• Digital Battlespace

  BAE launches new intelligence automation centre

  20th August 2019

  BAE Systems has launched a new Robotic Operations Center (ROC), which will be used to customise and deploy suites of software robots that automate high-volume, …

• Defence Notes

  DSEI 2019: What to expect from the UK MoD

  4th September 2019

  With the UK government having already been through three defence secretaries over the course of 2019, this year’s DSEI brings much speculation about what the Ministry …

• Military Logistics

  USNS Puerto Rico completes acceptance trials

  28th August 2019

  The future USNS Puerto Rico Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessel has completed US Navy acceptance trials, manufacturer Austal announced on 26 August.   The trials …

• Military Logistics

  BAE wins US military subsystem support work

  15th August 2019

  BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services has been awarded a $369 million ceiling increase modification to support serviceable components and subsystems for instrumentation tracking systems …

• Naval Warfare

  Steel cut on Royal Navy's HMS Cardiff frigate

  15th August 2019

  BAE Systems has cut steel for the second of the Royal Navy’s Type 26 City-class Global Combat Ships, HMS Cardiff. This marks an important milestone …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM looks to combat diver experimentation

  8th August 2019

  USSOCOM is preparing to hold a technical experimentation (TE) event focused on enhancing the capabilities of special operations forces combat swimmers/divers.  The upcoming event was …

• Training

  BAE Systems Australia reaches flight training milestone

  8th August 2019

  BAE Systems Australia’s flight training business at Tamworth has achieved more than 280,000 hours in the air, the company announced on 7 August.   The …

• Naval Warfare

  BAE Systems awarded US Navy vessel work

  8th August 2019

  BAE Systems will enhance operations on new build US Navy aircraft carriers, after being awarded a prime contractor position on a new IDIQ contract. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  Australia’s radar network upgrades set in motion

  12th August 2019

  BAE Systems Australia has completed its first software release on the upgrade programme for the Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN), which will look to digitise the …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy commissions USS Billings

  5th August 2019

  The US Navy commissioned USS Billings (LCS 15) on 3 August in Key West, Florida. Billings is the newest Freedom-variant littoral combat ship (LCS) to …

• Defence Helicopter

  BAE Systems to support US Army countermeasures

  2nd August 2019

  BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration has received a $242 million contract to support countermeasure systems used on US Army aircraft. The contract will …

• Digital Battlespace

  Indian Air Force gets desperate for software-defined radios

  5th August 2019

  Amidst a pressing necessity for software-defined radios (SDR) to fill glaring gaps in its legacy systems for secure information sharing and situation awareness, the Indian Air …

• Naval Warfare

  Egypt requests fleet support

  1st August 2019

  The US government foreign military sales programme will be used to provide follow-on ship support to Egypt, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced on 30 …

• Defence Helicopter

  R&S radios for German NH90s

  7th August 2019

  The German Navy’s NH90 Sea Lion helicopters will be equipped with Rohde & Schwarz software defined airborne radios, the company announced on 6 August. Each …

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems awarded howitzer work

  1st August 2019

  BAE Systems Land & Armaments has received a contract modification from the US Army, the Department of Defense announced on 30 July. The modification covers …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - small

  Tempest 50 [USAF]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 18 December 2024, the US DoD announced that the USAF had awarded Firestorm Labs a $100 million Small Business Innovation Research ...

• Trainer

  Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements The RAAF is seeking a future solution that provides a ‘relevant, adaptable, affordable and safe LIFTS out to 2050’ for training pilots ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Armoured Cavalry Vehicle [Canada]

  Background The Canadian Army is currently undergoing a generational transformation. Its organisational structure is being overhauled with a transition away from a geographical focus towards ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  24m Fast Mortar Vessels [Sweden]

  Programme Background In May 2023, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration announced the signing of a contract with Swede Ship Marine to deliver eight 24m Fast Mortar ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Roussen class [Greece]

  The Roussen class fast attack craft missile (FACM) is in service with the Hellenic Navy. The British-design FACMs also known as the Super Vita, has been improved ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Indonesian Navy PC-60M

  Programme Background Local Indonesian shipyard PT Caputra Mitra Sejati has designed and developed a class of fast patrol boats that have been ordered by the ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Mobile Tactical Cannon [US]

  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 ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Fast Patrol Boats procurement (1-20) [Greece]

  Background Requirements In March 2025, the Hellenic Coast Guard published an updated version of its 2021-2027 Procurement Plan. The Plan has a total budget of ...

• Military - USVs

  Type 92 uncrewed underwater sense platform [UK]

  Background Requirements The Type 92 USVs will be required to complement the Royal Navy's existing anti-submarine warfare (ASW) assets in the Type 31 and Type ...

• Patrol boats

  Fast Patrol Vessels (1-8) [India]

  Programme Background On 28 March 2022, the Indian MoD signed a contract worth INR 4.73 billion ($62.1 million) with Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) for the procurement ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  New Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (NWJFAC) (1-31) [India]

  Programme Background Requirements The Indian Navy is seeking replacements for a large proportion of its 19 46-49m-long waterjet-powered fast attack craft, several of which are approaching ...

• Patrol boats

  Fast Response Cutters (68-77) [USCG]

  Background Timeline As reported by Shephard in July 2025, the US Coast Guard (USCG) will receive around $25 billion to cover the acquisition of new capabilities ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  UK supplied Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FIAC) [Ukraine]

  Background It was first reported in late September 2020 that the UK could provide eight Barzan-class fast attack craft to Ukraine. The platform has been in ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Magnar 1950-class high speed patrol boats (1-7) [Greece]

  Background Requirements As part of a wider programme to upgrade the capabilities of the Hellenic Coast Guard, it set out to procure five plus an ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch I (1-16) [South Korea]

  The Patrol Killer Experimental-B (PKX-B) class fast attack craft are also commonly referred to as the Chamsuri II-class or Patrol-boat Killer Medium Rocket (PKMR). They ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  INTeACT

  Developed by BAE Systems, INTeACT is a next-generation combat management system for surface vessels with a dedicated software development kit (SDK). Notably, it includes AI-powered ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - small

  Tempest 50

  The Tempest 50 is an American loitering munition and UAV from Firestorm Labs. Uniquely, 50 units of the UAV a month can be produced from ...

• UAS: communication systems

  Helix Mesh Rider

  Helix Mesh Rider is a SWaP (Size, Weight and Power) optimised mesh radio designed for uncrewed systems. Notably, it supports six frequency bands in a ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Fast Interceptor Craft

  The Fast Interceptor Craft (FIC) is a high-speed insertion craft developed and built by VT Halmatic, now part of BAE Systems Maritime. According to BAE ...

• Subsystems: software

  Vortex Simulation

  Vortex Simulation is a software platform for simulating tactical wheeled and tracked vehicles, speciality vehicles and non-tactical vehicles. Vortex lets training systems developers and engineers ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Sky Mantis 2

  Unveiled in March 2024, the Sky Mantis 2 is a mini rotary-wing drone manufactured by Evolve Dynamics.  Based on end-user feedback, the drone is an ...

• Data links

  QNT

  The QUINT Networking Technology (QNT) programme is intended to develop robust, affordable, miniature networked data link technologies suitable for use on weapons and by tactical ...

• Air: mission management systems

  RAFES

  Germany’s NBC defence C2 system, known as RAFES, is integrated into the overall FüInfoSys Heer army C2 system, adding NBC-specific functions to the standard mapping, ...

• Air: aerial targets

  BQM-34 Firebee

  The BQM-34 Firebee is an uncrewed aerial target system that the USAF and USN have used for more than 50 years. The primary mission of ...

• Military UAS - small

  Commander 3XL

  Described by the manufacturer, Draganfly, as the Swiss Army knife of drones, the Commander 3XL is a rotary-wing, multi-purpose UAV. The Commander 3 XL Hybrid is ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  Bofors 40mm 3P

  The Bofors 40mm 3P (Pre-fragmented, Programmable, proximity-fused) is a multi-purpose medium calibre round designed for the Bofors 40 Mk4, a gun system manufactured by BAE Systems ...

• Naval guns

  Mk 38 Mod 2/3

  The Mk 38 Machine Gun System is a stabilised self-defence weapon system intended for ships' self-defence capabilities in all weather conditions, day or night. Installed ...

• EW test systems

  FAST

  Functional And Stray voltage Tester (FAST) is a handheld armament pre-flight tester that functions as a flightline tester. It is used to perform ‘O’-level armament ...

• Trainer

  Hawk

  The BAE Systems Hawk trainer aircraft first flew in 1974, with the original Hawk T1 (designated Hawk 50 for export) entering service two years later ...

• Frigates

  Adaptable Strike Frigate

  The Adaptable Strike Frigate (ASF) is a frigate design developed by BAE Systems Naval Ships. Marketed as a platform characterised by strong modularity, the ship ...