• Digital Battlespace

  Leonardo sets its sights on E-scan radar prototype testing

  6th December 2018

  The newest electronically scanning radar, Grifo-E, developed by manufacturer Leonardo, is set to undergo a series of prototype tests by the end of 2019. The company …

• Military Logistics

  US Navy seeks bullet batteries

  19th December 2018

  The US Navy is looking for industry help in identifying battery solutions that could be applied to new generations of guided projectiles. Service interest in …

• Defence Notes

  Putin open to third nations joining nuclear treaty

  18th December 2018

  Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested on 18 December he was open to the idea of other countries joining a key Cold War treaty limiting mid-range …

• Military Logistics

  France ships 1,400 assault rifles to Central Africa army

  11th December 2018

  France on 11 December handed over 1,400 AK-47 assault rifles and three amphibious vehicles to the Central African Republic to shore up its beleaguered armed …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bangladesh looks west for attack helicopters

  4th December 2018

  Bangladesh has approved the purchase of eight Western attack helicopters for the first time, these to be used by the air force to support the …

• Land Warfare

  Northrop expands Arizona facility

  17th December 2018

  Northrop Grumman’s Innovation Systems in Mesa, Arizona, has completed the expansion of its Bushmaster medium calibre cannon production facility. The new 36,000sq ft facility doubles …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus says improper settings played role in Mali helicopter crash

  12th December 2018

  European aircraft manufacturer Airbus said 12 December that an investigation had found improper settings to have been one factor behind the deadly 2017 crash of …

• Military Logistics

  Saab receives order for ULCANS

  26th November 2018

  Saab has received a $66 million order to deliver its Ultra Lightweight Camouflage Net Systems (ULCANS) to the US Army, the company announced on 20 …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2018: TerraSim launches STEWS

  24th November 2018

  Virtual terrain and database specialists, TerraSim, has launched a new terrain server technology designed to support the US Army’s emerging Synthetic Training Environment (STE) initiative. The …

• Naval Warfare

  Beijing lashes out at US for South China Sea sail-by

  30th November 2018

  China on 30 November scolded the US for sending naval vessels close to disputed islands in the South China Sea where Beijing has built military …

• Defence Notes

  China vexed by US Navy ships sailing through Taiwan Strait

  29th November 2018

  China expressed concern on 29 November after two US Navy ships sailed through the Taiwan Strait, the third such operation this year. ‘China will pay …

• Land Warfare

  British Army demos new Challenger 2 urban operation tank concept

  10th December 2018

  The British Army’s Royal Tank Regiment (RTR) has developed a new Challenger 2 MBT demonstrator to highlight modifications that could be made to the platform …

• Defence Notes

  EDEX 2018: Egyptian MoD develops new decoys and anti-drone systems

  7th December 2018

  The Egyptian MoD’s research and development (R&D;) unit displayed various new decoys and C-UAS products at EDEX 2018 in Cairo. Several inflatable decoys were showcased, …

• Land Warfare

  Russia to begin testing of new mobile mortar

  14th December 2018

  A new 82mm mobile mortar system dubbed Drok is set to begin testing by the Airborne Troops branch of the Russian military. According to the …

• Naval Warfare

  Austal to build two additional LCS

  21st December 2018

  Austal USA has received a contract from the US Navy to build two additional Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), the company announced on 18 September. 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) (Forecast) [US Army]

  Background USMC In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, which had been specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial ...

• 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 ...

• 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, ...

• 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 ...

• 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 - 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 - 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, 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 ...