• Naval Warfare

  CUAS and satellite capabilities to be among US Coast Guard’s acquisition priorities in FY2026

  21st May 2025

  The Secretary of Homeland Security said the branch needed “counter-UAS technology in every cutter”.

• Naval Warfare

  US Coast Guard to invest more than $5 billion in the Heritage Class Offshore Patrol Cutter

  6th August 2025

  From FY2026 to FY2029, the OPC programme will receive funds from the Reconciliation Bill and the Coast Guard annual budget.

• Naval Warfare

  The Philippines strengthens maritime defences amid rising tensions in South China Sea

  28th April 2025

  The Philippine Navy is fast-tracking its maritime modernisation with new warships, unmanned platforms, and international shipbuilding partnerships to bolster its regional deterrence posture.

• Land Warfare

  Steadicopter launches Golden Eagle Heavy Strike RUAS in Washington

  16th October 2024

  Using its platform at AUSA 2024, Steadicopter launched its latest rotary unmanned aerial system (RUAS), having worked alongside partner Rafael on the platform’s payload.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy expands GARC sUSV deployment

  5th May 2025

  The small, unmanned surface vehicle will operate this year in multiple operations and military exercises worldwide.

• Naval Warfare

  Thales to supply sonar systems for the Netherlands’ Orka submarines

  20th March 2025

  The company will deliver a comprehensive sensor suite when the Orka class comes into service in the early 2030s.

• Digital Battlespace

  EID to unveil new vehicle communication system at DSEI

  30th June 2025

  The Portuguese company’s naval communications system is in service across more than a dozen countries. It has turned to its home nation for support in developing a new vehicle based C2 system.

• Air Warfare

  Leonardo and Baykar join forces to develop uncrewed aerial systems

  6th March 2025

  Baykar’s AKINCI drone will be the first focus platform for the joint venture, with the first prototype targeted for development in 12 to 18 months.

• Naval Warfare

  Defence Insight Briefs: Naval modernisation accelerates amid geopolitical tension and tech evolution

  14th April 2025

  The global naval market is undergoing a notable transformation, with growth driven by both escalating geopolitical tensions and the emergence of innovative technologies. Across NATO, but particularly in Europe, navies are accelerating modernisation efforts, spurred by renewed threats and persistent capability gaps.

• Naval Warfare

  Airbus wins €480 million contract to build communications network for French air and naval forces

  26th February 2025

  The IP Network, named RIFAN 3, will build on the work of previous RIFAN 2 network, with development work carried out on the new system between 2026 to 2030.

• Air Warfare

  US clears Australia for MC-55A fleet upgrade

  8th August 2025

  The upgrade package, at a cost of US$404 million, will support the aircraft which are due to be delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) this year after a series of delays to the programme.

• Naval Warfare

  Australian navy and industry to carry out maintenance on USN nuclear submarine as part of AUKUS

  23rd August 2024

  The maintenance of USS Hawaii in Australia with the support of local personnel and industry is seen as an important milestone in the tri-nation AUKUS agreement.

• Naval Warfare

  Construction of Canadian Coast Guard OOSV Naalak Nappaaluk is “nearly complete”

  3rd June 2025

  The Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel has entered the final stages of building and should be delivered in August.

• Naval Warfare

  Kongsberg, Diehl, MBDA to develop supersonic strike missile for Germany and Norway

  14th May 2024

  The 3SM Tyrfing supersonic strike missile will succeed the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) currently in use on Norwegian naval vessels from 2035, with Germany yet to announce its deployment plans.

• Naval Warfare

  New contract enhances local building commitment of Colombia’s PES frigate programme

  13th March 2025

  Damen Naval has signed a contract with Heinen & Hopman, which will use local Colombian HVAC-R experts to fit out the fleet.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 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 ...

• AEW&C

  E-2D - USA

  The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) is an all-weather, twin engine, carrier-based, Airborne Command, Control and Surveillance aircraft designed to extend task force defense perimeters. The ...

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

  MQ-25 Stingray (13-76) [USN]

  Background Initial Requirements - Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four ...

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

  MQ-25 Stingray (10-12) [USN]

  Background Initial Requirements -  Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four Preliminary ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R Seahawk (India)

  Programme Background On 25 February 2020, a letter of acceptance for 24 MH-60Rs, worth approximately $2.12 billion, was signed by India and the US in Delhi. ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [USN]

  Background Requirement The USN wants to acquire carrier-capable loyal wingman drones. These drones will have a high level of autonomy, allowing them to work alongside crewed aircraft.  ...

• 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 ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  New Coastal Ranger Commando Vessels [Norway]

  Programme Background Requirements According to Naval News, the Norwegian Coastal Ranger Commando is seeking to acquire an undisclosed number of new fast attack/interceptor craft. The ...

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

  MQ-25 Stingray (1-9) [USN]

  Background Initial Requirements - Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  F-5E/F Adversary Trainer US Navy

  The F-5N is a single seat, dual engine supersonic land based fighter. It is designed to a service life of 9000 flight hours. The aircraft ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  TH-73 Advanced Helicopter Training System - AHTS (TH-57 Replacement)

  Contenders for the competition included the Leonardo single engine TH-119 – a military variant of the AW119Kx – and Bell’s newly upgraded single engine 407GXi. ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4 Triton (Announced/Contracted) [USA]

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

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Anti-ship missiles

  Naval Strike Missile (NSM)

  The Naval Strike Missile (NSM) is a subsonic, sea-skimming, anti-ship and land-attack missile. The original name was the Nytt sjømålsmissil, but this was later dropped ...

• Air-to-surface missiles, Anti-ship missiles

  JSM

  The Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is a multi-role version of the Naval Strike Missile. Norway funded the programme to develop and produce the JSM for the ...

• Land: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Low Band Transmitter

  The Low Band Transmitter-Antenna Group (LBT-AG), developed by Cobham, has been in production since 2005. The LBT is designed to protect strike aircraft, ships and ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

  The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet was developed to perform naval strike missions for the USN. The primary mission for the F/A-18E/F is a strike fighter that ...

• 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, ...

• 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 ...

• Frigates

  Hunter Class Guided Missile Frigate

  During Indo Pacific 2023, BAE Systems Australia unveiled a Guided Missile variant of the Hunter-class frigate (ASW). Compared to the baseline ASW configuration, the proposed ...

• Frigates

  Independence Class (LCS)

  The USN’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme was originally envisaged to be 50 ships, which would provide a coastal platform that would take over from ...

• Destroyers

  Zumwalt Class

  The DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class is formed by a series of next-generation multi-role destroyers 21st century. They were designed to host the latest in sensors and weapons ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Type 212CD

  Norway is to get four new Type 212CD ‘common design’ submarines to replace the existing Ula-class SSKs after it selected German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  SCOTT

  The Synthetic Cognition for Operational Team Training (SCOTT) system was developed for the USN to train teamwork and communication skills for E-2C flight crews interfacing ...

• Frigates

  Constellation Class FFG(X)

  The USN has selected Fincantieri Marinette Marine to build up to ten frigates under the FFG(X) next-generation future guided-missile frigate programme. The new Constellation-class will replace ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

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

  Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS

  The Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS is a developmental cargo-carrying platform heavily based on the Skyways commercial available V2.5 Hybrid-Electric UAS.  Following a 2019 industry event, the Naval ...