• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems survey finds multi-domain integration remains a hurdle for modern defence forces

  17th October 2023

  Multi-domain integration (MDI) – communicating and operating across services, nations and systems – has been noted as a core challenge for defence forces despite a number of technological and cultural solutions existing.

• Defence Notes

  Poland announces multi-million acquisitions to boost air and missile defence capacities

  8th September 2023

  As part of the second phase of the WISŁA air defence programme, Poland will procure PAC-3 MSE missiles, 48 Patriot launchers and 12 LTAMDS sensors.

• Defence Notes

  How the Pentagon is using quantum technology to improve its military capabilities

  29th August 2023

  The US DoD has been conducting several initiatives in the area of quantum science, the study of the smallest possible units of matter and energy, and intends to deepen the efforts in FY2024 as it watches China make advances in defence.

• Air Warfare

  Shield AI successfully demonstrates autonomous teaming with V-BAT UAS

  31st August 2023

  Shield AI has completed an autonomous teaming demonstration using three V-BAT UAS, showcasing their Hivemind AI pilot and paving the way for deployable teaming capabilities in GPS-denied environments.

• Air Warfare

  Tactical advantage – is the best replacement for a C-130 another C-130?

  18th September 2023

  While designs like the Embraer C-390 have chalked up some export successes, Shephard analyses whether a true competitor (or successor) to Lockheed's C-130J currently exists. Or will the Hercules production line simply remain open for decades to come?

• Naval Warfare

  Solution offered for US Navy’s nuclear submarine availability problem

  5th September 2023

  Bartlett Maritime Corporation (BMC) has published a plan that offers a solution to the US Navy’s availability crisis with its Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs).

• Training

  International forces collaborate in Exercise Ulchi to enhance Northeast Asia's security

  22nd August 2023

  Exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield 23 underscores international cooperation in strengthening defence capabilities, as US and South Korean military units and several UN Command member states engage in training.

• Defence Helicopter

  DSEI 2023: Lockheed to produce about 40% of Black Hawks on UK soil if it wins NMH contest

  13th September 2023

  Lockheed Martin promises a boost to the British job market and export opportunities, while strengthening ties with Poland and positioning the UK for a future in rotorcraft technology in the event of a New Medium Helicopter competition triumph.

• Training

  War may enter new phase as US outlines plans to train Ukrainians to operate F-16 jets

  25th August 2023

  The US has outlined plans to provide training to Ukrainian pilots and ground support personnel for F-16 fighter jets, taking Ukraine's war against invading Russian forces to the next level in the medium term.

• Defence Notes

  Australia boosts domestic munitions production capacity

  8th October 2023

  Thales Australia is beneficiary of major investment in two munitions plants that it manages.

• Land Warfare

  US Army orders 135 heavy dump trucks from Mack Defense

  24th August 2023

  Mack Defense has won an order for 135 additional M917A3 Heavy Dump Trucks (HDTs) for the US Army with the vehicles largely conducting construction and maintenance missions for infrastructure assets, such as airfields, roadways, landing strips, supply facilities and motor pools

• Air Warfare

  DSEI 2023: Babcock teams up with Aeralis to offer flexible flight services

  14th September 2023

  Aeralis and Babcock France have teamed up to explore flexible aircraft service offerings for training and operational roles using the former company's modular jet design.

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army awards MAG Aerospace and L3Harris contract for enhanced ISR aircraft

  24th August 2023

  The US Army has selected MAG Aerospace and L3Harris to deliver two enhanced ISR aircraft for the Army’s Theater-Level, High-Altitude Expeditionary Next Airborne ISR-Radar (ATHENA-R) programme, providing high-altitude intelligence capabilities to meet global requirements.

• Digital Battlespace

  DSEI: New antenna revealed by Hascall-Denke

  14th September 2023

  Hascall-Denke has unveiled a new quad-input dual-band sector panel antenna at DSEI, with the US Army announced as a client.

• Air Warfare

  BAE Systems and Hybrid Air Vehicles partner on Airlander low-emission aircraft

  13th September 2023

  The agreement with BAE Systems covers technical and programme collaboration opportunities and exploration of potential defence opportunities for Hybrid Air Vehicle (HAV) platforms and related activities.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background In addition to the aircraft, the request includes M134D mini-Guns, aircraft survivability equipment, infrared signature suppression system, fast rope insertion extraction system, extended ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow-On [USA]

  Programme Background In March 2019, Airbus stated that it expected orders from the US Army for between 12 and 15 UH-72A helicopters. In March 2020, ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (US Army) (Batch 1) [USA]

  Background As of January 2021, the US DoD had signed 15 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Multirole Fighter [Morocco]

  Programme Background 2019 In March 2019, the US State Department announced that it had approved a possible FMS of 25 F-16V Block 72 aircraft to ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk (Second Contract) [Croatia]

  Programme Background Western Technology With the help of the US, Croatia has attempted to improve its military technology, replacing Soviet equipment, such as the Mi-8/Mi-17. ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache (Follow-On) [Morocco]

  Programme Background Morocco has placed a request with the US government for AH-64E Apache attack helicopters. On 20 November 2019, it was announced that the ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Lower Tier Air and Missile Defence Sensor [US]

  Background The US Army's Lower Tier Air and Missile Defence Sensor (LTAMDS) is being acquired from US-based Raytheon.  The United States Army is the primary customer ...

• Military UAS - mini

  RQ-11 Raven (US Army)

  Programme Background The AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven began to be deployed by the US Army in 2004 and was selected as its sole small UAS in ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Medium Range Intercept Capability [US]

  Background The US Marine Corps' Medium Range Intercept Capability (MRIC) is a new medium-range air defence capability developed from the Israeli Tamir surface-to-air missile and Iron ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (USAF) (Batch 1) [USA]

  Baclground As of November 2020, the US DoD had signed 14 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker DVH [USA]

  Background The US Army has been operating the Stryker since 2002. The Stryker DVH is an upgraded variant that has additional armour on its underside ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8A Poseidon [UK]

  Background In July 2016, the UK government announced that it had ordered nine aircraft for service with the RAF. Under this frame, in January 2019, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk Add-on [Lithuania]

  Programme Background On 6 June 2020, the US State Department announced that it had approved a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of six UH-60M Black Hawk ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Infantry Squad Vehicle [USA]

  Background The JLTV, HMMWV, and ISV constitute the US Army’s Light Tactical Vehicle (LTV) fleet. The US Army has evaluated the ISV as part of ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (USMC) (Batch 1) [USA]

  Background As of January 2021, the US DoD had signed 15 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Maritime patrol

  US-2

  The ShinMaywa US-2 is an amphibious short take-off and landing aircraft used primarily by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) for SAR. 

• Data links

  GNOMAD US Domestic

  The US domestic version of GNOMAD (see separate entry) is a ruggedised system comprising a satellite antenna and baseband modular chassis that can be installed ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  US Army AVCATT PDSS

  L3Harris Technologies is the prime contractor for the US Army’s Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (AVCATT) Post Deployment Software Support (PDSS) programme. L3Harris Technologies is ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Indirect Fire Protection Capability [US]

  Leidos' Indirect Fire Protection Capability has been selected to provide medium-range Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) to sit between SHORAD and the high-end Patriot. 

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  US Army Flight School XXI OFT/RCTD

  L3Harris Technologies is a major subcontractor to CSC on the US Army’s Flight School XXI (FSXXI) programme. L3Harris Technologies has built or is under contract ...

• Towed mortars

  M120/M120A1

  The M120/M120A1 120 mm Towed Mortar System is a US-built version of the Soltam K6 mortar that was accepted into US Army service in 1990.

• Military UAS - small

  ScanEagle 3

  Insitu unveiled the ScanEagle 3 at the Xponential exhibition in Denver in May 2018. The platform has twice the payload capacity of its ScanEagle predecessor ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Lockheed Martin Next Generation Short Range Interceptor

  US-based Lockheed Martin is competing for the US Army's Next Generation Short Range Interceptor (NGSRI) programme with its QuadStar missile.  The programme aims to replace ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  RG33

  BAE Systems RG33 is a family of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles available in both 4x4 and 6x6. The medium-weight class of BAE Systems MRAP ...

• Military - USVs

  Voyager

  Voyager is an Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) built by US-based Saildrone. Voyager has been used by the US Navy (USN) and is one of three ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  TH-119 (TH-73A Thrasher )

  The US Navy announced on 13 January 2020 that Leonardo had been awarded a US$176.5 million contract for the production of 32 TH-119 helicopters in ...

• Frigates

  Oliver Hazard Perry Class

  The Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigates (FFG) were initially designed for the US Navy in the mid-1970s as cost-efficient surface combatants. The robust design has ...

• Self-propelled guns

  SIGMA

  The SIGMA is the latest self-propelled howitzer (SPH) developed by Elbit America and Oshkosh Defense. Produced entirely in the US, the SIGMA is intended to ...

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  AN/PLT-5 Thor-II

  Sierra Nevada Corporations’s (SNC's) AN/PLT-5 Thor-II Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) system is designed to equip CIED teams and is used throughout the US armed ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - MLDS, Air: Defensive Systems - Laser Warning Receivers

  LIMWS

  BAE Systems is leading the US Army’s Limited Interim Missile Warning System (LIMWS) initiative. This is intended to enhance the missile protection provided to US ...