• Training

  MASS extends contract to manage UK joint warfare exercises

  19th May 2023

  Defence and training support company MASS has been awarded an extension to its Joint Command and Staff Training (JCAST) contract for UK Strategic Command. The …

• Naval Warfare

  Tender expected for new Dutch auxiliary ships

  5th October 2023

  The Royal Netherlands Navy has announced plans to replace its ageing auxiliary ships with a fleet of new vessels.

• Land Warfare

  Indian Army issues RfI for new tracked armoured recovery vehicles

  13th September 2023

  India is looking for a large quantity of new indigenously built armoured recovery vehicles to serve its tank fleet.

• Naval Warfare

  Can a new operational profile fix Canada's submarine problem?

  20th September 2023

  The four Victoria-class diesel-electric attack submarines (SSKs) of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) are in the midst of an evolution into a new operations and maintenance regime. Shephard investigates whether this will solve the navy's recurring issues with having only one boat (or even none) operational for long periods.

• Defence Notes

  US awaits parliamentary approval to access Swedish military bases

  14th December 2023

  A defence cooperation agreement between Sweden and the US will enable the Pentagon to preposition stocks and conduct operations in Swedish territory.

• Naval Warfare

  New Italian FREMM funding initiated as final French FREMM enters service

  21st November 2023

  Both the Italian and French navies are taking deliveries of their FREMM frigates as part of wider surface fleet modernisation and expansion plans.

• Training

  List of British Army CTTP training bidders grows but exact requirements remain unknown

  9th June 2023

  The Lockheed Martin-lead Team Alliance says it will focus on leadership and enhanced data exploitation to improve performance and decision-making.

• Air Warfare

  Croatia officially receives first Dassault Rafale fighter jet

  3rd October 2023

  The official handover of the first Dassault Rafale B jet is a key development in a deal involving 12 aircraft for Croatia. This marks the start of a transition from Croatia's Soviet-era MiG-21 fighters and legacy aircraft.

• Training

  How close are the US Armed Forces to having super soldiers within their ranks?

  27th December 2023

  Pentagon services are working on projects to increase warfighters’ abilities including brain stimulation.

• Air Warfare

  Paris Air Show: Romania orders first batch of Watchkeeper X drones

  21st June 2023

  Romania has awarded Elbit Systems a $180 million purchase order for three Watchkeeper X Tactical UAS, the Israeli firm announced at the Paris Air Show.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2023: UK-developed Venom revolver cannon to equip Turkish remote weapon stations

  8th September 2023

  The Venom LR, revolver cannon developed by UK-based AEI Systems, offers features such as reduced recoil, multiple firing modes and compatibility with standard 30mm ammunition. It is now being integrated onto Unirobotics' Trakon remote weapon station (RWS).

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  British Army eyes new small armed UAS capability

  19th May 2023

  The UK MoD has released a request for information on small armed UAS which could be used by the British Army.

• Land Warfare

  Elbit to supply surveillance radars to UK armed forces

  23rd May 2023

  The 90 portable Ground-Based Suveillance Radar units will feature capture software to monitor operator performance.

• Naval Warfare

  Upgrades to Holland-class OPVs pushed back a year

  6th October 2023

  The Royal Netherlands Navy’s (RNLN’s) four Holland-class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) will begin a mid-life upgrade (MLU) programme in 2025, a year later than planned.

• Air Warfare

  MBDA's Enforcer missile system gears up for full-scale production for Germany

  31st October 2023

  As the Enforcer system awaits approval from the Bundeswehr, the full-rate production has been scheduled to commence before the end of 2023. MBDA has also been exploring various Enforcer variants including an air-launched version.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Fleet Solid Support (FSS) (1-3) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirement The 2015 Strategic Defence & Security Review (SDSR) highlighted the requirement for three Military Afloat Reach & Sustainability (MARS) Fleet Solid Support (FSS) ...

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

  Multi-Role Vehicle (Protected) (MRV-P) Package 1 (UK)

  Programme Background Requirement The MRV-P programme was intended to procure replacements for a diverse fleet of 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles purchased during the wars in Iraq ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Project Tiquila [UK]

  Programme Background Tender Notice On 18 September 2020, the MoD Combat Air Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) Team published a tender notice for a system integrator ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  New Medium Helicopter (NMH) [UK]

  Programme Background NMH Market Interest Day On 11 November 2021, the MoD communicated the requirements of the £1 billion ($1.34 billion) New Medium Helicopter (NMH) ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  First Person View (FPV) Drones (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Programme Background 2024/2025 Military Aid Package On 12 January 2024, the UK government announced it would provide Ukraine with £2.5 billion ($3.2 billion) in military ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme [UK]

  Programme Background The next-generation platform concept is part of the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, which sought to deliver a Future Combat Air System ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Armed Micro Drone [UK]

  On 19 May 2023, the UK MoD published a request for information on armed micro UAV capabilities to help it better understand the marketplace, introduce possible ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Armed Micro Drone [UK]

  On 19 May 2023, the UK MoD published a request for information on armed micro UAV capabilities to help it better understand the marketplace, introduce possible ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) [Japan]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that GCAP's Japanese, British and Italian components are tracked in separate entries. Programme Timeline 2020: The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency of Japan issued ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance (MROS) Ship [UK]

  Programme Background Requirements The 2021 Defence Command Paper, Defence in a competitive age, outlined the plan to develop a new Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance (MROS) vessel ...

• Loitering munitions

  One-Way Attack Drones (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Programme Background 2024/2025 Military Aid Package On 12 January 2024, the UK government announced it would provide Ukraine with £2.5 billion ($3.2 billion) in military ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | AUKUS-SSNs/SSN(R) Astute Replacement Programme [UK]

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has begun the planning process for the Astute class replacement programme referred to as SSN-Replacement (SSN(R)). In September 2021, it was announced ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | AUKUS-SSNs/SSN(R) Astute Replacement Programme [UK]

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has begun the planning process for the Astute class replacement programme referred to as SSN-Replacement (SSN(R)). In September 2021, it was announced ...

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

  Protector RG1 [UK]

  Programme Background Programme Goal The programme aims to replace the MQ-9As in the RAF's inventory with the new, improved MQ-9Bs. With MQ-9B delivering a UK Sovereign capability for ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Mine Hunting Capability (MHC) Programme Block II [UK]

  Under Block II of the RN's Mine Hunting Capability (MHC) programme, the UK is expected to acquire three Offshore Support Vessels (OSVs) designed to be ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Major networking projects

  Project Marshall

  The Joint Military Air Traffic Services project was initiated by the UK MoD in November 2005 to identify and evaluate options for the future delivery ...

• Military UGVs

  T7

  The T7 is a multi-mission robotic system designed for military, police and hazardous missions. At DSEI 2017, the UK MoD awarded the Harris Corporation a ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  ASTOR FBFCT

  The Fixed Base Flight Crew Trainer (FBFCT) is a Level 5+ FTD for the UK RAF’s Airborne Standoff Radar (ASTOR) platform. The ASTOR FBFCT is ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Warthog

  The Warthog is based on the ST Kinetics Bronco all terrain tracked carrier (ATTC) and was developed to meet a UK MoD urgent operational requirement ...

• Infrastructure - generators

  Standalone Field Generator

  HGI is a supplier of standalone field generators to the UK MoD. It has supplied systems for communications, C2, field hospitals and workshop facilities. The ...

• Major networking projects

  Skynet 6 SATCOM

  Skynet 6 is designed to replace Skynet 5. The PFI contract for Skynet 5,  held by Paradigm Secure Communications and Airbus DS, ends in 2022. As ...

• Major networking projects

  DTT

  Raytheon UK is working with the UK MoD to deliver a Defence Targeting Toolset (DTT) capability. Aimed initially at land operations and eventually extending to ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  RFA Proteus (Vard 3 08)

  RFA Proteus serves as the launchpad for remotely operated vehicles and is the newest UK seabed warfare vessel. The ship, bought by the UK MoD as MV ...

• Major networking projects

  Skynet 5 SATCOM

  Airbus is the service provider for the UK MoD Skynet 5 private finance initiative contract, signed in October 2003 and now worth $5.6 billion. Airbus ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  UK MFTS

  The Military Flying Training System (MFTS) programme, is a private finance initiative involving the MoD and Ascent, a JV of Lockheed Martin and Babcock, which was ...

• Wheeled Tanker

  The Oshkosh Wheeled Tanker is a high-performance tactical vehicle, designed and built for the UK MoD in order to replace the existing fleet of legacy ...

• Data links

  AN/URC-138

  The AN/URC-138 is a Link 16 interoperable terminal originally developed for the Sea Harrier. It has the same Link 16 crypto as JTIDS/MIDS. The system ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Sentinel

  First displayed at DSEI 2023, Sentinel is a tethered drone from Drone Evolution. Designed to support various applications, such as increased ISR, EW and communications, ...

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

  Buster

  The Buster is a small UAS that is designed for carrying out close-range surveillance in all weather conditions. It can carry several different payloads and ...

• Land: vehicle surveillance/target acquisition systems

  DNGS-T3

  DNGS-T3 is a single or dual-axis stabilised Day/Night Gunner Sight. It entered service with the UK MoD in 2004 on tracked AFVs. There are more ...