• Digital Battlespace

  Ball to help develop IRREL improvements

  10th July 2020

  Ball Aerospace is to assist USAF efforts to improve its Infrared Radiation Effects Laboratory (IRREL), under a $7.68 million contract announced by the DoD on …

• Naval Warfare

  First Defiant-class NCPV enters service in Dominican Republic

  24th August 2020

  The Navy of the Dominican Republic (Armada de Republica Dominicana - ARD) has received a new coastal patrol craft built by Metal Shark. The vessel …

• Naval Warfare

  Thailand buys submarines to keep up with the Joneses

  27th August 2020

  COVID-19 may have severely dented Thailand’s defence budget, but the procurement of two additional S26T diesel-electric submarines for the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) from China …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman to make more mission computers for Venoms and Vipers

  27th August 2020

  Northrop Grumman has obtained a $44.55 million contract modification from Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to make more mission computers for US and FMS helicopter …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  NAVAIR selects General Atomics for continued MQ-9 work

  26th August 2020

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has received a $15.5 million contract modification from US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), for site relocation activities and continued ISR services using …

• Naval Warfare

  NAVSEA announces Mk-48 Mod 7 support contract

  17th August 2020

  FMS customers Australia and Taiwan are included in the latest Mk-48 Mod 7 heavyweight torpedo support contract for Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). However, most …

• Defence Notes

  Pentagon report warns of PLA’s meteoric rise

  2nd September 2020

  On 1 September the Pentagon issued its 20th and most comprehensive report on developments within the Chinese military, for the benefit of the US Congress …

• Naval Warfare

  Electric Boat to overhaul USS Hartford

  17th August 2020

  US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) has issued a $125.82 million contract for General Dynamics Electric Boat  to plan, design and execute engineering overhaul services …

• Defence Notes

  Brazil tries to shield defence SMEs from COVID-19 financial impact

  12th August 2020

  In order to protect its small defence companies from the financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Brazilian MoD and the Federation of Industries of …

• Digital Battlespace

  AI-enhanced SeaFLIR sensor goes to Taiwan

  19th August 2020

  The Taiwan Coast Guard is the launch customer for the SeaFLIR 280-HDEP maritime surveillance system from FLIR Systems, under a $14.6 million contract agreed last …

• Military Logistics

  RAN logistics vessel passes sea trials

  26th August 2020

  The first of two Supply-class auxiliary oiler replenishment (AOR) vessels for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has completed sea acceptance trials in Spain, before a …

• Naval Warfare

  NAVAIR orders more Harpoon Block II+ missiles

  14th August 2020

  US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has placed a $15.62 million order with Boeing for 24 Harpoon Block II+ anti-ship missiles, plus 25 training missiles. Work …

• Naval Warfare

  USN orders 7m RIBs

  14th August 2020

  Ribcraft USA is to build 7m RIBs for the USN, in addition to the 48 11m boats it is already providing under a previous contract. In …

• Air Warfare

  KBR wins task order to support US guided missile programmes

  5th August 2020

  KBR has obtained a $165 million task order from the US Army Program Executive Office Missiles and Space, for engineering services on tactical missile systems. …

• Training

  NAVAIR picks Cubic for LVC training support

  21st August 2020

  Cubic Defense Applications is to provide provides design, engineering, test and demonstration services for US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), to mature technologies for LVC …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | ULTRA [US]

  The USAF, and more specifically the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), has invested in the ULTRA aircraft from DZYNE Technologies, with the drone possibly developed ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | ULTRA [US]

  The USAF, and more specifically the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), has invested in the ULTRA aircraft from DZYNE Technologies, with the drone possibly developed ...

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

  Air-Launched Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (ALUAV) [US]

  Background  Origins The development programme has its origins in the US-India Defence Technology and Trade Initiative signed between the nations in 2006 and renewed in 2015. This ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  ULTRA [US]

  Background Origins The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Center for Rapid Innovation (CRI) conceived and developed the aircraft with DZYNE Technologies. According to The War ...

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

  Air-Launched Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (ALUAV) [India]

  Background  Origins The development programme has its origins in the US-India Defence Technology and Trade Initiative signed between the nations in 2006 and renewed in 2015. This ...

• Submarines: nuclear/attack

  PROSUB - SSN [Brazil]

  Programme Background Following the successful delivery of the four Riachuelo-class SSK, which is due to all enter service between 2020 and 2023, the construction of ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Data links

  Data links | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Expeditionary Medical Ship (EMS) [USN]

  Background Requirements The EMS is based on the Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport vessel, featuring a catamaran design, providing hospital-level care, with three operating rooms, as well as ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Light Replenishment Oiler (T-AOL) [USN]

  The US Navy wants to procure a new class of medium-sized supply ships aimed at refuelling, rearming, and resupplying naval assets. The Navy’s proposed FY2025 budget requests $7.7 ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Light Replenishment Oiler (T-AOL) [USN]

  The US Navy wants to procure a new class of medium-sized supply ships aimed at refuelling, rearming, and resupplying naval assets. The Navy’s proposed FY2025 budget requests $7.7 ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Polar Support Vessel [Brazil]

  Programme Background Requirements In June 2020, the Brazilian Navy released a Request for Proposal (RfP) to procure a new Antarctic vessel to be manufactured in Brazil. The ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

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

  Hybrid Tiger

  Manufactured by the Naval Research Laboratory, the Hybrid Tiger is an electric UAV. As its name suggests, the platform features a hybrid power generation unit. ...

• Air: UAS radar

  RASAR

  The real-time, autonomous, synthetic aperture radar (RASAR) is a self-contained radar designed for installation under the wing of UAS for counter-IED and FOPEN (Foliage Penetration) missions. It is ...

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

  SA-400 Jackal

  The SA-400 Jackal is a heavy-payload-capability, long-endurance VTOL UAS that had its first flight in 2013. It is an optionally piloted vehicle, so it can ...

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

  Outlaw SeaHunter

  Outlaw UAVs are used by military and research agencies for training, testing, data collection and system development. In the 114-137kg maximum take-off weight class, SeaHunter ...

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

  ShadowHawk

  The ShadowHawk is a VTOL UAV that can be transported and launched/recovered within a small area. The ShadowHawk is able to maintain aerial surveillance at ...

• Air: EO/IR – Jamming Systems

  AN/AAQ-45

  Leonardo’s AN/AAQ-45 Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasures is designed to equip rotorcraft. The system is being installed on Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk medium-lift utility helicopters used ...

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

  Havoc

  Havoc is a MALE modular payload UAS designed for customers with varying missions and payload requirements. Features include tool-less assembly, rolling take-off and landing and ...

• Military - USVs

  MAST

  The Maritime Autonomy Surface Testbed (MAST) was developed by ASV Global and Roke Manor Research under funding from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. It ...

• Air-launched ASW torpedoes, Ship-launched torpedoes

  Shyena/TAL

  Shyena, also known as TAL (The Advanced Light Torpedo), is an Indian lightweight anti-submarine torpedo developed by the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (affiliated to ...

• Subsystems: software

  SWARM

  CHI Systems worked with Lockheed Martin on a programme for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to build software models that imitate human behaviour, and ...

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

  Bat

  Northrop Grumman is developing the Bat family of medium-altitude, multi-mission UAS. The company announced two variants of the UAS (3.7m and 4.3m) and a rotary-wing ...

• Light UGVs

  Dragon Runner

  The Dragon Runner UGV, manufactured by QinitiQ, has two versions: the Dragon Runner 10 (DR10) and the slightly larger Dragon Runner 20 (DR20). All Dragon ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  CLS-200

  The CLS-200 is part of the Yates Electrospace Corporation Silent Arrow family. It is a powered cargo-carrying one-use UAV, based on the company's GD-2000 glider.  In ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  XQ-67A

  In February 2024, GA-ASI first released images of the XQ-67A, a drone developed under a contract for thge USAF's Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS) developmental programme. It ...

• Light UGVs

  Jackal

  Launched in September 2014, Clearpath Robotics' Jackal is a small, portable, integrated and weatherproof UGV. It has been built on a metal chassis and has four wheels ...