• Defence Notes

  Generals hampering effective training

  3rd February 2015

  Militaries across the world continue to struggle to effectively train between nations and across services, despite the fact that increased interoperability would benefit armed forces-readiness.  …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  CybAero begins factory testing APID 60 VTOL

  3rd February 2015

  CybAero has begun factory testing three APID 60 VTOL UAS set for delivery to China Customs, the company announced on 2 February. The UAS will …

• Defence Helicopter

  Northrop to deliver five ALMDS pods to US Navy

  3rd February 2015

  Northrop Grumman will continue the production of AN/AES-1Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS) under a new US Navy contract, the company said on 2 February. …

• Land Warfare

  CERDEC expands Vigilant Pursuit soldier training

  2nd February 2015

  A US army research centre has been working on expanding training to improve quick-reaction intelligence capabilities, according to a US Army release on 27 January. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Leidos wins contract from US AFLCMC

  30th January 2015

  The US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) has awarded Leidos a $12 million contract to provide Unit Command and Control (UC2) software solutions, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Raytheon acquires Sensintel

  30th January 2015

  Raytheon announced on 26 January that it has acquired Sensintel, which will be part of its missile systems business. Terms of the agreement were not …

• Digital Battlespace

  Special forces suit project confirmed

  30th January 2015

  The future of the US Special Operations Command’s (USSOCOM’s) Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS) programme is assured following a change of command. Details remained …

• Naval Warfare

  Australia gifts two heavy landing craft to Philippines

  30th January 2015

  AUSTRALIA will donate two Balikpapan-class landing craft heavy (LCH) vessels to the Philippines, according to an announcement given by Minister for Defence Kevin Andrews on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Leidos’ autonomy system completes voyage

  29th January 2015

  Leidos’ prototype autonomous maritime system for the DARPA Anti-Submarine Warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel (ACTUV) programme recently completed its first self-guided voyage between Gulfport and …

• Naval Warfare

  Canadian Offshore Patrol Ship contract awarded

  29th January 2015

  The Public Works and Government Services department of Canada has awarded a contract for six Arctic Offshore Patrol Ships (AOPS) to Irving Shipbuilding, the department …

• Defence Notes

  Japan, UK to enhance operational cooperation

  28th January 2015

  In the first ever UK-Japan defence ministerial meeting, the two ministries agreed to enhance operational cooperation, the UK government announced on 21 January. The meeting …

• Digital Battlespace

  Sparton, Ultra Electronics win sonobuoy contracts

  28th January 2015

  Sparton and Ultra Electronics have won subcontracts worth $21.6 million for sonobuoys from their ERAPSCO/SonobuoyTech Systems joint venture, Sparton announced on 21 January. ERAPSCO/SonobuoyTech Systems …

• Digital Battlespace

  DRS demonstrates new laser designating gimbal

  27th January 2015

  DRS Technologies has successfully performed the first airborne demonstration of its GS205-XRZ laser designating gimbal, the company announced on 21 January. The GS205-XRZ variant executed …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Husky UGV used for mine mapping in Chile

  27th January 2015

  A research team from the University of Chile is using a Husky unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) for mine mapping in the country. The university's Department …

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing awarded Indonesian AH-64E Apache contract

  27th January 2015

  Boeing has been awarded a contract to manufacture eight AH-64E Apache attack helicopters for Indonesia, according to a US DoD announcement on 26 January. This …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (28-68) [USN]

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

• 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 ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (1-10) [USMC]

  Programme Background Development As part of the US Marine Corps' future force structure, it is developing a new platform under the Medium Lading Ship programme ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (11-33) [USMC]

  Programme Background Requirements As part of the US Marine Corps' future force structure, it is developing a new platform under the Medium Lading Ship programme ...

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

  Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) (Increment 1) [USMC]

  Programme Background All-in-One UAV Since 2016, the USMC has wished to acquire a UAV that could be deployed from a vessel, be used for various missions, ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (1-27) [USN]

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

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Medium Range/Medium Endurance (MR/ME) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  According to the FY2021 Base funding, the HH-60W helicopter unit cost is $43.2 million. The HH-60W will be capable of employment day or night, in ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  The Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  The Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - small

  Long Range/Long Endurance (LR/LE) [USMC]

  Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to the ...

• Destroyers

  Next-Generation Large Surface Combatants (LSC) - DDG(X) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) is acknowledging a need to move away from the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer design, which is slowly outgrowing. Flight III ...

• 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 - USVs

  MUSV [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements In March 2026, the US announced it would be replacing its Modular Attack Surface Craft (MASC) programme with a Medium Uncrewed Surface ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  SECAT

  In 2022, Textron Systems unveiled its new Surface Effect Cargo Amphibious Transport (SECAT) craft, designed to support logistics behind the US Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations and ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-53E Sea Dragon

  Sikorsky developed the MH-53E (S-80) Sea Dragon variant of its CH-53E to provide the USN with a dedicated airborne mine countermeasures helicopter. Equipped with enlarged ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Tactical Mission System for Helicopter Applications

  The Saab tactical mission system is a system for transport, utility, C2 and combat helicopters intended to operate in a net-centric environment. It is designed ...

• Major networking projects

  CANES

  The Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) programme is a USN-wide effort to rationalise shipboard computing assets. It is designed to create a common ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  MQ-9 MTD

  SDS’s ROVATTS-based MQ-9 Mission Training Device (MTD) was developed to provide high-fidelity simulation to support US Air National Guard operational Reaper crew training. The PC-based ...

• 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 ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  MERS

  The Marine Expeditionary Rifle Squad (MERS) takes a systems engineering approach to equipping the USMC’s fundamental fighting unit. The integration and configuration management of all ...

• 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: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  AN/ZPY-1 STARLite

  The AN/ZPY-1 Small Tactical Radar-Lightweight (STARLite) is a synthetic aperture radar and GMTI sensor for UAVs, manufactured by Northrop Grumman. It offers strip and spot synthetic ...

• 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 - UUVs

  Mission Specialist Defender

  The Mission Specialist Defender is a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) developed by VideoRay, now part of BlueHalo's unmanned maritime systems. The ROV is known ...

• Guided munitions

  AGM-154 JSOW

  The AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) is a joint United States Navy (USN)/United States Air Force (USAF) programme with the USN as the lead service. ...

• Air: mission management systems

  Air Operations Systems of Systems

  Air Operations System of Systems is designed to enable management of airspaces across large states and/or regions focusing on strategic planning. The system integration approach ...

• Trainer

  Saab 340 trainer

  The Saab 340 trainer aircraft is based on the Saab 340 regional airliner. It is used by the USN for pilot training. The aircraft replaced ...

• Subsystems: software

  LiteFlite II Simulators

  The LiteFlite II was designed to provide a high-fidelity, laptop-based system with white-force/man-in-the-loop capabilities for use with a variety of simulation systems. LiteFlite II represents ...