• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2017: Meeting the SOF comms need (video)

  18th May 2017

  Communications specialists Harris is displaying a wide-range of communications and soldier systems solutions at this year's SOFIC exhibition in Tampa, Florida. Shephard spoke to Dennis Moran …

• Digital Battlespace

  EW Europe: Leonardo's RF renaissance

  30th May 2017

  After over a decade of fighting insurgency forces and a focus on the threat from low-cost MANPADs, industry is once again seeing a return to …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2017: What to expect (video)

  15th May 2017

  Grant Turnbull talks with Special Operations Forum North American editor Scott Gourley about the key trends that are likely to influence this year's proceedings at …

• Naval Warfare

  IMDEX Asia: iXblue offers autonomous navigation capabilities

  18th May 2017

  France-based iXBlue promoted its Marins series of naval inertial navigation systems at IMDEX Asia. Guillaume Dandrieux, naval business development manager, highlighted the company’s M7 as its …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2017: Steiner releases DBAL-A4 v2 (video)

  17th May 2017

  Steiner eOptics has used this year's SOFIC exhibition to unveil its newest laser aiming device, known as the DBAL-A4 v2. Shephard spoke to Ron Godlewski about …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2017: Aurora touts armed XV-24A (video)

  17th May 2017

  Aurora Flight Sciences is showcasing the potential roles of its XV-24A 'LightningStrike' VTOL unmanned aerial system at this year's SOFIC exhibition in Tampa, Florida. Currently …

• Naval Warfare

  IMDEX Asia: NDU shows spare RHIB

  19th May 2017

  As part of a static display at IMDEX Asia, the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) showed a new type of RHIB. The craft in question is built …

• Defence Notes

  IMDEX Asia: Saab looks to Asia-Pacific market for Swordfish

  12th May 2017

  Saab, which has been attempting to bait several Asia-Pacific air forces with its Swordfish maritime patrol aircraft, has sharpened its offering.One improvement confirmed by the …

• Training

  Exercise Fire Blade 2017 concludes

  25th May 2017

  The European Defence Agency's (EDA's) exercise Fire Blade 2017, hosted by the Hungarian defence forces, has concluded, the agency announced on 22 May. Conducted at Papa Airbase …

• Military Logistics

  MAN trucks to revolutionise ADF logistics

  24th May 2017

  The Australian Army’s Brisbane-based 7th Brigade and supporting units in southeast Queensland recently began receiving new trucks from Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles Australia (RMMVA), and …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army Apaches train to counter-North Korean maritime SOF

  2nd May 2017

  US Army Apache helicopters are conducting training operations designed to counter the threat of North Korean maritime special operations forces. Designated 'maritime counter-SOF', the operations …

• Naval Warfare

  IMDEX Asia: Could Malaysia absorb Japanese P-3Cs?

  13th May 2017

  Media reports of Japan donating retired P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft to Malaysia were feverishly celebrated by many in the region. However, on 9 May …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2017: Endeavor roll out armed UGV (video)

  17th May 2017

  Endeavor Robotics is using this year's SOFIC exhibition to showcase its 710 Kobra integrated with a 7.62mm remote weapon station. More known for their work …

• Defence Helicopter

  ​Brazilian Navy details Super Cougar delivery

  23rd May 2017

  The Brazilian Navy has received seven H225M in UH-15 configuration from Airbus Helicopters subsidiary Helibras, with the first of two UH-15A CSAR aircraft to be delivered this year out …

• Special Operations

  ​SOFIC 2017: In the 'werx

  8th May 2017

  US Special Forces are continuing to collaborate closely with industry to optimise emerging C4ISTAR technologies on the battlefield.One way this is being explored is through …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (28-68) [USN]

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

• 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 ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (1-10) [USMC]

  Programme Background Development As part of the US Marine Corps' future force structure, it is developing a new platform under the Medium Lading Ship programme ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (11-33) [USMC]

  Programme Background Requirements As part of the US Marine Corps' future force structure, it is developing a new platform under the Medium Lading Ship programme ...

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

  Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) (Increment 1) [USMC]

  Programme Background All-in-One UAV Since 2016, the USMC has wished to acquire a UAV that could be deployed from a vessel, be used for various missions, ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (1-27) [USN]

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

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

  Medium Range/Medium Endurance (MR/ME) [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 ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  The Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  The Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - small

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

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

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Global Fast Sealift [USN]

  At Sea Air Space 2026, Hanwha Ocean and Gibbs and Cox displayed the Global Fast Sealift concept design. The vessel is intended as a next-generation ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Global Fast Sealift [USN]

  At Sea Air Space 2026, Hanwha Ocean and Gibbs and Cox displayed the Global Fast Sealift concept design. The vessel is intended as a next-generation ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  SECAT

  In 2022, Textron Systems unveiled its new Surface Effect Cargo Amphibious Transport (SECAT) craft, designed to support logistics behind the US Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations and ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-53E Sea Dragon

  Sikorsky developed the MH-53E (S-80) Sea Dragon variant of its CH-53E to provide the USN with a dedicated airborne mine countermeasures helicopter. Equipped with enlarged ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Tactical Mission System for Helicopter Applications

  The Saab tactical mission system is a system for transport, utility, C2 and combat helicopters intended to operate in a net-centric environment. It is designed ...

• Major networking projects

  CANES

  The Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) programme is a USN-wide effort to rationalise shipboard computing assets. It is designed to create a common ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  MQ-9 MTD

  SDS’s ROVATTS-based MQ-9 Mission Training Device (MTD) was developed to provide high-fidelity simulation to support US Air National Guard operational Reaper crew training. The PC-based ...

• 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 ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  MERS

  The Marine Expeditionary Rifle Squad (MERS) takes a systems engineering approach to equipping the USMC’s fundamental fighting unit. The integration and configuration management of all ...

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

  MQ-8B Fire Scout

  The MQ-8B Fire Scout is a rotary-wing UAV that provides situational awareness and precision targeting support for the US Armed Forces. The MQ-8B Fire Scout, ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  AN/ZPY-1 STARLite

  The AN/ZPY-1 Small Tactical Radar-Lightweight (STARLite) is a synthetic aperture radar and GMTI sensor for UAVs, manufactured by Northrop Grumman. It offers strip and spot synthetic ...

• 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 - UUVs

  Mission Specialist Defender

  The Mission Specialist Defender is a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) developed by VideoRay, now part of BlueHalo's unmanned maritime systems. The ROV is known ...

• Guided munitions

  AGM-154 JSOW

  The AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) is a joint United States Navy (USN)/United States Air Force (USAF) programme with the USN as the lead service. ...

• Air: mission management systems

  Air Operations Systems of Systems

  Air Operations System of Systems is designed to enable management of airspaces across large states and/or regions focusing on strategic planning. The system integration approach ...

• Trainer

  Saab 340 trainer

  The Saab 340 trainer aircraft is based on the Saab 340 regional airliner. It is used by the USN for pilot training. The aircraft replaced ...

• Major networking projects

  DIB 1.3

  The Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) Integration Backbone (DIB) is a key element of the US DoD strategy to build a net-centric capability, enabling service DCGS elements ...