• Naval Warfare

  Northrop Grumman unveils Manta Ray UUV

  9th April 2024

  The uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV) prototype was built through a programme by the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) and assembled in Northrop Grumman’s Annapolis facility.

• Naval Warfare

  Latest Virginia-class SSN commissioned by US Navy despite increasing pressure on submarine service

  16th October 2023

  USS Hyman G. Rickover (SSN 795) has become the 22nd Virginia-class submarine to enter service with the US Navy following a commissioning event on 14 October 2023.

• Naval Warfare

  Better late than never: Spanish Navy commissions its first S-80A submarine more than 10 years behind schedule

  11th December 2023

  The S-80A Plus, a new class of ocean-going submarines, will enhance the Spanish Navy’s capabilities despite the challenges and delays experienced during their development and delivery.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy to invest more than $32 billion in shipbuilding in FY2025

  18th March 2024

  The service’s budget proposal for the next fiscal year included the procurement of six battle force ships.

• Land Warfare

  Challenger 3 programme promises capability upgrade as first delivery milestone approaches

  23rd August 2024

  The British Army’s Challenger 3 main battle tank (MBT) will replace existing Challenger 2s with a smaller but more capable fleet of vehicles with improved protection and notably a 120mm L55A1 smoothbore gun firing an Enhanced Kinetic Energy round. The programme is advancing rapidly with several hurdles cleared in the past year.

• Naval Warfare

  Babcock wins $707 million HMS Victorious support and upgrade contract

  1st March 2024

  The UK Royal Navy’s Vanguard class of ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) provide the UK with its continuous-at-sea deterrent (CASD) coverage and have done so since 1994 when the boats started to replace the Resolution-class submarines. Second of class, HMS Victorious, entered service in 1995.

• Training

  How US Army aviation training plans to address the service’s accident rate problem

  9th July 2024

  In response to a troubling increase in aviation accidents, the US Army initiated an 'Army Aviation Safety Stand Up', implementing immediate, targeted training for rotary-wing pilots and maintainers.

• Defence Notes

  In depth: US and China’s complex arms race over Taiwan

  28th June 2024

  The US and China have been engaging in a complex game of mutual deterrence over Taiwan in a race that features a bewildering range of different equipment.

• Naval Warfare

  China advances construction of its innovative Type 076 amphib

  5th June 2024

  The construction of the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN’s) advanced Type 076 amphibious assault vessel has been progressing rapidly at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai.

• Land Warfare

  European Common Armoured Vehicle System picks up speed

  16th August 2024

  The Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) programme is replacing vehicle types for three countries with Germany also considering it.

• Naval Warfare

  Singapore Navy receives new RO/RO civil resource ship

  17th May 2024

  MV Mentor, the Republic of Singapore Navy’s new roll-on/roll-off ship, will enhance training and sealift capabilities while replacing the long-serving MV Avatar.

• Naval Warfare

  Brazil’s Navy launches third Riachuelo attack submarine

  28th March 2024

  The ceremony was attended by Brazil’s President Lula da Silva and French President Emmanuel Macron.

• Defence Notes

  Can the US overcome Russian and Chinese nuclear capabilities?

  10th April 2024

  Washington’s ageing inventory and the pace Moscow and Beijing have been modernising their capabilities put in check the US Nuclear deterrence.

• Naval Warfare

  Northrop Grumman’s Manta Ray completes testing

  2nd May 2024

  Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation was selected in 2021 to build and test and Manta Ray unmanned underwater vehicle (UUVs). A second platform has been under development by PacMar Technologies.

• Naval Warfare

  BMT and DNV partner to meet Australia’s heavy landing craft requirement

  25th April 2024

  Under Project Land 8710 Phase 2, Australia has been seeking to acquire an undisclosed number of Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels to replace the Balikpapan-class. The programme has an estimated value of AU$1.4 billion (US$910 million), with IOC slated for 2032.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Virginia Class Attack Submarine (SSN 812 - SSN 822)

  The US Navy’s (USN’s) Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSN) are the foundation of US naval power. Also known as the SSN 774 class, these boats ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Virginia Class Attack Submarine (SSN 812 - SSN 822)

  The US Navy’s (USN’s) Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSN) are the foundation of US naval power. Also known as the SSN 774 class, these boats ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Virginia Class Attack Submarine (SSN 823 - SSN 824)

  The US Navy’s (USN’s) Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSN) are the foundation of US naval power. Also known as the SSN 774 class, these boats ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Virginia Class Attack Submarine (SSN 823 - SSN 824)

  The US Navy’s (USN’s) Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSN) are the foundation of US naval power. Also known as the SSN 774 class, these boats ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  Virginia Class Attack Submarine (SSN 823 - SSN 824)

  Programme Background Timeline The US Navy’s Virginia-class submarines (SSN 774) are built by both General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) and Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) under ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  Virginia Class Attack Submarine (SSN 812 - SSN 822)

  Programme Background Timeline The US Navy’s Virginia-class submarines (SSN 774) are built by both General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) and Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) under ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  SSN(X) Programme [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The CRS SSN(X) report states the USN is examining three broad design options for future submarines. One is based on the current ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  Virginia Class Attack Submarine (SSN 792-SSN 811)

  Programme Background Timeline The US Navy’s Virginia-class submarines (SSN 774) are built by both General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) and Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) under ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Isaac Peral Class (S-80A Plus) [Spain]

  Programme Background The S-80A SSK design for the Spanish Navy is based on the Franco-Spanish S-80 Scorpene design that both countries decided to cooperate on ...

• Military UAS - mini

  ECAC/2022/199 (South Africa)

  Programma Background Two Tenders In March 2023, DefenceWeb reported that the South African Army's tender ECAC/2022/154 was put on hold because bidders did not meet critical ...

• ISR/special mission

  King Air 350ER -Canada

  Programme Background Canadian Special Forces was looking to procure ISR aircraft to support their missions both overseas and domestically.  There were few Canadian suppliers to sell ...

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

  Intra-Theatre Lift [UK]

  Programme Background  Relationship to the Heavy Lift Challange The Royal Navy (RN) embarked on the Heavy Lift Challenge, now called the Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC), to explore ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Underwater Launched UAV (ULUAV) (India)

  Programme Background MoU At the Bharat Drone Mahotsav 2022 event in New Delhi, two private-sector Indian defence firms, the Bangalore-based UAS developer NewSpace Research and Technologies ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | TF-2000 Class-Milgem Project [Turkey]

  The Milgem project for the Turkish Navy was to consist of four Ada-class corvettes, four TF-100-class frigates and four TF-2000-class destroyers. The TF-2000 Air Defence ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Sea: optronic masts and periscopes

  Type 18

  The Type 18 periscope was designed to provide USN Los Angeles- and Seawolf-class submarines with a broad spectrum of optical, EO, RF intercept and targeting ...

• Sea: optronic masts and periscopes

  Type 8 Mod 3

  The Type 8 Mod 3 is an updated version of the Type 8-series periscopes. The Type 8B/J Mod 3 provides extremely high-frequency low-data-rate communications capability ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  Los Angeles Class

  The US Navy’s (USN’s) Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) have been the mainstay of the US sub-surface fleet since the 1970s. Known as the ...

• Sea: optronic masts and periscopes

  Optronic masts and periscopes

  The company’s MWIR imagers have been selected to provide new thermal imaging modules for the non-hull-penetrating Model 90 Universal Modular (optronic) masts for USN Virginia-class ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  Seawolf Class

  The Seawolf-class nuclear attack submarine (SSN) was developed to follow the Los Angeles-class submarines as a faster and more substantially armed replacement. General Dynamics Electric ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  Virginia Class

  The USN’s Virginia-class SSNs are the foundation of US naval power. Also known as the SSN 774 class, these boats are replacing the old Los Angeles-class ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  AN/BYG-1

  The AN/BYG-1 is a submarine command and control system designed for analysing and tracking ship contacts, providing situational awareness and weapons employment. The system adheres ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Archer

  The Archer is an FPV-style loitering munition from Neros. Certified by BlueUAS, the drone is designed and manufactured in Los Angeles, Californa.  In February 2025, 6,000 ...

• Sea: tactical training

  688(I) Hunter Killer

  The 688(I) Hunter Killer was developed by Sonalysts, released in 1997 and published by Electronic Arts. In this platform-level game, the player takes command of ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  Shang Class (Type 093)

  China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) class of six Type 093 Shang-class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) are the service’s first real deployable SSN force. The ...

• Model 326 Enhanced Fire Attack

  The Model 326 Enhanced belly tank/refill hose system holds 20% more water than the original Model 326, and is approved to fly at speeds up ...

• Major networking projects

  WGS

  Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellites are elements of a high-capacity system. WGS supports the US DoD’s warfighting information exchange requirements, enabling execution of tactical C4ISR, ...

• Sea: optronic masts and periscopes

  AN/BVS-1 Photonics Mast Programme

  The AN/BVS-1 is the sensor mast system for USN Virginia-class attack submarines, the first of which entered service in 2004. It is the first class ...

• Sea: optronic masts and periscopes

  OMS 100

  The OMS 100 is a non-hull-penetrating optronic mast designed to offer shipbuilders more freedom in positioning the operations centre. A rotating sensor head is housed ...

• Data links

  MPDL

  The Multi-Payload Data Link (MPDL) is a system for airborne applications. It is based on the TMA 6000 series. The main applications are broadband LoS ...