• Naval Warfare

  DSEI 2023: does the Royal Navy's surface combatant recapitalisation go far enough after a decade of neglect?

  6th September 2023

  The UK Royal Navy (RN) operates one of the world’s premier fleets with the ability to deploy high-end warships globally and retains key competencies in carrier aviation, amphibious and undersea warfare that few can boast. It also provides the UK’s nuclear deterrent submarines. Despite this potential, it needs to recover from a decade of neglect to sustain these capabilities.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2023: Babcock beefs up Land Cruisers as British Army Land Rover replacement programme looms

  14th September 2023

  Babcock has unveiled a militarised version of the Toyota Land Cruiser 70 which retains the chassis, drive train, engine and other systems but features a modified body more suited to a soldier's height range of 4’8” to 6’6” including kit and helmet.

• Training

  Babcock wins support and training contract for Ukrainian tanks and vehicles

  12th July 2023

  Babcock has secured a £50 million contract from the UK MoD to provide operational support to equipment donated to Ukraine, including training, and management of equipment and supply chains.

• Training

  DSEI 2023: latest consortium to bid for British Army collective training steps forward

  11th September 2023

  With a commitment to making training more efficient, effective, and frequent, Team Crucible plans to provide a digitally enabled collective training service for the British Army, employing real-time data feedback and advanced synthetic capabilities.

• Naval Warfare

  Canada advances second attempt at submarine support

  9th August 2023

  As the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN’s) fleet of four Victoria-class submarines transitions to a new operational profile and maintenance cycle a new support regime for the boats is planned.

• Naval Warfare

  Thales nets £169 million contract for Dreadnought submarine masts

  13th July 2023

  Thales has been awarded a £169 million ($220 million) contract for the UK RN's future Dreadnought submarines Integrated Combat System Mast.

• Training

  IBM joins Babcock-Leonardo bid team for Canada’s largest training contract

  1st June 2023

  The 25-year, $3.75 billion contract is currently in the evaluation phase and is expected to be awarded in the autumn of this year with only two remaining contenders.

• Naval Warfare

  SSN-AUKUS contract sets foundation for future UK-Australian capability

  27th October 2023

  The £3.95 billion (US$4.8 billion) contract awarded by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to BAE Systems earlier this month was the firing gun that truly started the UK-Australian project for a future nuclear-powered attack submarine.

• Naval Warfare

  First Royal Navy Type 31 frigate to hit the water this year

  2nd June 2023

  The first of the Royal Navy’s future Inspiration-class Type 31 frigates, HMS Venturer, is scheduled to hit the water this year.

• Naval Warfare

  UK faces £100 million bill for frigate refit

  5th July 2023

  The cost of keeping the frigate fleet going poses a challenge for UK RN.

• Digital Battlespace

  The Global Quest for Seamless Communication: Bridging the Communication Gap (Studio)

  7th September 2023

  The evolution of the global satellite communications industry highlights the importance of interoperability, connectivity, and technological advancements to address modern warfare challenges and ensure resilient coalition operations.

• Training

  Canada selects SkyAlyne for multi-billion-dollar Future Aircrew Training

  31st July 2023

  The multi-billion-dollar Future Aircrew Training contract is set to span over two decades, making it one of the most significant service agreements ever awarded by Canada.

• Naval Warfare

  Babcock and UK MoD at loggerheads over bill for increased Type 31 programme expenses

  20th April 2023

  Babcock has revealed that it was in a dispute resolution process with the UK MoD over increased costs related to the Type 31 frigate programme.

• Training

  Royal Air Force extends training facility in hope of improved training pipeline

  14th June 2023

  The Strategic Defence and Security Review initiative is expected to increase the throughput of trainee pilots by nearly 50%.

• 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.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Ukraine - UK supplied Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FIAC)

  Programme Background It was first reported in late September 2020 that the UK could provide eight Barzan-class fast attack craft to Ukraine. The platform has been ...

• Trainer

  PC-21 (France)

  Programme  Background The French Air and Space Force has chosen Dassault Aviation and Babcock to provide between nine and 13 Pilatus PC-21 aircraft for Phase ...

• Frigates

  Inspiration Class (Type 31) [UK]

  Development The Inspiration-class (Type 31) frigate programme for the UK Royal Navy (RN) emerged during the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) 2015 when the MoD ...

• Patrol boats

  Second-hand patrol boats (Ireland)

  Programme Background The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) announced on 14 March that it was selling two decommissioned 340t Inshore Patrol Vessels (IPVs) to Ireland. As ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Future Aircrew Training Program (Helicopter Procurement) - Canada

  The new procurement will result in one contract covering all the requirements, including maintenance and infrastructure services. Training services are currently provided through two separate ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Corvettes Procurement Programme (1-3) [Greece]

  The Hellenic Navy have a corvette requirement to replace the ten Elli-class frigates. Greece has joined as a partner of the European Patrol Corvette (EPC), which is ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Corvettes Procurement Programme (1-3) [Greece]

  The Hellenic Navy have a corvette requirement to replace the ten Elli-class frigates. Greece has joined as a partner of the European Patrol Corvette (EPC), which is ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Type 32 [UK]

  On 19 November 2020, the British Prime Minister announced an increase in defence spending over four years, representing a £16.5 billion increase. Amongst this announcement was ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Type 32 [UK]

  On 19 November 2020, the British Prime Minister announced an increase in defence spending over four years, representing a £16.5 billion increase. Amongst this announcement was ...

• Aircraft carriers

  Queen Elizabeth Class

  The contract to begin the construction of the first ship was awarded in 2008, ten years after the programme was announced in the 1998 SDR. ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Project Land 2097 Phase 4 - Australia

  According to the RfI, under Project Land 2097 Phase 4, the selected helicopter must comprise a commercial or military off-the-shelf solution that is already in ...

• Frigates

  Arrowhead 140 Frigate Acquisition (1-2) [Indonesia]

  Programme Background Requirements Indonesia’s policy of Minimum Essential Force (MEF) seeks to create an armed force capable of defending the nation. The navy has thus ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Greek Stop-Gap Frigate Procurement

  The Hellenic Navy has an urgent requirement for new frigates. Between two and four new frigates were expected to be procured, but the need was ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Greek Stop-Gap Frigate Procurement

  The Hellenic Navy has an urgent requirement for new frigates. Between two and four new frigates were expected to be procured, but the need was ...

• Frigates

  Type 32 [UK]

  Programme Background Requirements The UK Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace, has said work on the new programme will not begin until the mid-2020s. ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Frigates

  Inspiration Class (Type 31)

  The Inspiration-class (Type 31) is a general-purpose frigate being procured by the UK RN to replace its Type 23 Duke-class frigates. The new frigates will ...

• Trainer

  TB 30 Epsilon

  The Socata TB 30 Epsilon is a light truboprop trainer aircraft. The first aircraft flew in 1979 and entered service in 1983. It is in ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Frigates

  Miecznik frigates (Arrowhead 140)

  The Miecznik frigates are based on the Babcock Arrowhead 140 design, already selected by the Royal Navy and the Indonesian Navy. Three ships have been ordered ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  A330 Voyager MRTT Training Services

  Through AirTanker Services, a JV between Thales, Airbus Group, Cobham, Rolls-Royce and Babcock, Thales provides and maintains training services for the RAF’s Future Strategic Tanker ...

• Trainer

  PC-21

  Pilatus began the development of the PC-21 single-turboprop low-wing swept monoplane advanced trainer in 1999. The PC-21 can also be operated in the light attack ...

• Trainer

  Phenom 100

  Phenom 100 is a very light jet originally developed for single owner-pilot operation but later gained popularity as a jet trainer aircraft. The platform first ...

• Towed guns

  Centurion LPWS

  Raytheon developed the Centurion Land-based Phalanx Weapon System (LPWS) in 2004-05 to provide a C-RAM system to protect US bases in Iraq. The heart of ...

• Naval guns

  Bofors 40 mk4

  Bofors 40 Mk4 is a naval gun system developed and produced by BAE Systems. It was originally produced by Swedish Bofors, which was acquired by ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  SK4110

  Rohde&Schwarz; SK4110 is a high-power HF transmitter that provides beyond-line-of-sight communications with a high data rate. Notably, it has a liquid cooling system and optional ...

• Naval guns

  4.5" Mark 8

  The 4.5" Mark 8 is a medium calibre naval gun developed in the United Kingdom. The current 4.5" Mark 8 replaced the World War II 4.5" guns in ...

• Frigates

  Project 16 (Godavari Class)

  Project 16 (Godavari class) guided-missile frigates were designed and built for the Indian Navy as the country's first ingenuously designed and  built naval ship. The ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM, Naval: Radio and SATCOM

  R&S M3SR Series4100

  Rohde & Schwarz M3SR Series4100 is a family of software-defined HF radios designed for stationary and shipborne communications. Offered in multiple configurations, they offer high-data-rate BLOS ...

• H160

  Airbus Helicopters unveiled a full-scale model of the H160 medium twin rotorcraft on 3 March 2015 at Heli-Expo. The utility helicopter, the first to be ...