• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed upgrades AML testbed

  14th March 2017

  Lockheed Martin has updated its Airborne Multi-INT Lab (AML) testbed aircraft in order to improve its ability to deliver intelligence for its customers, the company …

• Defence Helicopter

  Avalon 2017: USMC aviation ramps up As-Pac capability

  1st March 2017

  The aviation wing of the US Marine Corps (USMC) has been enjoying unprecedented modernisation in the Asia-Pacific region, with the recent deployment of Lockheed Martin …

• Military Logistics

  Electric vans for Portsmouth Naval Base

  15th March 2017

  A fleet of 48 all-electric Nissan e-NV200 vans have been ordered by BAE Systems to support transport operations at Portsmouth Naval Base, the company announced …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG receives tenth C-130J Super Hercules

  6th March 2017

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) has accepted delivery of its tenth C-130J Super Hercules long range surveillance aircraft at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics' Greenville, South Carolina, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Northrop poised to support German Triton bid

  9th March 2017

  Northrop Grumman has confirmed that Germany will select the US Navy's MQ-4 Triton in a move that will see it effectively replace the cancelled Euro …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  EDA moves on MALE UAS training

  22nd February 2017

  Défense Conseil International (DCI) has been awarded a contract by the European Defence Agency (EDA) to lead a partnership with Diginext for UAS training. The …

• Naval Warfare

  Avalon 2017: Saab tries to hook NZ on Swordfish

  2nd March 2017

  New Zealand's future requirement for a maritime patrol aircraft to replace the in-service Lockheed Martin P-3K2 Orion is attracting a number of contenders, including Saab's …

• Naval Warfare

  Austal details PPB-R project progress

  27th February 2017

  Austal has successfully completed the Detailed Design Review (DDR) for Australia's AUD$306 million Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement (PPB-R) project, the company announced on 24 February.The …

• Special Operations

  New command transforms European SOF

  2nd March 2017

  On 16 February, three NATO members signed an agreement which could have significant implications for the command and control (C2) structures of the international special …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Katfish completes phase one sea trials

  13th March 2017

  Kraken Sonar has completed phase one sea trials of its Katfish towed synthetic aperture sonar system, the company announced on 8 March. Katfish is an …

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2017: GD bids for UAE 4x4

  23rd February 2017

  The UAE Presidential Guard is in the early stages of looking for a new 4x4 for their three units and General Dynamics' OTS division is …

• Defence Helicopter

  Hungary to host Fire Blade 2017

  6th March 2017

  The European Defence Agency's (EDA's) Exercise FIRE BLADE 2017 will take place at the Pápa Airbase in Hungary from 1st-12th May, the EDA announced on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ArcticShark UAS ready for flight testing

  3rd March 2017

  A new atmospheric data collection UAS called the ArcticShark is set to commence flight testing at Pendleton UAS Test Range.The UAS will be owned by …

• Defence Helicopter

  Heli-Expo 2017: New TrakkaBeam orders

  8th March 2017

  Trakka Systems has announced two new customers for its TrakkaBeam A800 tactical searchlight: the Italian Navy and the German DRF Luftrettung air rescue service. The …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM highlights desired technologies

  3rd March 2017

  United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) representatives have released new guidelines on the eight specific technology areas the command is seeking to advance in order …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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 (1-8) [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 (9-18) [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 - 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 helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  According to the FY2021 Base funding, the HH-60W helicopter unit cost is $43.2 million. The HH-60W will be capable of employment day or night, in ...

• 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 ...

• Destroyers

  Next-Generation Large Surface Combatants (LSC) - DDG(X) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) is acknowledging a need to move away from the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer design, which is slowly outgrowing. Flight III ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Maritime Operations Helicopters

  The three maritime operations helicopters will be used for logistics and personnel transport, alongside transportation of PASKAL naval special forces in operations in the area. ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  V-Bat [USN]

  Background Core Requirement Fundamentally, the USN requires a UAV that can be flown from its ships in austere environments without dedicated launch or recovery equipment.  ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Subsystems: software

  LiteFlite II Simulators

  The LiteFlite II was designed to provide a high-fidelity, laptop-based system with white-force/man-in-the-loop capabilities for use with a variety of simulation systems. LiteFlite II represents ...

• 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 ...

• Military - UUVs

  RMMV

  The Remote Multi-Mission Vehicle (RMMV) was a semi-submersible AUV developed as part of the AN/WLD-1(V) Remote Minehunting System (RMS) for the USN’s Littoral Combat Ship ...