• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Northern Plains granted flight upgrade

  20th January 2017

  The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted the Northern Plains UAS test site in North Dakota authorisation to fly large UAVs beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS), starting …

• Training

  Thales to upgrade army training instrumentation

  20th January 2017

  Thales and partner RUAG Defence will upgrade instrumentation for the French Army's live combat training centres under a contract from the French DGA announced on …

• Land Warfare

  Indian Spike buy ahead

  20th January 2017

  The Indian Army is on the verge of acquiring the Israeli Spike anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) systems to equip its infantry battalions and mechanised units. …

• Land Warfare

  New mortar proposals imminent

  20th January 2017

  Industry is set to begin competing for the first phase of the US Army's High Explosive Guided Mortar.   An Orbital ATK spokesperson told Shephard …

• Digital Battlespace

  Israeli Air Force gets Arrow-3 interceptors

  20th January 2017

  Arrow-3 interceptors developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) MLM division have been formally integrated into the Israeli Air Force’s Arrow Weapon System (AWS), the company …

• Defence Helicopter

  CH-53K experiences engine heat issues

  20th January 2017

  Engine heating issues appear to be the major lesson of the Director, Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) FY2016 annual report for the CH-53K programme. The Heavy Lift …

• Defence Notes

  UDT Asia: Saab torpedo develops

  20th January 2017

  A new lightweight torpedo being developed by Saab for the Royal Swedish Navy (RSwN) will be integrated onto its future submarines. Dubbed Torpedo 47, it will replace …

• Special Operations

  SHOT Show: Kalashnikov reborn (video)

  20th January 2017

  The AK-47 is an iconic rifle that has shaped warfare for several decades, being utilised on most battlefields by militaries and non-state groups. Now, Kalashnikov …

• Special Operations

  SHOT Show: Steiner's laser focus (video)

  19th January 2017

  Rifle optics specialists Steiner has brought an array of products to this year's SHOT Show in Las Vegas, including laser devices, flashlights and helmet-mounted night …

• Defence Helicopter

  CPI awarded contract for AH-1Z assemblies

  19th January 2017

  CPI Aerostructures will continue to manufacture engine cowl assemblies and support assemblies for the AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter under a $14.8 million IDIQ contract from …

• Defence Helicopter

  K-MAX airframe delivered

  19th January 2017

  Kaman Aerosystems has delivered the first K-MAX airframe from its reopened production line in Jacksonville, Florida, the company announced on 17 January. The airframe has …

• Naval Warfare

  White Paper calls for USN shipbuilding increase

  19th January 2017

  The US Senate Armed Services Committee has in a new white paper called for an increase in shipbuilding for the US Navy with additional submarines …

• Land Warfare

  Serbia gets Russian armour donation

  19th January 2017

  An agreement has been reached that will see Serbia receive second hand armoured vehicles from Russia. The deal, which was concluded in a government-to-government agreement …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales to upgrade Swiss radars

  19th January 2017

  Thales has been awarded a contract to upgrade the Swiss Air Force’s Master radars, the company announced on 18 January. The contract is valued at …

• Defence Helicopter

  Italy reveals AW129 replacement

  19th January 2017

  Replacement of the Italian Army’s AW129 with a new exploration and escort (NEES) helicopter has come to light, further to a joint contract between Leonardo Helicopters and the …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (US Army) (Batch 1) [USA]

  Background As of January 2021, the US DoD had signed 15 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches ...

• Main battle tanks

  Decisive Lethality Platform [USA]

  Background The DLP is one of five vehicle families being developed for the US Army's NGCV programme. Expanded to include five programmes in October 2018, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker DVH (March 2026) [US]

  Background The US Army has been operating the Stryker since 2002. The Stryker DVH is an upgraded variant that has additional armour on its underside ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker DVH (September 2026) [US]

  Background The US Army has been operating the Stryker since 2002. The Stryker DVH is an upgraded variant that has additional armour on its underside ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AMPV [US]

  Background Platform development The US Army initiated the AMPV programme to acquire a replacement for several variants of the M113 tracked APC, which has been ...

• Military UAS - small

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 2) [US Army]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was intended to ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) [US Army]

  Background USMC First, Army Second In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle – Expeditionary ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  M-SHORAD Increment 3 [USA]

  Background The US Army is upgrading its maneuver short-range air defense system (M-SHORAD). Under the overal programme, there are three increments. Increment 1 vehicles are ...

• Military UAS - small

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 1) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was ...

• Military UAS - micro

  eBee Vision [US]

  Background Multiple orders In November 2025, the US Army acquired three eBee Vision systems to enhance training operations at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany. A ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker (Sergeant Stout) (Batch 2) [USA]

  Background As part of the Army Transformation Initiative, the US DoD is fundamentally reorganising the structure of the US Army. The development of the Sergeant ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) [Tranche 1] / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) (USA)

  Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) programme The RPUAS programme will provide the Battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an organic, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker (Sergeant Stout) [USA]

  Background As part of the Army Transformation Initiative, the US DoD is fundamentally reorganising the structure of the US Army. As part of this all Infantry Brigade ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Lower Tier Air and Missile Defence Sensor [US]

  Background The US Army's Lower Tier Air and Missile Defence Sensor (LTAMDS) is being acquired from US-based Raytheon.  The United States Army is the primary customer ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  US Army AVCATT PDSS

  L3Harris Technologies is the prime contractor for the US Army’s Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (AVCATT) Post Deployment Software Support (PDSS) programme. L3Harris Technologies is ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  US Army Flight School XXI OFT/RCTD

  L3Harris Technologies is a major subcontractor to CSC on the US Army’s Flight School XXI (FSXXI) programme. L3Harris Technologies has built or is under contract ...

• 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. 

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58 Kiowa

  The single-engine OH-58 Kiowa, derived from the Bell 206, entered US Army service in 1969 as a light observation helicopter. More than 2,200 were built for ...

• Towed guns

  M198

  The US Army developed the M198 155mm towed howitzer from 1969 to replace the M114 155mm howitzer. From 1978, 1,600 weapons were built by Rock ...

• Towed mortars

  M120/M120A1

  The M120/M120A1 120 mm Towed Mortar System is a US-built version of the Soltam K6 mortar that was accepted into US Army service in 1990.

• Light tanks

  M10 Booker

  The US Army awarded General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) a contract worth US$1.14 billion to supply 96 light tanks under the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72A/B Lakota

  In 2006, the US Army selected a version of the medium-sized, twin-engine H145, designated the UH-72A Lakota,  to meet its requirement for a new Light ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  M1150 ABV

  The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) project, launched by the USMC in 2002, is a joint programme to meet the requirements of both the US ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV)

  BAE Systems' Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) was developed in response to a US Army requirement for a platform to replace the ageing M113 APCs in ...

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  AN/PLQ-9 Thor-III

  Sierra Nevada’s AN/PLQ-9 Thor-III is the standard Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) manpack system in service with the US Army and US Marine Corps (USMC). ...

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M821A3 High Explosive Mortar Round

  The M821A3 High Explosive Mortar Round is an 81mm mortar round manufactured by Day & Zimmerman for the US Army.

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M933A1 High Explosive Mortar Round

  The M933A1 High Explosive Mortar Round is a 120mm mortar round manufactured by Day & Zimmermann for the US Army.

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M934A1 High Explosive Mortar Round

  The M934A1 High Explosive Mortar Round is a 120mm mortar round produced by Day & Zimmermann for the US Army.

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M930 Illumination Mortar Round

  The M930 Illumination Mortar Round is a 120mm mortar round manufactured by Island Pyrochemical Industries for the US Army.