• Naval Warfare

  Elevator woes linger on new US carrier, as ‘nightmare weapon’ concerns raised

  2nd August 2019

  The US Navy is struggling to fix technical problems with the advanced weapons elevators on the first Ford-class aircraft carrier, according to a key senator. …

• Defence Helicopter

  USN tests potential EW upgrade for MH-60R

  26th June 2019

  The US Navy’s Electromagnetic Maneuver Warfare Collaboration, Experimentation, Integration Team has prototyped and field-tested a hardware and software capability that could be provided as a …

• Defence Notes

  Insight: PLA bolsters its title to Tibet

  22nd July 2019

  The Doklam standoff between China and India in June-August 2017 represented a major spike in tensions between the two powers. It was also a reminder …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus to run UK MoD C4ISR test centre

  19th July 2019

  Airbus will run the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) land C4ISR test centre under a £22 million, five-year contract announced on 19 July. The contract …

• Naval Warfare

  Airspeed awarded Global Combat Ship contract

  10th July 2019

  Airspeed has been awarded a contract to provide the replenishment at sea stump mast (RASSM) for the first batch of three Type 26 ships being …

• Naval Warfare

  Iran caught UK by surprise in Gulf: audio company

  23rd July 2019

  The man behind the audio recording of Iran's seizure of a British-flagged tanker in the Gulf says the episode played out over a 20-40 minute …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  GA-ASI continues collaboration with Cobham for Protector

  23rd July 2019

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI), announced in July that it has reaffirmed its collaboration with Cobham Aviation Services UK for through-life support strategies for the …

• Special Operations

  Gentex wins USSOCOM helmet contract

  12th July 2019

  Gentex has received an IDIQ contract from the US Department of Defense to supply personnel equipment for US Special Operations Forces. Under the contract – …

• Digital Battlespace

  L3Harris named on US Army cyber contract

  19th July 2019

  L3Harris Technologies has been named on the US Army’s R4 Electronic and Cyber Warfare IDIQ contract. The R4 programme aims to develop and maintain the …

• Naval Warfare

  Japan launches eighth and final BMD destroyer

  18th July 2019

  Japan Marine United launched a new 8,200t escort warship at its Yokohama shipyard on 17 July – christened Haguro and bearing the pennant number 180 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Falco EVO continues Frontex operations

  15th July 2019

  Leonardo’s Falco EVO UAS continues to support monitoring activities for the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex, in the Mediterranean Sea. As part of …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed Martin led team gets MBMM protoype award

  23rd July 2019

  Lockheed Martin, Ball Aerospace, and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions have been awarded a $7.2 million prototype agreement by the US Defense Innovation Unit to …

• Military Logistics

  Construction begins at RAF Lakenheath

  17th July 2019

  Construction has begun on facilities that will be home to two US F35 squadrons at RAF Lakenheath. The site will include the construction of a …

• Naval Warfare

  First Italian PPA vessel launched from shipyard

  1st July 2019

  The Italian navy’s first Pattugliatori Polivalenti d'Altura (PPA)-class multipurpose offshore patrol ship - the Paolo Thaon di Revel - has been launched from Fincantieri’s shipyard in Muggiano.  …

• Naval Warfare

  Upgraded HMS Orädd returned to Swedish service

  2nd July 2019

  The first upgraded Tapper-class guard boat has been delivered back to the Swedish navy by Sweden’s FMV procurement agency.  HMS Orädd has undergone a service …

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

  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 ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Marine Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) MALE [USMC]

  Background MUX umbrella Since 2016, the USMC has sought to acquire a UAV that could be deployed from a vessel, used for various missions and fly ...

• 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 - 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 - 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USMC)

  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 ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Global Fast Sealift [USN]

  At Sea Air Space 2026, Hanwha Ocean and Gibbs and Cox displayed the Global Fast Sealift concept design. The vessel is intended as a next-generation ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Global Fast Sealift [USN]

  At Sea Air Space 2026, Hanwha Ocean and Gibbs and Cox displayed the Global Fast Sealift concept design. The vessel is intended as a next-generation ...

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 - 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 - 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 ...

• Military - USVs

  TUFAN

  TUFAN is a is a kamikaze unmanned surface vehicle (USV) developed by ASELSAN in partnership with ARES Shipyard for offensive operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The platform combines ...

• 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 ...