• Defence Notes

  Cubic announces Asia-Pacific contracts

  11th July 2013

  Cubic Defense Systems will provide combat training support to a number of unnamed customers in the Asia-Pacific region. The contracts have a combined value of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ReconRobotics reaches delivery milestone

  10th July 2013

  ReconRobotics has announced that it has sold more than 4,000 robots to military and police organisations, following recent deliveries to police agencies in the US, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  X-47B completes carrier landing

  10th July 2013

  The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstrator (UCAS-D) has become the first unmanned jet to complete an arrested landing on board a moving aircraft carrier. The US Navy …

• Land Warfare

  Kongsberg wins Stryker ECP smart display contract

  10th July 2013

  Kongsberg Integrated Tactical Systems (KITS) will supply commander’s and driver’s smart displays for the US Army Stryker Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) programme under a new …

• Defence Helicopter

  EC225 fix approved by EASA

  9th July 2013

  The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has approved Eurocopter’s interim fix to the main gearbox (MGB) problem that has grounded the North Sea EC225 fleet …

• Defence Helicopter

  Watchdog warns about DoD Afghan Mi-17 purchase

  9th July 2013

  The Pentagon has approved the purchase of 30 Russian made Mi-17 helicopters for an Afghan special unit, despite warnings from a government watchdog the deal …

• Digital Battlespace

  RAF hopeful of Sentinel role beyond 2014

  5th July 2013

  The future of the RAF’s Sentinel R1 reconnaissance aircraft remains unclear according to service chiefs, despite positive feedback from recent operations in Mali earlier this …

• Defence Helicopter

  Australia seeks MK 54 Torpedoes for MH-60R helicopters

  4th July 2013

  The Australian Department of Defence has expressed interest in acquiring 100 MK 54 All-Up-Round Torpedoes from the US government in a possible foreign military sale …

• Military Logistics

  Saab receives Swedish FMV Gripen support order

  4th July 2013

  Saab has signed an order with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) that will see the company support and maintain the Gripen aircraft between 2014 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Sell-off no reflection on wider UAS strategy, says BAE Systems

  2nd July 2013

  BAE Systems has sold its Unmanned Aircraft Programs (UAP) business to former business development director Matthew Pobloske, as the company looks to diversify away from …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Lockheed Martin controls multiple UAVs with integrated C2

  2nd July 2013

  Lockheed Martin has shown that a single integrated command and control (C2) system can monitor and control multiple types of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) during …

• Military Logistics

  New logistics trucks for the French Army

  2nd July 2013

  The first new 8x8 logistics truck procured under the Porteur Polyvalent Terrestre (PPT) programme has been delivered to the French Army. Italian manufacturer Iveco Defence …

• Digital Battlespace

  ESA calls for international measures to combat space debris

  2nd July 2013

  Immediate action is required to mitigate the amount of space debris threatening to jeopardise future satellite operations, a leading expert at the European Space Agency …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  India debuts manpack VTOL UAVs for HADR

  2nd July 2013

  Search and rescue agencies operating in Northern India have successfully used man-portable VTOL UAVs for the first time in humanitarian assistance/disaster relief (HADR) operations, it …

• Military Logistics

  Norway picks BMT design for its new logistics ship

  1st July 2013

  The Aegir logistics support vessel (LSV) design from BMT Defence Services has been selected by Norway for its logistics support ship requirement – known as Project …

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 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 ...

• 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 UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  V-Bat [USN]

  Background Core Requirement Fundamentally, the USN requires a UAV that can be flown from its ships in austere environments without dedicated launch or recovery equipment.  ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Military - UUVs

  RMMV

  The Remote Multi-Mission Vehicle (RMMV) was a semi-submersible AUV developed as part of the AN/WLD-1(V) Remote Minehunting System (RMS) for the USN’s Littoral Combat Ship ...