• Defence Notes

  US defence budget contains modernisation risk

  10th February 2016

  The proposed FY2017 US defence budget includes some risk to programme modernization, Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) and Chief Financial Officer Mike McCord acknowledged at …

• Military Logistics

  US Navy gets new energy storage system

  9th February 2016

  Boeing has delivered a fuel cell energy storage system for testing to the US Navy after 16 months of development, the company announced on 8 …

• Land Warfare

  Russia’s MBTs ‘a concern’ for West

  9th February 2016

  Western defence planners should be ‘very concerned’ with Russia’s developments in land warfare capabilities, particular main battle banks (MBT). Last year, Russia unveiled several new …

• Digital Battlespace

  Telephonics to make USMC ECMs

  9th February 2016

  Telephonics has been awarded a manufacturing contract by Sierra Nevada (SNC) to support around 580 Modi II Electronic Countermeasure (ECM) systems for the US Marine …

• Training

  Singapore Airshow: RAAF to enhance C-130J training

  9th February 2016

  The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) announced its Plan Jericho, a fundamental reappraisal of the way in which it would use its synthetic training systems, …

• Land Warfare

  Finland to procure munition from US

  9th February 2016

  Finnish Minister of Defence Jussi Niinistö has given his approval to procure munitions for a heavy rocket launcher system from the US, it was announced …

• Digital Battlespace

  Singapore Airshow: RSAF aerostat being tested

  9th February 2016

  The Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF) new aerostat is currently undergoing manufacturer testing to meet its safety and operational standards, the national defence ministry …

• Digital Battlespace

  Singapore Airshow: Manila confirms Israeli radars

  9th February 2016

  After a long-running process, the Philippines has finally inked a deal with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Elta Systems for three over-the-horizon air surveillance radars.  The …

• Training

  RAN capability transformation boosts simulation

  8th February 2016

  The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Plan Pelorus focuses on ways to achieve improved operational capability in the future and one of the key areas that …

• Digital Battlespace

  Boeing, USAF complete GPS IIF constellation

  8th February 2016

  Boeing and the US Air Force have launched the 12th Boeing-built satellite, thereby completing the GPS IIF constellation, the company announced on 5 February. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF orders Viperfish SDI-1 video recorders

  8th February 2016

  Gatekeeper Systems has received a purchase order from Stirling Computers to provide 25 Viperfish SDI-1 high-definition airborne digital video recorders to the US Air Force, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Aeros plan Ukraine surveillance

  8th February 2016

  Ukraine's border security is set for a re-vamp following a deal what will improve its surveillance systems. The signing of an MoU between the Ukrainian …

• Military Logistics

  Supacat to bid for UK protected mobility

  5th February 2016

  UK vehicle manufacturer, Supacat, has announced its intention to bid for the UK MoD’s protected mobility vehicle programme (PMVP). Details of the programme were released …

• Digital Battlespace

  GPS III satellite completes TVAC test

  5th February 2016

  Lockheed Martin completed system-level Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) testing of its first GPS III satellite for the US Air Force in December, the company announced on …

• Military Logistics

  BCB delivers FireDragon fuel

  5th February 2016

  BCB has delivered the first batch of FireDragon fuel packs to the British Army following its contract award in November 2015. A spokesperson for BCB …

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.