• Defence Helicopter

  Merlins go Commando at Benson

  2nd October 2014

  The first of the Royal Air Force’s Merlin HC3/3A transport helicopters have been handed over to the Royal Navy’s Commando Helicopter Force (CHF).  In a …

• Naval Warfare

  Naval chief calls for anti-piracy measures

  2nd October 2014

  Greater co-operation among West African countries is needed to combat the rising tide of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, a leading Ghana Navy official …

• Naval Warfare

  French MoD pushes forward with maritime anti-mine strategy

  1st October 2014

  The French MoD will launch an operational assessment phase of its future anti-mine warfare system between 2016 and 2017, it has been revealed. Addressing the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Northrop Grumman selected for TERN Phase II

  1st October 2014

  Northrop Grumman has been awarded a Phase II contract for the DARPA-Office of Naval Research (ONR) Tactical Exploited Reconnaissance Node (TERN) programme. The company will …

• Naval Warfare

  Irish Navy trials ROV from OPV Samuel Beckett

  30th September 2014

  The introduction of a new class of offshore patrol vessel has enabled the Irish Naval Service to trial a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) from one …

• Military Logistics

  Marshall wins Canadian CC130 support contract

  30th September 2014

  Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group Canada will support the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF’s) CC130 Avionics Optimised Weapons System Management (AVS OWSM) programme under a …

• Naval Warfare

  Raytheon wins Tomahawk missile contract

  30th September 2014

  Raytheon will build and deliver Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles for the US Navy and Royal Navy under a $251 million contract announced on 26 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Indian Navy MRH – will it, won't it?

  29th September 2014

  Despite India’s Defence Acquisition Council having cleared the opening commercial bids for the delayed Indian Navy 16 Multi-Role Helicopters (MRH) tender on August 28, uncertainty …

• Military Logistics

  AAR Airlift receives USAFRICOM support contract

  29th September 2014

  AAR Airlift will provide personnel recovery airlift services in West Africa in support of US Africa Command (USAFRICOM) under a $49 million contract from the …

• Military Logistics

  RAF advances AAR capability (video)

  29th September 2014

  The Royal Air Force's air-to-air refuelling capability has taken significant steps forward, with the tenth Voyager multi-role tanker transport delivered in August. Contractor AirTanker Services invited …

• Defence Helicopter

  Philippines searches for ASW helicopter

  29th September 2014

  The Philippines is set to open bidding for two anti-submarine warfare helicopters (ASW) in October, after invitation-to-bid documents were despatched on 25 September. An earlier …

• Land Warfare

  Saudi Arabia inaugurates Iraq border security system

  29th September 2014

  A project to secure Saudi Arabia’s northern border with Iraq has culminated in the inauguration of a border security system supplied by an Airbus Defence …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy fires Kongsberg’s Naval Strike Missile

  29th September 2014

  Kongsberg’s Naval Strike Missile (NSM) has been fired from a US Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) at the Point Mugu test range in California. Kongsberg …

• Naval Warfare

  Damen-built clipper accepted by Royal Navy of Oman

  29th September 2014

  A three-masted steel clipper built by Damen Shipyards has been formally accepted by the Royal Navy of Oman at a ceremony at Damen Schelde Naval …

• Military Logistics

  First Malaysian A400M airlifter takes shape

  25th September 2014

  The first A400M for the Royal Malaysian Air Force is progressing toward delivery, with all fully equipped major sections including the wing, tailplane, cockpit, fuselage …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munition (Royal Navy) [UK]

  Background Persistent Operational Deployment Systems (PODS) As the Royal Navy stated in 2022, Persistent Operational Deployment Systems (PODS) are “interchangeable modules that can be fitted to ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Project Dragonfire [UK]

  Background The UK Government's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has been working with MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ to develop a LASER Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) called ...

• Military UAS - small

  T-150 (Royal Navy) [UK]

  Background Deployment On 7 April 2025, the Royal Navy announced that, for the first time, nine T-150 drones would be operated from the HMS Prince ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Lanza 3D Radar [Thailand]

  Background Thailand is procuring the LANZA 3D radar to strengthen surveillance and protection of Sattahip Naval Base. The radar will be deployed by the Royal ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Flexible Tactical Uncrewed Air System (FTUAS) [UK]

  Background Tender notice and timeline On 25 May 2021, the MoD published a tender notice for the urgent acquisition of a UAS and ancillaries under ...

• Military UAS - small

  Puma 3 AE (UK)

  Programme Background Testing The Royal Navy announced in October 2020 that the Puma was undergoing its first operational testing on HMS Albion's autumn deployment to ...

• Frigates

  Hamilton Class Cutter [Bahrain]

  Background Very little has been said about the transfer of an ex-Hamilton-class cutter to Bahrain, but it is one of the final two to leave ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (1-6) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved' Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020. The contract ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (7-8) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Boraida Class replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Requirements The Royal Saudi Navy urges the replacement of three Boraida-class minehunters. Based on the Durance-class design, the ships entered service in the mid-1980s ...

• Minehunters

  Lat Ya Class Replacement Programme [Thailand]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) currently operates two Lat Ya-class minehunters, commissioned in the late 1990s. The units are based on the ...

• Frigates

  Air Defence Frigates Procurement [Denmark]

  Background Requirements After focusing on the procurement of new highly capable patrol ships and new Arctic frigates as a replacement for the Thetis-class, Shephard had initially estimated ...

• Frigates

  Karel Dorman Class (Chile)

  Programme Background  Chile currently operates two ex-Karel Doorman-class frigates which were sold in 2004. The Royal Netherlands Navy are in the process of replacing the ...

• Military UAS - small

  V-Bat [Netherlands]

  Background Contract award On 9 July 2025, Shield AI announced that the Netherlands MoD had acquired eight V-Bat aircraft, specifically the V-Bat 400, to enhance the maritime ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) (3) [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Malaysian Navy are in the process of a fleet transformation plan known as the 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, which ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Submarine-launched torpedoes

  Mk 48 Mod 7AT CBASS

  The MK 48 MOD 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) is the latest variant of the Mk 48 torpedo family manufactured by Lockheed Martin and ...

• Military - UUVs

  XV Excalibur

  XV Excalibur is an Extra Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (XLUUV) built by UK-based MSubs, in conjunction with the Royal Navy. It is an experimental vessel ...

• Frigates

  Hunter Class (Type 26)

  The Hunter-class frigates for the Royal Australian Navy are based on the Type 26 design. The ships are set to replace the Anzac-class under the ...

• Sea: naval fire control radar

  Ceros 200

  The Ceros 200 is a radar and optronic tracking system designed for use on naval vessels. When interfaced with modern missile or gun systems, it ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Royal Danish Navy MH-60R MOFT

  In January 2014, CAE was awarded an FMS contract by the USN to develop an MH-60R mission operational flight trainer (MOFT) for the Royal Danish ...

• Frigates

  Naresuan Class

  The Naresuan-class guided-missile frigates are a modified variant of the Chinese-built Type 053 frigate. The two ships-in-class were built by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation ...

• Destroyers

  River Class (Type 26)

  The Type 26 Anti-Submarine Warfare frigate has been designed for the UK Royal Navy, but with an emphasis on export. Both the Royal Canadian Navy ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  AN/SPY-7(V)1

  The AN/SPY-7(V)1 is a solid-state naval surveillance radar produced and manufactured by Lockheed Martin. The system is expected to be fully integrated into programmes for ...

• Frigates

  Jacob Van Heemskerck Class

  The Jacob van Heemskerck class frigates were ex-Royal Netherlands Navy frigates that also served under the Chilean Navy, also known as the Latorre-class. Two anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Walrus

  The Walrus is a mini rotary-wing UAV manufactured by the Royal Navy's 700X Naval Air Squadron.  As stressed during the December 2022 announcement, Walrus has been ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  RD-170BT

  The RD-170BT is a man-portable surveillance radar deployed ashore to protect moored patrol boats of the Royal Norwegian Navy. 

• Minehunters

  Sandown Class

  The Sandown class vessels are coastal minehunters and OPVs in service with the UK Royal Navy and Royal Saudi Naval Forces as the Al Jawf class. Additionally, ...

• 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 ...

• Frigates

  Type 22 (Batch 1)

  The Type 22 frigates were previously the Broadsword-class in service with the UK's Royal Navy. The vessels were built in three batches, with the first ...

• Sea: weapon training

  Inflatable Naval Gunnery Targets

  GeoData produces a range of Naval Gunnery Target Balloons (NavTGTs) for use by marine, navy, coast guard and army units to maintain target acquisition and ...