• Digital Battlespace

  ThinKom to start shipboard tests of Ka-band antenna for USN

  7th August 2020

  The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), has awarded ThinKom Solutions a seven-month contract to provide its commercially available phased-array antenna for USN shipboard communications. ThinKom announced …

• Naval Warfare

  USN primes latest LCS for commissioning

  7th August 2020

  The 19th Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) for the USN, the future USS St Louis (LCS 19), will be commissioned in Mayport, Florida on 9 August …

• Naval Warfare

  Latest fast transport vessel for USN completes acceptance trials

  4th August 2020

  The Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport vessel USNS Newport (EPF 12) has successfully completed acceptance trials for the USN in the Gulf of Mexico, shipbuilder Austal USA …

• Naval Warfare

  USS Preble to undergo comprehensive modernisation

  14th August 2020

  BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair is to ‘maintain, modernise and repair’ the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Preble, the DoD announced on 13 August. …

• Naval Warfare

  AUTEC gains support from Amentum

  14th August 2020

  Amentum Services is to support and maintain the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) for the USN, under a new $430.02 million contract from …

• Defence Helicopter

  Indian and Danish Seahawks to receive ALFS

  5th August 2020

  Lockheed Martin is to produce and deliver 39 AN/AQS-22 Airborne Low Frequency Sonars (ALFS) to the USN and FMS customers, for integration into MH-60R Seahawk multi-mission …

• Digital Battlespace

  NIWC Pacific calls on industry for Seabed to Space

  6th August 2020

  The Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific in San Diego issued an online presolicitation notice to industry on 4 August, for development, technical, management, and …

• Naval Warfare

  USS Bataan to undergo maintenance having ended seven-month deployment

  6th August 2020

  General Dynamics NASSCO is to provide facilities and human resources to complete, coordinate and integrate ‘multiple areas of ship maintenance, repair and modernisation’ of USS Bataan …

• Defence Notes

  UK needs to decide – is it in or out of Asia-Pacific?

  21st August 2020

  The UK RN seems determined to deploy a carrier group in the Asia-Pacific region in 2021, as the first operational deployment of HMS Queen Elizabeth. …

• Defence Notes

  Rolls-Royce taps into DPA Title III to expand US production plant

  13th August 2020

  The Rolls-Royce ship propeller and propulsion components manufacturing facility in Pascagoula, Mississippi, is being expanded and upgraded with funding of $22 million under Defense Production …

• Naval Warfare

  BAE Systems to repair two USN destroyers

  10th August 2020

  BAE Systems Jacksonville Ship Repair is to undertake extended dry-docking work on USS Carney (pictured), plus depot modernisation of USS Winston Churchill. Work on the two …

• Naval Warfare

  Lockheed Martin to undertake more Aegis work for NAVSEA

  10th August 2020

  Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems has received a $65.28 million contract from US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) for FY2020 Aegis Weapon System modernisation, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Bell enhances industrial capabilities with FVL in mind

  10th August 2020

  Bell Textron officially unveiled its new 140,000ft2 (13,000m2) Manufacturing Technology Center at Fort Worth, Texas on 10 August, underlining its bullish mood regarding development and rapid …

• Naval Warfare

  Plasan starts to make armour for RN Type 26 frigates

  5th August 2020

  Plasan has begun production of armour for the UK RN’s Type 26 City-class ASW frigates, about two years later than originally scheduled. UK shipbuilder BAE …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Curtiss-Wright to support Triton

  27th July 2020

  Curtiss-Wright Defense Systems has been awarded a $7.53 million sole-source contract from the US Defense Logistics Agency, to support the MQ4-C Triton maritime UAS programme for …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  IAR-99 Replacement (Romania)

  On 29 August 2017, Leonardo announced that the IAR-99 trainer technology demonstrator (TD) will be fitted with company's Vixen 500E AESA radar. The Vixen 500E AESA ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey (USN)

  Programme Background Requirement According to USN FY2023 Budget Estimate documentation, the V-22 programme provides an aircraft to meet the amphibious and vertical assault needs of ...

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  MQ-8C Fire Scout (USA)

  Programme Background Timeline According to the Naval Air Systems Command, having first ordered the MQ-8B in 2009, the UAV has become a pillar of the ...

• Military UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USN)

  Programme Background Joint USN and USMC Procurment The RQ-21 Blackjack, or STUALSO, was a combined United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) programme ...

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

  MQ-25 Stingray (13-76) [USN]

  Background Initial Requirements - Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4 Triton (Announced/Contracted) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The MQ-4C Triton programme, developed under the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) programme, required an uncrewed system to provide persistent real-time intelligence, surveillance ...

• Military UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USMC)

  Programme Background Joint USN and USMC Procurment The RQ-21 Blackjack, or STUALSO, was a combined United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) programme ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The FVL-MS programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft utilised ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV Oshkosh Contract (US Navy) [US]

  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 of ...

• Maritime patrol

  Maritime Patrol Aircraft Procurement [Italy]

  Programme Background In an appearance before the Italian parliament’s Foreign and Defence Affairs Committee on 14 July 2022, Italian Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Adm ...

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

  MQ-25 Stingray (10-12) [USN]

  Background Initial Requirements -  Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four Preliminary ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCAC 100 Class (SSC) [USN]

  Programme Background Timeline The major role of the SSC will be deployment from landing ships in support of USN and USMC operations and the transport ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW101-Norway

  AgustaWestland is also providing initial support and training services, including spares at each of the operating bases and aircrew training. It will then provide performance ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Blackwing (Second Batch) [USA]

  Programme BackgroundFirst Batch The Blackwing originated from a 2013 initiative to develop a low-cost submarine-launched UAS for the US Navy. Following successful tests with the ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [USN]

  Background Requirement The USN wants to acquire carrier-capable loyal wingman drones. These drones will have a high level of autonomy, allowing them to work alongside crewed aircraft.  ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  AN/SPY-3

  The AN/SPY-3 is a multifunction naval radar developed and manufactured by Raytheon. Its intended uses include horizon and surface search, navigation, periscope detection, discrimination, and ...

• Fighter - multirole, Fighter - naval

  F-35C

  The F-35C Lightning II, also known as the F-35 carrier variant (CV), is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft in carrier configuration. It has larger wings and ...

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

  MQ-8C Fire Scout

  The MQ-8C is a newer version of the Fire Scout and is based on a Bell 407 commercial helicopter. It offers a greater range, endurance and ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-79

  The AN/APG-79 is an agile beam radar with a solid-state digital array that scans at nearly the speed of light, enabling detection and tracking of ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  AN/SPY-6(V)1 (AMDR)

  Raytheon's Air and Missile Defence Radar (AMDR), now officially designated as AN/SPY-6(V)1 is a three-dimensional AESA naval surveillance radar designed to simultaneously defend against ballistic missiles, hypersonic ...

• Fighter - electronic warfare

  EA-18G Growler

  The EA-18G Growler is a variant in the F/A-18 family of aircraft that combines the F/A-18F Super Hornet platform with a sophisticated electronic warfare suite. It ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Raven ES-05

  The Raven ES-05 is an AESA fire-control radar developed by Leonardo in close collaboration with Saab for the Gripen E/F. It features a repositionable AESA ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-63(V)2

  The AN/APG-63(V)2 is a significant radar upgrade for the U.S. Air Force F-15C aircraft. This upgrade replaces the mechanically-scanned antenna (MSA) with an AESA antenna,  ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Grifo E

  The Grifo-E is an advanced fire-control radar developed by Leonardo, featuring Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology for enhanced situational awareness. It employs Active Electronically Scanned ...

• Military - UUVs

  Snakehead LDUUV

  The Snakehead Large Displacement Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (LDUUV) is a US Navy (USN) Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (UUV) designed to be launched from submarine Dry Dock Shelters ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  RBE2

  The AESA RBE2 is the first AESA radar produced in Europe for combat aircraft. The active phased array replaces the passive array in the RBE2 currently ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Vixen-1000E

  The Vixen 1000E is an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar designed for fighter and interceptor aircraft, incorporating a roll-repositionable antenna with a ±100º field ...

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

  MQ-8B Fire Scout

  The MQ-8B Fire Scout is a rotary-wing UAV that provides situational awareness and precision targeting support for the US Armed Forces. The MQ-8B Fire Scout, ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-82(V)1

  The AN/APG-82(V)1 is an X-band active electronically scanned array radar system that combines the AN/APG-79 processor with the AESA antenna of the AN/APG-63(V)3. The system ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Giraffe 4A

  The Giraffe 4A is a multi-function S-band AESA radar system combining air surveillance, ground-based air defence, and weapon locating capabilities in a single platform.