• Training

  Paris Air Show: New cockpit voice recorder certified for T-6 trainer aircraft

  20th June 2023

  The US FAA has approved installation of Curtiss-Wright's Fortress CVR25 cockpit recorder to upgrade T-6 Texan II trainer aircraft worldwide.

• Naval Warfare

  Delay to Irish Naval Service's new Multi-Role Vessel tender raises affordability questions

  11th September 2023

  An expected tender for the procurement of a new Multi Role Vessel (MRV) for the Irish Naval Service (INS) this year has yet to emerge.

• Land Warfare

  The HF Renaissance – The Evolving Electronic Warfare Threats and the Need for Resilient Waveforms (Studio)

  14th September 2023

  Amid modern warfare’s complexity and electronic warfare threats, NATO and its allies are balancing legacy systems with new technologies. With the importance of resilient waveforms underscored, High Frequency (HF) technology has emerged as a robust solution, leading to an “HF renaissance”.

• Naval Warfare

  Canada in talks with six countries over future submarine needs

  31st July 2023

  The Canadian Patrol Submarine Programme (CPSP) is in its options analysis phase that includes engagement with potential builders to determine next steps.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Integer Technologies completes at-sea testing of UUV digital twin prototype

  24th August 2023

  Integer Technologies has successfully completed at-sea testing of its UUV digital twin prototype, a DARPA SBIR Phase 2 project, aiming to improve undersea communication and decision-making for UUV missions.

• Land Warfare

  US military accelerates acquisition and adoption of artificial intelligence

  28th July 2023

  Speeding up the procurement process and increasing the integration of data across the Department of Defense are part of the Pentagon's strategy to increase the use of AI and ML.

• Digital Battlespace

  Israel Aerospace Industries successfully launches Singapore's DS-SAR radar satellite

  31st July 2023

  The DS-SAR radar satellite, developed and produced by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), was successfully launched into space on a PSLV-C56 rocket from the launch site SDSC SHAR Sriharikota, India.

• Land Warfare

  Philippine Army modernises with new combat engineering, armour and artillery

  29th September 2023

  The Philippine Army continues to plug holes in its capability with recent and pending contracts for diverse military equipment and vehicles.

• Air Warfare

  Northrop Grumman demonstrates deep-sensing platform at EDGE 23

  29th August 2023

  Northrop Grumman successfully showcased its Deep-Sensing and Targeting (DSaT) platform at the US Army's Experimental Demonstration Gateway Event 2023 (EDGE 23) event.

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army awards MAG Aerospace and L3Harris contract for enhanced ISR aircraft

  24th August 2023

  The US Army has selected MAG Aerospace and L3Harris to deliver two enhanced ISR aircraft for the Army’s Theater-Level, High-Altitude Expeditionary Next Airborne ISR-Radar (ATHENA-R) programme, providing high-altitude intelligence capabilities to meet global requirements.

• Training

  Royal Air Force begins training instructors on Protector UAV simulator in the US

  31st August 2023

  Personnel from the RAF's 54 Squadron are currently undertaking the first Instructor Operating Course (IOC) on Protector simulators at the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) Flight Test & Training Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

• Defence Helicopter

  KAI and Airbus Helicopters ink a supply contract for LAH and KUH helicopters

  12th September 2023

  Airbus Helicopters and KAI have agreed a contract covering the supply of helicopter components for the latter over the next decade.

• Digital Battlespace

  Details released of US Navy UGV radio deal

  6th July 2023

  Persistent Systems will supply 600 MPU5 radios to the USN for installation onto EOD UGVs with deliveries expected to start next year.

• Land Warfare

  Patria MUSCL – Enabling covert airspace surveillance

  7th September 2023

  Airspace surveillance is like playing hide and seek. Except you are both hiding and seeking at the same time, and you are doing it in multiple domains – on land, in the air, and in the electromagnetic spectrum.

• Land Warfare

  DSEi 2023: Saab Barracuda reveals new camouflage system

  5th September 2023

  Saab Barracuda has developed a new variant of its Ultra-Lightweight Camouflage Screen (ULCAS) which will allow communications and GPS connectivity for soldiers concealed under its radar-absorbing material Saab is also developing camouflage from organic material to combat hyperspectral sensors.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (28-68) [USN]

  Background Requirement The MQ-4C Triton programme, developed under the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) programme, required an uncrewed system to provide persistent, broad-area intelligence, surveillance ...

• 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 (1-10) [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 ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (11-33) [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 ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (1-27) [USN]

  Background Requirement The MQ-4C Triton programme, developed under the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) programme, required an uncrewed system to provide persistent, broad-area intelligence, surveillance ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - small

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

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

• 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 - USVs

  MUSV (1-83) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements In March 2026, the US announced it would be replacing its Modular Attack Surface Craft (MASC) programme with a Medium Uncrewed Surface ...

• 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 ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Fighter - multirole, Fighter - naval

  F-35C

  The F-35C Lightning II, also known as the F-35 carrier variant (CV), is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft in carrier configuration. It has larger wings and ...

• Guided munitions

  AGM-154 JSOW

  The AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) is a joint United States Navy (USN)/United States Air Force (USAF) programme with the USN as the lead service. ...

• 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 ...