• Naval Warfare

  US and UK forces intensify strikes against Houthi capabilities

  23rd January 2024

  On 22 January, the coalition targeted eight areas controlled by the non-state military group in Yemen.

• Special Operations

  JFD showcases Shadow Seal TDV at SOF Week, eyes US market expansion

  3rd May 2024

  At SOF Week, James Fisher Defence presents its innovative Shadow Seal TDV, designed to offer special operations forces advanced capabilities with extended range and versatile deployment options from submarines to surface operations.

• Naval Warfare

  MBDA receives three Sea Viper contracts

  21st January 2024

  The new Sea Viper Evolution (SVE) system foresees the use of the Aster 30 B1 missile, the latest addition to the Aster family and an upgrade to Sea Viper’s primary sensor, the Sampson Multi-Function Radar (MFR).

• Training

  BAE Systems pioneers AI learning environment while Hadean wins army simulations contract

  2nd February 2024

  Obrizum and BAE Systems will pioneer a bespoke digital learning environment, while Hadean has been selected to enhance British Army simulations with AI-driven solution.

• Land Warfare

  UK starts to move on Land Mobility Programme

  25th January 2024

  The UK, which has battled in its efforts to replace its Land Rover fleet along with a diverse range of other vehicles, will restart attempts to engage with industry before the end of the year.

• Land Warfare

  Thales puts Bushmaster and Hawkei in the frame for UK vehicle requirements

  23rd January 2024

  The British Army has thousands of vehicles of disparate type and standards which will plummet towards obsolesce in the coming decade. Previous efforts to replace the vehicles have failed and the process to buy new vehicles will begin again.

• Land Warfare

  First Challenger 3 rolled out

  23rd January 2024

  Challenger 3, the latest iteration of the Challenger MBT introduced into service with the British Army, has been manufactured by Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land and has marked an in-service upgrade to the existing Challenger 2 platform.

• Land Warfare

  Japan deliberates transfer of 155mm ammunition to UK

  5th January 2024

  The Japanese government revealed it has been considering plans to supply the UK with 155mm ammunition for towed and self-propelled artillery.

• Air Warfare

  BAE Systems buys Ball Aerospace for whopping $5.5 billion

  16th February 2024

  BAE Systems has received the greenlight to acquire Ball Aerospace in a move that will bolster its space technology portfolio and deepen its presence in the lucrative US defence and intelligence market.

• Training

  Norway to train Ukrainian marines and supply support equipment

  16th February 2024

  Norway has been a part of the UK-led Maritime Capability Coalition which has supported the development of a maritime force in the Black Sea, the creation of a Ukrainian Marine Corps, and the provision of river patrol craft to defend coastal and inland waterways.

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall BAE Systems wins Challenger 3 modular armour contract in UK

  22nd January 2024

  RBSL has secured a contract from the UK Ministry of Defence to provide a new modular armour system for the Challenger 3 tank, which will enhance its survivability and counter modern threats.

• Training

  Ukrainian pilots begin flying F-16 fighters as Norway releases two jets for training

  3rd January 2024

  Ukrainian pilots have progressed from working on foundational flight skills in the UK to advanced F-16 Fighting Falcon instruction in Denmark.

• Digital Battlespace

  China turns to US-made AI chips to boost hypersonic weapon performance

  17th May 2024

  Chinese researchers have been using a US-designed AI semiconductor chip to enhance the performance of a hypersonic weapon’s scramjet engine, significantly improving computational tasks and suggesting potential integration into future missile systems.

• Air Warfare

  Boeing to begin manufacturing Canadian and German P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft

  4th March 2024

  The Boeing-made P-8 Poseidon MPAs will replace outdated CP-140 Aurora planes in Canada and P-3C Orion aircraft in Germany.

• Naval Warfare

  Aurora Engineering wins Royal Navy support contract

  6th February 2024

  A partnership between QinetiQ, BMT and AtkinsRéalis has been selected to ensure that the Royal Navy and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary receive support and service during operations.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H135 (UK)

  Programme BackgroundAirbus Helicopters UK announced on 2 February 2022 that it has won an order to provide five additional H135 twin-engine helicopters for the MoD. The ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme [UK]

  Programme Background The next-generation platform concept is part of the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, which sought to deliver a Future Combat Air System ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing

  FPV & Attack Drones (Ukraine Aid) [UK & Norway]

  Background £450 million On 11 April 2025, the UK MoD announced a £450 million package for Ukraine, which included £350 million from the UK from this ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Fleet Solid Support (FSS) (1-3) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirement The 2015 Strategic Defence & Security Review (SDSR) highlighted the requirement for three Military Afloat Reach & Sustainability (MARS) Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Magni-X (UK)

  Programme Background On 12 January 2022, Elbit Systems UK announced it had been awarded a contract from the UK MoD's Defence Equipment & Support's Future Capability ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Typhoon Tranche 3A - Qatar

  As a part of the agreement to sell Typhoon, the UK is establishing a ‘Joint Operations Squadron’ (to be known as 12 Squadron) with the ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Ukraine - UK supplied Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FIAC)

  Programme Background It was first reported in late September 2020 that the UK could provide eight Barzan-class fast attack craft to Ukraine. The platform has been ...

• MPVs - 4x4, Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Multi-Role Vehicle (Protected) (MRV-P) Package 1 (UK)

  Programme Background Requirement The MRV-P programme was intended to procure replacements for a diverse fleet of 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles purchased during the wars in Iraq ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  30,000 FPV Drones (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Programme Background IDCC On 9 January 2025, the UK MoD announced that 30,000 FPV drones would be sent to Ukraine after the awarding of £45 million ...

• 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

  New Medium Helicopter (NMH) [UK]

  Programme Background NMH Market Interest Day On 11 November 2021, the MoD communicated the requirements of the £1 billion ($1.34 billion) New Medium Helicopter (NMH) ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | F-35B Follow-On [UK]

  The Royal Air Force is planning to acquire 90 F-35B Joint Strike Fighters from 2026, in addition to the 48 aircraft which London had ordered for delivery ...

• Data links

  Data links | F-35B Follow-On [UK]

  The Royal Air Force is planning to acquire 90 F-35B Joint Strike Fighters from 2026, in addition to the 48 aircraft which London had ordered for delivery ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | F-35B Follow-On [UK]

  The Royal Air Force is planning to acquire 90 F-35B Joint Strike Fighters from 2026, in addition to the 48 aircraft which London had ordered for delivery ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | F-35B Follow-On [UK]

  The Royal Air Force is planning to acquire 90 F-35B Joint Strike Fighters from 2026, in addition to the 48 aircraft which London had ordered for delivery ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  UK MFTS

  The Military Flying Training System (MFTS) programme, is a private finance initiative involving the MoD and Ascent, a JV of Lockheed Martin and Babcock, which was ...

• Trainer

  Phenom 100

  Phenom 100 is a very light jet originally developed for single owner-pilot operation but later gained popularity as a jet trainer aircraft. The platform first ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  CAE 700MR

  The CAE 700MR FTD is a full mission simulator platform for military helicopter-specific flight and mission training. It is a fixed-base system based on CAE's ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  UK MSHATF

  The Medium Support Helicopter Aircrew Training Facility (MSHATF) opened for training at RAF Benson, England in July 1999. It provides training services to personnel from ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  UK/ARC341 (ADRA)

  The Advanced Digital Radio Airborne (ADRA) provides a Bowman VHF radio capability to helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. It is fully compatible with the Bowman VHF ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  AUKUS SSN

  The AUKUS-SSN will be the submarine design resulting from the AUKUS trilateral pact between Australia, the US and the UK. Expected to incorporate technology from ...

• Major networking projects

  Project Marshall

  The Joint Military Air Traffic Services project was initiated by the UK MoD in November 2005 to identify and evaluate options for the future delivery ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  ASTOR FBFCT

  The Fixed Base Flight Crew Trainer (FBFCT) is a Level 5+ FTD for the UK RAF’s Airborne Standoff Radar (ASTOR) platform. The ASTOR FBFCT is ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BvS10 Beowulf

  BAE Systems Hägglunds launched the BvS10 Beowulf articulated tracked ATV at the September 2015 DSEI exhibition in the UK. The Beowulf is an unarmoured variant ...

• Military UGVs

  T7

  The T7 is a multi-mission robotic system designed for military, police and hazardous missions. At DSEI 2017, the UK MoD awarded the Harris Corporation a ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  ADR+ Bowman VHF/Centaur

  The ADR+ is the VHF vehicle and manpack radio member of the ADR family of VHF radios developed initially for the UK Bowman programme. The ...

• Data links

  AN/URC-138

  The AN/URC-138 is a Link 16 interoperable terminal originally developed for the Sea Harrier. It has the same Link 16 crypto as JTIDS/MIDS. The system ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  Storm Shadow/SCALP EG

  The Storm Shadow is an air-launched cruise missile developed by France, Italy and the UK. It is known as the Storm Shadow in the UK ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Warthog

  The Warthog is based on the ST Kinetics Bronco all terrain tracked carrier (ATTC) and was developed to meet a UK MoD urgent operational requirement ...

• Naval: COMINT and ELINT systems

  Outfit UAP

  Outfit UAP is an ESM system developed by Thales for UK RN submarines including Astute-class submarines.