• Defence Notes

  Opinion: Royal Navy goes global, but treads fine line with China

  12th September 2018

  The Royal Navy’s flagship, the amphibious assault ship HMS Albion, has spent much of 2018 deployed in the Far East supporting UK strategic interests in …

• Land Warfare

  US Army lays out forthcoming vehicle protection capabilities

  28th August 2018

  With an eye toward better protecting US Army soldiers inside ground combat vehicles, the service is moving out with plans to develop and field three …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Boeing achieves Stingray success

  31st August 2018

  After what has been seen as a somewhat turbulent competition, the US Navy has finally selected Boeing to fulfil its MQ-25A Stingray requirement. Boeing beat …

• Military Logistics

  DynCorp receives aircraft maintenance contract

  30th August 2018

  DynCorp International has received a contract to support the US Air Force at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, the company announced on 27 August. The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army, Bell advancing micro-UAS technologies

  24th August 2018

  The US Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and Bell are continuing their joint effort to further advance the development of new micro UAS technologies, the army …

• Defence Helicopter

  MSPO 2018: Rafael unveil Spike ER2

  4th September 2018

  Precision weapons system manufacturer Rafael is debuting its latest extended range missile - the Spike ER2 - at MSPO 2018.  Marketed as a 'fifth generation' …

• Naval Warfare

  BAE Systems to modernise USS Gettysburg

  29th August 2018

  BAE Systems has received a $146.3 million contract from the US Navy to modernise the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg. Starting in January 2019, the ship …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bell receives Lot 15 Viper order

  28th August 2018

  Bell has received a $509 million contract modification to a previously awarded contract for the manufacture and delivery of 29 Lot 15 production AH-1Z aircraft. …

• Training

  Kratos receives TSC IV contract

  29th August 2018

  Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has received an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity Training Systems Contract IV (TSC IV) from the US Naval Air Warfare Center …

• Defence Notes

  US general rebuffs Russian offer to facilitate Afghan government-Taliban peace deal

  23rd August 2018

  As violent attacks continue to rock Afghanistan, the top US general in charge of allied operations said the Taliban has yet to respond to a …

• Naval Warfare

  USCG accepts delivery of 30th FRC

  27th August 2018

  The US Coast Guard (USCG) received its 30th Fast Response Cutter (FRC), Robert Ward, in Key West, Florida, on 21 August 2018. The 154ft FRC …

• Digital Battlespace

  GPS III SV02 ready for launch

  24th August 2018

  Lockheed Martin’s second GPS III satellite (GPS III SV02) built for the US Air Force is complete, fully tested and ready to launch, the company …

• Defence Helicopter

  India approves pursuit of naval helicopters

  29th August 2018

  The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) of India’s MoD accorded approval to the Indian Navy’s (IN) case for procurements of 111 Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH) at …

• Defence Notes

  Insight: 2019 NDAA breaks China’s heart

  22nd August 2018

  The US military got the green light from the White House to improve military relations with Taiwan and attempt to disrupt China’s efforts to displace …

• Military Logistics

  AFRL extends serviceability of hydraulic lines

  31st August 2018

  The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) recently completed an effort to help develop, test and validate a cold spray coating process for the life …

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 ...