• Air Warfare

  Taiwan expands its UAV inventory to meet future threats

  14th March 2023

  Taiwan is busy developing new types of UAVs to equip its armed forces.

• Naval Warfare

  BAE cuts steel for third Dreadnought submarine

  11th February 2023

  The UK's programme to replace its nuclear deterrent submarines has taken another step forward.

• Air Warfare

  Australia donates two PAC-750 aircraft to PNG

  13th March 2023

  Australia is donating a pair of PAC-750 XSTOL aircraft to Papua New Guinea.

• Air Warfare

  General Atomics nets first US customer for MQ-9B SkyGuardian UAS

  6th March 2023

  Air Force Special Operations Command is procuring the MQ-9B SkyGuardian to support its Adaptive Airborne Enterprise concept.

• Defence Notes

  Why UK defence still faces an uncertain future and difficult decisions

  17th March 2023

  Despite the additional funding promised this week, the UK armed forces still look set to face cutbacks, and maintaining international commitments to AUKUS and GCAP may limit the options for other programmes.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Baykar offers first look at Bayraktar TB3 ahead of UCAV's first flight

  28th March 2023

  Turkish UAV manufacturer Baykar has released images of the in-development Bayraktar TB3 before its imminent first flight.

• Training

  Boeing partners with Shield AI on autonomous pilot programme

  17th March 2023

  The agreement between Boeing and Shield AI will explore autonomous systems implemented into existing and future aircraft.

• Training

  Kongsberg Digital joins Royal Navy Selborne training programme

  15th February 2023

  Kongsberg will join the Capita-led Team Fisher on Project Selborne, providing a new suite of navigation simulators for training Royal Navy sailors.

• Training

  Spanish Air Force buys more PC-21 trainer aircraft and simulators

  13th March 2023

  Spain will become the largest PC-21 advanced trainer aircraft operator in Europe.

• Naval Warfare

  Argentina seeks to rejuvenate submarine capabilities, but economic woes pose a challenge

  20th April 2023

  Argentina is seeking bids from European shipbuilders for new submarines but may struggle to sell the plan to the public due to economic difficulties.

• Training

  Aeralis and AirTanker partner to explore fast jet pilot training

  31st January 2023

  The MoU signed between Aeralis and AirTanker will assess upcoming contracts in military flying training and also defence operational training and combat air support roles.

• Naval Warfare

  Exclusive: Royal Navy Second Sea Lord on ships, the defence command paper, and the future Indo-Pacific presence

  5th May 2023

  The UK Royal Navy’s Second Sea Lord VAdm Martin Connell said it shouldn’t be a surprise that adjustments must be made ahead of a hotly anticipated new Defence Command Paper and praised the progress made by HMS Tamar and Spey in reinforcing the UK’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific.

• Training

  Indian Air Force to get indigenous basic trainers

  10th March 2023

  India will fill a desperate need for basic trainer aircraft via an indigenous platform from HAL.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy orders new San Antonio LPD as class's future remains uncertain

  3rd April 2023

  The USN has awarded HII a $1.3 billion contract for the detail design and construction of the third Flight II San Antonio-class LPD, LPD-32, while question marks loom over the future of the class.

• Land Warfare

  GM Defense charts course for electric future at IDEX 2023

  24th February 2023

  GM Defense forged closer ties with the UAE at the Emirati defence show and touted its electric vehicle capabilities.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  The Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  The Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The FVL-MS programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft utilised ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Project Proteus [UK]

  Project Proteus is an RN and Leonardo effort to design and develop an uncrewed helicopter demonstrator that could provide an innovative alternative to existing crewed ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Project Proteus [UK]

  Project Proteus is an RN and Leonardo effort to design and develop an uncrewed helicopter demonstrator that could provide an innovative alternative to existing crewed ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey [Japan]

  Programme Background Procurement Contracts The Japanese government is the first export customer of the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey, having ordered 17 helicopters from the US across ...

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  MQ-8C Fire Scout (USA)

  Programme Background Timeline According to the Naval Air Systems Command, having first ordered the MQ-8B in 2009, the UAV has become a pillar of the ...

• Military UAS - small

  Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirement & Objective The RN identified a requirement to acquire an RPAS to transport cargo and supplies between ships and personnel. When mature, it ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R Seahawk (Saudi Arabia)

  The sale is aimed at improving Saudi Arabia’s capability to meet current and future threats from enemy weapon systems, provide the capability to identify, engage ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Data links

  Data links | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Project Proteus [UK]

  Programme Background Requirements The RN requires an uncrewed helicopter to test the viability of larger uncrewed aircraft for the RN, possibly providing an alternative to crewed ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Korean Future Vertical Lift (KFVL)

  Unveiled at KADEX 2024, the Korean Future Vertical Lift (KFVL) is a family of uncrewed helicopters from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). Despite being in the ...

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

  Aerosonde Mk 4.8 HQ FTUAS

  From the Texton family of Aerosonde UAS, the Aerosonde Mk 4.8 Hybrid Quad (HQ) FTUAS is a tactical drone purpose-built to meet the US Army's Future Vertical Lift ...

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

  HQ-60

  Similarly to other platforms in the L3 Technologies Hybrid Quadrotor (HQ) and Fixed-Wing Rotator family (see separate entries) of VTOL fixed-wing UAVs, the HQ-60 has ...

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

  V-247 Vigilant

  The V-247 Vigilant is a tiltrotor UAV from Bell. Officially introduced in 2016, it features an open modular architecture and can host several payloads. These include ...

• Baby Shark 260

  The Foxtech Baby Shark 260 is a fixed-wing VTOL UAV for commercial and civil operations, which has four spar-mounted rotors to provide vertical lift, a pusher ...

• Air: Displays

  F-15 Replacement Vertical Situation Display

  BAE Systems Replacement Vertical Situation Display (RVSD) replaces the legacy VSD units on F-15E aircraft. The AMLCD display offers a larger display size and is compatible ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  X-Sight

  Elbit X-Sight is a developmental helmet-mounted display system designed for helicopters. According to the manufacturer, it will offer a high field of view and colour binocular ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  H6 Poseidon

  Manufactured by Swarmly, the H6 Poseidon is a fixed-wing VTOL-capable UAV. The second largest member of the Poseidon family, the vertical lift is provided through ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Proteus

  Proteus is a technology demonstrator that Leonardo is developing in collaboration with the UK MoD's Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S;) Future Capabilities Group and the ...

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

  Veloce-15

  The ST Engineering Veloce-15 (V-15) is a hybrid fixed-wing UAV with four rotors for vertical lift and a tail-mounted two-bladed pusher propeller for horizontal propulsion.  ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Bell 360 Invictus

  The Bell 360 Invictus is the company's prototype for the US Army's Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) programme.  The helicopter features retractable weapon bays, two ...

• Military UGVs

  Avenger

  In January 2017, Med-Eng announced the launch of a new bomb disposal and tactical robot, called the Avenger, at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas. ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Ultra

  The Ultra UAV, or HCMC, is a fixed-wing twin-engined cargo-carrying platform manufactured by Windracers. The platform is mainly aimed at the commercial market and has conducted trials ...

• EO/IR systems

  VLP-16

  Velodyne's VLP-16 Puck is a small and compact lidar that is power and performance optimised for usage across a variety of applications. This ranges from ...

• Nimbus 1800

  Foxtech's Nimbus 1800 is a tri-copter, lightweight, fixed-wing VTOL UAV designed for civilian and commercial mapping and inspection roles. It has a 2.8kg weight without ...