• Training

  Training boosts RAN MH-60R deployments

  22nd February 2019

  The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is now able to deploy eight MH-60R Seahawk maritime combat helicopter flights onboard its frigates and destroyers as well as, …

• Naval Warfare

  UK to deploy P8 Poseidon in Arctic

  20th February 2019

  The Royal Air Force’s (RAF) P8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft will be deployed in the Arctic to counter Russian submarine activity, the UK Ministry of …

• Training

  Avalon 2019: GaardTech a target rich company

  26th February 2019

  Australian company GaardTech has had considerable success since its launch in September 2018 having won contracts for its target systems with the Australian Army and …

• Military Logistics

  Avalon 2019: Rheinmetall offers ammo for Aussie F-35s

  26th February 2019

  As the Royal Australian Air Force anticipates the expansion of its F-35A Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) fleet in the country, Rheinmetall Defence Australia announced that …

• Military Logistics

  Babcock receives SSDD contract

  7th February 2019

  Babcock has received a configuration management contract to support the UK Royal Navy and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary surface ship fleet, the company announced on …

• Naval Warfare

  Indonesia orders MCMVs and inducts hospital ship

  11th February 2019

  Jakarta has ordered two new mine countermeasures vessels (MCMV), while the Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) also commissioned a second hospital ship, KRI Semarang, on 21 January. …

• Training

  Avalon 2019: Boeing’s T-X spreads its wings

  26th February 2019

  After winning the US Air Force’s Advanced Pilot Training (APT) programme Boeing is now in discussions with potential international customers for the T-X training aircraft.  These are …

• Special Operations

  Putin spotlights Russian SOF

  5th March 2019

  Russian special operations forces will benefit from “consistent reinforcement and development” in 2019 and beyond, according to a speech made by President Vladimir Putin on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Leonardo's M-40 UAS sees first action

  22nd February 2019

  Leonardo’s new M-40 target UAS recently flew its first missions during an Italian Navy exercise involving ITS Cavour aircraft carrier and ITS Francesco Mimbelli destroyer, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Avalon 2019: Kelpie chases service role in Australia

  26th February 2019

  The Kelpie multirole UGV, unveiled on 25 February at the Avalon Air Show, is expected to reach production standard in 2020. It will be developed …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Global Hawk arrives Down Under in style

  28th February 2019

  After a 13h flight from Andersen Air Force Base on Guam, a USAF RQ-4B Block 40 Global Hawk touched down at Avalon near Melbourne. This marks the first …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy’s Large Surface Combatant to reflect DDG-1000 lessons

  20th February 2019

  The US Navy’s future Large Surface Combatant (LSC) will draw heavily on lessons learned from its tiny fleet of ‘extraordinarily expensive’ but cutting-edge DDG 1000 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Avalon 2019: Rafael wants to Spike Australian helicopters and add SPICE

  1st March 2019

  Last August the Australian Army selected the Spike LR2 multipurpose missile for the Boxer 8x8 armoured vehicle under Land 400 Phase 2, and it has …

• Naval Warfare

  India to lease second Akula sub from Russia

  8th March 2019

  The Indian government reached a more than $3 billion agreement with Russia on 7 March regarding the lease of a third nuclear-powered attack submarine. However, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Avalon 2019: Secretive Loyal Wingman breaks cover

  27th February 2019

  Boeing unveiled a new large stealthy UAV at the Avalon Air Show, one designed to act as an escort support for manned aircraft and as …

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 ...