• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Rolls-Royce invests in autonomous ship R&D

  9th March 2017

  Rolls-Royce has received funding to further its work in developing remote and autonomous shipping technologies, the company announced on 8 March.The research grant, from Tekes, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Gilo seeking Chinese JV

  9th March 2017

  The recent investment of $30 million into UK-based Gilo Industries by Chinese technology group Kuang-Chi represent the first of its kind by the company, following …

• Special Operations

  Special ops flock to Flintlock

  8th March 2017

  The international special operations community has once again amassed across West Africa as part of Exercise Flintlock, designed to further develop the capabilities of indigenous …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing unveils MH-139 helicopter

  6th March 2017

  Boeing's bid for the US Air Force's UH-1N Replacement Program will be based on the Leonardo Helicopters AW139, with the company unveiling its MH-139 helicopter …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM highlights desired technologies

  3rd March 2017

  United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) representatives have released new guidelines on the eight specific technology areas the command is seeking to advance in order …

• Naval Warfare

  Avalon 2017: Saab tries to hook NZ on Swordfish

  2nd March 2017

  New Zealand's future requirement for a maritime patrol aircraft to replace the in-service Lockheed Martin P-3K2 Orion is attracting a number of contenders, including Saab's …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MS-177 sensor flies on Global Hawk

  2nd March 2017

  Flight testing of the MS-177 sensor on the RQ-4 Global Hawk has begun at Northrop Grumman's Palmdale, California facility, the company announced on 1 March.This …

• Special Operations

  New command transforms European SOF

  2nd March 2017

  On 16 February, three NATO members signed an agreement which could have significant implications for the command and control (C2) structures of the international special …

• Training

  Avalon 2017: RPAS training growth

  1st March 2017

  The opening day of Avalon 2017 saw General Atomics launch its Team Reaper Australia consortia to bid for the Royal Australian Air Force's AIR 7003 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Avalon 2017: Bell positions Viper-Venom combo

  1st March 2017

  The marketing focus for Bell Helicopter at Avalon Air Show 2017 was a major push of its AH-1Z Viper. With the Australian Army's Tiger Armed …

• Special Operations

  ​Cameroon's reconnaissance unit takes on Boko Haram

  28th February 2017

  Cameroon's elite Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) is again on the offensive with Operation Thunder 2 launching on 26 February in Nigeria, targeting Boko Haram positions.Hours …

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2017: Claws out for Leopard sales

  22nd February 2017

  Out of a wide selection of main battle tanks being displayed at this year's IDEX in Abu Dhabi, there is one tank being shown by …

• Digital Battlespace

  IDEX 2017: Viper sees further

  21st February 2017

  Lockheed Martin has secured a contract to provide the US Marine Corp with its Targeting Sight System to be fitted to the AH-1Z Viper attack …

• Digital Battlespace

  L-3 Wescam introduces MX-RSTA

  21st February 2017

  L3 Wescam has developed a new generation reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition (RSTA) system for ground combat and force protection missions, the company announced on …

• Special Operations

  US SOF looks at GPS 'out of the box'

  20th February 2017

  The US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) is exploring concepts for alternative Global Positioning System (GPS) solutions, with representatives announcing an upcoming government/industry collaborative event.The 'out …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - micro

  Multidomian Micro Drones [USSOCOM]

  Background Special Notice On 14 November 2024, a Special Notice was released that informed the industry that the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) was looking for ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  SOF Vehicles (Bulgaria)

  Programme Background The Bulgarian MoD is investing in the modernisation of the Bulgarian Armed Forces by procuring new equipment for all of its branches, including ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - mini

  Attritable Multirotor First Person View (AM-FPV) [US]

  Background SOF Week 2025 Speaking to Shephard at Special Operations Forces (SOF) Week 2025, Performance Drone Work's (PDW) CEO Ryan Gury, stated that the Attritable Multirotor First Person View (AM-FPV) was ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 (Special Forces) [France]

  Background In French service, advanced H225M Caracals with aerial refuelling capabilities are used by SOF units of the French Air Force (FAF) and French Army. ...

• Loitering munitions

  Drone Dominance Program (DDP): Gauntlet 3 [US]

  Background Overview As noted by the Department of War (DOW), the Drone Dominance Program (DDP) is an iterative $1 billion plan to purchase small, lethal drones ...

• Loitering munitions

  Drone Dominance Program (DDP): Gauntlet 4 [US]

  Background Overview As noted by the Department of War (DOW), the Drone Dominance Program (DDP) is an iterative $1 billion plan to purchase small, lethal drones ...

• Loitering munitions

  Drone Dominance Program (DDP): Gauntlet 2 [US]

  Background Overview As noted by the Department of War (DOW), the Drone Dominance Program (DDP) is an iterative $1 billion plan to purchase small, lethal drones ...

• Loitering munitions

  Drone Dominance Program (DDP): Gauntlet 2.5 [US]

  Background Overview As noted by the Department of War (DOW), the Drone Dominance Program (DDP) is an iterative $1 billion plan to purchase small, lethal drones ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) [NATO]

  Background Purchase While NATO doesn’t have its own forces and depends on its allies, the alliance does have some of its own assets and equipment. In ...

• Loitering munitions

  Drone Dominance Program (DDP): Gauntlet 1 [US]

  Background Overview As noted by the Department of War (DOW), the Drone Dominance Program (DDP) is an iterative $1 billion plan to purchase small, lethal drones ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk [South Korea]

  Background Requirments Seoul required UAS assets to help monitor its neighbour to the north and, increasingly, Chinese activities in waters and in the air near ...

• ISR/special mission

  Stand-off Jammer Aircraft (luWES) [Germany]

  Background luWES programme The luWES programme is a broad initiative within the German Air Force to procure and implement an entire architecture for electromagnetic operations. ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Teal 2 (Customs and Border Protection Force) [US]

  Programme Background First Order Global News Wire reported that Red Cat had filled an order for 54 Teal 2 units from the US Customs and ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk [Japan]

  Background Selection and contract award In 2015, Northrop Grumman’s RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft were selected by Japan ...

• ISR/special mission

  Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (1-3) [Germany]

  Background Requirement history The Pegasus (Persistent German Airborne Surveillance System) project aims to fulfil a SIGINT capability which has been missing in the German Armed ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - mini

  Attritable Multirotor First Person View (AM-FPV)

  Unveiled in May 2025, the Attritable Multirotor First Person View (AM-FPV) is a low-cost, rapidly deployable platform for strike and ISR missions, inspired by battlefield lessons from ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  VOS-APP

  The Arquus VOS-APP is a 6x6 support vehicle currently under trial with the French SOF. Acting as a replacement for the 1970s-vintage ACMAT VLRA, the VOS-APP is the ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  ZH-753

  The Zodiac Hurricane 753 OB SAR is typically used as a shore-based boat operating independently in SAR, counterterrorism and law enforcement missions. The deep-V fibreglass ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Ares 35 Harpoon

  The Ares 35 Harpoon has been designed for interception & interdiction operations, as well as anti-smuggling, SOF insertion and extraction, surveillance and patrolling missions.

• Swimmer delivery vehicles

  Shallow Water Combat Submersible (SWCS)​

  The USN has contracted Teledyne Brown to develop the Shallow Water Combat Submersible (SWCS) as part of a wider effort to develop new underwater transports for ...

• Data links

  GSNC

  Global Secure Network Connection (GSNC) provides a global data communications solution for military aircraft, including bomber, refuelling and transport aircraft. The GSNC system uses Iridium ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Ares 55 Harpoon

  The Ares 55 Harpoon is a fast interceptor craft by Ares Shipyard for interception & interdiction operations, as well as anti-smuggling, SOF insertion and extraction, ...

• Loitering munitions

  Red Dragon

  The Red Dragon is a loitering munition from AeroVironment. According to the company, it is designed for one-way attack missions in high-threat, GPS-denied and communications-degraded environments. Unveiled in ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Ares 65 Harpoon

  The Ares 65 Harpoon is a fast interceptor craft by Ares Shipyard for interception & interdiction operations, as well as anti-smuggling, SOF insertion and extraction, surveillance and ...

• Submachine guns

  FN SCAR-SC

  FN Herstal unveiled the 5.56mm FN SCAR-SC (Subcompact Carbine), the newest member of the SCAR (SOF Combat Assault Rifle) family originally developed for the US ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  Global Observer

  The AeroVironment Global Observer HALE UAV was a developmental HALE UAV designed for various civil, commercial and government applications.  Development of the platform began in 2007 ...

• Subsystems: software

  Global Teach

  Global Teach training management systems provide support for educational processes. Inovex’s military-adapted training management system oversees training processes from planning to controlling, independently from the ...

• Individual grenade launchers

  XRGL40

  The XRGL40 is an extended-range 40mm handheld multi-shot weapon able to engage at ranges up to 800m. Fitted with the GR40 multi-velocity programmable sight (see ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  GAT-5530 Global Aero Terminal

  The Viasat Global Aero Terminal 5530 is a second-generation hybrid Ka- and Ku-band SATCOM terminal that enables global broadband connectivity services for commercial and government ...

• Swimmer delivery vehicles

  Black Shadow

  The Black Shadow is a jet-powered diver propulsion device designed to covertly insert and extract SOF to and from target areas. The Black Shadow is ...