• Naval Warfare

  Malaysia finally moves on fast interceptor craft requirement

  26th July 2019

  Malaysia’s Ministry of Defence published a notice for the acquisition of fast interceptor craft (FIC) for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) on 19 July. Adm …

• Military Logistics

  ThyssenKrupp invests in logistics sites

  21st August 2019

  ThyssenKrupp Materials Services, the distribution and service provider of the ThyssenKrupp Group, is investing some €70 million in the modernisation and expansion of its European …

• Digital Battlespace

  How Canada is enhancing its SATCOM coverage

  15th August 2019

  Expanding its commitment to the space domain, Canada’s defence policy commits to ‘increased and predictable’ funding to deliver new capabilities, such as earth observation, space …

• Digital Battlespace

  Data Link Solutions awarded contract modification

  25th July 2019

  Data Link Solutions has been awarded a contract modification by the US Naval Information Warfare Systems Command for the Block Upgrade II retrofit of Multifunctional …

• Naval Warfare

  Steel cut on Royal Navy's HMS Cardiff frigate

  15th August 2019

  BAE Systems has cut steel for the second of the Royal Navy’s Type 26 City-class Global Combat Ships, HMS Cardiff. This marks an important milestone …

• Land Warfare

  Analysis: China's PLA moves towards expeditionary operations

  12th August 2019

  In possession of the second largest defence budget in the world, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is in the midst of reforming its personnel, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bell 407GXi issued FAA instrument rating

  19th August 2019

  The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an instrument flight rules (IFR) supplemental type certificate for the Bell 407GXi, a requirement for the helicopter …

• Defence Notes

  Japan firms up on F-35B orders

  19th August 2019

  Japan’s MoD formally approved the purchase of 42 Lockheed Martin F-35B short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) stealth fighters on 16 August. At that time, …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM looks to combat diver experimentation

  8th August 2019

  USSOCOM is preparing to hold a technical experimentation (TE) event focused on enhancing the capabilities of special operations forces combat swimmers/divers.  The upcoming event was …

• Digital Battlespace

  GDMS wins Prophet Enhanced contract

  11th July 2019

  General Dynamics Mission Systems has received a contract from the US Army for the Prophet Enhanced system, the US Department of Defense announced on 9 …

• Military Logistics

  Future of UK shipyard hanging by a thread

  9th August 2019

  Troubled Belfast-based marine engineering and former shipbuilding company Harland and Wolff (H&W;) is running out of time to secure its future, days after the site …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  BAE Systems developing Pacific 950 RIB

  26th July 2019

  BAE Systems has completed a series of trials on a new autonomous boat designed to travel further, for longer and to more inhospitable environments.The autonomous …

• Land Warfare

  Type 19 truck-mounted howitzer breaks cover in Japan

  24th August 2019

  The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) is getting ready to introduce into service its newest SPH, a truck-mounted system that carries the nomenclature of Type …

• Naval Warfare

  Normandie handed over to French DGA

  22nd July 2019

  Normandie, the sixth multi-mission frigate (FREMM) built for the French Navy was handed over to France’s Directorate General of Armament (DGA) in Brest on 16 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Kratos logs new orders

  12th August 2019

  Kratos Defense & Security Solutions’ Unmanned Systems Division has received approximately $4.8 million in new awards for its high performance jet drones.The orders also include …

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 ...