• Uncrewed Vehicles

  European MALE RPAS builds toward development contract signature

  6th November 2019

  Industry partners involved in the multinational European MALE RPAS effort are set to be awarded with a first full programme contract in 2020, a development that …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  GE Aviation, Hybrid Project​ team up for VTOL UAS

  29th October 2019

  GE Aviation has teamed with Hybrid Project to provide a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAV capability for high endurance commercial applications. The teaming arrangement …

• Naval Warfare

  RAAF looks at AI for low-cost SAR

  1st November 2019

  The Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF’s) Plan Jericho initiative has introduced an artificial intelligence (AI) prototype called Ai-Search to improve airborne search and rescue (SAR) …

• Defence Notes

  Asia-Pacific dominates MPA market

  8th November 2019

  The global market for procurement of new maritime patrol aircraft (MPAs) is forecast to be worth $28 billion between 2019 and 2029 and is dominated …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Rostec company develops C-UAS radar

  16th October 2019

  Rostec company Ruselectronics has developed a hand-held UAS detection radar, Rostec announced on 10 October. The multi-channel Ka-band radar is 325x240x230mm in size and can …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Kratos to expand capability of tactical jet UAS

  9th October 2019

  Kratos Defense & Security Solutions’ Unmanned Systems Division has received a $3.6 million contract for capability expansion, mission system integration, and test work associated with …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUSA 2019: AeroVironment takes punt on Puma LE

  14th October 2019

  Manufacturer AeroVironment has unveiled a new addition to its sUAS collection, the Puma LE, a hand-launched platform designed for ISR missions across land and sea. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUSA 2019: USSOCOM increases MALET funding

  15th October 2019

  US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has increased the ceiling on its contract from $15 million to $93 million to support modifications and capability enhancements to …

• Defence Helicopter

  British Army keen to push new Apaches into MUM-T role

  28th October 2019

  The British Army wants to prioritise manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) for its incoming fleet of AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters, but first intends on making sure …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUSA 2019: US Army unconcerned by FTUAS hybrid flight kit permutations

  16th October 2019

  The US Army has confirmed it doesn't consider hybrid flight kit licensing authority arrangements to be an issue for its Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) programme, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Risk of operational delays gifts Insitu US Navy ISR contract

  4th October 2019

  The US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has awarded a sole source ISR contract to Insitu in support of the Expeditionary Mobile Base (ESB) USS Lewis …

• Defence Notes

  Podcast: Revolutions in Vertical Flight S1 E6 - the Future of VTOL Innovation

  20th December 2019

  Welcome to Shephard Studio’s podcast series on Revolutions in Vertical Flight, sponsored by our partner Bell. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more. The Revolutions in Vertical Flight …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2019: New Javelin launch unit on road to fielding in 2023

  16th October 2019

  Raytheon Missile Systems expects to go to low-rate initial production (LRIP) for its new Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Unit (CLU) in 2021 and full rate …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  South Korean firms display new and future UAVs

  25th October 2019

  While the most impressive UAV on display at Seoul ADEX 2019 was a prototype of the KUS-FS MALE platform from Korean Air, there were also …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  XTEK to support ADF Wasp AE UAS

  25th September 2019

  XTEK has received a contract to provide repairs, maintenance and support services for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) fleet of Wasp All Environment (AE) small …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  DEF129 Nano UAS [Australia]

  Programme Background DEF129 The Australian Ground Service has combined various army procurement efforts under the DEF129 programme to increase the abundance and proliferation of UAVs ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Aeromobila A Pilotaggio Remoto (Mini) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirement Released on 5 August 2021, the Italian MoD's Multi-Year Defence Programme Document for 2021-2023 announced a programme aimed at acquiring a mini-UAS capable ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Aeromobila A Pilotaggio Remoto (Micro) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirement Released on 5 August 2021, the Italian MoD's Multi-Year Defence Programme Document for 2021-2023 announced a programme aimed at acquiring a micro-UAS capable ...

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

  RQ-20 Puma (Belgium)

  Programme Background Requirement The Belgian MoD outlined plans to procure more mini and tactical UAS in its Strategic Vision for Defence published in 2016. According ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

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

  Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Goal The Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) programme stems from the Military Sealift Command and Fleet Forces Command identifying, in 2018, a ...

• Military UAS - small

  Puma 2 AE (Germany)

  Programme Background The Germany navy had an urgent requirement for three UAS required for reconnaissance and identification in maritime operations. A platform was required that ...

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

  Mini UAS [Spain]

  Programme Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational ...

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

  General-Purpose UAS [Australia]

  Programme Background Banned As reported by Shephard in August 2023, in the past, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) used commercial UAS from companies such as DJI for ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Indigenous UAS (South Korea)

  Programme Background South Korea's Total UAS Budget The government of South Korea wants to grow its domestic UAS industry. To do this, it was reported in ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Long Range Reconnaissance (LRR) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Under its Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) programme, the US Army plans to procure a Family of Small UAS (FoSUAS) to provide an organic ISR capability ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Long Range Reconnaissance (LRR) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Under its Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) programme, the US Army plans to procure a Family of Small UAS (FoSUAS) to provide an organic ISR capability ...

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

  MALE UAV (Finland)

  Programme Background Defence Report 2017 The Government's Defence Report 2017 stated that Finland's fighter capability could not be replaced wholesale by UAVs. Therefore, the FDF ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Anafi [Sweden]

  Programme Background Sweden announced on 7 February 2024 that Defence Material Works had procured drones for the Home Guard on behalf of the Armed Forces. ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  New Coastal Ranger Commando Vessels [Norway]

  Programme Background Requirements According to Naval News, the Norwegian Coastal Ranger Commando is seeking to acquire an undisclosed number of new fast attack/interceptor craft. The ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

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

  Maveric UAS

  The Maveric is a small, lightweight UAS designed to perform covert ISR missions at the tactical level. In order to camouflage the drone, its profile ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  UAS Academy

  IAI has established a UAS Academy for training and certification of operators and technicians. The academy was established to meet a perceived need for skilled ...

• Lynx UAS

  The Lynx is an sUAS used for large-area precision agriculture and surveying and has an endurance of 3h with the standard mapping payload. Its hand-launched ...

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

  UAS 100

  The UAS 100 is an autonomous, three-engined platform, modular UAS manufactured by Thales in partnership with Issoire Aviation, Hionos and with the support of the ...

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

  Heavy UAS

  The Heavy UAS, or Cargo Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, is, as its name suggests, a cargo-carrying UAV.  Manufactured by Honeywell Aerospace, the VTOL capable UAV's horizontal flight ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  MAUI

  The Mobile Application for UAS Identification (MAUI) is an acoustic sensor that operates on smartphones using the microphone to detect Group 1 (small, lightweight) UAVs, ...

• Freya

  An easy-to-use system which requires minimal training, Freya can be operated in difficult situations and weather conditions, including strong winds and mountainous areas. A tracker ...

• Hex Mini UAS

  The Hex Mini is a hexacopter UAS capable of autonomous operation. Launched in under 10min, the system is constructed of sturdy materials and supports gyrostabilised ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  UAS Operator Training

  To help in the development of training applications for UAS pilots, Presagis offers a suite of integrated COTS software that can be used for the ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  UAS Mission Trainer

  The UAS Mission Trainer combines an open architecture with COTS hardware and simulation software that minimises the use of proprietary designs to provide a platform-agnostic ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Cobham C-UAS

  Unveiled at the AUVSI 2017 trade show in Dallas, Texas, the Cobham C-UAS primarily consists of wideband omnidirectional, directional helix (single- or dual-band), directional flat ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Skylock C-UAS

  Skylock, an Avnon Group company, has developed a C-UAS system that is intended to bring sensors, jammers and a laser effector into a single deployable ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Small UAS CISR

  Cubic's Secure ISR Radio (SCISR) for small unmanned aerial systems is a rugged common data link (CDL) multi-band (L, S, and C) full-duplex transceiver for ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  AsteRx-m2 UAS

  The AsteRx-m2 UAS is a GNSS receiver designed to be easily integrated into UAS applications to provide centimetre-level RTK positioning. The system’s standard connectors enable ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  C-UAS Solution

  The C-UAS Solution uses goniometry, radar technologies and various sensors to detect and remove UAS from the air. So far, the solution has been proven effective against ...