• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Russia’s jet-powered UCAV to fly soon

  23rd July 2019

  Russia’s first jet-powered unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV), dubbed Okhotnik (Hunter), is set to begin flight testing by year-end. According to Russia’s deputy prime minister responsible …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  False start to Italian unmanned battle

  11th July 2019

  A potential race between Piaggio Aerospace and Leonardo to secure unmanned contracts from the Italian government, looks to be over before it has had a …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Watchkeeper progress points to subtle success for British Army

  23rd July 2019

  The widely publicised crashes and delays that have long derailed the UK’s unmanned Watchkeeper programme look to be behind the MoD as it moves out …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy aims for expeditious MCM host alternative

  12th July 2019

  The US Navy plans to begin testing a Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) mine countermeasures (MCM) mission package (MP) on an Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) this …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Firebird agreements signed

  18th July 2019

  Northrop Grumman has signed agreements with two companies for rights to purchase its Firebird aircraft system. Tenax Aerospace and Grand Sky Development Company have signed …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Talisman Sabre 2019: Australian UGVs are put to work

  13th July 2019

  The Australian Army is utilising the opportunities that Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019 presents to continue testing of six Mission Adaptable Platform System (MAPS) 6x6 UGVs …

• Naval Warfare

  South Korea eyes a ‘Lightning carrier’

  23rd July 2019

  As China begins the build of a planned multi-hull LHD fleet and Japan prepares to operate F-35B fighters from its two newest ‘helicopter destroyers’, the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Fully automatic autorotation demoed for Vector UAV autopilot

  5th July 2019

  UAV Navigation has announced that it has demonstrated a fully-automatic autorotation capability for its Vector unmanned aircraft autopilot.  In collaboration with Alpha Unmanned Systems, tests …

• Land Warfare

  Royal Marines tests LMM against Banshee

  8th July 2019

  The Royal Marines has tested Thales’ Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM) against aerial targets during an exercise in south Wales.  Air Defence Troop of Plymouth-based 30 …

• Land Warfare

  New Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land JV established

  2nd July 2019

  Rheinmetall and BAE Systems have officially established their new UK-based joint venture (JV) for military vehicle design, manufacture and support.  Known as Rheinmetall BAE Systems …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  JGSDF intelligence units are using ScanEagle

  11th July 2019

  The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) exhibited an Insitu ScanEagle UAV loaded on a Type 73 medium truck at the Fuji School on 7 July, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Frequentis contracted for control system for MQ-25 Stingray

  4th July 2019

  Frequentis has been awarded a $8.45 million firm-fixed-price contract for work related to the MD-5A unmanned carrier aviation mission control system for the US Navy’s …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Leonardo reveals plan to absorb AWHero development

  4th July 2019

  Leonardo’s board of directors has approved a plan for the company to absorb its unmanned aerial vehicle manufacturing Sistemi Dinamici subsidiary into the main business …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AI to push automated C-UAS system

  17th July 2019

  Leonardo will further automate its Falcon Shield counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) platform in the coming years, with the increased introduction of AI one of a number of planned upgrades.   …

• Defence Helicopter

  Australia kicks off Tiger replacement effort

  10th July 2019

  The Australian Army has begun its search for a successor to the troubled Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH), with an RfI issued by the Capability …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior [India]

  Programme Background Make In India The 'Make In India' initiative is an effort by the Indian government to boost domestic manufacturing. In the context of ...

• Military UAS - small

  Black Hornet 3 PRS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army operated approximately 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS between 2013 and 2017, when the decision was made to retire ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Ajax IFV [UK]

  Background Prior to commencing development of the Ajax the UK utilised the Warrior was its primary IFV. However, the Warrior entered service in 1987 making it ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Naval Collaborative Combat Air Vehicle (N-CCAV) [India]

  Programme Background CATS Warrior The Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) is a planned, uncrewed and crewed family of aircraft in development by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-1 Gray Eagle [US Army]

  Background Required Quantity Although the US Army first envisioned a requirement for 132 MQ-1C Gray Eagles, the US Army's Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) was increased ...

• Military UAS - small

  Orbiter 3 (Croatia)

  Programme Background The Croatian government launched a competitive tender for the procurement of a short-range UAV in October 2017. Although the tender was opened on ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Protected 4x4 Replacement [Argentina]

  Programme Background Argentina currently operates the AML, Spartan 4x4 APC and Dongfeng Warrior CSK131, with 45 still in service across the three vehicles. It also previously operated ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (MIV) [UK]

  Background History The UK MoD announced in March 2018 that it would re-join the Boxer programme and pursue a sole-source acquisition of the 8x8 vehicle. ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  Fixed Site-Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft System Integrated Defeat System [Qatar]

  Background In 2022, Qatar received authorisation from the US Government to acquire 10 Fixed Site-Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft System Integrated Defeat System (FS-LIDS) for $1 billion. Also ...

• Military UAS - mini

  AR100-H [Germany]

  Programme Background In May 2022, it was announced that 145 AR100-H drones would be supplied to the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). At the time of ...

• Military UAS - small

  Alpha 900 [Uruguay]

  Background Acqustiion In October 2022, the Alpha 900 from Alpha Unmanned Systems was reportedly jointly purchased by the Uruguayan state energy company UTE and the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Sixth-Generation Aircraft [South Korea]

  Programme Background Hanwha industries has confirmed that a new engine is under development to replace the American manufactured F-414 engine; according to reports, the new ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Ermine (Ukraine Aid) [Netherlands]

  Background Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Western governments have sought to provide as much assistance as possible to the Ukrainian government. ...

• Minehunters

  New Generation Minehunters/Coastal (NGM/C) (1-5) [Italy]

  Background Requirements Four vessels were planned to be NGM/A, a new ocean-going MCMV, while a further eight NGM/C minehunters, a new coastal MCMV. These will replace ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military - USVs

  SHARC

  The Sensor Hosting Autonomous Remote Craft (SHARC) wave glider platform is a JV developed between Boeing and Liquid Robotics. The SHARC is able to deliver ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Warrior Systems

  General Dynamics Mission Systems is prime contractor and system integrator for the US Army’s Warrior soldier systems, which include Air Warrior, Future Force Warrior, Land Warrior ...

• Military UAS - small

  Outlaw SeaHunter

  Outlaw UAVs are used by military and research agencies for training, testing, data collection and system development. In the 114-137kg maximum take-off weight class, SeaHunter ...

• Military UAS - small

  NRQ-21

  Insitu displayed the NRQ-21 Integrator at the Unmanned Warrior 2016 event in Wales. The aircraft has been designed to carry out tasks on land and ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Mounted Warrior

  Mounted Warrior will provide an integrated system-of-systems ensemble designed to improve the survivability, lethality and combat effectiveness of armoured vehicle crewmen. The system leverages capabilities ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Warrior

  The Warrior IFV entered service with the British Army in mid-1987. A total of 789 vehicles were delivered in IFV, infantry command, anti-tank, recovery, repair, ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  MIHDS

  The Modular Integrated Helmet Display System (MIHDS) is designed and developed jointly by General Dynamics Mission Systems, USA and Microvision Inc. The system's SD2500 design ...

• Military - USVs

  MAST

  The Maritime Autonomy Surface Testbed (MAST) was developed by ASV Global and Roke Manor Research under funding from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. It ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  CATS Warrior

  Manufactured by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior is a medium-altitude long-endurance UAS part of the CATS family ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  Warrior 2020

  Finland’s Warrior 2020 programme is focused on improving individual soldier equipment in the five capability areas defined by NATO: C4I, lethality, mobility, survivability and sustainability. Warrior ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58D Kiowa Warrior

  The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, manufactured by Bell Helicopter Textron, is a two-person, light scout helicopter with a day/night mast-mounted sight, glass cockpit and four-bladed rotor system. ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MUBC

  The Modular Universal Battery Charger (MUBC) is a scalable charging system for a range of military and commercial batteries. It provides for the addition of ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F Cayuse Warrior

  An evolution of the OH-6 Cayuse light observation helicopter, the MD 530F was initially Federal Aviation Administration-certified in July 1985 as the Model 369FF. It ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  Athena 511

  The Athena 511 is a compact all-in-one GPS-aided INS air data system. The system’s integrated inertial sensing uses a tactical grade, ring-laser gyro IMU, with ...

• Land: RWS

  Unmanned T40

  Nexter is developed an unmanned variant of its T40 two-man turret to meet the growing demand for these types of systems. Like the standard T40, ...