• Naval Warfare

  SAS14: USN chief encourages payload utility extensions

  7th April 2014

  The US Navy’s (USN) chief of naval operations has stressed that the payload capacity of the service’s vessels needs to be utilised further in order …

• Naval Warfare

  SAS14: USCG boss calls for more vessels

  7th April 2014

  In spite of DoD budget cuts, the Commandant of the USCG has called for more ships to be brought into the force’s fleet as vessels …

• Military Logistics

  DRS wins DDG-51 Ships energy storage module contract

  7th April 2014

  DRS Technologies will design, build and supply Energy Storage Modules (ESM) to the US Navy for the DDG 51 class ships. The modules will provide …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Navy orders five more MQ-8C Fire Scout UAVs

  7th April 2014

  The US Navy has placed an order with Northrop Grumman for five additional MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The company was awarded a …

• Naval Warfare

  Philippines advances frigate project

  2nd April 2014

  Following Chinese claims on maritime territory in the South China Sea and the increasing occurrence of incursions by Chinese fishing vessels in the region, the …

• Naval Warfare

  L-3 MAPPS selected for Canadian Navy programme

  2nd April 2014

  L-3 MAPPS will design a new integrated platform management system (IPMS) for the Royal Canadian Navy's (RCN) new class of arctic/offshore patrol ships (AOPS). The …

• Naval Warfare

  Countries criminalising ships' guards

  2nd April 2014

  Countries are arresting maritime security operatives that work on commercial ships and this is putting their success at deterring piracy at risk, Shephard has learned. …

• Naval Warfare

  Damen signs for 6th Mexican Navy patrol vessel

  1st April 2014

  Damen Shipyards has been selected to assist the Mexican Navy in building a new Damen Stan Patrol 4207 vessel, with a contract for the work …

• Land Warfare

  Quantico Tactical receives US $10 billion IDIQ contract

  1st April 2014

  Quantico Tactical will provide a range of special operational equipment to the US military under a five-year $10 billion IDIQ contract awarded by the Defense …

• Defence Notes

  European defence cooperation still falling short

  31st March 2014

  While the pooling and sharing of defence capabilities is still regarded as the way forward, many obstacles to its voluntary implementation remain, participants at the …

• Defence Helicopter

  FIDAE: Airbus Helicopters reveals $54 million of deals

  31st March 2014

  Airbus Helicopters secured transactions worth $54 million for the AS350, EC145 and EC155 helicopters during the FIDAE exhibition in Santiago in Chile at the end …

• Defence Helicopter

  Qatar announces $24 billion in defence contracts

  28th March 2014

  The Qatar Armed Forces has awarded an estimated $24 billion in defence contracts for the purchase of tanks, helicopters, missiles and other weapons, it was …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DIMDEX: Qatar Armed Forces pursue OPV design

  28th March 2014

  Thales and the Qatar Armed Forces (QAF) have agreed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to pursue the development of an 'optionally piloted vehicle - aircraft' …

• Land Warfare

  UK advances Army 2020 plan

  27th March 2014

  The UK Ministry of Defence has implemented the first phase of its Army 2020 re-structuring programme with the launch of Force Troops Command (FTC), which …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  FIDAE: ScanEagle offered to Brazil

  27th March 2014

  The Insitu ScanEagle UAV completed a maritime demonstration with the Brazilian Navy on 17 February, Shephard has learned. Speaking at the FIDAE exhibition in Santiago, …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Long Range/Long Endurance (LR/LE) [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 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 (9-18) [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 ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (1-8) [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 ...

• 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 - 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 ...

• 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 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 ...

• 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 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 helicopters - maritime

  Maritime Operations Helicopters

  The three maritime operations helicopters will be used for logistics and personnel transport, alongside transportation of PASKAL naval special forces in operations in the area. ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Naval Multi Role Helicopters

  The IN is seeking two configurations of future multirole helicopters – one for general use and one for special operations. These two variants will meet ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Naval: RF, IR and acoustic decoys

  Sea Lightning

  Developed by a joint venture between BAE Systems and General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Sea Lightning is being offered to the USN for the Block ...

• 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 ...

• 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: COMINT and ELINT systems, Land: COMINT and ELINT systems, Naval: COMINT and ELINT systems

  LOKI

  The LOKI family is a cross-platform C2 system designed to integrate EW, SIGINT and Electro-Magnetic Spectrum Operations on many distributed platforms. The platform can be ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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, ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Major networking projects

  DIB 1.3

  The Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) Integration Backbone (DIB) is a key element of the US DoD strategy to build a net-centric capability, enabling service DCGS elements ...