• Defence Notes

  Decline in Afghan forces less sharp than thought: SIGAR

  16th May 2018

  The strength of Afghanistan's security forces has declined less sharply than previously reported, a US watchdog said, citing incorrect figures given by the US military …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: JSOC to reveal technology interest areas

  16th May 2018

  The US Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) has revealed a hit-list of technology interest areas due to be exploited over the course of 2018 in …

• Training

  Leidos receives SE Core contract

  17th May 2018

  Leidos has received a contract from the US Army Contracting Command – Orlando to develop and provide simulated training environments to meet US Army requirements, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AACUS enabled UH-1H completes first cargo delivery

  22nd May 2018

  Aurora Flight Sciences’ Autonomous Aerial Cargo/Utility System (AACUS) has successfully completed its first operational cargo delivery to the US Marine Corps (USMC), the company announced …

• Land Warfare

  Australia sees Spike in missile capability

  31st May 2018

  Australia has selected the Rafael Spike LR2 multipurpose missile to equip its army’s future Rheinmetall Boxer Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles (CRV), according to testimony given by …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: Special Ops Chinook contract coming soon

  27th May 2018

  In June, the US Army will move forward with plans to acquire Block II MH-47G Chinook helicopters for its special operations forces. The service though, …

• Defence Notes

  US Army awaiting additional lessons learned from 1st SFAB deployment

  17th May 2018

  It's still early days for the initial deployment of the US Army's 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB), but early reports are positive and forthcoming …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: SOCOM looks to next gen communications

  26th May 2018

  The US Special Operations Command’s (USSOCOM’s) Program Executive Office for Command and Control, Communications and Computers (C4) has confirmed to Shephard it is still interested …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: RAND report looks into AFSOC recruit pass rates

  21st May 2018

  The RAND Corporation has published a series of conclusions in support of the US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), designed to increase pass rates …

• Defence Notes

  Chinese bombers make debut landing on disputed South China Sea runway

  19th May 2018

  China has for the first time landed several bombers on an island in the disputed South China Sea, a move that could provoke renewed tensions …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: EaglePicher looks to power SOF warriors

  18th May 2018

  One company exploring SOF applications for its underlying technologies and resulting product designs is EaglePicher Technologies. The company, which currently provides approximately 85% of the …

• Defence Helicopter

  US donates helicopters to Costa Rica

  14th May 2018

  The US government has formalised with Costa Rica’s Ministry of Public Security the donation of four Bell UH-1N Huey helicopters for use by the Central …

• Defence Notes

  US jets intercept Russian bombers off Alaskan coast

  12th May 2018

  US fighter jets intercepted two long-range Russian 'Bear' bombers in international airspace off western Alaska, the North American Aerospace Defense Command said 12 May. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  CIA faces crippling challenges in China

  17th May 2018

  China’s perfection of facial recognition and gait detection software, integrated into algorithms that have access to millions of profiles of ‘blacklisted’ individuals, would give Cold …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: ThunderDrone update

  26th May 2018

  The US Special Operations Command’s (USSOCOM’s) year-long ThunderDrone experimentation program will wrap up on 20th June 2018, SOFWERX officials have confirmed. Addressing delegates at the …

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 ...