• Air Warfare

  Croatia receives first batch of French Rafale fighter jets

  29th April 2024

  Croatia will receive a total of 12 used Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft from France by 2025.

• Defence Notes

  US Pentagon to reduce investments in main acquisition programmes over FY2025

  12th March 2024

  The DoD requested nearly US$850 billion to fund operations over the next fiscal year. Despite the amount being 1% higher than the FY2024 budget request, it has not covered the 3% inflation rate, which could impact the DoD’s main programmes in the medium and long term.

• Air Warfare

  Bell Textron and Boeing’s Aurora selected for next phase of DARPA’s X-Plane

  29th May 2024

  The Speed and Runway Independent Technologies (SPRINT) project, a joint DARPA/US Special Operations Command effort to design, build and fly an X-plane, will attempt to demonstrate the key technologies and integrated concepts that enable a transformational combination of aircraft speed and runway independence.

• Land Warfare

  Arquus wins French fuel tanker order

  17th May 2024

  Arquus will develop three versions of the 8x8 tanker, a large armoured tanker and two smaller tankers, one protected and one unprotected.

• Naval Warfare

  UK Royal Navy orders more Remus UUVs

  7th May 2024

  HII’s Remus UUVs can be used for mine-countermeasure, harbour security and reconnaissance operations, as well as hydrographic surveys, environmental monitoring and debris field mapping.

• Training

  Mercury Systems wins $243 million US Navy training contract

  11th March 2024

  Mercury System has been selected to supply rapidly reprogrammable electronic attack training subsystems to the US Navy.

• Special Operations

  US Special Operations Command seeks $1.3 billion investment in intelligence

  8th April 2024

  As part of its FY2025 budget proposal, the service requested funds for tactical intelligence collection and analysis solutions and for ISR, processing, exploitation and dissemination programmes.

• Air Warfare

  Italy buys additional 28 Sidewinder short range air missiles

  21st March 2024

  Italy has requested more Sidewinder Block II+ tactical missiles from the US on top of the approximately 1,000 AIM-9s already delivered.

• Naval Warfare

  US Coast Guard plans a $1.1 billion investment in shipbuilding in FY2025

  4th April 2024

  The service has requested funds to procure and build new vessels, as well as modernise its current fleet.

• Air Warfare

  Heron TP flies over Germany for the first time

  15th May 2024

  The Heron TP is a multi-role, advanced, long-range MALE UAS. It is faster, larger and higher flying than the Heron Mk 1 on which it is based and has been equipped with automatic taxi-takeoff and landing systems, satellite communication for extended range and fully redundant avionics.

• Land Warfare

  Italy picks Rheinmetall and Leonardo for MBT and IFV and gives MGCS a boost

  3rd July 2024

  Italy has been looking replace its Ariete MBTs but has gone back and forth between a future European tank, more Leopards, an upgrade of existing vehicles and other options. It now seems to have thrown its hand in with the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS).

• 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.

• Training

  SkyAlyne awarded $8.2 billion contract for Canada’s Future Aircrew Training programme

  31st May 2024

  A multi-billion-dollar contract will see a joint initiative between CAE and KF Aerospace provide state-of-the-art aircrew training for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).

• Defence Notes

  NATO outlines future challenges as Ukrainian funding from US stalls

  15th March 2024

  In 2023, defence spending increased by an unprecedented 11% across European NATO countries and Canada. Since 2014, the group has spent an additional US$600 billion on defence.

• Digital Battlespace

  Why the US would struggle to overcome Russia’s nuclear anti-satellite weapon

  11th March 2024

  Russia's move to develop a nuclear anti-satellite weapon has highlighted US anxieties over space combat readiness, challenging the Pentagon's strategic defences in a potential cosmic battleground.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  MiG-35 (Russia)

  The MiG-35 is a new-generation derivative of the twin-engine MiG-29 (NATO code-name ‘Fulcrum’) featuring multi-role combat capabilities, significantly reworked airframe and a vastly expanded arsenal ...

• Loitering munitions

  Organic Precision Fire - Mounted (OPF-M) [USMC]

  Programme Background Armed Vehicles In June 2021, Shephard reported that the USMC had selected the HERO-120 for the OPF-M programme. The USMC planned to integrate ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Tigr-M

  The Tigr-M is a modified variant of the original Tigr design, which replaced the licence-produced Cummins diesel engine with a Russian-designed YaMZ diesel engine. This ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Modified Ivan Green Class (Project 11711)

  Programme Background The modified Ivan Gren class (Project 11711) large amphibious assault ships (LST) have been designed by Nevskoe Design Bureau for the Russian Navy. Two ships ...

• Military UAS - small

  Small UAV (Bulgaria)

  Programme Background The Bulgarian Army wants to procure UAVs to enhance the organic tactical ISR capabilities of its ground forces. According to Bulgarian media, a ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Mini UAV (Bulgaria)

  Programme Background The Bulgarian Army wants to procure UAVs to enhance the organic tactical ISR capabilities of its ground forces. According to Bulgarian media, a ...

• OPVs

  Specialised Southern Ocean Patrol Vessel [New Zealand]

  Programme Background Requirements Plans for a new OPV for the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) first came about in April 2016. The RNZN wants to ...

• Trainer

  Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS)/T-45 Replacement [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy’s (USN) Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) programme is intended to replace the troubled T-45 Goshhawk trainer. The June 2024 RFI includes ...

• Tanks

  Viatura Blindada de Combate-Carro de Combate (VBC-CC) [Brazil]

  Programme Background Several key technical requirements have been outlined by the Brazilian MoD. Among the most important are that the platform should weigh less than ...

• VBR-MSR Medium Wheeled Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle

  Technical Requirements The Brazilian Army released two documents outlining the technical and operational requirements for the VBR-MR programme in early 2020. These outlined a number ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  M-345 (1-18) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirement Italy operated the MB-339 trainer platform since 1982, procuring 137 aircraft in total. These older airframes required replacement, with the Italian Air ...

• Trainer

  M-345 Italy Future Procurement

  Programme Background On 29 Decemeber 2017, Aermacchi's M-345 High Efficiency Trainer (HET) prototype aircraft successfully completed its first flight from Venegono Superiore airfield in Varese, ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  San Antonio LPD 17 Flight I [USN]

  The LPD 17 Flight I ships are the first flight of the San Antonio-class Landing Platform Docks (LPD). Procured between FY1996 and FY2017, the vessels ...

• 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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  NavStorm-M

  BAE Systems' NavStorm-M is a gun-hardened, integrated anti-jamming and Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for artillery rounds, bombs, missiles, and uncrewed systems. It was revealed ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  LN-251

  Northrop Grumman's LN-251 is an Inertial Navigation System/Global Positioning System (INS/GPS) solution. It is an integrated navigation system with an embedded 12/24 channel, All-In-View, Selective Availability/Anti-Spoofing Module ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  ADA - IAI

  The ADA system, named after the system's adaptive antenna, is designed to protect avionics systems from GPS jamming. The system, that has won a tender ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  KN-4074ED SAASM P(Y) Code INS/GPS

  The KN-4074EB SAASM P(Y) Code INS/GPS has an enhanced capability for the KN4074E with P(Y) code equivalent DGPS corrections.

• UAS: communication systems

  N-100-6 GPS Antenna

  The N100-6 GPS antenna offers a polarimetric solution for multiple element outputs, and has been designed to provide a significantly reduced size aperture for anti-jam ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Common Open Reuse Environment

  The Lockheed Martin Common Open Reuse Environment (CORE) is an integrated glass cockpit and avionics solution that can interact with both civilian and military systems. ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  PRC-434G/CS

  The PRC-434G/CS personal survival radio is a handheld, lightweight transceiver that is capable of responding to interrogations transmitted by the airborne location system. Short-burst transmissions ...

• Subsystems: visual

  EuroSim

  EuroSim is a configurable simulator tool used to support all phases of space and non-space programmes through real-time simulations with a person and/or hardware-in-the-loop, and ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  KN-4074E

  Produced by Kearfott, the KN-4074E SAASM P(Y) Code INS/GPS is a lightweight navigation system that can be used on various uncrewed or crewed applications, including fixed- and rotary-wing ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: UAS radar

  Lynx

  The Lynx (AN/APY-8) is a synthetic aperture radar manufactured by General Atomics. It is designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance for manned and unmanned aircraft. According to ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  M-ATV

  The Oshkosh 4x4 MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) family of vehicles is designed to provide high levels of protection and mobility in off-road combat environments such ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  KN-4075 High Performance INS/GPS

  Kearfott’s KN-4075 High Performance INS/GPS system offers a low weight and small-size navigation system for a variety of rotary- and fixed-wing unmanned and manned aircraft ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  TESS

  The Tactical Engagement Simulation System (TESS) is a transparent training instrumentation system designed for the AH-64 Apache Longbow Force-on-Force collective training for live aerial gunnery ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  KN-4073C SAASM P(Y) Code INS/GPS

  The KN-4073C SAASM P(Y) Code INS/GPS is a lightweight navigation system that can be used on a range of manned aircraft applications, fixed- and rotary-wing ...

• Maritime patrol

  US-2

  The ShinMaywa US-2 is an amphibious short take-off and landing aircraft used primarily by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) for SAR.