• Land Warfare

  FLIR develops Fido X4 explosives trace detector

  6th November 2019

  FLIR Systems has developed a new version of its handheld explosives trace detector called the Fido X4. The Fido X4 uses FLIR Systems’ TrueTrace detection …

• Defence Helicopter

  Long game on horizon for H160M export customers

  4th November 2019

  Deliveries of the in-development Airbus H160M medium aircraft will not be available to export customers any sooner than 2026, as the manufacturer first concentrates on …

• Land Warfare

  GDLS awarded Abrams support work

  4th November 2019

  General Dynamics Land Systems has been awarded a $9 million contract modification for Abrams systems technical support, the US Department of Defense announced on 1 …

• Defence Notes

  D&S 2019: Thai defence industry receives shot in the arm

  13th November 2019

  The Thai armed forces are emphasising greater coordination with government agencies and commercial enterprises to support R&D; for equipment that can be produced domestically and …

• Defence Helicopter

  Rotorsim's Netherlands training facility opens

  30th October 2019

  Rotorsim has announced that the Royal Netherlands Air Force has begun training at the relocated training facility at Maritime Air Base de Kooy in Den …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Risk of operational delays gifts Insitu US Navy ISR contract

  4th October 2019

  The US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has awarded a sole source ISR contract to Insitu in support of the Expeditionary Mobile Base (ESB) USS Lewis …

• Special Operations

  Babcock to offer bid for Australia SOF helicopters

  29th October 2019

  Babcock Australasia has confirmed that it will submit a bid for the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF's) Special Operations Helicopter capability, the company announced on 25 …

• Digital Battlespace

  EUTELSAT 10B satellite ordered

  30th October 2019

  Thales Alenia Space has signed an agreement with Eutelsat Communications for the procurement of a new all-electric satellite, EUTELSAT 10B. Thales Alenia Space is a …

• Land Warfare

  EDA to take forward CBRN surveillance project

  12th November 2019

  The European Defence Agency (EDA) will support the development of the PESCO CBRN Surveillance as a Service (CBRN SaaS) project as an agency initiative, the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  D&S 2019: Thai military charts course towards armed UAVs

  18th November 2019

  The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) does not currently operate any armed UAVs, but it has already taken steps to develop and introduce a future …

• Military Logistics

  US Army contracts GA-EMS for hydrogen generator prototype

  8th November 2019

  General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) has been awarded a contract by the US Army Contracting Command to develop a high-pressure hydrogen generation system to support …

• Naval Warfare

  Finnish RHIBs for Australian OPVs

  15th October 2019

  Finland's Boomeranger Boats has received a contract from the Australian Department of Defence to supply Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) for the SEA 1180 Phase …

• Naval Warfare

  First CB90 HSM delivered to Swedish FMV

  28th October 2019

  The first CB90 HSM rapid attack boat has been delivered to the Swedish defense material administration (FMV) by Dockstavarvet, part of Saab. The FMV has …

• Defence Helicopter

  Collins awarded contract for USN helicopter visual systems

  2nd October 2019

  Collins Aerospace has been awarded a $24.7 million contract to provide engineering and manufacturing development for the Enhanced Visual Acuity (EVA) system for US Navy …

• Military Logistics

  C-130J global fleet hits mammoth flight hour milestone

  16th October 2019

  The global C-130J Super Hercules fleet has achieved a combined two million flight hours, Lockheed Martin announced on 15 October. The hours have been logged …

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)

  Background In 2010, the USAF announced the replacement of the HH-60G with a new Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH), and in 2012, the request for proposals ...

• 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 ...