• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DSEI 2015: Next-gen Zephyr in the making

  10th September 2015

  Airbus Defence and Space is making its next-generation version of high altitude pseudo-satellite (HAPS) Zephyr.  The new UAV will have a 35m wingspan in comparison to …

• Defence Helicopter

  Aussie Chinook fleet in-country

  9th September 2015

  Seven CH-47F Chinook helicopters have now been delivered to the Australian Army, Boeing announced on 9 September, with the most recent delivery taking place in …

• Naval Warfare

  Selex to upgrade Bahrain naval vessels

  9th September 2015

  The Royal Bahrain Naval Force has awarded a contract to Selex to upgrade six naval vessels, the company announced on 8 September. Under the contract, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DSEI 2015: Northrop pushes for UK Triton

  9th September 2015

  Northrop Grumman is making one last push at DSEI for Triton UAS to fulfil UK maritime surveillance capability gap before the release of the pending …

• 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. …

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 ...