• Training

  ATAC adds to CASP work

  25th May 2020

  Textron subsidiary Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC) has been awarded a $34.5 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide contracted …

• Air Warfare

  Australia selects SUAS+ while TUAV contenders prepare bids

  7th May 2020

  The Australian Army has two important UAV projects under way at present. The Small UAS ‘Plus’ (SUAS+) project has recently selected a winning platform, while …

• Naval Warfare

  USN hovercraft programme steers past rocky waters

  5th May 2020

  The Ship-to-Shore Connector (SSC) programme cleared a major hurdle in April, when the USN awarded Textron a $386 million contract for a new batch of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  FTUAS competitors take heart from US Army adjustments

  29th April 2020

  The US Army has approved Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) competitors to video test flights and associated acceptance procedures of their respective systems, as an alternative …

• Defence Notes

  Textron delays release of Q1 earnings

  14th April 2020

  Textron has confirmed that it will delay the release of its Q1 FY2020 earnings report which was due to take place on 22 April. Instead, …

• Naval Warfare

  Textron to build more SSC hovercraft

  17th April 2020

  US Naval Sea Systems Command has awarded Textron a $386.28 million contract modification to build 15 more Ship-to-Shore Connector (SSC) hovercraft. Work will be completed by January 2025 …

• Air Warfare

  Leidos offers Orbiter to Australian Army

  7th April 2020

  Leidos Australia announced on 7 April the UAV platform that it is offering for the Australian Army's Project Land 129 Phase 3 requirement for a new …

• Air Warfare

  Bell Textron and Sikorsky obtain green light for further FLRAA work

  17th March 2020

  Bell Textron and Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation have each been selected for Competitive Demonstration and Risk Reduction (CD&RR;) work on the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army downselects FARA prototype providers

  26th March 2020

  The US Army has selected Bell Helicopter Textron and Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. to design and test the prototype of the Future Attack and Reconnaissance Aircraft …

• Naval Warfare

  Textron hands over next-gen SSC

  11th March 2020

  Textron Systems announced on 9 March that it has delivered its first Ship to Shore Connector (SSC), Craft 100 to the US Navy (USN). The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australia shortlists tactical UAV vendors

  20th March 2020

  Australia has announced that four companies have been shortlisted for the army’s Project Land 129 Phase 3 to find a new tactical UAV system. The …

• Naval Warfare

  UK risks loss of influence should MCM capability slip

  23rd March 2020

  Senior former UK defence officials have said that the country should renew its MCM fleet once the current Hunt and Sandown classes leave service, given the importance of their …

• Air Warfare

  Tunisia requests AT-6C Wolverines

  27th February 2020

  The government of Tunisia has requested to purchase AT-6C Wolverine light attack aircraft from the US under a foreign military sale. Tunisia wants to buy …

• Air Warfare

  Two King Air 350ERs enter service with Leonardo’s ATOS system

  17th February 2020

  The ATOS mission system from Leonardo is installed on two Textron-built King Air 350ER maritime patrol aircraft that have entered into service with an undisclosed …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  New year’s resolution for CUSV and its Milestone C

  15th January 2020

  A ‘variety of circumstances’ were factors in Textron Systems’ Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle (CUSV) missing its Milestone C target in 2019, with the system now being …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - tactical

  Nightwarden (Qatar)

  Programme Background The Qatar MoD has established the Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center to carry out ISR missions for the Qatar Armed Forces. Among its roles ...

• Military UAS - small

  Aerosonde (Qatar)

  Programme Background The Qatar MoD has established the Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center to carry out ISR missions for the Qatar Armed Forces. Among its roles ...

• Trainer

  Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS)/T-45 Replacement [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy’s (USN) Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) programme is intended to replace the troubled T-45 Goshhawk trainer. The June 2024 RFI includes ...

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

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) [USA]

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

• Light attack, Trainer

  T-6C (Tunisia)

  Programme Background Requirement The Tunisian Air Force has a requirement for light aircraft in order to replace its ageing SF-206 and L-59T trainers. The country ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4, Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Iraq Federal Police 4x4 Patrol Vehicle

  The failure of this Iraqi Federal Police requirement for an additional 300 vehicles to translate into a contract may be related to issues encountered with ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505 (Jordan)

  Programme Background Requirement The Jordanian Air Force has a requirement for training helicopters that are to be used in the King Hussein Air College. The country ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505 (South Korea - Army)

  Programme Background Requirement South Korea operates an ageing fleet of Bell UH-1s and MD 500s for training purposes. The country has already replaced a part of ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505 (South Korea - Navy)

  Programme Background Requirement South Korea operates an ageing fleet of Bell UH-1s and MD 500s for training purposes. The country has already replaced a part of ...

• 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 ...

• Trainer

  T-6C [Thailand]

  Programme Background The contract is for 12 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II advanced military training aircraft, ground-based training systems for pilots and maintenance professionals, a mission ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  ARV (USMC)

  Programme Background The ARV constitutes one component of a wider USMC effort to develop an interconnected network of manned and unmanned platforms more suited to ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) [USA]

  Programme Background US Army's Future Vertical Lift Programme The FLRAA is one of three strands of a broader army programme. The others are the Future ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  RQ-7B Shadow v2 Block III (USA)

  Programme Background The first iteration of the Shadow UAS, the Shadow 600, was first introduced in 1992 and since then Textron has had a longstanding ...

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

  DEF129 Tactical UAS [Australia]

  Programme Background Programme Announcement The Australian Army announced the Project Land 129 Phase 3 programme in 2017. This announcement led to the release of an industry ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

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

  Aerosonde HQ SUAS

  The Aerosonde Hybrid Quadcopter (HQ) SUAS is the VTOL version of the Aerosonde SUAS. It combines the capabilities of a multi-rotor platform with the efficiency ...

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

  Aerosonde Mk 4.8 HQ FTUAS

  From the Texton family of Aerosonde UAS, the Aerosonde Mk 4.8 Hybrid Quad (HQ) FTUAS is a tactical drone purpose-built to meet the US Army's Future Vertical Lift ...

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

  Aerosonde Mk 4.7

  Jointly developed by AAI Unmanned Aircraft Systems, a unit of Textron Systems, and Aerosonde, the Aerosonde Mk 4.7 is a fixed-wing UAV. First demonstrated in 2009, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Cottonmouth

  The Cottonmouth is a purpose-built 6x6 amphibious reconnaissance vehicle designed by Textron Systems to meet the requirements of the USMC's Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) programme. It ...

• Air: mission management systems

  iCommand 2.5

  The iCommand 2.5 is the latest version of the iCommand integrated command suite, designed by Textron Systems Advanced Information Solutions. The system has been designed ...

• Medium/general-purpose machine guns

  7.62mm CT MMG

  Since June 2014, the US Army has awarded contracts totalling $7.7 million to Textron Systems to develop a 7.62mm version of the 5.56mm light machine ...

• Military UGVs

  Ripsaw M3

  The Ripsaw M3 is a tracked UGV developed by Textron Systems in partnership with Howe & Howe and Teledyne FLIR Systems. The vehicle has been developed ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505

  The Bell 505 is a light, single-engine helicopter initially designed for the utility, executive/passenger and law enforcement markets produced by Bell Textron. The Montenegrin Air ...

• Maritime patrol

  Cessna Maritime Patrol

  The Cessna 'special mission' Maritime Patrol Aircraft is a variant of the Cessna Citation Longitude business jet developed by Textron aviation. Textron has stated the onboard systems, ...

• EW test systems, Air: air combat simulators

  PRTS

  The Portable Range Threat Simulator (PRTS) is a modular package that adds long-range capabilities to Textron Systems' Radar Signal Simulator. 

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

  RQ-7B Shadow v2 Block III

  The RQ-7B Shadow v2 Block III is an upgraded UAS developed by Textron Systems. Compared to previous versions, it has a quieter, more reliable and more powerful ...

• Military UGVs

  Ripsaw M5

  The Ripsaw M5 has been developed to meet the requirements of the US Army's Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) programme for a family of new UGVs. ...

• EW test systems, Air: air combat simulators

  MAST

  The Man-Portable Aircraft Survivability Trainer (MAST) replicates the visual and spectral effects of a shoulder-fired IR missile threat to stimulate UV-based aircraft survivability equipment systems ...

• UAS: communication systems

  Synturian

  At AUSA 2016, Textron Systems launched its range of new UAV support technologies called Synturian. Synturian is a family of lightweight multi-vehicle/multi-platform/multi-domain control and collaboration ...

• Trainer

  T-6C/D Texan II

  The Beechcraft T-6C Texan II (UK designation Texan MK1) is a military training aircraft designed for all instruction levels. It is an improved version of ...