• Training

  IT2EC 2023: Culture hampering adoption of virtual reality pilot trainers

  26th April 2023

  Portable mixed reality devices aim to augment expensive dome-based full mission simulators in military training but face lobbying and cultural resistance.

• Training

  IT2EC 2023: Western forces now have trained over 86,000 Ukrainians - what lessons have been learned?

  24th April 2023

  New doctrine, tactics, techniques and procedures are reducing casualty rates as Ukrainian forces move towards a more Western outlook.

• Air Warfare

  Bell makes move on FLRAA test lab construction despite ongoing Defiant protest

  27th March 2023

  Bell Textron began laying the foundations for a new testing facility for its V-280 Valor helicopter despite protest over its US Army Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) contract win.

• Training

  Improbable in talks to sell defence business following US closure as company follows Metaverse path

  29th March 2023

  Improbable is reportedly in talks to sell its Skyral battlefield simulation technology as the company focuses on its Metaverse business, following the closure of its US defence operations.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy orders new San Antonio LPD as class's future remains uncertain

  3rd April 2023

  The USN has awarded HII a $1.3 billion contract for the detail design and construction of the third Flight II San Antonio-class LPD, LPD-32, while question marks loom over the future of the class.

• Training

  US Army soldiers train for large-scale combat operations against CBRN threats

  30th March 2023

  US soldiers from the 92nd Chemical Company and 756th Ordnance Company have honed their warfighting skills during training rotations for large-scale combat operations against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats.

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems tests rocket laser guidance kits for anti-drone role

  31st March 2023

  BAE Systems' APKWS laser guidance kits have successfully undergone testing in a counter-UAS mission led by the US Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office.

• Training

  Standing NATO Maritime Group conducts training at sea

  3rd April 2023

  The demonstration of interoperability and maritime security capabilities in Souda Bay reinforces NATO's commitment to ensuring regional stability and safety in the Mediterranean.

• Land Warfare

  AM General and Supacat pitch vehicle-mounted L118 Light Gun to British Army

  3rd April 2023

  A version of the L118 Light Gun mounted on a 6x6 Supacat chassis could solve mobility and obsolescence problems facing the Royal Artillery's current towed version of the 105mm howitzer.

• Naval Warfare

  US commissions latest Littoral Combat Ship, as Austal execs face fraud charges

  3rd April 2023

  On April 1, the USN commissioned the latest Austal USA-built Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32), shortly after a federal grand jury indictment charging three Alabama men with orchestrating an accounting fraud scheme at the shipbuilder.

• Training

  IT2EC 2023: Get ready to explore the future of military training and simulation in Rotterdam

  17th April 2023

  The IT2EC military training and simulation event returns to Rotterdam in April 2023. Sanjay Khetia, director of PLEXSYS and chairman of IT2EC told Shephard what attendees can expect when visiting the show this year.

• Land Warfare

  US speeds up Abrams deliveries to Ukraine by switching to M1A1s

  22nd March 2023

  The US will deliver Abrams main battle tanks (MBTs) to Ukraine faster than initially planned by switching from providing M1A2s to refurbished M1A1s.

• Naval Warfare

  IMDEX 2023: Two more Shaldag Mk V interceptors arrive in the Philippines

  2nd May 2023

  In April, two more Israel Shipyards-built Shaldag Mk V fast attack interdiction craft (FAIC) arrived in the Philippines.

• Naval Warfare

  IMDEX 2023: Italian PPA makes IMDEX debut

  2nd May 2023

  At IMDEX Asia 2023 in Singapore, the Italian Navy Pattugliatori Polivalenti d'Altura (PPA) class ship Francesco Morosini made its show debut.

• Digital Battlespace

  CAES to supply new radio frequency jammers for US Navy Growler aircraft

  11th April 2023

  CAES has been awarded a contract by the United States Navy to begin initial production work on the AN/ALQ-99 LBC transmitter for the EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft fleet.

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

  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, ...

• AGMV 1.1

  Programme Background The US Army has been seeking a lightweight, air-droppable, high mobility vehicle since as early as 2014, when it initiated its Ultra Light ...

• 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. ...

• Main battle tanks

  NGCV: DLP

  Programme Background Requirement The DLP is one of five vehicle families being developed for the US Army's NGCV programme. Expanded to include five programmes in ...

• Data links

  Data links | KC-130J [Saudi Arabia]

  Royal Saudi Air Force is seeking to purchase three KC-130J tanker aircraft in addition to two units acquired under foreign military sale (FMS) programme. On 9 ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | KC-130J [Saudi Arabia]

  Royal Saudi Air Force is seeking to purchase three KC-130J tanker aircraft in addition to two units acquired under foreign military sale (FMS) programme. On 9 ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | KC-130J [Saudi Arabia]

  Royal Saudi Air Force is seeking to purchase three KC-130J tanker aircraft in addition to two units acquired under foreign military sale (FMS) programme. On 9 ...

• 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 ...

• UAE Surplus MaxxPro MRAP

  Programme Background Following the withdrawal of many of its forces from Iraq and Afghanistan, the US has sought to divest of many of its MRAPs ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Switchblade 300 (USA)

  Programme Background AeroVironment has been providing the Switchblade 300 loitering munition to the US Army under the long-standing Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile Systems (LMAMS) programme ...

• 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 ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8A Poseidon [UK]

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

• 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 ...

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 ...

• US Navy T-44C training services

  In late 2013, CAE received a contract to provide the USN with comprehensive T-44C aircrew training services at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. CAE USA is ...

• 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 - fixed-wing, 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58 Kiowa

  The single-engine OH-58 Kiowa, derived from the Bell 206, entered US Army service in 1969 as a light observation helicopter. More than 2,200 were built for ...

• Trailers

  M900 Series

  Heil’s M900-series tactical refuellers are designed and built to meet US military performance standards. The M967A2 ground equipment refueller and the M969A3 aircraft refueller are ...