• Training

  ASTi to deliver 27 new SERA MQ-9 training systems

  9th August 2023

  ASTi has received a contract award from SAIC for 27 instances of its Simulated Environment for Realistic ATC (SERA) product.

• Naval Warfare

  Boeing completes Orca large UUV trials and moves to next stage

  4th August 2023

  Boeing has completed months of at-sea testing of its Orca extra-large uncrewed undersea vehicle (XLUUV), an activity which included a series of autonomous surface and submerged manoeuvres.

• Air Warfare

  Metrea makes history with commercial air-to-air refueling for USAF

  14th July 2023

  Metrea achieved a milestone by providing commercial air-to-air refuelling to USAF RC-135 and E-3 aircraft during exercise Resolute Hunter, marking the first time the force has used commercial aerial tankers.

• Air Warfare

  Indonesia signs MoU for Boeing F-15EX fighters

  22nd August 2023

  Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, Indonesia is still showing interest in obtaining F-15EX fighters from the US.

• Training

  HII's Mission Technologies wins $41 million US Navy contract for integrated training systems

  21st July 2023

  HII's Mission Technologies division has secured a $41 million contract under NAVSEA's SeaPort Next Generation framework to provide installation and sustainment of training systems for the USN, enhancing fleet readiness.

• Air Warfare

  US Navy's next-generation high-speed missile might not be hypersonic

  8th August 2023

  Concepts for new missiles for the US Navy (USN) are being finalised under the Hypersonic Air-Launched Offensive Anti-Surface Weapon (HALO) programme.

• Air Warfare

  GAO report reveals critical F-35 maintenance challenges impacting US fighter readiness

  3rd October 2023

  The US DoD is facing significant obstacles in achieving its sustainment goals for the fleet of approximately 450 F-35 fighters despite plans to expand the fleet to 2,000 over the next two decades.

• Naval Warfare

  How the Canadian Surface Combatant programme can recover from COVID-19 delays

  23rd August 2023

  The Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) is working with Irving Shipyard to manage the lingering impact of COVID-19 on the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) project.

• Digital Battlespace

  Collins Aerospace completes MS-110 reconnaissance system flight testing and prepares for deliveries

  18th July 2023

  Collins Aerospace has completed successful flight testing of the MS-110 Multispectral Airborne Reconnaissance System, paving the way for its deployment and delivery to international operators.

• Naval Warfare

  US to invest nearly $35 billion in shipbuilding in Fiscal Year 2024

  21st August 2023

  Funds will be allocated to the acquisition and operation of new capabilities, upgrading of in-service systems, procurement of critical components and designs and expansion of public and private plants.

• Training

  Lockheed wins Littoral Combat Ship trainer contract

  12th July 2023

  Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract worth up to $99 million to provide modernisation and technical support for Littoral Combat Ship training devices.

• Air Warfare

  Final flight test of latest AMRAAM missile successful

  11th July 2023

  The USAF and Raytheon have concluded testing of the AIM-120D-3 AMRAAM variant, ensuring increased functionality, performance, and production capabilities for warfighters.

• Defence Notes

  DSEI 2023 in review: Ukraine, AI and the real world

  20th September 2023

  DSEI 2023 took place in the shadow of the largest European land war in more than seven decades and a growth in conversations about artificial intelligence (AI) with limited UK immediate defence programme opportunities; many of the new products and exhibitors' announcements reflected this.

• Air Warfare

  US Air Force XQ-58A Valkyrie completes AI-powered test flight

  4th August 2023

  Developed by the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the Valkyrie's AI and machine learning agents demonstrated their capability to solve tactically relevant challenges during airborne operations.

• Naval Warfare

  Why the durable MEKO warship design remains popular with navies

  8th September 2023

  The MEKO design from ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) can be found in many navies around the world and the number of countries that are purchasing MEKO ships is growing. Shephard provides an overview of the latest MEKO offerings and how this type of vessel has remained successful on the international markets over the decades.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  IAR-99 Replacement (Romania)

  On 29 August 2017, Leonardo announced that the IAR-99 trainer technology demonstrator (TD) will be fitted with company's Vixen 500E AESA radar. The Vixen 500E AESA ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey (USN)

  Programme Background Requirement According to USN FY2023 Budget Estimate documentation, the V-22 programme provides an aircraft to meet the amphibious and vertical assault needs of ...

• 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 ...

• Maritime patrol

  Maritime Patrol Aircraft Procurement [Italy]

  Programme Background In an appearance before the Italian parliament’s Foreign and Defence Affairs Committee on 14 July 2022, Italian Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Adm ...

• Military UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USN)

  Programme Background Joint USN and USMC Procurment The RQ-21 Blackjack, or STUALSO, was a combined United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) programme ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirement The USN wants to acquire carrier-capable loyal wingman drones. These drones will have a high level of autonomy, allowing them to work alongside crewed ...

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

  MQ-4 Triton (Announced/Contracted) [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 ...

• Military UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USMC)

  Programme Background Joint USN and USMC Procurment The RQ-21 Blackjack, or STUALSO, was a combined United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) programme ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The FVL-MS programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft utilised ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW101-Norway

  AgustaWestland is also providing initial support and training services, including spares at each of the operating bases and aircrew training. It will then provide performance ...

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

  MQ-25 Stingray (Selected) [USA]

  Programme Background Initial Requirments - Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) Despite the abovementioned goal, the programme did not begin with this in ...

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

  Blackwing (Second Batch) [USA]

  Programme BackgroundFirst Batch The Blackwing originated from a 2013 initiative to develop a low-cost submarine-launched UAS for the US Navy. Following successful tests with the ...

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

  Long Range/Long Endurance (LR/LE) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCAC 100 Class (SSC) [USN]

  Programme Background Timeline The major role of the SSC will be deployment from landing ships in support of USN and USMC operations and the transport ...

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

  Medium Range/Medium Endurance (MR/ME) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  Smart-L MM/N

  The Thales Smart-L MM/N is an AESA D-band next-generation Long Range Multi-Mission Radar for Air and Space Surveillance and Ballistic Missile Detection. It is based ...

• Fighter - multirole, Fighter - naval

  F-35C

  The F-35C Lightning II, also known as the F-35 carrier variant (CV), is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft in carrier configuration. It has larger wings and ...

• 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 ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-79

  The AN/APG-79 is an agile beam radar with a solid-state digital array that scans at nearly the speed of light, enabling detection and tracking of ...

• Sea: surveillance system radar

  TRS-4D

  The TRS-4D C-band AESA multi-function air/surface radar is designed for dangerous, target-dense, blue waters and littoral environments. The TRS-4D is based on GaN AESA technology ...

• Fighter - electronic warfare

  EA-18G Growler

  The EA-18G Growler is a variant in the F/A-18 family of aircraft that combines the F/A-18F Super Hornet platform with a sophisticated electronic warfare suite. It ...

• Military - UUVs

  Snakehead LDUUV

  The Snakehead Large Displacement Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (LDUUV) is a US Navy (USN) Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (UUV) designed to be launched from submarine Dry Dock Shelters ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Vixen-1000E

  The Vixen 1000E is an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar designed for fighter and interceptor aircraft, incorporating a roll-repositionable antenna with a ±100º field ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Raven ES-05

  The Raven ES-05 is an AESA fire-control radar developed by Leonardo in close collaboration with Saab for the Gripen E/F. It features a repositionable AESA ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-63(V)2

  The AN/APG-63(V)2 is a significant radar upgrade for the U.S. Air Force F-15C aircraft. This upgrade replaces the mechanically-scanned antenna (MSA) with an AESA antenna,  ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Grifo E

  The Grifo-E is an advanced fire-control radar developed by Leonardo, featuring Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology for enhanced situational awareness. It employs Active Electronically Scanned ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  IAR-99 TD

  IAR-99 TD is an advanced trainer and light attack aircraft based on the IAR-99. It is being developed jointly by the Romanian National Institute for ...

• 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 - 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: AEW/fire control radar

  RBE2

  The AESA RBE2 is the first AESA radar produced in Europe for combat aircraft. The active phased array replaces the passive array in the RBE2 currently ...