• Defence Notes

  US Army continues to question AI role in modernisation plans

  22nd August 2018

  Just days before the US Army activates its new Futures Command in Austin, Texas, top brass is urging that the service come to terms with …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  C-Worker 5 in Alaskan charting survey

  23rd August 2018

  ASV Global, together with TerraSond, has successful completed a hydrographic survey using the C-Worker 5 USV off the coast of Alaska, the company announced on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  FT-100FH continues flight testing

  20th August 2018

  FT Sistemas has moved ahead in the flight test campaign of its newly designed Flettner Helicopter FT-100FH unmanned rotorcraft, the company announced on 15 August. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Raymarine updates Axiom UAV app

  16th August 2018

  Raymarine has updated its Axiom UAV app with a new LightHouse 3.6 OS update, the company announced on 7 August. The LightHouse 3.6 update for …

• Special Operations

  SOF looks to small UAS

  9th August 2018

  USSOCOM has requested industry information for a spectrum of small unmanned aircraft systems (SUAS) following a sources sought announcement issued on August 7.  The announcement was …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Zephyr flies for more than 25 days

  10th August 2018

  The Zephyr S High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) UAS has completed its maiden flight of more than 25 days, Airbus Defence and Space announced on 8 …

• Land Warfare

  Australian opens Land 400 Phase 3 tender

  24th August 2018

  On 24 August the Australian government announced the formal opening of a multi-billion dollar request for tender (RfT) for the Land 400 Phase 3 project …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Textron demonstrates simulated manned-unmanned teaming capability

  2nd August 2018

  Textron Systems has successfully integrated and demonstrated manned-unmanned teaming capability via its Synturian control and collaboration technology and Textron Aviation Defense’s Scorpion jet, Textron announced …

• Land Warfare

  Team Dynetics to continue HEL TVD development

  10th August 2018

  Dynetics, Lockheed Martin and its partners have received a $10 million contract from the US Army to continue development for the next phase of the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  China harbours ‘giant’ unmanned submarine aspirations

  23rd July 2018

  China has its heart set on large unmanned submarines that could be deployed worldwide, with an R&D; programme currently under way at the Chinese Academy …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ScanEagle set for export sales

  8th August 2018

  Insitu’s ScanEagle UAV is set for further export success as the US Navy intends to award a sole source contract for up to five of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  USMC retires RQ-7B Shadow UAS

  6th August 2018

  The US Marine Corps RQ-7B Shadow UAS has officially retired from the service after its final flight during the culmination event for the Rim of …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM identifies “capability needs”

  30th July 2018

  The US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has disclosed a list of “capability needs” to be considered at the 2018 Special Operations Forces Warrior Industry Collaboration …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Fourth wind tunnel test of MQ-25 completed

  2nd August 2018

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has completed the fourth wind tunnel test of its MQ-25 design, the company announced on 31 July. MQ-25 is the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Counter-drone demand on the rise

  9th August 2018

  In the wake of recent incidents involving drones, such as the alleged attack on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, companies such as Raytheon are seeing a …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior [India]

  Programme Background Make In India The 'Make In India' initiative is an effort by the Indian government to boost domestic manufacturing. In the context of ...

• Military UAS - small

  Black Hornet 3 PRS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army operated approximately 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS between 2013 and 2017, when the decision was made to retire ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Ajax IFV [UK]

  Programme Background Prior to commencing development of the Ajax the UK utilised the Warrior was its primary IFV. However, the Warrior entered service in 1987 making ...

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

  Naval Collaborative Combat Air Vehicle (N-CCAV) [India]

  Programme Background CATS Warrior The Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) is a planned, uncrewed and crewed family of aircraft in development by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

• 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 ...

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

  Orbiter 3 (Croatia)

  Programme Background The Croatian government launched a competitive tender for the procurement of a short-range UAV in October 2017. Although the tender was opened on ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Protected 4x4 Replacement [Argentina]

  Programme Background Argentina currently operates the AML, Spartan 4x4 APC and Dongfeng Warrior CSK131, with 45 still in service across the three vehicles. It also previously operated ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  AR100-H [Germany]

  Programme Background In May 2022, it was announced that 145 AR100-H drones would be supplied to the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). At the time of ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Alpha 900 [Uruguay]

  Background Acqustiion In October 2022, the Alpha 900 from Alpha Unmanned Systems was reportedly jointly purchased by the Uruguayan state energy company UTE and the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (MIV) [UK]

  Programme Background History The UK MoD announced in March 2018 that it would re-join the Boxer programme and pursue a sole-source acquisition of the 8x8 ...

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

  Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle – Expeditionary Logistics (MARV-EL) [USA]

  Background US Marine ULS-A programmes The US Marines are seeking a family of Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A), which will provide logistics and ground units with their ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | P6359 Future Naval Mine Countermeasures system (NMCM) [Norway]

  Norway's current naval mine countermeasures (NMCM) inventory is reaching the end of its operational lifespan and is in need of replacement. The future project under ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | P6359 Future Naval Mine Countermeasures system (NMCM) [Norway]

  Norway's current naval mine countermeasures (NMCM) inventory is reaching the end of its operational lifespan and is in need of replacement. The future project under ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Sixth-Generation Aircraft [South Korea]

  Programme Background Hanwha industries has confirmed that a new engine is under development to replace the American manufactured F-414 engine; according to reports, the new ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military - USVs

  SHARC

  The Sensor Hosting Autonomous Remote Craft (SHARC) wave glider platform is a JV developed between Boeing and Liquid Robotics. The SHARC is able to deliver ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Warrior Systems

  General Dynamics Mission Systems is prime contractor and system integrator for the US Army’s Warrior soldier systems, which include Air Warrior, Future Force Warrior, Land Warrior ...

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

  NRQ-21

  Insitu displayed the NRQ-21 Integrator at the Unmanned Warrior 2016 event in Wales. The aircraft has been designed to carry out tasks on land and ...

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

  Outlaw SeaHunter

  Outlaw UAVs are used by military and research agencies for training, testing, data collection and system development. In the 114-137kg maximum take-off weight class, SeaHunter ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Mounted Warrior

  Mounted Warrior will provide an integrated system-of-systems ensemble designed to improve the survivability, lethality and combat effectiveness of armoured vehicle crewmen. The system leverages capabilities ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Warrior

  The Warrior IFV entered service with the British Army in mid-1987. A total of 789 vehicles were delivered in IFV, infantry command, anti-tank, recovery, repair, ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  MIHDS

  The Modular Integrated Helmet Display System (MIHDS) is designed and developed jointly by General Dynamics Mission Systems, USA and Microvision Inc. The system's SD2500 design ...

• Military - USVs

  MAST

  The Maritime Autonomy Surface Testbed (MAST) was developed by ASV Global and Roke Manor Research under funding from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. It ...

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

  CATS Warrior

  Manufactured by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior is a medium-altitude long-endurance UAS part of the CATS family ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  Warrior 2020

  Finland’s Warrior 2020 programme is focused on improving individual soldier equipment in the five capability areas defined by NATO: C4I, lethality, mobility, survivability and sustainability. Warrior ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58D Kiowa Warrior

  The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, manufactured by Bell Helicopter Textron, is a two-person, light scout helicopter with a day/night mast-mounted sight, glass cockpit and four-bladed rotor system. ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MUBC

  The Modular Universal Battery Charger (MUBC) is a scalable charging system for a range of military and commercial batteries. It provides for the addition of ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F Cayuse Warrior

  An evolution of the OH-6 Cayuse light observation helicopter, the MD 530F was initially Federal Aviation Administration-certified in July 1985 as the Model 369FF. It ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  Athena 511

  The Athena 511 is a compact all-in-one GPS-aided INS air data system. The system’s integrated inertial sensing uses a tactical grade, ring-laser gyro IMU, with ...

• Land: RWS

  Unmanned T40

  Nexter is developed an unmanned variant of its T40 two-man turret to meet the growing demand for these types of systems. Like the standard T40, ...