• Digital Battlespace

  DSEI 2019: Commercial space innovation presents military challenges

  11th September 2019

  The most innovative communications and military computing equipment now comes from the commercial sector, rather than military R&D; labs, Dr Stuart Eves, Consultant and Director at …

• Digital Battlespace

  Podcast: Five Eyes Connectivity - SATCOM

  26th September 2019

  Welcome to Shephard Studio’s special series on Five Eyes Connectivity, sponsored by our partner Viasat.  Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more. In the Five Eyes Connectivity podcast …

• Naval Warfare

  Philippines turns to Korea for CMS and new corvettes

  28th August 2019

  The Philippines has selected Hanwha Systems to install an integrated combat management system (CMS) on three former US Coast Guard cutters in service with the …

• Digital Battlespace

  First system-level tests of USN EASR completed

  21st August 2019

  Raytheon and the US Navy have completed the first system-level tests of the SPY-6(V)2 Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR) at the Surface Combat System Center at …

• Naval Warfare

  Unarmed Trident II in new test flight

  12th September 2019

  US Navy submarine USS Nebraska has carried out flight testing of unarmed Trident II (D5) missiles. The firings were carried out from the Ohio-class ballistic …

• Naval Warfare

  Saab selected for Finland Squadron 2020 work

  19th September 2019

  Saab has been selected as the combat system provider and integrator for the Finnish Navy’s four new Pohjanmaa-class corvettes within the Squadron 2020 programme. Finland’s …

• Training

  Kongsberg and BISim team for Protector training

  27th September 2019

  Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim) have announced the signing of a framework agreement to jointly develop simulation solutions for the …

• Military Logistics

  Harland & Wolff rescue by energy firm leaves door open for ‘secondary revenue’ streams (updated)

  1st October 2019

  The potential rescue of the Belfast-based marine industry service provider and former shipbuilder, Harland & Wolff (H&W;) had re-opened the prospect that the site could be …

• Military Logistics

  50th MT30 gas turbine complete

  17th September 2019

  Rolls-Royce has completed the 50th MT30 gas turbine, which will now be despatched for the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force’s 30FFM frigate. The turbine will …

• Military Logistics

  USNS Puerto Rico completes acceptance trials

  28th August 2019

  The future USNS Puerto Rico Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessel has completed US Navy acceptance trials, manufacturer Austal announced on 26 August.   The trials …

• Training

  DynCorp awarded support work for USN training aircraft

  6th September 2019

  DynCorp is being awarded an $88.7 million contract modification to provide organisational, intermediate, and depot-level maintenance and logistics support for US Navy training aircraft.  It …

• Naval Warfare

  Prince of Wales sails for initial sea trials

  20th September 2019

  The Royal Navy’s second aircraft carrier, Prince of Wales, has sailed from Rosyth Dockyard for initial sea trials. The carrier will conduct extensive sea trials …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF launched second GPS III satellite

  27th August 2019

  The US Air Force has launched its second GPS III satellite, part of a constellation of up to 32 satellites that will bolster the US’ …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Navy trials MCM mission package on ESB vessel

  23rd September 2019

  The US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship Mine Countermeasure (MCM) mission package has been trialled on Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) ship, USNS Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams. In …

• Naval Warfare

  Boarding party time for RNZN crews

  27th August 2019

  The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) is seeking to procure specialist tactical equipment for personnel conducting naval boarding operations. In an RfT released in August, …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Frigates

  Constellation Class - FFG(X) (1-10)

  Programme Background The FFG (X) programme was first announced with a Request for Information (RFI) released by the US Navy in July 2017 with a ...

• Frigates

  Constellation Class Frigates Procurement [Greece]

  Programme Background Requirements The Hellenic Navy (HN) seeks to modernize its Fleet by 2032 with second-hand and newly built ships. The main goal is to ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Constellation Class Frigates Procurement [Greece]

  The Hellenic Navy seeks to modernize its Fleet by 2032 with second-hand and newly built ships. In January 2024, the Greek Minister of Defence announced the ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Constellation Class Frigates Procurement [Greece]

  The Hellenic Navy seeks to modernize its Fleet by 2032 with second-hand and newly built ships. In January 2024, the Greek Minister of Defence announced the ...

• Frigates

  FREMM Frigates [Morocco]

  Programme Background It was first reported by local Italian media that Morocco has been in talks with Fincantieri for the potential acquisition of two FREMM ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (1-8) [USMC]

  Programme Background Development As part of the US Marine Corps' future force structure, it is developing a new platform under the Medium Lading Ship programme ...

• Frigates

  Littoral Combat Ships [Egypt]

  Requirements The Egyptian Navy is in the process of replacing four O. Perry-class frigates, two Knox-class frigates and two Descubierta-class corvettes. Although the O. Perry-class ...

• Frigates

  Constellation Class - FFG(X) (11-20)

  Programme Background Timeline The FFG (X) programme was first announced with a Request for Information (RFI) released by the US Navy in July 2017 with ...

• Frigates

  Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)

  Programme Background The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme was developed in 2003 as a cheap and fast way to increase the size of the fleet ...

• Frigates

  Fridtjof Nansen Frigates Replacement [Norway]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Norwegian Navy has four Fridtjof Nansen-class frigates. Five were originally built and delivered, but one sank in November 2018. Shephard forecasts that the ...

• Frigates

  Stop-Gap Frigate Procurement [Greece]

  Programme Background The Hellenic Navy is acquiring up to four new Frigates. This major equipment programme is the most discussed equipment issue on the Greek ...

• Frigates

  FREMM EVO (11-12) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirements As of October 2022, the Italian Navy operates a fleet of eight FREMM frigates, split equally between anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and General ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Navajo Class (T-ATS)

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) are replacing the ageing three remaining T-ATF 166 class tugboats and two remaining T-ARS 50 class ships with ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCAC 100 Class (SSC) [USN]

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

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (9-18) [USMC]

  Programme Background Requirements As part of the US Marine Corps' future force structure, it is developing a new platform under the Medium Lading Ship programme ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Frigates

  Constellation Class FFG(X)

  The USN has selected Fincantieri Marinette Marine to build up to ten frigates under the FFG(X) next-generation future guided-missile frigate programme. The new Constellation-class will replace ...

• Frigates

  Australian Light Frigate

  During Indo Pacific 2023, Gibbs & Cox Australia unveiled the Australian Light Frigate design. Based on the new frigates being built for Taiwan and the USN ...

• Sea: sonar systems

  Captas-4 Sonar 2087

  Captas-4 is a low-frequency active and passive variable depth sonar for platforms heavier than 3,000 tons. The Captas-4 is part of Thales' family of Captas ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  SPY-6(V)3

  The SPY-6(V)3 Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR) is a fixed-face surveillance radar manufactured by Raytheon. The system is designed to defend against cruise missiles, anti-surface ...

• Naval: Radio and SATCOM

  SURFSAT-L

  Produced by Thales, SURFSAT-L is a SATCOM terminal designed for medium to large surface vessels. According to the manufacturer, it is designed to achieve a ...

• Frigates

  Zulfiquar Class (F-22P/Sword Class)

  Pakistan’s Zulfiquar-class frigates are also known as the F-22P or Sword-class; they are a modernised version of China’s Type 053H3 frigate. The ships are built ...

• Frigates

  Jose Rizal Class (HDF-2600)

  The Jose Rizal-class frigates for the Philippine Navy (PN) are being built to the HDF-2600 design by Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries at its shipyard ...

• Sea: naval fire control radar

  AN/SPY-1 air search radar

  Aegis isan integrated missile guidance system used on USN and allied ships to performanti-air and ballistic missile defence missions. The S-band phased-array AN/SPY-1D(V) radar acquires ...

• Frigates

  Bergamini Class (FREMM)

  The Bergamini-class frigates for the Italian Navy are based on the Franco-Italian, European, multipurpose frigate design FREMM (European multi-mission Frigate/Fregata europea multi-missione). For Italy, the ...

• Sea: sonar systems

  AN/SQR-19

  The AN/SQR-19 is a Tactical Towed Array Sonar (TACTAS) produced by Lockheed Martin. The sonar is designed to detect and classify both submarines and surface vessels ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems, Sea: fire control systems

  Aegis Weapon System

  Aegis Weapon System is an integrated missile guidance system used on USN and allied ships to perform anti-air and ballistic missile defence missions.  The S-band phased-array ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  AN/SQQ-89

  The AN/SQQ-89 is an ASW combat system incorporates and processes all the sonar information and LAMPS sensor data. Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, there are currently ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  SM-2 Block IIIC/Block IIICU

  The SM-2 Block IIIC and Block IIICU are medium-range, surface-to-air missiles with active radio frequency seekers. Both missiles are modifications to legacy SM-2 Block III/IIIA/IIIB ...

• Data links

  Network Tactical Common Data Link

  Developed by BAE Systems, the Network Tactical Common Data Link (NTCDL) is a multi-link CDL system being produced for the US Navy. NTCDL provides the ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar, Sea: navigation radar

  AN/SPS-67

  The AN/SPS-67 is a two-dimensional, short-range naval surface search and navigation radar manufactured by Leonardo DRS.  The system was designed to meet USN requirements for ...