• Military Logistics

  German Dornier 228s to undergo mission systems modernisation

  10th September 2020

  German defence procurement agency BAAINBw has awarded Braunschweig-based Aerodata a contract to upgrade mission equipment aboard two Dornier 228NG aircraft, which are operated by the German …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  First Loyal Wingman ground tests occur in Australia

  16th September 2020

  Boeing Australia announced on 15 September that the first ground engine tests of the Loyal Wingman unmanned aircraft had taken place. This is a necessary step before …

• Air Warfare

  Canada to build new facilities for FFCP fighters

  28th August 2020

  A new facility to house future Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) fighters will be built at the Cold Lake airbase by EllisDon Construction Services. The …

• Naval Warfare

  Naval Warfare magazine: nuclear submarines, ISR AUVs and more

  9th September 2020

  Read the latest edition of Naval Warfare for free in our app or on your desktop. What's inside this edition: Comment Recent events in the …

• Defence Notes

  Germany spends big on digitalisation and guided munitions

  15th September 2020

  The German Armed Forces are poised for a funding injection, after parliament gave the green light to new investment with an emphasis on digitalisation and …

• Military Logistics

  USN takes delivery of USNS Newport

  4th September 2020

  The Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport vessel USNS Newport (EPF 12) was delivered to the USN on 2 September, shipbuilder Austal USA has announced. ‘Newport is the 22nd surface ship …

• Defence Notes

  Realism should temper hopes of ‘big ticket’ Israel-UAE defence cooperation

  18th September 2020

  A glance at the passenger manifest on the maiden El Al flight from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi would have underscored two factors behind the …

• Digital Battlespace

  QPS integrates FarSounder sonar

  13th August 2020

  QPS integrates FarSounder sonar Netherlands-based Quality Positioning Services (QPS) has integrated Argos Forward Looking Sonars (FLS) from US company FarSounder into its Qinsy survey software …

• Naval Warfare

  Poland resurrects Ratownik

  8th September 2020

  After a few months of uncertainty, Poland has relaunched the Ratownik programme to procure at least one modern rescue and salvage ship for the Polish …

• Naval Warfare

  Can the UK’s National Shipbuilding Strategy be deemed a success?

  14th August 2020

  Nearly three years have passed since the publication of the UK MoD’s National Shipbuilding Strategy, a navigational map intended to revitalise naval manufacturing and create a …

• Naval Warfare

  Canada names sixth AOPS

  11th August 2020

  The sixth Harry DeWolf-class Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) will be christened Robert Hampton Gray, the Canadian Department of …

• Defence Helicopter

  Uruguay expects naval aviation improvements with Grifone

  25th August 2020

  The Uruguay Navy has received its first AB 412HP Grifone helicopter, with the second expected to follow by the end of 2020. ‘The first of …

• Digital Battlespace

  Scytalys to develop national C2 system for Indonesia

  2nd September 2020

  EFA Group subsidiary Scytalys on 1 September announced a $49 million contract award to provide an interoperable C2 system for Indonesia, as the armed forces …

• Training

  SkyAlyne expands FAcT team

  21st August 2020

  The SkyAlyne Canada partnership between CAE and KF Aerospace has strengthened its team that is bidding for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Future Aircrew …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed to integrate Network Enabled Weapon software with Seahawks

  28th August 2020

  The US Navy, via Naval Air Systems Command, has ordered labour and hardware from Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems for Phase 2 Network Enabled …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munition (Royal Navy) [UK]

  Background Persistent Operational Deployment Systems (PODS) As the Royal Navy stated in 2022, Persistent Operational Deployment Systems (PODS) are “interchangeable modules that can be fitted to ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Project Dragonfire [UK]

  Background The UK Government's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has been working with MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ to develop a LASER Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) called ...

• Military UAS - small

  T-150 (Royal Navy) [UK]

  Background Deployment On 7 April 2025, the Royal Navy announced that, for the first time, nine T-150 drones would be operated from the HMS Prince ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Lanza 3D Radar [Thailand]

  Background Thailand is procuring the LANZA 3D radar to strengthen surveillance and protection of Sattahip Naval Base. The radar will be deployed by the Royal ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Flexible Tactical Uncrewed Air System (FTUAS) [UK]

  Background Tender notice and timeline On 25 May 2021, the MoD published a tender notice for the urgent acquisition of a UAS and ancillaries under ...

• Military UAS - small

  Puma 3 AE (UK)

  Programme Background Testing The Royal Navy announced in October 2020 that the Puma was undergoing its first operational testing on HMS Albion's autumn deployment to ...

• Frigates

  Hamilton Class Cutter [Bahrain]

  Background Very little has been said about the transfer of an ex-Hamilton-class cutter to Bahrain, but it is one of the final two to leave ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (1-6) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved' Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020. The contract ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (7-8) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Boraida Class replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Requirements The Royal Saudi Navy urges the replacement of three Boraida-class minehunters. Based on the Durance-class design, the ships entered service in the mid-1980s ...

• Minehunters

  Lat Ya Class Replacement Programme [Thailand]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) currently operates two Lat Ya-class minehunters, commissioned in the late 1990s. The units are based on the ...

• Frigates

  Air Defence Frigates Procurement [Denmark]

  Background Requirements After focusing on the procurement of new highly capable patrol ships and new Arctic frigates as a replacement for the Thetis-class, Shephard had initially estimated ...

• Frigates

  Karel Dorman Class (Chile)

  Programme Background  Chile currently operates two ex-Karel Doorman-class frigates which were sold in 2004. The Royal Netherlands Navy are in the process of replacing the ...

• Military UAS - small

  V-Bat [Netherlands]

  Background Contract award On 9 July 2025, Shield AI announced that the Netherlands MoD had acquired eight V-Bat aircraft, specifically the V-Bat 400, to enhance the maritime ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) (3) [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Malaysian Navy are in the process of a fleet transformation plan known as the 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, which ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Submarine-launched torpedoes

  Mk 48 Mod 7AT CBASS

  The MK 48 MOD 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) is the latest variant of the Mk 48 torpedo family manufactured by Lockheed Martin and ...

• Military - UUVs

  XV Excalibur

  XV Excalibur is an Extra Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (XLUUV) built by UK-based MSubs, in conjunction with the Royal Navy. It is an experimental vessel ...

• Frigates

  Hunter Class (Type 26)

  The Hunter-class frigates for the Royal Australian Navy are based on the Type 26 design. The ships are set to replace the Anzac-class under the ...

• Sea: naval fire control radar

  Ceros 200

  The Ceros 200 is a radar and optronic tracking system designed for use on naval vessels. When interfaced with modern missile or gun systems, it ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Royal Danish Navy MH-60R MOFT

  In January 2014, CAE was awarded an FMS contract by the USN to develop an MH-60R mission operational flight trainer (MOFT) for the Royal Danish ...

• Frigates

  Naresuan Class

  The Naresuan-class guided-missile frigates are a modified variant of the Chinese-built Type 053 frigate. The two ships-in-class were built by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation ...

• Destroyers

  River Class (Type 26)

  The Type 26 Anti-Submarine Warfare frigate has been designed for the UK Royal Navy, but with an emphasis on export. Both the Royal Canadian Navy ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  AN/SPY-7(V)1

  The AN/SPY-7(V)1 is a solid-state naval surveillance radar produced and manufactured by Lockheed Martin. The system is expected to be fully integrated into programmes for ...

• Frigates

  Jacob Van Heemskerck Class

  The Jacob van Heemskerck class frigates were ex-Royal Netherlands Navy frigates that also served under the Chilean Navy, also known as the Latorre-class. Two anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Walrus

  The Walrus is a mini rotary-wing UAV manufactured by the Royal Navy's 700X Naval Air Squadron.  As stressed during the December 2022 announcement, Walrus has been ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  RD-170BT

  The RD-170BT is a man-portable surveillance radar deployed ashore to protect moored patrol boats of the Royal Norwegian Navy. 

• Minehunters

  Sandown Class

  The Sandown class vessels are coastal minehunters and OPVs in service with the UK Royal Navy and Royal Saudi Naval Forces as the Al Jawf class. Additionally, ...

• Military - UUVs

  Mission Specialist Defender

  The Mission Specialist Defender is a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) developed by VideoRay, now part of BlueHalo's unmanned maritime systems. The ROV is known ...

• Frigates

  Type 22 (Batch 1)

  The Type 22 frigates were previously the Broadsword-class in service with the UK's Royal Navy. The vessels were built in three batches, with the first ...

• Sea: weapon training

  Inflatable Naval Gunnery Targets

  GeoData produces a range of Naval Gunnery Target Balloons (NavTGTs) for use by marine, navy, coast guard and army units to maintain target acquisition and ...