• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems signs GaN agreement

  21st September 2018

  BAE Systems and the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) have signed a cooperative agreement for Phase 1 of a technical effort to transition gallium …

• Defence Notes

  Boeing profits surge after tax settlement

  24th October 2018

  Boeing's profits surged in Q3 after a favorable US tax settlement, and the company raised some key annual projections on Wednesday as its order book …

• Military Logistics

  USAF conducts RADAS test flight

  25th September 2018

  The US Air Force has carried out an operational test flight of the Rapid Airfield Damage Assessment System (RADAS) at Kunsan Air Base in the …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Air Force KC-135R gets RTIC system

  20th September 2018

  Rockwell Collins has been selected to improve the communications capabilities of the US Air Force’s KC-135R fleet with the implementation of a Real Time Information …

• Training

  NFTC training device upgrades

  18th October 2018

  Originally signed in May 1998, the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) programme has been highly successful and is likely …

• Training

  Exercise Ample Strike concludes in Czech Republic

  19th September 2018

  An international flavour provided added spice to the recently concluded Exercise Ample Strike 2018, which ran from 3-14 September, with personnel from 19 NATO and Partnership …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  First auto-landing of MQ-9 Block 5

  20th September 2018

  The US Air Force has completed the first automated landing of an MQ-9 Block 5, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) announced on 17 September. The …

• Military Logistics

  MDM 2018: GD Mission Systems advances expeditionary C2 suite

  28th September 2018

  One element of the General Dynamics Mission Systems exhibit at this week’s Modern Day Marine expo was designed to reflect the company’s continuing focus on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DARPA seeks proposals for third swarm sprint

  18th October 2018

  DARPA is seeking proposals for its third swarm sprint, which will focus on the topics of human-swarm teaming and swarm tactics, the agency announced on …

• Naval Warfare

  Euronaval 2018: Djibouti named as site of naval MMP tests

  25th October 2018

  Following the test firing of MBDA’s Missile Moyen Portee (MMP) in September this year, additional details about the event have been revealed at Euronaval 2018. …

• Defence Notes

  ADAS 2018: Rafael solutions for ground and air

  27th September 2018

  While air defence is critical for any nation, the Philippines currently has no ground-based missile system. However, at ADAS, Rafael is highlighting its Air Defence …

• Training

  HTP Ostrava introduces new helicopter simulator

  24th September 2018

  HTP Ostrava has introduced a new dual full-crew helicopter simulator at its newly opened tactical centre for helicopter crews, the Ministry of Defence of the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Four injured in helicopter accident on French assault ship

  19th October 2018

  Four French marines were injured in an accident involving a helicopter on an assault ship in the North Sea, the armed forces said Friday. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems demonstrates XTS Guard 5

  22nd October 2018

  BAE Systems has demonstrated the ability of its XTS Guard 5 to provide US intelligence organisations with access to geospatial imagery and data from its …

• Military Logistics

  HII begins building US Navy’s LHA 8

  19th October 2018

  Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division has begun fabrication of the America-class amphibious assault ship Bougainville (LHA 8), the company announced on 16 October. …

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 ...