• Naval Warfare

  Japan roars ahead with Li-ion batteries

  7th March 2020

  The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) commissioned its first lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery-powered submarine on 5 March. This makes Japan the first nation in the world to …

• Naval Warfare

  LCS is in a ‘good place’ but capabilities are not being maximised, says CNO

  3rd March 2020

  The USN Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) used the Sea Service Chiefs Town Hall at AFCEA West 2020 on 2 March to address the current …

• Land Warfare

  Cormorant creator chases the American dream

  2nd March 2020

  A recent cooperation agreement between Boeing and Tactical Robotics will accelerate efforts to promote the Israeli-developed Cormorant VTOL UAV for use by the Israel Defense …

• Land Warfare

  Turkey to deploy S-400 next month

  6th March 2020

  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed that Turkey will begin deploying the S-400 air missile defence system from April 2020. His comments were made during …

• Defence Notes

  US focus stays on Chinese, Russian strategic threats

  28th February 2020

  China is still the main concern for the US DoD when assessing global threats, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper reminded senators in testimony on 26 February. …

• Special Operations

  German SF set for new rifle but Bundeswehr must wait

  9th March 2020

  Deliveries of the new HK416 rifle (pictured) to German SF are expected to start this month as the Bundeswehr ponders the replacement of its main …

• Defence Notes

  USEUCOM warns of more coronavirus base lockdowns

  26th February 2020

  USAF General Tod Wolters, head of US European Command (USEUCOM), has suggested that the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus in Northern Italy could lead to …

• Naval Warfare

  USN shines a light on laser incident in Pacific

  2nd March 2020

  The US Navy claimed on 28 February that one of its maritime patrol aircraft has been targeted by a laser fired from a Chinese destroyer. …

• Air Warfare

  Boeing awarded contract modification for KC-46 services

  5th March 2020

  Boeing has been awarded a contract modification worth a maximum $36.7 million, to provide engineering, manufacturing and development services for the KC-46 Pegasus tanker aircraft …

• Defence Notes

  Coronavirus muscles in on Senate FY2021 budget hearing

  26th February 2020

  The US armed forces need a bigger budget in FY2021, according to testimony on 25 February from senior military officials at a Senate Armed Services …

• Training

  VT MAK updates VR software

  11th March 2020

  MAK Technologies (also known as VT MAK) has released two new software updates for its VR-Forces and VR-Engage products, after the company won two major contracts. VR-Forces is a …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  RAAF’s unmanned plans face double jeopardy

  28th February 2020

  Beads of sweat may be appearing on the brows of top RAAF officials and bean-counters, given the news that the USN is suspending acquisition of …

• Land Warfare

  Raytheon moves fast to begin Patriot radar replacement

  25th February 2020

  The US Army is one step closer to replacing the radar for its Patriot system, after Raytheon on 21 February announced the completion of the …

• Training

  Exercise Cope North under way in Guam

  26th February 2020

  The Royal Australian Air Force has deployed aircraft to take part in Exercise Cope North in Guam. Thirteen aircraft in total - 11 F/A-18A/B Classic …

• Defence Notes

  COVID-19 will deliver lasting ramifications

  19th March 2020

  The COVID-19 coronavirus continues to spread across the globe, dominating global news cycles and completely reshaping how nations are governed. Across the world, lockdowns, transport bans …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background In addition to the aircraft, the request includes M134D mini-Guns, aircraft survivability equipment, infrared signature suppression system, fast rope insertion extraction system, extended ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow On

  Programme Background In March 2019, Airbus stated that it expected orders from the US Army for between 12 and 15 UH-72A helicopters. In March 2020, ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (US Army) (Batch 1) [USA]

  Background As of January 2021, the US DoD had signed 15 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Multirole Fighter [Morocco]

  Programme Background 2019 In March 2019, the US State Department announced that it had approved a possible FMS of 25 F-16V Block 72 aircraft to ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk (Second Contract) [Croatia]

  Programme Background Western Technology With the help of the US, Croatia has attempted to improve its military technology, replacing Soviet equipment, such as the Mi-8/Mi-17. ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache (Follow-On) [Morocco]

  Programme Background Morocco has placed a request with the US government for AH-64E Apache attack helicopters. On 20 November 2019, it was announced that the ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Switchblade 300 (USA)

  Programme Background AeroVironment has been providing the Switchblade 300 loitering munition to the US Army under the long-standing Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile Systems (LMAMS) programme ...

• Military UAS - mini

  RQ-11 Raven (US Army)

  Programme Background The AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven began to be deployed by the US Army in 2004 and was selected as its sole small UAS in ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (USAF) (Batch 1) [USA]

  Baclground As of November 2020, the US DoD had signed 14 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8A Poseidon [UK]

  Programme Background In July 2016, the UK government announced that it had ordered nine aircraft for service with the RAF. Under this frame, in January ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk Add-on [Lithuania]

  Programme Background On 6 June 2020, the US State Department announced that it had approved a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of six UH-60M Black Hawk ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (USMC) (Batch 1) [USA]

  Background As of January 2021, the US DoD had signed 15 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches ...

• Main battle tanks

  Decisive Lethality Platform [USA]

  Background The DLP is one of five vehicle families being developed for the US Army's NGCV programme. Expanded to include five programmes in October 2018, ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams [Morocco]

  Programme Background The Moroccan Armed Forces have received substantial investment in recent years as the country seeks to maintain parity with its regional rival, Algeria. ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Eitan 8x8 [Israel]

  Programme Background Due to the provisions of the US Foreign Military Financing (FMF) system, there is a chance that the Eitan could be mass produced ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Maritime patrol

  US-2

  The ShinMaywa US-2 is an amphibious short take-off and landing aircraft used primarily by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) for SAR. 

• Data links

  GNOMAD US Domestic

  The US domestic version of GNOMAD (see separate entry) is a ruggedised system comprising a satellite antenna and baseband modular chassis that can be installed ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  US Army AVCATT PDSS

  L3Harris Technologies is the prime contractor for the US Army’s Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (AVCATT) Post Deployment Software Support (PDSS) programme. L3Harris Technologies is ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  US Army Flight School XXI OFT/RCTD

  L3Harris Technologies is a major subcontractor to CSC on the US Army’s Flight School XXI (FSXXI) programme. L3Harris Technologies has built or is under contract ...

• Towed mortars

  M120/M120A1

  The M120/M120A1 120 mm Towed Mortar System is a US-built version of the Soltam K6 mortar that was accepted into US Army service in 1990.

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  ScanEagle 3

  Insitu unveiled the ScanEagle 3 at the Xponential exhibition in Denver in May 2018. The platform has twice the payload capacity of its ScanEagle predecessor ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  RG33

  BAE Systems RG33 is a family of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles available in both 4x4 and 6x6. The medium-weight class of BAE Systems MRAP ...

• Military - USVs

  Voyager

  Voyager is an Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) built by US-based Saildrone. Voyager has been used by the US Navy (USN) and is one of three ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  TH-119 (TH-73A Thrasher )

  The US Navy announced on 13 January 2020 that Leonardo had been awarded a US$176.5 million contract for the production of 32 TH-119 helicopters in ...

• Frigates

  Oliver Hazard Perry Class

  The Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigates (FFG) were initially designed for the US Navy in the mid-1970s as cost-efficient surface combatants. The robust design has ...

• Self-propelled guns

  SIGMA

  The SIGMA is the latest self-propelled howitzer (SPH) developed by Elbit America and Oshkosh Defense. Produced entirely in the US, the SIGMA is intended to ...

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  AN/PLT-5 Thor-II

  Sierra Nevada Corporations’s (SNC's) AN/PLT-5 Thor-II Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) system is designed to equip CIED teams and is used throughout the US armed ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - MLDS, Air: Defensive Systems - Laser Warning Receivers

  LIMWS

  BAE Systems is leading the US Army’s Limited Interim Missile Warning System (LIMWS) initiative. This is intended to enhance the missile protection provided to US ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58 Kiowa

  The single-engine OH-58 Kiowa, derived from the Bell 206, entered US Army service in 1969 as a light observation helicopter. More than 2,200 were built for ...

• Trailers

  M900 Series

  Heil’s M900-series tactical refuellers are designed and built to meet US military performance standards. The M967A2 ground equipment refueller and the M969A3 aircraft refueller are ...