• Defence Notes

  China and India calm border dispute

  2nd June 2018

  This week’s 17th Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) began with a panel session on the border dispute between China and India, ahead of a keynote address by Indian …

• Naval Warfare

  Dutch firm supports Taiwan submarine upgrade

  29th May 2018

  The effort to modernise two Republic of China Navy (ROCN) diesel-electric submarines was boosted in May with the announcement that they will undergo an upgrade …

• Naval Warfare

  Russian nuclear submarine test fires Bulava missiles

  23rd May 2018

  A Russian nuclear submarine on 22 May successfully fired four Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile from the White Sea on Russia's northwestern coast, the military said …

• Naval Warfare

  Teledyne Gavia upgrades Turkish Navy AUVs

  17th May 2018

  Teledyne Gavia has delivered Blueview MB2250 modules and associated PDS software for all Gavia AUVs operated by the Turkish Navy Mine Countermeasures (MCM) command in …

• Military Logistics

  Canadian DND opens new facility at Borden

  17th May 2018

  The Canadian Department of National Defence has opened its newly-constructed Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RCEME) school at Canadian Forces Base Borden, it was …

• Digital Battlespace

  EW Europe 2018: US uses AI to defeat adaptive threats

  31st May 2018

  The proliferation of advanced digital radar systems is focusing military research and development efforts on technology that can identify and respond to unknown threat emitters …

• Defence Notes

  Britain to intensify defence against space 'threats'

  21st May 2018

  Britain will boost the number of defence personnel working in the space sector by a fifth over five years to counter ‘intensifying threats’, UK Defence …

• Digital Battlespace

  Kelvin Hughes’s SharpEye for LCS, MMSC vessels

  23rd May 2018

  Kelvin Hughes has been selected by OSI Maritime Systems to supply a number of SharpEye solid-state naval radar sensors for installation on board Lockheed Martin’s …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG delivers latest HC-130J for Minotaur retrofit

  21st May 2018

  The US Coast Guard has delivered its latest HC-130J Super Hercules aircraft to L3 Technologies to replace its legacy mission system with Minotaur, the agency …

• Digital Battlespace

  Malaysia’s network-centric programme makes unclear progress

  9th May 2018

  Despite Phase 1A of the Network-Centric Operations (NCO) programme of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) being completed and handed over in December 2015 and officially …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF and MIT further waveform development

  24th May 2018

  The US Air Force (USAF) Research Laboratory (AFRL) Information Directorate and Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT-LL) are working together to test advanced waveforms …

• Training

  ITEC 2018: CBL success and more for Saab Training & Simulation

  19th May 2018

  By any standard, Saab Training & Simulation has had a successful start to 2018. Contracts in Finland, Sweden and Germany have most recently been supplemented …

• Naval Warfare

  Bangladesh Coast Guard to receive new vessels amid expansion

  25th May 2018

  Bangladeshi naval shipbuilder Khulna Shipyard Limited (KSY) launched the first of three large IPVs for the Bangladesh Coast Guard (BCG) on 23 May. Sonar Bangla …

• Defence Notes

  Australia gives defence budget a moderate lift

  10th May 2018

  Australia announced its defence budget for FY2018/19 on 8 May, with the total amounting to A$36.4 billion ($27.2 billion). This figure is in line with …

• Digital Battlespace

  OSI’s IBNS for Saudi naval vessels

  3rd May 2018

  OSI Maritime Systems has been selected by Lockheed Martin to provide its Integrated Bridge and Navigation System (IBNS) for the first four ships of the …

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 ...