• Defence Notes

  Small skirmishes pose perfect opportunity for Switchblade success in Ukraine

  8th April 2022

  Switchblade loitering munitions en route to Ukraine could be effective against Russian tank formations and in small-scale skirmishes, according to a defence expert.

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky gains further work to support ‘exportable variant’ of CH-53K

  20th May 2022

  A new order from NAVAIR sees further work for Lockheed Martin on the Israeli order for CH-53K King Stallion helicopters.

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2022: Plasan blends agility with protection in disruptive WILDER

  14th June 2022

  The WILDER light compact armoured vehicle could alter the traditional dynamic between mobility, protection and firepower, says its developer.

• Defence Helicopter

  Germany dismisses Chinook report but plans heavy-lift helicopter decision soon

  28th April 2022

  In another twist for Germany's heavy-lift helicopter acquisition, the MoD has questioned where information about selection of the CH-47F came from, dismissing such a claim and stating that an official announcement will happen soon.

• Digital Battlespace

  Space competition intensifies for US

  3rd May 2022

  China, Iran, North Korea and Russia all pose potential problems for US military space capabilities — does salvation lie in leveraging the commercial space sector?

• Land Warfare

  British Army orders 100 more Boxer armoured vehicles

  11th April 2022

  The British Army has exercised an option for 100 more Boxer vehicles, on top of the first lot of 523 vehicles originally envisaged in the 2019 contract.

• Naval Warfare

  BAE Systems: Australian Hunters are ‘progressing very well’

  25th May 2022

  Flurries of criticism about Australia's future frigates have been growing in intensity, but BAE Systems has come out of its corner to counter the narrative.

• Defence Notes

  Ukraine war exposes vulnerabilities in US defence supply chain

  6th May 2022

  The US supply of weapons and ammunition to Kyiv has highlighted labour and material shortages, a too-limited supplier base and the need for shorter delivery timelines.

• Land Warfare

  Philippine engineers receive mine detection vehicles

  13th April 2022

  The Philippines has received its first ever mine detection vehicles, but handheld mine detectors are proving more elusive.

• Defence Notes

  Strong funding tempo essential to maintain US 'edge' over rivals, says Austin

  4th May 2022

  Lloyd Austin testified before the Senate on 3 May about the FY2023 defence budget request, stressing the need to provide US forces with cutting-edge systems and platforms for the medium term, as well as the short-term value in aiding Ukraine.

• Digital Battlespace

  Brazilian Army orders more Saber air defence radars

  8th April 2022

  Four Saber M60 2.0 radars will be supplied to the Brazilian Army.

• Defence Notes

  Final blow for Mali-France relations

  4th May 2022

  The announcement on 2 May that Mali’s junta will be breaking from its defence accords with France signifies a new era in the nation, probably involving closer ties to Russia.

• Land Warfare

  DoD reveals new assistance package for Ukraine

  10th May 2022

  The latest security assistance package from the DoD for Ukraine comprises 25,000 of 155mm artillery rounds, three AN/TPQ-36 counter-artillery radars, electronic jamming equipment, field equipment and spare parts.

• Training

  Saab to provide Finland with training simulators

  6th April 2022

  New combat training simulators for Finland will supplement systems already supplied by Saab.

• Training

  Significant improvements introduced to Austrian Army training

  13th April 2022

  The Austrian Army's use of its new Small Arms Tactical Trainers is expected to help make training more valuable and relevant.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-1 Gray Eagle [US Army]

  Background Required Quantity Although the US Army first envisioned a requirement for 132 MQ-1C Gray Eagles, the US Army's Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) was increased ...

• Main battle tanks

  NGCV: DLP

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

• AGMV 1.1

  Programme Background The US Army has been seeking a lightweight, air-droppable, high mobility vehicle since as early as 2014, when it initiated its Ultra Light ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) (Forecast) [US Army]

  Background USMC In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, which had been specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AMPV [USA]

  Programme Background Platform Development The US Army initiated the AMPV programme to acquire a replacement for several variants of the M113 tracked APC, which has ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV Oshkosh Contract [US Army]

  Programme 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 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 2) [US Army]

  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 intended to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow On

  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, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker (Sergeant Stout) [USA]

  Programme Background As part of the Army Transformation Initiative the US DoD is fundamentally reorganising the structure of the US Army. As part of this all Infantry ...

• Loitering munitions

  Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System (LMAMS) [US Army]

  Background First Contract In June 2011, the US awarded AeroVironment a $4.9 million series-production contract for the loitering munition, satisfying the US Army's Lethal Miniature ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Switchblade 300 (USA)

  Programme Background AeroVironment has been providing the Switchblade 300 loitering munition to the US Army under the long-standing Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile Systems (LMAMS) programme ...

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

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) [Tranche 1] / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) (USA)

  Programme Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the Battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Group 4/5 UAV [US Army]

  Background Request for Information (RfI) On 5 June 2024, the American DoD published an RfI with an original response date of 19 July 2024. The ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  US Army Maneuver Support Vessel Light (MSVL)

  Programme BackgroundThe Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) or MSV(L) contract was awarded by the US Army to Vigor in 2017 and are being built to replace ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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. 

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58 Kiowa

  The single-engine OH-58 Kiowa, derived from the Bell 206, entered US Army service in 1969 as a light observation helicopter. More than 2,200 were built for ...

• Towed guns

  M198

  The US Army developed the M198 155mm towed howitzer from 1969 to replace the M114 155mm howitzer. From 1978, 1,600 weapons were built by Rock ...

• 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.

• Light tanks

  M10 Booker

  The US Army awarded General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) a contract worth US$1.14 billion to supply 96 light tanks under the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) ...

• JPT

  Designed for military applications, the Joint Platform Tablet (JPT) features a rugged design, including a military-grade aluminium case, dual-core processor, 128GB removable hard drive and ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72A/B Lakota

  In 2006, the US Army selected a version of the medium-sized, twin-engine H145, designated the UH-72A Lakota,  to meet its requirement for a new Light ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  M1150 ABV

  The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) project, launched by the USMC in 2002, is a joint programme to meet the requirements of both the US ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  RQ-7 Shadow 200

  The Shadow 200, designated RQ-7B by the US Army, is flown by the army brigade combat teams and combat aviation brigades along with the UAV ...

• REBS

  The Rapidly Emplaced Bridge System (REBS) is a 13m dry-gap bridge. It was designed by GDELS to meet a US Army requirement to provide a ...

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  AN/PLQ-9 Thor-III

  Sierra Nevada’s AN/PLQ-9 Thor-III is the standard Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) manpack system in service with the US Army and US Marine Corps (USMC). ...

• DSB

  WFEL was selected in 1996 to develop the M18 Dry Support Bridge (DSB) for the US Army. The company designed, manufactured and integrated the DSB ...

• Individual grenade launchers

  M320 GLM

  The M320 Grenade Launcher Module (GLM) is a further development of the HK AG36 (see separate entry) to meet a US Army requirement. The M320 ...