• Training

  Vertex continues role in Contracted Air Services programme

  25th February 2021

  CAS programme trains USN, USMC and overseas pilots in electronic warfare defence.

• Naval Warfare

  Newport News Shipbuilding launches Virginia-class submarine

  4th March 2021

  The Virginia-class SSNs are the replacement to the USN’s Los Angeles-class boats.

• Training

  USN builds new training infrastructure

  19th February 2021

  Surface Combatant Training Facility will include training classrooms, briefing and debriefing rooms, training shops and office spaces.

• Air Warfare

  Polish F-35A infrastructure may need more attention as F-16 upgrade looms

  11th March 2021

  Further airbase upgrades may be needed to accommodate the F-35 in Poland, while plans are solidifying to enhance the country’s fleet of 48 F-16 aircraft.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Textron to continue LCS minesweeping support

  24th February 2021

  USN contract modification covers engineering and technical support for the Unmanned Influence Sweep System.

• Naval Warfare

  Naval Warfare magazine: Arctic security, countering future weapons and more

  5th March 2021

  Read the latest edition of Naval Warfare for free in our app or on your desktop.

• Defence Notes

  NATO eyes 5G but proceeds with caution

  19th March 2021

  NATO is exploring the potential of 5G for fast and effective military communication through secure networks. However, the alliance lacks a specific policy and strategy for 5G, and a balance must be struck between the opportunities and threats that the technology presents.

• Naval Warfare

  Japan commissions ocean surveillance ship

  7th March 2021

  As Chinese submarines venture farther afield, neighbours such as Japan need new naval assets to see whether they are intruding.

• Digital Battlespace

  USMC orders more radars

  15th February 2021

  Eight additional G/ATOR systems are being acquired by the USMC on top of a full-rate production order for 30 in 2019.

• Defence Helicopter

  USMC thinks hard about cutting CH-53K King Stallion numbers

  12th March 2021

  The USMC is weighing up whether or not to reduce CH-53K heavy-helicopter numbers but a decision on that front has not been taken in line with schedule.

• Training

  US report delivers wake-up call for CAS training

  11th March 2021

  The GAO has criticised the way that the US DoD undertakes its close air support training, noting a lack of monitoring and using contractor aircraft that do not represent in-service platforms.

• Training

  Xebec delivers for LCS

  9th February 2021

  The USN Surface Warfare Schools Command will soon receive its first bridge trainers for the Littoral Combat Ship.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Liebherr joins US unmanned tanker effort

  10th February 2021

  German company to provide tailhook actuator for Boeing MQ-25A Stingray UAV.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Liebherr joins US unmanned tanker effort

  10th February 2021

  German company to provide tailhook actuator for Boeing MQ-25A Stingray UAV.

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky receives Lot III VH-92A contract

  8th February 2021

  Presidential helicopter replacement programme continues with latest production contract award from USN.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  IAR-99 Replacement (Romania)

  On 29 August 2017, Leonardo announced that the IAR-99 trainer technology demonstrator (TD) will be fitted with company's Vixen 500E AESA radar. The Vixen 500E AESA ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey (USN)

  Programme Background Requirement According to USN FY2023 Budget Estimate documentation, the V-22 programme provides an aircraft to meet the amphibious and vertical assault needs of ...

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  MQ-8C Fire Scout (USA)

  Programme Background Timeline According to the Naval Air Systems Command, having first ordered the MQ-8B in 2009, the UAV has become a pillar of the ...

• Military UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USN)

  Programme Background Joint USN and USMC Procurment The RQ-21 Blackjack, or STUALSO, was a combined United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) programme ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirement The USN wants to acquire carrier-capable loyal wingman drones. These drones will have a high level of autonomy, allowing them to work alongside crewed ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4 Triton (Announced/Contracted) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The MQ-4C Triton programme, developed under the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) programme, required an uncrewed system to provide persistent real-time intelligence, surveillance ...

• Military UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USMC)

  Programme Background Joint USN and USMC Procurment The RQ-21 Blackjack, or STUALSO, was a combined United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) programme ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The FVL-MS programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft utilised ...

• Maritime patrol

  Maritime Patrol Aircraft Procurement [Italy]

  Programme Background In an appearance before the Italian parliament’s Foreign and Defence Affairs Committee on 14 July 2022, Italian Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Adm ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW101-Norway

  AgustaWestland is also providing initial support and training services, including spares at each of the operating bases and aircrew training. It will then provide performance ...

• MPVs - 4x4, Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  JLTV Oshkosh Contract (US Navy) [US]

  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 of ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-25 Stingray (Selected) [USA]

  Programme Background Initial Requirments - Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) Despite the abovementioned goal, the programme did not begin with this in ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Blackwing (Second Batch) [USA]

  Programme BackgroundFirst Batch The Blackwing originated from a 2013 initiative to develop a low-cost submarine-launched UAS for the US Navy. Following successful tests with the ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Long Range/Long Endurance (LR/LE) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCAC 100 Class (SSC) [USN]

  Programme Background Timeline The major role of the SSC will be deployment from landing ships in support of USN and USMC operations and the transport ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  AN/SPY-3

  The AN/SPY-3 is a multifunction naval radar developed and manufactured by Raytheon. Its intended uses include horizon and surface search, navigation, periscope detection, discrimination, and ...

• Fighter - multirole, Fighter - naval

  F-35C

  The F-35C Lightning II, also known as the F-35 carrier variant (CV), is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft in carrier configuration. It has larger wings and ...

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

  MQ-8C Fire Scout

  The MQ-8C is a newer version of the Fire Scout and is based on a Bell 407 commercial helicopter. It offers a greater range, endurance and ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-79

  The AN/APG-79 is an agile beam radar with a solid-state digital array that scans at nearly the speed of light, enabling detection and tracking of ...

• Fighter - electronic warfare

  EA-18G Growler

  The EA-18G Growler is a variant in the F/A-18 family of aircraft that combines the F/A-18F Super Hornet platform with a sophisticated electronic warfare suite. It ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Raven ES-05

  The Raven ES-05 is an AESA fire-control radar developed by Leonardo in close collaboration with Saab for the Gripen E/F. It features a repositionable AESA ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-63(V)2

  The AN/APG-63(V)2 is a significant radar upgrade for the U.S. Air Force F-15C aircraft. This upgrade replaces the mechanically-scanned antenna (MSA) with an AESA antenna,  ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Grifo E

  The Grifo-E is an advanced fire-control radar developed by Leonardo, featuring Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology for enhanced situational awareness. It employs Active Electronically Scanned ...

• Military - UUVs

  Snakehead LDUUV

  The Snakehead Large Displacement Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (LDUUV) is a US Navy (USN) Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (UUV) designed to be launched from submarine Dry Dock Shelters ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  RBE2

  The AESA RBE2 is the first AESA radar produced in Europe for combat aircraft. The active phased array replaces the passive array in the RBE2 currently ...

• Air: helicopter radar, Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: UAS radar

  PicoSTAR

  The PicoSTAR radar is designed to provide a compact, lightweight, integrated AESA radar and EO capability for UAVs and other small fixed- or rotary-wing platforms. ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Vixen-1000E

  The Vixen 1000E is an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar designed for fighter and interceptor aircraft, incorporating a roll-repositionable antenna with a ±100º field ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  TRS-4D

  The TRS-4D is a three-dimensional multi-functional naval surveillance radar produced by German manufacturer Hensoldt. The radar is primarily designed for surveillance and target acquisition. The ...

• Air: helicopter radar, Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: UAS radar

  PicoSAR

  The PicoSAR is a compact multi-mode Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) surveillance radar manufactured by Leonardo. Due to its lightweight, it is a suitable system for ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-82(V)1

  The AN/APG-82(V)1 is an X-band active electronically scanned array radar system that combines the AN/APG-79 processor with the AESA antenna of the AN/APG-63(V)3. The system ...