• Digital Battlespace

  Urthecast plans 16 satellite launch

  20th January 2016

  Space sensor systems company Urthecast is planning to launch a new satellite constellation comprised of 16 satellites between 2019 and 2020. Speaking at the Defence …

• Digital Battlespace

  New rockets for USAF

  18th January 2016

  The US Air Force (USAF) has awarded contracts to SpaceX and ATK Launch Systems to produce prototype rocket propulsion systems for the Evolved Expendable Launch …

• Land Warfare

  Taiwanese IFV gains 30mm cannon

  15th January 2016

  The Materiel Production and Manufacturing Centre of Taiwan’s Armaments Bureau revealed the latest variant of its ‘Clouded Leopard’ 8x8 armoured vehicle equipped with a 30mm …

• Land Warfare

  UK to test precision rounds on AS90

  15th January 2016

  The UK Ministry of Defence will begin testing precision-guided 155mm artillery rounds with the AS90 self-propelled gun later this year. An MoD official confirmed to …

• Land Warfare

  Nexter set for ammo boom

  21st December 2015

  Nexter Group’s newly enlarged ammunition business is expected to achieve sales of nearly €750m in 2015, a 50% increase from last year. Officials disclosed their results …

• Defence Helicopter

  Orbital ATK’s HAPS granted patent

  14th December 2015

  Orbital ATK has been granted a patent for its Helicopter Active Protection System (HAPS) by the US Patent and Trademark Office, the company announced on …

• Land Warfare

  Lithuania requests Stryker sale

  9th November 2015

  The US state department has approved a potential foreign military sale to Lithuania for Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicles (ICV) and associated equipment, parts and logistical …

• Land Warfare

  D&S 2015: Black Widow Spider grows up

  4th November 2015

  The Black Widow Spider, an effort by Thailand’s Defence Technology Institute (DTI) to create an 8x8 armoured vehicle, has grown from a mock-up two years …

• Land Warfare

  Orbital opens new Ramjet test facility

  20th October 2015

  Orbital ATK has successfully completed the final validation and testing for its new clean air Ramjet test facility at the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (ABL) in …

• Land Warfare

  Orbital ATK details ammo contracts

  15th October 2015

  Orbital ATK has been awarded domestic and international contracts worth $105 million for medium- and large-calibre ammunition, the company announced on 12 October.  The new …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2015: Refined XM25 go for launch

  14th October 2015

  Budget uncertainty in the US is unlikely to delay the introduction of the army’s long-awaited smart grenade launcher, industry officials have said.   The XM25 …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2015: Release the hounds (video)

  13th October 2015

  A new vehicle has been unveiled at this year’s AUSA exhibition that is likely to compete for a lucrative contract to supply the US Army …

• Land Warfare

  Orbital ATK to develop 120mm AMP

  9th October 2015

  Orbital ATK has been awarded a contract worth $16 million with options for the first phase of development for the 120mm Advanced Multi-Purpose (AMP), XM1147 …

• Defence Notes

  Cobham targets pilot hypoxia risk

  17th September 2015

  Cobham has partnered with Orbital Research to integrate gas sensing technology into its suite of military oxygen systems in order to mitigate pilot hypoxia risk, …

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2015: Aussie precision munitions en route

  9th September 2015

  Upgrade kits for 155mm artillery rounds used in Australia are being delivered that will provide the ADF with a precision-guidance capability. The Australian Defence Force …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  DEF129 (Tactical UAS) [Australia]

  Programme Background Programme Announcement The Australian Army announced the Project Land 129 Phase 3 programme in 2017. This announcement led to the release of an industry ...

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

  Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Goal The Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) programme stems from the Military Sealift Command and Fleet Forces Command identifying, in 2018, a ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: aerial targets

  GQM-173 MSST

  The USN selected ATK (now Orbital ATK) in August 2008 to develop the GQM-173A Multi Stage Supersonic Target (MSST) system to represent a family of ...

• Helicopter guns

  M230 Automatic Cannon

  The M230 is a 30mm chain-driven autocannon originally developed by Hughes Helicopters and currently produced by Northrop Grumman. It serves as the main armament for ...

• Air: aerial targets

  GQM-163A Coyote SSST

  The GQM-163A Coyote Supersonic Sea Skimming Target (SSST) was developed for the USN to emulate two-stage anti-ship cruise missiles in support of air defence weapon/combat ...

• Minehunters

  Avenger Class

  The first Avenger-class minehunter entered service in 1985, with the last of the 14 ordered commissioned in 1994. The ships use Orbital ATK's AN/SLQ-48 remotely ...

• Cannons

  7.62mm Bushmaster Chain Gun

  The 7.62mm Bushmaster Chain Gun, originally developed for coaxial use and the smallest member of the Chain Gun family, is adaptable to various machine gun ...

• Guided munitions

  Hatchet

  Unveiled in 2012 by Orbital ATK, the Hatchet is a laser-guided miniature weapon that supports platform integration on both unmanned and manned aircraft. Its design meets the ...

• Land: manned turrets

  Teber-30 Two-Man Turret

  The Teber-30 is a medium-calibre two-man turret designed for armoured combat vehicles. It is day/night capable with an onboard fire control computer and a two-axis ...

• Cannons

  M242 Bushmaster

  The 25mm Bushmaster automatic cannon features dual feed Chain Gun technology. More than 10,500 M242s have been delivered to the US Army and forces around ...

• Cannons

  PAWS

  The Palletised Weapon System (PAWS) is a reconfigurable collection of sensors, communications and weapons that can be installed on most medium- to heavy-lift aircraft. PAWS ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Laser Warning Receivers

  AN/AAR-59 JATAS

  Orbital ATK (now Northrop Grumman) developed the AN/AAR-59 Joint and Allied Threat Awareness System (JATAS) to protect aircraft against incoming threats, typically surface-to-air and air-to-air ...

• Cannons

  GAU-23

  The GAU-23 Bushmaster automatic cannon is a next-generation Chain Gun weapon in use today. The system is design features include design simplicity, external power, positive ...

• Land: manned turrets

  Asgard GS

  The Asgard GS (Grab and Shoot) is the baseline model of the Asgard 127 one-person modular turret family introduced in 2016. It can be mounted ...

• Guided munitions

  M1156 PGK

  The M1156 Precision Guidance Kit (PGK) is a guidance fuse that can be fitted within the fuse well of 155mm high-explosive artillery projectiles. The fuse ...

• Land: manned turrets

  Hitfist 25-30mm

  The Hitfist 25-30mm is a two-person, power-operated turret designed for installation on wheeled or tracked IFVs. The main armament can be either an Oerlikon 25mm ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Hunter

  ST Engineering began the development of the tracked Next-Generation Armoured Fighting Vehicle (NGAFV) in 2006 as a replacement for the Singapore Army's fleet of approximately ...