• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Łukasiewicz - PIAP introduces new EOD mobile robot (sponsored)

  9th September 2020

  Łukasiewicz - PIAP has launched PIAP Patrol®, a new EOD mobile, medium-sized tracked robot designed for CBRN detection and reconnaissance and counter-IED purposes. Because of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Northrop integrates more systems on MQ-8C

  9th September 2020

  Northrop Grumman obtained an $11.64 million order from US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) on 8 September, to provide non-recurring engineering for qualification testing and …

• Special Operations

  Leidos carries on with Afghan Special Mission Wing support

  2nd September 2020

  Leidos will continue to provide contractor logistics support for Mi-17 helicopters and Pilatus PC-12 turboprop aircraft operated by the Special Mission Wing of the Afghan …

• Naval Warfare

  Latest fast transport vessel for USN completes acceptance trials

  4th August 2020

  The Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport vessel USNS Newport (EPF 12) has successfully completed acceptance trials for the USN in the Gulf of Mexico, shipbuilder Austal USA …

• Air Warfare

  Super Tucanos touch down in the Philippines

  22nd September 2020

  The first batch of long-awaited Embraer A-29B Super Tucano light attack aircraft began touching down in the Philippines on 19 September after completing an arduous multi-stop journey …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Curtiss-Wright to support Triton

  27th July 2020

  Curtiss-Wright Defense Systems has been awarded a $7.53 million sole-source contract from the US Defense Logistics Agency, to support the MQ4-C Triton maritime UAS programme for …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thai air force launches first satellite

  7th September 2020

  NAPA-1, the first security satellite for the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF), was successfully launched into space on 3 September. An Arianespace Vega rocket, Flight …

• Defence Notes

  Rolls-Royce taps into DPA Title III to expand US production plant

  13th August 2020

  The Rolls-Royce ship propeller and propulsion components manufacturing facility in Pascagoula, Mississippi, is being expanded and upgraded with funding of $22 million under Defense Production …

• Defence Helicopter

  Indian and Danish Seahawks to receive ALFS

  5th August 2020

  Lockheed Martin is to produce and deliver 39 AN/AQS-22 Airborne Low Frequency Sonars (ALFS) to the USN and FMS customers, for integration into MH-60R Seahawk multi-mission …

• Digital Battlespace

  NIWC Pacific calls on industry for Seabed to Space

  6th August 2020

  The Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific in San Diego issued an online presolicitation notice to industry on 4 August, for development, technical, management, and …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australia homes in on new ASW target

  16th September 2020

  The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) will receive Saab’s AUV62-AT anti-submarine warfare target under an A$11 million ($8.07 million) deal, while elsewhere research is taking place …

• Naval Warfare

  USS Bataan to undergo maintenance having ended seven-month deployment

  6th August 2020

  General Dynamics NASSCO is to provide facilities and human resources to complete, coordinate and integrate ‘multiple areas of ship maintenance, repair and modernisation’ of USS Bataan …

• Land Warfare

  ​Kollsman to build advanced night sight prototypes for USMC

  8th September 2020

  Elbit Systems of America subsidiary Kollsman is to produce its multispectral, clip-on weapon night sight for the USMC. The selection is part of Phase II …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Akinci UCAV programme progresses with latest tests

  7th September 2020

  The second prototype of the Akinci UCAV, developed by Turkish manufacturer Baykar Makina, successfully performed high-altitude and high-speed tests on 5 September. This followed the first …

• Digital Battlespace

  Falkonry expands AI footprint within USAF

  6th August 2020

  Start-up machine learning company Falkonry has been awarded a contract by USAF innovation hub AFWERX under the Strategic Financing (STRATFI) programme, to broaden the adoption …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (28-68) [USN]

  Background Requirement The MQ-4C Triton programme, developed under the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) programme, required an uncrewed system to provide persistent, broad-area intelligence, surveillance ...

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  MQ-8C Fire Scout (USA)

  Programme Background Timeline According to the Naval Air Systems Command, having first ordered the MQ-8B in 2009, the UAV has become a pillar of the ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (1-10) [USMC]

  Programme Background Development As part of the US Marine Corps' future force structure, it is developing a new platform under the Medium Lading Ship programme ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (11-33) [USMC]

  Programme Background Requirements As part of the US Marine Corps' future force structure, it is developing a new platform under the Medium Lading Ship programme ...

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

  Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) (Increment 1) [USMC]

  Programme Background All-in-One UAV Since 2016, the USMC has wished to acquire a UAV that could be deployed from a vessel, be used for various missions, ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (1-27) [USN]

  Background Requirement The MQ-4C Triton programme, developed under the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) programme, required an uncrewed system to provide persistent, broad-area intelligence, surveillance ...

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

  Medium Range/Medium Endurance (MR/ME) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  According to the FY2021 Base funding, the HH-60W helicopter unit cost is $43.2 million. The HH-60W will be capable of employment day or night, in ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  The Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  The Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The FVL-MS programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft utilised ...

• Military UAS - small

  Long Range/Long Endurance (LR/LE) [USMC]

  Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to the ...

• Destroyers

  Next-Generation Large Surface Combatants (LSC) - DDG(X) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) is acknowledging a need to move away from the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer design, which is slowly outgrowing. Flight III ...

• Military UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USN)

  Programme Background Joint USN and USMC Procurment The RQ-21 Blackjack, or STUALSO, was a combined United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) programme ...

• Military - USVs

  MUSV [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements In March 2026, the US announced it would be replacing its Modular Attack Surface Craft (MASC) programme with a Medium Uncrewed Surface ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  SECAT

  In 2022, Textron Systems unveiled its new Surface Effect Cargo Amphibious Transport (SECAT) craft, designed to support logistics behind the US Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations and ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-53E Sea Dragon

  Sikorsky developed the MH-53E (S-80) Sea Dragon variant of its CH-53E to provide the USN with a dedicated airborne mine countermeasures helicopter. Equipped with enlarged ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Tactical Mission System for Helicopter Applications

  The Saab tactical mission system is a system for transport, utility, C2 and combat helicopters intended to operate in a net-centric environment. It is designed ...

• Major networking projects

  CANES

  The Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) programme is a USN-wide effort to rationalise shipboard computing assets. It is designed to create a common ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  MQ-9 MTD

  SDS’s ROVATTS-based MQ-9 Mission Training Device (MTD) was developed to provide high-fidelity simulation to support US Air National Guard operational Reaper crew training. The PC-based ...

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

  MQ-8C Fire Scout

  The MQ-8C is a newer version of the Fire Scout and is based on a Bell 407 commercial helicopter. It offers a greater range, endurance and ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  MERS

  The Marine Expeditionary Rifle Squad (MERS) takes a systems engineering approach to equipping the USMC’s fundamental fighting unit. The integration and configuration management of all ...

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

  MQ-8B Fire Scout

  The MQ-8B Fire Scout is a rotary-wing UAV that provides situational awareness and precision targeting support for the US Armed Forces. The MQ-8B Fire Scout, ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  AN/ZPY-1 STARLite

  The AN/ZPY-1 Small Tactical Radar-Lightweight (STARLite) is a synthetic aperture radar and GMTI sensor for UAVs, manufactured by Northrop Grumman. It offers strip and spot synthetic ...

• Fighter - multirole, Fighter - naval

  F-35C

  The F-35C Lightning II, also known as the F-35 carrier variant (CV), is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft in carrier configuration. It has larger wings and ...

• 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 ...

• Guided munitions

  AGM-154 JSOW

  The AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) is a joint United States Navy (USN)/United States Air Force (USAF) programme with the USN as the lead service. ...

• Air: mission management systems

  Air Operations Systems of Systems

  Air Operations System of Systems is designed to enable management of airspaces across large states and/or regions focusing on strategic planning. The system integration approach ...

• Trainer

  Saab 340 trainer

  The Saab 340 trainer aircraft is based on the Saab 340 regional airliner. It is used by the USN for pilot training. The aircraft replaced ...

• Subsystems: software

  LiteFlite II Simulators

  The LiteFlite II was designed to provide a high-fidelity, laptop-based system with white-force/man-in-the-loop capabilities for use with a variety of simulation systems. LiteFlite II represents ...