• Defence Notes

  French, US armies 'very close', says French armed forces chief

  12th July 2018

  The French army is ‘very close’ to the US military, which recognises its efforts in fighting jihadists in Africa, the head of the French armed …

• Defence Helicopter

  ManTech to support H-53 heavy lift helicopter programme

  1st August 2018

  ManTech has received a four-year $47 million contract to provide technical support and collaboration for the US Navy Naval Air Systems Command H-53 heavy lift …

• Defence Helicopter

  Taiwan's Apache fleet goes into service amid China tensions

  17th July 2018

  Taiwan on 17 July put into service its fleet of US-made Apache attack helicopters, upgrading its defences against a growing military threat from China. The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UK selects Rafael’s Drone Dome

  10th August 2018

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded an urgent capability requirement contract for a counter-UAS (C-UAS) capability to Rafael Advanced Defense Systems. Valued at …

• Training

  Northrop to continue US Army MCTC support

  11th July 2018

  Northrop Grumman has received a $128 million contract from the US Army to continue providing support for its Mission Command Training Center (MCTC), the company …

• Military Logistics

  HII cuts steel for US Navy’s LPD 29

  1st August 2018

  Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has begun fabrication of the 13th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock at Pascagoula, Mississippi with the cutting of the first 100t …

• Defence Notes

  Stability in Iraq could hinge on rebuilding 'failed social contract'

  30th July 2018

  At a time when Iraqis are taking to the streets protesting a lack of basic services and jobs, a US military commander is warning that …

• Defence Notes

  USAF terminates ICBM test after 'anomaly'

  1st August 2018

  The US Air Force (USAF) had to abort a test flight of an unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile on 31 July after it developed an ‘anomaly’, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AeroVironment selected to compete for UAS support

  12th July 2018

  AeroVironment is among seven suppliers selected by the US Army to compete for small UAS sustainment task orders under a five-year indefinite delivery indefinite quantity …

• Naval Warfare

  Bahrain requests FOTS for navy ship Sabha

  31st July 2018

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential FMS of items and services to Bahrain in support of follow-on technical support (FOTS) …

• Special Operations

  Fuerzas Comando begins for Latin American SOF

  17th July 2018

  The Latin American special operations community has come together to conduct the 2018 iteration of the annual Fuerzas Comandocompetition in Panama.Due to run from 16-26 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Fourth wind tunnel test of MQ-25 completed

  2nd August 2018

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has completed the fourth wind tunnel test of its MQ-25 design, the company announced on 31 July. MQ-25 is the …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems delivers IFF antenna to US Navy

  30th July 2018

  BAE Systems has delivered its 150th OE-120 Identification Friend-or-Foe (IFF) antenna to the US Navy, the company announced on 25 July. The antenna will be …

• Land Warfare

  Army explores SAW replacement with NGSAR awards

  13th July 2018

  The US Army has awarded six Other Transaction Agreements (OTA) for prototypes of a Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle (NGSAR). The NGSAR, which will address …

• Land Warfare

  Taiwan to order M1A2 Abrams

  13th July 2018

  Taiwan has decided to order 108 M1A2 Abrams tanks plus ammunition from the US. These MBTs will equip two armoured battalions in the northern sector …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-1 Gray Eagle [US Army]

  Background Required Quantity Although the US Army first envisioned a requirement for 132 MQ-1C Gray Eagles, the US Army's Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) was increased ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker DVH [USA]

  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 (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 UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) [US Army]

  Background USMC First, Army Second In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply ...

• 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, ...

• Military UAS - micro

  eBee Vision [US]

  Background Multiple orders In November 2025, the US Army acquired three eBee Vision systems to enhance training operations at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany. A ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AMPV [USA]

  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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker (Sergeant Stout) (Batch 2) [USA]

  Background As part of the Army Transformation Initiative, the US DoD is fundamentally reorganising the structure of the US Army. The development of the Sergeant ...

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

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 2) [US Army]

  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 intended to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 - 8x8

  Stryker (Sergeant Stout) [USA]

  Background As part of the Army Transformation Initiative, the US DoD is fundamentally reorganising the structure of the US Army. As part of this all Infantry Brigade ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Mobile Tactical Cannon [USA]

  Background The US Army began using the M777 in 1995. Since then, it has served as a field artillery piece providing fire support for American ...

• 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, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Group 4/5 UAV [US Army]

  Background Request for Information (RFI) On 5 June 2024, the American DoD published an RfI with an original response date of 19 July 2024. The ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) [Tranche 1] / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) (USA)

  Programme Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the Battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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. 

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58 Kiowa

  The single-engine OH-58 Kiowa, derived from the Bell 206, entered US Army service in 1969 as a light observation helicopter. More than 2,200 were built for ...

• Towed guns

  M198

  The US Army developed the M198 155mm towed howitzer from 1969 to replace the M114 155mm howitzer. From 1978, 1,600 weapons were built by Rock ...

• 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.

• Light tanks

  M10 Booker

  The US Army awarded General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) a contract worth US$1.14 billion to supply 96 light tanks under the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72A/B Lakota

  In 2006, the US Army selected a version of the medium-sized, twin-engine H145, designated the UH-72A Lakota,  to meet its requirement for a new Light ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  M1150 ABV

  The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) project, launched by the USMC in 2002, is a joint programme to meet the requirements of both the US ...

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

  RQ-7 Shadow 200

  The Shadow 200, designated RQ-7B by the US Army, is flown by the army brigade combat teams and combat aviation brigades along with the UAV ...

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  AN/PLQ-9 Thor-III

  Sierra Nevada’s AN/PLQ-9 Thor-III is the standard Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) manpack system in service with the US Army and US Marine Corps (USMC). ...

• Individual grenade launchers

  M320 GLM

  The M320 Grenade Launcher Module (GLM) is a further development of the HK AG36 (see separate entry) to meet a US Army requirement. The M320 ...

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M821A3 High Explosive Mortar Round

  The M821A3 High Explosive Mortar Round is an 81mm mortar round manufactured by Day & Zimmerman for the US Army.

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M933A1 High Explosive Mortar Round

  The M933A1 High Explosive Mortar Round is a 120mm mortar round manufactured by Day & Zimmermann for the US Army.

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M934A1 High Explosive Mortar Round

  The M934A1 High Explosive Mortar Round is a 120mm mortar round produced by Day & Zimmermann for the US Army.