• Defence Notes

  Great power competition in the frozen North poses tough questions for UK

  12th June 2020

  The Arctic may be known for its freezing temperatures, but it is hard to escape the conclusion that in strategic terms, the temperature is rising …

• Training

  RBSL offers UGV training to British Army

  12th May 2020

  Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) has secured a training and maintenance contract with Rheinmetall Canada to support the British Army’s recent acquisition of four Mission …

• Naval Warfare

  COVID-19 prompts Poland to reassess naval plans

  30th April 2020

  The Polish MoD will have to reshape its Technical Modernization Plan and re-evaluate some of its procurement goals, due to the economic crisis that is …

• Land Warfare

  Sweden prepares to receive final hammers of Thor

  30th April 2020

  BAE Systems Hägglunds will deliver the last of 40 CV90 twin 120mm Mjölner ('Hammer of Thor') self-propelled mortar (SPM) systems to the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration …

• Land Warfare

  ACV deals emerge unscathed from Force Design 2030

  27th April 2020

  The USMC Force Design 2030 blueprint, which intends to reduce the number of amphibious vehicle companies from six to four, does not affect agreements with …

• Naval Warfare

  Australia welcomes third and final Air Warfare Destroyer

  21st May 2020

  The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) commissioned its third Air Warfare Destroyer, HMAS Sydney, in a ceremony in Jervis Bay off the Australian coast on 18 …

• Naval Warfare

  Australia fast-tracks extra patrol boats

  1st May 2020

  Australian Defence Minister Linda Reynolds announced on 1 May that her country’s navy would receive six additional Cape-class patrol boats, to be built by Austal. …

• Defence Helicopter

  First UK AH-64E Apache to arrive six months late

  14th May 2020

  The first of 50 UK-remanufactured AH-64E V6 Apache Guardian attack helicopters will arrive six months later than expected, Shephard has learned.   'A change in the development' …

• Naval Warfare

  Evolving submarine capabilities enhance Iranian strategic posture

  15th May 2020

  Development and deployment of submarines has been at the forefront of Iranian naval strategy for decades. Since the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) acquired …

• Naval Warfare

  UK industrial prosperity key to Type 31 programme

  1st May 2020

  Strengthening the UK’s domestic maritime industry is a ‘key consideration’ of the supplier contract awards being determined by Babcock as part of the Type 31 …

• Defence Notes

  Finland bars defence officials after drawing HX consultant red line

  22nd April 2020

  A select number of former high-ranking military and political officials have been excluded from making direct contact, or acting in a negotiating capacity, with Finland’s …

• Air Warfare

  USAF expands hypersonic efforts with plans for another prototype

  4th May 2020

  The USAF has announced plans to commence a hypersonic cruise missile prototype programme on behalf of the DoD, in an effort to foster a scramjet …

• Naval Warfare

  Taiwan to quarantine 700 sailors after Palau visit

  21st April 2020

  The Taiwanese Navy is placing 700 of its sailors into quarantine after 24 of them tested positive for coronavirus following a visit to the Pacific …

• Naval Warfare

  USN welcomes USS Vermont into service

  20th April 2020

  The USN has commissioned the USS Vermont into active service as the 19th Virginia-class fast attack submarine. Despite a cancellation of the usual public ceremony, the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Loyal Wingman takes up position

  5th May 2020

  Boeing has handed over the first prototype of a Loyal Wingman large multirole UAV to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), with the first flight expected …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Tempest 50 [USAF]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 18 December 2024, the US DoD announced that the USAF had awarded Firestorm Labs a $100 million Small Business Innovation Research ...

• Trainer

  Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements The RAAF is seeking a future solution that provides a ‘relevant, adaptable, affordable and safe LIFTS out to 2050’ for training pilots ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Roussen Class

  The Roussen class fast attack craft missile (FACM) is in service with the Hellenic Navy. The British-design FACMs also known as the Super Vita, has been improved ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Indonesian Navy PC-60M

  Programme Background Local Indonesian shipyard PT Caputra Mitra Sejati has designed and developed a class of fast patrol boats that have been ordered by the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV-30 PRTV (USA)

  Programme Background The Armoured Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  New Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (NWJFAC) (1-31) [India]

  Programme Background Requirements The Indian Navy is seeking replacements for a large proportion of its 19 46-49m-long waterjet-powered fast attack craft, several of which are approaching ...

• Patrol boats

  Fast Patrol Vessels (1-8) [India]

  Programme Background On 28 March 2022, the Indian MoD signed a contract worth INR 4.73 billion ($62.1 million) with Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) for the procurement ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BvS10 [Sweden]

  Programme Background The FMV announced that it had signed a contract with BAE Systems Hägglunds for 127 BvS10 MkIIBs in May 2021. These will fulfil ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Fast Patrol Boats Procurement (1-20) [Greece]

  Programme Background Requirements In March 2025, the Hellenic Coast Guard published an updated version of its 2021-2027 Procurement Plan. The Plan has a total budget ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Ukraine - UK supplied Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FIAC)

  Programme Background It was first reported in late September 2020 that the UK could provide eight Barzan-class fast attack craft to Ukraine. The platform has been ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV (US - USMC)

  Programme Background The Armored Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook-Saudi Arabia

  In addition to this, the request includes M134D mini-Guns, aircraft survivability equipment, infrared signature suppression system, fast rope insertion extraction system, extended range fuel system, ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Fast Patrol Vessels Procurement [India]

  In January 2023, the Indian MoD issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) entailing the acquisition of 14 Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) for the Indian Coast ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Fast Patrol Vessels Procurement [India]

  In January 2023, the Indian MoD issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) entailing the acquisition of 14 Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) for the Indian Coast ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Fast Patrol Vessels Procurement (1-14) [India]

  In January 2023, the Indian MoD issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) entailing the acquisition of 14 Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) for the Indian Coast ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  INTeACT

  Developed by BAE Systems, INTeACT is a next-generation combat management system for surface vessels with a dedicated software development kit (SDK). Notably, it includes AI-powered ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Tempest 50

  The Tempest 50 is an American loitering munition and UAV from Firestorm Labs. Uniquely, 50 units of the UAV a month can be produced from ...

• UAS: communication systems

  Helix Mesh Rider

  Helix Mesh Rider is a SWaP (Size, Weight and Power) optimised mesh radio designed for uncrewed systems. Notably, it supports six frequency bands in a ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Fast Interceptor Craft

  The Fast Interceptor Craft (FIC) is a high-speed insertion craft developed and built by VT Halmatic, now part of BAE Systems Maritime. According to BAE ...

• Subsystems: software

  Vortex Simulation

  Vortex Simulation is a software platform for simulating tactical wheeled and tracked vehicles, speciality vehicles and non-tactical vehicles. Vortex lets training systems developers and engineers ...

• Data links

  QNT

  The QUINT Networking Technology (QNT) programme is intended to develop robust, affordable, miniature networked data link technologies suitable for use on weapons and by tactical ...

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

  Sky Mantis 2

  Unveiled in March 2024, the Sky Mantis 2 is a mini rotary-wing drone manufactured by Evolve Dynamics.  Based on end-user feedback, the drone is an ...

• Air: mission management systems

  RAFES

  Germany’s NBC defence C2 system, known as RAFES, is integrated into the overall FüInfoSys Heer army C2 system, adding NBC-specific functions to the standard mapping, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  P550

  Designed by AeroVironment, the P550 is a fixed-wing UAV that can host reconnaissance, EW or offensive payloads. It was developed with Parry Labs and features Modular Open Systems ...

• Air: aerial targets

  BQM-34 Firebee

  The BQM-34 Firebee is an uncrewed aerial target system that the USAF and USN have used for more than 50 years. The primary mission of ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  Bofors 40mm 3P

  The Bofors 40mm 3P (Pre-fragmented, Programmable, proximity-fused) is a multi-purpose medium calibre round designed for the Bofors 40 Mk4, a gun system manufactured by BAE Systems ...

• Naval guns

  Mk 38 Mod 2/3

  The Mk 38 Machine Gun System is a stabilised self-defence weapon system intended for ships' self-defence capabilities in all weather conditions, day or night. Installed ...

• EW test systems

  FAST

  Functional And Stray voltage Tester (FAST) is a handheld armament pre-flight tester that functions as a flightline tester. It is used to perform ‘O’-level armament ...

• Self-propelled mortars

  AMOS

  The Advanced Mortar System (AMOS) is a twin-barrelled, 120mm breech-loading mortar turret designed to be mounted onto medium-sized wheeled or tracked APC chassis and fast ...

• Frigates

  Adaptable Strike Frigate

  The Adaptable Strike Frigate (ASF) is a frigate design developed by BAE Systems Naval Ships. Marketed as a platform characterised by strong modularity, the ship ...