• 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, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  FIDAE: Argentine UAVs revealed

  26th March 2014

  Argentine company Mundo Compuesto (MCOM) Special Developments has provided information about its developmental MCOM UAV at FIDAE. The UAV has a wingspan of 4.2m and …

• Naval Warfare

  DIMDEX: Raytheon offers up ‘counter-swarm’ solution

  26th March 2014

  The most prolific threat currently facing Middle Eastern navies is swarming fast attack craft, according to Raytheon, which has developed a new missile system to …

• Naval Warfare

  DIMDEX: Naval commanders call for maritime cooperation

  26th March 2014

  Navy leaders called for greater cooperation in the modern maritime security environment at the Middle East Naval Commanders Conference in Doha on 26 March. More …

• Naval Warfare

  DIMDEX: Qatar signs for new fast patrol craft

  26th March 2014

  The Qatar Coast Guard has signed a deal with Turkish company Ares Shipyard for the delivery of a number of new high speed vessels to …

• Military Logistics

  Rockwell Collins to upgrade Mexico C-130 avionics

  26th March 2014

  Rockwell Collins will supply its Flight2 integrated avionics system for the Mexican Air Force programme to upgrade its C-130 Hercules aircraft fleet under a contract …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Brazilian Air Force selects Hermes 900 UAV

  26th March 2014

  Elbit Systems will supply a Hermes 900 Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) under a new contract announced on 26 March. …

• Digital Battlespace

  DIMDEX: Middle Eastern C4ISR requirements evolve

  26th March 2014

  The Middle East is experiencing a change of mindset in the area of C4ISR procurement, according to Thales. Speaking to Shephard at DIMDEX on 26 …

• Naval Warfare

  DIMDEX: Saab promotes maritime surveillance

  26th March 2014

  Offering up its maritime surveillance capabilities to the Middle-East at DIMDEX, Saab has described a ‘complex’ maritime environment in the Arabian Gulf. Speaking to 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 ...