• Land Warfare

  British Army tests new hybrid tech on Foxhound and Jackal

  1st September 2020

  Aware of the need to improve the capabilities and mobility of its troops, the British Army is testing new technology on some of its infantry …

• Land Warfare

  Dutch to use specially designed military quad bikes

  11th August 2020

  Defenture BV is to produce 249 diesel-fuelled quad bikes for the Dutch military, under a contract announced on 10 August. The deal, worth an undisclosed …

• Land Warfare

  Armies seek to accelerate autonomous tech developments

  20th August 2020

  In order to be ready for the battlefield of the future, armed forces around the world are increasing efforts and investing more resources to procure …

• Defence Notes

  Coalition Task Force Sentinel opens new HQ

  7th August 2020

  The International Maritime Security Construct held a ceremony on 6 August in Bahrain to formally open the new operational HQ for Coalition Task Force (CTF) …

• Land Warfare

  Indian Army considers light tanks…again

  19th August 2020

  Ongoing tensions in the Ladakh sector of the border between India and China have spurred the Indian Army to revisit a requirement for a light tank suitable …

• Training

  Philippines seeks pair of helicopter simulators

  20th August 2020

  The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is seeking full-motion simulators for both the Leonardo AW109 Power and Bell 412EP platforms, with a tender document published by …

• Defence Helicopter

  Australia seeks capability partner for SOF helicopters

  8th August 2020

  The Australian Defence Force (ADF) released an RfP on 4 August regarding a capability enhancement programme (CEP) for the army’s forthcoming special operations rotary-wing (SORW) …

• Digital Battlespace

  USSOCOM orders SATCOM equipment from GATR

  4th August 2020

  Cubic Corporation subsidiary GATR Technologies has received a $172 million contract with five one-year ordering periods, to provide US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) with SATCOM …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Belgium and UK seek SkyGuardian tie-up

  18th August 2020

  The air forces of Belgium and the UK have signed a bilateral letter of intent to cooperate on training, maintenance, logistical support, interoperability and capacity …

• Land Warfare

  Portuguese paratroops gain new airmobile vehicles

  18th August 2020

  The Portuguese Army is continuing its efforts to improve troop mobility by equipping the Parachutist Regiment in Tancos with ten new Multipurpose Airborne Platforms (MPAPs). The …

• Land Warfare

  Portugal accepts more VAMTAC vehicles

  13th August 2020

  More VAMTAC ST5 4x4 high-mobility tactical vehicles have been received by the Portuguese Army. The 15th Infantry Regiment received four of the vehicles via the …

• Training

  ATAC draws first blood on CCAS

  17th August 2020

  Textron Systems subsidiary Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC) and its partner Valkyrie Aero have been selected to provide live contracted close air support (CCAS) training …

• Naval Warfare

  Type 31 programme moves into Whole Ship Engineering phase

  20th August 2020

  With the completion of the Whole Ship Preliminary Design Review (WSPDR) for the UK’s Type 31 frigate in June, programme lead Babcock is now transitioning …

• Defence Notes

  China, computer chips and supply chains

  20th August 2020

  On 14 September 2019, the Islamic Republic of Iran launched an audacious unconventional military attack on critical infrastructure facilities in Saudi Arabia, at Abqaiq and …

• Defence Notes

  US to harden Guam against Chinese attack

  23rd July 2020

  The US is seeking to station Aegis Ashore on Guam, its westernmost territory, by 2026. The purpose is to give ballistic missile protection for the strategically important …

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 ...