• Defence Notes

  European Council to deliver at “pace and scale” on European defence readiness 2030 roadmap

  27th October 2025

  Two of the concrete projects outlined in the readiness report, the European Air Shield and Space Shield, will aim to be launched by Q2 2026.

• Naval Warfare

  Mitsubishi eyes future with Australia’s Mogami selection

  15th December 2025

  With Australia’s selection of the Mogami-class for Project Sea 3000, Mitsubishi is investigating local production in the next decade as potential export opportunities emerge.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Canadian Navy advances with the construction of its first River-Class destroyer

  17th June 2025

  Scheduled for delivery by 2033, HMCS Fraser will be a major surface component of the Canadian maritime combat power.

• Naval Warfare

  Raytheon to build more SM-6 Block IA missiles for US Navy under $333 million contract

  14th January 2025

  The Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) is a surface-to-air supersonic missile in service with the US Navy (USN), launched from cruisers and destroyers, capable of engaging crewed and uncrewed aircraft and land-attack or anti-ship cruise missiles in flight.

• Naval Warfare

  US Coast Guard announces measures to further implement Force Design 2028 strategy

  2nd July 2025

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) created new units, including five Programme Executive Offices (PEOs), to facilitate and speed up the procurement of new capabilities.

• Defence Notes

  Irish Naval Service expands as the country looks to defence during EU presidency

  10th November 2025

  The Irish Naval Service has struggled to maintain capability, particularly in the face of lucrative private sector offers luring away personnel.

• Naval Warfare

  HII names LPD 30 the USS Harrisburg

  13th January 2025

  The naming of the Harrisburg moves the first Flight II San Antonio-class vessel on towards active service.

• Naval Warfare

  First Canadian Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker is “on track” for keel laying in late 2026

  29th October 2025

  Canadian Coast Guard Ship Arpatuuq construction is in the block manufacturing phase. Once built, it will be the largest vessel in the Coast Guard’s inventory.

• Air Warfare

  Dubai Airshow 2025: Anduril and Edge joint venture unveils Omen tailsitter UAV

  13th November 2025

  The Group 3 UAV has also netted its first order from the UAE for 50 platforms, with full-scale production scheduled for 2028.

• Defence Notes

  Singapore plots a way forward with new technology and formation reform

  24th July 2025

  Singapore spends about 3.5% of GDP on defence and the section’s budget sits on high on the proportion of national spending. The country is investing in uncrewed technology, medium- and long-range fires and new submarines and ships with the hunt also on for new maritime patrol aircraft.

• Air Warfare

  Wedgetail rising as the aircraft continues to prove itself and wins fans

  9th April 2025

  The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was the lead customer for the E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft and the platform has been ordered by several countries with platforms ordered by the UK, with the US and NATO also selecting the platform.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy expands GARC sUSV deployment

  5th May 2025

  The small, unmanned surface vehicle will operate this year in multiple operations and military exercises worldwide.

• Air Warfare

  US Navy tests new comms pod for Marine Corps’ MQ-9A Reaper

  12th March 2025

  The pod, named SkyTower II (STII) was tested ahead of the system’s initial operational capability (IOC) in 2026.

• Naval Warfare

  Thales’ multirole missile delivers “tactical excellence” for UK Royal Navy

  20th October 2025

  The latest trials of Thales’ Lightweight Multirole Missile in two locations proved its effectiveness in combatting real-world uncrewed threats.

• Naval Warfare

  First Canadian modernised MK 46 Mod 5A torpedo to be delivered in Q1 2026

  23rd September 2025

  The upgrade of the MK 46 Mod 5A anti-submarine rounds to the MK 54 model will enable the Canadian Armed Forces to maintain the torpedoes in service for the next 25 years.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Long Range/Long Endurance (LR/LE) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  MQ-8C Fire Scout (USA)

  Programme Background Timeline According to the Naval Air Systems Command, having first ordered the MQ-8B in 2009, the UAV has become a pillar of the ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (9-18) [USMC]

  Programme Background Requirements As part of the US Marine Corps' future force structure, it is developing a new platform under the Medium Lading Ship programme ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (1-8) [USMC]

  Programme Background Development As part of the US Marine Corps' future force structure, it is developing a new platform under the Medium Lading Ship programme ...

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

  Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) (Increment 1) [USMC]

  Programme Background All-in-One UAV Since 2016, the USMC has wished to acquire a UAV that could be deployed from a vessel, be used for various missions, ...

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

  Medium Range/Medium Endurance (MR/ME) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  The Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  The Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  According to the FY2021 Base funding, the HH-60W helicopter unit cost is $43.2 million. The HH-60W will be capable of employment day or night, in ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The FVL-MS programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft utilised ...

• Destroyers

  Next-Generation Large Surface Combatants (LSC) - DDG(X) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) is acknowledging a need to move away from the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer design, which is slowly outgrowing. Flight III ...

• Military UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USN)

  Programme Background Joint USN and USMC Procurment The RQ-21 Blackjack, or STUALSO, was a combined United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) programme ...

• Military UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USMC)

  Programme Background Joint USN and USMC Procurment The RQ-21 Blackjack, or STUALSO, was a combined United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) programme ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Maritime Operations Helicopters

  The three maritime operations helicopters will be used for logistics and personnel transport, alongside transportation of PASKAL naval special forces in operations in the area. ...

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

  V-Bat [USN]

  Background Core Requirement Fundamentally, the USN requires a UAV that can be flown from its ships in austere environments without dedicated launch or recovery equipment.  ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  SECAT

  In 2022, Textron Systems unveiled its new Surface Effect Cargo Amphibious Transport (SECAT) craft, designed to support logistics behind the US Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations and ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-53E Sea Dragon

  Sikorsky developed the MH-53E (S-80) Sea Dragon variant of its CH-53E to provide the USN with a dedicated airborne mine countermeasures helicopter. Equipped with enlarged ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Tactical Mission System for Helicopter Applications

  The Saab tactical mission system is a system for transport, utility, C2 and combat helicopters intended to operate in a net-centric environment. It is designed ...

• Major networking projects

  CANES

  The Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) programme is a USN-wide effort to rationalise shipboard computing assets. It is designed to create a common ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  MQ-8C Fire Scout

  The MQ-8C is a newer version of the Fire Scout and is based on a Bell 407 commercial helicopter. It offers a greater range, endurance and ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  MQ-9 MTD

  SDS’s ROVATTS-based MQ-9 Mission Training Device (MTD) was developed to provide high-fidelity simulation to support US Air National Guard operational Reaper crew training. The PC-based ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  MERS

  The Marine Expeditionary Rifle Squad (MERS) takes a systems engineering approach to equipping the USMC’s fundamental fighting unit. The integration and configuration management of all ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  MQ-8B Fire Scout

  The MQ-8B Fire Scout is a rotary-wing UAV that provides situational awareness and precision targeting support for the US Armed Forces. The MQ-8B Fire Scout, ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  AN/ZPY-1 STARLite

  The AN/ZPY-1 Small Tactical Radar-Lightweight (STARLite) is a synthetic aperture radar and GMTI sensor for UAVs, manufactured by Northrop Grumman. It offers strip and spot synthetic ...

• Military - UUVs

  Mission Specialist Defender

  The Mission Specialist Defender is a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) developed by VideoRay, now part of BlueHalo's unmanned maritime systems. The ROV is known ...

• Trainer

  Saab 340 trainer

  The Saab 340 trainer aircraft is based on the Saab 340 regional airliner. It is used by the USN for pilot training. The aircraft replaced ...

• Air: mission management systems

  Air Operations Systems of Systems

  Air Operations System of Systems is designed to enable management of airspaces across large states and/or regions focusing on strategic planning. The system integration approach ...

• Subsystems: software

  LiteFlite II Simulators

  The LiteFlite II was designed to provide a high-fidelity, laptop-based system with white-force/man-in-the-loop capabilities for use with a variety of simulation systems. LiteFlite II represents ...

• Major networking projects

  DIB 1.3

  The Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) Integration Backbone (DIB) is a key element of the US DoD strategy to build a net-centric capability, enabling service DCGS elements ...

• Military - UUVs

  RMMV

  The Remote Multi-Mission Vehicle (RMMV) was a semi-submersible AUV developed as part of the AN/WLD-1(V) Remote Minehunting System (RMS) for the USN’s Littoral Combat Ship ...