• Defence Notes

  Pentagon to trim Africa forces as focus shifts to Russia, China

  16th November 2018

  The Pentagon will trim the number of US troops deployed across Africa as it concentrates more on countering threats from ‘Great Power’ competitors Russia and …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  CAA launches UAS regulation training course

  8th November 2018

  The UK's Civil Aviation Authority International has launched a new one-day training course covering UAS regulations. The course, titled ‘Introduction to Unmanned Aircraft Systems Regulation’, …

• Digital Battlespace

  Controp releases iSea-25HD for maritime missions

  23rd October 2018

  Controp Precision Technologies has introduced the iSea-25HD surveillance system for maritime missions, the company announced on 17 October. The new system has been specially designed …

• Defence Notes

  Cambodian PM says no China naval base being built

  19th November 2018

  Cambodia will not allow foreign military bases on its soil, premier Hun Sen said 19 November, swatting away US concerns about a possible Chinese naval …

• Military Logistics

  BAE develops WEnDL system

  14th November 2018

  BAE Systems has developed a solution that uses existing satellite navigation and commercial aircraft data to improve military aircraft safety.Using the Web Enabled Data Links …

• Naval Warfare

  Euronaval 2018: Djibouti named as site of naval MMP tests

  25th October 2018

  Following the test firing of MBDA’s Missile Moyen Portee (MMP) in September this year, additional details about the event have been revealed at Euronaval 2018. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Drone security of key importance for industry

  16th November 2018

  As the use of drones in the civil and commercial space becomes increasingly commonplace the need to secure the system and data contained within from …

• Special Operations

  Policymakers look to SOF future

  3rd November 2018

  US policymakers will be provided with the opportunity to question the future role of Special Operations Forces as part of a series of legislative reviews …

• Military Logistics

  US Navy outlines LMSR contractor operations

  25th October 2018

  The Department of the Navy’s Military Sealift Command (MSC) is looking for contractor support to operate and maintain eight Large, Medium-Speed, Roll-on/Roll-off vessels (LMSRs) that …

• Naval Warfare

  Charles de Gaulle completes midlife refit

  13th November 2018

  Naval Group has delivered the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to the French Navy after the completion of its €1.3 billion midlife refit, the company …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Europe gets taste for power in new unmanned future

  15th November 2018

  Europe’s first hydrogen-powered UAS was unveiled on 15 November at London’s Commercial UAV Show, demonstrating how extended flying times could become a reality for smaller …

• Land Warfare

  Ukraine completes testing of new mobile mortar

  7th November 2018

  A new 120mm mobile mortar system dubbed Bars-8MMK was tested by Ukroboronservis, a subsidiary of Ukraine’s state-owned Ukroboronprom defence production and export conglomerate.  The Bars-8MMK’s …

• Naval Warfare

  Work begins on NSSMS upgrade

  5th November 2018

  Work has begun on the refurbishment and modification of the NATO Seasparrow missile system (NSSMS) platform and MK 132 guided missile launching system at US …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop awarded USCYBERCOM contract

  5th November 2018

  Northrop Grumman has received a contract worth $54.62 million from the US Air Force to serve as Unified Platform systems coordinator for the US Cyber …

• Military Logistics

  Saudi coalition halts refueling deal with US for Yemen war

  13th November 2018

  A refuelling arrangement between the United States and the Saudi-led coalition operating in Yemen was ended on 10 November, halting a key part of Washington's …

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

  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 ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Marine Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) MALE [USMC]

  Background MUX umbrella Since 2016, the USMC has sought to acquire a UAV that could be deployed from a vessel, used for various missions and fly ...

• 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 ...

• Military - USVs

  TUFAN

  TUFAN is a is a kamikaze unmanned surface vehicle (USV) developed by ASELSAN in partnership with ARES Shipyard for offensive operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The platform combines ...

• 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 ...