• Naval Warfare

  Finland ends long wait for construction on the first Pohjanmaa-class corvette

  30th October 2023

  The four Pohjanmaa-class corvettes will be built as part of the Squadron 2020 programme following setbacks that delayed the beginning of construction.

• Naval Warfare

  India to speed up acquisition of further aircraft carrier

  28th September 2023

  India's first domestically built aircraft carrier was massively late by six years, but the country thinks it can do better with the next ship.

• Naval Warfare

  UK and Netherlands team up for future littoral strike platforms

  30th June 2023

  London and The Hague have agreed to explore opportunities to collaboratively develop a future littoral strike platform as the two countries celebrate 50 years of the Joint Amphibious Force.

• Defence Notes

  USMC adapts to new strategic realities caused by Chinese actions and ambitions

  23rd August 2023

  Returning to its roots in many senses, the USMC is working hard to transition to expeditionary operations in the Western Pacific region.

• Naval Warfare

  German Armed Forces successfully concludes laser weapon demonstrator trials

  22nd September 2023

  The German Armed Forces has successfully completed trials of the laser weapon demonstrator (LWD) at sea, proving its combat effectiveness against various targets in realistic operating conditions.

• Naval Warfare

  First Flight III destroyer for US Navy introduces innovative radar capabilities

  8th October 2023

  The introduction of USS Jack H. Lucas to the US Navy's fleet has led to a series of innovative developments that will enhance US capabilities in A2AD zones.

• Digital Battlespace

  Conversation with the CEO - Intelsat's David Wajsgras (video)

  14th September 2023

  David Wajsgras, CEO of Intelsat, speaks with Shephard Studio about the company's role as a global satellite operator focusing on defence and security, highlighting trends in geostationary (GEO) and low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites and emphasising the need for interoperability to enable seamless, global connectivity.

• Training

  Rheinmetall-led next-gen training solution wins EU backing

  19th October 2023

  The FEDERATES consortium will aim to create a distributed synthetic simulation environment, fostering collaboration in a networked digital ecosystem similar to NATO's MSaaS.

• Naval Warfare

  DSEI 2023: SEA launches high-performance countermeasures system for surface platforms

  19th September 2023

  UK ship protection specialist SEA has unveiled Ancilia, a trainable decoy launcher system designed to provide rapid and effective protection against missile, including hypersonic, and torpedo threats to surface vessels.

• Digital Battlespace

  Solving key multidomain challenges for major alliances

  12th December 2023

  Undertaking complex multidomain operations within a multinational alliance comes with challenges. Here are some ways to address them.

• Naval Warfare

  Upgrades to Holland-class OPVs pushed back a year

  6th October 2023

  The Royal Netherlands Navy’s (RNLN’s) four Holland-class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) will begin a mid-life upgrade (MLU) programme in 2025, a year later than planned.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Ocius expands Bluebottle USV capabilities

  10th November 2023

  A growing number of uncrewed systems have been on show at Sydney's Indo-Pacific Maritime exhibition with a select few currently being trialled to see if they can enhance the Royal Australian Navy's surveillance levels.

• Training

  US Navy T-45 Goshawk trainers to receive digital head-up display

  13th July 2023

  Mercury Systems has received a five-year contract worth $83 million from the Naval Air Systems Command to deliver high-definition, digital head-up display (HUD) systems for the T-45 Goshawk training aircraft.

• Defence Notes

  US Army seeks 'fundamental transformation' to face future threats

  25th September 2023

  ‘The army is really undergoing its most fundamental transformation in 40 years. We are moving away from the system that we designed in the 80s’, Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth has claimed,

• Naval Warfare

  DSEI 2023: Exail in competition for Australian mine countermeasures contract

  14th September 2023

  French company Exail's UMIS maritime mine countermeasure (MCM) multi-drone system is in competition for a Royal Australian Navy contract.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 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 ...

• AEW&C

  E-2D - USA

  The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) is an all-weather, twin engine, carrier-based, Airborne Command, Control and Surveillance aircraft designed to extend task force defense perimeters. The ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-25 Stingray (13-76) [USN]

  Background Initial Requirements - Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-25 Stingray (10-12) [USN]

  Background Initial Requirements -  Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four Preliminary ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [USN]

  Background Requirement The USN wants to acquire carrier-capable loyal wingman drones. These drones will have a high level of autonomy, allowing them to work alongside crewed aircraft.  ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R Seahawk (India)

  Programme Background On 25 February 2020, a letter of acceptance for 24 MH-60Rs, worth approximately $2.12 billion, was signed by India and the US in Delhi. ...

• 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 - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-25 Stingray (1-9) [USN]

  Background Initial Requirements - Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  New Coastal Ranger Commando Vessels [Norway]

  Programme Background Requirements According to Naval News, the Norwegian Coastal Ranger Commando is seeking to acquire an undisclosed number of new fast attack/interceptor craft. The ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  F-5E/F Adversary Trainer US Navy

  The F-5N is a single seat, dual engine supersonic land based fighter. It is designed to a service life of 9000 flight hours. The aircraft ...

• Frigates

  Project SEA 3000 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements The February 2024 Enhanced Lethality Surface Combatant Fleet review recommends that the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) acquire at least seven, and optimally 11, ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Goal The Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) programme stems from the Military Sealift Command and Fleet Forces Command identifying, in 2018, a ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  TH-73 Advanced Helicopter Training System - AHTS (TH-57 Replacement)

  Contenders for the competition included the Leonardo single engine TH-119 – a military variant of the AW119Kx – and Bell’s newly upgraded single engine 407GXi. ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Anti-ship missiles

  Naval Strike Missile (NSM)

  The Naval Strike Missile (NSM) is a subsonic, sea-skimming, anti-ship and land-attack missile. The original name was the Nytt sjømålsmissil, but this was later dropped ...

• Air-to-surface missiles, Anti-ship missiles

  JSM

  The Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is a multi-role version of the Naval Strike Missile. Norway funded the programme to develop and produce the JSM for the ...

• Land: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Low Band Transmitter

  The Low Band Transmitter-Antenna Group (LBT-AG), developed by Cobham, has been in production since 2005. The LBT is designed to protect strike aircraft, ships and ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

  The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet was developed to perform naval strike missions for the USN. The primary mission for the F/A-18E/F is a strike fighter that ...

• 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, ...

• 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 ...

• Frigates

  Hunter Class Guided Missile Frigate

  During Indo Pacific 2023, BAE Systems Australia unveiled a Guided Missile variant of the Hunter-class frigate (ASW). Compared to the baseline ASW configuration, the proposed ...

• Frigates

  Independence Class (LCS)

  The USN’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme was originally envisaged to be 50 ships, which would provide a coastal platform that would take over from ...

• Destroyers

  Zumwalt Class

  The DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class is formed by a series of next-generation multi-role destroyers 21st century. They were designed to host the latest in sensors and weapons ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Type 212CD

  Norway is to get four new Type 212CD ‘common design’ submarines to replace the existing Ula-class SSKs after it selected German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  SCOTT

  The Synthetic Cognition for Operational Team Training (SCOTT) system was developed for the USN to train teamwork and communication skills for E-2C flight crews interfacing ...

• Frigates

  Constellation Class FFG(X)

  The USN has selected Fincantieri Marinette Marine to build up to ten frigates under the FFG(X) next-generation future guided-missile frigate programme. The new Constellation-class will replace ...

• Air: aerial targets

  GQM-163A Coyote SSST

  The GQM-163A Coyote Supersonic Sea Skimming Target (SSST) was developed for the USN to emulate two-stage anti-ship cruise missiles in support of air defence weapon/combat ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS

  The Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS is a developmental cargo-carrying platform heavily based on the Skyways commercial available V2.5 Hybrid-Electric UAS.  Following a 2019 industry event, the Naval ...