• Defence Notes

  Zhuhai Air Show 2018: J-10B and J-20 steal the show

  6th November 2018

  Chinese fighters took pride of place during the opening ceremony at Zhuhai Air Show 2018, with both a J-10B  (pictured) fitted with thrust vector control …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army tests Spider networked munition system

  17th October 2018

  The US Army’s 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) is testing an upgrade to the Spider munition system used to defend perimeters and support offensive ambushes …

• Digital Battlespace

  Telephonics radar for 74K aerostat

  14th November 2018

  Lockheed Martin has completed the integration of a Telephonics RDR-1700B radar onto the 74K aerostat for land and sea missions. The achievement follows successful integration …

• Digital Battlespace

  AOC 2018: US Army looks to tactical edge encryption requirements

  21st November 2018

  As part of the Integrated Tactical Network (ITN) concept being explored by the US Army, planners are revising the encryption requirements at the tactical edge …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky to sustain US heavy-lift helicopters

  9th November 2018

  Sikorsky has received a $717 million performance-based logistics (PBL) contract to provide supply and logistics support to US Marine Corps and US Navy heavy-lift helicopters, …

• Defence Helicopter

  DARPA advances OPV flight trials

  14th November 2018

  The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Sikorsky recently trialled technology that can turn any helicopter into an optionally piloted vehicle (OPV), with …

• Defence Helicopter

  Rockwell Collins to support CH-47F avionics

  13th November 2018

  Rockwell Collins has received a contract to support operational readiness of avionics on the US Army’s CH-47F Chinook helicopter fleet, the company announced on 8 …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army kicks off Network Integration Evaluation event

  2nd November 2018

  The US Army has started Network Integration Evaluation (NIE) 18.2 at Fort Bliss, Texas, which will run from 1-12 November. The field event, which is hosted …

• Digital Battlespace

  Harris delivers sixth GPS III navigation payload

  8th November 2018

  Harris Corporation has delivered the sixth of ten contracted advanced navigation payloads to Lockheed Martin for the US Air Force’s GPS III satellite programme. The …

• Special Operations

  NATO SOF commanders target CT mission

  22nd October 2018

  Leaders from across the NATO Special Operations Forces (SOF) community came together last week to discuss how multi-agency cooperation can assist in counter-terrorism (CT) mission …

• Defence Notes

  Endless trucks to dirty laundry: NATO exercises big in every way

  23rd October 2018

  NATO's biggest military exercises since the end of the Cold War, dubbed Trident Juncture 18, take place in Norway from October 25 to November 7 …

• Digital Battlespace

  GovSat, Telespazio France to provide SATCOM services

  12th November 2018

  GovSat and Telespazio France have been selected by the French Joint Directorate for Infrastructure Networks and Information Systems to provide satellite telecommunications services in various …

• Defence Notes

  Cambodian PM says no China naval base being built

  19th November 2018

  Cambodia will not allow foreign military bases on its soil, premier Hun Sen said 19 November, swatting away US concerns about a possible Chinese naval …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  QinetiQ Target Systems signs MoU with CUAVs

  12th November 2018

  QinetiQ Target Systems has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Canadian UAVs to offer commercial and military UAS services in Canada. The agreement focuses on …

• Digital Battlespace

  Azure demos 3U Switchblade RF receiver

  8th November 2018

  Azure Summit Technology has successfully demonstrated a four-channel 3U open VPX software-definable radio frequency (RF) receiver to the US Navy. Azure is in the process …

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 ...

• 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 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Transport

  C-130 Replacement [Greece]

  Programme Background Requirement The existing C-130 fleet of the Hellenic Air Force has faced operational readiness issues, with only one or two airframes in service at ...

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 - 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• EO/IR systems, Land: unattended sensor/surveillance systems, Sea: ship surveillance and fire control systems

  SHAPO

  SHAPO is a multi-sensor, gyro-stabilised observation payload. It is intended for UAVs, helicopters, light aircraft, patrol boats, aerostats, airships, armoured vehicles and masts. Sensors include a ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...