• Defence Notes

  UK Indo-Pacific tilt risks obscuring importance of Middle East

  27th April 2021

  The special naval relationship between the UK and US could be jeopardised if the former focuses too much on the Indo-Pacific region by drawing resources away from the strategically important Arabian Gulf.

• Defence Notes

  Myanmar earns perennial pariah status in SE Asia (Opinion)

  13th May 2021

  Is Myanmar descending into civil war as the country's ruthless military crack down on all opposition and continue to battle ethnic armed groups?

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australia narrows field for the next naval UAV

  25th March 2021

  The Australian navy's effort to adopt a new shipborne UAV takes a step forward.

• Air Warfare

  Northrop Grumman gains more work on French Advanced Hawkeye deal

  19th April 2021

  Modification to FMS for France includes procurement of long-lead items for E-2D Advanced Hawkeye.

• Land Warfare

  Australia to splash out on heavy armour

  4th May 2021

  Modern Abrams tanks, bridge-layers, recovery vehicles and breaching vehicles for Australia await contract signature.

• Naval Warfare

  Will TB3 help Anadolu recover from F-35 fiasco?

  16th April 2021

  A new unmanned combat aircraft from Baykar Makina is earmarked to embark on the Turkish amphibious landing ship Anadolu — once certain design modifications are made to the vessel, which is still under construction.

• Military Logistics

  COVID-19 relief efforts motivate vehicle procurement in South America

  14th April 2021

  Ecuador and Argentina have bought or will acquire new military transport vehicles, driven by the need to provide humanitarian assistance amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Air Warfare

  Denmark rolls out its first F-35A

  8th April 2021

  Multirole F-35A will be at the epicentre of Danish defence in the years ahead, says the country’s defence minister.

• Digital Battlespace

  SharpEye comes aboard Kormoran II minehunters

  9th April 2021

  ORP Albatros and ORP Mewa will include the X-band SharpEye maritime surveillance radar.

• Naval Warfare

  Taiwan launches first domestically built LPD

  14th April 2021

  Taiwan continues to upgrade its navy with domestically built vessels, and a new LPD is now on the horizon.

• Defence Helicopter

  Netherlands starts upgraded CH-47F deliveries

  14th April 2021

  The Royal Netherlands Air Force has welcomed a new CH-47F heavy-lift helicopter, fitted with an upgraded cockpit.

• Naval Warfare

  Chinese navy commissions trio of apex predators

  27th April 2021

  The Chinese naval fleet grows by at least 60,000t in a single day as three new ships enter service.

• Naval Warfare

  USN selects industry partner to modernise combat systems

  7th April 2021

  The USN wants to insert COTS technologies and open architecture designs into combat systems used by its surface vessels.

• Special Operations

  France augments SOF capabilities

  16th April 2021

  French SOF chiefs recognised a need to refresh equipment for operations on land, at sea and in the air.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Thai navy deploys Orbiter 3Bs over water

  15th March 2021

  The Orbiter 3B is the first UAV the Royal Thai Navy has deployed operationally to monitor the nation's EEZ.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munition PODS [UK]

  Programme Background PODS As the Royal Navy states, Persistent Operational Deployment Systems (PODS) are "interchangeable modules that can be fitted to the surface fleet. Similar in ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  T-150 (Royal Navy) [UK]

  Background Deployment On 7 April 2025, the Royal Navy announced that, for the first time, nine T-150 drones would be operated from the HMS Prince ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Flexible Tactical Uncrewed Air System (FTUAS) [UK]

  Background Tender Notice & Timeline On 25 May 2021, the MoD published a tender notice for the urgent acquisition of a UAS and ancillaries under a ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | LMS Batch II (5-7) [Malaysia]

  The Royal Malaysia Navy (RMN) plans to acquire eight Littoral Mission Ships (LMS). In line with the plan, it was assumed the RMN would acquire ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | LMS Batch II (5-7) [Malaysia]

  The Royal Malaysia Navy (RMN) plans to acquire eight Littoral Mission Ships (LMS). In line with the plan, it was assumed the RMN would acquire ...

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

  Puma 3 AE (UK)

  Programme Background Testing The Royal Navy announced in October 2020 that the Puma was undergoing its first operational testing on HMS Albion's autumn deployment to ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Submarines Procurement [Malaysia]

  According to the Royal Malaysian Navy 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, the Navy wants to acquire two more submarines between 2031 and 2035. Shephard estimates ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Submarines Procurement [Malaysia]

  According to the Royal Malaysian Navy 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, the Navy wants to acquire two more submarines between 2031 and 2035. Shephard estimates ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Joint Future Surface Combatant - FSC (3) [Belgium]

  The Belgian Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) are undertaking a joint Future Surface Combatant (FSC) project to replace their existing M-class Karel Doorman-class ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Joint Future Surface Combatant - FSC (3) [Belgium]

  The Belgian Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) are undertaking a joint Future Surface Combatant (FSC) project to replace their existing M-class Karel Doorman-class ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) (3) [Malaysia]

  According to the Royal Malaysian Navy 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, the Navy wants to acquire a total of three Multi-Role Support Ships (MRSSs). This ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) (3) [Malaysia]

  According to the Royal Malaysian Navy 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, the Navy wants to acquire a total of three Multi-Role Support Ships (MRSSs). This ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Offshore Patrol Vessels [Thailand]

  The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) is reportedly considering procuring four new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs). The RTN currently has two Krabi-class OPVs based on the Royal ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Offshore Patrol Vessels [Thailand]

  The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) is reportedly considering procuring four new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs). The RTN currently has two Krabi-class OPVs based on the Royal ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Joint Future Surface Combatant - FSC (3) [Netherlands]

  The Belgian Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) are undertaking a joint Future Surface Combatant (FSC) project to replace their existing M-class Karel Doorman-class ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Submarine-launched torpedoes

  Mk 48 Mod 7AT CBASS

  The MK 48 MOD 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) is the latest variant of the Mk 48 torpedo family manufactured by Lockheed Martin and ...

• AMAS

  AMAS – Australian Minesweeping System – was developed with the assistance of the Defence Science & Technology Organisation and the Royal Australian Navy. It adopts ...

• Frigates

  Hunter Class (Type 26)

  The Hunter-class frigates for the Royal Australian Navy are based on the Type 26 design. The ships are set to replace the Anzac-class under the ...

• Sea: naval fire control radar

  Ceros 200

  The Ceros 200 is a radar and optronic tracking system designed for use on naval vessels. When interfaced with modern missile or gun systems, it ...

• Frigates

  Naresuan Class

  The Naresuan-class guided-missile frigates are a modified variant of the Chinese-built Type 053 frigate. The two ships-in-class were built by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation ...

• Destroyers

  River Class (Type 26)

  The Type 26 Anti-Submarine Warfare frigate has been designed for the UK Royal Navy, but with an emphasis on export. Both the Royal Canadian Navy ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Royal Danish Navy MH-60R MOFT

  In January 2014, CAE was awarded an FMS contract by the USN to develop an MH-60R mission operational flight trainer (MOFT) for the Royal Danish ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  AN/SPY-7(V)1

  The AN/SPY-7(V)1 is a solid-state naval surveillance radar produced and manufactured by Lockheed Martin. The system is expected to be fully integrated into programmes for ...

• Frigates

  Jacob Van Heemskerck Class

  The Jacob van Heemskerck class frigates were ex-Royal Netherlands Navy frigates that also served under the Chilean Navy, also known as the Latorre-class. Two anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  RD-170BT

  The RD-170BT is a man-portable surveillance radar deployed ashore to protect moored patrol boats of the Royal Norwegian Navy. 

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Walrus

  The Walrus is a mini rotary-wing UAV manufactured by the Royal Navy's 700X Naval Air Squadron.  As stressed during the December 2022 announcement, Walrus has been ...

• Minehunters

  Sandown Class

  The Sandown class vessels are coastal minehunters and OPVs in service with the UK Royal Navy and Royal Saudi Naval Forces as the Al Jawf class. Additionally, ...

• 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 ...

• Air-launched ASW torpedoes, Ship-launched torpedoes

  Sting Ray

  The Sting Ray Mod 1 is an air- and surface-launched, lightweight ASW torpedo. It can be deployed from frigates, helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft against ...

• Frigates

  Type 22 (Batch 1)

  The Type 22 frigates were previously the Broadsword-class in service with the UK's Royal Navy. The vessels were built in three batches, with the first ...