• Naval Warfare

  Ingalls Shipbuilding awarded $155 million contract for USS Zumwalt modernisation

  30th August 2023

  HII's Ingalls Shipbuilding division has been awarded a $154.8 million contract modification for the modernisation of USS Zumwalt, integrating the Conventional Prompt Strike weapon system for enhanced capabilities.

• 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).

• Naval Warfare

  DSEI 2023: How PhantomBlu comms tech could mean an end to radio silence at sea

  15th September 2023

  Blu Wireless's PhantomBlu millimetre-wave communications nodes could put an end to the need to maintain radio silence to avoid detection or interception while supporting high data rates for C2 purposes.

• Air Warfare

  Insight: How the P-8 Poseidon has conquered the maritime patrol aircraft market

  6th September 2023

  Shephard Defence Insight analyses the success story of the Boeing P-8 Poseidon, a multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft that has captured international interest, detailing its variants, operators and unit cost.

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky lands $2.7 billion contract for CH-53K helicopters, eight for Israel and 27 for USMC

  25th August 2023

  The USN has awarded Sikorsky a $2.7 billion contract for the production and delivery of 35 CH-53K King Stallion helicopters, split between the USMC and Israel, with deliveries expected to start in 2026.

• Digital Battlespace

  DSEI 2023: Northrop Grumman rolls out BattleOne integrated command and control package

  13th September 2023

  Northrop Grumman's BattleOne concept aims to transcend domain and national boundaries to produce an overarching command and control capability with integrated artificial intelligence.

• Naval Warfare

  CAES awarded $200 million contract to provide USN with large ship radar modules

  24th August 2023

  CAES has secured a $200 million contract from Raytheon to provide radar module assemblies for the USN's advanced AN/SPY-6 radars.

• Air Warfare

  GAO report reveals critical F-35 maintenance challenges impacting US fighter readiness

  3rd October 2023

  The US DoD is facing significant obstacles in achieving its sustainment goals for the fleet of approximately 450 F-35 fighters despite plans to expand the fleet to 2,000 over the next two decades.

• Land Warfare

  Meteksan targets drones with new radar and counter-UAS systems

  1st August 2023

  Meteksan showcased the Retinar AESA radar at IDEF 2023, offering enhanced detection and tracking capabilities for UAVs and tactical targets. The radar has applications in mobile counter-UAS systems.

• Air Warfare

  Chinese air power – analysing the bigger picture

  14th September 2023

  Admitted by the US to be a ‘pacing threat’, the development of Chinese air power will continue to be a core measure of Beijing’s military capability.

• Naval Warfare

  Keel laid for USS Tang

  17th August 2023

  The keel was laid for the 32nd Virginia-class submarine USS Tang on 17 August, a Block V variant of the type and the third boat with this name for the USN.

• Air Warfare

  Insight: What does the future hold for the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft?

  11th September 2023

  The Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 3A has been adopted by Middle Eastern air forces as well as the European partner nations. Shephard Defence Insight analyses its next-generation radar, cockpit technology and future upgrade plans.

• 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

• Defence Notes

  Is the Pentagon ready to confront biological threats?

  4th September 2023

  The Pentagon recently released its Biodefense Posture Review and has also requested over $1 billion in its FY2024 budget proposal to fund capabilities and readiness to face chemical and biological threats.

• Naval Warfare

  Textron awarded UAS contract for Littoral Combat Ships

  11th August 2023

  The US Navy (USN) is expanding the airborne surveillance capabilities of three of its Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) with the addition of new UAS capabilities.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  IAR-99 Replacement (Romania)

  On 29 August 2017, Leonardo announced that the IAR-99 trainer technology demonstrator (TD) will be fitted with company's Vixen 500E AESA radar. The Vixen 500E AESA ...

• Maritime patrol

  Maritime Patrol Aircraft Procurement [Italy]

  Background Requirement history In an appearance before the Italian parliament’s Foreign and Defence Affairs Committee on 14 July 2022, Italian Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey (Navy and Marine Corps) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement According to USN FY2023 Budget Estimate documentation, the V-22 programme provides an aircraft to meet the amphibious and vertical assault needs of ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  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 ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Mobile Short Range Radar [Austria]

  Background As part of its efforts to modernise its ground-based air defence (GBAD) network, Austria is seeking to acquire 14 mobile short-range radar systems. According ...

• Military UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USN)

  Programme Background Joint USN and USMC Procurment The RQ-21 Blackjack, or STUALSO, was a combined United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) programme ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW101-Norway

  AgustaWestland is also providing initial support and training services, including spares at each of the operating bases and aircrew training. It will then provide performance ...

• 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 - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USMC)

  Programme Background Joint USN and USMC Procurment The RQ-21 Blackjack, or STUALSO, was a combined United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) programme ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (US Navy) (Batch 2) [US]

  Background According to the FY2021 budget request, the USN funded three JLTVs in FY2018, eight in FY2019, 19 in FY2020 and 25 in FY2021. In ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCAC 100 Class (SSC) [USN]

  Background Timeline The major role of the SSC will be deployment from landing ships in support of USN and USMC operations and the transport of ...

• MPVs - 4x4

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

  Background 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 ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  AD(X) Destroyer Tenders [USN]

  Programme Background At Surface Navy 2026, General Dynamics NASSCO unveiled an internally developed concept, pitching a AD(X) Destroyer Tender to the USN. The destroyer tender ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  TH-73 Advanced Helicopter Training System (AHTS) (TH-57 Replacement)

  Programme Background Contenders for the competition included the Leonardo single engine TH-119 – a military variant of the AW119Kx – and Bell’s newly upgraded single ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Blackwing (Second Batch) [USA]

  Programme BackgroundFirst Batch The Blackwing originated from a 2013 initiative to develop a low-cost submarine-launched UAS for the US Navy. Following successful tests with the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  AN/SPY-3

  The AN/SPY-3 is a multifunction naval radar developed and manufactured by Raytheon. Its intended uses include horizon and surface search, navigation, periscope detection, discrimination, and ...

• 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 ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-79

  The AN/APG-79 is an agile beam radar with a solid-state digital array that scans at nearly the speed of light, enabling detection and tracking of ...

• Fighter - multirole, Fighter - naval

  F-35C

  The F-35C Lightning II, also known as the F-35 carrier variant (CV), is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft in carrier configuration. It has larger wings and ...

• Fighter - electronic warfare

  EA-18G Growler

  The EA-18G Growler is a variant in the F/A-18 family of aircraft that combines the F/A-18F Super Hornet platform with a sophisticated electronic warfare suite. It ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  AN/SPY-6(V)1 (AMDR)

  Raytheon's Air and Missile Defence Radar (AMDR), now officially designated as AN/SPY-6(V)1 is a three-dimensional AESA naval surveillance radar designed to simultaneously defend against ballistic missiles, hypersonic ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Raven ES-05

  The Raven ES-05 is an AESA fire-control radar developed by Leonardo in close collaboration with Saab for the Gripen E/F. It features a repositionable AESA ...

• Military - UUVs

  Snakehead LDUUV

  The Snakehead Large Displacement Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (LDUUV) is a US Navy (USN) Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (UUV) designed to be launched from submarine Dry Dock Shelters ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-63(V)2

  The AN/APG-63(V)2 is a significant radar upgrade for the U.S. Air Force F-15C aircraft. This upgrade replaces the mechanically-scanned antenna (MSA) with an AESA antenna,  ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Grifo E

  The Grifo-E is an advanced fire-control radar developed by Leonardo, featuring Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology for enhanced situational awareness. It employs Active Electronically Scanned ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Vixen-1000E

  The Vixen 1000E is an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar designed for fighter and interceptor aircraft, incorporating a roll-repositionable antenna with a ±100º field ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  RBE2

  The AESA RBE2 is the first AESA radar produced in Europe for combat aircraft. The active phased array replaces the passive array in the RBE2 currently ...

• 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, ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  IAR-99 TD

  IAR-99 TD is an advanced trainer and light attack aircraft based on the IAR-99. It is being developed jointly by the Romanian National Institute for ...

• EO/IR systems

  Wescam MX-20

  The Wescam MX-20 EO/IR is an imaging system from L3 Harris, designed for high-altitude, long-range persistent surveillance and reconnaissance missions from crewed and uncrewed aircraft. The MX-20HD was a ...