• Naval Warfare

  Second Suffren-class nuclear submarine delivered to French Navy

  10th August 2023

  The second Suffren-class SSN for the French Navy, Duguay-Trouin, has been officially delivered after months of sea trials.

• Air Warfare

  B-2 stealth bomber receives new digital communications system

  10th August 2023

  Northrop Grumman and the USAF have completed an integrated airborne mission transfer (IAMT) demonstrator with the B-2 Spirit at Whiteman Air Force Base.

• Air Warfare

  Azerbaijan's integral role in Turkish TF-X Kaan fighter programme strengthens defence capabilities and strategic ties

  2nd August 2023

  'By involving Azerbaijan [in the TF-X Kaan programme], Türkiye can potentially share the financial burden of the project, leading to cost savings and economic advantages for both countries,' team lead for government contracting at Tusas Engine Industries tells Shephard.

• Land Warfare

  Oshkosh Defense receives $201 million order for FMTV A2 vehicles

  4th August 2023

  Oshkosh Defense has been awarded a $201 million contract for additional Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles A2 (FMTV A2) from the US Army, taking the total number of ordered platforms to 2,000.

• Air Warfare

  Ukraine lessons: is bringing an attack helicopter to a missile fight too dangerous?

  15th September 2023

  According to multiple OSINT sources, Russian forces have lost possibly as many as 200 rotary-wing aircraft since February 2022. Some of these occurred in early high-profile operations, but most have been attrition casualties during the ongoing fighting. Shephard analyses the nature of these losses, and what lessons NATO attack helicopter operators should draw.

• Defence Notes

  Malaysia’s military acquisition mayhem and malfeasance (Opinion)

  15th June 2023

  Malaysia has succeeded in producing some prime examples of unsuccessful military procurements and corruption. Unfortunately, it is the Malaysian Armed Forces that bears the consequences.

• Naval Warfare

  Turkish shipyard to refit Nigerian Navy’s flagship

  11th June 2023

  Turkish shipbuilder Dearsan is to refit the MEKO 360 frigate NNS Aradu and supply a 57m Tuzla patrol vessel to Nigeria.

• Land Warfare

  GDLS awarded $257.6 million contract for 26 M10 Booker combat vehicles

  10th July 2023

  General Dynamics Land Systems has been awarded a contract modification for the LRIP of the M10 Booker combat vehicle, providing enhanced firepower and mobility to Infantry Brigade Combat Teams.

• Digital Battlespace

  RTX demonstrates AI-enabled communications systems for battlefield networking at Northern Edge 2023

  3rd August 2023

  RTX showcased advanced AI-enabled communications systems during Northern Edge 2023 exercise, connecting coalition partners and enabling rapid data distribution for enhanced joint force capabilities on the battlefield.

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems receives $120 million for more Armoured Multi-Purpose Vehicles

  4th August 2023

  BAE Systems has received an LRIP contract award of $119.6 million for additional Armoured Multi-Purpose Vehicles (AMPVs) for the US Army as it awaits full-rate production (FRP) contract awards for a fleet predicted to eventually be 2,897 vehicles.

• Land Warfare

  Senate wants $532 million boost for modernising US Abrams tank fleet

  1st August 2023

  The extra funds will enable the upgrading of 53 tanks on top of the 34 included in the US Army's FY2024 budget request.

• Naval Warfare

  Second Royal Navy Type 26 frigate sees the light

  26th June 2023

  Part of the second of the UK RN’s future City-class Type 26 frigates, HMS Cardiff, has emerged from the build hall at BAE Systems Govan site in Glasgow, Scotland.

• Naval Warfare

  MBDA nets new contract for Saudi CAMM missiles

  11th May 2023

  The US Navy has awarded MBDA a $19.6 million contract modification to produce Common Anti-Air Modular Missiles (CAMM) to equip Saudi Arabia's future Multi-Mission Surface Combatant (MMSC) ships.

• Air Warfare

  US Navy's next-generation high-speed missile might not be hypersonic

  8th August 2023

  Concepts for new missiles for the US Navy (USN) are being finalised under the Hypersonic Air-Launched Offensive Anti-Surface Weapon (HALO) programme.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UMS Skeldar equips V-200 UAV with Hydronalix USV

  27th June 2023

  At Modern Day Marine, drone-maker UMS Skeldar and Hydronalix announced a cooperation agreement to equip the V-200 rotary-UAS with the latter’s uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs).

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Constellation Class - FFG(X) (11-20)

  The US Navy ran the Next Generational Future Guided Missile Frigate (FFG X) programme to build a replacement for the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates, the ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Constellation Class - FFG(X) (11-20)

  The US Navy ran the Next Generational Future Guided Missile Frigate (FFG X) programme to build a replacement for the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates, the ...

• Frigates

  Littoral Combat Ship Programme (8-12) [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements At DSA 2024, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) unveiled the RMN 15 to 5 Transformation Program Realignment. The original 15 to 5 ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Littoral Strike Ships (LSS)

  Programme Background Original Plan: Procurment In February 2019, the then-UK Secretary of State for Defence, Gavin Williamson, announced an intention to establish two' littoral strike ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Multi-Role Strike Ship (MRSS) Programme [UK]

  Programme Background Requirements According to the UK MoD's March 2021 Defence Command Paper, entitled 'Defence in a Competitive Age', the RN will invest in six ...

• Frigates

  Littoral Combat Ship Programme (6-7) [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements At DSA 2024, the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) unveiled the RMN 15 to 5 Transformation Program Realignment.  The original 15 to 5 plan ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | LMS Batch II (5-7) [Malaysia]

  The Royal Malaysia Navy (RMN) plans to acquire eight Littoral Mission Ships (LMS). In line with the plan, it was assumed the RMN would acquire ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | LMS Batch II (5-7) [Malaysia]

  The Royal Malaysia Navy (RMN) plans to acquire eight Littoral Mission Ships (LMS). In line with the plan, it was assumed the RMN would acquire ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) (3) [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Malaysian Navy are in the process of a fleet transformation plan known as the 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, which ...

• Frigates

  Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)

  Programme Background The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme was developed in 2003 as a cheap and fast way to increase the size of the fleet ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Littoral Combat Ship Programme (6-7) [Malaysia]

  The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) plans to acquire 12 Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). Six units were ordered in 2013, although one was cancelled due to ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Littoral Combat Ship Programme (6-7) [Malaysia]

  The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) plans to acquire 12 Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). Six units were ordered in 2013, although one was cancelled due to ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Littoral Combat Ship Programme (8-12) [Malaysia]

  The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) plans to acquire 12 Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). Six units were ordered in 2013, although one was cancelled due to ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Littoral Combat Ship Programme (8-12) [Malaysia]

  The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) plans to acquire 12 Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). Six units were ordered in 2013, although one was cancelled due to ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Littoral Combat Ships [Egypt]

  In December 2022, Sky News Arabia revealed that, according to a spokesperson of the US DoD, Washington had authorised the sale/transfer of Littoral Combat Ships ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  COMBATSS-21

  Produced by Lockheed Martin, the Littoral Combat Ship Component Based Total Ship System – 21st Century (COMBATSS-21) is a modular, scalable open combat management system that can be ...

• Military - USVs

  USSV-HTF

  The US Office of Naval Research previously used the Unmanned Sea Surface Vehicle-High Tow Force (USSV-HTF) to test various technological features that could be incorporated ...

• 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 ...

• EO/IR systems

  COBRA

  The Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and Analysis (COBRA) system was part of Northrop Grumman's airborne mine countermeasures (AMCM) product line. It was adopted as the AN/DVS-1 ...

• Marine engines

  MTU 4000

  The MTU Series 4000 is manufactured by Rolls-Royce UK. The engine consists of a 90° V cylinder configuration and has a displacement/cylinder capacity of 4.77 ...

• Corvettes

  Littoral Mission Ship (LMS 92)

  Based on the C92 corvette design, the Littoral Mission Ship (LMS) 92 has been developed by Dearsan shipyard to meet the requirements of the Malaysian LMS ...

• 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 ...

• Sea: naval fire control radar

  TMX/EO

  The TMX/EO three-axis tracking module is equipped with X-band radar and TV camera, IR camera and laser rangefinder, for precision measurement of aerial, naval and ...

• Short Range Missile Defence Systems: 0 to 20 km range

  SeaRAM

  SeaRAM is an MK 15 CIWS variant which replaces the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System’s 20mm gun with a Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Block II launcher. ...

• Frigates

  DW3000

  The Royal Thai Navy ordered a DW3000F design multipurpose frigate from South Korea's Hanwha Ocean based on the Daegu-class frigate in service with the Republic ...

• Frigates

  HCX-21

  South Korean company Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has unveiled the HCX-21, a trimaran vessel designed for Navies and Coast Guards. The lightweight future surface combatant ...

• Patrol boats

  LMV 60

  The LMV 60 is part of Fassmer's Littoral Mission Vessels. According to the manufacturer, the design approach allows for a modular increase of combat capability ...

• Data links

  T-Series Model S

  Model S is a shipboard, high-bandwidth, full-duplex ground terminal for communication with CDL airborne-configured systems. The terminal is software-configurable and supports the standard CDL waveform, ...

• Patrol boats

  LMV 75

  The LMV 75 is part of Fassmer's Littoral Mission Vessels. According to the manufacturer, the design approach allows for a modular increase of combat capability ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  TRS-4D

  The TRS-4D is a three-dimensional multi-functional naval surveillance radar produced by German manufacturer Hensoldt. The radar is primarily designed for surveillance and target acquisition. The ...