• Defence Notes

  BAE to establish defence hub in Victoria

  2nd August 2017

  BAE Systems Australia will establish a new hub at Fishermans Bend in Victoria, combining its Victorian maritime, aerospace and land businesses into a single facility, …

• Special Operations

  Analysis: US SOF involvement in Philippines

  8th September 2017

  The US closure of Joint Special Operations Task Force - Philippines (JSOTF-P) in Mindanao, southern Philippines in 2015 appears to have been premature, in light …

• Defence Notes

  PLAAF restructures its Airborne Corps

  6th September 2017

  Greater clarity has begun to emerge about the radical restructuring of China’s airborne force – what was once referred to as the 15th Airborne Corps …

• Land Warfare

  APU gives Thai howitzers greater mobility

  3rd August 2017

  The Royal Thai Army (RTA) has developed an auxiliary power unit (APU) designed for installation aboard its 155mm GHN-45 towed howitzers to give them autonomous …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Northrop Grumman to take part in ANTX

  16th August 2017

  Northrop Grumman will demonstrate new autonomous technologies during the Advanced Naval Technology Exercise (ANTX) at the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) in Panama City this …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Philippines acquires six ScanEagles

  16th August 2017

  Insitu is set to supply the Philippines with six ScanEagle UAS following a contract announcement on 15 August. The US Department of Defence (DoD) awarded a …

• Naval Warfare

  Patrol affirmation for Mexico

  10th August 2017

  In recent months the Mexican Navy has continued expanding its patrol vessel fleet and reaffirming areas of operations to meet not just cartel and narcotics …

• Military Logistics

  Boeing extends RAAF Hornet support

  9th August 2017

  Boeing Defence Australia's sustainment services contract for the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) F/A-18A/B Classic Hornets has been extended until December 2021, the Australian Ministry …

• Naval Warfare

  Upgrade for Gibraltar naval station

  31st July 2017

  The Royal Navy’s Gibraltar naval station is set to be upgraded under a £2 million programme to improve its ability to monitor the movement of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Heron sings its swan song

  9th August 2017

  The Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF's) Heron has flown its last mission ahead of its withdrawal from service, the RAAF announced on 8 August.Heron's final mission was …

• Naval Warfare

  US coastal patrol ships test Griffin missiles

  8th August 2017

  US Navy coastal patrol ships assigned to Patrol Coastal Squadron (PCRON) One have carried out proficiency fire testing of their MK 60 Griffin Missile Systems …

• Defence Helicopter

  Spanish Navy receives AB-212 helicopter

  8th August 2017

  Sener and Babcock have delivered the fourth upgraded AB-212 helicopter to the Spanish Ministry of Defence, Sener announced on 4 August. The delivery is a …

• Defence Helicopter

  Presidential helicopter VH-92A takes flight

  8th August 2017

  The VH-92A test aircraft has successfully completed its maiden flight, Lockheed Martin announced on 3 August. The flight marks the beginning of the 250-hour flight …

• Training

  Lockheed Martin bags ELGTR order

  7th August 2017

  Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $26.5 million contract by the US Navy for the production of Enhanced Laser Guided Training Rounds (ELGTR), the company …

• Special Operations

  Nigerian Air Force begins training special forces unit

  7th August 2017

  The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has begun training a new group of Special Forces (SF) in conjunction with an Israeli contractor, it was announced on …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munition (Royal Navy) [UK]

  Background Persistent Operational Deployment Systems (PODS) As the Royal Navy stated in 2022, Persistent Operational Deployment Systems (PODS) are “interchangeable modules that can be fitted to ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Project Dragonfire [UK]

  Background The UK Government's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has been working with MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ to develop a LASER Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) called ...

• Military UAS - small

  T-150 (Royal Navy) [UK]

  Background Deployment On 7 April 2025, the Royal Navy announced that, for the first time, nine T-150 drones would be operated from the HMS Prince ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Lanza 3D Radar [Thailand]

  Background Thailand is procuring the LANZA 3D radar to strengthen surveillance and protection of Sattahip Naval Base. The radar will be deployed by the Royal ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Flexible Tactical Uncrewed Air System (FTUAS) [UK]

  Background Tender notice and timeline On 25 May 2021, the MoD published a tender notice for the urgent acquisition of a UAS and ancillaries under ...

• Military UAS - small

  Puma 3 AE (UK)

  Programme Background Testing The Royal Navy announced in October 2020 that the Puma was undergoing its first operational testing on HMS Albion's autumn deployment to ...

• Frigates

  Hamilton Class Cutter [Bahrain]

  Background Very little has been said about the transfer of an ex-Hamilton-class cutter to Bahrain, but it is one of the final two to leave ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (1-6) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved' Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020. The contract ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (7-8) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Boraida Class replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Requirements The Royal Saudi Navy urges the replacement of three Boraida-class minehunters. Based on the Durance-class design, the ships entered service in the mid-1980s ...

• Minehunters

  Lat Ya Class Replacement Programme [Thailand]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) currently operates two Lat Ya-class minehunters, commissioned in the late 1990s. The units are based on the ...

• Frigates

  Air Defence Frigates Procurement [Denmark]

  Background Requirements After focusing on the procurement of new highly capable patrol ships and new Arctic frigates as a replacement for the Thetis-class, Shephard had initially estimated ...

• Frigates

  Karel Dorman Class (Chile)

  Programme Background  Chile currently operates two ex-Karel Doorman-class frigates which were sold in 2004. The Royal Netherlands Navy are in the process of replacing the ...

• Military UAS - small

  V-Bat [Netherlands]

  Background Contract award On 9 July 2025, Shield AI announced that the Netherlands MoD had acquired eight V-Bat aircraft, specifically the V-Bat 400, to enhance the maritime ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) (3) [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Malaysian Navy are in the process of a fleet transformation plan known as the 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, which ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Submarine-launched torpedoes

  Mk 48 Mod 7AT CBASS

  The MK 48 MOD 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) is the latest variant of the Mk 48 torpedo family manufactured by Lockheed Martin and ...

• Military - UUVs

  XV Excalibur

  XV Excalibur is an Extra Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (XLUUV) built by UK-based MSubs, in conjunction with the Royal Navy. It is an experimental vessel ...

• Frigates

  Hunter Class (Type 26)

  The Hunter-class frigates for the Royal Australian Navy are based on the Type 26 design. The ships are set to replace the Anzac-class under the ...

• Sea: naval fire control radar

  Ceros 200

  The Ceros 200 is a radar and optronic tracking system designed for use on naval vessels. When interfaced with modern missile or gun systems, it ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Royal Danish Navy MH-60R MOFT

  In January 2014, CAE was awarded an FMS contract by the USN to develop an MH-60R mission operational flight trainer (MOFT) for the Royal Danish ...

• Frigates

  Naresuan Class

  The Naresuan-class guided-missile frigates are a modified variant of the Chinese-built Type 053 frigate. The two ships-in-class were built by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation ...

• Destroyers

  River Class (Type 26)

  The Type 26 Anti-Submarine Warfare frigate has been designed for the UK Royal Navy, but with an emphasis on export. Both the Royal Canadian Navy ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  AN/SPY-7(V)1

  The AN/SPY-7(V)1 is a solid-state naval surveillance radar produced and manufactured by Lockheed Martin. The system is expected to be fully integrated into programmes for ...

• Frigates

  Jacob Van Heemskerck Class

  The Jacob van Heemskerck class frigates were ex-Royal Netherlands Navy frigates that also served under the Chilean Navy, also known as the Latorre-class. Two anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Walrus

  The Walrus is a mini rotary-wing UAV manufactured by the Royal Navy's 700X Naval Air Squadron.  As stressed during the December 2022 announcement, Walrus has been ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  RD-170BT

  The RD-170BT is a man-portable surveillance radar deployed ashore to protect moored patrol boats of the Royal Norwegian Navy. 

• Minehunters

  Sandown Class

  The Sandown class vessels are coastal minehunters and OPVs in service with the UK Royal Navy and Royal Saudi Naval Forces as the Al Jawf class. Additionally, ...

• 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 ...

• Frigates

  Type 22 (Batch 1)

  The Type 22 frigates were previously the Broadsword-class in service with the UK's Royal Navy. The vessels were built in three batches, with the first ...

• Sea: weapon training

  Inflatable Naval Gunnery Targets

  GeoData produces a range of Naval Gunnery Target Balloons (NavTGTs) for use by marine, navy, coast guard and army units to maintain target acquisition and ...