• Naval Warfare

  Belgium moves forward on MCM replacement

  30th January 2018

  The Belgian government has approved the purchase of six new mine countermeasures (MCM) vessels under a €1.1 billion ($1.36 billion) investment. The nation will work …

• Defence Notes

  Opinion: Indo-Pacific submarine proliferation affects safety

  24th January 2018

  The Indo-Pacific will be a focal point of submarine proliferation in coming years, with an estimated 250 boats expected to be operating in the region …

• Naval Warfare

  L&T launches second coast guard OPV

  23rd January 2018

  Larsen and Tourbo (L&T;) has launched the second in a series of seven offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) being built for the Indian Coast Guard, the …

• Defence Notes

  US power not in decline across Asia-Pacific: Dunford

  6th February 2018

  US commitment to the Asia-Pacific remains unwavering even though rivals falsely depict its influence as waning, the country's top general said on 6 February. The …

• Naval Warfare

  Commtact introduces Maritime Data Terminal

  19th January 2018

  Commtact has developed a wireless datalink maritime solution called the Maritime Data Terminal (MDT), the company announced on 17 January. The MDT has been designed …

• Training

  Surface Navy 2018: USN looks to AUV62-AT for interim ASW training

  11th January 2018

  The US Navy is looking at Saab’s AUV62-AT submarine training platform as an interim solution ahead of any programme to replace its existing and increasingly …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG issues RFP for new cutter boats

  26th January 2018

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) has released a request for proposal (RFP) for the design, construction and support of a new fleet of cutter boats-large …

• Defence Helicopter

  Unmanned Systems 2018: US Army looking to accelerate FVL

  8th February 2018

  US Army leaders are examining ways to speed up the development and fielding for their Future Vertical Lift (FVL) programme by several years. Funding to …

• Defence Helicopter

  Columbia Helicopters consolidate airlift support

  6th February 2018

  Columbia Helicopters has received a modified contract from the US Transportation Command for rotary-wing airlift support. The work will be performed in Afghanistan and focus …

• Military Logistics

  LAV-25 A2 in airdrop testing

  29th January 2018

  The US Army is conducting airdrop certification testing on the Light Armored Vehicle (LAV-25 A2), it was announced on 25 January. The introduction of the …

• Training

  CH-148 Rescue Hoist Simulator for RCAF

  12th January 2018

  Bluedrop Training and Simulation has received a contract to deliver a virtual reality CH-148 Rescue Hoist Simulator for the training of the Royal Canadian Air …

• Naval Warfare

  Mattis heads to Asia to draw a contrast with assertive China

  22nd January 2018

  The US defence secretary James Mattis began a one-week trip to Asia on 21 January, hoping to strengthen defence cooperation with Indonesia and Vietnam as …

• Land Warfare

  SA-10U production begins in Ukraine

  31st January 2018

  Ukroboronprom’s Impulse has launched production of the SA-10U vehicle for the Ukrainian Army, the company announced on 29 January. The vehicle is designed to provide …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Unmanned Systems 2018: US Army’s SMET stalled

  7th February 2018

  While the US is once again on the brink of a government shutdown, the US Army is warning that programmes like its Squad Multipurpose Equipment …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Saab logs Sabertooth AUV order

  29th January 2018

  Saab has received a contract to deliver its Sabertooth autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to an unnamed oil and gas customer.The order encompasses a number of …

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 ...