• Land Warfare

  DVD 2016: Special forces vehicle takes centre stage

  12th September 2016

  SC Group unveiled the latest variant in its portfolio of open-top special forces and infantry vehicles at the Defence Vehicle Dynamics (DVD) exhibition at Millbrook, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Navy demonstrates Blackwing UAV

  12th September 2016

  The US Navy has successfully demonstrated the ability of the submarine-launched Blackwing UAS to link with a swarm of unmanned undersea vehicles (UUVs) and communicate …

• Defence Helicopter

  What is going to replace USAF Huey?

  12th September 2016

  The Pentagon has published much anticipated details of its search for a new helicopter under the US Air Force's (USAF) UH-1N Iroquois helicopter replacement programme. …

• Naval Warfare

  Oman gets second HSSV

  12th September 2016

  Austal has delivered the RNOV Al Naasir (S12) High Speed Support Vessel (HSSV) to the Royal Navy of Oman, the company announced on 8 September. …

• Defence Helicopter

  HAL stacks up helicopter orders

  12th September 2016

  The recent technical flight of the Bangalore-built Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) on 6 September could result in Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) winning an order for …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Thales eye Halcyon days

  9th September 2016

  Following the recent rehearsal of elements of Thales’ Halcyon USV mine-hunting capability, on the fringes of Portsmouth Solent, company officials say that additional autonomous behaviour …

• Defence Helicopter

  HAL conducts technical flight of LUH

  9th September 2016

  Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has conducted a technical flight of its Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) in Bengaluru, India, the company announced on 6 September. The …

• Military Logistics

  Indra radar for Danish air bases

  9th September 2016

  Indra has been awarded a contract to provide radar systems to support air traffic management at three Danish air force bases, the company announced on …

• Naval Warfare

  Anzac ASMD upgrade nears end

  9th September 2016

  The Royal Australian Navy's Anzac-class frigate Anti-Ship Missile Defence (ASMD) upgrade programme is nearing its end at the BAE Systems Shipyard in Western Australia, the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ECA Group working on SWARMs project

  8th September 2016

  ECA Group is working on the Smart and Networking Underwater Robots in Cooperation Meshes (SWARMs) project and will lead work on three different packages, the …

• Defence Notes

  Analysis: Cutting the PLA to the corps

  8th September 2016

  The People’s Liberation Army (PLA), the armed forces of China’s communist party, is undergoing a series of radical reformations. The slashing of 300,000 personnel by …

• Defence Notes

  PLA theatre commands outlined

  8th September 2016

  Revealed in late August, the latest reorganisation of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will see the abolition of all its group armies (or corps), of …

• Training

  Royal Australian Navy to get FATS

  8th September 2016

  BAE Systems Australia will provide the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) with an improved anti-ship missile test capability under a $32 million, three year contract announced …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Unmanned MAST trialled in the Thames

  7th September 2016

  A USV maritime testbed in development for the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has undertaken trials in the Thames, the MoD announced on 5 September. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Wasp AE sets sights on Australia

  7th September 2016

  AeroVironment will offer its Wasp AE UAS to the Australian Army and Special Forces, the company announced on 6 September. The company has named a …

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 ...