• Digital Battlespace

  USAF baseline SBIRS constellation complete

  4th May 2018

  The US Air Force's (USAF's) fourth Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) satellite has transmitted its first images back to Earth, Lockheed …

• Land Warfare

  Sig Sauer comes out on top for Denmark's new pistol

  16th April 2018

  Denmark has selected the 9x19mm Sig Sauer P320 X-Carry as its new pistol after an evaluation of four shortlisted designs. The P320 will be fielded …

• Military Logistics

  Serco to continue supporting NESS

  2nd May 2018

  Serco has received an IDIQ contract to provide life cycle sustainment, acquisition and integration support to the US Navy for anti-terrorism/force protection Naval Electronic Surveillance …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales to modernise PR4G radios for Spain

  25th April 2018

  Thales has been awarded a contract by Spain’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) to modernise the PR4G radios currently in operation with the Spanish armed forces, …

• Land Warfare

  USMC to field Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle

  11th May 2018

  The US Marine Corps (USMC) is adopting the Mk13 Mod 7 as its primary sniper rifle, the USMC announced on 9 May. The bolt-action rifle …

• Naval Warfare

  Insight: China breaks promises and militarises South China Sea reefs

  3rd May 2018

  News has emerged from a US television network, likely leaked by US intelligence sources, that China has installed two missile types onto three of its reclaimed …

• Special Operations

  US Army conducts GMV 1.1 airdrop tests

  10th April 2018

  The US Army is carrying out low-velocity airdrop testing of the Ground Mobility Vehicle 1.1 (GMV 1.1) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the army announced …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Lockheed announces first US customer for VCSi

  3rd May 2018

  Aurora Flight Sciences has become the first US customer to purchase Lockheed Martin’s new Vehicle Control Station (VCS) software product, Lockheed announced on 1 May. …

• Military Logistics

  Yokota Air Base receives final C-130Js

  2nd May 2018

  Lockheed Martin has delivered the final two C-130J-30 Super Hercules airlifters assigned to the US Air Force installation at Yokota Air Base in Japan, the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2018: Swift closes on Japan joint venture

  2nd May 2018

  Swift Engineering is looking to close on a joint venture that will enable it to conduct commercial UAS service operations in Japan, while also beginning …

• Training

  ITEC 2018: ANG to acquire PRISim Suite PortableTrainers

  10th May 2018

  Cubic Global Defense (CGD), in partnership with Federal Resources, has been awarded a contract to supply the US Air National Guard (ANG) with 95 L750 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Hatchet hits target in unmanned testing

  1st May 2018

  Orbital ATK is on target to reach technology readiness level (TRL) 7 with its Hatchet munition by the end of 2018. Previously, Orbital ATK and its …

• Naval Warfare

  Unfazed by frigate tracking, France expresses Asian commitment

  7th May 2018

  The French frigate FS Vendemiaire was tracked by a Chinese frigate in the South China Sea while transiting from Hong Kong to Brunei, following a …

• Military Logistics

  Boeing receives DLA F/A-18 support contract

  30th April 2018

  Boeing has received a five-year $427 million contract from the US Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to provide and manage consumable material for F/A-18 depot maintenance, …

• Defence Notes

  US stands by Afghans after deadly day for journalists

  1st May 2018

  Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday the US would stand by the Afghan people and the Kabul government, a day after attacks killed dozens of …

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 ...

• Main battle tanks

  NGCV: DLP

  Programme Background Requirement The DLP is one of five vehicle families being developed for the US Army's NGCV programme. Expanded to include five programmes in ...

• AGMV 1.1

  Programme Background The US Army has been seeking a lightweight, air-droppable, high mobility vehicle since as early as 2014, when it initiated its Ultra Light ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) (Forecast) [US Army]

  Background USMC In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, which had been specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AMPV [USA]

  Programme Background Platform Development The US Army initiated the AMPV programme to acquire a replacement for several variants of the M113 tracked APC, which has ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV Oshkosh Contract [US Army]

  Programme 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow On

  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, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker (Sergeant Stout) [USA]

  Programme 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 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System (LMAMS) [US Army]

  Background First Contract In June 2011, the US awarded AeroVironment a $4.9 million series-production contract for the loitering munition, satisfying the US Army's Lethal Miniature ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Switchblade 300 (USA)

  Programme Background AeroVironment has been providing the Switchblade 300 loitering munition to the US Army under the long-standing Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile Systems (LMAMS) programme ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  US Army Maneuver Support Vessel Light (MSVL)

  Programme BackgroundThe Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) or MSV(L) contract was awarded by the US Army to Vigor in 2017 and are being built to replace ...

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) ...

• JPT

  Designed for military applications, the Joint Platform Tablet (JPT) features a rugged design, including a military-grade aluminium case, dual-core processor, 128GB removable hard drive and ...

• 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 ...

• REBS

  The Rapidly Emplaced Bridge System (REBS) is a 13m dry-gap bridge. It was designed by GDELS to meet a US Army requirement to provide a ...

• DSB

  WFEL was selected in 1996 to develop the M18 Dry Support Bridge (DSB) for the US Army. The company designed, manufactured and integrated the DSB ...

• 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 ...