• Naval Warfare

  SEA to trial sonar software for UK Royal Navy

  16th April 2024

  The UK Royal Navy’s anti-submarine warfare Spearhead programme, run by the service’s Develop Directorate, has been investigating future and existing technologies with a particular focus on the USV arena.

• Naval Warfare

  BlueWhale - A True Submarine Force Multiplier

  26th March 2024

  The seventh annual REPMUS* and Dynamic Messenger naval exercises, organized and led by the Portuguese Navy and NATO, were held over a three-week period in September 2023.

• Naval Warfare

  Belgium buys Exail’s R7 ROVs for underwater operations

  3rd April 2024

  The Belgian Armed Forces have ordered six R7 Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) from the French company Exail to allow for underwater inspection and disposal of explosive ordnance (EOD).

• Naval Warfare

  HMS St Albans returns to service after upgrade

  7th March 2024

  Of the 16 Type 23s built, 12 are still in service with the Royal Navy and will be replaced by the Type 26 frigates, while the other three have been sold to the Chilean Navy and are in service as the Cochrane-class.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Emgepron and Tidewise team up to develop first ‘made-in-Brazil’ USV

  8th March 2024

  Brazil's Emgepron and Tidewise have partnered to construct the Suppressor unmanned surface vessel by 2025 amid potential interest from the Brazilian Navy.

• Naval Warfare

  New US Navy expeditionary ship commissioned

  19th February 2024

  The US Navy's Expeditionary Sea Base (T-ESB) programme was created as a derivative of the Montford Point-class Expeditionary Transfer Docks, also built by General Dynamics NASSCO.

• Naval Warfare

  Australia’s new frigate options: No easy choices as pressure mounts on DoD

  16th April 2024

  A new class of General Purpose ‘Tier 2’ frigate will replace the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN’s) Anzac-class frigates, but the selected design options appear to have major issues in terms of compatibility and availability for the future fleet.

• Naval Warfare

  Netherlands selects Barracuda submarine as Australia looks on

  20th March 2024

  With the Netherlands selecting the Barracuda design for its new Orka-class submarines, it will give Australia a chance to see what it could have had after it cancelled its conventional submarine (SSK) project based on Barracuda, opting instead for a nuclear-powered submarine (SSN).

• Naval Warfare

  World Defense Show 2024: First NiDAR CUAS set for combat ships

  6th February 2024

  NiDAR has already been operational on M/V Asterix, a naval auxiliary ship to the Royal Canadian Navy, marking the first time the system was put to use on a NATO-associated vessel.

• Naval Warfare

  Better late than never: Spanish Navy commissions its first S-80A submarine more than 10 years behind schedule

  11th December 2023

  The S-80A Plus, a new class of ocean-going submarines, will enhance the Spanish Navy’s capabilities despite the challenges and delays experienced during their development and delivery.

• Naval Warfare

  Is Australia’s plan for the surface fleet viable?

  21st February 2024

  Australia’s long-awaited Enhanced Lethality Surface Combatant Fleet review has recommended significant changes to the future make-up of the country’s surface fleet. It has received sharp criticism from some experts who claim the recommendations have not gone far enough, while others have described it as an attempt to run before being able to walk.

• Naval Warfare

  Is the health of Russia’s submarine fleet improving?

  14th February 2024

  The Russian Federation Navy submarine service has struggled to modernise in recent years, but progress on two main acquisition programmes could mean that it has turned a corner.

• Naval Warfare

  Turkey’s ASFAT on track to deliver first Hisar OPV in 2024

  2nd December 2023

  While outfitting activities on the first two Hisar-class OPVs have been advancing at Istanbul Naval Shipyard, discussions for additional platforms continue.

• Naval Warfare

  Japan unveils new FFM frigate with advanced anti-air warfare capabilities

  15th November 2023

  Japan’s ATLA procurement and logistics organisation was present in strength at the Indo-Pacific 2023 exhibition in Sydney from 7-9 November indicating an uplift in the country’s engagement with Australia.

• Naval Warfare

  France orders seven offshore patrol vessels

  24th November 2023

  The first offshore patrol vessel (OPV) is scheduled for delivery in 2026 and 10 OPVs are expected to be in service by 2035. They are intended to replace the high seas patrol vessels based in Brest and Toulon, as well as the Cherbourg public service patrol boats.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Submarines: nuclear/ballistic missile

  SNLE 3G (1-4) [France]

  Programme Background Requirements Included in the 2019-2025 Military Plan Law is the replacement of the four Le Triomphant-class SSBNs with four third-generation SSBNs (SNLE 3G) beginning ...

• Patrol boats

  Coastal Patrol Vessels (NPC) [Portugal]

  Background Requirements As part of its modernisation plan that spans until 2035, the Portuguese Navy aims to procure new Coastal Patrol Vessels (Navio de Patrulha ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 (Turkmenistan)

  Programme Background On 27 September 2021, Turkmenistan unveiled three Bayraktar TB2 UAVs during a parade to celebrate the nations 30th Anniversary of independence from the ...

• Submarines: conventional/attack

  U-212 Near Future Submarine (3) [Italy]

  Background Requirements Italy currently has four U-212A-class SSKs in its inventory following an initial programme launched in 1998. The German-designed submarines were a joint cooperation ...

• OPVs

  Jan Mayen Class (1-3) [Norway]

  Programme Background Contract The Jan Mayen-class vessels were designed by LMG Marin, with the process beginning with the Norwegian Defence Material Agency (NDMA) in 2013 and ...

• Submarines: conventional/attack

  U-212 Near Future Submarine (4) [Italy]

  Background Requirements Italy currently has four U-212A-class SSKs in its inventory following an initial programme launched in 1998. The German-designed submarines were a joint cooperation ...

• Frigates

  Light Multipurpose Frigates (2-6) [Peru]

  Programme Background Requirements The Peruvian navy wants new light multipurpose frigates to replace its existing ageing pair of Lupo-class frigates that will displace about 4,000t. ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 [Pakistan]

  Programme Background Requirement Following a 2019 skirmish with India, Pakistan placed newfound importance on EW and ISR, primarily due to the significant advantage gained during that ...

• Submarines: conventional/attack

  U-212 Near Future Submarine (1-2) [Italy]

  Background Requirements Italy currently has four U-212A-class SSKs in its inventory following an initial programme launched in 1998. The German-designed submarines were a joint cooperation ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Diving Support Ship (UBOS) [Italy]

  Programme background Requirements The programme aims to develop a new vessel intended to equip the Italian Navy's diver special operations unit. The new ship will ...

• OPVs

  Second-hand Nordkapp OPVs [Uruguay]

  Programme Background For years, the Uruguayan Navy has sought to procure new Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) to modernise its fleet. The Navy has attempted to do ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  NH90 NFH [Germany]

  Programme Background The NATO Helicopter Management Agency, acting on behalf of the German defence procurement agency BAAINBw, formally ordered 31 NH90 Multi Role Frigate Helicopters (MRFHs) on ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Maritime Operations Helicopters Block 2 (South Korea)

  Programme Background The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) was seeking additional naval helicopters under its Maritime Operations Helicopter Batch 2 (MOH2) project. It represented a ...

• Corvettes

  Shadhinota Class (Type C13B)

  The Shadhinota class (Type C13B) corvettes are a platform based on the Type 056 Jiangdao class used by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), built by the ...

• Minehunters

  Mine Sweeping Hunter II (MSH-II) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Requirements Under the Mine Sweeping Hunter II (MSH-II) programme, South Korea is seeking a replacement for the Ganggyeong-class minehunters, which are due to leave service ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• EO/IR systems

  Argos-II HD/HDT

  The Argos-II is an airborne EO/IR system designed for installation on helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and UAVs to provide ITAR-free ISR and ISTAR capabilities. It is a 16-inch stabilised turret ...

• EO/IR systems

  Argos-8

  Manufactured by Hensoldt, the Argos-8, or Argos 8, is an eight-inch mechanically stabilised EO/IR system suitable for ISR and ISTAR missions on Group 2 and Group ...

• EO/IR systems

  Argos-15

  In September 2024, Hensoldt launched the Argos-15, or Argos-15 HDT, a 15-inch EO/IR system designed for medium and high-altitude uncrewed and crewed aircraft.  It offers real-time ...

• Land: coastal surveillance radars

  Argos 30VS

  The Argos-30VS is a two-dimensional, coherent, primary surface and air surveillance radar manufactured by Leonardo UK. It is designed for the surveillance of sensitive coastal ...

• Sea: tactical training

  Proteus ASW and Sonar Trainer

  The Proteus ASW and Sonar Trainer expands the Action Speed Tactical Trainer’s sonar capability with new sonar simulations to create a dedicated ASW trainer. Various ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  SBTS

  The Shore-Based Sonar Training System (SBTS), launched in 2016, incorporates technology from the Model 997 Hull/Bow-Mounted Sonar Model 980 ALOFTS system to help support sonar ...

• Submarines: conventional/attack

  Type 209/1200

  The Type 209/1200 diesel-electric submarine is a variant of the Type 209 submarine designed by the German company Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft exclusively for the export market. ...

• Air: sonar systems

  HELRAS DS-100

  The Helicopter Long Range Active Sonar (HELRAS) DS-100 is a helicopter dipping sonar designed by L3Harris for ASW operations.

• Sea: procedural training

  Passive Sonar Trainer

  The Passive Sonar Trainer teaches operators the detection, classification and analysis of acoustic signals received by submarine passive sonar and towed array systems.

• Sea: sonar systems

  Cerberus DDS

  Cerberus DDS (Diver Detection Sonar) is a sonar system designed and developed by Atlas Elektronik. It can be installed either on surface ships or harbours ...

• Sea: sonar systems

  Model 980 ALOFTS

  The Model 980 Active Low-Frequency Towed Sonar (ALOFTS) is a sonar system manufactured by L3 Harris. It provides long-, medium- and short-range detection, localisation, classification and ...

• Sea: sonar systems

  ELAC SONAR KaleidoScope

  The ELAC SONAR KaleidoScope is a fully-integrated sonar system for modern diesel-electric submarines that performs integrated surveillance. It includes integrated detection, tracking and analysis for ...

• Sea: sonar systems

  SCOUT 2.0

  SCOUT 2.0 is a mine and obstacle avoidance sonar for submarines developed by ELAC Sonar. The sonar is designed to improve submarine safety in hazardous operating areas ...

• Sea: sonar systems

  BlueWatcher

  The BlueWatcher (also known as UMS 4120) is an ASW sonar system manufactured by Thales Underwater Systems. It is marketed by Thales as a compact, ...

• Sea: sonar systems

  Sonac DTS

  The Sonac Dual Towed Sonar (DTS) system is a sonar system designed by Patria for operations in littoral waters. The system will equip the Finnish Navy’s Pohjanmaa-class ...