• Defence Helicopter

  HIL programme pre-development activities underway

  7th February 2020

  Airbus Helicopters and the French Armament General Directorate (DGA) are to undertake studies to further the militarisation of the H160 in the frame of France’s Joint …

• Land Warfare

  Poland sets its sights on MGCS

  5th February 2020

  Poland would like to play a significant role in the Franco-German Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) project, as the country targets a major modernization of …

• Digital Battlespace

  Kratos announces place on GTACS II contract vehicle

  20th January 2020

  Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has received a place on the US Army’s new Global Tactical Advanced Communication Systems II (GTACS II) contract vehicle. Under …

• Training

  British Army using Inflatable Walls Training System

  28th January 2020

  The British Army’s 1st Battalion, The Mercian Regiment, has taken delivery of a new training system designed to enhance training for urban operations. The Inflatable Walls Training …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  GA-ASI receives additional MQ-9 services funding

  11th February 2020

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) will provide Group 5 UAS services under a contract modification issued by US Naval Air Systems Command on 10 February. …

• Training

  Special simulator enhances IAI avionics design

  26th February 2020

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is using a specially built VR simulator to help it design the layout of avionics systems in upgraded aircraft. The VR …

• Training

  P-8 simulators to enhance RAF’s operational capability

  24th February 2020

  With the first of nine Poseidon MRA1 maritime patrol aircraft now delivered to the UK RAF, preparations are under way for the installation of the …

• Digital Battlespace

  AEHF-5 handed over to US Space Operations Command

  13th February 2020

  Control of the US Space Force Space and Missile Systems Center’s (SMC’s) fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-5) communications satellite has been successfully transferred to …

• Naval Warfare

  USS Kansas City handed over to US Navy

  13th February 2020

  The US Navy has taken delivery of littoral combat ship (LCS) 22 at a ceremony at Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama. The future USS Kansas …

• Air Warfare

  DoD modifies CHI Aviation contract for AFRICOM logistics

  12th February 2020

  The US DoD has awarded several US-based firms modified contracts for providing aviation support and logistics to Africa Command (AFRICOM) according to a 6 February …

• Land Warfare

  US Army cancels OMFV solicitation

  17th January 2020

  The US Army has terminated the current acquisition process of the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV), after only one bid was received in the competition …

• Defence Notes

  DefExpo 2020: Indian missiles abound but are yet to be fielded

  10th February 2020

  Indian state-owned entities displayed a number of missiles at DefExpo 2020 in Lucknow, including a couple for the first time, indicating practical progress on several …

• Training

  Rheinmetall to supply training technology for German Army’s Puma IFVs

  4th February 2020

  Rheinmetall will supply the German Army with the AGDUS training and simulation technology for the mechanised infantry units using the Puma IFV. The AGDUS is …

• Naval Warfare

  EMALS and AAG cleared for US Navy aircraft on CVN 78

  14th February 2020

  The Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) have been cleared for shipboard launch and recovery of all currently deployed US Navy …

• Military Logistics

  USMC refuels F-35B in under ten minutes

  24th February 2020

  The US Marine Corps has refuelled F-35B Lightning II aircraft in five minutes using the tactical aviation ground refuelling system (TAGRS). The refuelling was carried …

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.