• Defence Notes

  Opinion: The Venezuelan conundrum

  19th November 2018

  Once one of the most vibrant economies in the world, Venezuela in more recent times has suffered from prolonged periods of political and financial instability, …

• Military Logistics

  Schottel to propel US Navy tugs

  12th November 2018

  Schottel will supply rudderpropellers for four yard tugs being built for the US Navy by Dakota Creek Industries. Each ASD tug will be equipped with …

• Military Logistics

  Saudi coalition halts refueling deal with US for Yemen war

  13th November 2018

  A refuelling arrangement between the United States and the Saudi-led coalition operating in Yemen was ended on 10 November, halting a key part of Washington's …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Belgium looks to follow UK with SkyGuardian

  19th November 2018

  Belgium looks to be following the UK in the procurement of the General Atomics (GA-ASI) MQ-9B SkyGuardian UAV, after the announcement on 19 November that …

• Military Logistics

  US Navy christens USNS Puerto Rico

  13th November 2018

  The US Navy christened its newest Expeditionary Fast Transport vessel, USNS Puerto Rico (T-EPF 11), on 10 November at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Rockwell Collins to support CH-47F avionics

  13th November 2018

  Rockwell Collins has received a contract to support operational readiness of avionics on the US Army’s CH-47F Chinook helicopter fleet, the company announced on 8 …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2018: B-1B Lancer success for ASI

  20th November 2018

  Florida-based Aero Simulation Inc (ASI) has been selected to support the 35 flight and maintenance training devices as part of the B-1B Lancer training systems …

• Defence Notes

  North and South Korea begin destroying border guard posts

  12th November 2018

  The two Koreas began destroying 20 guard posts along their heavily-fortified frontier 11 November under a plan to reduce tensions on the border. Under an …

• Land Warfare

  ForceShield enters service in Malaysia

  16th November 2018

  The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) has completed full system acceptance of its new ForceShield ground-based air defence system, Thales announced on 14 November. The next …

• Military Logistics

  New Okinawa governor plans US tour to raise military base issues

  9th November 2018

  The newly elected governor of Japan's Okinawa said on 9 November that he will take the island's long-running concerns about US military bases there directly …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  British Army begins Autonomous Warrior exercise

  19th November 2018

  The British Army is carrying out a four-week Autonomous Warrior land exercise to test a range of prototype UAS and UGVs. The exercise intends to …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG cutter Maple completes maintenance work

  15th November 2018

  US Coast Guard cutter Maple has completed a midlife maintenance availability (MMA) as part of the coast guard's In-Service Vessel Sustainment (ISVS) programme. The 225ft …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AeroVironment receives RQ-20B Puma AE II contract

  12th November 2018

  AeroVironment has received a $3.2 million contract to provide the RQ-20B Puma AE II UAS, training and support to an allied nation in the US …

• Defence Notes

  'No plans' for new US missiles in Europe despite treaty pullout

  9th November 2018

  The US has ‘no plans’ to deploy new missiles to Europe, a senior official said on 8 November, despite announcing it will pull out of a …

• Defence Helicopter

  DARPA advances OPV flight trials

  14th November 2018

  The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Sikorsky recently trialled technology that can turn any helicopter into an optionally piloted vehicle (OPV), with …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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, ...

• 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 helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk (Second Contract) [Croatia]

  Programme Background Western Technology With the help of the US, Croatia has attempted to improve its military technology, replacing Soviet equipment, such as the Mi-8/Mi-17. ...

• Military UAS - mini

  RQ-11 Raven (US Army)

  Programme Background The AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven began to be deployed by the US Army in 2004 and was selected as its sole small UAS in ...

• 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 ...

• 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, ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (USAF) (Batch 1) [USA]

  Baclground As of November 2020, the US DoD had signed 14 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Medium Range Intercept Capability [US]

  Background The US Marine Corps' Medium Range Intercept Capability (MRIC) is a new medium-range air defence capability developed from the Israeli Tamir surface-to-air missile and Iron ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8A Poseidon [UK]

  Background In July 2016, the UK government announced that it had ordered nine aircraft for service with the RAF. Under this frame, in January 2019, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk Add-on [Lithuania]

  Programme Background On 6 June 2020, the US State Department announced that it had approved a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of six UH-60M Black Hawk ...

• 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 ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (USMC) (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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 - 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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• 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. 

• Data links

  GNOMAD US Domestic

  The US domestic version of GNOMAD (see separate entry) is a ruggedised system comprising a satellite antenna and baseband modular chassis that can be installed ...

• 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 ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Indirect Fire Protection Capability [US]

  Leidos' Indirect Fire Protection Capability has been selected to provide medium-range Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) to sit between SHORAD and the high-end Patriot. 

• 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 ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Leonidas High-Powered Microwave DEW

  Leonardo's US-based subsidiary Epirus has received funding from both the US and Singapore to develop its Leonidas High-Powered Microwave (HPM) directed-energy weapon (DEW).

• 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.

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Lockheed Martin Next Generation Short Range Interceptor

  US-based Lockheed Martin is competing for the US Army's Next Generation Short Range Interceptor (NGSRI) programme with its QuadStar missile.  The programme aims to replace ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  RG33

  BAE Systems RG33 is a family of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles available in both 4x4 and 6x6. The medium-weight class of BAE Systems MRAP ...

• Military - USVs

  Voyager

  Voyager is an Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) built by US-based Saildrone. Voyager has been used by the US Navy (USN) and is one of three ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  TH-119 (TH-73A Thrasher )

  The US Navy announced on 13 January 2020 that Leonardo had been awarded a US$176.5 million contract for the production of 32 TH-119 helicopters in ...

• Frigates

  Oliver Hazard Perry Class

  The Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigates (FFG) were initially designed for the US Navy in the mid-1970s as cost-efficient surface combatants. The robust design has ...

• Self-propelled guns

  SIGMA

  The SIGMA is the latest self-propelled howitzer (SPH) developed by Elbit America and Oshkosh Defense. Produced entirely in the US, the SIGMA is intended to ...

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  AN/PLT-5 Thor-II

  Sierra Nevada Corporations’s (SNC's) AN/PLT-5 Thor-II Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) system is designed to equip CIED teams and is used throughout the US armed ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - MLDS, Air: Defensive Systems - Laser Warning Receivers

  LIMWS

  BAE Systems is leading the US Army’s Limited Interim Missile Warning System (LIMWS) initiative. This is intended to enhance the missile protection provided to US ...