• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus D&S receives Spexer 2000 contract extension

  9th April 2014

  Airbus Defence and Space (D&S) will supply new Spexer 2000 security radars to an existing unnamed customer in the Middle East to improve the country’s …

• Land Warfare

  Alion signs US DoD C-IED development contract

  9th April 2014

  Alion Science and Technology will work with the US Department of Defence (DoD) in an engineering and science and technology expertise capacity to develop next-generation …

• Land Warfare

  Nexter signs French Army VBCI support contract

  9th April 2014

  Nexter Group will support the French Army’s VBCI armoured infantry combat vehicle under a contract signed on 4 April. The Support in Services contract (MSS) …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SAS14: Textron boosts Scorpion test schedule

  8th April 2014

  Textron AirLand is due to ramp up flight testing of its Scorpion strike/ISR aircraft as it aims to achieve more than 300 flight hours by …

• Naval Warfare

  US Coast Guard HC-144A deliveries remain on-track

  8th April 2014

  A new HC-144A Ocean Sentry maritime patrol aircraft has been delivered by Airbus Defense and Space (D&S) to the US Coast Guard, bringing the fleet …

• Defence Helicopter

  SAS14: AACUS completes first phase test

  8th April 2014

  The Office of Naval Research (ONR) has completed the first flight test programme of its five year Autonomous Aerial Cargo/Utility System (AACUS) effort, it has …

• Naval Warfare

  AdvanFort accuses SAMI of inaction

  8th April 2014

  Private maritime security company (PMSC) AdvanFort has announced that it will withdraw from the Security Association for the Maritime Industries (SAMI) with intentions to establish …

• 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 …

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 ...