• Special Operations

  USAF looks to new tandem jump technologies

  11th March 2019

  The USAF Life Cycle Management Center, IS&R; & Special Operations Forces Directorate, Special Warfare Branch, is looking for new tandem airdrop technologies and capabilities that …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Endeavor Robotics to support US Army UGVs

  4th February 2019

  Endeavor Robotics has received a five-year IDIQ contract to modernise and maintain the US Army’s existing fleet of UGV platforms, the company announced on 31 …

• Defence Helicopter

  India gets its hands on first Chinooks

  6th February 2019

  The Indian Air Force (IAF) is to receive 15 CH-47F Chinook helicopters from Boeing, and the first was formally handed over during a ceremony at …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Avalon 2019: Firebird deliveries to US agency are imminent

  28th February 2019

  Northrop Grumman highlighted developments of its optionally manned Firebird MALE aircraft platform designed for both overland and littoral surveillance at the Avalon Air Show. It …

• Land Warfare

  Sri Lanka shows off indigenous rocket launcher

  12th February 2019

  The Sri Lanka Army showcased its domestically designed multiple rocket launcher (MRL) during the nation’s Independence Day parade in the capital Colombo on 4 February. …

• Training

  Avalon 2019: Boeing’s T-X spreads its wings

  26th February 2019

  After winning the US Air Force’s Advanced Pilot Training (APT) programme Boeing is now in discussions with potential international customers for the T-X training aircraft.  These are …

• Defence Helicopter

  Portuguese Air Force receives first two AW119Kx

  25th February 2019

  Leonardo delivered the first two AW119Kx multirole single engine helicopters to the Portuguese Air Force in a ceremony held at Beja Air Base on 18 …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy eyes using UUVs to protect Columbia submarines

  1st March 2019

  The US Navy is examining how it could use unmanned undersea vehicles to protect its manned ballistic missile submarines, according to a key service official. …

• Land Warfare

  Suppliers rallied for Warrior IFV final push (video)

  8th March 2019

  Lockheed Martin sought to reassure suppliers working on the delayed Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme (WCSP) that a manufacturing contract is on its way from the UK …

• Defence Notes

  Around 200 US troops to remain in Syria after pullout

  22nd February 2019

  The US military will keep around 200 troops in Syria after President Donald Trump's pullout from the war-torn country, the White House said Thursday. ‘A …

• Training

  Avalon 2019: Air Affairs to enhance training capability

  27th February 2019

  Air Affairs Australia is best known in the field of training for providing Red Air and target services for the Australian Defence Force (ADF).  Using …

• Defence Notes

  US offers Niger operations centre to fight Boko Haram

  5th February 2019

  The US turned over a communications and operations centre to the Niger army on Monday to help the African nation battle Boko Haram.  The planning …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Block 50 GCS flies MQ-9 Reaper

  1st March 2019

  The US Air Force’s new Block 50 Ground Control Station (GCS) controlled an MQ-9 Reaper RPA for the first time on 8 January 2019 from …

• Defence Notes

  Germany extends Saudi arms export freeze till end of March

  7th March 2019

  Germany on 6 March 2019 extended a temporary, disputed ban on arms exports to Saudi Arabia, but only until the end of the month.In October, …

• Military Logistics

  FLIR receives CBRN DR-SKO delivery order

  1st February 2019

  FLIR Systems has received an order to deliver 24 Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Dismounted Reconnaissance Sets, Kits and Outfits (CBRN DR-SKO) systems to the …

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 ...

• Main battle tanks

  NGCV: DLP

  Programme Background Requirement The DLP is one of five vehicle families being developed for the US Army's NGCV programme. Expanded to include five programmes in ...

• AGMV 1.1

  Programme Background The US Army has been seeking a lightweight, air-droppable, high mobility vehicle since as early as 2014, when it initiated its Ultra Light ...

• 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AMPV [USA]

  Programme Background Platform Development The US Army initiated the AMPV programme to acquire a replacement for several variants of the M113 tracked APC, which has ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV Oshkosh Contract [US Army]

  Programme 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 ...

• 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]

  Programme 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 ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow On

  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, ...

• Loitering munitions

  Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System (LMAMS) [US Army]

  Background First Contract In June 2011, the US awarded AeroVironment a $4.9 million series-production contract for the loitering munition, satisfying the US Army's Lethal Miniature ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Switchblade 300 (USA)

  Programme Background AeroVironment has been providing the Switchblade 300 loitering munition to the US Army under the long-standing Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile Systems (LMAMS) programme ...

• 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 ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  US Army Maneuver Support Vessel Light (MSVL)

  Programme BackgroundThe Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) or MSV(L) contract was awarded by the US Army to Vigor in 2017 and are being built to replace ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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. 

• 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) ...

• JPT

  Designed for military applications, the Joint Platform Tablet (JPT) features a rugged design, including a military-grade aluminium case, dual-core processor, 128GB removable hard drive and ...

• 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 ...

• REBS

  The Rapidly Emplaced Bridge System (REBS) is a 13m dry-gap bridge. It was designed by GDELS to meet a US Army requirement to provide a ...

• DSB

  WFEL was selected in 1996 to develop the M18 Dry Support Bridge (DSB) for the US Army. The company designed, manufactured and integrated the DSB ...

• 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 ...