• Digital Battlespace

  Systematic enhances SitaWare with new updates, touts naval applications

  19th August 2022

  Open-architecture military software developer and integrator Systematic has released a series of updates to its scalable SitaWare suite, while the company is also exploring the use of AI technology for situational awareness in the maritime domain.

• Defence Notes

  South Korea plans to set up a strategic command

  21st July 2022

  With Kim Jong-un showing no signs of mellowing, South Korea is planning to establish a strategic command to coordinate strikes and responses to North Korean provocations.

• Naval Warfare

  Babcock begins upkeep of Royal Navy frigate HMS Argyll

  17th August 2022

  Babcock has begun post-life extension (LIFEX) upkeep of Royal Navy Duke-class Type 23 frigate HMS Argyll at its Devonport facility.

• Air Warfare

  USN orders two more MQ-4C Tritons from Northrop Grumman

  24th June 2022

  The MQ-4C Triton autonomously operated system allows for persistent maritime ISR and is based on the USAF RQ-4B Global Hawk UAS.

• Air Warfare

  USMC F-35Bs refine expeditionary training in Australia

  9th September 2022

  The USMC conducted distributed operations with F-35B fighters during an exercise in Australia, which saw a base functioning as a hub and another as a spoke.

• Naval Warfare

  Raytheon continues Mk31 RAM support services

  15th August 2022

  Raytheon will complete the latest design agent and engineering support contract for the Mk31 RAM by July 2023.

• Training

  US training provider receives five-year F-5E/F Tiger II block upgrade deal

  5th July 2022

  Five-year IDIQ contract includes the conversion of 22 ex-Swiss Tiger II aircraft and a block upgrade of eight existing aircraft in the Tactical Air Support fleet.

• Naval Warfare

  Thales Australia and Expal join forces on sovereign naval munitions capability

  4th July 2022

  The Royal Australian Navy will benefit from improved security of supply of naval ammunition, following a new tie-up between Thales Australia and Expal Systems.

• Training

  Farnborough 2022: Stirling Dynamics to supply F-35 sim stick and throttle

  21st July 2022

  The company will begin the production of F-35 sim parts immediately and plans to deliver within six months.

• Naval Warfare

  Wisdom of Solomons? Shifting power dynamics in the Indo-Pacific

  5th September 2022

  While Pacific island nations may be small, including maritime zones, they constitute 15% of the world’s surface, and crucially they carry weight in international institutions such as the UN. Considering these factors, the Solomon Islands’ growing relationship with China is geopolitically significant.

• Naval Warfare

  Rheinmetall to develop prototype naval airburst munition

  30th June 2022

  Rheinmetall claims that its new 30mm x 173mm Kinetic Energy Electronically Timed airburst round would aid point defence for surface vessels.

• Naval Warfare

  China launches Fujian, its third aircraft carrier

  20th June 2022

  To surprisingly restrained fanfare, China launched its largest and most-capable aircraft carrier yet.

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF orders extra SABR AESA radars for F-16s

  25th July 2022

  Northrop Grumman will produce and supply 31 additional AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar AESA radars for USAF F-16 fighter aircraft.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Danish Navy poised for possible investments worth up to $5.5 billion

  24th August 2022

  Denmark could invest over $5 billion in its navy and build new ships locally as the country establishes a new partnership to investigate and recommend steps to support indigenous shipbuilding capacity.

• Naval Warfare

  Ukraine effect influences Neptune Shield

  11th June 2022

  Motivated by Russian aggression against Ukraine, more NATO allies and partner countries than expected joined the recent Neptune Shield 2022 vigilance activity.

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 - 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 ...

• 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 - 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 ...

• Frigates

  Project SEA 3000 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements The February 2024 Enhanced Lethality Surface Combatant Fleet review recommends that the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) acquire at least seven, and optimally 11, ...

• 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 - 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. ...

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 ...

• Frigates

  FF(X) Frigate

  The FF(X) frigate is a vessel derived from Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HHI) National Security Cutter (NSC). It was designed in response to the cancellation of ...

• 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

  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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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: 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 ...

• 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 ...

• OPVs

  Hisar Class

  Turkish Military Factory and Shipyard Management company ASFAT has built two Hisar-class OPVs at Istanbul Naval Shipyard for the Turkish Navy. Four more platforms are on order, but the ...