• Special Operations

  DSEI 2017: USMC special ops look for new UAS

  14th September 2017

  The US Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) will be looking to trial a group two UAV in the near future, Shephard  has learnt. MARSOC …

• Land Warfare

  US Army orders sixth JLTV batch

  5th September 2017

  Oshkosh Defense will deliver additional Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV) to the US Army under an order announced on 1 September. The order, valued at …

• Land Warfare

  Konstrukta to produce Mjölner barrels

  18th September 2017

  BAE Systems has contracted Slovakia-based Konstrukta-Defence to produce barrels for the Swedish Army’s Mjölner mortar system. Konstrukta will manufacture 84 120mm barrels to be modified …

• Training

  Australia completes MH-60R CMT tests

  27th September 2017

  The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has completed the factory acceptance tests (FAT) on its MH-60R Composite Maintenance Trainer (CMT) at CAE USA’s Tampa factory in …

• Defence Helicopter

  Z-19 sprouts radar and set to achieve exports

  15th September 2017

  For the first time the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) publicly exhibited an example of its Z-19 attack helicopter fitted with a mast-mounted millimeter wave radar, …

• Training

  Indra’s EC135 FFS certified

  15th September 2017

  Indra’s EC135 Full Flight Simulator (FFS) developed for the Spanish Army has obtained certification, the company announced on 11 September. The CS-FSTD(H) level D certification …

• Training

  USS Truman completes carrier qualifications

  28th September 2017

  The US Navy's Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman has returned to Naval Station Norfolk (NOB) after completing carrier qualifications and a successful ammunition …

• Digital Battlespace

  Final THAAD elements reach Korea

  11th September 2017

  The US Army delivered the final elements of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery to South Korea on 7 September, completing a rapid …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MALE UAVs operating in Philippines; more expected

  13th September 2017

  The US Embassy in Manila announced on 11 September that the US military had deployed ‘Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft systems’ - note the plural - to …

• Land Warfare

  Uganda's AMISOM contingent gets vehicle boost

  28th September 2017

  The Ugandan contingent of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has been bolstered by the delivery of Bastion armoured personnel carriers (APC) manufactured by …

• Military Logistics

  Rolls-Royce to continue C-130J engine support

  27th September 2017

  Rolls-Royce has signed an agreement with the US Air Force (USAF) to continue to provide support for the propulsion systems on its fleet of C-130J …

• Digital Battlespace

  AN/SPY-6(V) radar in multiple target test

  28th September 2017

  Raytheon’s AN/SPY-6(V) Air and Missile Defense Radar has acquired and tracked multiple threat-representative targets simultaneously during its third dedicated flight test at the US Navy’s …

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2017: Elbit demonstrates soldier system (video)

  13th September 2017

  Elbit Systems is demonstrating the latest developments of its digital army programme components at DSEI 2017. Shephard spoke to senior director of C4ISR at Elbit, Gil …

• Defence Helicopter

  Kabul to expand its Cayuse Warrior fleet

  6th September 2017

  MD Helicopters has been awarded a US$1.38 billion contract for 150 MD 530F Cayuse Warrior helicopters, with the initial 30 bound for Afghanistan, the US DoD …

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2017: BAE connects to the tactical edge

  13th September 2017

  The BAE Systems Tactical Hotspot Concept Demonstrator tactical ground vehicle, designed to support strike brigades during expeditionary operations, will begin an 18-month evaluation programme with …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  MQ-1 Gray Eagle [US Army]

  Background Required Quantity Although the US Army first envisioned a requirement for 132 MQ-1C Gray Eagles, the US Army's Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) was increased ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker DVH [USA]

  Background The US Army has been operating the Stryker since 2002. The Stryker DVH is an upgraded variant that has additional armour on its underside ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (US Army) (Batch 1) [USA]

  Background As of January 2021, the US DoD had signed 15 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches ...

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

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) [US Army]

  Background USMC First, Army Second In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply ...

• Main battle tanks

  Decisive Lethality Platform [USA]

  Background The DLP is one of five vehicle families being developed for the US Army's NGCV programme. Expanded to include five programmes in October 2018, ...

• Military UAS - micro

  eBee Vision [US]

  Background Multiple orders In November 2025, the US Army acquired three eBee Vision systems to enhance training operations at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany. A ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AMPV [USA]

  Background Platform development The US Army initiated the AMPV programme to acquire a replacement for several variants of the M113 tracked APC, which has been ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker (Sergeant Stout) (Batch 2) [USA]

  Background As part of the Army Transformation Initiative, the US DoD is fundamentally reorganising the structure of the US Army. The development of the Sergeant ...

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

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 2) [US Army]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was intended to ...

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

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 1) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker (Sergeant Stout) [USA]

  Background As part of the Army Transformation Initiative, the US DoD is fundamentally reorganising the structure of the US Army. As part of this all Infantry Brigade ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Mobile Tactical Cannon [USA]

  Background The US Army began using the M777 in 1995. Since then, it has served as a field artillery piece providing fire support for American ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow-On [USA]

  Programme Background In March 2019, Airbus stated that it expected orders from the US Army for between 12 and 15 UH-72A helicopters. In March 2020, ...

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

  Group 4/5 UAV [US Army]

  Background Request for Information (RFI) On 5 June 2024, the American DoD published an RfI with an original response date of 19 July 2024. The ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) [Tranche 1] / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) (USA)

  Programme Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the Battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  US Army AVCATT PDSS

  L3Harris Technologies is the prime contractor for the US Army’s Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (AVCATT) Post Deployment Software Support (PDSS) programme. L3Harris Technologies is ...

• Maritime patrol

  US-2

  The ShinMaywa US-2 is an amphibious short take-off and landing aircraft used primarily by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) for SAR. 

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  US Army Flight School XXI OFT/RCTD

  L3Harris Technologies is a major subcontractor to CSC on the US Army’s Flight School XXI (FSXXI) programme. L3Harris Technologies has built or is under contract ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58 Kiowa

  The single-engine OH-58 Kiowa, derived from the Bell 206, entered US Army service in 1969 as a light observation helicopter. More than 2,200 were built for ...

• Towed guns

  M198

  The US Army developed the M198 155mm towed howitzer from 1969 to replace the M114 155mm howitzer. From 1978, 1,600 weapons were built by Rock ...

• Towed mortars

  M120/M120A1

  The M120/M120A1 120 mm Towed Mortar System is a US-built version of the Soltam K6 mortar that was accepted into US Army service in 1990.

• Light tanks

  M10 Booker

  The US Army awarded General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) a contract worth US$1.14 billion to supply 96 light tanks under the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72A/B Lakota

  In 2006, the US Army selected a version of the medium-sized, twin-engine H145, designated the UH-72A Lakota,  to meet its requirement for a new Light ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  M1150 ABV

  The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) project, launched by the USMC in 2002, is a joint programme to meet the requirements of both the US ...

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

  RQ-7 Shadow 200

  The Shadow 200, designated RQ-7B by the US Army, is flown by the army brigade combat teams and combat aviation brigades along with the UAV ...

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  AN/PLQ-9 Thor-III

  Sierra Nevada’s AN/PLQ-9 Thor-III is the standard Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) manpack system in service with the US Army and US Marine Corps (USMC). ...

• Individual grenade launchers

  M320 GLM

  The M320 Grenade Launcher Module (GLM) is a further development of the HK AG36 (see separate entry) to meet a US Army requirement. The M320 ...

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M821A3 High Explosive Mortar Round

  The M821A3 High Explosive Mortar Round is an 81mm mortar round manufactured by Day & Zimmerman for the US Army.

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M933A1 High Explosive Mortar Round

  The M933A1 High Explosive Mortar Round is a 120mm mortar round manufactured by Day & Zimmermann for the US Army.

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M934A1 High Explosive Mortar Round

  The M934A1 High Explosive Mortar Round is a 120mm mortar round produced by Day & Zimmermann for the US Army.