• Defence Notes

  How the Pentagon will use private capital to fund critical capabilities

  23rd March 2023

  The DoD has changed its structures and is been increasing efforts to facilitate access to loans by companies interested in working with artificial intelligence, advanced materials and semiconductors, biotechnology and quantum science.

• Air Warfare

  Australian firm selected for US hypersonic test vehicle requirement

  23rd March 2023

  Hypersonix Launch Systems will provide flight vehicles for testing under a US Defense Innovation Unit hypersonic programme.

• Naval Warfare

  Japan commissions its second Taigei-class submarine

  23rd March 2023

  Japan has inducted its second Taigei-class submarine, amidst plans to boost counterstrike capabilities with new, longer-range missiles.

• Land Warfare

  Romania quadruples request for JLTV Heavy Gun Carriers

  17th March 2023

  Romania has requested a total of 129 Heavy Gun Carrier Joint Light Tactical Vehicles to replace HMMWVs used by its special forces units.

• Naval Warfare

  US lacks clear plan to meet amphibious ship requirements, Marine Corps chief says

  30th March 2023

  Speaking to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee during a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2024 budget request for the USN and USMC, Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen David Berger said there was 'no plan' for the US to meet its statutory minimum requirements for amphibious warships.

• Training

  US Air Force jet trainer upgrade prevents obsolescence and improves availability

  24th March 2023

  Contractor Field Aerospace has completed work on the Avionics Modification Program for the USAF's T-1 Jayhawk fleet to address obsolescence issues, increase aircraft availability and decrease sustainment costs.

• Air Warfare

  Boeing's Insitu launches VTOL Integrator UAS for ship-based operations

  12th April 2023

  Insitu's vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) Integrator UAS uses a detachable quadcopter element that allows it to be launched from anywhere while retaining heavier payload carrying capabilities.

• Defence Notes

  Japan’s security circumstances prompt it to introduce longer-range missiles

  17th April 2023

  With growing threats such as China and North Korean missiles, Japan is developing long-range, standoff missiles to enhance its deterrence posture.

• Air Warfare

  Turkey considers ditching F-16 Block 70 request in favour of non-US alternative

  16th March 2023

  Turkish officials are signalling dissatisfaction and contemplating abandoning plans to purchase F-16 Block 70s from the US as the deal stalemates, and the country faces hard economic decisions.

• Land Warfare

  IVAS programme has made major progress, says US Army Chief of Staff

  27th March 2023

  The US Army and Microsoft are currently working on the third version of the product, the 1.2 variant.

• Air Warfare

  US Air Force needs over 200 B-21 bombers, expert argues as maiden flight faces delays

  23rd March 2023

  The first flight of Northrop Grumman's B-21 Raider stealth bomber has been delayed, while experts argue the US Air Force is in need of more than 300 bombers as tensions heighten across the globe.

• Naval Warfare

  Are Australia’s SSN ambitions ‘sub-optimal’? (Opinion)

  20th March 2023

  Some describe Australia's SSN plans as marking the country's coming of age, but there are still too many questions whether it will work out the way planners imagine.

• Training

  Updated: RAF kicks off Project Monet to develop sustainable fuel test aircraft

  21st April 2023

  Project Monet will evaluate the feasibility of matching environmentally friendly technologies with key military requirements, including all-electric battery power.

• Air Warfare

  2023 F-35 deliveries take hit due to engine problem and Tech Refresh delays

  20th April 2023

  Lockheed Martin is expected to fall short of its target for delivering 156 F-35 fighter jets in 2023 due to a three-month pause in engine deliveries and delays with the Tech Refresh 3 update.

• Naval Warfare

  IMDEX 2023: Trio of naval programmes bolster Singaporean naval capabilities

  2nd May 2023

  The Singaporean Navy will be bolstered over the next decade with programmes for three new classes of vessels, including multi-role combat vessels, multi-mission ships and new submarines.

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 ...