• Defence Notes

  SEA wins radar transducer contract

  16th September 2016

  SEA has been awarded a £2 million, five-year contract by Ultra Electronics to supply transducers as part of the Sonar 2050 Technology Refresh programme (S2050TR) …

• Digital Battlespace

  AAD 2016: Show is under surveillance

  16th September 2016

  Reutech is testing its latest radar system by tracking aircraft flying at the AAD exhibition in Pretoria. The company is developing the system to meet …

• Naval Warfare

  Shipbuilding exhibition illustrates Taiwan’s challenges

  16th September 2016

  Super Typhoon Meranti, which caused a one-day postponement of Taiwan’s first ever shipbuilding exhibition – the Kaohsiung International Maritime & Defence Exhibition – perhaps portended …

• Training

  Kratos to deliver MCATs to USMC

  15th September 2016

  Kratos Defense and Security Solutions has been awarded a $54 million contract to provide five Marine Common Aircrew Trainers (MCATs) to the US Marine Corps …

• Naval Warfare

  PKR frigate embarks on trials

  15th September 2016

  Delivery of the first SIGMA 10514 PKR naval frigate to the Indonesian Navy is inching closer with the first vessel successfully completing its sea trials, Damen …

• Naval Warfare

  Hobart set to enter builder’s trials

  15th September 2016

  The future HMAS Hobart is set to enter builder’s trials this month off the coast of South Australia, the Air Warfare Destroyer Alliance announced in September. …

• Naval Warfare

  USS John F Kennedy on schedule

  14th September 2016

  Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding division has placed a 900-ton superlift into dry dock as part of construction of the future USS John …

• Digital Battlespace

  MSPO 2016: WB demos 'digital backbone' (video)

  14th September 2016

  Polish communications specialists WB Electronics showcased some of its latest military technologies at this year's MSPO exhibition held in Kielce, Poland.  One of those products …

• Naval Warfare

  US ‘Boutique Fleet’ needs a refresh

  14th September 2016

  As a major operator of a diverse range of aircraft types that undertake a multitude of different ISTAR and covert missions, the US DoD has …

• Land Warfare

  AAD 2016: Retraction action

  14th September 2016

  Land Mobility Technologies (LMT), a subsidiary of Denel Land Systems, and the Mechatronics unit of Denel Vehicle Systems have teamed to produce a retractable overhead …

• Land Warfare

  Clock ticking for the Minuteman

  14th September 2016

  The US strategic nuclear deterrent relies on three key components: air launched weapons, submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) and the ground based strategic deterrent (GBSD). …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Bluefin-21 launches multiple SandSharks

  14th September 2016

  The Bluefin-21 autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) successfully launched multiple Bluefin SandShark micro-autonomous underwater vehicles (M-AUVs) during capability demonstrations at a US Navy-sponsored event, General Dynamics announced on 9 September. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Australia gets final MH-60R Seahawk

  14th September 2016

  Lockheed Martin and the US Navy have delivered the 24th, and final, MH-60R Seahawk helicopter to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), the company announced on …

• Digital Battlespace

  Australia boosts EW capabilities

  14th September 2016

  The electronic warfare (EW) capabilities of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) will receive a shot in the arm, with AU$500 million ($386.3 million) being allocated …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  French Espadon programme completed

  13th September 2016

  France's DGA Espadon programme, carried out by ECA Group, Thales and DCNS, has been successfully completed, ECA announced on 8 September. The programme achieved a number …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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, 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 ...

• AEW&C

  E-2D - USA

  The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) is an all-weather, twin engine, carrier-based, Airborne Command, Control and Surveillance aircraft designed to extend task force defense perimeters. The ...

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

  MQ-25 Stingray (13-76) [USN]

  Background Initial Requirements - Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four ...

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

  MQ-25 Stingray (10-12) [USN]

  Background Initial Requirements -  Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four Preliminary ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R Seahawk (India)

  Programme Background On 25 February 2020, a letter of acceptance for 24 MH-60Rs, worth approximately $2.12 billion, was signed by India and the US in Delhi. ...

• 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 - fixed-wing

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [USN]

  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 aircraft.  ...

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

  MQ-25 Stingray (1-9) [USN]

  Background Initial Requirements - Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  New Coastal Ranger Commando Vessels [Norway]

  Programme Background Requirements According to Naval News, the Norwegian Coastal Ranger Commando is seeking to acquire an undisclosed number of new fast attack/interceptor craft. The ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  F-5E/F Adversary Trainer US Navy

  The F-5N is a single seat, dual engine supersonic land based fighter. It is designed to a service life of 9000 flight hours. The aircraft ...

• Frigates

  Project SEA 3000 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements The February 2024 Enhanced Lethality Surface Combatant Fleet review recommends that the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) acquire at least seven, and optimally 11, ...

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

  Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Goal The Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) programme stems from the Military Sealift Command and Fleet Forces Command identifying, in 2018, a ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  TH-73 Advanced Helicopter Training System - AHTS (TH-57 Replacement)

  Contenders for the competition included the Leonardo single engine TH-119 – a military variant of the AW119Kx – and Bell’s newly upgraded single engine 407GXi. ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Anti-ship missiles

  Naval Strike Missile (NSM)

  The Naval Strike Missile (NSM) is a subsonic, sea-skimming, anti-ship and land-attack missile. The original name was the Nytt sjømålsmissil, but this was later dropped ...

• Air-to-surface missiles, Anti-ship missiles

  JSM

  The Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is a multi-role version of the Naval Strike Missile. Norway funded the programme to develop and produce the JSM for the ...

• Frigates

  FF(X) Frigate

  The FF(X) frigate is a vessel derived from Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HHI) National Security Cutter (NSC). It was designed in response to the cancellation of ...

• Land: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Low Band Transmitter

  The Low Band Transmitter-Antenna Group (LBT-AG), developed by Cobham, has been in production since 2005. The LBT is designed to protect strike aircraft, ships and ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

  The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet was developed to perform naval strike missions for the USN. The primary mission for the F/A-18E/F is a strike fighter that ...

• 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, ...

• 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 ...

• Frigates

  Independence Class (LCS)

  The USN’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme was originally envisaged to be 50 ships, which would provide a coastal platform that would take over from ...

• Frigates

  Hunter Class Guided Missile Frigate

  During Indo Pacific 2023, BAE Systems Australia unveiled a Guided Missile variant of the Hunter-class frigate (ASW). Compared to the baseline ASW configuration, the proposed ...

• Destroyers

  Zumwalt Class

  The DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class is formed by a series of next-generation multi-role destroyers 21st century. They were designed to host the latest in sensors and weapons ...

• Frigates

  Constellation Class FFG(X)

  The USN has selected Fincantieri Marinette Marine to build up to ten frigates under the FFG(X) next-generation future guided-missile frigate programme. The new Constellation-class will replace ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  SCOTT

  The Synthetic Cognition for Operational Team Training (SCOTT) system was developed for the USN to train teamwork and communication skills for E-2C flight crews interfacing ...

• Air: aerial targets

  GQM-163A Coyote SSST

  The GQM-163A Coyote Supersonic Sea Skimming Target (SSST) was developed for the USN to emulate two-stage anti-ship cruise missiles in support of air defence weapon/combat ...

• 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 ...

• OPVs

  Hisar Class

  Turkish Military Factory and Shipyard Management company ASFAT has built two Hisar-class OPVs at Istanbul Naval Shipyard for the Turkish Navy. Four more platforms are on order, but the ...