• Training

  Textron support Afghan training

  7th October 2015

  The US Army has awarded Textron Systems Marine & Land Systems an Interim Contractor Training Support (ICTS) contract to provide next-level training to the Afghan …

• Naval Warfare

  Low point in RAN acquisition in 2016-2017

  7th October 2015

  The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) updated visitors at the Pacific 2015 International Maritime Exposition in Sydney on current surface warship programmes. The second and final …

• Digital Battlespace

  Helitech 2015: Iridium readies Certus service

  7th October 2015

  An advanced broadband service eventually offering 1.4Mb/s is scheduled to be commercially available to Iridium users starting in 2016. Testing has begun on new Broadband …

• Military Logistics

  Aussie trucks take shape

  7th October 2015

  Australian engineering firm Varley is preparing for the production of truck mission modules for the Australian Army’s Project Land 121 Phase 3B medium/heavy capability.  Speaking …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ScanEagle further global proliferation

  7th October 2015

  In recent days, three new international customers for the Insitu ScanEagle tactical UAV have emerged. Under a US$15.2 Foreign Military Sale (FMS) contract inked on …

• Naval Warfare

  TDW to deliver Spearfish blast warhead

  6th October 2015

  BAE Systems has awarded a contract to TDW for the qualification and delivery of the insensitive munition (IM) blast warhead that will be used in …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australian navy lays out UAV pathway

  6th October 2015

  The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is making gradual progress on its pathway to obtaining integrated tactical UAV operations, according to speakers at the Pacific 2015 …

• Naval Warfare

  Raytheon demonstrates Tomahawk re-targeting

  6th October 2015

  The Tomahawk Block IV cruise missile has successfully demonstrated new capabilities in a test conducted by the US Navy and Raytheon, the company announced on …

• Land Warfare

  Aselsan inks export for RCWS

  2nd October 2015

  Aselsan has signed export contracts with Kazakhstan and Malaysia Armed Forces for stabilised weapon systems known as 'Remote Controlled Weapon Systems' (RCWS), the company announced …

• Land Warfare

  Raytheon demos Excalibur round

  2nd October 2015

  Raytheon has fired new Excalibur N5 projectile while conducting a live guided flight test at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, the company announced on 30 September. …

• Digital Battlespace

  RNZAF seeks SATCOM for Orions

  2nd October 2015

  Plans to buy a new commercial SATCOM system for the New Zealand Air Force's (NZAF's) six P-3K2 Orion maritime patrol aircraft have taken a step forward. New Zealand’s …

• Digital Battlespace

  TRS delivers Sentinel radar

  2nd October 2015

  ThalesRaytheonSystems will deliver four enhanced Sentinel AN/MPQ-64 F1 air defence radars to Latvia, the company announced on 30 September.  Sentinel is a highly mobile, three-dimensional, …

• Defence Helicopter

  MD refutes Afghan MD 530F criticisms

  1st October 2015

  MD Helicopters has robustly responded to criticisms by the Afghan Air Force’s (AAF) ‘most decorated pilot’ about the performance of the MD 530F. The AAF …

• Land Warfare

  Abrams to get SA upgrade

  1st October 2015

  General Dynamics Land Systems has been awarded a contract from the US Army TACOM Lifecycle Management Command to refurbish and upgrade 150 M1A1 Abrams Main …

• Defence Helicopter

  Helitech 2015: LIPS approved for AW189

  30th September 2015

  Limited Ice Protection System (LIPS) has received EASA certification for the AW189 super medium twin engine helicopter, AgustaWestland announced on 28 September.  The AW189 is …

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 ...