• Defence Notes

  L3 and Harris merger completes

  2nd July 2019

  Harris and L3 Technologies have completed the all-stock merger of the two companies, now operating as L3Harris Technologies. L3Harris will be headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, …

• Training

  US Navy eyes new Arctic training exercise

  2nd July 2019

  The US Navy and Marine Corps plan to conduct a new, large-scale amphibious training exercise in Alaska this year to improve their ability to operate …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems Australia opens HF laboratory

  22nd May 2019

  BAE Systems Australia has opened a new high frequency (HF) laboratory to develop new technologies to enhance the capabilities of Australia’s Jindalee Operational Radar Network …

• Naval Warfare

  Argentinian Navy OPV deliveries on the horizon

  27th June 2019

  Argentina’s naval forces should welcome the first of four OPVs from Naval Group in 2020, as work continues in the upgrade of L’Adroit in preparation …

• Defence Helicopter

  Lack of IFR certification not scaring contenders for US naval trainer

  11th July 2019

  Despite instrument flight rules (IFR)-capable operations being a key requirement in the US Navy’s TH-XX trainer helicopter programme, two of the main contenders have yet …

• Defence Notes

  PLA shows varied capabilities in Hong Kong

  1st July 2019

  Over a three-day period from 29 June to 1 July, the Hong Kong Garrison of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) opened the gates of three …

• Digital Battlespace

  Paris Air Show: Thales unveils TrUE AI approach

  20th June 2019

  With technological innovation continuing to influence the defence industry, the growing application of AI has begun to surface. In response, Thales has presented its TrUE …

• Naval Warfare

  Admiral Nakhimov upgrade faces additional delay

  4th July 2019

  The protracted deep upgrade of Russian Navy’s nuclear-powered guided missile heavy cruiser Admiral Nakhimov is set to incur another delay. The vessel is the third …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: Weaponised UAV expansion set to drive growth in the market

  18th June 2019

  Request Executive Summary The market for military unmanned systems will reach more than $14.5 billion annually by the end of the next decade, according to …

• Military Logistics

  US Army looks to logistics exoskeletons

  27th June 2019

  In its latest look at exoskeleton technologies, the US Army appears to be focusing application emphasis towards logistics functions. The most recent effort was outlined in …

• Naval Warfare

  Moscow orders new submarines

  2nd July 2019

  The Russian MoD has placed orders for two Project 885M (Yasen-M-class) nuclear-powered submarines and two Project 677 (Lada-class, pictured) diesel-electric submarines to boost its sub-surface …

• Naval Warfare

  Waiting brief for second half of FFG(X) design process

  2nd July 2019

  The US Navy is another step closer to rectifying a gap in its fleet structure following the axing of the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates  as …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky contracted for CH-53K parts

  4th July 2019

  Sikorsky has been awarded a $21.7 million delivery order for data transfer units and defensive electronic countermeasure system replacement units for the CH-53K rotorcraft. These …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy tests RAM Block 2A missile

  24th June 2019

  The US Navy has successfully completed a series of guided flight tests of the Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Block 2A short-range, surface-to-air missile, Raytheon announced …

• Digital Battlespace

  Miniature Ruggedised Connectors from Omnetics (sponsored video)

  1st July 2019

  This video is brought to you by Omnetics. Small, lightweight and durable connectors from Omnetics are designed for high shock and vibration, extreme temperatures, and …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Bandit (US)

  Programme Background Goal As stated by Alyson Turri, the AFRL Bandit programme manager, the goal is to "develop an unmanned platform that looks like a fifth-generation ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Data links

  Data links | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Future Naval Fighter China

  China is planning to deploy stealth naval fighter aircraft with vertical take-off landing capabilities to operate from Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)'s future Type 075A class ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Light Replenishment Oiler (T-AOL) [USN]

  The US Navy wants to procure a new class of medium-sized supply ships aimed at refuelling, rearming, and resupplying naval assets. The Navy’s proposed FY2025 budget requests $7.7 ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Light Replenishment Oiler (T-AOL) [USN]

  The US Navy wants to procure a new class of medium-sized supply ships aimed at refuelling, rearming, and resupplying naval assets. The Navy’s proposed FY2025 budget requests $7.7 ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Polar Support Vessel [Brazil]

  Programme Background Requirements In June 2020, the Brazilian Navy released a Request for Proposal (RfP) to procure a new Antarctic vessel to be manufactured in Brazil. The ...

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

  Naval Collaborative Combat Air Vehicle (N-CCAV) [India]

  Programme Background CATS Warrior The Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) is a planned, uncrewed and crewed family of aircraft in development by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  Command Insertion Craft (CIC) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Navy is seeking a replacement for its fleet of LVPs Mk5 amphibious landing craft. The vessels entered service in the ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Project Mosquito [UK]

  Programme Background Inception and Capabilities In 2019, in collaboration with the RAF, the UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) released details of its new UAS ...

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

  High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) [Thailand]

  Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Air Launched Effects (ALE) [UK]

  Programme Background Acquisition Pipeline First published on 13 June 2022, the Acquisition Pipeline is a forward look at potential procurement activity undertaken by the UK MoD.  ...

• Aircraft carriers

  CVX (South Korea)

  Programme Background Requirements HHI was awarded a contract for the conceptual design of the LPX-II in October 2019. The project now aims to build a ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

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

  Hybrid Tiger

  Manufactured by the Naval Research Laboratory, the Hybrid Tiger is an electric UAV. As its name suggests, the platform features a hybrid power generation unit. ...

• Air: UAS radar

  RASAR

  The real-time, autonomous, synthetic aperture radar (RASAR) is a self-contained radar designed for installation under the wing of UAS for counter-IED and FOPEN (Foliage Penetration) missions. It is ...

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

  SA-400 Jackal

  The SA-400 Jackal is a heavy-payload-capability, long-endurance VTOL UAS that had its first flight in 2013. It is an optionally piloted vehicle, so it can ...

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

  Outlaw SeaHunter

  Outlaw UAVs are used by military and research agencies for training, testing, data collection and system development. In the 114-137kg maximum take-off weight class, SeaHunter ...

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

  ShadowHawk

  The ShadowHawk is a VTOL UAV that can be transported and launched/recovered within a small area. The ShadowHawk is able to maintain aerial surveillance at ...

• Air: EO/IR – Jamming Systems

  AN/AAQ-45

  Leonardo’s AN/AAQ-45 Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasures is designed to equip rotorcraft. The system is being installed on Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk medium-lift utility helicopters used ...

• Air-launched ASW torpedoes, Ship-launched torpedoes

  Shyena/TAL

  Shyena, also known as TAL (The Advanced Light Torpedo), is an Indian lightweight anti-submarine torpedo developed by the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (affiliated to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Havoc

  Havoc is a MALE modular payload UAS designed for customers with varying missions and payload requirements. Features include tool-less assembly, rolling take-off and landing and ...

• Military - USVs

  MAST

  The Maritime Autonomy Surface Testbed (MAST) was developed by ASV Global and Roke Manor Research under funding from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. It ...

• Subsystems: software

  SWARM

  CHI Systems worked with Lockheed Martin on a programme for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to build software models that imitate human behaviour, and ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Bat

  Northrop Grumman is developing the Bat family of medium-altitude, multi-mission UAS. The company announced two variants of the UAS (3.7m and 4.3m) and a rotary-wing ...

• Light UGVs

  Dragon Runner

  The Dragon Runner UGV, manufactured by QinitiQ, has two versions: the Dragon Runner 10 (DR10) and the slightly larger Dragon Runner 20 (DR20). All Dragon ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  CLS-200

  The CLS-200 is part of the Yates Electrospace Corporation Silent Arrow family. It is a powered cargo-carrying one-use UAV, based on the company's GD-2000 glider.  In ...

• Light UGVs

  Jackal

  Launched in September 2014, Clearpath Robotics' Jackal is a small, portable, integrated and weatherproof UGV. It has been built on a metal chassis and has four wheels ...

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

  Skate

  The Skate is a small, man-packable VTOL UAV designed for performing short-range ISR at the tactical level. A thrust-vectoring system provides a near-VTOL capability, enabling ...