• Defence Notes

  Analysis: PLA Navy edges toward owning Asia-Pacific

  13th July 2017

  China is producing naval vessels at a rate that will soon see the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) eclipse the US Navy (USN) in force …

• Land Warfare

  French prepare for new anti-tank missile

  20th July 2017

  The French Army is on schedule to take delivery of its new MMP (Missile Moyenne Portée) portable anti-tank weapon by year end, French officials have …

• Digital Battlespace

  General Dynamics unveils Hook3

  3rd August 2017

  General Dynamics has introduced a new Combat Survival Radio (CSR) designed to provide direct line-of-sight voice and two-way data communications to help combat search and rescue …

• Military Logistics

  Boeing completes KC-46 electromagnetic testing

  2nd August 2017

  Boeing, the US Air Force and Naval Air Systems Command have completed electromagnetic testing for the KC-46air refuelling tanker, it was announced on 27 July. …

• Training

  Lockheed, Saab win army training simulation contract

  12th July 2017

  Lockheed Martin has won a US Army contract worth $288 million to modernise its live vehicle training capabilities, the company announced on 10 July. Lockheed …

• Digital Battlespace

  Philippines receives Cessna ISR aircraft

  26th July 2017

  The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has received from the US a pair of Cessna 208B Caravan aircraft outfitted with an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) …

• Land Warfare

  Indian SOEs to upgrade BMP-2 fleet

  26th July 2017

  India is modernising 693 examples of its licence-built BMP-2/2K Sarath infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), with the project valued at around $375 million. The programme, which …

• Defence Notes

  Can the US get a foot in Vietnam’s door?

  25th July 2017

  The China-Vietnam relationship might be less complicated than Washington would wish, despite Beijing’s recent threat to use force against Hanoi to stop drilling in the …

• Land Warfare

  Canada’s delayed soldier upgrade on horizon

  27th July 2017

  The Canadian Army expects to take delivery of a new soldier electronics suite ‘within a few months’, in a sign that the service’s long-delayed soldier …

• Military Logistics

  Vectrus wins US Keesler AFB contract

  26th July 2017

  Vectrus Systems has won a $97 million US Air Force (USAF) contract to provide base operations support services at Keesler Air Force Base (AFB), Mississippi, …

• Military Logistics

  Comment: More than just aircraft parts

  27th July 2017

  In order to improve inventory visibility, accountability and command and control (C2), the US Air Force has sought to centralise Class of Supply management in …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF squadron takes control of WGS-9

  25th July 2017

  The US Air Force’s (USAF) 4th Space Operations Squadron (4 SOPS) has taken over the operational control of the ninth Wideband Global SATCOM satellite (WGS-9), …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy commissions Gerald R Ford

  24th July 2017

  The US Navy has commissioned its newest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), at Naval Station Norfolk on 22 July. USS Gerald R. …

• Military Logistics

  USS America completes replenishment missions

  27th July 2017

  The US Navy amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) has successfully completed its first connective replenishment (CONREP) and vertical replenishment (VERTREP) missions as part …

• Defence Helicopter

  Iranian heliport receives Bell 214s (gallery)

  11th July 2017

  The second air base/heliport of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard of Corps (IRGCAA), named Seyyed al-Shahada, was officially established during a ceremony on 4 July 2017 …

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.