bowman VHF ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  Quadome

  The Quadome is an AESA Naval Air and Surface surveillance Radar developed by Hensoldt UK. The radar will equip the future Fleet Solid Support ships ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  AUKUS SSN

  The AUKUS-SSN will be the submarine design resulting from the AUKUS trilateral pact between Australia, the US and the UK. Expected to incorporate technology from ...

• Major networking projects

  Project Marshall

  The Joint Military Air Traffic Services project was initiated by the UK MoD in November 2005 to identify and evaluate options for the future delivery ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  ASTOR FBFCT

  The Fixed Base Flight Crew Trainer (FBFCT) is a Level 5+ FTD for the UK RAF’s Airborne Standoff Radar (ASTOR) platform. The ASTOR FBFCT is ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  ADR+ Bowman VHF/Centaur

  The ADR+ is the VHF vehicle and manpack radio member of the ADR family of VHF radios developed initially for the UK Bowman programme. The ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BvS10 Beowulf

  BAE Systems Hägglunds launched the BvS10 Beowulf articulated tracked ATV at the September 2015 DSEI exhibition in the UK. The Beowulf is an unarmoured variant ...

• Military UGVs

  T7

  The T7 is a multi-mission robotic system designed for military, police and hazardous missions. At DSEI 2017, the UK MoD awarded the Harris Corporation a ...

• Data links

  AN/URC-138

  The AN/URC-138 is a Link 16 interoperable terminal originally developed for the Sea Harrier. It has the same Link 16 crypto as JTIDS/MIDS. The system ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Warthog

  The Warthog is based on the ST Kinetics Bronco all terrain tracked carrier (ATTC) and was developed to meet a UK MoD urgent operational requirement ...

• Air: maintenance simulators

  GenSkill

  Pennant has developed, in consultation with the UK RAF, the GenSkill trainer to introduce students to the hand skills necessary to work on aircraft components. ...