• Special Operations

  AUSA 2016: Colt launches new SF rifle

  5th October 2016

  A new short-barrelled rifle (SBR) 5.56mm variant of the M4 rifle – called the SCW0923 – has been launched by Colt. The rifle is designed …

• Defence Helicopter

  AUSA 2016: Future attack helo lighter, more lethal

  5th October 2016

  The replacement of the AH-64E Apache attack helicopter under the Future Vertical Lift (FVL) programme is likely to see a smaller, lighter helicopter introduced, rather …

• Naval Warfare

  Marchwood move delayed again

  5th October 2016

  Plans for a new joint venture between transport specialists David MacBrayne Ltd (DML) and global logistics firm GBA (Holdings) Ltd, to start running the Marchwood …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky orders CH-148 weapon pylons

  5th October 2016

  CPI Aerostructures has received purchase orders worth around $5 million from Sikorsky to manufacture the weapon pylon for the CH-148 Cyclone helicopter, CPI announced on 3 …

• Military Logistics

  HMS Westminster completes refit

  5th October 2016

  The Royal Navy’s Type 23 Frigate HMS Westminster has completed an extensive refit programme at Portsmouth Naval Base, BAE Systems announced on 3 October. A …

• Defence Helicopter

  Thailand orders additional H225Ms

  5th October 2016

  Airbus Helicopters will deliver a further two H225M Caracal (EC725) multi-role utility helicopters to the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) under an order announced on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Royal Australian Navy tests ScanEagle

  5th October 2016

  A team from the Royal Australian Navy’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) unit has been deployed to Christmas Island to test the limits of the Boeing …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2016: New light binos see into the dark

  4th October 2016

  Harris has launched a new lightweight night vision binocular – the F5032 – to meet a gap in the market. A spokesperson from the company …

• Digital Battlespace

  ECPINS Sub gets latest ECDIS approval

  4th October 2016

  The ECPINS Submarine solution from OSI Maritime Systems has received the DNV GL's Marine Equipment Directive (MED) Type Approval certification for the newest Electronic Chart …

• Naval Warfare

  HMAS Hobart completes builders sea trials

  4th October 2016

  HMAS Hobart, the lead ship of the new Hobart class of Air Warfare Destroyers (AWDs) for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), has completed its builder …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Integration testing complete for first CPB

  3rd October 2016

  The first Certifiable Predator B (CPB), which itself will be the template for the future UK Protector UAV, has completed integration testing and is expected …

• Land Warfare

  MBDA submits TLVS proposal

  3rd October 2016

  MBDA has submitted its proposal for Germany’s TLVS programme to the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support, the company announced on …

• Defence Helicopter

  Helitech 2016: Mi-38 rushed in flight tests

  3rd October 2016

  Russian Helicopters has launched a new flight test campaign, using the Mi-38-2 prototype, in an effort to expand the type’s operational characteristics upon request by …

• Naval Warfare

  Italian Navy gets fifth FREMM frigate

  3rd October 2016

  The Italian Navy received the fifth multi-mission frigate of the FREMM programme from Fincantieri on 30 September 2016. Ten frigates are being built for the …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2016: Revision submits SOF helmet offer

  3rd October 2016

  Revision Military has submitted its offering for the US Special Operations Command’s (USSOCOM’s) Family of Tactical Headborne Systems (FTHS) programme. The programme is designed at …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (28-68) [USN]

  Background Requirement The MQ-4C Triton programme, developed under the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) programme, required an uncrewed system to provide persistent, broad-area intelligence, surveillance ...

• 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 ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (1-10) [USMC]

  Programme Background Development As part of the US Marine Corps' future force structure, it is developing a new platform under the Medium Lading Ship programme ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (11-33) [USMC]

  Programme Background Requirements As part of the US Marine Corps' future force structure, it is developing a new platform under the Medium Lading Ship programme ...

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

  Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) (Increment 1) [USMC]

  Programme Background All-in-One UAV Since 2016, the USMC has wished to acquire a UAV that could be deployed from a vessel, be used for various missions, ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (1-27) [USN]

  Background Requirement The MQ-4C Triton programme, developed under the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) programme, required an uncrewed system to provide persistent, broad-area intelligence, surveillance ...

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

  Medium Range/Medium Endurance (MR/ME) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  Background In 2010, the USAF announced the replacement of the HH-60G with a new Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH), and in 2012, the request for proposals ...

• 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

  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 - small

  Long Range/Long Endurance (LR/LE) [USMC]

  Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to the ...

• Destroyers

  Next-Generation Large Surface Combatants (LSC) - DDG(X) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) is acknowledging a need to move away from the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer design, which is slowly outgrowing. Flight III ...

• Military UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USN)

  Programme Background Joint USN and USMC Procurment The RQ-21 Blackjack, or STUALSO, was a combined United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) programme ...

• Military - USVs

  MUSV [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements In March 2026, the US announced it would be replacing its Modular Attack Surface Craft (MASC) programme with a Medium Uncrewed Surface ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  SECAT

  In 2022, Textron Systems unveiled its new Surface Effect Cargo Amphibious Transport (SECAT) craft, designed to support logistics behind the US Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations and ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-53E Sea Dragon

  Sikorsky developed the MH-53E (S-80) Sea Dragon variant of its CH-53E to provide the USN with a dedicated airborne mine countermeasures helicopter. Equipped with enlarged ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Tactical Mission System for Helicopter Applications

  The Saab tactical mission system is a system for transport, utility, C2 and combat helicopters intended to operate in a net-centric environment. It is designed ...

• Major networking projects

  CANES

  The Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) programme is a USN-wide effort to rationalise shipboard computing assets. It is designed to create a common ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  MQ-9 MTD

  SDS’s ROVATTS-based MQ-9 Mission Training Device (MTD) was developed to provide high-fidelity simulation to support US Air National Guard operational Reaper crew training. The PC-based ...

• 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 ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  MERS

  The Marine Expeditionary Rifle Squad (MERS) takes a systems engineering approach to equipping the USMC’s fundamental fighting unit. The integration and configuration management of all ...

• 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, ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  AN/ZPY-1 STARLite

  The AN/ZPY-1 Small Tactical Radar-Lightweight (STARLite) is a synthetic aperture radar and GMTI sensor for UAVs, manufactured by Northrop Grumman. It offers strip and spot synthetic ...

• Fighter - multirole, Fighter - naval

  F-35C

  The F-35C Lightning II, also known as the F-35 carrier variant (CV), is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft in carrier configuration. It has larger wings and ...

• Military - UUVs

  Mission Specialist Defender

  The Mission Specialist Defender is a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) developed by VideoRay, now part of BlueHalo's unmanned maritime systems. The ROV is known ...

• Guided munitions

  AGM-154 JSOW

  The AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) is a joint United States Navy (USN)/United States Air Force (USAF) programme with the USN as the lead service. ...

• Air: mission management systems

  Air Operations Systems of Systems

  Air Operations System of Systems is designed to enable management of airspaces across large states and/or regions focusing on strategic planning. The system integration approach ...

• 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 ...

• Subsystems: software

  LiteFlite II Simulators

  The LiteFlite II was designed to provide a high-fidelity, laptop-based system with white-force/man-in-the-loop capabilities for use with a variety of simulation systems. LiteFlite II represents ...