• Digital Battlespace

  Australia pushes on with indigenous ISR and EW programme

  4th May 2020

  Australia is pushing ahead with the next phase of its Miniaturised Orbital Electronic Warfare Sensor System (MOESS) project. The Australian Department of Defence announced in …

• Digital Battlespace

  Bittium to continue ESSOR porting for Finland

  18th February 2020

  Bittium will continue porting the European European Secure Software-defined Radio (ESSOR) programme’s Operational Capability 1 (OC1) wideband waveform to the Bittium Tough SDR radio for …

• Land Warfare

  Ukraine restores eight 4x4 BRDM-2L1s

  16th April 2020

  Ukraine-based Nikolaev Armoured Plant (MBTZ, a subsidiary of Ukroboronprom) confirmed on 16 April that it has restored eight 4x4 BRDM-2L1 armoured reconnaissance patrol cars. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  Germany joins ESSOR programme

  25th February 2020

  The Alliance for ESSOR (a4ESSOR) has been awarded a contract amendment by OCCAR which allows Germany to join the European Secure Software defined Radio (ESSOR) …

• Defence Helicopter

  Spotlight shines on US presidential helicopters

  29th April 2020

  A recent report from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) acknowledges that the presidential helicopter programme is within cost goals but asserts that some technical …

• Training

  UK NAO highlights training shortfalls

  16th April 2020

  In March, the UK’s National Audit Office (NAO) published its 'Defence Capabilities – Delivering What Was Promised' report. For the first time, the NAO concentrated on …

• Land Warfare

  US Army looks at precision strike through a new prism

  1st May 2020

  The US Army and Lockheed Martin successfully conducted the third flight test in their next-generation long-range missile programme at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico on …

• Training

  New KC-46 training scheme unveiled

  17th April 2020

  Despite the travails surrounding the USAF's KC-46 Pegasus tanker programme, the training show goes on and has just gathered pace. FlightSafety Services Corporation (FSC), the …

• Land Warfare

  Blighter Surveillance Systems develops low-cost radar

  1st April 2020

  Blighter Surveillance Systems has developed a low-cost and lightweight ground surveillance/vehicle-mountable radar called Orbiter, designed for military and non-military uses. Orbiter can detect a moving …

• Air Warfare

  USN orders two E-2D AHE aircraft and extended services

  2nd April 2020

  Northrop Grumman has secured a fixed-price-incentive-firm-target contract modification worth $404 million from the USN’s Naval Air Systems Command. The contract covers procurement of two new …

• Defence Notes

  US fixed-wing programmes look to rise above crisis

  1st May 2020

  Substantial investment by the US DoD in major fighter jet and tanker aircraft programmes — combined with the economic fallout from the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis — has put …

• Digital Battlespace

  US continues effort to harden UAVs against electromagnetic attack

  25th March 2020

  DARPA is bringing its Collaborative Operations in Denied Environments (CODE) initiative to a conclusion, with the programme transitioning to the USN. CODE was one of …

• Land Warfare

  USMC seeks exit route for tanks

  8th April 2020

  After announcing the planned removal of its entire MBT capability in its Force Design 2030 blueprint, the USMC is now working to define how these vehicles …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UAV Navigation FCS integrated with Sky Power Engines

  3rd April 2020

  Spain-based UAV Navigation has teamed up with Germany’s Sky Power to design modernised flight control solutions (FCS). As a result, the FCS used by UAV …

• Training

  Quantum3D launches latest MANTIS

  31st March 2020

  Quantum3D has released the latest version (v.3.5.0) of its MANTIS image generation software. According to the California-based company, this iteration has been developed to ‘push …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V Procurement [Slovakia]

  Programme Background Earlier in April 2018, the US State Department announced that it has approved a possible FMS deal of 14 F-16V aircraft for an ...

• Aircraft carriers

  Queen Elizabeth Class

  The contract to begin the construction of the first ship was awarded in 2008, ten years after the programme was announced in the 1998 SDR. ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Belgium Jaguar Medium Common Armoured Vehicle Platform

  Programme Background In its Strategic Vision for Defence document published in June 2016, the Belgian MoD outlined its aspirations for equipping five motorised manoeuvre battalions ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  6x6 APC (Philippines)

  Programme Background The Philippine Army has identified an urgent need for new wheeled APCs, after the Battle of Marawi exposed shortcomings in its existing fleet ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Intercept and Escort Craft (UK)

  Programme BackgroundThe UK MoD launched a programme aimed at developing a class of Intercept and Escort craft intended to replace the existing stock of Avon Sea Rider, Pacific ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Intercept and Escort Craft (UK) (Option)

  Programme Background The UK MoD launched a programme aimed at developing a class of Intercept and Escort craft intended to replace the existing stock of Avon Sea ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-15SA Saudi Arabia

  The aircraft deal includes 170 APG-63(v)3 AESA radar sets, 193 F-110-GE-129 Improved Performance Engines, 100 M61 Vulcan Cannons, 338 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems amongst ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Belgium Griffon Light Common Armoured Vehicle Platform

  Programme Background In its Strategic Vision for Defence document published in June 2016, the Belgian MoD outlined its aspirations for equipping five motorised manoeuvre battalions ...

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS 39E/F Gripen (Brazil)

  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 development ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 (Qatar)

  Programme Background In 2018 at DIMDEX, it was revealed that Qatar had bought six Bayraktar TB2 UAVs from Turkey. The deal also included three ground control stations, ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Tejas LCA - India Follow-On

  According to the HAL's chairman R Madhavan, 'apart from all the capabilities of IOC aircraft, the FOC variant additionally comes with an air-to-air refuelling capability, close-combat ...

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS-39C/D Gripen Replacement [Czech Republic]

  Programme Background Requirements The Czech Republic Air Force operates 14 Gripens (12 JAS 39C and two JAS 39D variants) under a lease agreement that runs ...

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

  MQ-9 Reaper [France]

  Programme Background Total Procurement In June 2013, Northrop Grumman announced that France had requested the purchase of 16 Reapers plus associated systems from the US ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-46A (Follow-On) [Japan]

  Programme Background Requirement In May 2024, Australian Defence Magazine reported that the Japan Self-Defence Forces (JSDF) has been planning to increase its airborne refuelling and strategic transport ...

• 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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  HF SDR

  Bharat Electronics Limited's High-Frequency Software-Defined Radio (HF SDR) was unveiled at the Aero India 2023 exhibition. The transceiver operates in the HF band and features ...

• Naval: Radio and SATCOM

  SDR-NC

  Developed by DRDO and produced by Bharat Electronics, the SDR-NC is a multi-mode, multi-band radio system designed for the Indian Armed Forces. Offered in at least ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Bittium Tough SDR Handheld

  Bittium Tough SDR Handheld is a part of Bittium's Tough software-defined radio family. The transceiver supports Bittium's proprietary waveforms as well as ESSOR, and national ...

• UAS: communication systems

  NDR374

  The NDR374 is a 4-Channel Software-Defined Radio developed by the U.S. based manufacturer Epiq Solutions that can be used during rapid deployment and reliant support ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  BNET-AR

  BNET-AR Airborne SDR is a member of Rafael's BNET Family of IP Software Defined Radios. The modular, multiband system utilises an open architecture and provides ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  PR9560

  The PR9560 is designed for use by land forces, including infantry, forward observers, snipers, special forces, and anti-terror units, and can be utilized at either ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  SDR-Tac

  The SDR-Tac is a four-channel software-defined radio for naval vessels, developed by India's Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and Bharat Electronics. It is in service with ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/PRC-162

  The AN/PRC-162 is a two-channel software-defined radio that has been selected for the US Army’s Handheld, Manpack and Small Form Fit programme. The SDR is ...

• UAS: communication systems

  RX410

  The RX410 by Pixus Technologies is a rugged Software-Defined Radio (SDR) based on the National Instruments Ettus Research X410 model, designed to handle frequencies from ...

• Data links, Land: Radio and SATCOM, UAS: communication systems

  QNT-200

  The Collins QNT-200 is a dual-channel software-defined radio (SDR) designed for size, weight and power-constrained platforms. Using IP-based mesh networks, it offers high-bandwidth mobile networking ...

• UAS: communication systems

  Sidekiq VPX410

  The Sidekiq VPX410 is a high-performance, SOSA-aligned 3U VPX SDR, first unveiled in 2022. It facilitates access to critical frequency bands up to 18GHz by ...

• UAS: communication systems

  BNET NANO

  The newest member of Rafael's BNET family of Software-Defined Radios, BNET NANO was unveiled in 2021. BNET Nano provides capabilities similar to larger BNET radios ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  SDR-H Special Role Radio

  In February 2018, Domo Tactical Communications (DTC) announced the development of the SDR-H Special Role Radio (SRR), designed for tactical and special operations. The SRR ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  SDR Family

  Designed to provide high-speed data and voice communications to support land, maritime and air platform applications on the digital battlefield. The family of SDRs consists ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  SpiderNet-SDR

  The SpiderNet-SDR is a family of tactical software defined radios that provides warfighters with optimised situational awareness of the battlefield. Its multiband, multirole feature enables ...