• Land Warfare

  Russia set to upgrade its BMD-2 inventory

  26th December 2018

  The Russian MoD has unveiled a plan to launch a large-scale upgrade of the BMD-2 lightweight IFV inventory of the Russian Airborne Troops (VDV) branch, …

• Special Operations

  Exclusive: Netherlands SOCOM stands up

  4th December 2018

  On 5 December, the Netherlands Special Operations Command (NLD SOCOM) will officially stand up as a single entity to command the various special operations force …

• Digital Battlespace

  Saab launches Vidar laser rangefinder

  20th December 2018

  Saab has launched a new laser rangefinder called Vidar, a system designed to generate highly accurate tracking data even at long ranges. Vidar is currently …

• Defence Notes

  European allies say still more to do against IS after US Syria pullout

  20th December 2018

  Britain has insisted 'much remains to be done' in fighting the Islamic State group in Syria, amid reports on Thursday that it was not given …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  European MALE RPAS passes PDR

  20th December 2018

  The European Medium Altitude Long Endurance Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (MALE RPAS) programme  passed system preliminary design review (PDR) in late November. The milestone comes …

• Defence Notes

  Five missing after two US military planes crash off Japan

  6th December 2018

  Rescue operations were underway on 6 December for five US marines missing after two American military aircraft crashed during a refuelling operation off the coast …

• Special Operations

  Special Operations explores “Mindfulness” training

  10th December 2018

  Special operations forces could use mindfulness training to overcome cognitive burdens associated with increased reliance upon C4ISTAR technology and other human machine interfaces, academic sources …

• Military Logistics

  KBRwyle receives task order modifications

  18th December 2018

  KBRwyle has received two task order modifications totalling $114 million to provide logistics support services to the US Army in Europe and the Arabian Peninsula. …

• Naval Warfare

  Brazil launches first of five French-tech attack subs

  14th December 2018

  Brazil, on 14 November, has launched the first of five navy attack submarines it is building under a $7.6 billion technology-sharing deal struck with France. …

• Military Logistics

  US Navy to evaluate MultiTrak reader

  17th December 2018

  Venture Research has received a contract to supply mobile passive RF identification (pRFID) systems to the US Navy for use at four sites. The contract …

• Naval Warfare

  Taiwan awards contract for 11 corvettes

  14th December 2018

  Taiwan awarded a TWD16.4 billion ($541 million) contract for 11 ‘High-Performance Ships’, otherwise known as the Tuo Chiang-class corvette, to Lung Teh Shipbuilding earlier this …

• Defence Notes

  Airbus shares plunge on reported US corruption probe

  20th December 2018

  Shares in European aircraft maker Airbus tumbled more than 9% Thursday after French daily Le Monde reported it could face record fines of several billion …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Skeldar V-200 selected for ESMA contract

  3rd December 2018

  UMS Skeldar will supply two Skeldar V-200 UAS to Nordic Unmanned to fulfil a European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) framework contract valued at €14 million, …

• Naval Warfare

  Malaysia reveals details of navy fleet renewal…but where’s the money?

  5th December 2018

  On 30 November, Adm Mohamad Reza Mohamad Sany took command of the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) at a period where it faces significant operational, development …

• Naval Warfare

  Navantia to build five frigates for Spanish Navy

  13th December 2018

  Spain's state-owned shipbuilder Navantia will build five frigates for the country's navy in a €4.3 billion deal that will create around 7,000 jobs, the ministry …

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, 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 ...

• 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 - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) (Increment 1) [USMC]

  Programme Background All-in-One UAV Since 2016, the USMC has wished to acquire a UAV that could be deployed from a vessel, be used for various missions, ...

• 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 - fixed-wing, 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 - 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 ...

• 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 - 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, ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Major networking projects

  DIB 1.3

  The Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) Integration Backbone (DIB) is a key element of the US DoD strategy to build a net-centric capability, enabling service DCGS elements ...