• Defence Notes

  DSEI 2015: The price of the Royal Navy

  9th September 2015

  The price of doing business has been revealed by the UK Ministry of Defence, with the cost of running the Royal Navy’s warships disclosed to …

• Naval Warfare

  DSEI 2015: QinetiQ displays stand-off scanner

  9th September 2015

  QinetiQ will display its latest generation stand-off body scanner, at this year’s DSEI exhibition in London. It is currently in development with the US Transportation …

• Naval Warfare

  New Japan Coast Guard units deployed

  9th September 2015

  The Japan Coast Guard (JCG) will deploy a new unit in Okinawa prefecture in two to three years’ time, with its primary role to warn Chinese …

• Land Warfare

  Canada selects Chemring RF initiator

  9th September 2015

  Chemring Technology Solutions has been awarded a contract by the Canadian Department of Defence (DoD) to supply its Breach MC radio frequency (RF) initiator for …

• Naval Warfare

  Four support vessels for French Navy

  8th September 2015

  A team led by ship-building group Piriou, along with Kership and DCNS has been awarded a contract for the supply of four ocean-going support vessels …

• Digital Battlespace

  Boeing signs Aussie military comms contract

  8th September 2015

  The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has signed the contract with Boeing Defence Australia for the upgrade of its military communications, the DoD announced on …

• Digital Battlespace

  RAF gets second ISR aircraft

  8th September 2015

  The UK's second Boeing RC-135W Airseeker SIGINT aircraft has been delivered to the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a part of the Airseeker Programme, the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Elbit Systems announces new contract

  8th September 2015

  An undisclosed European country has awarded a contract to Elbit Systems for the supply of an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)-based intelligence solution, the company announced …

• Naval Warfare

  Belfast Harbour deploys Saab KleinPort system

  8th September 2015

  Belfast Harbour has deployed Saab's KleinPort port management information system to manage harbour operations, the company announced on 3 September. The harbour began live operations …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy extends Aegis modernisation contract

  7th September 2015

  The US Navy has awarded a contract to Lockheed Martin that will continue the modernisation of its Aegis naval combat hardware and software, the company …

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems submits LAND 400 Phase bid2

  7th September 2015

  BAE Systems and Patria have submitted a bid for Australia's LAND 400 Phase 2- Mounted Combat Reconnaissance Capability programme, BAE Systems announced on 4 September. …

• Land Warfare

  Dagger PVP proves ballistic protection

  7th September 2015

  The Dagger small protected vehicle (PVP) by Panhard General Defense has demonstrated its ballistic protection in recent operations, Renault Trucks announced on 2 September. According …

• Defence Helicopter

  Raytheon bags AN/AQS-22 sonar contract

  4th September 2015

  Raytheon has been awarded a $33 million contract to produce, deliver, integrate, and test AN/AQS-22 Airborne Low Frequency Sonar (ALFS) systems to the US Navy, it …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UAVs cruise Tiananmen Square

  4th September 2015

  Amidst China’s spectacular military parade in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, were three types of UAV serving in various services of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army finally commits to guided rockets

  4th September 2015

  The US Army has begun to acquire smart guidance kits for its 70mm (2.75in) rocket systems and is fielding them to frontline units for evaluation, …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Long Range/Long Endurance (LR/LE) [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 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 (1-8) [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 (9-18) [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 - 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 ...

• 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 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USMC)

  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 helicopters - maritime

  Maritime Operations Helicopters

  The three maritime operations helicopters will be used for logistics and personnel transport, alongside transportation of PASKAL naval special forces in operations in the area. ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  V-Bat [USN]

  Background Core Requirement Fundamentally, the USN requires a UAV that can be flown from its ships in austere environments without dedicated launch or recovery equipment.  ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Major networking projects

  DIB 1.3

  The Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) Integration Backbone (DIB) is a key element of the US DoD strategy to build a net-centric capability, enabling service DCGS elements ...

• Military - UUVs

  RMMV

  The Remote Multi-Mission Vehicle (RMMV) was a semi-submersible AUV developed as part of the AN/WLD-1(V) Remote Minehunting System (RMS) for the USN’s Littoral Combat Ship ...