• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Parrot to produce SRR prototypes for US Army

  16th April 2020

  Parrot Drones has passed another milestone in the US Short Range Reconnaissance UAV programme. As part of its preparation for the final stage of the …

• Air Warfare

  Switzerland extends Air 2030 combat aircraft RfP

  13th May 2020

  The Swiss Federal Department of Defense, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) has extended the deadline in its Air 2030 RfP for combat aircraft from August …

• Naval Warfare

  RFA trio remain in extended readiness as reduced fleet continues to support RN deployments

  2nd June 2020

  A trio of Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) support ships, Fort Rosalie, Fort Austin and Wave Ruler (the latter pictured above during more active times), could see their periods of extended …

• Naval Warfare

  EU declines to budge in face of Malta’s migrant concerns

  13th May 2020

  The EU is hopeful that an agreement can be reached with Malta regarding its new maritime security mission to the Mediterranean – known as Operation …

• Training

  ATAC adds to CASP work

  25th May 2020

  Textron subsidiary Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC) has been awarded a $34.5 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide contracted …

• Digital Battlespace

  DLS to begin full production of MOS Mod

  19th May 2020

  Data Link Solutions (DLS) announced on 19 May that it has been awarded the first full-rate production contract from the USN to produce modernised Multifunctional …

• Land Warfare

  Oshkosh establishes Saudi vehicle JV

  18th May 2020

  Oshkosh Defense has established a JV in Saudi Arabia with the Al Tadrea Manufacturing Company. The US manufacturer holds a minority stake in the JV, …

• Land Warfare

  Bushmaster goes Dutch with new order

  28th April 2020

  Thales Australia has been awarded a contract to manufacture six Bushmaster 4x4 vehicles for the Royal Netherlands Army. This order includes five custom-designed medical evacuation …

• Land Warfare

  Armasuisse to get Mortar 16 units from 2024

  27th April 2020

  The Federal Department of Defense, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) in Switzerland has reported that the procurement agency Armasuisse has completed testing of the 12cm …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing delivers 500th AH-64E Apache

  16th April 2020

  Boeing confirmed on 16 April that it has delivered its 500th AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopter, which is used by the US Army and other militaries …

• Land Warfare

  Norway to procure new artillery location radars

  28th April 2020

  The Norwegian government has asked the national parliament for approval to procure five new artillery location radars for the army, along with associated armoured vehicles, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Malaysian navy receives donated ScanEagles

  11th May 2020

  The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) has in its possession the first six of 12 US-donated Insitu ScanEagle UAVs, but they remain in storage at Kota …

• Training

  Australian C-130J simulator announcement creates confusion

  22nd May 2020

  According to a press release from Australia’s Minister for Defence Industry, Melissa Price, ‘Australian industry [is] to develop new Hercules training systems’ for the RAAF. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Boeing switches UK Wedgetail conversion contractor

  20th May 2020

  Boeing has dropped engineering supplier Marshall Aerospace and Defence as its preferred E-7 Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C;) conversion contractor and selected STS …

• Digital Battlespace

  Tactical data link provider expects major new order this month

  11th May 2020

  Looking to the future of the Multifunctional Informational Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS), BAE Systems expects an imminent new production contract and …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  MQ-1 Gray Eagle [US Army]

  Background Required Quantity Although the US Army first envisioned a requirement for 132 MQ-1C Gray Eagles, the US Army's Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) was increased ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker DVH [USA]

  Background The US Army has been operating the Stryker since 2002. The Stryker DVH is an upgraded variant that has additional armour on its underside ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) [US Army]

  Background USMC First, Army Second In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply ...

• 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, ...

• Military UAS - micro

  eBee Vision [US]

  Background Multiple orders In November 2025, the US Army acquired three eBee Vision systems to enhance training operations at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany. A ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AMPV [USA]

  Background Platform development The US Army initiated the AMPV programme to acquire a replacement for several variants of the M113 tracked APC, which has been ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker (Sergeant Stout) (Batch 2) [USA]

  Background As part of the Army Transformation Initiative, the US DoD is fundamentally reorganising the structure of the US Army. The development of the Sergeant ...

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

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 2) [US Army]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was intended to ...

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

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 1) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker (Sergeant Stout) [USA]

  Background As part of the Army Transformation Initiative, the US DoD is fundamentally reorganising the structure of the US Army. As part of this all Infantry Brigade ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Mobile Tactical Cannon [USA]

  Background The US Army began using the M777 in 1995. Since then, it has served as a field artillery piece providing fire support for American ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow-On [USA]

  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, ...

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

  Group 4/5 UAV [US Army]

  Background Request for Information (RFI) On 5 June 2024, the American DoD published an RfI with an original response date of 19 July 2024. The ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) [Tranche 1] / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) (USA)

  Programme Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the Battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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. 

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Towed guns

  M198

  The US Army developed the M198 155mm towed howitzer from 1969 to replace the M114 155mm howitzer. From 1978, 1,600 weapons were built by Rock ...

• 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.

• Light tanks

  M10 Booker

  The US Army awarded General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) a contract worth US$1.14 billion to supply 96 light tanks under the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72A/B Lakota

  In 2006, the US Army selected a version of the medium-sized, twin-engine H145, designated the UH-72A Lakota,  to meet its requirement for a new Light ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  M1150 ABV

  The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) project, launched by the USMC in 2002, is a joint programme to meet the requirements of both the US ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  RQ-7 Shadow 200

  The Shadow 200, designated RQ-7B by the US Army, is flown by the army brigade combat teams and combat aviation brigades along with the UAV ...

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  AN/PLQ-9 Thor-III

  Sierra Nevada’s AN/PLQ-9 Thor-III is the standard Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) manpack system in service with the US Army and US Marine Corps (USMC). ...

• Individual grenade launchers

  M320 GLM

  The M320 Grenade Launcher Module (GLM) is a further development of the HK AG36 (see separate entry) to meet a US Army requirement. The M320 ...

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M821A3 High Explosive Mortar Round

  The M821A3 High Explosive Mortar Round is an 81mm mortar round manufactured by Day & Zimmerman for the US Army.

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M933A1 High Explosive Mortar Round

  The M933A1 High Explosive Mortar Round is a 120mm mortar round manufactured by Day & Zimmermann for the US Army.

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M934A1 High Explosive Mortar Round

  The M934A1 High Explosive Mortar Round is a 120mm mortar round produced by Day & Zimmermann for the US Army.