• Defence Notes

  India’s strategic defence footprint expansion could be accelerated by Iran-Israel conflict

  4th March 2026

  The latest escalation between Iran and Israel could shape New Delhi’s next-generation shield as India deepens cooperation with Israel on missile defence and drone production.

• Air Warfare

  FIA 2026: KAI showcases vision for crewed and uncrewed hybrid fighter formation

  23rd July 2026

  As Korea Aerospace Industries sets out its two-tiered, crewed-and-uncrewed hybrid future air formation, Defence Insight analyses how much it could cost to fulfil the ambition.

• Air Warfare

  November drone digest: GA-ASI eyes Middle East for Gambit, Edge Group unveils new UAVs

  1st December 2025

  In November 2025, GA-ASI unveiled a new Gambit variant, the Gambit 6, and appears to be pitching the aircraft series to various customers in the Middle East, which is a fast-emerging CCA market. The Dubai Airshow also saw the unveiling of various Emirati aircraft from Edge Group.

• Air Warfare

  South Korea air focus: $16.64 billion in as-yet-unawarded contracts up for grabs

  4th November 2025

  South Korea’s military air market is the 12th largest in the world when it comes to unawarded procurement programmes, with an estimated US$7.50 billion potentially set to be awarded over the next decade.

• Air Warfare

  Ageing RQ-11 Raven fleets create a global replacement opportunity

  28th August 2026

  The RQ-11 Raven is being retired from service across most of its more than 30 operators. Defence Insight estimates that these Raven retirements open up a replacement market worth at least $576 million, but suppliers will have to act quickly and strike a balance between cost and capability to succeed.

• Air Warfare

  US approves $16.5 billion in ‘emergency’ sales for air defence equipment for Middle East allies

  20th March 2026

  The United Arab Emirates has taken the lion’s share of this round, with the US supporting its F-16 fleet and signing off on possible sales for more AMRAAM AIM-120 missiles and a counter-drone system.

• Air Warfare

  Industry makes strides on CCA programme as USAF makes nearly $1 billion funding request

  21st April 2026

  Anduril’s YFQ-44A has successfully undergone USAF experimental testing for Increment 1, while an engine has officially been selected for Northrop Grumman’s YFQ-48A – a potential candidate for Increment 2 of the air force’s CCA programme.

• Land Warfare

  Dedicated drone munitions could unlock modular mission potential

  31st December 2025

  Top attacks have proven effective against heavily armoured vehicles in Ukraine. A new family of uncrewed aerial system-delivered munitions is looking to press that advantage further.

• Air Warfare

  Upgrades and fresh orders reinforce demand for Dassault’s Rafale fighter jet (updated 2026)

  8th June 2026

  The French-made aircraft is lining up potentially huge orders in Asia, with the latest F5 platform designed to keep the jet relevant in the modern battlespace until the 2040s.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy’s MUSV programme could lay the USV procurement blueprint for NATO allies

  2nd July 2026

  The programme’s structure as a marketplace will allow multiple companies to compete for ongoing procurements; an approach which could be replicated across the Atlantic.

• Air Warfare

  Saab shows uncrewed concept and accelerates programme with first flight due in 2027

  24th August 2026

  Saab expects to fly two collaborative combat aircraft demonstrators, A1 and A2, before the end of the decade, but has stressed that the A3-001 mock-up unveiled on 21 August is only a concept for what could follow in the 2030s.

• Air Warfare

  Dubai Airshow 2025: Middle Eastern nations chart a broader course for defence procurement

  10th November 2025

  Several key defence contracts are still waiting to be confirmed in the air domain as global players including the US, some European countries and Turkey look to seize market opportunities.

• Air Warfare

  UK SMEs remain vulnerable in effort to help build sovereign capabilities, JCNSS report warns

  3rd April 2026

  The report comes as heads of industry bodies warn that the delayed defence spending plan has left smaller and medium sized businesses in stasis, unable to plan or seek out further investment.

• Land Warfare

  February land forces roundup: ST Engineering and Russia lift the lid on new platforms

  27th February 2026

  This month we saw a major presence from Turkish, Russian and Chinese companies at the World Defense Show with new vehicles from major suppliers, while elsewhere there were evolving mortar programmes and artillery modernisation efforts.

• Air Warfare

  AUSA 2025: GA-ASI and Hanwha to produce Gray Eagle STOL in South Korea

  16th October 2025

  The Gray Eagle STOL will be made available to several international militaries, with initial customer delivery planned for 2028.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  Hermes 900 Replacement [Chile]

  Background Hermes 900 purchase According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), three Hermes 900 were ordered in 2011 and delivered in 2013.  Continued ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB3 [Turkish Army]

  Background Land Forces Command Delivery In late October 2024, Haluk Bayraktar, Baykar's CEO, stated that the Bayraktar TB3 had entered mass production and could be exported ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Aksungur [Turkish Air Force]

  Programme Background First Flight & Contract Award The platform's maiden flight was completed on 20 March 2019, and it was first publicly shown at IDEF ...

• Military UAS - small

  Cargo UAV (Turkey)

  Programme Background Inception & Requirment Turkey's Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) initiated a programme to procure VTOL-capable cargo drones in June 2018. These were planned for ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 (Turkey)

  Programme Background  Selection The Turkish Armed Forces are purchasing large numbers of UAVs from Turkey's domestic defence industry to perform ISTAR missions and provide troops ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Aksungur [Turkish Navy]

  Programme Background First Flight & Contract Award The platform's maiden flight was completed on 20 March 2019, and it was first publicly shown at IDEF ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Anka-S (1-3) [Malaysia]

  Background Inception Malaysia's desire to acquire a MALE UAV dates back to 2009, when it announced it would be the first country in the region ...

• Military UAS - small

  Baha [Turkiye]

  Background Induction The Turkish Land Forces Command inducted an unknown quantity of Baha aircraft into service, the Turkish Ministry of National Defence announced on 25 ...

• Military UAS - small

  Songar (Turkey)

  Programme Background Requirement The Turkish MoND was considering adopting several micro and mini UAVs to equip the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF). One of the systems ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Akinci [Indonesia]

  Background Naval ambition The Indonesian Navy Admiral Muhammad Ali announced an initiative to purchase Turkish UCAVs as part of a broader strategy to enhance and develop ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB3 [Turkish Navy]

  Background Anadolu Class LHD The Anadolu-class LHD consists of one Multipurpose Amphibious Assault Ship (LHD) being built for the Turkish Navy, TCG Anadolu. The vessel was ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Akinci [Turkey]

  Programme Background Unveiling & Testing Unveiled at TEKOFEST Istanbul Aviation, Space and Technology Festival in September 2019, the Akinci completed its first flight in December 2019. In June 2021, ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Anka-3 [Turkey]

  Background Order Announcement Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) General Manager Mehmet Demiroğlu, in a statement at SAHA Istanbul's SAHA Chat program in January 2026, stated that, ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Anka-S [Kazakhstan]

  Background Promoting Products In 2018, Shephard reported that TAI had made another effort to promote its products to Kazakhstan. Three years before a contract was ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Aksungur [Chad]

  Programme Background According to SavunmaSanayiST, reporting in April 2024, Chad received two Aksungur drones in 2024 following the Central African country's purchase of the Anka-S and ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  PD170

  The PD170 is a turbodiesel engine initially developed to meet the engine requirement of Turkish Aerospace Industries' indigenous Anka UAV. Development began in December 2012 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Kargi

  The Kargi is an in-development loitering munition that Lentatek has developed in collaboration with the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBITAK), Aselsan and Turkish Aerospace ...

• UAS: flight control systems, UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  UAV Flight Control Computer

  The UAV Flight Control Computer is being developed by the Turkish Defence manufacturer Meteksan Savunma Sanayi for remotely controlling uncrewed operations. It comprises a Central ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Anka-S

  Anka-S is a medium-altitude long-endurance UAV produced by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) designed to meet the requirements of the Turkish Armed Forces. The system has also been exported ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Aksungur

  The Aksungur is a twin-engined MALE UAS manufactured by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) for the Turkish Armed Forces. TAI completed the platform's maiden flight on 20 March ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bulut

  Launched in early 2025, the Bulut is a VTOL-capable small UAV from Havelsan. A development of the Baha, the drone is equipped with an electro-optical (EO), infrared, ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Sungur

  The Sungur missile is a Turkish-developed, short-range air defence system designed to protect mobile and stationary units against aerial threats such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), ...

• Artillery rockets

  TRG/TRLG-122

  The TRG-122 is a Turkish 122mm family of guided artillery rockets developed by ROKETSAN for the T-122 Sakarya and other MLRS platforms. The family includes ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Efe

  Efe is a lightweight, fixed-wing UAV designed for target acquisition. The platform was launched in 2006. 

• Trainer

  Hurkus

  Turkey’s Undersecretariat for Defence Industries signed an agreement with Turkish Aerospace Industries in March 2006 for the Hurkus Turkish Basic Training Aircraft development programme. Three ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  AI-450

  The AI-450 is a Ukrainian engine developed by Ivachenko-Progress, with Motor Sich acting as the production partner to supply parts and components. The turboprop engine ...

• Air: UAS radar

  OKIS Automatic Take-off and Landing System

  The OKIS Automatic Take-off and Landing System by Turkish Meteksan Defence Inc. is a radar-based system designed for the automatic take-off and landing processes of ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  İhtar

  The İhtar is an anti-drone system manufactured by Aselsan. It is designed to counter mini and micro-UAS threats in urban and rural environments. It detects and tracks ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  PD-222ST

  The PD-222ST is a turbodiesel engine manufactured by Turkish Engine Industries (TEI). The engine is an upgraded, single turbo version of the PD-170; the PD-222ST is ...

• Loitering munitions

  Alpagu

  The Alpagu is a fixed-wing loitering munition developed by STM. The loitering munition comes in several variants, has been designed for lightness and portability, and is ...