• Naval Warfare

  DIMDEX 2018: Minor changes to continued Qatar OPV design

  14th March 2018

  British naval design bureau BMT revealed that only ‘minor’ changes were made to the design of the second batch of OPVs intended for the Qatari …

• Land Warfare

  British Army to drop light machine gun

  13th March 2018

  The British Army is expected to move ahead with plans to remove the Light Machine Gun (LMG) from its dismounted infantry platoons. While the decision …

• Defence Notes

  Engine maker Rolls-Royce powers back into profit

  7th March 2018

  Rolls-Royce roared back into net profit in 2017, largely as the sterling recovered, the company announced on 7 March. Profit after tax struck £4.2 billion …

• Defence Notes

  China's Xi calls for military loyalty to new constitution

  12th March 2018

  A day after he won the mandate to rule for life, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on China's military to follow the country's newly-amended constitution …

• Naval Warfare

  DIMDEX 2018: Regulations fail to match pace of HEL gun development

  12th March 2018

  Regulations determining the implementation and use of laser weapons are failing to keep pace with the development of such technologies, according to Rheinmetall Defence. Showcasing …

• Digital Battlespace

  Boost to UK cyber capabilities anticipated in MoD review

  13th March 2018

  The UK government’s National Security Capability Review (NSCR) is likely to include provisions for the development of a dedicated military cyber force. As the threat …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Leonardo’s SW-4 takes off solo

  5th March 2018

  Leonardo’s SW-4 Solo optionally piloted helicopter (OPH) has successfully completed its maiden flight with no safety pilot onboard at Taranto-Grottaglie Airport in Italy, the company announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  Pakistan inaugurates first AW139 squadron

  7th March 2018

  The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) held a ceremony at PAF Base Shahbaz in Jacobabad, Sindh on 3 March to inaugurate the Leonardo AW139 into No. …

• Defence Notes

  China boosts defence budget by 8.1%

  5th March 2018

  Kicking off the National People’s Congress session on 5 March, China announced a defence budget of RMB1.107 trillion ($175 billion), which equates to an increase …

• Digital Battlespace

  SCTX 2018: MoD to flight test Elbit’s Spectro XR

  8th March 2018

  Flight trials of Elbit System’s advanced electro-optic system, the Spectro XR, are scheduled to be conducted in May 2018 with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). …

• Defence Notes

  Insight: Trump signs Taiwan Travel Act

  19th March 2018

  China’s Foreign Ministry expressed displeasure over US President Donald Trump’s signing of the Taiwan Travel Act (HR 535) on 16 March. The legislation, though non-binding, …

• Naval Warfare

  Poland eyes export opportunities for new minehunters

  7th March 2018

  Since the Polish Navy commissioned its first prototype ORP Kormoran (601) minehunter of the new Kormoran II-class questions have been asked about exporting the Polish-designed …

• Defence Notes

  ICAN condemns surge in nuclear arms investments

  7th March 2018

  Global nuclear tensions helped boost investments in atomic weapons production by around $81 billion in 2017, campaigners said on 7 March, urging investors to blacklist …

• Defence Notes

  Turkey court rejects appeal to free Greek soldiers

  5th March 2018

  A Turkish court 5 March rejected a request for the release of two Greek soldiers arrested last week for illegally entering the country, local media …

• Military Logistics

  Russia donates An-26 transport aircraft to Nicaragua

  28th February 2018

  Russia has donated two Antonov An-26 transport aircraft to Nicaragua. The aircraft were formally handed over to the Nicaraguan Army on the 23 February during …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• ISR/special mission, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Q02 (Qatar)

  Programme Background Reiner developed the Q01 jointly with the Emirate of Qatar, primarily for the Qatar Armed Forces. It was introduced at the ILA Berlin Air ...

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

  Remote Carrier (RC) [France]

  Programme Background FCAS Project As noted by Airbus, the FCAS project is a tri-nation effort which will be centred around a core Next-Generation Weapon System ...

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

  Remote Carrier (RC) [Spain]

  Programme Background FCAS Project As noted by Airbus, the FCAS project is a tri-nation effort which will be centred around a core Next-Generation Weapon System ...

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

  Remote Carrier (RC) [Germany]

  Programme Background FCAS Project As noted by Airbus, the FCAS project is a tri-nation effort which will be centred around a core Next-Generation Weapon System (NGWS), which ...

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

  Remote Carrier [French Navy]

  Background Carrier Air Wing Plan The French Navy presented a broad plan for its carrier air wing for the future decades at a briefing at ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Project Halcon I [Spain]

  Programme Background The Spanish Air Force began requirements assessments, although potential suppliers including Boeing (F/A-18E/F), Lockheed Martin (F-35), Airbus-BAE-Leonardo (Eurofighter Typhoon) are already engaged with ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Project Quadriga [Germany]

  Programme Background Under Project Quadriga, Berlin is seeking a replacement for its 33 Typhoon Tranche 1. Furthermore, Germany is offering its Tranche 1 fleet to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Harop [Azerbaijan]

  Programme Background According to a December 2020 report by the Centre for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), Azerbaijan acquired an estimated 50 Harop loitering munitions ...

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

  Eurodrone [Spain]

  Programme Background Inception (Stage One) The European MALE RPAS programme was launched in September 2016. Germany, Spain, France, and Italy negotiated and agreed, in collaboration ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1Z [Romania]

  The Romanian MoD has a long-standing requirement for new rotary platforms, including troop transport, supply and attack configurations. According to the the Military Strategy document, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Piranha V

  264 of the Piranha Vs will be assigned to the Danish Army's 1st Brigade, following its reorganisation in January 2019. Each of its three armoured ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Data links

  Data links | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  Indian Air Force is planning to buy a total of 140 Tejas LCA to equip seven squadrons. Between 2006 and 2016, India’s Defence Acquisition Council authorised ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• ISR/special mission, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Q01 / Q02

  The Q01 is an optinoal piloted MALE prototype aircraft developed by Reiner Stemme Utility Air-Systems GmbH in collaboration with the Emirate of Qatar. The Q02 has ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Grille

  The Grille 9X DRONEVAC, or Cricket, is an uncrewed multicopter designed for MEDEVAC missions. Designed by Avilus, the UAV is meant to transport injured service personnel to safe ...

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

  AeroForce 380

  The AeroForce 380 is a MALE fixed-wing drone. Based on the Milkor 380, it is tailored for maritime surveillance and Coast Guard missions. It can ...

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

  Wingman

  The Wingman is an Airbus concept drone unveiled at ILA Berlin in June 2024. The loyal wingman-type fixed-wing UAV is designed to accompany crewed fighters, ...

• Multipurpose missiles, Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  RCM²

  The Remote Carrier Multidomain Multirole Effector (RCM²) is an uncrewed aircraft developed by MBDA. Between a missile and a drone, it is a multi-domain platform that performs ...

• Subsystems: visual

  SeaView R5

  The visual scene created with SeaView R5 can be displayed on a wide variety of display devices including flat, spherical and cylindrical screens. Projection systems ...

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

  FEANIX

  The Future Effector - Adaptable, Networked, Intelligent, Xpendable (FEANIX) is a long-range Light Remote Carrier (LRC) that can be launched from the air, land, and sea.  Unveiled by ...

• Military - USVs

  High-Speed Intercept Boat

  Poly Technologies displayed its High-Speed Intercept Boat at DSA in Malaysia in 2016. 

• Galaxy R8700

  The Altavian Galaxy R8700 is an octocopter UAV designed for inspection of mining, construction, urban and small project sites. It was unveiled in August 2016. 

• PD6-AW

  Prodrone's PD6-AW all-weather hexarotor drone is designed for professional filming, photography, land surveying, inspections and other roles. The platform was unveiled in April 2016. 

• MPVs - 4x4

  Bars-6

  Bogdan publicly unveiled the 7t Bars-6 (Panther) 4x4 light APC at IDEX 2015, and in July 2016, the company introduced an upgraded version ready for ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Mini UAV Fixed Wing I

  The Jordan Design and Development Bureau (JODDB) unveiled the hand-launched Mini UAS (also known as Mini UAV Fixed-Wing I) at SOFEX 2016, along with a wider family ...

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

  Mysterious Bee

  The Mysterious Bee hybrid, fixed-wing/quadcopter UAV was unveiled at the Zhuhai Airshow 2016. It is designed to operate from ships, small islands, mountainous areas and ...

• Awing-F100J

  Awing-F100J is the latest UAV from Tianjin-based Quadrant Space (Tianjin) Technology and was displayed at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in China for the first time ...

• T333

  The T333 is a coaxial dual-rotor UAV. It is an upgrade to the TD220 unmanned helicopter and was displayed for the first time at the ...