• Naval Warfare

  US Navy commissions Gerald R Ford

  24th July 2017

  The US Navy has commissioned its newest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), at Naval Station Norfolk on 22 July. USS Gerald R. …

• Military Logistics

  Comment: More than just aircraft parts

  27th July 2017

  In order to improve inventory visibility, accountability and command and control (C2), the US Air Force has sought to centralise Class of Supply management in …

• Naval Warfare

  Upgrade for Gibraltar naval station

  31st July 2017

  The Royal Navy’s Gibraltar naval station is set to be upgraded under a £2 million programme to improve its ability to monitor the movement of …

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed’s Camden facility delivers HIMARS

  28th July 2017

  Lockheed Martin has delivered the first High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launcher in which both the chassis and launcher components were manufactured at its …

• Naval Warfare

  City-class makes global waves as steel cut

  20th July 2017

  The first of the UK Royal Navy's Type 26 frigates, newly dubbed the City-class, will be named HMS Glasgow once commissioned into service. The Ministry …

• Military Logistics

  USS John P Murtha completes FCT

  26th July 2017

  San Antonio class amphibious transport dock, USS John P Murtha (LPD 26), has returned to its homeport at Naval Base San Diego following the completion …

• Defence Notes

  Reforms are needed for Vietnam’s military

  2nd August 2017

  Vietnam must begin serious modernisation and structural reform if it wants to hold its own against China’s growing control of the South China Sea and, …

• Land Warfare

  Vietnam orders T-90 tanks from Russia

  25th July 2017

  Vietnam has ordered 64 T-90S/SK main battle tanks (MBT) from Russia, the culmination of months of speculation as the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) sought to …

• Naval Warfare

  USS Ralph Johnson completes builder’s trials

  25th July 2017

  Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has now completed builder's sea trials of the US Navy’s future destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114), the Naval Sea Systems …

• Naval Warfare

  Fallon cuts first steel for HMS Glasgow (video)

  21st July 2017

  Shephard spoke to UK defence secretary Michael Fallon following the steel cutting of the first Type 26, HMS Glasgow. To be known as the City …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Orion UAV shown for first time

  27th July 2017

  The first Russian-made MALE class UAV, for a wide variety of military applications, was revealed at MAKS 2017 aerospace & defence exhibition near Moscow on …

• Special Operations

  Ukraine special ops development continues

  28th July 2017

  Force elements from Ukraine’s Special Operations Command have completed a joint training programme with the US Naval Special Warfare Command in the Black Sea as …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales sonar for Type 26 frigates

  17th July 2017

  Thales has received a contract from BAE Systems to equip the Royal Navy’s first three Type 26 frigates with its anti-submarine warfare sonar, the company …

• Naval Warfare

  Mixed results for Philippine maritime surveillance

  25th July 2017

  The Philippine Air Force’s (PAF) second quest to acquire a pair of maritime patrol aircraft met with failure on 21 July when all contenders were …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  BAE to launch autonomous systems testing service

  18th July 2017

  BAE Systems has received a grant of £457,000 from the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to design and deliver the UK’s first dedicated autonomous systems …

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

  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: 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: 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 due to bidders failing to ...

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

  Underwater Launched UAV (ULUAV) [India]

  Background Initial 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 ...

• 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 ...

• AEW&C

  AEW&C Aircraft [India]

  Programme Background India is planning to increase its AEW&C; capabilities with indigenous radar systems.  A330 Bid In 2015, the IAF has requested to procure six ...

• Military UAS - small

  Intra-Theatre Lift [UK]

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

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 ...

• 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, ...

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

  Archer

  The Archer family are an FPV-style loitering munitions and UAVs from Neros. Certified by BlueUAS, the drone is designed and manufactured in Los Angeles, California. The Archer ...

• 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 ...