• Defence Helicopter

  CH-47F Block II makes maiden flight

  29th March 2019

  Boeing’s CH-47F Block II EMD Chinook has made its first flight at the company’s Philadelphia facility, marking a key milestone in a programme that has …

• Military Logistics

  Avalon 2019: Rheinmetall offers ammo for Aussie F-35s

  26th February 2019

  As the Royal Australian Air Force anticipates the expansion of its F-35A Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) fleet in the country, Rheinmetall Defence Australia announced that …

• Training

  Avalon 2019: ADF pushes simulation

  1st March 2019

  The Australian Defence Force (ADF) ‘needs to improve how simulation is perceived’ according to the keynote speaker at the Aerospace Simulation Conference during the Avalon …

• Land Warfare

  Australia launches EOS T-2000 turret

  4th March 2019

  The Australian Department of Defence has launched Electro Optic Systems’ (EOS) T-2000 turret for armoured vehicles. The new turret will be produced in Australia for …

• Training

  IAF to receive new training helicopters

  20th February 2019

  Israel’s MoD has signed an agreement with its Italian counterpart to procure seven AW119Kx training helicopters, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) announced on 17 February. …

• Military Logistics

  Improved CRL capability for B-52 tested

  20th February 2019

  The US Air Force (USAF) tested an upgrade to the B-52 Stratofortress and the Conventional Rotary Launcher (CRL) on 11 February. The CRL is a …

• Naval Warfare

  Fincantieri cuts steel for fourth Italian PPA

  21st March 2019

  Fincantieri has cut steel for the Italian Navy’s fourth Multipurpose Patrol Ship (PPA) at its shipyard in Riva Trigoso, Genova. The vessel will be the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Israeli drone boutique in major pilot security project

  29th March 2019

  CopterPix Pro, a small Israeli startup is embarking on an innovative homeland security pilot project together with the local council of Hof Ashkelon, a coastal …

• Defence Notes

  Aero India 2019: Air platforms on display (Insight)

  20th February 2019

  Dark clouds loomed over the 12th edition of Aero India, at the Yelahanka air force in Bengaluru, following the mid-air collision of two Surya Kiran aircraft …

• Military Logistics

  Leonardo introduces C-27J firefighting configuration

  25th March 2019

  Leonardo has introduced a firefighting configuration of the C-27J Spartan aircraft to expand its multirole capabilities, the company announced on 19 MarchThe aircraft is fitted …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA Global 2019: Raytheon looks to Americanise Iron Dome

  27th March 2019

  Following the US Army announcement that it will acquire two Iron Dome systems in an effort to fill a short-term need for an interim Indirect …

• Digital Battlespace

  TransDigm acquires Esterline Technologies

  20th March 2019

  TransDigm has completed the acquisition of Esterline Technologies, a supplier of products to the global aerospace and defence industry. TransDigm Group Incorporated's wholly-owned subsidiaries design, …

• Digital Battlespace

  CAMM integrated into IAMD IBCS

  15th March 2019

  Northrop Grumman and MBDA have successfully incorporated the Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM) family into the Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System …

• Training

  DSET 2019: STE to replace current air and ground sims

  22nd March 2019

  Maj Gen Maria Gervais, Synthetic Training Environment (STE) Cross Functional Team Director and Deputy Commanding General Combined Arms Center – Training, told delegates at the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Russia to field a new target drone system

  15th March 2019

  The Russian MoD is set to launch in April the state flight testing of the new 9F6021 Adyutant aerial target system. Developed by Izhevsk-based Kupol, …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Data links

  Data links | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | M-346 FA [Brazil]

  Brazil is evaluating the procurement of up to 30 Leonardo M-346 light attack aircraft under a potential agreement with Italy, aimed at modernising its aerial ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390 [Brazil]

  Programme Background Requirement The aircraft deliveries were scheduled to start by the end of 2016 and continue over a period of ten years. However,  the first ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-130H Replacement [Sweden]

  Programme Background Requirements Sweden has five C-130H aircraft (designated Tp-84) and one KC-130H. Two C-130Es bought in the 1960s have retired, but the six H ...

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

  Hermes 900 [Chile]

  Methodology Unit cost In 2024, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired one Hermes 900 for 50 million reais ($9.14 million), giving each drone an estimated ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  H145M [Brazil]

  Background  Brazilian leadership announced in February 2022 that the Sabre Mil Mi-35M Hind-E attack helicopters were being retired from active service. This decision came as a ...

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS 39E/F Gripen [Brazil]

  Background In 2016, Gripen’s Project and Development Center was opened in Sao Paulo to allow Sweedish and Brazillian engineers to work together in the Gripen ...

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

  Hermes 900 [Colombia]

  Methodology Unit cost In 2024, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired one Hermes 900 for 50 million reais ($9.14 million), giving each drone an estimated gross ...

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

  Hermes 900 (5) [Brazil]

  Background First three batches (2014-2024) Across three purchases, Defence Insight estimates that Brazil has acquired five Hermes 900 UAVs. In 2014, Elbit reported supplying one ...

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

  Hermes 900 (1-4) [Brazil]

  Background First batch (2014) In 2014, Elbit reported supplying one Hermes 900 UAV to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB). The drone is called the RQ-900 in Brazilian ...

• Maritime patrol

  C295 add-on [Brazil]

  Programme Background  In 2014 Brazil signed a contracted for two additional C-295 SAR platforms with the option to acquire one additional platform. In 2018, reports ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Polar Support Vessel [Brazil]

  Programme Background Requirements In June 2020, the Brazilian Navy released a Request for Proposal (RfP) to procure a new Antarctic vessel to be manufactured in Brazil. The ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air-to-surface missiles

  MAR-1

  The MAR-1 is a Brazilian air-to-surface anti-radiation missile (ARM) developed by Mectron in collaboration with the Aerospace Technology and Science Department (DCTA) of the Brazilian ...

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

  Harpia

  Described as the UAV with the most onboard technology in Latin America, Harpia is a multifunctional fixed-wing Brazilian drone developed by Advanced Technologies Security & Defence.  The Uruguayan ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  EMB-312 Tucano

  The EMB-312 Tucano (Brazilian designation T-27) is a trainer and light attack aircraft developed by Embraer to meet the training requirements of the Brazilian Air ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  TPTS

  Tactical Procedures Training Simulators (TPTS), operating with SWARM software, can be used to provide most core training elements to pilots or offload training tasks from ...

• Guided munitions

  SMKB (Smart-MK-Bomb)

  The Smart-MK-Bomb, or the SMKB, is a precision guidance kit developed by Mectron and designed to turn Mk 82 and Mk 83 bombs into guided munitions.

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

  Albatroz Vortex

  The Albatroz Vortex from Stella Tecnologia is a development of the company's Albatroz UAV.  The key differentiator is that the Vortex is fitted with an ATJR ...

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

  Condor

  The Condor, or Atobá XR, is an in-development MALE-class UAV from Stella Technologia.  The development of the multi-role is tied to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), which has ...

• Trainer, Transport

  EMB-121 Xingu

  The EMB-121 Xingu is a twin-turboprop light transport and advanced multi-engine trainer aircraft developed by Embraer based on the EMB-110 Bandeirante. Its maiden flight was ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Arkhe Mission & Combat

  Launched in 2017, Atech's Arkhe Mission & Combat solutions offer a variety of solutions enabling operator to conduct missions from planning to execution and debriefing. It ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390/C-390 Millennium

  The KC-390 is a high-wing, twin-turbofan, T-tail design intended to meet the needs of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) for a tanker/transport aircraft. Developed and ...

• Fighter - air superiority

  F-5E/F Tiger II

  The F-5E (single-seat)/F (twin-seat) Tiger II is an air superiority fighter developed by Northrop Grumman based on the original F-5 Freedom Fighter. Production of the ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M

  The medium-weight, 11t-class H225M (formerly known as the EC725) is the latest military Super Puma/Cougar family member.  Technical features include a modular design of mechanical ...

• EO/IR systems

  Skyward

  The SkyWard system is an advanced Infrared Search and Track (IRST) solution developed for next-generation airborne platforms, including 5th-generation fighter aircraft.  Designed with modularity in ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Saber M60

  The Saber M60 is a low-altitude air-defence radar developed by the Brazilian Army's CTEx (Army Technology Centre) in collaboration with Bradar, part of Embraer Defence ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  RBS 70 system

  The RBS 70 was developed in the 1970s to meet the Swedish Army’s requirement for a low-cost, easy-to-use MANPADS which could function in extreme climatic ...