• Naval Warfare

  The mad and murky world of submarines in Asia-Pacific (Opinion)

  15th May 2023

  Whatever problems can go wrong with military acquisitions, submarines seem to have ticked all the boxes in the Indo-Pacific region.

• Defence Notes

  China's multi-domain warfare concept could outpace US JADC2, warns ex-general

  9th March 2023

  China's Multi-Domain Precision Warfare project is aiming to disrupt US networks, and could outpace the Joint All-Domain Command and Control initiative. A retired US Army general explains what the Pentagon is doing about it.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy solicits Raytheon and Lockheed for carrier-suitable hypersonic weapon

  29th March 2023

  The USN has awarded two contracts to Raytheon Missiles and Defence and Lockheed Martin for initial development of a carrier-suitable long-range, high-speed weapon known as Hypersonic Air Launched Offensive Anti-Surface (HALO).

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman hones US Space Force satellite design in virtual environment

  16th March 2023

  The company has applied its Highly Immersive Virtual Environment technology to the design process of polar overwatch satellites ordered by the US Space Force.

• Defence Notes

  North Korea launches solid-fuelled ICBM for the first time

  20th April 2023

  In quick speed, North Korea has performed its maiden launch of a solid-fuelled ICBM after parading it just two months ago.

• Air Warfare

  Poland to arm AW149 helicopters with Hellfire missiles

  21st March 2023

  The 800 Hellfire missiles requested by Poland via a US Foreign Military Sale will equip the country's AW149 helicopter fleet, with a follow-on request likely to arm Apache helicopters and potentially other platforms.

• Land Warfare

  Norwegian NASAMS to join Ukraine's air defences

  14th March 2023

  Norway will supply two NASAMS air defence missile firing units, adding to two supplied by the US last autumn.

• Digital Battlespace

  New US developer LightRidge to take on air and space sensor markets

  23rd March 2023

  The private-equity backed firm combines the businesses of space payloads specialist GEOST and airborne sensor manufacturer Ophir.

• Land Warfare

  DARPA RACER robotic vehicle programme approaches its second phase

  14th April 2023

  The agency is currently reviewing the results of the last RACER robotic vehicle autonomy experiment and will select partners for phase 2 in the coming weeks.

• Naval Warfare

  Australia’s pathway to AUKUS submarines is attended by risk

  14th March 2023

  Australia's journey towards obtaining nuclear-powered attack submarines is fraught with financial, technical and political risk.

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed Martin prepares first F-16 Block 70 fighters for Bahrain

  14th March 2023

  The delivery of the latest configuration of the F-16 Fighter jet will strengthen US-Bahrain ties, will significantly enhance the Gulf country's air capabilities and has the potential to further increase demand for the jet in the region.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Saildrone details ISR-focused 10m USV, Voyager

  29th March 2023

  Saildrone has detailed a new 10m USV, Voyager, designed for ISR missions.

• Defence Notes

  Why cybersecurity must be a priority for Latin American militaries

  21st March 2023

  The main obstacles to overcoming risks in the region are a lack of a strong cybersecurity culture and inadequate funds to invest in this domain given a widespread Chinese presence in the region.

• Land Warfare

  US Army requests $185.5 billion for readiness and modernisation

  14th March 2023

  The FY 2024 request aims to fund a more data-centric force capable of operating in contested environments.

• Naval Warfare

  Philippines receives two patrol vessels from USN

  13th April 2023

  The Philippine Navy will receive two second-hand Cyclone-class patrol vessels from the USN, plus a second pair of Shaldag V fast attack craft have arrived from Israel.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow-On [USA]

  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, ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (US Army) (Batch 1) [USA]

  Background As of January 2021, the US DoD had signed 15 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches ...

• 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. ...

• 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 ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Lower Tier Air and Missile Defence Sensor [US]

  Background The US Army's Lower Tier Air and Missile Defence Sensor (LTAMDS) is being acquired from US-based Raytheon.  The United States Army is the primary customer ...

• Main battle tanks

  Decisive Lethality Platform [USA]

  Background The DLP is one of five vehicle families being developed for the US Army's NGCV programme. Expanded to include five programmes in October 2018, ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (USAF) (Batch 1) [USA]

  Baclground As of November 2020, the US DoD had signed 14 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Medium Range Intercept Capability [US]

  Background The US Marine Corps' Medium Range Intercept Capability (MRIC) is a new medium-range air defence capability developed from the Israeli Tamir surface-to-air missile and Iron ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8A Poseidon [UK]

  Background In July 2016, the UK government announced that it had ordered nine aircraft for service with the RAF. Under this frame, in January 2019, ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Surplus M2A2 ODS Bradley IFV (Greece)

  Programme Background The Greek Army has a long-standing need for new tracked IFVs to replace more than 200 legacy M113 tracked APCs in service with ...

• 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker DVH (March 2026) [US]

  Background The US Army has been operating the Stryker since 2002. The Stryker DVH is an upgraded variant that has additional armour on its underside ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (USMC) (Batch 1) [USA]

  Background As of January 2021, the US DoD had signed 15 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker DVH (September 2026) [US]

  Background The US Army has been operating the Stryker since 2002. The Stryker DVH is an upgraded variant that has additional armour on its underside ...

• Military UAS - small

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 1) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was ...

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 ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Indirect Fire Protection Capability [US]

  Leidos' Indirect Fire Protection Capability has been selected to provide medium-range Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) to sit between SHORAD and the high-end Patriot. 

• 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 ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Leonidas High-Powered Microwave DEW

  Leonardo's US-based subsidiary Epirus has received funding from both the US and Singapore to develop its Leonidas High-Powered Microwave (HPM) directed-energy weapon (DEW).

• 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 - 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 ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Lockheed Martin Next Generation Short Range Interceptor

  US-based Lockheed Martin is competing for the US Army's Next Generation Short Range Interceptor (NGSRI) programme with its QuadStar missile.  The programme aims to replace ...

• 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 ...

• Self-propelled guns

  SIGMA

  The SIGMA is the latest self-propelled howitzer (SPH) developed by Elbit America and Oshkosh Defense. Produced entirely in the US, the SIGMA is intended to ...

• 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 ...