Naval Warfare

US completes MK 18 UUV programme of record

6th February 2023

Since the initial production lot, over 90 MK 18 Mod 2 UUVs have been provided to the USN.

Air Warfare

Live-fire trials clear way for Spike NLOS missile integration with latest Apache helicopter

6th February 2023

Spike NLOS missiles fired from an AH-64E V6 attack helicopter successfully hit stationary targets in a live-fire test at Yuma Proving Ground.

Air Warfare

Aerosonde UAV makes first operational flight from USS Miguel Keith

3rd February 2023

The Textron UAS is also deployed on three other USN ships.

Naval Warfare

SH Defence’s Cube system gains more naval partners

3rd February 2023

The modular system from the Danish company has drawn the attention of maritime companies from around the globe.

Digital Battlespace

BAE nets US Navy networks contract

2nd February 2023

The CANES programme aims to modernise the USN's afloat network capabilities.

Defence Helicopter

Royal Navy helicopter crews transfer control of UAS in European first

2nd February 2023

Using technology supplied by QinetiQ, two Royal Navy helicopter crews successfully exchanged control of a UAS while in flight.

Naval Warfare

BAE contracts Norwegian shipyard for Type 26 composite work

2nd February 2023

Norway’s Umoe Mandal will build masts and other structures for five more Type 26 frigates.

Digital Battlespace

Lockheed Martin satellite with military potential rolls out for 2023 maiden launch

1st February 2023

The low-cost LM 400 satellite bus is customisable for multiple applications and supports the Pentagon's Modular Open Systems Architecture for defence missions.

Defence Notes

Airbus to define next generation of European military helicopters

31st January 2023

Airbus Helicopters has been selected to coordinate a European R&D programme looking at military rotorcraft operational needs post-2030, and is also leading on a study for a defence collaborative cloud.

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 ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

MQ-25 Stingray (USA)

Programme Background Programme Goal The development programme aims to develop a UAS to conduct aerial refuelling as a primary mission and provide ISR capability for ...

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 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 MQ-8 Fire Scout Procrument The USN has procured the MQ-8, both the MQ-8B and MQ-8C variant, from the first approved low-rate initial production of ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

Light Utility Transformative Vertical Lift (TVL) / Large ULS-A (US)

Programme Background US Marine ULS-A programmes The US Marines are seeking a family of Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A), which will provide logistics and ground units with ...

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 ...

Destroyers

Next-Generation Large Surface Combatants (LSC) - DDG(X)

Programme Background RequirementsThe US Navy (USN) is acknowledging a need to move away from the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer design which is slowly outgrowing. Flight III ...

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 UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

Maritime Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) (USMC)

Programme Background All-in-One UAV Since 2016, the USMC has wished to acquire a UAV that could be deployed from a vessel, be used for a wide ...

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. ...

Aircraft carriers

Gerald R. Ford Class

Programme Background The Gerald R. Ford-class is consists of four nuclear-powered aircraft carriers (CVNs) to keep the carrier force at 11. The first of the ...

Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

USMC Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) Programme

Programme Background Development As part of the US Marine Corps' future force structure, it is developing a new platform under the planned Light Amphibious Warship ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

MQ-4C Triton (USA)

Programme Background Requirement The MQ-4C Triton programme, developed under the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) programme, required an uncrewed system to provide persistent real-time intelligence, surveillance ...

Sealift/replenishment vessels

Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) (UK)

Programme Background Requirements According to the UK MoD's March 2021 Defence Command Paper, entitled 'Defence in a Competitive Age', the RN will invest in six ...

Anti-ship missiles, Multipurpose 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 ...

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 ...

Anti-ship missiles

AGM-119B Penguin Mk 2

The Norwegian AGM-119 ('Penguin') is a third-generation, all-digital ASM system, with a 360° open firing arc at all times and fully autonomous and passive during ...

Submarines: conventional, attack

German-Norwegian Submarine Project (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 ...

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 ...

Frigates

Alvaro de Bazan-Class

The Alvaro de Bazan-class of frigates for the Spanish Navy is based on the F100 design and were the first ships in Europe to be ...

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 - UUVs

Bluefin-HAUV

The Bluefin Hovering AUV (HAUV) is a two-man system used for ship hull and infrastructure inspection, port and harbour security and MCM. Operators are able ...

Air: helicopter radar, Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: surveillance radar

AN/APS-147

The AN/APS-147 is a multi-mode maritime inverse synthetic aperture radar for the Sikorsky MH-60R. It provides target imaging, small target/periscope detection and long-range surveillance, as ...

Airborne rockets - guided

GBU-53/B StormBreaker

GBU-53/B StormBreaker is a precision-guided glide bomb developed by Raytheon to equip F-15, F/A-18 and F-35. It is also known as the Small Diameter Bomb II. The StormBreaker includes a ...