• Naval Warfare

  New RN RIBs due from 2016

  15th December 2015

  The first next-generation Pacific 24 Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) destined for the Royal Navy will come off the BAE Systems specialist small boat production line …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SeaRobotics to build Marlin Mk3

  15th December 2015

  Lockheed Martin has appointed SeaRobotics to manufacturer its Marlin Mk3 autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), the company announced on 14 December. The AUV is designed to …

• Naval Warfare

  Taiwan inaugurates South China Sea facilities

  15th December 2015

  With international attention focused on Chinese reclamation of reefs in the South China Sea in recent months, Taiwan has inaugurated new harbour facilities on Taiping …

• Training

  AVT Simulation details NAWCTSD work

  14th December 2015

  New upgrades to the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (NAWCTSD) visual/aero assessment system have been delivered to the US Naval Air Systems Command …

• Defence Helicopter

  Ka-226Ts to head to Black Sea

  14th December 2015

  Amid increased tension with Turkey, Russia will add six Ka-226T helicopters to existing forces deployed near its southern maritime borders in the Caspian and Black …

• Military Logistics

  New HC-130J for US Air Force

  14th December 2015

  Lockheed Martin has delivered a HC-130J Combat King II personnel recovery aircraft to the US Air Force, the company announced on 11 December. The aircraft …

• Training

  SEA delivers flight deck simulator

  14th December 2015

  SEA has delivered a new Flight Deck Training Simulator for the Royal Navy to train crew for the new HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carriers, the …

• Land Warfare

  USSOCOM to buy Non-Standard Commercial Vehicles

  11th December 2015

  United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has released its formal request for proposals (RFP) for its next generation of Non-Standard Commercial Vehicles (NSCV). NSCVs are …

• Naval Warfare

  Marshall plan for improved PMSCs

  11th December 2015

  Members of the private maritime security (PMS) industry welcomed the decision by the Republic of the Marshall Islands to require all shipping companies flying their …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon awarded C-130 radio contract

  11th December 2015

  Raytheon will install MXF-626K VHF communications systems on the US Air Force’s C-130H Hercules fleet under a $29.6 million contract announced on 10 December. The …

• Military Logistics

  Upgraded Gotland sub delivered

  11th December 2015

  Saab has redelivered a Gotland-class submarine to the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) after performing general overhaul and upgrades, the company announced on 10 December.  …

• Defence Helicopter

  Japan’s SH-X merits internal investigation

  11th December 2015

  The Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) had planned that development of its next-generation SH-X naval multipurpose helicopter would occur from 2015-20. However, Defence Minister Gen …

• Military Logistics

  USAF begins Airbus tanker testing

  10th December 2015

  The US Air Force has begun refuelling trials on the A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) as part of efforts to fully certify its fleet to …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Shadows and Apaches team for Iraq ops

  10th December 2015

  Unmanned RQ-7B Shadow aircraft teamed with US Army Apache AH-64 attack helicopters have made a ‘significant impact’ during their first operational tour of Iraq, army …

• Naval Warfare

  SM-3 Block IIA completes second flight test

  10th December 2015

  The US Navy and Missile Defense Agency (MDA) have successfully conducted the second flight test of Raytheon’s Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA, the company announced …

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)

  According to the FY2021 Base funding, the HH-60W helicopter unit cost is $43.2 million. The HH-60W will be capable of employment day or night, in ...

• 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 ...