• Naval Warfare

  Saab signs contract for MLU of third Gotland-class submarine

  18th March 2022

  HSwMS Halland is the third and last Gotland-class submarine to go through a MLU.

• Naval Warfare

  Poland doubles Kormoran minehunter fleet

  24th March 2022

  Three more Kormoran II-class vessels will join the expanding Polish Navy with deliveries planned for 2025-2027.

• Land Warfare

  UK Ajax programme viability remains in limbo

  25th March 2022

  An NAO report pointed out that the future of the British Army’s Ajax programme remains unclear as the MoD continues to face significant issues with the vehicle, in addition to not having a timescale defined for this programme.

• Land Warfare

  Russian false assumptions and incoherence come to the fore in Ukraine

  8th March 2022

  Russian forces have been forced to improvise following mistakes made at the start of their invasion of Ukraine.

• Defence Notes

  Russian equipment losses underline hardy Ukrainian resistance

  25th February 2022

  Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it has been met with a level of resistance powerful enough to destroy a wide range of equipment from helicopters and fighter jets to armoured vehicles.

• Naval Warfare

  USN turns to Booz Allen Hamilton for LCS support services

  19th January 2022

  Booz Allen Hamilton will provide a single executive for end-to-end support of LCS vessels.

• Naval Warfare

  Croatia orders new patrol vessels from Vittoria Shipyard

  15th March 2022

  Croatia orders new coastal patrol vessels for use by law enforcement for littoral operations and SAR purposes.

• Naval Warfare

  Israel Shipyards to supply landing ships for undisclosed African customer

  16th March 2022

  Mystery surrounds the identity of the latest African customer for Israel Shipyards.

• Naval Warfare

  Black Sea battles (Opinion)

  21st March 2022

  While much of the Russian invasion of Ukraine has played out in the air and land domains, the naval aspect remains important. Attempted amphibious assaults, naval supply lines and ancient treaties regarding maritime movement have all been at the forefront of the conflict.

• Naval Warfare

  Sonardyne, MSubs collaborate on autonomous naval capabilities

  9th March 2022

  The two companies have previously worked to demonstrate the Vigilant forward-looking sonar onto MSubs XLUUV.

• Naval Warfare

  DSA 2022: Philippines abandons long-cherished plan to buy Austal OPVs

  28th March 2022

  After casting Austal adrift, the Philippines will now look to a different overseas shipyard to build six OPVs.

• Digital Battlespace

  Podcast: Five Eyes Connectivity - The Network Effect

  25th March 2022

  In the latest episode of the Five Eyes Connectivity podcast, we dive deeper into military connectivity and hear how the Five Eyes partners are developing new CONOPS based on the model of multi-domain operations.

• Naval Warfare

  NZ sells two retired patrol boats to Ireland

  13th March 2022

  Ireland has acquired two second-hand patrol boats from New Zealand as the Irish Naval Service modifies its fleet.

• Defence Notes

  Russian defence industry faces long-term damage from US sanctions

  28th February 2022

  It may take time, but US-imposed sanctions will prevent Russia from accessing certain essential components such as microelectronics and chips. They will also affect the capacity of Russian industry to produce cutting-edge defence systems and hinder efforts by Moscow to match the technological trajectories of the West and China.

• Naval Warfare

  Micronesia receives first Guardian-class patrol boat with another to come

  16th March 2022

  FSS Tosiwo Nakayama is the first of two 39.5m-long Guardian-class boats for the Federated States of Micronesia, built by Austal under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project.

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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, ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...