• Defence Helicopter

  Nepal’s army eyes renewed helicopter fleet

  29th March 2018

  With its sights fixed on the task of renewing its helicopter and aircraft fleet, the Nepali Army Air Wing decommissioned two Alouette III helicopters on …

• Land Warfare

  US Army tests precision targeting system

  19th March 2018

  The US Army is testing the Joint Effects Targeting System Target Laser Designation System (JETS-TLDS) at the Cold Regions Test Center in Alaska, the US …

• Defence Notes

  Congress unveils FY18 US defence spending bill

  22nd March 2018

  US lawmakers are rushing to pass a $1.3 trillion spending bill before the end of 23 March to avoid another government shutdown and the US …

• Defence Notes

  China's aircraft carrier sails by Taiwan as tensions rise

  21st March 2018

  Taiwan said on 21 March it had scrambled jets and sent ships to track the passage of a Chinese aircraft carrier through the Taiwan Strait, …

• Defence Notes

  Opinion: How to destroy the PLA without firing a shot

  21st March 2018

  China’s military ascendance must be confronted. The current trend lines point to great power war and catastrophe. To avoid that, here’s what US-China strategic competition …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army seeking upgrades for SOF Chinook

  23rd March 2018

  The US Army is asking for industry input for ways to buy Block 2 MH-47G Chinook for its special operations forces (SOF). In a 14 …

• Defence Notes

  Mattis: US should maintain support to Saudis in Yemen

  16th March 2018

  US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has asked the US Congress not to interfere with America's role in the war in Yemen, where it is supporting …

• Defence Notes

  Putin pledges to reduce Russia military spending

  19th March 2018

  President Vladimir Putin has said on that Russia would cut its military spending, a day after he won a presidential election with a landslide.  'We …

• Military Logistics

  Rocky boots take to the air

  17th March 2018

  Although not quite the same as an air-worthiness certificate, six S2V military boot designs from Rocky Boots have recently been designated as ‘safe to fly’ by …

• Defence Helicopter

  Seven US personnel killed in Iraq helicopter crash: official

  16th March 2018

  Seven US military personnel were killed when the helicopter carrying them crashed during a routine transport mission in western Iraq, a US Department of Defense …

• Defence Helicopter

  MD Helicopters sets ambitious timeline for international orders

  19th March 2018

  With the 6XX delayed due to certification hold ups, despite ambitions of that happening last year, MD Helicopters has set itself a tight schedule to deliver …

• Naval Warfare

  LCS coastal mine reconnaissance module tested

  20th March 2018

  The US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Mission Modules (MM) programme has completed developmental testing of the coastal mine reconnaissance (CMR) mission module onboard USS …

• Special Operations

  AUSA Global: Profense unveils 5.56mm minigun

  28th March 2018

  Profense LLC has used this week’s AUSA Global Force exhibition and symposium to unveil its PF556 minigun, a new model system that fires linked 5.56x45mm …

• Defence Notes

  US military aircraft crashes in west Iraq

  16th March 2018

  A US military aircraft has crashed in western Iraq with American personnel aboard, the international coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS) jihadist group said on …

• Defence Notes

  NATO expels seven Russian diplomats

  27th March 2018

  NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said on 27 March that the alliance was expelling seven Russian diplomats to show that Moscow faces ‘costs and consequences’ over …

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 ...