• Training

  US prepares for virtual exercise in Indo-Pacific

  4th August 2022

  The US is due to run Virtual Flag, a C2-focused synthetic drill that will allow geographically separated units to work together across all domains.

• Air Warfare

  Australia celebrates Industry first with domestic maintenance of P-8A fleet

  4th August 2022

  Australia’s P-8A fleet will undergo deeper maintenance work domestically as part of a $60 million contract.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Navy welcomes multifunctional XV Patrick Blackett

  1st August 2022

  The newest research ship for the UK Royal Navy can be adapted to specific trials or experiments including testing UAVs, autonomous vessels and AI decision-making.

• Land Warfare

  Iron Dome keeps making strides in the US

  3rd August 2022

  Following a successful integration with the US Marine Corps, the Iron Dome is one step closer to being fielded by the US Army.

• Land Warfare

  USSOCOM acquires Augmented Reality Tactical Assault Kit

  5th August 2022

  Eolian Augmented Reality Tactical Assault Kits (ARTAK) are intended to significantly reduce risk to soldiers during mission execution. They will provide US Special Operations Command operators with the ability to connect to remote sites and personnel for face-to-face collaboration.

• Air Warfare

  USSOCOM selects Sky Warden for Armed Overwatch production

  2nd August 2022

  USSOCOM has signed a contract worth up to $3 billion with L3Harris and Air Tractor to supply AT-802U Sky Warden turboprops for the Armed Overwatch programme.

• Air Warfare

  MQ-28A Ghost Bat emerges into the light

  22nd March 2022

  Australia continues to make progress with its cutting-edge programme to deliver a fighter-type UAV.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Proteus contract puts Leonardo on course to develop UK uncrewed VTOL hub

  29th July 2022

  Leonardo has outlined ambitious plans for its Yeovil site as it looks to advance VTOL UAS manufacturing.

• Land Warfare

  Indian close-in weapon system contenders gather momentum

  16th March 2022

  For a number of years, India has been seeking close-in air defence systems to protect its airbases.

• Air Warfare

  DSA 2022: TAI affirms commitment to Malaysia even if bids fail

  30th March 2022

  Even if it is unsuccessful in bids for MALE UAV and light combat/trainer aircraft programmes, Turkish Aerospace (TAI) executives confirmed to Shephard that the company aims to build ‘long-term relationships’ in Malaysia.

• Land Warfare

  Carbines and software-defined radios for Indian Army are approved

  29th July 2022

  Indigenous software-defined radios, although just approved for purchase by the Indian MoD, could still be years away.

• Land Warfare

  Austria concludes testing phase for Beagle radar

  2nd August 2022

  The Beagle radar system will be operated by Austrian reconnaissance and artillery battalions in mounted and dismounted operations.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AeroVironment expands flight autonomy presence with Planck Aerosystems acquisition

  18th August 2022

  The acquisition of Planck Aerosystems gives AeroVironment more capabilities in UAV guidance and navigation, autonomy and AI.

• Land Warfare

  NP Aerospace operates ‘around the clock’ to provide Ukraine with body armour

  16th August 2022

  UK company NP Aerospace manufactured and delivered more than 20,000 sets of body armour plates and carrier vests to Ukraine in the last three months.

• Air Warfare

  PLAAF unveils YY-20 air-to-air tanker aircraft

  2nd August 2022

  China's air force confirms it is operating the tanker variant of the Y-20, as the nation expands the reach of its military aircraft.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 1) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was ...

• 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 ...

• OPVs

  Continental Defence Corvette [Canada]

  Programme Background Requirements Under the second pillar of its shipbuilding strategy, Canada is seeking to procure an undisclosed number of small vessels (below 1000t). Part ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian (3) [Belgium]

  Background Strategic Vision 2030 In 2016, the Belgian MoD published its Strategic Vision 2030 report. This report highlighted the need for MALE reconnaissance drones to ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  KT-1B Woongbi - Indonesia

  The programme value is estimates as $30 million for the purchase of three KT-1B aircraft. The deliveries are planned to be completed in 2021. The KT-1B ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian (1-2) [Belgium]

  Background Strategic Vision 2030 In 2016, the Belgian MoD published its Strategic Vision 2030 report. This report highlighted the need for MALE reconnaissance drones to ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Fleet Solid Support (FSS) (1-3) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirement The 2015 Strategic Defence & Security Review (SDSR) highlighted the requirement for three Military Afloat Reach & Sustainability (MARS) Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Large ULS-A / Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) [USMC]

  Background US Marine ULS-A programmes The US Marines are seeking a family of Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A), which will provide logistics and ground units with their ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) [Canada]

  Programme Background Programme Inception The Royal Canadian Air Force's (RCAF) Joint Unmanned Surveillance and Target Acquisition System (JUSTAS) project was established to procure a UAS for ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  T-X / T-7A Red Hawk [USAF]

  Programme Background Goal The T-X programme aims to acquire a two-seat jet trainer aircraft to replace its Northrop Grumman T-38 Talon. The programme could be worth ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Micro VTOL [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 ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Kingston Class Replacement [Canada]

  Under the second pillar of its shipbuilding strategy, Ottawa is seeking a replacement for its Kingston-class OPVs. The programme is still in the very early stages of project ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Kingston Class Replacement [Canada]

  Under the second pillar of its shipbuilding strategy, Ottawa is seeking a replacement for its Kingston-class OPVs. The programme is still in the very early stages of project ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Helicopter engines

  T900

  The Improved Turbine Engine Program is the US Army's effort to build a 50% more powerful and 25% more fuel-efficient engine for its Black Hawk ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  V-247 Vigilant

  The V-247 Vigilant is a tiltrotor UAV from Bell. Officially introduced in 2016, it features an open modular architecture and can host several payloads. These include ...

• Helicopter engines

  T901

  The Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP) is the US Army's effort to build a 50% more powerful and 25% more fuel-efficient engine for its Black ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AVX JMR

  AVX Aircraft proposed a compound helicopter with coaxial rotors, small wings and dual ducted-fan propulsors for the US Army’s JMR-TD FVL programme. In April 2015, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  SB-1 Defiant

  The SB-1 Defiant is a Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD) aircraft. Sikorsky and Boeing announced in February 2013 that they would submit a joint proposal ...

• ISR/special mission

  E-4B Nightwatch

  Developed by Boeing based on the 747-200 airliner, the E-4B Nightwatch is a special mission aircraft used as the US National Airborne Operations Centre and is ...

• SARAH

  Flying-Cam’s Special Aerial Response Automatic Helicopter (SARAH) has been designed for applications such as LIDAR, photogrammetry and surveying. Features include five flight modes, dual GPS antenna, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  S-97 Raider

  The S-97 Raider helicopter is based on the five-year, company-funded X2 Technology Demonstrator project. Like the X2, the S-97 Raider will feature twin coaxial, counter-rotating ...

• Sea: tactical training

  Proteus Surface Warship CTT

  In addition to the generic Proteus Action Speed Tactical Trainer (ASTT), Kongsberg can also provide Command Team Trainers (CTT) tailored to the specific needs of ...

• Subsystems: visual

  VTTS

  The Virtual Reality Team Training System (VTTS) allows team members to interact together in one common virtual world. Every trainee uses a workstation consisting of ...

• SARAH 4.0

  Flying-Cam’s Special Aerial Response Automatic Helicopter (SARAH) 4.0 has been designed for applications such as LIDAR, photogrammetry and surveying. Features include dual GPS antenna, RIEGL LIDAR, ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-280 Valor

  Bell Helicopter Textron is developing the V-280 Valor tiltrotor for the JMR-TD FVL project. The US Army announced in August 2014 that Bell would be ...

• Sea: tactical training

  SCTT

  The Submarine Combat Team Trainer (SCTT) prepares the submarine combat information centre team for its duties with the aid of simulated combat situations and environmental ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  LTMPAV Dino 519

  The Dino 519 is a light tactical multi-purpose armored vehicle (LTMPAV) developed by Team Concept, a Poland-based armored vehicle manufacturer. 

• Major networking projects

  Project Marshall

  The Joint Military Air Traffic Services project was initiated by the UK MoD in November 2005 to identify and evaluate options for the future delivery ...