• Naval Warfare

  Bulgarian OPV programme drifts along

  22nd July 2019

  The procurement of two new multipurpose OPVs for the Bulgarian Navy could be delayed again with the country’s MoD having still not presented its evaluation …

• Naval Warfare

  Pakistan Navy gets second maritime patrol aircraft

  12th July 2019

  Rheinland Air Service (RAS) has delivered a second RAS 72 Sea Eagle aircraft to the Pakistan Navy, the company announced on 10 July. The aircraft …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM advances cockpit efforts

  2nd August 2019

  USSOCOM is moving forward on its efforts to identify the next generation Special Operations Aviation (SOA) cockpit. The multi-phased effort was originally outlined in a special …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bird receives UN AMPS order

  5th August 2019

  Bird Aerosystems will supply additional Airborne Missile Protection Systems (AMPS) for UN Air Operations, the company announced on 5 August. Under the contract, BIRD will …

• Digital Battlespace

  Marshall prepares for E-7 Wedgetail work

  22nd July 2019

  Marshall Aerospace and Defence will commence preparatory work for the E-7 Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C;) programme under a contract with Boeing.The risk …

• Special Operations

  First Look: Inside the US Army's SOF base camp (video)

  26th July 2019

  The US Army is refining a prototype concept for a 25-man Expeditionary Outpost that could be applied to both Special Operations Force (SOF) and Security …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Phantom 4 UAS using Correlator3D software

  7th August 2019

  SimActive’s Correlator3D is being used in Japan for mapping projects on the DJI Phantom 4 quadcopter UAS, the company announced on 6 August. The equipment …

• Military Logistics

  RFA Tideforce joins the fleet

  1st August 2019

  The UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary has commissioned the fourth and final Tide class replenishment vessel, RFA Tideforce, into its fleet. The 39,000 tonne vessel will …

• Naval Warfare

  Austal launches future USS Oakland

  24th July 2019

  Austal USA has launched the US Navy’s future USS Oakland (LCS 24) at its ship manufacturing facility in Mobile, Alabama. The Independence-variant littoral combat ship …

• Defence Helicopter

  New Chetak delivered to Indian Navy

  26th July 2019

  HAL has delivered the first of eight Chetak helicopters to the Indian Navy, the company announced on 24 July.  The company signed a contract in …

• Digital Battlespace

  Second TRS-4D Rotator radar passes acceptance tests

  2nd August 2019

  The second radar system being delivered to the German Navy for the K130 corvettes has passed factory acceptance testing by the German procurement authority, BAAINBw. …

• Special Operations

  Spooky returns from final combat deployment

  22nd July 2019

  The US Air Force Special Operations Command’s last AC-130U Spooky gunship has completed its final combat deployment, the US Air Force announced on 18 July.The …

• Naval Warfare

  India to transfer a submarine to Myanmar

  1st August 2019

  Indian media outlets have reported that Delhi will supply a single Kilo-class submarine to the Myanmar Navy later this year to help the latter establish …

• Naval Warfare

  FarSounder sonar for RNLN vessels

  31st July 2019

  FarSounder’s 3D sonar systems have been selected for the Royal Netherlands Navy’s (RNLN’s) hydrographic survey vessels, the company announced on 30 July. The company’s Forward-Looking …

• Naval Warfare

  LCS 20 delivered to USN

  25th June 2019

  The US Navy has accepted delivery of Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 20 from Austal, to be named USS Cincinnati.  Accepted on 21 June during a …

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 ...