• Naval Warfare

  ESB Miguel Keith completes acceptance trials

  17th October 2019

  The US Navy's newest Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB), Miguel Keith (ESB 5), has completed acceptance trials with the navy's Board of Inspection and Survey.The week …

• Digital Battlespace

  First NGJ-MB fitted ahead of testing

  16th October 2019

  The first Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB) engineering development model pod has been fit checked on an EA-18G Growler for the US Navy. Delivered to …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  P-8A trials new SAR kit

  10th October 2019

  The US Navy has added the UNIPAC III Search and Rescue (SAR) kit to a P-8A Poseidon RPAS for testing to enhance the aircraft’s ability …

• Defence Helicopter

  Rolls-Royce receives AE 1107C engine order

  14th October 2019

  Rolls-Royce has received a contract modification from the US Department of Defense for AE 1107C engines, it was announced on 11 October. The modification covers …

• Naval Warfare

  Saturation Fly Away Diving System approved

  11th October 2019

  US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) has approved the US Navy’s Saturation Fly Away Diving System (SATFADS) for sustained operations. The approval follows 30ft wet …

• Land Warfare

  ADEX 2019: Hanwha unveils first prototype of deadly Redback

  16th October 2019

  On the opening day of Seoul ADEX 2019, Hanwha Defense unveiled its first AS21 Redback IFV to the public. Such is the prestige of the …

• Digital Battlespace

  AUSA 2019: Commtact looks to international market with new product line

  15th October 2019

  With the launch of Commtact’s HiveComm datalink family at AUSA 2019 the Israel-based company is continuing expansion of its datalink solutions to the international market. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Podcast: Five Eyes Connectivity - Cyber

  26th September 2019

  Welcome to Shephard Studio’s special series on Five Eyes Connectivity, sponsored by our partner Viasat.  Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more. In the Five Eyes Connectivity podcast …

• Naval Warfare

  USS Cincinnati joins US Navy fleet

  10th October 2019

  The US Navy commissioned its newest Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), USS Cincinnati (LCS 20), into service during a ceremony on 5 October in Gulfport, …

• Training

  Tunisia requests T-6C trainer aircraft

  14th October 2019

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale of T-6C Texan trainer aircraft to Tunisia, the Defense Security Cooperation …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus weighs up dropping Romanian investment plans

  25th October 2019

  Manufacturer Airbus could decide to put a hold on investment plans in Romania, following the Bucharest government’s failure to make good on an order for …

• Defence Helicopter

  New CMV-22B Osprey wing established

  16th October 2019

  The US Navy has established a new CMV-22B Osprey wing, Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Wing (COMVRMWING) 1, as part of the integration of the aircraft into …

• Land Warfare

  Australia’s first Boxer enters the ring

  24th September 2019

  Rheinmetall Defence Australia handed over the first Boxer 8x8 armoured vehicle acquired under Project Land 400 Phase 2 to the Australian Army at Enoggera Barracks, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUSA 2019: USSOCOM increases MALET funding

  15th October 2019

  US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has increased the ceiling on its contract from $15 million to $93 million to support modifications and capability enhancements to …

• Naval Warfare

  Iranian tanker incident worsens regional maritime security situation

  11th October 2019

  An incident involving an Iranian oil tanker near the port city of Jeddah, initially described as having been caused by missiles fired by Saudi Arabia, …

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 ...

• Main battle tanks

  NGCV: DLP

  Programme Background Requirement The DLP is one of five vehicle families being developed for the US Army's NGCV programme. Expanded to include five programmes in ...

• AGMV 1.1

  Programme Background The US Army has been seeking a lightweight, air-droppable, high mobility vehicle since as early as 2014, when it initiated its Ultra Light ...

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

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) (Forecast) [US Army]

  Background USMC In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, which had been specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AMPV [USA]

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

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV Oshkosh Contract [US Army]

  Programme 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow On

  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, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker (Sergeant Stout) [USA]

  Programme 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 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System (LMAMS) [US Army]

  Background First Contract In June 2011, the US awarded AeroVironment a $4.9 million series-production contract for the loitering munition, satisfying the US Army's Lethal Miniature ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Switchblade 300 (USA)

  Programme Background AeroVironment has been providing the Switchblade 300 loitering munition to the US Army under the long-standing Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile Systems (LMAMS) programme ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  US Army Maneuver Support Vessel Light (MSVL)

  Programme BackgroundThe Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) or MSV(L) contract was awarded by the US Army to Vigor in 2017 and are being built to replace ...

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) ...

• JPT

  Designed for military applications, the Joint Platform Tablet (JPT) features a rugged design, including a military-grade aluminium case, dual-core processor, 128GB removable hard drive and ...

• 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 ...

• REBS

  The Rapidly Emplaced Bridge System (REBS) is a 13m dry-gap bridge. It was designed by GDELS to meet a US Army requirement to provide a ...

• 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). ...

• DSB

  WFEL was selected in 1996 to develop the M18 Dry Support Bridge (DSB) for the US Army. The company designed, manufactured and integrated the DSB ...

• 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 ...