• Defence Notes

  China continues to splurge with $177 billion defence budget

  5th March 2019

  China announced its defence budget for the coming year during the National People’s Congress (NPC) session on 5 March. Expenditure will rise 7.5% to RMB1.19 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon to repair AN/APY-10 radar system

  7th February 2019

  Raytheon has received a $7.12 million order for the repair of the AN/APY-10 radar system used on the P-8A maritime patrol aircraft, the company announced …

• Training

  New trainers, old problems

  21st January 2019

  Boeing has been awarded a $91.72 million contract for the procurement of new aircrew and maintenance training systems, as well as upgrades and modifications to …

• Naval Warfare

  Surface Navy 2019: US Navy looks to future fleet ambitions

  15th January 2019

  As the US Navy maps out a long term plan for its future surface fleet a service official said that the problematic Littoral Combat Ship …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG receives Benjamin Bottoms

  7th February 2019

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) received its 32nd Fast Response Cutter (FRC), Benjamin Bottoms, in Key West, Florida, on 8 January. Benjamin Bottoms will be …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Sea Hunter achieves new milestone for autonomy

  6th February 2019

  The US Office of Naval Research's (ONR's) Medium Displacement Unmanned Surface Vessel (MDUSV), Sea Hunter, has successfully autonomously navigated from San Diego to Pearl Harbor, …

• Land Warfare

  INDOPACOM commander calls out China in testimony

  14th February 2019

  Adm Philip Davidson, commander of the US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) that contains 375,000 service personnel, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee about the posture …

• Naval Warfare

  AMSC to deliver SPS for Fort Lauderdale

  6th February 2019

  AMSC has received a contract to deliver a high temperature superconductor (HTS) based ship protection system (SPS) to be installed on the US Navy’s future …

• Naval Warfare

  Indonesia orders MCMVs and inducts hospital ship

  11th February 2019

  Jakarta has ordered two new mine countermeasures vessels (MCMV), while the Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) also commissioned a second hospital ship, KRI Semarang, on 21 January. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Halifax frigates to get sensor upgrades

  7th February 2019

  General Dynamics Mission Systems-Canada has received two contracts totalling $186 million to upgrade and maintain the underwater sensors installed on the Royal Canadian Navy’s modernised …

• Military Logistics

  Babcock receives SSDD contract

  7th February 2019

  Babcock has received a configuration management contract to support the UK Royal Navy and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary surface ship fleet, the company announced on …

• Naval Warfare

  GSL to construct additional Project 1135.6 ships

  4th February 2019

  Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) has received a contract for the construction of two additional Project 1135.6 follow-on ships for the Indian Navy, the Indian Ministry …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy names LCS 34

  5th February 2019

  The US Navy will name its next Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship, LCS 34, as USS Augusta. The vessel is being built by Austal USA at …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG receives 12th C-130J aircraft

  4th February 2019

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) received its 12th C-130J Super Hercules long range surveillance aircraft in baseline configuration from Lockheed Martin in December 2018. The …

• Naval Warfare

  Babcock completes Estonian vessel upgrade

  5th February 2019

  Babcock has successfully completed a capability upgrade on the first of three Estonian Navy minehunter vessels at its Rosyth facilities in Fife, Scotland, the company …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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, 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 ...

• AEW&C

  E-2D - USA

  The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) is an all-weather, twin engine, carrier-based, Airborne Command, Control and Surveillance aircraft designed to extend task force defense perimeters. The ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R Seahawk (India)

  Programme Background On 25 February 2020, a letter of acceptance for 24 MH-60Rs, worth approximately $2.12 billion, was signed by India and the US in Delhi. ...

• 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 - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-25 Stingray (13-76) [USN]

  Background Initial Requirements - Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  New Coastal Ranger Commando Vessels [Norway]

  Programme Background Requirements According to Naval News, the Norwegian Coastal Ranger Commando is seeking to acquire an undisclosed number of new fast attack/interceptor craft. The ...

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

  MQ-25 Stingray (10-12) [USN]

  Background Initial Requirements -  Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four Preliminary ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  F-5E/F Adversary Trainer US Navy

  The F-5N is a single seat, dual engine supersonic land based fighter. It is designed to a service life of 9000 flight hours. The aircraft ...

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

  Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Goal The Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) programme stems from the Military Sealift Command and Fleet Forces Command identifying, in 2018, a ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  TH-73 Advanced Helicopter Training System - AHTS (TH-57 Replacement)

  Contenders for the competition included the Leonardo single engine TH-119 – a military variant of the AW119Kx – and Bell’s newly upgraded single engine 407GXi. ...

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

  MQ-4 Triton (Announced/Contracted) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The MQ-4C Triton programme, developed under the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) programme, required an uncrewed system to provide persistent real-time intelligence, surveillance ...

• Trainer

  Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS)/T-45 Replacement [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy’s (USN) Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) programme is intended to replace the troubled T-45 Goshhawk trainer. The June 2024 RFI includes ...

• Frigates

  Constellation Class Frigates Procurement [Greece]

  Programme Background Requirements The Hellenic Navy (HN) seeks to modernize its Fleet by 2032 with second-hand and newly built ships. The main goal is to ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Anti-ship missiles

  Naval Strike Missile (NSM)

  The Naval Strike Missile (NSM) is a subsonic, sea-skimming, anti-ship and land-attack missile. The original name was the Nytt sjømålsmissil, but this was later dropped ...

• Air-to-surface missiles, Anti-ship missiles

  JSM

  The Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is a multi-role version of the Naval Strike Missile. Norway funded the programme to develop and produce the JSM for the ...

• Land: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Low Band Transmitter

  The Low Band Transmitter-Antenna Group (LBT-AG), developed by Cobham, has been in production since 2005. The LBT is designed to protect strike aircraft, ships and ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

  The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet was developed to perform naval strike missions for the USN. The primary mission for the F/A-18E/F is a strike fighter that ...

• 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, ...

• 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 ...

• Frigates

  Hunter Class Guided Missile Frigate

  During Indo Pacific 2023, BAE Systems Australia unveiled a Guided Missile variant of the Hunter-class frigate (ASW). Compared to the baseline ASW configuration, the proposed ...

• Frigates

  Independence Class (LCS)

  The USN’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme was originally envisaged to be 50 ships, which would provide a coastal platform that would take over from ...

• Destroyers

  Zumwalt Class

  The DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class is formed by a series of next-generation multi-role destroyers 21st century. They were designed to host the latest in sensors and weapons ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Type 212CD

  Norway is to get four new Type 212CD ‘common design’ submarines to replace the existing Ula-class SSKs after it selected German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  SCOTT

  The Synthetic Cognition for Operational Team Training (SCOTT) system was developed for the USN to train teamwork and communication skills for E-2C flight crews interfacing ...

• Frigates

  Constellation Class FFG(X)

  The USN has selected Fincantieri Marinette Marine to build up to ten frigates under the FFG(X) next-generation future guided-missile frigate programme. The new Constellation-class will replace ...

• Air: aerial targets

  GQM-163A Coyote SSST

  The GQM-163A Coyote Supersonic Sea Skimming Target (SSST) was developed for the USN to emulate two-stage anti-ship cruise missiles in support of air defence weapon/combat ...

• 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 ...

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

  Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS

  The Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS is a developmental cargo-carrying platform heavily based on the Skyways commercial available V2.5 Hybrid-Electric UAS.  Following a 2019 industry event, the Naval ...