• Defence Notes

  USMC moving out on future battlefield capabilities

  5th June 2018

  To prepare for a conventional war with Russia or China, the US Marine Corps will need to work closer with the other services and step …

• Defence Helicopter

  Japan lines up AH-X contenders

  4th June 2018

  The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) in Japan’s MoD has invited companies to provide information for its next combat helicopter to succeed the Fuji-Bell …

• Land Warfare

  VICIS to improve USMC, army’s combat helmets

  24th May 2018

  VICIS has received a contract from the US Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC) to improve combat helmets of the army and …

• Military Logistics

  TRANSCOM explores globally-based power projection

  11th June 2018

  United States Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) is working to identify and address some of the realities of its newly assigned mission as the US DoD Joint …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AACUS enabled UH-1H completes first cargo delivery

  22nd May 2018

  Aurora Flight Sciences’ Autonomous Aerial Cargo/Utility System (AACUS) has successfully completed its first operational cargo delivery to the US Marine Corps (USMC), the company announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  USMC receives first CH-53 King Stallion

  18th May 2018

  Sikorsky has delivered the first CH-53K King Stallion heavy lift helicopter to the US Marine Corps (USMC). The USMC plans to buy as many as …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: AeroVironment receives Switchblade for USMC

  22nd May 2018

  The US Army has awarded AeroVironment a procurement contract for its Switchblade Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System (LMAMS). At SOFIC 2018, the company announced that …

• Defence Notes

  US releases ‘Mad Dog’ at Shangri-La

  5th June 2018

  US Defense Secretary James Mattis failed to placate China’s fears that the US government, under the Trump administration, was taking China as a serious existential …

• Land Warfare

  USMC to field Mk13 Mod 7 sniper rifle

  11th May 2018

  The US Marine Corps (USMC) is adopting the Mk13 Mod 7 as its primary sniper rifle, the USMC announced on 9 May. The bolt-action rifle …

• Defence Helicopter

  Manila anticipates vanilla attack helicopters

  25th May 2018

  Jordan is expected to donate a pair of second-hand Bell AH-1F Cobra attack helicopters to the Philippine Air Force (PAF), according to the Philippine News …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  FirstLook UGV for USMC

  10th May 2018

  Endeavor Robotics has received a $10 million contract from the US Marine Corps to provide FirstLook UGVs, the company announced on 7 May. The 5lbs …

• Training

  ITEC 2018: CAE USA wins support services contract for US Navy

  15th May 2018

  CAE USA has announced that it has been awarded a contract  to provide the Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) with Contract Instruction Services (CIS) …

• Defence Helicopter

  Spirit delivers CH-53K SDTA fuselage to USMC

  30th April 2018

  Spirit AeroSystems has delivered the fifth System Demonstration Test Article (SDTA) CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopter fuselage to the US Marine Corps (USMC), the company …

• Defence Helicopter

  German heavy-lift programme growing in support

  27th April 2018

  German industry partners to be used for the country's heavy-lift helicopter competition are increasing across both platforms as the two participant OEMs hedge their bets on the selection …

• Training

  US Marine Corps evaluates Marathon Targets

  19th April 2018

  Although initially looking at Marathon Targets’ robotic target in 2011, the US Marine Corps (USMC) is now conducting a field user assessment trial that is …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Long-Range Attack Munition (LRAM) [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 ...

• 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 helicopters - attack

  AH-1Z

  In issuing the Force Design 2030 report into the future direction of the USMC, the corps is attempting to steer the course of its development, ...

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

  Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) (Increment 1) [USMC]

  Programme Background All-in-One UAV Since 2016, the USMC has wished to acquire a UAV that could be deployed from a vessel, be used for various missions, ...

• Loitering munitions

  Organic Precision Fire - Mounted (OPF-M) [USMC]

  Programme Background Armed Vehicles In June 2021, Shephard reported that the USMC had selected the HERO-120 for the OPF-M programme. The USMC planned to integrate ...

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

  JLTV Future Procurement (USMC)

  Programme Background The USMC is expected to procure 10,859 JLTVs to replace all of its HMMWVs on a like-for-like basis. Since the USMC has already ...

• 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 - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Micro VTOL [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 ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply System (JTAARS) / Medium ULS-A [USMC]

  Programme Background US Marine ULS-A programmes The US Marines are seeking a family of Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A), which will provide logistics and ground units with ...

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

  XQ-58A Valkyrie [USMC]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 30 December 2022, the US DoD announced that it had awarded Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems a $15.52 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to ...

• 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 ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Nano VTOL [USMC]

  In April 2024, the USMC released a document outlining its drone strategy and how it intended to achieve its uncrewed ambitions. The document contained various ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Nano VTOL [USMC]

  In April 2024, the USMC released a document outlining its drone strategy and how it intended to achieve its uncrewed ambitions. The document contained various ...

• Fighter - naval

  F-35B STOVL Future Procurement - US Navy

  US Navy has ordered 122 F-35B aircraft until FY2020, the remaining 202 fighters will be acquired at a rate of 10 and 17 per year ...

• 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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  GATR e850 Outdoor Modem

  Cubic’s GATR e850 is a rugged broadband outdoor modem ideal for mobile/transportable communications, based on the iDirect e850 board set. Features include a waterproof enclosure ...

• Individual assault/anti-tank weapons

  M72 LAW FFE

  The M72 Light Assault Weapon Fire from Enclosure (M72 LAW FFE) was developed by Nammo to meet a USMC requirement for a version of the ...

• Military helicopters - maritime, Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-1Y Venom

  Originally planned as a UH-1N Twin Huey upgrade for the USMC, all but the first ten UH-1Ys now use new-build airframes. This new build prevents ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  SeaOnyx

  The SeaOnyx is an in-development cargo-carrying coaxial rotary-wing UAV manufactured by Ledois in partnership with Phenix Solutions.  In April 2023, Leidos announced it had been awarded an ...

• 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  LAV-25

  General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada has produced derivatives of the Piranha series, branded the Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV), since the Canadian Army selected the 6x6 Piranha ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1 SeaCobra

  Bell developed the 209/AH-1 SeaCobra on the basis of the US Army’s single-engine AH-1G Cobra as the USMC determined that a twin-engine attack helicopter would ...

• Air: mission management systems

  AFATDS

  Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) is a multi-service (US Army/USMC) joint and combined forces fire support battle command system. It provides automated support ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV

  BAE Systems teamed with Iveco Defence to offer a version of Iveco Defence Vehicle's Superav for the USMC's Armored Combat Vehicle Phase 1 Increment 1 ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  USMC KC-130J Training Devices

  CAE delivered a KC-130J cockpit avionics part-task trainer to MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina. The device is used for classroom training of ground maintenance personnel ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  SAIC ACV 1.1 prototype

  SAIC unveiled its first prototype for the USMC Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) 1.1 (Phase 1, Increment 1) project on 21 February 2017. The SAIC prototype is ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1W SuperCobra

  Bell’s AH-1W SuperCobra attack helicopter was developed from the AH-1T for the USMC. It has been in service since 1986 to the present day, first ...

• Subsystems: software

  DI-Guy

  DI-Guy is an AI, scenario and SDK for real-time human visualisation, simulation and artificial intelligence. DI-Guy has thousands of realistic ready-to-use characters and motions. It ...

• TCTS Inc-II

  Collins Aerospace (formerly Rockwell Collins) and Leonardo DRS have been selected by the USN to supply an encrypted, next-generation tactical training system for its Tactical ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  HIMARS

  Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control developed the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launcher to provide the US and allied armies with a ...