• Defence Notes

  Opinion: The stakes rise in Pacific’s ‘Great Game’

  27th November 2018

  The South Pacific region is shaping up as a massive maritime chessboard upon which China and the US are beginning to manoeuvre with greater geopolitical …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2018: Show talking points (video)

  30th November 2018

  As this year's I/ITSEC draws to a close, Shephard reflects on the key messages across the show floor and the next steps in technology for the training …

• Training

  Hyundai launches South Korean training ship

  28th November 2018

  Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) launched an auxiliary training ship for the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) at its Ulsan shipyard on 16 November. The $23 …

• Naval Warfare

  UK MoD wishes to accelerate nuclear programmes

  3rd December 2018

  Despite contributing to 40% of the UK Ministry of Defence's (MoD) budget deficit its two nuclear submarine programmes, Astute and Dreadnought, are in safe hands …

• Naval Warfare

  BAE faces complicated arrangements for Hunter frigates

  4th December 2018

  BAE Systems should sign contracts to begin Australia’s Sea 5000 Hunter-class frigate programme within the next couple of months. It is also expected to buy …

• Naval Warfare

  European shipyards battle it out for Bulgarian OPV contract

  26th November 2018

  Bulgaria continues the effort to procure two multirole OPVs in an attempt to keep its legacy fleet operational and up to NATO standards. It is …

• Digital Battlespace

  Squad X Experimentation in testing

  5th December 2018

  The first test of DARPA's Squad X Experimentation programme has successfully demonstrated the ability to extend and enhance the situational awareness of small, dismounted units. …

• Naval Warfare

  Leonardo delivers upgraded vessel to Bahrain

  23rd November 2018

  Leonardo has delivered the second of six upgraded ships, Al Muharraq, to the Royal Bahrain Navy during a ceremony in Mina Salman at the Royal …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman names partners for NGJ-LB

  3rd December 2018

  Northrop Grumman has partnered with Harris Corporation and Comtech PST for the US Navy’s Next Generation Jammer-Low Band (NJG-LB) Demonstration of Existing Technologies, the company …

• Naval Warfare

  BAE Systems selects partners for Hunter-class CMS

  26th November 2018

  BAE Systems Australia has selected Lockheed Martin Australia and Saab Australia to deliver combat management system (CMS) integration on the Royal Australian Navy's Hunter class …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2018: Show opens (video)

  26th November 2018

  I/ITSEC 2018 sees a host of high-fidelity projectors, VR and AR technologies on display. Shephard considers the key themes and trends which are likely to dominate …

• Naval Warfare

  Naval Group establishes subsidiary in Netherlands

  20th November 2018

  Naval Group has launched a subsidiary in the Netherlands, called Naval Group Netherlands, to support  international naval programmes. Naval Group Netherlands’ prime objectives will be …

• Defence Notes

  NATO to meet Ukraine minister amid Azov stand-off

  29th November 2018

  NATO foreign ministers will address the stand-off between Ukraine and Russia in the Sea of Azov at a meeting next week with their Ukrainian counterpart, …

• Digital Battlespace

  StratasCorp awarded MSC C4 contract

  29th November 2018

  StratasCorp Technologies has received a contract for C4 afloat operations and sustainment support for capabilities on the US Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC) fleet of …

• Digital Battlespace

  UK MoD renews MCL's ECM support contract

  29th November 2018

  Marlborough Communications (MCL) has received a contract renewal from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) for electronic counter measures (ECM) support and test solutions, the …

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 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 (1-9) [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 ...

• 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 ...

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 ...