• Defence Notes

  Analysis: China's air force sees shift in strategic mission

  12th August 2019

  China’s shifting focus from traditional security concerns to global power competition has brought along changes in People’s Liberation Army Air Force’s (PLAAF) strategic mission. 

• Defence Helicopter

  Northrop Grumman awarded CIRCM contract

  5th August 2019

  Northrop Grumman has received a contract from the US Army for Common Infrared Countermeasure (CIRCM) systems and support services, the company announced on 1 August. …

• Defence Notes

  Opinion: Who becomes the world’s supplier of affordable fighters now?

  23rd August 2019

  Over the past few decades, Asian nations that were either friendly to or aligned with the US were some of the biggest customers for lightweight …

• Land Warfare

  MSPO 2019: Saab aiming for 40% range bump in next GLSDB test fire

  3rd September 2019

  Saab will test its Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) later this month, with officials hoping the flight will push the 140km mark for the first …

• Military Logistics

  Boeing contracted for more A-10 wing kit work

  23rd August 2019

  Boeing has been awarded a follow-on contract to provide wing kits for the US Air Force’s fleet of A-10 Thunderbolt II close air support aircraft. …

• Defence Helicopter

  CIRCM tests carried out on UH-60M

  31st July 2019

  The US Army has test flown the UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter equipped with new Common Infrared Countermeasures (CIRCM) system. CIRCM is an improved countermeasure system …

• Naval Warfare

  Analysis: China seeks to dominate the seas

  12th August 2019

  The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) focus as stated by China’s latest Defence White Paper is to build a strong and modernised naval force …

• Defence Helicopter

  MSPO 2019: Bell mixed fleet deal Czechs out

  24th August 2019

  Bell has said it is 'proud to acknowledge' the Czech Republic's statement of intent for a fleet of eight UH-1Y Venom and four AH-1Z Viper helicopters - …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army selects FTUAS companies

  29th July 2019

  Four companies have been named on a US Army firm-fixed-price contract announced by the US Department of Defense on 25 July. Textron, Arcturus UAV, Martin …

• Digital Battlespace

  DSEI 2019: Durabook reveals new rugged laptop

  3rd September 2019

  Twinhead International Corporation will display its new Durabook Z14I rugged laptop for the first time at the DSEI exhibition in London.  The laptop is designed …

• Training

  Raytheon receives AFA training contract

  2nd August 2019

  Raytheon has received a $108 million contract from the US Army Contracting Command contract to provide aircraft maintenance training to the Afghanistan Air Force.The company …

• Digital Battlespace

  Asian nations boost spy satellite capacities

  13th August 2019

  Asian countries continue to enhance their satellite constellations, with China, India and South Korea all making recent announcements in the space realm.  China, for instance, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Sea Machines demos C2 tech on-board autonomous skimmer

  28th August 2019

  Sea Machines Robotics has carried out a demonstration of its autonomous control systems on board a Kvichak Marco skimmer boat in Portland harbour in Maine, …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon awarded NGJ-MB support work

  28th August 2019

  Raytheon has been awarded a $74 million contract modification to deliver pre-operational support for the US Navy’s Next Generation Jammer-Mid Band pod.  This contract covers …

• Digital Battlespace

  Space Vehicles XVI programme a ‘small part to a larger solution’

  5th September 2019

  The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is investigating the use of low Earth orbit satellites to extend the range of the Link 16 tactical datalink, …

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.