• Training

  I/ITSEC 2023: CAE unveils US Air Force digital F-16 cockpit

  30th November 2023

  For the first time CAE exhibited a digital F-16 cockpit integrated with the Simulators Common Architecture Requirements and Standards (SCARS) marking a major step forward in training equipment virtualisation.

• Land Warfare

  Thales expanded rocket factory provides five-fold increase in manufacturing capability

  1st July 2024

  Huge increase in capability has been supported by the Belgian government and the European Union’s Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP) plan.

• Defence Helicopter

  KAI and Airbus Helicopters ink a supply contract for LAH and KUH helicopters

  12th September 2023

  Airbus Helicopters and KAI have agreed a contract covering the supply of helicopter components for the latter over the next decade.

• Naval Warfare

  First Flight III destroyer for US Navy introduces innovative radar capabilities

  8th October 2023

  The introduction of USS Jack H. Lucas to the US Navy's fleet has led to a series of innovative developments that will enhance US capabilities in A2AD zones.

• Defence Notes

  Can the Pentagon counter China and Russia’s weapons of mass destruction?

  14th November 2023

  The recent advances in military programmes in China, Iran, North Korea and Russia has put US capacity to counter nuclear and biological threats in check.

• Defence Notes

  Poland announces multi-million acquisitions to boost air and missile defence capacities

  8th September 2023

  As part of the second phase of the WISŁA air defence programme, Poland will procure PAC-3 MSE missiles, 48 Patriot launchers and 12 LTAMDS sensors.

• Naval Warfare

  Latest Virginia-class SSN commissioned by US Navy despite increasing pressure on submarine service

  16th October 2023

  USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 795) has become the 22nd Virginia-class submarine to enter service with the US Navy following a commissioning event on 14 October 2023.

• Naval Warfare

  Italy finally funds naval missile projects

  17th November 2023

  The Italian MoD’s multi-year programme documents (DPP) detailing its current and planned acquisition projects has provided new details of funding for its 2023–25 naval missile programmes.

• Naval Warfare

  Norway upgrades Ula-class submarines once more before 212CD rollout

  24th September 2024

  The 212CD submarine progress is on schedule to be delivered in the first half of the 2030s, but Norway has invested in upgrading its Ula-class boats until their replacements are ready.

• Land Warfare

  The UK’s directed energy counter-unmanned weapon could see service in 2026

  23rd September 2024

  The Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon (RFDEW), a joint effort by the UK’s Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), has been designed to detect, track and engage a range of threats across land, air and sea.

• Land Warfare

  NATO procurement agency orders Carl-Gustaf multi-role weapon system

  25th March 2024

  In September 2015, Saab announced Slovakia had become the launch customer for the M4 and the first weapons were delivered in July 2017. The US Army has ordered systems having conducted a foreign comparative test of the M4 for US Special Operations Command and the US Army.

• Digital Battlespace

  China’s AI developments in electronic surveillance extends to battlefield

  8th March 2024

  ‘Nowhere to hide’ as Chinese progress in AI-enabled surveillance technological has enabled it to identify and suppress enemy communications systems.

• Defence Helicopter

  CH-47F Chinook Block II reaches final assembly line as wider programme moves forward

  26th May 2023

  The Block II upgrade incorporates various enhancements to increase lift capability and commonality between US Army and allied fleets, reducing maintenance costs.

• Air Warfare

  Brazil’s Super Tucano A-29 mid-life upgrade go-ahead expected by early 2025

  12th November 2024

  The Brazilian Air Force is working with Embraer to bring fifth-gen capabilities to 68 of its A-29 Super Tucano training and light attack aircraft, following an agreement at the Paris Air Show in 2023.

• Training

  British Army aims to attract new talent via multi-million-pound higher education contract

  22nd November 2023

  The British Army has awarded a nine-year contract to Henley Business School to deliver a degree pathway in Leadership and Strategic Studies for its officers and senior soldiers as part of its talent development strategy.

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 ...

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

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) will provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It is intended to ...

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

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) (Forecast) [US Army]

  Programme Background USMC In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, which had been specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Joint Tactical Autonomous ...

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

  Large ULS-A / Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) [USMC]

  Programme Background US Marine ULS-A programmes The US Marines are seeking a family of Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A), which will provide logistics and ground units with ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) [USA]

  Programme Background US Army's Future Vertical Lift Programme The FLRAA is one of three strands of a broader army programme. The others are the Future ...

• 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 helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook

  As the Army's only heavy-lift helicopter, the CH-47F Improved Cargo helicopter is an essential component of the Army's Multi-Domain Battle framework. The CH-47F and MH-47G ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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 - 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 helicopters - multirole

  S-97 Raider

  The S-97 Raider helicopter is based on the five-year, company-funded X2 Technology Demonstrator project. Like the X2, the S-97 Raider will feature twin coaxial, counter-rotating ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AVX JMR

  AVX Aircraft proposed a compound helicopter with coaxial rotors, small wings and dual ducted-fan propulsors for the US Army’s JMR-TD FVL programme. In April 2015, ...

• 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 - 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 ...

• 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 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 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.  ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Warrior Systems

  General Dynamics Mission Systems is prime contractor and system integrator for the US Army’s Warrior soldier systems, which include Air Warrior, Future Force Warrior, Land Warrior ...

• Military helicopters - multirole, Tiltrotors

  TR36TD

  Karem Aircraft was one of four contenders for the US Army's JMR-TD, which is a precursor to the FVL project that will replace the UH-60 ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Integrated Avionics Suite

  Northrup Grumman's Integrated Avionics Suite is an open architecture mission equipment package, which can be deployed on a number of rotorcraft platforms. It consists of ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-280 Valor

  Bell Helicopter Textron is developing the V-280 Valor tiltrotor for the JMR-TD FVL project. The US Army announced in August 2014 that Bell would be ...

• 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 ...