• Air Warfare

  New Turkish Kemankes loitering munition begins testing

  17th April 2024

  The Kemankes 2 was said to be designed to conduct deep-strike missions on high-priority targets.

• Training

  What US Army trainers are learning from Russian tactics

  6th June 2024

  How the US Army has been preparing to counter Russian military tactics and what strategic insights have been shaping its training and operations.

• Air Warfare

  AW609 titlrotor programme completes ship trial and looks to next phase

  26th June 2024

  The first Leonardo AW609 tiltrotor production aircraft made its maiden flight on 13 October 2022 which included an initial inflight evaluation of systems and general handling and it has now completed a ship trial.

• Naval Warfare

  Tomahawk missiles and optronics axed from Royal Australian Navy Collins submarine upgrade

  5th June 2024

  Australia’s Collins-class consists of six submarines commissioned between 1996 and 2003 based on the Type 471 design from Swedish shipbuilder Kockums. New nuclear-powered submarines will replace the Collins-class in the 2030s.

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales takes new HF communications system from ship to shore

  1st July 2024

  The HF XL family was unveiled at last month’s Eurosatory 2024 with the company pushing the system’s capability of searching out unjammed channels or channels with the highest data rate available.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Replicator drone programme enters second year facing uncertainties and challenges

  20th August 2024

  To date, it is unclear to what extent the effort advanced. In order to progress, it also needs to address issues related to budget, doctrine and integration.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Turkish MARLIN USV operates alongside manned units for the first time

  31st May 2024

  The Turkish Ministry of Defence (MoD) revealed that the MARLIN unmanned surface vessel (USV) operated alongside other warships during the DENIZKURDU-II exercise.

• Naval Warfare

  Singapore Navy receives new RO/RO civil resource ship

  17th May 2024

  MV Mentor, the Republic of Singapore Navy’s new roll-on/roll-off ship, will enhance training and sealift capabilities while replacing the long-serving MV Avatar.

• Naval Warfare

  Australia’s new frigate options: No easy choices as pressure mounts on DoD

  16th April 2024

  A new class of General Purpose ‘Tier 2’ frigate will replace the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN’s) Anzac-class frigates, but the selected design options appear to have major issues in terms of compatibility and availability for the future fleet.

• Naval Warfare

  Spain signs for Kongsberg naval strike missiles

  15th December 2023

  The Naval Strike Missile, a subsonic, sea-skimming, anti-ship and land-attack missile, has been designed to strike heavily defended land and sea targets.

• Naval Warfare

  US supplies latest vessel to strengthen Caribbean and Central American security

  29th May 2024

  A US Navy Rear Admiral highlighted the importance of the US working closely with allies in its own backyard as Louisiana shipbuilder delivers latest patrol vessel to partner nation.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy places small boat order worth up to $290 million

  17th May 2024

  The Metal Shark 40 Defiant, a 40-foot, welded-aluminium pilothouse monohull patrol boat, features ballistic protection and can be armed with a range of remotely operated and crew-served weapons systems. The ReconCraft 40ft patrol boat is similar and offers waterjet, outboard and inboard/outboard propulsion.

• Naval Warfare

  Fincantieri acquires Leonardo underwater business

  10th May 2024

  Fincantieri will acquire the technologies related to Leonardo's torpedo production as well as the control of Italy’s underwater acoustic technologies

• Air Warfare

  Raytheon expands air missile production and announces successful use of StormBreaker from F-35C

  23rd July 2024

  Raytheon has been pushing its production line to meet demand for missiles. At the same time, the Farnborough International Airshow exhibitor has been trying to ensure there are no weak links in its supply chain and increase its depth of suppliers.

• Naval Warfare

  US and Japan sign collaborative agreement on Glide Phase Interceptor

  16th May 2024

  Japan and the US will aim to strengthen regional deterrence while enhancing long-standing missile defence cooperation through developing a Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI).

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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, 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 ...

• AEW&C

  E-2D - USA

  The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) is an all-weather, twin engine, carrier-based, Airborne Command, Control and Surveillance aircraft designed to extend task force defense perimeters. The ...

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

  MQ-25 Stingray (13-76) [USN]

  Background Initial Requirements - Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four ...

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

  MQ-25 Stingray (10-12) [USN]

  Background Initial Requirements -  Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four Preliminary ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R Seahawk (India)

  Programme Background On 25 February 2020, a letter of acceptance for 24 MH-60Rs, worth approximately $2.12 billion, was signed by India and the US in Delhi. ...

• 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 - fixed-wing

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [USN]

  Background Requirement The USN wants to acquire carrier-capable loyal wingman drones. These drones will have a high level of autonomy, allowing them to work alongside crewed aircraft.  ...

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

  MQ-25 Stingray (1-9) [USN]

  Background Initial Requirements - Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  F-5E/F Adversary Trainer US Navy

  The F-5N is a single seat, dual engine supersonic land based fighter. It is designed to a service life of 9000 flight hours. The aircraft ...

• Frigates

  Project SEA 3000 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements The February 2024 Enhanced Lethality Surface Combatant Fleet review recommends that the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) acquire at least seven, and optimally 11, ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  New Coastal Ranger Commando Vessels [Norway]

  Programme Background Requirements According to Naval News, the Norwegian Coastal Ranger Commando is seeking to acquire an undisclosed number of new fast attack/interceptor craft. The ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Goal The Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) programme stems from the Military Sealift Command and Fleet Forces Command identifying, in 2018, a ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  TH-73 Advanced Helicopter Training System - AHTS (TH-57 Replacement)

  Contenders for the competition included the Leonardo single engine TH-119 – a military variant of the AW119Kx – and Bell’s newly upgraded single engine 407GXi. ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Anti-ship missiles

  Naval Strike Missile (NSM)

  The Naval Strike Missile (NSM) is a subsonic, sea-skimming, anti-ship and land-attack missile. The original name was the Nytt sjømålsmissil, but this was later dropped ...

• Air-to-surface missiles, Anti-ship missiles

  JSM

  The Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is a multi-role version of the Naval Strike Missile. Norway funded the programme to develop and produce the JSM for the ...

• Frigates

  FF(X) Frigate

  The FF(X) frigate is a vessel derived from Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HHI) National Security Cutter (NSC). It was designed in response to the cancellation of ...

• Land: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Low Band Transmitter

  The Low Band Transmitter-Antenna Group (LBT-AG), developed by Cobham, has been in production since 2005. The LBT is designed to protect strike aircraft, ships and ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

  The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet was developed to perform naval strike missions for the USN. The primary mission for the F/A-18E/F is a strike fighter that ...

• 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, ...

• 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 ...

• Frigates

  Independence Class (LCS)

  The USN’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme was originally envisaged to be 50 ships, which would provide a coastal platform that would take over from ...

• Frigates

  Hunter Class Guided Missile Frigate

  During Indo Pacific 2023, BAE Systems Australia unveiled a Guided Missile variant of the Hunter-class frigate (ASW). Compared to the baseline ASW configuration, the proposed ...

• Destroyers

  Zumwalt Class

  The DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class is formed by a series of next-generation multi-role destroyers 21st century. They were designed to host the latest in sensors and weapons ...

• Frigates

  Constellation Class FFG(X)

  The USN has selected Fincantieri Marinette Marine to build up to ten frigates under the FFG(X) next-generation future guided-missile frigate programme. The new Constellation-class will replace ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  SCOTT

  The Synthetic Cognition for Operational Team Training (SCOTT) system was developed for the USN to train teamwork and communication skills for E-2C flight crews interfacing ...

• Air: aerial targets

  GQM-163A Coyote SSST

  The GQM-163A Coyote Supersonic Sea Skimming Target (SSST) was developed for the USN to emulate two-stage anti-ship cruise missiles in support of air defence weapon/combat ...

• 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 ...

• OPVs

  Hisar Class

  Turkish Military Factory and Shipyard Management company ASFAT has built two Hisar-class OPVs at Istanbul Naval Shipyard for the Turkish Navy. Four more platforms are on order, but the ...