• Naval Warfare

  Australian P-8A acquisition gets underway

  27th August 2014

  The US Navy has placed an advanced acquisition contract with Boeing for four P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft, as part of a foreign military sale …

• Naval Warfare

  Damen signs Ecuadorian Coast Guard contract

  26th August 2014

  Damen will construct two Stan Patrol 5009 vessels with Astinave for the Ecuadorian Coast Guard under a contract announced on 21 August. The vessels will …

• Naval Warfare

  Hacker threat to marine logistics, warns IMB

  22nd August 2014

  The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has warned that shipping and the logistics supply chain is becoming the ‘next playground for hackers’ as criminals target valuable …

• Naval Warfare

  Kongsberg Mesotech launches maritime security sonar

  22nd August 2014

  Kongsberg Mesotech has introduced the M3 MARSEC Shallow-Water Maritime Security Sonar System, a new bundled system developed to meet the needs of customers who require …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Navy CANES programme vendors selected

  22nd August 2014

  Five companies have been selected to compete for delivery orders under the US Navy’s Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) programme to upgrade cybersecurity, …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed Martin introduces maritime test bed

  21st August 2014

  Lockheed Martin has developed a new maritime test bed to assist the US Navy in validating sophisticated intelligence, communications and sensor systems before they are …

• Defence Notes

  Portsmouth shipbuilding never had a chance

  20th August 2014

  Efforts by the UK’s Portsmouth Shipbuilding – a consortium of marine consultancies and local businesses – to keep shipbuilding operations alive in the city were …

• Defence Helicopter

  First RAN Landing Helicopter Dock nears delivery

  19th August 2014

  The first Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) ship under construction for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has sailed on her final contractor sea trials before delivery …

• Land Warfare

  Supacat wins Australian special forces vehicle contract

  19th August 2014

  Supacat will deliver 89 Special Operations Vehicles - Commando (SOV-Cdo) to the Australian military under a $105 million contract with the Defence Material Organisation (DMO) …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army demonstrates K-Max and SMSS cooperation

  19th August 2014

  The US Army and Lockheed Martin (LM) have successfully demonstrated a new concept of operation using the K-Max unmanned helicopter and Squad Mission Support System …

• Naval Warfare

  Serco wins US military CIWS installation contract

  18th August 2014

  Serco will provide installation support for Close-In Weapons Systems (CIWS) on US Navy, US Army and US Coast Guard vessels under a single-award IDIQ contract …

• Military Logistics

  Australia expands support aircraft

  18th August 2014

  The Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) Air Mobility Group will be strengthened by the addition of two more A330 (locally designated as KC-30A) Multi-Role Tanker/Transports …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman to continue US Air Force Weather support

  18th August 2014

  Northrop Grumman will continue supporting US Air Force Weather (AFW) deliver a full range of terrestrial and space environmental information, products and services to military …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  USAF RQ-4 Global Hawk expands operational area

  15th August 2014

  The US Air Force has expanded the operational area of its RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle into the Pacific to support US Pacific Command …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Development cycle continues for Taiwan's 'Reaper'

  14th August 2014

  Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) is in the process of evaluating a secretive, long range UAV copied from the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper, Shephard …

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 - 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 - 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 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 ...

• 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 - USVs

  MUSV (1-83) [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 ...

• 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 ...

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 ...

• 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. ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...