• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Orbital signs MoU with Skyways

  1st November 2021

  Orbital UAV expects to play a part in a USN unmanned cargo transportation programme.

• Defence Notes

  US, UK condemn Russian anti-satellite missile test

  16th November 2021

  US Space Command (USSPACECOM) has stated that Russia conducted a test of a direct-ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) missile against its own Cosmos 1408 satellite.

• Defence Notes

  China FOBS off US as it intensifies nuclear race

  27th October 2021

  China astounded many with its recent FOBS test, but such developments are clearly part of China's efforts to enhance its nuclear retaliatory capability as it competes strategically with the US.

• Defence Notes

  Pentagon report highlights China’s ambition to ‘fight and win wars’

  5th November 2021

  Strategic competition continue to heat up between China and the US, as the former prioritises developing a modern military with burgeoning nuclear warheads.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2021: Latest CV90 turret system comes to London

  14th September 2021

  BAE Systems Hägglunds displays new-look D-series turret.

• Defence Notes

  Is Russian manned space technology shifting towards military applications?

  17th June 2021

  Plans for Russia to build its own orbital station could enable geospatial intelligence-gathering missions and onboard military experiments away from international observers.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Orbital completes Phase 1 of Singapore MoU

  2nd June 2021

  Australian company provides multi-fuel UAV engine to Singapore.

• Digital Battlespace

  DEWC Systems takes MOESS sensor development to next stage

  21st June 2021

  The MOESS programme intends to deploy a sovereign Australian tactical electromagnetic sensor capability, installed on a constellation of CubeSats. DEWC is developing a sensor that can conduct radar electronic support in defence-relevant radio frequency bands used by assets such as ships and aircraft.

• Digital Battlespace

  COTS hardware supports Blackjack risk reduction

  12th May 2021

  An orbital platform was used for a tactical maritime experiment by DARPA.

• Training

  US Space Force evolves its training focus

  12th May 2021

  As it expands, the US Space Force needs to address specific training requirements.

• Defence Notes

  Chinese space ambitions benefit its military

  24th May 2021

  China talks often of its peaceful intentions for and use of space, but military purposes are key to its heavy investment in space.

• Training

  US Army issues ammo contracts

  31st March 2021

  General Dynamics and Northrop Grumman are supplying training ammunition and competing for orders on engineering development, manufacturing, design and testing support contract.

• Digital Battlespace

  Operational doctrine evolves for military space sector

  4th May 2021

  Why has the space domain become so important and moved up the defence agenda?

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Orbital to develop and provide UAV engines for Lycoming

  29th March 2021

  Engine supply contract could extend to ten years, following an initial 12-month development and integration phase.

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman claims milestone in satellite docking

  13th April 2021

  Successful docking paves the way for future on-orbit and life-extension services through robotics, says Northrop Grumman.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: aerial targets

  GQM-173 MSST

  The USN selected ATK (now Orbital ATK) in August 2008 to develop the GQM-173A Multi Stage Supersonic Target (MSST) system to represent a family of ...

• Helicopter guns

  M230 Automatic Cannon

  The M230 is a 30mm chain-driven autocannon originally developed by Hughes Helicopters and currently produced by Northrop Grumman. It serves as the main armament for ...

• 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 ...

• Guided munitions

  Hatchet

  Unveiled in 2012 by Orbital ATK, the Hatchet is a laser-guided miniature weapon that supports platform integration on both unmanned and manned aircraft. Its design meets the ...

• Minehunters

  Avenger Class

  The first Avenger-class minehunter entered service in 1985, with the last of the 14 ordered commissioned in 1994. The ships use Orbital ATK's AN/SLQ-48 remotely ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Laser Warning Receivers

  AN/AAR-59 JATAS

  Orbital ATK (now Northrop Grumman) developed the AN/AAR-59 Joint and Allied Threat Awareness System (JATAS) to provide protection for aircraft against incoming threats typically surface-to-air ...

• Cannons

  7.62mm Bushmaster Chain Gun

  The 7.62mm Bushmaster Chain Gun, originally developed for coaxial use and the smallest member of the Chain Gun family, is adaptable to various machine gun ...

• Cannons

  PAWS

  The Palletised Weapon System (PAWS) is a reconfigurable collection of sensors, communications and weapons that can be installed on most medium- to heavy-lift aircraft. PAWS ...

• Land: manned turrets

  Teber-30 Two-Man Turret

  The Teber-30 is a medium-calibre two-man turret designed for armoured combat vehicles. It is day/night capable with an onboard fire control computer and a two-axis ...

• Cannons

  M242 Bushmaster

  The 25mm Bushmaster automatic cannon features dual feed Chain Gun technology. More than 10,500 M242s have been delivered to the US Army and forces around ...

• Guided munitions

  M1156 PGK

  The M1156 Precision Guidance Kit (PGK) is a guidance fuze that can be fitted within the fuze well of 155mm high-explosive artillery projectiles. The fuze ...

• Cannons

  GAU-23

  The GAU-23 Bushmaster automatic cannon is a next-generation Chain Gun weapon in use today. The system is design features include design simplicity, external power, positive ...

• Land: manned turrets

  Asgard GS

  The Asgard GS (Grab and Shoot) is the baseline model of the Asgard 127 one-person modular turret family introduced in 2016. It can be mounted ...

• Land: manned turrets

  Hitfist 25-30mm

  The Hitfist 25-30mm is a two-person, power-operated turret designed for installation on wheeled or tracked IFVs. The main armament can be either an Oerlikon 25mm ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Hunter

  ST Engineering began the development of the tracked Next-Generation Armoured Fighting Vehicle (NGAFV) in 2006 as a replacement for the Singapore Army's fleet of approximately ...