• 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 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman to provide Guardian assemblies and transmitters to USN

  18th August 2020

  The Defense Logistics Agency Aviation has issued a maximum $19.69 million delivery order, on behalf of the USN, to Northrop Grumman Mission Systems for Guardian laser …

• Land Warfare

  Thailand to buy VN16s from China

  15th September 2020

  The Royal Thai Marine Corps (RTMC) has chosen Chinese-built VN16 amphibious light tanks armed with a 105mm gun for deployment on its upcoming Type 071E …

• Land Warfare

  DoD awards IM-SHORAD contract as US Army awaits next phase of Lethality Upgrade

  7th October 2020

  IM-SHORAD is needed now more than ever to combat near-peer adversary threats; meanwhile the US Army is looking for options on the Medium Caliber Weapon System

• Military Logistics

  ​USMC expects to gain more from upgraded RTCH

  21st September 2020

  Full-rate production is underway of an upgraded version of the Rough Terrain Container Handler (RTCH) for the USMC. The vehicle moves 20ft (6.1m) and 40ft …

• Defence Notes

  Realism should temper hopes of ‘big ticket’ Israel-UAE defence cooperation

  18th September 2020

  A glance at the passenger manifest on the maiden El Al flight from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi would have underscored two factors behind the …

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Swedish Navy eyes unmanned to augment subsurface capability

  8th September 2020

  Unmanned systems could become a key force multiplier for the Royal Swedish Navy in a bid to shore up hull numbers and add new capabilities …

• 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

  Afghanistan welcomes final batch of A-29s

  17th September 2020

  The Afghan  Air Force (AAF) has received its final four A-29 Super Tucano turboprop aircraft out of 26 ordered from the US.  ‘The AAF now …

• Naval Warfare

  AUTEC gains support from Amentum

  14th August 2020

  Amentum Services is to support and maintain the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) for the USN, under a new $430.02 million contract from …

• Defence Notes

  Lockheed Martin makes case for new era of directed energy weapons

  21st August 2020

  The difficulties that have traditionally stopped industry and military operators from collaborating to successfully deploy directed energy weapons on the battlefield are effectively over, according …

• Digital Battlespace

  General Dynamics to build wide-band radomes for F-16s

  16th September 2020

  General Dynamics Mission Systems has been awarded a $17.54 million contract to produce wide-band radomes for USAF F-16 aircraft that are equipped with AESA radars. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Leonardo secures lucrative AW169M order from Austria

  25th September 2020

  Leonardo has beaten off stiff competition from Airbus and Bell to win a €300 million ($349 million) contract for 18 AW169M multirole helicopters from Austria. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Experiment enables soldiers and aircrew to partner with smart machines

  24th September 2020

  Scientists from the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) have overseen an experiment to see how humans and the new generation of smart machines …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ESA antenna strengthens Adaro C2 and ISR capabilities

  17th September 2020

  Israel-based Get SAT is providing its Ultra-Blade L-band electronically steerable array (ESA) antenna to SeaLandAire Technologies for installation on the X-class Adaro small USV. Both companies …

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

  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 ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Marine Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) MALE [USMC]

  Background MUX umbrella Since 2016, the USMC has sought to acquire a UAV that could be deployed from a vessel, used for various missions and fly ...

• 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 - 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 - 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 UAS - small

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

  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 ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Global Fast Sealift [USN]

  At Sea Air Space 2026, Hanwha Ocean and Gibbs and Cox displayed the Global Fast Sealift concept design. The vessel is intended as a next-generation ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Global Fast Sealift [USN]

  At Sea Air Space 2026, Hanwha Ocean and Gibbs and Cox displayed the Global Fast Sealift concept design. The vessel is intended as a next-generation ...

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 - 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 - 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 ...

• Military - USVs

  TUFAN

  TUFAN is a is a kamikaze unmanned surface vehicle (USV) developed by ASELSAN in partnership with ARES Shipyard for offensive operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The platform combines ...

• 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 ...