• Defence Notes

  China's water dragon takes to the air

  29th December 2017

  China’s first large-scale amphibious aircraft took its maiden flight from the Jinwan Civil Aviation Airport, Zhuhai, in China’s southern Guangdong Province on 24 December . The …

• Land Warfare

  Lithuania receives first two Vilkas IFVs

  21st December 2017

  The Lithuanian armed forces have received two Vilkas infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence announced on 15 December. The unarmed vehicles …

• Naval Warfare

  Korea opens fire on intruding Chinese fishing fleet

  22nd December 2017

  The Korea Coast Guard (KCG) was forced to take stringent measures against intruding Chinese fishing boats on 19 December.  In the confrontation, KCG personnel fired …

• Defence Helicopter

  Kuwait probes alleged graft in French helicopter deal

  21st December 2017

  Kuwait has ordered an investigation into a $1.1 billion deal to buy 30 military helicopters from France, a minister said on Wednesday, after reports of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Heron 1 completes one year in Mali

  12th December 2017

  The Heron 1 UAS has completed one year of flight operations for the German Bundeswehr in Mali. The UAS, which is stationed at the Gao …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Second Sea Hunter hull gets go-ahead

  18th December 2017

  A second Sea Hunter USV is to be built by US-based Leidos in a continuation of the programme to deliver a viable long-endurance unmanned ASW …

• Defence Helicopter

  T900 installation demo for Black Hawk, Apache

  18th December 2017

  The Advanced Turbine Engine Company (ATEC) has completed the installation of a high-fidelity T900 mock-up engine on Black Hawk and Apache helicopters, the company announced …

• Defence Notes

  Analysis: China’s AI revolution threatens US

  12th December 2017

  A new report from the Washington-based Center for a New American Security raised the alert level of the US defence community over China’s rise as …

• Defence Helicopter

  Pakistan and USMC to procure AH-1Z gun turrets

  18th December 2017

  The Pakistan government and USMC are set to procure an arsenal of 41 A/A49E-7 (V4) gun turrets for their respective Bell AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter fleets. Contractor General …

• Land Warfare

  Russian airborne troops continue recapitalisation

  21st December 2017

  Russia’s airborne troops, an elite and highly-mobile independent branch of country’s military numbering 45,000 personnel, has continued a comprehensive recapitalisation in 2017.  Col Gen Andrey …

• Defence Helicopter

  First Apaches touch down in Indonesia

  19th December 2017

  The Indonesian Army’s (TNI-AD) first three Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters arrived in country on 18 December. Indonesia ordered eight of the attack helicopters under …

• Military Logistics

  RNZN begins two-year tanker capability gap

  18th December 2017

  The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) retired its solitary tanker, HMNZS Endeavour, at Devonport Naval Base on 15 December. This leaves the navy without a …

• Defence Notes

  Doubt cast over UK MoD efficiencies

  18th December 2017

  The UK Defence Committee has expressed its lack of confidence in the Ministry of Defence's (MoD) ability to realise extensive efficiency targets essential for the …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Navy's new tactical data link finally moving forward

  15th December 2017

  BAE Systems is preparing for the preliminary design review of its Network Tactical Common Data Link (NTCDL) system, currently being developed for the US Navy, …

• Digital Battlespace

  GDA 2017: Leonardo readies Captor-E next phase, Kuwaiti Eurofighter assembly

  11th December 2017

  Leonardo is preparing to begin the next testing phase for its next-generation Captor-E active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, which will eventually equip the Eurofighter …

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

  Next-Generation Weapon System (NGWS) (FCAS) [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 ...

• 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 ...

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

  Loyal Wingman (Forecast) [Germany]

  Programme Background Need Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, stated in Jue 2024 that the "German Air Force has expressed a clear need for ...

• 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 ...

• 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 [France]

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

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

  Eurodrone [Germany]

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

• 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 ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | 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 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 locations, providing ...

• 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, ...

• 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 ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  RCM²

  The Remote Carrier Multidomain Multirole Effector (RCM²) is an uncrewed aircraft developed by MBDA Deutschland. The drone is a multi-domain platform that performs kinetic strikes, EW jamming, ...

• 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

  SeaFly-01

  The SeaFly-01 USV, developed by Beijing Sifang Automation, was showcased at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in China in November 2016. Phase one tests of the ...

• Military - USVs

  High-Speed Intercept Boat

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

• Military - UUVs

  Phantom T5

  The Phantom T5 UUV was introduced in 2016. The ROV incorporates many of the old Phantom characteristics in a smaller system, with vectored thrusters added. 

• 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. 

• Land: air defence radar

  RLS-50

  OKB TSP gave its first public display of the RLS-50 3D air surveillance mobile radar at ADEX 2016, at Baku, in September 2016. Its beam ...

• 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. 

• APCs/IFVs - 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 ...