• Digital Battlespace

  Gentex receives LEP Threat Spectacles contract

  8th November 2017

  Gentex has been contracted by the US Navy to develop Laser Eye Protection (LEP) Threat Spectacles for pilots. The contract will see the company design, …

• Military Logistics

  Austal completes acceptance EPF-9 trials

  7th November 2017

  Austal has successfully completed acceptance trials on USNS City of Bismarck Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF-9), the company announced on 3 November. The trials on the …

• Land Warfare

  D&S 2017: Black Widow gives birth to water baby

  7th November 2017

  Two years ago the Defence Technology Institute (DTI), a division of the Thai Ministry of Defence, displayed a prototype of its Black Widow Spider 8x8 …

• Naval Warfare

  Making way for Medway

  20th October 2017

  The UK Royal Navy (RN) carried out the naming ceremony of its latest River-class OPV at BAE Systems Scotstoun shipyard in Glasgow on 20 October. HMS …

• Defence Helicopter

  RNZAF helicopters achieve milestones on exercise

  14th November 2017

  NHIndustries NH90 and Leonardo AW109LUH helicopters of No.3 Squadron from the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) both achieved milestones during Exercise Southern Katipo in …

• Land Warfare

  Russia delivers first T-90s to Vietnam

  15th November 2017

  The first deliveries of the T-90S/SK MBTs for the Vietnamese army have already been made it was revealed on 7 November by Mikhail Petikhov, Deputy …

• Defence Helicopter

  Indian MoD moves naval heli programme forward

  7th November 2017

  Heralding one of the biggest helicopter programmes in South Asia, the Indian Defence Acquisition Council headed by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman accorded 'acceptance of necessity' …

• Military Logistics

  Rolls-Royce, ADSB sign MoU

  8th November 2017

  Rolls-Royce has partnered with Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) to provide naval shipbuilding, repair and refit activities across the Gulf region, it was announced on …

• Military Logistics

  E-2D completes first aerial refuel

  3rd November 2017

  Northrop Grumman’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeye has completed its first aerial refuelling, the company announced on 31 October. The aircraft received its first in-flight fuel transfer …

• Defence Notes

  D&S 2017: Thales signs MoU with Thai DTI

  7th November 2017

  Thales and the Defence Technology Institute (DTI), the Thai Ministry of Defence’s research and development agency, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on 6 November …

• Land Warfare

  Ukraine shores up SHORAD

  8th November 2017

  Ukraine's land forces are looking at ways to beef up their Short-Range Air Defence (SHORAD) capabilities following combat experiences in the country's civil war in …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman details ASAF technology

  3rd November 2017

  Northrop Grumman is developing high speed navigation technology that will allow military aircraft and airborne weapon systems to guide themselves to targets on land or …

• Naval Warfare

  Polish submarine fleet run aground

  30th October 2017

  The Polish Navy may be forced to decommission its only Kilo-class submarine, ORP Orzel , as a result of an incident while the vessel was …

• Naval Warfare

  Kongsberg, Thyssenkrupp form JV

  2nd November 2017

  Kongsberg and Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems have established a 50/50 joint venture (JV) company named KTA Naval Systems, the companies announced on 31 October. KTA Naval …

• Naval Warfare

  Partners picked ahead of Type 31 tango

  18th October 2017

  Key players in the UK’s shipbuilding and design sector have begun picking partners for the maritime dance-off to see who will get to build the …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munition PODS [UK]

  Programme Background PODS As the Royal Navy states, Persistent Operational Deployment Systems (PODS) are "interchangeable modules that can be fitted to the surface fleet. Similar in ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, 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 ...

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

  Flexible Tactical Uncrewed Air System (FTUAS) [UK]

  Background Tender Notice & Timeline On 25 May 2021, the MoD published a tender notice for the urgent acquisition of a UAS and ancillaries under a ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | LMS Batch II (5-7) [Malaysia]

  The Royal Malaysia Navy (RMN) plans to acquire eight Littoral Mission Ships (LMS). In line with the plan, it was assumed the RMN would acquire ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | LMS Batch II (5-7) [Malaysia]

  The Royal Malaysia Navy (RMN) plans to acquire eight Littoral Mission Ships (LMS). In line with the plan, it was assumed the RMN would acquire ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Submarines Procurement [Malaysia]

  According to the Royal Malaysian Navy 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, the Navy wants to acquire two more submarines between 2031 and 2035. Shephard estimates ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Submarines Procurement [Malaysia]

  According to the Royal Malaysian Navy 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, the Navy wants to acquire two more submarines between 2031 and 2035. Shephard estimates ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Joint Future Surface Combatant - FSC (3) [Belgium]

  The Belgian Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) are undertaking a joint Future Surface Combatant (FSC) project to replace their existing M-class Karel Doorman-class ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Joint Future Surface Combatant - FSC (3) [Belgium]

  The Belgian Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) are undertaking a joint Future Surface Combatant (FSC) project to replace their existing M-class Karel Doorman-class ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) (3) [Malaysia]

  According to the Royal Malaysian Navy 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, the Navy wants to acquire a total of three Multi-Role Support Ships (MRSSs). This ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) (3) [Malaysia]

  According to the Royal Malaysian Navy 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, the Navy wants to acquire a total of three Multi-Role Support Ships (MRSSs). This ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Offshore Patrol Vessels [Thailand]

  The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) is reportedly considering procuring four new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs). The RTN currently has two Krabi-class OPVs based on the Royal ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Offshore Patrol Vessels [Thailand]

  The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) is reportedly considering procuring four new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs). The RTN currently has two Krabi-class OPVs based on the Royal ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Joint Future Surface Combatant - FSC (3) [Netherlands]

  The Belgian Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) are undertaking a joint Future Surface Combatant (FSC) project to replace their existing M-class Karel Doorman-class ...

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 ...

• AMAS

  AMAS – Australian Minesweeping System – was developed with the assistance of the Defence Science & Technology Organisation and the Royal Australian Navy. It adopts ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Military - USVs

  Bluebottle

  Bluebottle is a persistent, autonomous, uncrewed surface vessel from Ocius Technology in service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

• 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) ...

• 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 UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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 ...

• 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 ...

• Air-launched ASW torpedoes, Ship-launched torpedoes

  Sting Ray

  The Sting Ray Mod 1 is an air- and surface-launched, lightweight ASW torpedo. It can be deployed from frigates, helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft against ...