Land Warfare

Arquus wins French fuel tanker order

17th May 2024

Arquus will develop three versions of the 8x8 tanker, a large armoured tanker and two smaller tankers, one protected and one unprotected.

Naval Warfare

US Navy places small boat order worth up to $290 million

17th May 2024

The Metal Shark 40 Defiant, a 40-foot, welded-aluminium pilothouse monohull patrol boat, features ballistic protection and can be armed with a range of remotely operated and crew-served weapons systems. The ReconCraft 40ft patrol boat is similar and offers waterjet, outboard and inboard/outboard propulsion.

Air Warfare

Belgian F-35A completes first flight

17th May 2024

The Belgian Air Force’s first F-35A Lightning II has taken flight, showcasing the national flag, with the first force’s first four F-35As set to head to Luke AFB for initial training amid software upgrade delays.

Naval Warfare

US and Japan sign collaborative agreement on Glide Phase Interceptor

16th May 2024

Japan and the US will aim to strengthen regional deterrence while enhancing long-standing missile defence cooperation through developing a Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI).

Naval Warfare

Babcock to support design of Swedish Navy’s new Luleå-class surface combatant

16th May 2024

It is believed the Luleå-class will be about 100m-long and displace about 3,000–4,000 tonnes. The ships will be designed to operate in the Baltics, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, and will incorporate capabilities to conduct AAW, ASuW and ASW operations.

Air Warfare

US Navy’s plan to replace fleet of MH60s moves forward

16th May 2024

The US Navy’s Future Vertical Lift (Maritime Strike) has been an effort to recapitalise Sikorsky MH-60R/S naval helicopters which have an out-of-service date in the late-2030s.

Uncrewed Vehicles

UK’s EW UAS-jammer set for field testing

16th May 2024

The Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon (RFDEW) will be able to impact targets such as UAS up to 1km away by beaming radio waves to disrupt or damage critical electronic components.

Air Warfare

Heron TP flies over Germany for the first time

15th May 2024

The Heron TP is a multi-role, advanced, long-range MALE UAS. It is faster, larger and higher flying than the Heron Mk 1 on which it is based and has been equipped with automatic taxi-takeoff and landing systems, satellite communication for extended range and fully redundant avionics.

Air Warfare

GA-ASI to develop new ABAD pod for MQ-9A

15th May 2024

A collaboration between General Atomics and US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) will seek to equip the MQ-9A Reaper with enhanced threat detection and protection against Radio Frequency and Infrared threats.

Air Warfare

Romania approved for $340 million Sidewinder purchase

15th May 2024

The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a short-range air-to-air missile (AAM). The heat-seeking AIM-9X Block 1 Sidewinder, the most widely used AAM on US and allied fighter aircraft, can also be mounted on helicopters.

Maritime patrol

P-8A Poseidon-US

Programme Background The P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) system is a heavily modified and militarized derivative of Boeing's 737-800 ERX commercial aircraft. The P-8A is ...

Military helicopters - maritime, Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

CH-53K - US Navy

Programme Background The Marine Corps is replacing its aging CH-53E helicopters with the CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter. Designed as an evolution of the CH-53E, the CH-53K ...

Maritime patrol

P-8A Poseidon-UK

Programme Background In July 2016, the UK government announced that it had ordered nine aircraft for service with the RAF. Under this frame, in January ...

Landing craft and hovercraft

Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1700

Programme Background Timeline The US Navy LCU 1700 amphibious landing craft are being procured to replace the ageing LCU 1610 class, which has an average ...

Frigates

Second-hand LCS [Greece]

Programme Background Timeline In January 2024, Tasos Chatzivasileiou, a Member of the Hellenic Parliament and Secretary General of the Standing Committee of National Defence and Foreign ...

Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

CH-53K - US Navy Follow-On

Programme Background The Marine Corps is replacing its ageing CH-53E helicopters with the CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter. Designed as an evolution of the CH-53E, the CH-53K ...

Patrol boats

Next Generation Patrol Boat - PB40 (USA)

Programme Background Requirements The PB(X) patrol boats, designed by US Louisiana-based boat-builder Metal Shark, are the next generation of patrol boats being procured to replace ...

Military UAS - MALE

MQ-25 Stingray [France]

Programme Background New Generation Aircraft Carrier (PANG) The French MoD has initiated the process of designing a new aircraft carrier, the Porte Avion Nouvelle Generation (PA-Ng), that is ...

Military helicopters - maritime

MH-60R Seahawk - Taiwan

Programme Background Taiwan operates seven MD500 helicopters, acquired in 1977, from ex-US Chi Yang-class (Knox) frigates that are being decommissioned after 40-year service life. The ...

Fighter - naval

F-35B STOVL Future Procurement - US Navy

US Navy has ordered 122 F-35B aircraft until FY2020, the remaining 202 fighters will be acquired at a rate of 10 and 17 per year ...

Submarines: nuclear, attack

Second Hand SSNs [Australia]

Programme Background Timeline In September 2021, it was announced in a trilateral announcement between Australia, the US and the UK that Australia, in a shock ...

Sealift/replenishment vessels

Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) [USN]

Programme Background The Lewis B Puller-class Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) vessels are also known as being part of the Montford Point-class as they were originally ...

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 ...

Sealift/replenishment vessels

T-AGOS Surtass Ships (1-5) [USN]

Programme Background Requirements The Auxiliary General Ocean Surveillance (T-AGOS) ships focus on gathering underwater acoustical data to support the mission of the Integrated Undersea Surveillance System ...

Fighter - naval

F-35C Carrier Variant (CV) Future Procurement

US Navy has ordered 118 F-35C aircraft until FY2020, the remaining 121 fighters will be acquired at a rate of 21-28 per year between FY2021 ...

US Navy T-44C training services

In late 2013, CAE received a contract to provide the USN with comprehensive T-44C aircrew training services at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. CAE USA 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. 

Destroyers

Kee Lung (Kidd) Class

The Kee Lung-class consists of four ex-US Kidd-class guided missile destroyers in service with the Republic of China Navy (ROCN). The ships were originally built for ...

Naval: Combat Management Systems

Integrated Combat System

The Integrated Combat System (ICS) is a combat management system being developed for the US Navy. The project, currently led by Lockheed Martin, aims to ...

Sea: sonar systems

AN/SQS-53

The AN/SQS-53 is a computer-controlled sonar system with both active and passive operating capabilities. It can perform ASW search, detection, localisation and tracking tasks. In addition ...

Naval: shipboard communication systems

Navy Multiband Terminal (NMT)

The Navy Multiband Terminal is the next-generation maritime military SATCOM for the US Navy and allied nations. The terminal integrates EHF and AEHF systems with ...

EO/IR systems

Sea Star Safire III

Sea Star Safire III is a naval variant of FLIR Systems' EO/IR system. Its key capabilities include gyro-stabilisation, high-resolution thermal imaging and an eye-safe laser ...

Sea: sonar systems

AN/SQQ-89

The AN/SQQ-89 is an ASW combat system incorporates and processes all the sonar information and LAMPS sensor data. Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, there are currently ...

Air: sonar systems

AN/AQS-22 ALFS

The AN/AQS-22 Airborne Low-Frequency Sonar (ALFS) is the primary undersea warfare sensor for the USN MH-60R Seahawk multi-mission helicopter. The sonar system enables the MH-60R ...

Minehunters

Lerici/Gaeta Class

The Lerici- and Gaeta-classes of minehunters are in service with the Italian Navy, and modified Gaeta variants entered into service with the Royal Australian Navy ...

Military helicopters - maritime

S-70B/SH-60B Seahawk

The SH-60B is an ASW/ASuW helicopter that is usually embarked on frigates, destroyers and cruisers. The SH-60B entered US service in 1984 and was retired ...

Frigates

Hamilton Class

The Hamilton-class cutter was originally the largest class of vessels operated by the US Coast Guard (USCG) before being replaced by the Legend-class. 12 cutters ...

Data links

GNOMAD US Domestic

The US domestic version of GNOMAD (see separate entry) is a ruggedised system comprising a satellite antenna and baseband modular chassis that can be installed ...

Sea: naval surveillance radar

AN/SPS-52

AN/SPS-52 is a long-range 3D naval air surveillance radar, developed originally by Hughes Electronics, which merged with Raytheon in 1997. The original AN/SPS-52 entered service ...

Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

Endurance Class

Singapore’s four endurance-class LPD ships were built to replace the older County-class landing ship tanks (LSTs) it had bought from the US Navy and improve the ...