• Digital Battlespace

  US Army mulls nanosatellites for soldiers

  24th July 2015

  A US Army project is looking into the use of nanosatellites for soldier communications, it announced on 20 July. The army's Space and Missile Defense …

• Defence Notes

  Talisman Sabre 2015 concludes

  24th July 2015

  The Talisman Sabre 2015 military exercise between the US and Australia has come to a close with an official ceremony held on the USS Blue …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  USS North Dakota deploys UUVs

  23rd July 2015

  The USS North Dakota has returned to its homeport in Connecticut after deploying and retrieving UUVs in an operational environment for the first time, the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed tests seven OMS payloads

  23rd July 2015

  Lockheed Martin has successfully flight-tested seven integrated Open Mission Systems (OMS) payloads within three months aboard a U-2 surveillance aircraft, the company announced on 22 …

• Naval Warfare

  Second tug for South African Navy

  23rd July 2015

  A Damen ATD 2909 Tug on order for the South African Navy is in production at Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT), Damen announced on 22 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Sales coming for amphib UAV

  23rd July 2015

  A new remotely piloted amphibian aircraft could see its first orders closed shortly following the completion of its maiden flight. Spain-based company Singular Aircraft has …

• Military Logistics

  US Army explores 3D laser capabilities

  23rd July 2015

  The US Army's Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center's (AMRDEC) Engineering Directorate Visualization Laboratory (VIZLAB) has been exploring 3D laser capabilities for engineering …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army orders satellite terminals

  23rd July 2015

  Harris has been awarded delivery orders worth $45 million for advanced satellite communication terminals for the US Army, the company announced on 20 July. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon develops cheaper MALD

  23rd July 2015

  Raytheon has developed a lower-cost, carbon fibre airframe for the US Air Force Miniature Air Launched Decoy (MALD) in cooperation with Dallara and Fokker Technologies, …

• Defence Helicopter

  India to buy 48 more Mi-17V-5s

  23rd July 2015

  Indian officials confirmed on 20 July that the Indian Air Force (IAF) will order 48 additional Mil Mi-17V-5 helicopters for an estimated sum of US$1.1 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Brazil builds home-grown simulators

  22nd July 2015

  The Brazilian Army is developing its own simulators to expand training capabilities in its armoured training centre and parachute brigade. These simulators run alongside those …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Northrop demonstrates OMS architecture

  22nd July 2015

  Northrop Grumman has demonstrated that the US Air Force's Open Mission Systems (OMS) architecture standards can be integrated across various platforms and systems, including UAS, …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy names LCS Cincinnati

  22nd July 2015

  The US Navy has named the next Independent-class littoral combat ship (LCS) USS Cincinnati (LCS 20), the Department of Defense announced on 19 July. The …

• Naval Warfare

  Assembly of Chinese AG-600 commences

  22nd July 2015

  Assembly of the first AG-600 amphibian aircraft is on track for completion by the end of 2015 ahead of its maiden flight in the first …

• Digital Battlespace

  Boeing demonstrates digital GPS III signals

  21st July 2015

  Boeing has successfully demonstrated digital Global Positioning System (GPS) III navigation signals in a development that could be critical to the modernisation of the GPS …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Puma 3 AE (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Military Aid - $300 Million On 1 April 2022, the US DoD announced a $300 million military aid package for Ukraine to "bolster Urkaine's capacity ...

• MPVs - 4x4, Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  JLTV Oshkosh Contract (US Navy) [US]

  As of November 2020, the US DoD had signed 14 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches of ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 300 (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (16 March 2022 & 13 April 2022) On 16 March 2022, President Biden announced $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine through ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A Joint Strike Fighter - USAF

  According to the US FY2021 budget document, Turkey's removal from the JSF program and transition to the alternate supply chain sources may challenge to achieve ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Puma LE (Kosovo)

  Programme Background On 21 January 2022, the US Department of Defence (DoD) announced that AeroVironment had been awarded an $11.01 million firm-fixed contract for Puma LE. ...

• Fighter - naval

  F-35B STOVL - US Navy

  The JSF programme will develop and field a family of aircraft that meets the needs of the US DoD and US allies with the F-35A ...

• MPVs - 4x4, Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  JLTV Oshkosh Contract [US Air Force]

  As of November 2020, the US DoD had signed 14 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches of ...

• Loitering munitions

  Point Blank [US]

  Programme Background As IAI stated in a 19 January 2023 press release, it had been awarded a multi-million-dollar contract by the Irregular Warfare Technical Support ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  BQM-177A [US Navy]

  Background Previous Purchases The BQM-177A was designed for the USN and has been in service with the USN for many years. Indeed, in August 2022, Shephard reported ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 600 (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background $300 Million USAI (1 April 2022) On 1 April 2022, the US DoD announced a $300 million military aid package for Ukraine following ...

• Loitering munitions

  Lethal Unmanned Systems (LUS) [US Army]

  Programme Background DoD Contract On 27 August 2024, the US DoD announced that AeroVironment had been awarded a $990 million hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract to provide "an ...

• Fighter - naval

  F-35C Carrier Variant

  The US Navy is planning to order 130 F-35Cs between FY2026 and FY2030 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase is estimated be ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Phoenix Ghost (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (21 April 2022) Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, on 21 April 2022, President Biden announced an $800 ...

• Loitering munitions

  ALTIUS-600M (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background On 24 February 2023, the US DoD announced that the Biden Administration had released an additional aid package under the Ukraine Security Assistance ...

• 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. ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Pistols

  M9

  M9 is the US DoD designation for the military-specification 9mm Beretta 92FS, selected in 1985 to replace the 45cal M1911A1 in US service. Sales to ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  Igla/SA-18

  The 9K38 Igla (US DoD designation SA-18, NATO reporting name Grouse ) IR-homing MANPADS was developed by KBM and entered service in 1983 to meet the requirements ...

• Loitering munitions

  Point Blank

  Point Blank Weapon System is a hand-launched electro-optical VTOL-capable loitering munition developed by Isreal Aerospace Industries (IAI). IAI has been awarded a contract by the US ...

• Air: aerial targets, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  BQM-177A/i

  The BQM-177A subsonic aerial target (SSAT) was designed for the USN, and the BQM-177i is the export variant. The BQM-177 provides realistic threat emulation for ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  BAT-850

  Pathfinder's BAT-850 VSAT is a carbon fibre, tri-band terminal with auto-acquisition capability. Suitable for flyaway (case-based) and vehicle-mounted applications, it is in service with the ...

• Autonomous GPADS

  Airborne Systems has developed a family of smart systems ranging in payload capacity from 90-4,536kg. Utilising the technology developed and used in ram-air canopies, Guided ...

• Crew-served grenade launchers

  Striker 40/MK47

  General Dynamics is systems integrator for the Striker 40 (MK47 AGL in US service). The complete system comprises the weapon, AN/PWG-1 Lightweight Video Sight and ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  URC-300

  The URC-300 is a software-defined radio designed for line-of-sight, ground-to-air communications in particular. Introduced in 2020, it adheres to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) standards as well ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  ScanEagle 3

  Insitu unveiled the ScanEagle 3 at the Xponential exhibition in Denver in May 2018. The platform has twice the payload capacity of its ScanEagle predecessor ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Banshee Tactical Radio

  Developed by Fenix Group, the Banshee Tactical Radio (BTR) is a communications system that uses 4G/LTE connectivity to provide secure mesh networking capability on the ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARC-231 Skyfire

  The AN/ARC-231 Skyfire is an airborne VHF/UHF/LOS and DAMA SATCOM system. This system supports US DoD requirements for airborne, multi-band, multi-mission, secure anti-jam voice, data ...

• Air-to-air missiles

  9M39 Igla-V

  The 9M39 Igla-V (‘needle’) is a Russian IR homing SAM adapted for helicopter use. It is an air-launched version of the Igla MANPADS, which the ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  Global Observer

  The AeroVironment Global Observer HALE UAV was a developmental HALE UAV designed for various civil, commercial and government applications.  Development of the platform began in 2007 ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  CLWS

  Developed by Boeing, Compact Laser Weapon System (CLWS or CLaWS) is a medium-range, low-power laser C-UAS system. According to the reports, the CLWS prototype has ...

• Data links, Land: Radio and SATCOM, UAS: communication systems

  QNT-200

  The Collins QNT-200 is a dual-channel software-defined radio (SDR) designed for size, weight and power-constrained platforms. Using IP-based mesh networks, it offers high-bandwidth mobile networking ...