• Defence Helicopter

  Upgraded Mi-28N starts first flight trials

  18th October 2016

  A prototype of a modernised Mi-28 combat helicopter has begun flight testing at the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, Russian Helicopters announced on 13 October. The …

• Naval Warfare

  GDMS to continue Rescue 21 support

  17th October 2016

  General Dynamics Mission Systems (GDMS) has been awarded a 36-month, $125.6 million follow-on contract by the US Coast Guard (USCG) for work on the Rescue …

• Digital Battlespace

  GPS OCX completes test milestone

  17th October 2016

  Raytheon has reached a new milestone in the development of the US Air Force's (USAF) Global Positioning System Next Generation Operational Control System (GPS OCX), …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Optical Bar camera sensor on RQ-4

  17th October 2016

  Northrop Grumman has successfully flown an Optical Bar camera broad-area synoptic sensor on an RQ-4 Global Hawk high altitude long endurance (HALE) UAS, the company …

• Land Warfare

  Indian Army buys more MPVs

  17th October 2016

  An order for 250 additional Mine-Protected Vehicles (MPV) for the Indian Army was lodged with the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) in late September.  With first …

• Defence Notes

  Taiwan to form new research agency

  16th October 2016

  Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced that a new agency will be created in 2017 to integrate private sector and military research and development …

• Defence Helicopter

  Indian deal done for Ka-226T

  16th October 2016

  India’s and Russia’s heads of state signed a much awaited contract for the production of 200 Kamov Ka-226T helicopters at the BRICS summit in Goa …

• Naval Warfare

  Euronaval 2016: Norway to push for coast guard vessels

  15th October 2016

  The Norwegian government this week followed up from June’s long term defence plan with a 2017-budget that involves an increase in the funding level for …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  USCG begins installation of UAS on NSC

  14th October 2016

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) has started the installation of a small UAS on USCGC Stratton in Alameda, California, the USCG announced on 11 October. The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Autonomous naval assets on the horizon

  14th October 2016

  After two years of planning the UK’s Unmanned Warrior event is underway off the west coast of Scotland and Wales and while the event was …

• Military Logistics

  US AFRL develops bendable Li-ion batteries

  14th October 2016

  The US Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Materials and Manufacturing Directorate is developing a new type of flexible lithium-ion battery that can be manipulated, bent …

• Land Warfare

  AM General logs $151 million HMMWV orders

  14th October 2016

  AM General has received new HMMWV contracts and modifications to existing international and domestic contracts totalling $151.05 million for vehicles and parts, the company announced …

• Land Warfare

  New Russian Army group formed

  14th October 2016

  A new Russian Army formation will be established in the country’s Southern Military District, close to the border with Ukraine. Valery Gerasmiov, chief of the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Gladius looks to future technology

  14th October 2016

  As the fourth batch of Germany’s Gladius soldier system is prepared for delivery next year, additional capabilities are being developed. In addition, Rheinmetall, which makes …

• Digital Battlespace

  New mission for DSCS satellite

  13th October 2016

  A Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) satellite has embarked on a new mission supporting the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s Amundsen-Scott Station at the South Pole. …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker DVH [USA]

  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 ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, 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 Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply ...

• 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, ...

• 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 - tracked

  AMPV [USA]

  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 ...

• 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 - fixed-wing, 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 - fixed-wing, 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Mobile Tactical Cannon [USA]

  Background The US Army began using the M777 in 1995. Since then, it has served as a field artillery piece providing fire support for American ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow-On [USA]

  Programme Background In March 2019, Airbus stated that it expected orders from the US Army for between 12 and 15 UH-72A helicopters. In March 2020, ...

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

  Group 4/5 UAV [US Army]

  Background Request for Information (RFI) On 5 June 2024, the American DoD published an RfI with an original response date of 19 July 2024. The ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

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

  Programme 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 ...

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 ...

• 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. 

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  RQ-7 Shadow 200

  The Shadow 200, designated RQ-7B by the US Army, is flown by the army brigade combat teams and combat aviation brigades along with the UAV ...

• 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). ...

• Individual grenade launchers

  M320 GLM

  The M320 Grenade Launcher Module (GLM) is a further development of the HK AG36 (see separate entry) to meet a US Army requirement. The M320 ...

• 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.