• Uncrewed Vehicles

  GA-ASI concludes testing of HDD for MQ-25

  24th July 2018

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has concluded performance testing of arresting hook Hold Down Damper (HDD) for its proposed MQ-25 unmanned aerial refueling aircraft for …

• Land Warfare

  GDLS to upgrade Stryker vehicles

  2nd July 2018

  General Dynamics Land Systems has received a $258 million contract modification from the US Army to upgrade 116 Stryker flat-bottom vehicles to the Stryker A1 …

• Land Warfare

  Russia orders 'experimental batch' of Kurganets-25

  16th July 2018

  The Russian MoD has placed an initial order for the Kurganets-25 tracked armoured vehicle, likely for experimentation trials by front-line army units. This was disclosed in …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Oshkosh to integrate PLS vehicles with autonomous technology

  3rd July 2018

  Oshkosh Defense has received a $49 million contract to integrate existing Palletized Load System (PLS) vehicles with autonomous technology as part of the US Army’s …

• Naval Warfare

  DAVD-HUD to be transitioned into operational system

  24th July 2018

  Coda Octopus has entered into a Navy Cooperative Research Development Agreement (CRADA) to transition the prototype of the Divers Augmented Vision Display-Head Up Display system …

• Training

  First test flights of Mi-28UB

  10th July 2018

  The Russian Army Aviation has successfully completed the first test flights of the new Mi-28UB combat training helicopter, the Russian Ministry of Defence announced on …

• Training

  Farnborough 2018: Link to start UH-60L training

  25th July 2018

  L3 Technologies Link Training and Simulation is about to start offering UH-60L Black Hawk training at its headquarters in Arlington, Texas. The UH-60L simulator joins …

• Defence Helicopter

  US SF and Boeing ink Block II Chinook deal

  29th June 2018

  As expected, the US Army has brought forward the acquisition of new MH-47G Block II Chinooks for its SF and has inked an initial deal …

• Land Warfare

  Leonardo DRS down-selected for IM-SHORAD programme

  3rd July 2018

  Leonardo DRS' mission equipment package has been down-selected by the US Army for the Initial Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense (IM-SHORAD) programme, the company announced on …

• Digital Battlespace

  Taiwan hacker conference proves unnerving

  31st July 2018

  The 2018 Hacks in Taiwan Conference (HITCON) was disturbing. After being founded in 2005, the 14th HITCON was held from 27-28 July at the Taipei …

• Military Logistics

  US Army explores ‘softer side’ of airdrops

  27th June 2018

  Against a backdrop of recent activities focused on the ability to airdrop ‘heavy’ logistics payloads, the US Army is also exploring new options for providing …

• Defence Helicopter

  JAGM achieves milestone C decision

  3rd July 2018

  Lockheed Martin's Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) system has successfully passed its Defense Acquisition Board review and achieved milestone C, the company announced on 27 June. …

• Defence Helicopter

  South Korea issues naval helicopter requirement

  11th July 2018

  On 14 June the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced the launch of its search for a second batch of naval helicopters – 12 in …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy’s LCS Wichita completes acceptance trials

  17th July 2018

  The Lockheed Martin-led industry team has completed acceptance trials of Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 13, the future USS Wichita, in the waters of Lake Michigan, …

• Defence Notes

  Farnborough 2018: Show roundup (video)

  20th July 2018

  As Farnborough draws to a close, Shephard's editorial team discuss the main news stories from the week, including the unveiling of Tempest - the UK's …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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, ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 - 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 Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle – Expeditionary ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  M-SHORAD Increment 3 [USA]

  Background The US Army is upgrading its maneuver short-range air defense system (M-SHORAD). Under the overal programme, there are three increments. Increment 1 vehicles are ...

• 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 ...

• 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 - 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 - micro

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

  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 organic, ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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. 

• 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV)

  BAE Systems' Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) was developed in response to a US Army requirement for a platform to replace the ageing M113 APCs in ...

• 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). ...

• 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.

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M930 Illumination Mortar Round

  The M930 Illumination Mortar Round is a 120mm mortar round manufactured by Island Pyrochemical Industries for the US Army.