• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed Martin satellite with military potential rolls out for 2023 maiden launch

  1st February 2023

  The low-cost LM 400 satellite bus is customisable for multiple applications and supports the Pentagon's Modular Open Systems Architecture for defence missions.

• Defence Notes

  European defence projects compete for future PESCO funding

  24th January 2023

  New efforts evaluated by the EU's PESCO development mechanism will focus on climate change, hybrid threats, cyber, artificial intelligence and space as well as energy and maritime security.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2022: CAE to create ‘data ecosystem’ in synthetic environment and rethink approach to innovation

  5th December 2022

  CAE believes the future of training technologies will be fundamentally driven by bringing different industries together and no single company can exist in a vacuum - an approach that defence should adopt too.

• Training

  Naval aviation commanders spotlight future training strategy at I/ITSEC 2022

  30th November 2022

  The US Navy's flight training community is progressing on a number of programmes, with Project Avenger and the Integrated Training Facility under the spotlight.

• Air Warfare

  Air dominance vital as US and allies face evolving threat environment (Studio)

  17th January 2023

  Advanced munitions industry positions for a changing threat landscape, underscored by the conflict in Ukraine.

• Digital Battlespace

  New UK surveillance ship arrives at Cammell Laird for conversion

  19th January 2023

  The vessel will also be used for research designed to deepen understanding of UK and international waters.

• Land Warfare

  Argentina negotiates acquisition of 6x6 Guarani vehicles

  31st January 2023

  The procurement will involve a transfer of technology, with parts of the Guarani platforms produced at Iveco’s facilities in Argentina.

• Air Warfare

  Myanmar Air Force bolsters fleet with the commission of new aircraft

  10th January 2023

  As part of its 75th anniversary, the Myanmar Air Force showed off a variety of new types of aircraft and helicopters.

• Naval Warfare

  Indonesian Navy receives an additional hospital ship

  23rd January 2023

  Another hospital ship joins the ranks of the Indonesian Navy, while the induction of the sixth and final KCR-60M missile patrol boat approaches.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Canada contracts Kraken for new minehunting system

  14th December 2022

  The new contract stems from the Canadian Navy's force development ambitions to evolve its mine warfare capability and procure modularised, portable and deployable systems.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  General Atomics offers two UAS to Ukraine for a dollar

  2nd February 2023

  US-built UAS like the MQ-9A Reaper would offer significantly more capability than systems like the TB2, which are already in service in Ukraine.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IAI lifts the lid on new loitering munition

  19th January 2023

  IAI is under contract with the US DoD to develop the hand-launched weapon.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2022: Hadean, British Army to showcase CTTP pathfinder progress

  21st November 2022

  The pathfinder agreement between the British Army and Hadean sought to transfer large portions of land-based physical training into a single synthetic environment. If the progress achieved is significant, this could be a big victory for distributed computing technologies in the defence sector.

• Land Warfare

  US Army orders over 400 Oshkosh tactical vehicles

  18th January 2023

  The US Army has now ordered more than 1,400 FMTV A2 vehicles since the original contract award in 2018.

• Air Warfare

  Rising demand for NATO's aerial tanker fleet puts capacity under pressure

  8th February 2023

  More NATO nations beyond the current six participants have held talks about joining the alliance's Europe-based multinational tanker unit, but this raises questions over funding more aircraft and ground infrastructure.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Long Range/Long Endurance (LR/LE) [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 ...

• 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 (9-18) [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 ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (1-8) [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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 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 ...

• Military UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USMC)

  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 ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Maritime Operations Helicopters

  The three maritime operations helicopters will be used for logistics and personnel transport, alongside transportation of PASKAL naval special forces in operations in the area. ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  V-Bat [USN]

  Background Core Requirement Fundamentally, the USN requires a UAV that can be flown from its ships in austere environments without dedicated launch or recovery equipment.  ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• Major networking projects

  DIB 1.3

  The Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) Integration Backbone (DIB) is a key element of the US DoD strategy to build a net-centric capability, enabling service DCGS elements ...

• 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 ...