• Defence Notes

  New report urges aggressive North Korean sanctions

  31st July 2017

  A new Washington research paper released on 21 July recommended warning China that the US will use military force if North Korea does not curtail its …

• Digital Battlespace

  India reissues SIGINT aircraft request

  31st July 2017

  India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) released an RfI in late July to procure five twin-engine aircraft for signal intelligence (SIGINT) and communication jamming (COMJAM) roles …

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed’s Camden facility delivers HIMARS

  28th July 2017

  Lockheed Martin has delivered the first High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launcher in which both the chassis and launcher components were manufactured at its …

• Special Operations

  Ukraine special ops development continues

  28th July 2017

  Force elements from Ukraine’s Special Operations Command have completed a joint training programme with the US Naval Special Warfare Command in the Black Sea as …

• Defence Helicopter

  Gentex wins US AAIH contract

  28th July 2017

  Gentex Corporation has been awarded a $13 million contract by the US Army for the delivery of Apache Aviator Integrated Helmets (AAIH), the company announced …

• Naval Warfare

  USN ponders how to maintain its edge

  28th July 2017

  As competition from peer and near-pear countries challenges the maritime dominance enjoyed by the US Navy for a generation, the service is having to look …

• Digital Battlespace

  Australian tanks to get BMS hardware

  28th July 2017

  Leonardo DRS is supplying battle management system (BMS) hardware to the Australian Army for fitment in its M1A1 AIM Abrams main battle tanks (MBT). The …

• Digital Battlespace

  Leidos tests USAF’s AgilePod

  28th July 2017

  Leidos has completed testing of sensor systems on the US Air Force's (USAF) AgilePod, a multi-sensor platform designed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, the company …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ADF signs Wasp AE contract

  28th July 2017

  AeroVironment has formally signed contracts to deliver its Wasp AE UAS to the Australian Defence Force (ADF), the company announced on 25 July. AeroVironment will …

• Defence Helicopter

  Indian Sea Kings riddled with problems

  28th July 2017

  The Indian Navy’s (IN) ageing UH-3H Sea Kings are riddled with deficiencies that have compromised their availability for missions, the country’s top auditor has revealed.  …

• Military Logistics

  USS America completes replenishment missions

  27th July 2017

  The US Navy amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) has successfully completed its first connective replenishment (CONREP) and vertical replenishment (VERTREP) missions as part …

• Military Logistics

  Comment: More than just aircraft parts

  27th July 2017

  In order to improve inventory visibility, accountability and command and control (C2), the US Air Force has sought to centralise Class of Supply management in …

• Military Logistics

  Vectrus wins US Keesler AFB contract

  26th July 2017

  Vectrus Systems has won a $97 million US Air Force (USAF) contract to provide base operations support services at Keesler Air Force Base (AFB), Mississippi, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Afghanistan forces to gain additional ScanEagles

  26th July 2017

  Additional ScanEagle UAS will be heading to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) following a $19.6 million award from the US Department of Defence. The new …

• Land Warfare

  US Army to field XM17 from November

  26th July 2017

  The US Army will begin fielding the new Sig Sauer XM17 Modular Handgun to soldiers in November 2017, it was announced on 21 July. The US …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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, ...

• 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 helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk (Second Contract) [Croatia]

  Programme Background Western Technology With the help of the US, Croatia has attempted to improve its military technology, replacing Soviet equipment, such as the Mi-8/Mi-17. ...

• Military UAS - mini

  RQ-11 Raven (US Army)

  Programme Background The AeroVironment RQ-11 Raven began to be deployed by the US Army in 2004 and was selected as its sole small UAS in ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Lower Tier Air and Missile Defence Sensor [US]

  Background The US Army's Lower Tier Air and Missile Defence Sensor (LTAMDS) is being acquired from US-based Raytheon.  The United States Army is the primary customer ...

• 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, ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (USAF) (Batch 1) [USA]

  Baclground As of November 2020, the US DoD had signed 14 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Medium Range Intercept Capability [US]

  Background The US Marine Corps' Medium Range Intercept Capability (MRIC) is a new medium-range air defence capability developed from the Israeli Tamir surface-to-air missile and Iron ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8A Poseidon [UK]

  Background In July 2016, the UK government announced that it had ordered nine aircraft for service with the RAF. Under this frame, in January 2019, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk Add-on [Lithuania]

  Programme Background On 6 June 2020, the US State Department announced that it had approved a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of six UH-60M Black Hawk ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker DVH (March 2026) [US]

  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 (USMC) (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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker DVH (September 2026) [US]

  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 ...

• 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 - tracked

  AMPV [US]

  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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• 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. 

• Data links

  GNOMAD US Domestic

  The US domestic version of GNOMAD (see separate entry) is a ruggedised system comprising a satellite antenna and baseband modular chassis that can be installed ...

• 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 ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Indirect Fire Protection Capability [US]

  Leidos' Indirect Fire Protection Capability has been selected to provide medium-range Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) to sit between SHORAD and the high-end Patriot. 

• 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 ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Leonidas High-Powered Microwave DEW

  Leonardo's US-based subsidiary Epirus has received funding from both the US and Singapore to develop its Leonidas High-Powered Microwave (HPM) directed-energy weapon (DEW).

• 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.

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Lockheed Martin Next Generation Short Range Interceptor

  US-based Lockheed Martin is competing for the US Army's Next Generation Short Range Interceptor (NGSRI) programme with its QuadStar missile.  The programme aims to replace ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  RG33

  BAE Systems RG33 is a family of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles available in both 4x4 and 6x6. The medium-weight class of BAE Systems MRAP ...

• Military - USVs

  Voyager

  Voyager is an Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) built by US-based Saildrone. Voyager has been used by the US Navy (USN) and is one of three ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  TH-119 (TH-73A Thrasher )

  The US Navy announced on 13 January 2020 that Leonardo had been awarded a US$176.5 million contract for the production of 32 TH-119 helicopters in ...

• Frigates

  Oliver Hazard Perry Class

  The Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided missile frigates (FFG) were initially designed for the US Navy in the mid-1970s as cost-efficient surface combatants. The robust design has ...

• Self-propelled guns

  SIGMA

  The SIGMA is the latest self-propelled howitzer (SPH) developed by Elbit America and Oshkosh Defense. Produced entirely in the US, the SIGMA is intended to ...

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  AN/PLT-5 Thor-II

  Sierra Nevada Corporations’s (SNC's) AN/PLT-5 Thor-II Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) system is designed to equip CIED teams and is used throughout the US armed ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - MLDS, Air: Defensive Systems - Laser Warning Receivers

  LIMWS

  BAE Systems is leading the US Army’s Limited Interim Missile Warning System (LIMWS) initiative. This is intended to enhance the missile protection provided to US ...