• Naval Warfare

  Frigate or corvette? The new surface combatant expanding Sweden’s strategic horizons

  9th April 2024

  With the new Luleå-class vessel, the Royal Swedish Navy (RSwN) will have a class of modern capital ship that could provide a wide range of naval capabilities that it has not had before, contributing to the shaping of Sweden’s role in NATO and allowing it to perform new missions.

• Land Warfare

  The integration issue: how is Avon Protection overcoming challenges in CBRN protective equipment?

  20th June 2024

  Military forces around the globe are redoubling efforts to replace their chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) protective equipment as the threat of personnel facing chemical threats on the battlefield re-emerges.

• Air Warfare

  Sentient's ViDAR sensors successfully integrated on Edge Autonomy's VXE30 UAS

  30th August 2023

  Sentient Vision Systems has completed live demonstrations of its AI-enabled Visual Detection and Ranging (ViDAR) sensor on Edge Autonomy's VXE30 VTOL UAS.

• Training

  Australia dives deep with $2 billion AUKUS submarine training investment

  12th December 2023

  The US has given the green light to a potential contract with Australia aimed at bolstering the AUKUS trilateral agreement by enhancing Royal Australian Navy training.

• Air Warfare

  Dubai Airshow 2023: How the MQ-9 Reaper UAS came to rule the skies

  10th November 2023

  Ahead of the 2023 edition of the Dubai Airshow, Shephard looks at the GA-ASI MQ-9A Reaper UAS, its role in shaping modern conflict dynamics, and its deployment for surveillance and precision strike throughout the Middle East.

• Naval Warfare

  Argentina maritime patrol boosted with P-3C Orion purchase from Norway

  20th October 2023

  The Argentine Navy will undertake long-range maritime patrol and surveillance missions with a fleet of four ex-Norwegian P-3 Orion aircraft under a deal announced by Argentina on 17th October.

• Naval Warfare

  Singapore launches fourth and final Type 218SG submarine

  23rd April 2024

  The era of southeast Asian submarine modernisation has been in full swing fuelled by growing tensions in the South China Sea.

• Training

  Ukrainian Navy participate in Exercise Joint Warrior in UK

  26th October 2023

  The Ukrainian Navy has joined 10 nations involved in a major multinational exercise in waters off Scotland.

• Naval Warfare

  DSEI 2023: Kongsberg Maritime unveils new Mission Bay Handling System

  14th September 2023

  Kongsberg Maritime unveiled its new Mission Bay Handling System at DSEI 2023 and has signed a contract to supply Kamewa waterjets for 17 Jurmo-class landing craft for the Finnish Navy.

• Training

  Filipino soldiers complete training on ASCOD light tank

  14th February 2024

  General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) unveiled the ASCOD Medium Main Battle Tank (MMBT) tank based on its tracked ASCOD IFV, at Eurosatory 2018. In January 2021, Elbit Systems announced that it had been awarded a US$172 million contract to supply vehicles to the Philippines.

• Air Warfare

  Canada looks to both NATO and the US for next generation helicopter beyond 2035

  6th March 2024

  Aircraft set for replacement under NATO’s Next Generation Rotorcraft Capability (NGRC) include AW101, UH-60 Black Hawk, Puma and NH90.

• Air Warfare

  US Space Force accelerates acquisition and development of capabilities

  4th March 2024

  The service’s efforts have related to the use of commercial technologies, as well as satellite development, missile tracking and warning, space data, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

• Training

  US Air Force seeks night vision goggle training for KC-46A Pegasus crew

  30th January 2024

  The US Air Force has initiated industry surveys to source providers for night vision goggle training for KC-46A Pegasus aircrew training.

• Digital Battlespace

  How Israel is using space to spot missile threats from Iran

  2nd May 2024

  A former Israeli space head has recommended that the Israeli Air and Space Arm operate small satellites in swarms to provide the country’s armed forces with region-wide surveillance.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2023: Lockheed Martin launches latest version of Prepar3D training solution

  28th November 2023

  This latest release of Prepar3D offers improvements in realism and efficiency, catering to training scenarios across aviation, maritime and ground domains, according to Lockheed Martin.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Long Range/Long Endurance (LR/LE) [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 - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  MQ-8C Fire Scout (USA)

  Programme Background Timeline According to the Naval Air Systems Command, having first ordered the MQ-8B in 2009, the UAV has become a pillar of the ...

• 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, ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (9-18) [USMC]

  Programme Background Requirements As part of the US Marine Corps' future force structure, it is developing a new platform under the Medium Lading Ship programme ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (1-8) [USMC]

  Programme Background Development As part of the US Marine Corps' future force structure, it is developing a new platform under the Medium Lading Ship programme ...

• 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 | Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  The Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  The Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The FVL-MS programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft utilised ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  According to the FY2021 Base funding, the HH-60W helicopter unit cost is $43.2 million. The HH-60W will be capable of employment day or night, in ...

• Destroyers

  Next-Generation Large Surface Combatants (LSC) - DDG(X) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) is acknowledging a need to move away from the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer design, which is slowly outgrowing. Flight III ...

• 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 - 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 - maritime

  Maritime Operations Helicopters

  The three maritime operations helicopters will be used for logistics and personnel transport, alongside transportation of PASKAL naval special forces in operations in the area. ...

• 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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Naval: RF, IR and acoustic decoys

  Sea Lightning

  Developed by a joint venture between BAE Systems and General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Sea Lightning is being offered to the USN for the Block ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  SECAT

  In 2022, Textron Systems unveiled its new Surface Effect Cargo Amphibious Transport (SECAT) craft, designed to support logistics behind the US Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations and ...

• Major networking projects

  CANES

  The Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) programme is a USN-wide effort to rationalise shipboard computing assets. It is designed to create a common ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Tactical Mission System for Helicopter Applications

  The Saab tactical mission system is a system for transport, utility, C2 and combat helicopters intended to operate in a net-centric environment. It is designed ...

• Air: helicopter radar, Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: surveillance radar

  AN/APS-124

  The AN/APS-124 is a long-range maritime search and targeting radar, originally developed for USN Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk helicopters. It features a high mean output power, ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems, Land: COMINT and ELINT systems, Naval: COMINT and ELINT systems

  LOKI

  The LOKI family is a cross-platform C2 system designed to integrate EW, SIGINT and Electro-Magnetic Spectrum Operations on many distributed platforms. The platform can be ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  MQ-9 MTD

  SDS’s ROVATTS-based MQ-9 Mission Training Device (MTD) was developed to provide high-fidelity simulation to support US Air National Guard operational Reaper crew training. The PC-based ...

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

  MQ-8C Fire Scout

  The MQ-8C is a newer version of the Fire Scout and is based on a Bell 407 commercial helicopter. It offers a greater range, endurance and ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  MERS

  The Marine Expeditionary Rifle Squad (MERS) takes a systems engineering approach to equipping the USMC’s fundamental fighting unit. The integration and configuration management of all ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-53E Sea Dragon

  Sikorsky developed the MH-53E (S-80) Sea Dragon variant of its CH-53E to provide the USN with a dedicated airborne mine countermeasures helicopter. Equipped with enlarged ...

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

  MQ-8B Fire Scout

  The MQ-8B Fire Scout is a rotary-wing UAV that provides situational awareness and precision targeting support for the US Armed Forces. The MQ-8B Fire Scout, ...

• Trainer

  Saab 340 trainer

  The Saab 340 trainer aircraft is based on the Saab 340 regional airliner. It is used by the USN for pilot training. The aircraft replaced ...

• Military - UUVs

  Sea Wasp

  The Sea Wasp is designed to be land-portable by a two-person team and consists of a vehicle, generator, pilot station, hand winch and power supply ...

• Air: mission management systems

  Air Operations Systems of Systems

  Air Operations System of Systems is designed to enable management of airspaces across large states and/or regions focusing on strategic planning. The system integration approach ...

• Subsystems: software

  LiteFlite II Simulators

  The LiteFlite II was designed to provide a high-fidelity, laptop-based system with white-force/man-in-the-loop capabilities for use with a variety of simulation systems. LiteFlite II represents ...