• Defence Notes

  Coronavirus hits the PLA hard

  4th March 2020

  Chinese society and the national economy are reeling from the COVID-19 outbreak, and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is not immune from the coronavirus’ microscopic …

• Military Logistics

  Australian Army to trial 3D printing

  24th February 2020

  The Australian Army is set to trial new 3D printing technology already being used by the Royal Australian Navy. A partnership between the Australian Department …

• Air Warfare

  SNC to enhance USAF light fighter capability

  9th March 2020

  Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has been granted an undefinitised contract to provide A-29 Super Tucano ground support equipment, training logistical support and sustainment activities to …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed to develop protected SATCOM for US Space Force

  10th March 2020

  Lockheed Martin was awarded a $240 million contract to develop and produce a prototype payload for its Protected Tactical SATCOM (PTS) system. PTS will use …

• Land Warfare

  Leopard proves tough to tame for Poland

  25th February 2020

  The programme to modernise the fleet of Polish Leopard 2A4 MBTs to the 2PL standard has faced numerous difficulties and technical issues. As a result, deliveries …

• Naval Warfare

  Russia tests Tsirkon hypersonic missile in Barents Sea

  28th February 2020

  The Russian Navy frigate Admiral Gorshkov has test-fired the Tsirkon hypersonic missile for the first time in the Barents Sea, TASS reported on 27 February. …

• Land Warfare

  FY2021 US Army budget request emphasises lethality

  11th February 2020

  The US Army and the USMC are likely to receive around 4,500 vehicles in 2021, the US DoD announced on 10 February during a press …

• Defence Notes

  DoD expands COVID-19 measures

  12th March 2020

  US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has announced new travel restrictions for serving members of the armed forces, civilian DoD staff and their families. The …

• Naval Warfare

  Titan to acquire Huntington Ingalls’ San Diego Shipyard

  13th February 2020

  Titan Acquisition Holdings is to acquire Huntington Ingalls’ San Diego Shipyard under a definitive agreement announced on 12 February. Titan provides ship repair and commercial …

• Defence Helicopter

  Longbow FCR support contract detailed

  19th February 2020

  Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman have detailed a recent contract from the US Army to support the AH-64 Apache helicopter AN/APG-78 Longbow Fire Control Radar …

• Digital Battlespace

  US continues effort to harden UAVs against electromagnetic attack

  25th March 2020

  DARPA is bringing its Collaborative Operations in Denied Environments (CODE) initiative to a conclusion, with the programme transitioning to the USN. CODE was one of …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM to receive ATACR scopes

  11th March 2020

  Nightforce Optics is set to deliver 40 new sights to US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) under the Precision Variable Power Scope (P-VPS) programme. The company …

• Naval Warfare

  USN says it needs Virginia option sooner rather than later

  12th March 2020

  Following the best part of two weeks of testimony on the USN’s plans as part of the FY2021 Presidential Budget Request, civilian and military officials …

• Digital Battlespace

  Netherlands acts fast on cyber

  12th March 2020

  The Dutch Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 11 March that it is setting up a rapid response cyber security team comprising experts from a …

• Air Warfare

  NORAD F-22s and CF-18s intercept Russian ISR aircraft near Alaska

  11th March 2020

  The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) intercepted two Russian Tu-142 ISR aircraft entering Alaskan Air Defence Identification Zone on 9 March. However, the Russian …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker DVH (March 2026) [US]

  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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker DVH (September 2026) [US]

  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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AMPV [US]

  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 ...

• 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 - 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 Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle – Expeditionary ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  M-SHORAD Increment 3 [USA]

  Background The US Army is upgrading its maneuver short-range air defense system (M-SHORAD). Under the overal programme, there are three increments. Increment 1 vehicles are ...

• 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 ...

• 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 - 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 - micro

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

  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 organic, ...

• 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 ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Lower Tier Air and Missile Defence Sensor [US]

  Background The US Army's Lower Tier Air and Missile Defence Sensor (LTAMDS) is being acquired from US-based Raytheon.  The United States Army is the primary customer ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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. 

• 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV)

  BAE Systems' Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) was developed in response to a US Army requirement for a platform to replace the ageing M113 APCs in ...

• 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). ...

• 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.

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M930 Illumination Mortar Round

  The M930 Illumination Mortar Round is a 120mm mortar round manufactured by Island Pyrochemical Industries for the US Army.