• Digital Battlespace

  Ultra Electronics awarded NGSSR work

  9th April 2019

  Ultra Electronics Ocean Systems has received a $27.98 million contract for the development and production of the US Navy’s Next Generation Surface Search Radar (NGSSR) …

• Naval Warfare

  UK explores potential for large unmanned naval submersible

  18th April 2019

  The UK MoD has launched a two-stage competition to examine the utility of UUVs for the Royal Navy based on an existing platform.  This comes …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Triumph components for MQ-25

  9th April 2019

  Triumph Group has received a contract from Boeing to supply hydraulic system components for the MQ-25 unmanned aerial refuelling programme, the company announced on 4 …

• Training

  Australia’s HATS achieves IOC

  3rd April 2019

  The Australian Defence Force’s Helicopter Aircrew Training System (HATS) has successfully achieved initial operating capability (IOC), the Australian Department of Defence announced on 1 April. …

• Training

  ADF issues final acceptance of CH-47F CAT

  4th April 2019

  The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has completed all evaluation testing of Kratos’ CH-47F Chinook Avionics Trainers (CAT), Kratos Defense & Security Solutions announced on 1 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army selects QNA for CRS(I) programme

  20th March 2019

  QinetiQ North America (QNA) has been selected by the US Army for its Common Robotic System-Individual (CRS(I)) programme, the company announced on 15 March. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Plane glass for plain protection

  26th March 2019

  With ground-based attacks during theatre operation a real threat to military helicopters, Israel-based OSG has developed an ultra-light ballistic window that protect these aircraft, the …

• Defence Notes

  Podcast: South African Army chief on budget issues; ITEC committee chair on simulation and training trends

  29th March 2019

  Welcome to Episode 10 of The Weekly Defence Podcast. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more. Sign up to an early email alert of future podcasts here.

• Digital Battlespace

  New radar for USMC Blackjacks

  12th April 2019

  Utah based company Imsar will supply its NSP-5 radar system to the Blackjack Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) which is currently operated by the US Navy …

• Digital Battlespace

  Harris’ MDU for GPS IIIF satellites

  15th April 2019

  Harris Corporation has been selected by Lockheed Martin to provide its fully digital navigation signals for the US Air Force’s (USAF's) first two GPS III …

• Naval Warfare

  GAO disputes reliability of Columbia class costs

  12th April 2019

  The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) says that the US Navy’s (USN) costing figures for its new Columbia-class SSBNs may be unreliable.  A recently released …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Moog joins Boeing’s MQ-25 industry team

  8th April 2019

  Moog Aircraft Group has received a contract from Boeing to supply the wing flight control actuator and wingfold actuation systems for the MQ-25 unmanned refuelling …

• Training

  DSET 2019: US Army trials new training approach

  20th March 2019

  The summer of 2019 will see the US Army Aviation Training Center of Excellence (USAATCE) at Fort Rucker, Alabama, start a new pilot training experimental …

• Training

  Calibre receives spot on MTSS contract

  12th April 2019

  Calibre Systems has been awarded a place on the $245 million Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Training Systems Support (MTSS) IDIQ contract, the company announced …

• Land Warfare

  New armed reconnaissance vehicle for US military

  9th April 2019

  The US Office of Naval Research has awarded up to $20.5 million for the development of a new ‘at the edge’ armed reconnaissance vehicle. Winning …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  MQ-1 Gray Eagle [US Army]

  Background Required Quantity Although the US Army first envisioned a requirement for 132 MQ-1C Gray Eagles, the US Army's Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) was increased ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker DVH [USA]

  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 (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 UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) [US Army]

  Background USMC First, Army Second In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply ...

• 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, ...

• Military UAS - micro

  eBee Vision [US]

  Background Multiple orders In November 2025, the US Army acquired three eBee Vision systems to enhance training operations at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany. A ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AMPV [USA]

  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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker (Sergeant Stout) (Batch 2) [USA]

  Background As part of the Army Transformation Initiative, the US DoD is fundamentally reorganising the structure of the US Army. The development of the Sergeant ...

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

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 2) [US Army]

  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 intended to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 - 8x8

  Stryker (Sergeant Stout) [USA]

  Background As part of the Army Transformation Initiative, the US DoD is fundamentally reorganising the structure of the US Army. As part of this all Infantry Brigade ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Mobile Tactical Cannon [USA]

  Background The US Army began using the M777 in 1995. Since then, it has served as a field artillery piece providing fire support for American ...

• 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, ...

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

  Group 4/5 UAV [US Army]

  Background Request for Information (RFI) On 5 June 2024, the American DoD published an RfI with an original response date of 19 July 2024. The ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) [Tranche 1] / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) (USA)

  Programme Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the Battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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. 

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58 Kiowa

  The single-engine OH-58 Kiowa, derived from the Bell 206, entered US Army service in 1969 as a light observation helicopter. More than 2,200 were built for ...

• Towed guns

  M198

  The US Army developed the M198 155mm towed howitzer from 1969 to replace the M114 155mm howitzer. From 1978, 1,600 weapons were built by Rock ...

• 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.

• Light tanks

  M10 Booker

  The US Army awarded General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) a contract worth US$1.14 billion to supply 96 light tanks under the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72A/B Lakota

  In 2006, the US Army selected a version of the medium-sized, twin-engine H145, designated the UH-72A Lakota,  to meet its requirement for a new Light ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  M1150 ABV

  The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) project, launched by the USMC in 2002, is a joint programme to meet the requirements of both the US ...

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

  RQ-7 Shadow 200

  The Shadow 200, designated RQ-7B by the US Army, is flown by the army brigade combat teams and combat aviation brigades along with the UAV ...

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  AN/PLQ-9 Thor-III

  Sierra Nevada’s AN/PLQ-9 Thor-III is the standard Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) manpack system in service with the US Army and US Marine Corps (USMC). ...

• Individual grenade launchers

  M320 GLM

  The M320 Grenade Launcher Module (GLM) is a further development of the HK AG36 (see separate entry) to meet a US Army requirement. The M320 ...

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M821A3 High Explosive Mortar Round

  The M821A3 High Explosive Mortar Round is an 81mm mortar round manufactured by Day & Zimmerman for the US Army.

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M933A1 High Explosive Mortar Round

  The M933A1 High Explosive Mortar Round is a 120mm mortar round manufactured by Day & Zimmermann for the US Army.

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M934A1 High Explosive Mortar Round

  The M934A1 High Explosive Mortar Round is a 120mm mortar round produced by Day & Zimmermann for the US Army.