• Air Warfare

  Italy doubles GCAP combat air funding to over $8 billion in latest defence budget

  18th October 2023

  The latest substantial funding, allocated from 2029 to 2037, underscores Italy's determination to rapidly adopt new technologies and cultivate a robust engineering culture. It also helps the country position itself as an equal partner in the trinational Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) with Japan and the UK.

• Air Warfare

  India to strengthen China and Pakistan borders with final S-400 SAM system deliveries

  7th November 2023

  India's full acquisition of its S-400 Triumf surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems has been fast approaching its final stages, as officials from India and Russia prepare work on finalising the delivery schedule for the last two squadrons.

• Naval Warfare

  Japan accelerates procurement of Tomahawk missiles

  10th October 2023

  Faced by a rough neighbourhood, Japan is accelerating plans to obtain Tomahawk cruise missiles.

• Training

  Paris Air Show: New cockpit voice recorder certified for T-6 trainer aircraft

  20th June 2023

  The US FAA has approved installation of Curtiss-Wright's Fortress CVR25 cockpit recorder to upgrade T-6 Texan II trainer aircraft worldwide.

• Air Warfare

  China and Iran look beyond Russian market for UAS and precision weapon exports

  6th September 2023

  Chinese and Iranian firms unveiled new UAS and smart munitions at Army-2023, claiming they reflected lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian conflict and were attracting international interest.

• Defence Notes

  Australia boosts domestic munitions production capacity

  8th October 2023

  Thales Australia is beneficiary of major investment in two munitions plants that it manages.

• Training

  Red 6 secures funding for augmented reality system for trainer jets

  15th June 2023

  Trainer jets that will receive Red 6's Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS) include the TF-50, the BAE Hawk T2 and T-7 Red Hawk.

• Training

  Augmented reality integration on trainer aircraft progresses despite no official requirement

  27th June 2023

  Companies such as BAE Systems, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Korea Aerospace Industries are pushing forward with implementing the Red 6 augmented reality system onto jet trainers, despite the absence of formal interest from customer air forces so far.

• Naval Warfare

  Bourgainville LHA launched but future of US Navy amphibious ship procurement remains uncertain

  13th October 2023

  The third America-class Landing Helicopter Assault (LHA) ship, Bourgainville (LHA 08), has been launched by Huntington Industries Ingalls (HII) shipyard but this progress comes against the backdrop of a dispute about amphibious ships within Congress and the US defence establishment.

• Digital Battlespace

  Babcock chosen for UK military SATCOM contract

  17th February 2023

  Babcock has been awarded a six-year contract to run the UK's Skynet satellite constellation and ground stations.

• Air Warfare

  Australia orders a fourth MQ-4C Triton and upgrades P-8A fleet

  20th September 2023

  Australia will buy another MQ-4C Triton for maritime surveillance, plus its partner the P-8A will undergo an upgrade programme.

• Defence Notes

  US lawmakers to fund nearly $12 billion multi-year contracts for weapons

  3rd August 2023

  Authorisation of the US Senate Committee on Appropriations to progress with long-term acquisitions acquisition would benefit eight programmes.

• Naval Warfare

  Zumwalt-class destroyers begin surface-strike platform transformation

  17th October 2023

  Work has begun on modifying the US Navy’s three Zumwalt-class destroyers to host hypersonic missiles offering the service improved surface-attack capability.

• Naval Warfare

  US to invest nearly $35 billion in shipbuilding in Fiscal Year 2024

  21st August 2023

  Funds will be allocated to the acquisition and operation of new capabilities, upgrading of in-service systems, procurement of critical components and designs and expansion of public and private plants.

• Naval Warfare

  How serious a threat is North Korea's nuclear-armed navy?

  8th September 2023

  As well as splurging on ballistic weapons, North Korea has been developing submarines and surface combatants capable of firing nuclear-tipped missiles. Largely based on outdated designs, do they nonetheless pose a serious regional threat?

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack

  AT-6 (Tunisia)

  Programme Background On 26 February 2020, the US State Department announced that it has approved a potential sale of four AT-6 aircraft and related equipment to Tunisia ...

• Loitering munitions

  Mini-Harpy [Israeli Navy]

  Programme Background MADEX 2023 At MADEX 2023, IAI displayed the Mini-Harpy, dubbed the Green Dragon, loitering munition in a 12-system launcher mounted to an Israel Navy Sa'ar 6 ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Spain HT-29 Caiman (NH90 TTH) - Army Second Batch

  The $600 million program value is calculated based on the relative estimated unit costs of each helicopter type (NH90 NFH and TTH) and procurement quantity ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache (May 2019 FMS)

  Also included are 28 M230 30mm automatic chain guns, AN/AVR-2B laser detecting sets, AN/APR-39 radar signal detecting sets, AN/AVS-6 night vision goggles, M299 Hellfire missile ...

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

  Beyond Vision Drones [Portugal]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 14 February 2023, Beyond Vision announced that it had been awarded a €600,375 contract for the acquisition of "6 Mulittoror ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Spain HT-29 Caiman (NH90 TTH) - Army First Batch

  HT-29 Caiman GSPAs (NH90 TTH) will be assembled at Airbus Helicopters’ facility in Albacete and will replace AS332 Super Puma fleet in service. Even though ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Multi-Mission Aircraft (1-14) [Canada]

  The objective of the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft project is to equip the Canadian Armed Forces with a long-range manned Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4) and ...

• Data links

  Data links | Multi-Mission Aircraft (1-14) [Canada]

  The objective of the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft project is to equip the Canadian Armed Forces with a long-range manned Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4) and ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Multi-Mission Aircraft (1-14) [Canada]

  The objective of the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft project is to equip the Canadian Armed Forces with a long-range manned Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4) and ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Multi-Mission Aircraft (1-14) [Canada]

  The objective of the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft project is to equip the Canadian Armed Forces with a long-range manned Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4) and ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors, Patrol boats

  Gun Boats (Pakistan)

  Programme Background Timeline The first steel cutting for these boats occurred on 6 October 2022. The PN is seeking 20 vessels; the first one should ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Spain HT-29 Caiman MSPT (NH90 NFH) - Navy

  The deliveries of seven NH-90 NFHs to the Spanish Navy are expected to between 2022 and 2025, following the completion of 22-helicopters program for the ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Joint Support Ship (Project Sea 2200) [Australia]

  Under Project Sea 2200, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is seeking to procure two multi-role logistic ships. Although no Request for Tender (RfT) has been ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Joint Support Ship (Project Sea 2200) [Australia]

  Under Project Sea 2200, the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is seeking to procure two multi-role logistic ships. Although no Request for Tender (RfT) has been ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Spain HT-29 Caiman (NH90 TTH) - Air Force Second Batch

  The HT-29 Caiman will replace AS332 Super Puma fleet in service with the Spanish Air Force. The Spanish version of the NH90 TTHs can perform ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Major networking projects

  Skynet 6 SATCOM

  Skynet 6 is designed to replace Skynet 5. The PFI contract for Skynet 5,  held by Paradigm Secure Communications and Airbus DS, ends in 2022. As ...

• Major networking projects

  Skynet 5 SATCOM

  Airbus is the service provider for the UK MoD Skynet 5 private finance initiative contract, signed in October 2003 and now worth $5.6 billion. Airbus ...

• Major networking projects

  Satcom Post-2000

  The Satcom Post-2000 programme gives the alliance improved SATCOM capabilities, which is important as NATO forces take on expeditionary missions beyond their traditional area of ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Skynet

  The Skynet anti-drone system is a portable C-UAS device that resembles a rifle. It is operated with a manpack system and has a charging time ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  CH-6

  The CH-6, or Cai Hong 6 or Rainbow-6, is a UCAV unveiled by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) on 19 April 2021.  Shown ...

• Bomber

  H-6

  The People's Liberation Army Air Force has eight regiments of bombers and they operate an estimated 160 H-6 variants that have been in service since ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  QX-6

  Unveiled at the Dubai Airshow 2021, the QX-6 is a cargo-carrying UAV manufactured by ADASI, a subsidiary of the EDGE Group. The QX-6 features an autopilot ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  SPY-6(V)2

  The SPY-6(V)2 Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR) is the smallest version of the AN/SPY-6 family of radars and is articulated on a rotating system featuring ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARS-6 (V12) PLS R/T

  The new AN/ARS-6 (V12) Personnel Locator System (PLS) Receiver/Transmitter (R/T) is a functional replacement for the old AN/ARS-6. These systems are used to locate missing ...

• MSR/MAA-6

  The Messenger Smart Receiver (MSR) receiver and Messenger Antenna Array 6 (MAA-6) antenna array combine to form a long-range central receive system. The MAA-6’s six ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM, Land: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARS-6(V12) PLS

  The new AN/ARS-6 (V12) Personnel Locator System (PLS) Receiver/Transmitter (R/T) is a functional replacement for the old AN/ARS-6. These systems are used to locate missing ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  SPY-6(V)3

  The SPY-6(V)3 EASR has three fixed faces, each with nine Radar Modular Assemblies (RMAs). The SPY-6(V)3 will be installed on Ford-class aircraft carriers and Constellation-class ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  SPY-6(V)4

  The SPY-6(V)4 Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) has four fixed faces, each with 24 Radar Modular Assemblies (RMAs). The SPY-6(V)4 will be back-fitted on ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  AT-6 GBTS

  CAE USA is the Ground-Based Training System (GBTS) provider for the Beechcraft AT-6 light attack and armed reconnaissance aircraft. CAE has responsibility for designing and ...

• SARBE 6-406G

  The SARBE 6-406G personal locator beacon features integrated GPS and two-way speech facility.