• Air Warfare

  Insight: How will the US Navy keep its EA-18G Growler EW aircraft flying until 2046?

  14th September 2023

  The carrier-based EA-18G Growler entered service in 2010 and is intended to remain in service until 2046. Shephard Defence Insight analyses the key operational technologies on the aircraft and the upgrade path needed to keep it flying and effective for another two decades.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DSEI: Milrem displays new versions of THeMIS and reveals plans for larger UGV

  15th September 2023

  Milrem Robotics has now supplied more than 100 of its Tracked Hybrid Modular Infantry System (THeMIS) hybrid UGVs including approximately 15 for service in Ukraine. Lessons learned are continuing to inform the platform’s development, according to the company.

• Naval Warfare

  Austal nets US Navy T-AGOS surveillance ships contract

  23rd May 2023

  Austal USA has been awarded a contract worth up to $3.195 billion to build up to seven T-AGOS surveillance ships for the USN.

• Air Warfare

  Northrop Grumman demonstrates deep-sensing platform at EDGE 23

  29th August 2023

  Northrop Grumman successfully showcased its Deep-Sensing and Targeting (DSaT) platform at the US Army's Experimental Demonstration Gateway Event 2023 (EDGE 23) event.

• Land Warfare

  Netherlands orders General Dynamics floating bridges

  24th July 2023

  General Dynamics European Land Systems has received an order from the Royal Netherlands Army for three Improved Ribbon Bridge (IRB) floating bridge systems.

• Defence Notes

  WDS 2024: the emerging platform for the global defence industry

  29th September 2023

  Focusing on future technology and innovation, World Defense Show returns, expanded in floorspace, duration and participation.

• Digital Battlespace

  EOS to provide AS-65 gimbal for L3Harris's VAMPIRE weapon system

  21st July 2023

  EOS Defense Systems USA's AS-65 gimbal has been selected for L3Harris's VAMPIRE weapon system, empowering Ukraine's ground forces to counter hostile drones and ground threats using precision rockets.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IMDEX 2023: Saildrone ‘well equipped’ to support Asia-Pacific needs

  2nd May 2023

  Saildrone is aggressively scaling to meet global demand for its uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs).

• Air Warfare

  Hero loitering munition air-launched from helicopter in US Army demo

  13th June 2023

  UVision has successfully demonstrated the airborne launch and engagement of a ground target by its Hero 120 loitering munition, fired from a Bell 412 helicopter.

• Land Warfare

  Fibrotex develops mobile camouflage systems for US clients

  19th July 2023

  Fibrotex’s camouflage triad will be complete with the development of mobile camouflage systems.

• Air Warfare

  Israel gets 25 more F-35 fighter jets in $3 billion deal financed by US

  4th July 2023

  The new 25 Lockheed Martin F-35 jets will form the third squadron of fifth-generation fighters for the Israeli Air Force.

• Naval Warfare

  US commissions latest Littoral Combat Ship, as Austal execs face fraud charges

  3rd April 2023

  On April 1, the USN commissioned the latest Austal USA-built Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32), shortly after a federal grand jury indictment charging three Alabama men with orchestrating an accounting fraud scheme at the shipbuilder.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Uvision sees loitering munition market blooming and diverging at Paris Air Show

  23rd June 2023

  At the Paris Air Show, Israeli loitering munition manufacture Uvision said it saw the market for the systems blooming but also diverging into different sets of requirements.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UMS Skeldar equips V-200 UAV with Hydronalix USV

  27th June 2023

  At Modern Day Marine, drone-maker UMS Skeldar and Hydronalix announced a cooperation agreement to equip the V-200 rotary-UAS with the latter’s uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs).

• Land Warfare

  UK no longer able to manufacture large-calibre gun barrels, BAE Systems admits

  8th June 2023

  The UK may need to cannibalise stored Challenger tanks and AS90 howitzers to source replacement barrels for platforms sent to Ukraine as no manufacturing capability currently exists.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) [USN]

  Programme Background Timeline Austal USA is building all the Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessels to the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) standards for the use ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Navajo Class (T-ATS)

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) are replacing the ageing three remaining T-ATF 166 class tugboats and two remaining T-ARS 50 class ships with ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1700 [USN]

  Programme Background Timeline The US Navy LCU 1700 amphibious landing craft are being procured to replace the ageing LCU 1610 class, which has an average ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Explorer Class / T-AGOS Surtass Ships (1-5) [USN]

  The US Navy, through the T-AGOS(X) programme, is looking to procure seven new Ocean Surveillance Ships. The new vessels are intended to replace five ageing TAGOS ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Explorer Class / T-AGOS Surtass Ships (1-5) [USN]

  The US Navy, through the T-AGOS(X) programme, is looking to procure seven new Ocean Surveillance Ships. The new vessels are intended to replace five ageing TAGOS ...

• OPVs

  Offshore Patrol Cutters (OPC 5 to OPC 15) [USCG]

  Programme Background Timeline The Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) programme began in 2014 when the Coast Guard awarded $64 million in design contracts to Eastern. Bolliger ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Explorer Class / T-AGOS Surtass Ships (1-5) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The Auxiliary General Ocean Surveillance (T-AGOS) ships focus on gathering underwater acoustical data to support the mission of the Integrated Undersea Surveillance System ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | T-AGOS Surtass Ships (6-7) [USN]

  The US Navy, through the T-AGOS(X) programme, is looking to procure seven new Ocean Surveillance Ships. The new vessels are intended to replace five ageing ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | T-AGOS Surtass Ships (6-7) [USN]

  The US Navy, through the T-AGOS(X) programme, is looking to procure seven new Ocean Surveillance Ships. The new vessels are intended to replace five ageing ...

• Frigates

  Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)

  Programme Background The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme was developed in 2003 as a cheap and fast way to increase the size of the fleet ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | T-AGOS Surtass Ships (1-5) [USN]

  The US Navy, through the T-AGOS(X) programme, is looking to procure seven new Ocean Surveillance Ships. The new vessels are intended to replace five ageing TAGOS ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | T-AGOS Surtass Ships (1-5) [USN]

  The US Navy, through the T-AGOS(X) programme, is looking to procure seven new Ocean Surveillance Ships. The new vessels are intended to replace five ageing TAGOS ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (9-18) [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 ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  T-AGOS Surtass Ships (6-7) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The Auxiliary General Ocean Surveillance (T-AGOS) ships focus on gathering underwater acoustical data to support the mission of the Integrated Undersea Surveillance ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  LXX Procurement/Buques Nodriza [Spain]

  Programme Background Requirements In December 2024, the Spanish Navy released the "Armada 2050" plan, a strategic document that details the development and the long-term vision ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Spearhead Class EPF

  The Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) (formerly the Joint High-Speed Vessel – JHSV, redesignated in September 2015) can transport troops and their equipment, supporting humanitarian relief ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Navajo Class

  The Navajo-class is the USN's new class of towing, salvage, and rescue ships to replace the current T-ATF 166 and T-ARS 50 class ships. This ...

• Military - USVs

  Overlord Uncrewed Surface Vessel

  The Overlord Uncrewed Surface Vessels (OUSV) are a fleet of US Navy (USN) Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs) consisting of four vessels under a programme named ...

• Frigates

  Independence Class (LCS)

  The USN’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme was originally envisaged to be 50 ships, which would provide a coastal platform that would take over from ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCU 1700

  In 2018, Swiftships was awarded a contract for the Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1700, which will replace the 32 ageing LCU 1610 class. The contract contains ...

• Military - USVs

  Surveyor

  Surveyor is a long-endurance, Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) built by Saildrone in the US. Surveyor is designed for military and commercial purposes. Its primary mission ...

• OPVs

  Heritage Class

  The Heritage-class Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) is under construction for the USCG to bridge the capability gap between the National Security Cutter, which patrols the ...

• Patrol boats

  Cape Class

  The Cape-class patrol boat was contracted to Australian company Austal in 2011 as a replacement for the Australian Customs and Border Protection fleet of Bay-class ...

• Patrol boats

  Guardian Class

  The Guardian-class Pacific Patrol Boats are being manufactured under the Pacific Patrol Boats Replacement project by the Australian shipbuilding company Austal. The project is aimed ...

• OPVs

  Offshore Patrol 83

  Australian company Austal unveiled its proposed design for the Philippine Navy's OPV  requirement at Pacific 2019. The affordable steel hull design also features an aluminium ...

• OPVs

  OPV 60/Lethal Cape Class

  During the Indo-Pacific 2022, Austal unveiled the new OPV (Offshore Patrol Vessel) 60 design. Austal offers the platform in three different configurations: Patrol, Surveillance and ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  Caimen 500

  Developed by BMT, the Caimen 500 is designed to deliver heavy rolling and cargo payload directly to a beach, hard standing or port. The design ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  Littoral Manoeuvre Vessel - Medium (LMV-M)

  The Littoral Manoeuvre Vessel – Medium (LVM-M) is a medium landing craft design jointly developed by Birdon and Incat Crowther. The design has been selected ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  High-Speed Support Vessels (HSSV) 72

  The High-Speed Support Vessel (HSSV) is a multi-mission theatre support solution based on Austal’s high-speed catamaran platform. The all-aluminium HSSV offers a range of capabilities to ...

• Military - USVs

  Sentinel - Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial (PBAT)

  Sentinel is an autonomous uncrewed surface vessel (USV) built from the decommissioned HMAS Maitland , a former Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Armidale-class Patrol Boat.