• Defence Notes

  India, US to hold key talks in September

  23rd July 2018

  India will host US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Chief James Mattis in September 2018 for high-level talks that were postponed twice earlier, …

• Naval Warfare

  UK, France deep strike project hits halfway mark

  12th July 2018

  The UK and France are now mid-way through a concept phase looking into the development of a joint anti-ship missile system, also known as the …

• Training

  Leonardo supports Italian Air Force for Spartan Alliance

  23rd July 2018

  Leonardo recently supported the Italian Air Force’s participation in the ‘Spartan Alliance’ virtual air exercise, the company announced on 20 July. The exercise was held …

• Digital Battlespace

  Persistent introduces Auto-Tracking Antenna System

  13th July 2018

  Persistent Systems has launched its Auto-Tracking Antenna System, a new portable ground-to-air antenna that operates on the Wave Relay mobile ad hoc network (MANET), the …

• Defence Notes

  Farnborough 2018: Lockheed, Rafael look to spice things up in US

  19th July 2018

  Lockheed Martin and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems are teaming up to push Rafael's Smart, Precise Impact and Cost-Effective (SPICE) missile guidance kits to the US …

• Naval Warfare

  ESSM Block 2 completes flight test

  9th July 2018

  NATO’s Seasparrow Project Office has conducted a successful flight test of the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) Block 2, intercepting a BQM-74E aerial target, NAVSEA …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Raytheon to develop LOCUST prototype

  29th June 2018

  Raytheon has received a $29.68 million contract from the Office of Naval Research to develop a Low Cost UAV Swarming Technology (LOCUST) prototype. The LOCUST …

• Special Operations

  Rheinmetall receives laser light contract

  6th July 2018

  Rheinmetall has received a contract from Germany’s procurement authority to supply a lightweight, assault rifle-mounted laser light package for German Army special operators, the company …

• Training

  Kratos delivers first production BQM-177A Subsonic SSAT

  12th July 2018

  Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has delivered the first production BQM-177A Subsonic Aerial Target (SSAT) to the US Navy, the company announced on 9 July. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Oceanscan buys Sonardyne acoustic tracking technology

  6th July 2018

  Sonardyne has supplied its Mini-Ranger 2 underwater positioning system and Wideband Sub-Mini 6 transponders to Oceanscan for underwater tracking services, the company announced on 3 …

• Defence Notes

  Zimbabwe army vows neutrality in election

  4th July 2018

  Zimbabwe's military vowed on 4 July to stay neutral in upcoming elections, dismissing suggestions it would deploy service personnel to influence national polls scheduled for …

• Naval Warfare

  UDT 2018: BAE Systems introduces home-grown Archerfish launcher

  26th June 2018

  BAE Systems showcased its new launcher for the Archerfish mine neutralisation system at UDT in Glasgow. Although the company already delivers the solution to the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Farnborough 2018: Lightweight Multirole Missiles to deal with swarm attacks

  9th July 2018

  Thales sees a growing international rotary-wing market for its Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM), driven by the threat from fast inshore attack craft (FIAC).   Thales was …

• Training

  Raytheon receives US Army ETSC contract

  25th June 2018

  Raytheon's Intelligence, Information and Services business has been selected by the US Army Contracting Command as one of the contractors for the Enterprise Training Services …

• Land Warfare

  DARPA’s GXV-T programme progresses

  26th June 2018

  Several Phase 2 contract awardees of DARPA’s Ground X-Vehicle Technologies (GXV-T) have demonstrated advances on a variety of technologies to meet the programme’s goals, DARPA …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  Rafale [France]

  Programme Background Rafale F4 is the latest configuration of the Rafale fighter jet family. New functions will also be developed to improve the aircraft’s capabilities ...

• ISR/special mission

  ISTAR Aircraft (South Korea)

  Programme Background South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration stated that Seoul is planning to procure additional aircraft to minimize potential surveillance gaps amid growing security ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The RAN already has 24 MH-60R Seahawks (the last delivered in September 2016), so this represents a 50% increase in fleet size. ...

• Loitering munitions

  Launched Effects-Short Range (LE-SR) [US Army]

  Background Goal The Army sees LE-SR as a family of systems consisting of an air vehicle, effects payload, mission system applications, and associated support equipment ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Project Sea 129 Phase 5 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement Project Sea 129 Phase 5 was intended to acquire a new ISR UAS capability for the RAN. The aircraft was required to perform ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  Littoral Manoeuvre Vessel - Medium (Project Land 8710 Phase 1A) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements Australia has set out requirements for a fleet of up to 18 Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels - Medium (LMV-M) with the release of ...

• ISR/special mission

  E-6 TACAMO Recapitalisation Programme (E-130J) [USN]

  Programme Background The E-6 Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) Recapitalisation Programme (E-XX) provides for air vehicle replacement and mission systems modernization to augment and eventually ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Littoral Manoeuvre Vessel - Medium (Project Land 8710 Phase 1A) [Australia]

  On 19 December 2021, Australia launched an RfT (Request for Tender) for the Littoral Manoeuvre Vessel - Medium (LMV-M) requirement under Project Land 8710 Phase 1A. The closing date ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Littoral Manoeuvre Vessel - Medium (Project Land 8710 Phase 1A) [Australia]

  On 19 December 2021, Australia launched an RfT (Request for Tender) for the Littoral Manoeuvre Vessel - Medium (LMV-M) requirement under Project Land 8710 Phase 1A. The closing date ...

• Tanks

  M1A2T Abrams [Taiwain]

  Programme Background Taiwan has had a long-standing desire to attain M1A1 or M1A2 Abrams from the US in order to replace elderly M60A3 TTS and CM11 ...

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

  MQ-9A Reaper Block 5 [Italy]

  Programme Background Initial Procurement Italy submitted a $330 million FMS request through the Defence Security Cooperation Agency for four MQ-9A aircraft, four GCS and five ...

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

  Loyal Wingman [Germany]

  Programme Background Need Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, stated in July 2024 that the “German Air Force has expressed a clear need for ...

• Submarines nuclear, ballistic missile

  Dreadnought Class (Successor Programme) (1-4) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirements The Dreadnought-class, prior to being named in October 2016, was known as the Successor programme, which was approved by the government in May ...

• Destroyers

  DDX Programme (1-2) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirements Destroyers are fundamental to Italy's blue water fleet and will be required to be capable of projecting capability at sea from the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Tornado Replacement (F-35A) [Germany]

  Programme Background In March 2020, it emerged that the German government was considering  30 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets to replace 45 nuclear-capable Tornados, although contracts have yet ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Surface-to-air missiles

  SM-2 Block IIIC/Block IIICU

  The SM-2 Block IIIC and Block IIICU are medium-range, surface-to-air missiles with active radio frequency seekers. Both missiles are modifications to legacy SM-2 Block III/IIIA/IIIB ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  ESTL

  The Enhanced Survivability Technology (ESTL) is an integrated self-protection pod with missile approach warning (MAWS) to counter RF and IR threats. The ESTL pod consists ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  SkyCeptor

  The SkyCeptor missile is a multi-mission interceptor developed collaboratively by Raytheon and Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. It is a derivative of the Stunner missile ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  FIM-92 Stinger

  The FIM-92 Stinger, passive-guided MANPADS, was developed by General Dynamics to meet the requirements of the US Army to defence against low-flying threats. It replaced ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  SM-1MR Block VI

  The RIM-66 Standard-1MR is a medium-range surface-to-air missile that can also take on the role of an anti-ship missile. It was developed as part of ...

• Multipurpose missiles

  BGM-71 TOW

  The BGM-71 Tube-launched Optically tracked Wire-guided (TOW) missile entered US Army service in 1970. As well as being integrated on vehicles and helicopters, TOW can be ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Block 2

  The RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Block 2 is a short-range, ship-launched missile designed primarily to defend naval vessels against incoming anti-ship missiles and aerial ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  AN/SPY-3

  The AN/SPY-3 is a multifunction naval radar developed and manufactured by Raytheon. Its intended uses include horizon and surface search, navigation, periscope detection, discrimination, and ...

• Surface-to-air missiles, Surface-to-surface missiles

  RIM-174 Standard ERAM SM-6 Block I/IA

  The SM-6 (RIM-174 Standard ERAM) is a surface-to-air supersonic missile launched from cruisers and destroyers, capable of successfully engaging crewed and uncrewed, fixed- or rotary-wing ...

• Sea: weapon training

  SM-1 and SM-2 Standard Missile and Harpoon Missile with Guided Missile Launcher Mk 13 Mod 4 Simulator

  Textron's SM-1 and SM-2 Standard Missile and Harpoon Missile simulator simulates a guided missile launching system and guided missile launcher, Mk 13 Mod 4, in ...

• Sea: ship surveillance and fire control systems

  MK 99

  The MK 99 is a fire control system developed and produced by Raytheon.  The system works as an interface to connect a vessel's missiles and ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  Mk-57 VLS

  The Mk 57 Vertical Launching System (VLS), developed by Raytheon, is an advanced missile launching system designed to enhance the offensive and defensive capabilities of ...

• Land: air defence radar

  LTAMDS

  The Raytheon Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense System (LTAMDS) is an active electronically scanned array Gallium Nitrade (GaN) radar. The use of GaN strengthens ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) Block 2

  The Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) Block 2 is an advanced ship-launched surface-to-air missile developed by the NATO SeaSparrow Consortium. Building upon the capabilities of its predecessor, ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  MIM-104 A/B Patriot (PAC-1)

  The MIM-104 Phased Array Tracking to Intercept of Target (Patriot) is an American Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) designed for air defence duties. The original Patriot entered US ...