• Training

  CAE team expands KC-135 training

  13th January 2021

  With a new eight-year extension to its KC-135 training service contract, CAE USA becomes the only incumbent to win a major aircrew training service re-compete in the last decade.

• Naval Warfare

  Raytheon to support six SM-2 customers

  13th January 2021

  Latest SM-2 contract for FMS operators includes All Up Rounds, instrumental kits, engineering services and spares.

• Defence Helicopter

  OEM criticises Afghan Mi-17V-5 helicopter maintenance

  9th December 2020

  Russian company vents annoyance at overhaul practices for helicopters bought by the US for service in Afghanistan.

• Naval Warfare

  First Flight III Arleigh Burke destroyer 44% complete as USN eyes future DDG(X) requirements

  14th January 2021

  As the USN begins to firm up its specifications for the DDG(X) platform, the final variant of the venerable Arleigh Burke guided missile destroyers marks the beginning of the end for one of the service’s most successful platforms.

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman to complete F-16V EW suite

  14th January 2021

  Prototype will provide full-spectrum radar warning, threat identification and advanced countermeasure capabilities.

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army aims to consolidate cyber centre management

  19th November 2020

  Army seeks a single contractor to manage its five regional centres

• Naval Warfare

  Australia to arm warships with ‘sharper’ weapons

  26th January 2021

  Australia will add much more capable missiles to its warships, in response to the growing threat posed by more belligerent state actors such as China and, to a lesser extent, North Korea.

• Defence Notes

  Kuwait seeks Patriot spare parts

  5th January 2021

  Potential FMS ‘represents a commitment by Kuwait to field and maintain systems that are interoperable with US forces’, says US State Department.

• Air Warfare

  New systems add functionality to the F-35

  13th January 2021

  AN/ASQ-239 and AN/ASQ-242 systems will be installed on the multi-role F-35 fighter.

• Naval Warfare

  Order of long-lead items for Type 26 Batch 2 underway

  25th January 2021

  A key element in the RN future surface fleet, the Type 26 programme has reduced in scope from a planned 13 hulls to just eight.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  WJ-700 flies, as other Chinese UCAVs fight

  20th January 2021

  A new Chinese UAV/UCAV has taken to the skies for the first time. Meanwhile, other Chinese models are being used extensively in combat in the Middle East and North Africa.

• Defence Notes

  IAI optimistic over third IAF F-35 squadron buy

  8th January 2021

  The prospect of Israel buying more F-35 aircraft could lead to business growth for IAI – but political uncertainty could scupper this and other plans.

• Air Warfare

  BAE Systems joins Vertex in USMC Harrier support contract

  12th January 2021

  Two companies will ensure increased efficiency of maintenance operations for the AV-8B fleet.

• Land Warfare

  Thai army chooses light howitzers from France

  14th January 2021

  The new light howitzer from France was chosen due to its automatic direction-finding and fire control systems.

• Air Warfare

  Georgia eyes domestic production of UAVs and Su-25s

  19th January 2021

  While the Georgian MoD has made clear its ambitions, realising them may prove more complicated.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Puma 3 AE (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Military Aid - $300 Million On 1 April 2022, the US DoD announced a $300 million military aid package for Ukraine to "bolster Urkaine's capacity ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  M1165 Special Ops HMMWV [USA]

  Programme Background The HHMWV or Humvee has been in US service since 1983. The M1165A1B3 is a special operations variant of the platform.  In 2015, the ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV Oshkosh Contract (US Navy) [US]

  As of November 2020, the US DoD had signed 14 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches of ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 300 (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (16 March 2022 & 13 April 2022) On 16 March 2022, President Biden announced $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine through ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A Joint Strike Fighter - USAF

  According to the US FY2021 budget document, Turkey's removal from the JSF program and transition to the alternate supply chain sources may challenge to achieve ...

• Fighter - naval

  F-35B STOVL - US Navy

  The JSF programme will develop and field a family of aircraft that meets the needs of the US DoD and US allies with the F-35A ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV Oshkosh Contract [US Air Force]

  As of November 2020, the US DoD had signed 14 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches of ...

• Loitering munitions

  Point Blank [US]

  Programme Background As IAI stated in a 19 January 2023 press release, it had been awarded a multi-million-dollar contract by the Irregular Warfare Technical Support ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  BQM-177A [US Navy]

  Background Previous Purchases The BQM-177A was designed for the USN and has been in service with the USN for many years. Indeed, in August 2022, Shephard reported ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 600 (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background $300 Million USAI (1 April 2022) On 1 April 2022, the US DoD announced a $300 million military aid package for Ukraine following ...

• Fighter - naval

  F-35C Carrier Variant

  The US Navy is planning to order 130 F-35Cs between FY2026 and FY2030 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase is estimated be ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Phoenix Ghost (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (21 April 2022) Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, on 21 April 2022, President Biden announced an $800 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Puma LE [Kosovo]

  Background Contract Award On 21 January 2022, the US Department of Defence (DoD) announced that AeroVironment had been awarded an $11.01 million firm-fixed contract for Puma ...

• Loitering munitions

  ALTIUS-600M (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background On 24 February 2023, the US DoD announced that the Biden Administration had released an additional aid package under the Ukraine Security Assistance ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  M1152A1B2/M1165A1B3 HMMWV [USA]

  Programme Background The HMMWV has been in US service since the 1980s. Despite the introduction of newer platforms, the US DoD continues to utilise the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Pistols

  M9

  M9 is the US DoD designation for the military-specification 9mm Beretta 92FS, selected in 1985 to replace the 45cal M1911A1 in US service. Sales to ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  Igla/SA-18

  The 9K38 Igla (US DoD designation SA-18, NATO reporting name Grouse ) IR-homing MANPADS was developed by KBM and entered service in 1983 to meet the requirements ...

• Loitering munitions

  Point Blank

  Point Blank Weapon System is a hand-launched electro-optical VTOL-capable loitering munition developed by Isreal Aerospace Industries (IAI). IAI has been awarded a contract by the US ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  ScanEagle 3

  Insitu unveiled the ScanEagle 3 at the Xponential exhibition in Denver in May 2018. The platform has twice the payload capacity of its ScanEagle predecessor ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  BAT-850

  Pathfinder's BAT-850 VSAT is a carbon fibre, tri-band terminal with auto-acquisition capability. Suitable for flyaway (case-based) and vehicle-mounted applications, it is in service with the ...

• Autonomous GPADS

  Airborne Systems has developed a family of smart systems ranging in payload capacity from 90-4,536kg. Utilising the technology developed and used in ram-air canopies, Guided ...

• Air: aerial targets, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  BQM-177A/i

  The BQM-177A subsonic aerial target (SSAT) was designed for the USN, and the BQM-177i is the export variant. The BQM-177 provides realistic threat emulation for ...

• Crew-served grenade launchers

  Striker 40/MK47

  General Dynamics is systems integrator for the Striker 40 (MK47 AGL in US service). The complete system comprises the weapon, AN/PWG-1 Lightweight Video Sight and ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  URC-300

  The URC-300 is a software-defined radio designed for line-of-sight, ground-to-air communications in particular. Introduced in 2020, it adheres to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) standards as well ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Banshee Tactical Radio

  Developed by Fenix Group, the Banshee Tactical Radio (BTR) is a communications system that uses 4G/LTE connectivity to provide secure mesh networking capability on the ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARC-231 Skyfire

  The AN/ARC-231 Skyfire is an airborne VHF/UHF/LOS and DAMA SATCOM system. This system supports US DoD requirements for airborne, multi-band, multi-mission, secure anti-jam voice, data ...

• Air-to-air missiles

  9M39 Igla-V

  The 9M39 Igla-V (‘needle’) is a Russian IR homing SAM adapted for helicopter use. It is an air-launched version of the Igla MANPADS, which the ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  Global Observer

  The AeroVironment Global Observer HALE UAV was a developmental HALE UAV designed for various civil, commercial and government applications.  Development of the platform began in 2007 ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  CLWS

  Developed by Boeing, Compact Laser Weapon System (CLWS or CLaWS) is a medium-range, low-power laser C-UAS system. According to the reports, the CLWS prototype has ...

• Data links, Land: Radio and SATCOM, UAS: communication systems

  QNT-200

  The Collins QNT-200 is a dual-channel software-defined radio (SDR) designed for size, weight and power-constrained platforms. Using IP-based mesh networks, it offers high-bandwidth mobile networking ...