• Naval Warfare

  Davie breaks the ice with Canadian contract success

  14th August 2018

  The Canadian Government has announced the long anticipated award of a contract for the procurement of three medium icebreakers for the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG). …

• Defence Helicopter

  UH-60V digital cockpit software build delivered

  17th July 2018

  The UH-60V Black Hawk helicopter will enter Limited User Testing (LUT) with a digital cockpit software build provided by Northrop Grumman.Northrop Grumman delivered the software …

• Digital Battlespace

  Pentagon eager to field missile detecting space sensors

  2nd August 2018

  With lawmakers waiving the green flag to proceed, top US military leaders are eager to move out with plans to field sensors in space capable …

• Naval Warfare

  Netherlands requests Mk 54 lightweight torpedoes

  3rd August 2018

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale of 106 Mk 54 conversion kits to the Netherlands, the Defense …

• Defence Notes

  Georgia hosts major joint drills with NATO forces

  1st August 2018

  Georgia on 1 August launched large-scale joint military exercises with NATO forces on the tenth anniversary of its war with Russia, which strongly opposes Tbilisi's …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Spanish Army tests PASI Searcher UAS

  16th July 2018

  The Spanish Army, together with the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), has successfully completed the testing of two upgraded PASI Searcher Mk III class …

• Defence Notes

  Romania minister under fire over 'ballistic' gaffe

  1st August 2018

  Romania's defence minister on 1 August faced calls to resign after he said the US missile defence system in the south had ballistic missiles, apparently …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Counter-drone demand on the rise

  9th August 2018

  In the wake of recent incidents involving drones, such as the alleged attack on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, companies such as Raytheon are seeing a …

• Land Warfare

  Bahrain requests TOW ITAS launchers

  2nd August 2018

  The US State Department has made a determination approving a potential foreign military sale of 28 TOW improved target acquisition systems (ITAS) and related equipment, …

• Digital Battlespace

  Viasat developing further BLOS STT capabilities

  2nd August 2018

  The 7.3kg Viasat KOR-24A small tactical terminal (STT), a multi-channel radio, has Link-16 security capabilities which enable safe data and information exchanges which can be …

• Defence Helicopter

  FAA approves all-glass cockpit for MD 530F

  13th July 2018

  The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved MD Helicopters’ advanced, all-glass cockpit for the MD 530F (type certified 369FF) helicopter. The new single-engine all-glass type …

• Defence Helicopter

  NZ orders NH90 simulator from CAE

  8th August 2018

  New Zealand’s MoD announced on 8 August that it had awarded a contract to CAE for a single NH90 helicopter full flight simulator. The Royal …

• Defence Notes

  Ukraine receives $200 million funding from US

  27th July 2018

  The US Department of Defense (DoD) will provide $200 million to Ukraine under security cooperation funds for additional training, equipment and advisory efforts, the DoD …

• Naval Warfare

  Japan invests in BMD ships and radar

  3rd August 2018

  The new Aegis destroyer Maya (DDG-179) of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) was launched by Japan Marine United on 30 July. Possessing a ballistic …

• Digital Battlespace

  DARPA looks to BAE for cyber tools

  8th August 2018

  BAE Systems will develop cyber-hunting tools for the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency under a deal announced on 7 August.  The work will be …

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.