• Digital Battlespace

  West 2013: ICOP offers video battlespace awareness

  1st February 2013

  The US Fifth Fleet is trialling five prototype Intelligence Carry-On Programme (ICOP) portable ruggedized work stations to introduce additional capabilities to its cruiser and destroyer …

• Digital Battlespace

  West 2013: MTC-2 to move ahead this year

  1st February 2013

  An analysis of alternatives (AoA) will begin this year for the Maritime Tactical Command and Control (MTC-2) future programme of record. Speaking at the AFCEA …

• Digital Battlespace

  West 2013: Team for DCGS-N to be created

  1st February 2013

  The analysis of alternatives (AoA) for Increment 2 of the US Navy’s Distributed Common Ground System-Navy (DCGS-N) is due to be completed and government-led team …

• Defence Helicopter

  Helicopter commanders prepare for post-Afghanistan realities

  31st January 2013

  As most international forces prepare to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014, the need to prepare helicopter units for future conflicts is being brought …

• Defence Helicopter

  Fire Scout payload protection to be enhanced

  31st January 2013

  Northrop Grumman will protect the payload onboard the next-generation MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter with a protective cage to store and shield critical electronic components …

• Digital Battlespace

  TACLANE-1G encryptor certified to Top Secret and below

  31st January 2013

  General Dynamics C4 Systems has announced that its new TACLANE-1G (KG-175G) encryptor has been certified by the US National Security Agency (NSA) to secure classified …

• Naval Warfare

  West 2013: Pacific Fleet commander highlights financial problems

  31st January 2013

  The effects of the continuing resolution used to fund government agencies means that the DoD is facing a shortfall of $3 billion for this year. …

• Naval Warfare

  ST Engineering announces new naval contract

  30th January 2013

  Singapore Technologies Engineering announced yesterday that it had been awarded a contract by the Singapore Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) for the design and build of …

• Land Warfare

  British Army conducts largest ever virtual exercise

  30th January 2013

  The British Army has announced that soldiers from the 2nd Battalion the Royal Welsh completed the army’s largest ever virtual simulation exercise on 30 January. …

• Digital Battlespace

  West 2013: JIE framework implementation gathers pace

  30th January 2013

  The DoD is progressing with the implementation of the Joint Information Environment (JIE) framework that will create a single seamless, secure network accessible by employees …

• Digital Battlespace

  West 2013: budget cuts will affect US military readiness, warns vice chairman

  30th January 2013

  The ability of US military forces to maintain high levels readiness is under threat due to the budgetary challenges faced by the US government. Speaking …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales launches MBITR 2 dual-channel radio

  29th January 2013

  Thales has launched the second generation of its Multiband Inter/Intra Team Radio (MBITR) with a new simultaneous two-channel capability. The MBITR 2 leverages the narrowband …

• Defence Helicopter

  Royal Navy Wildcat helicopter takes flight

  28th January 2013

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced that the first Wildcat attack helicopter to be delivered to the Royal Navy successfully completed its first …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales to upgrade NATO protected SATCOM capability

  25th January 2013

  Thales will upgrade the protected SATCOM capability of NATO under a new contract announced on 25 January. The award, issued by the NATO Communications and …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AeroVironment announces new Wasp AE order

  24th January 2013

  AeroVironment will supply its Wasp AE small unmanned aircraft system (SUAS) to support an as yet unspecified US Marine Corps requirement under a contract announced …

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 ...