• Digital Battlespace

  West: USMC demos networking-on-the-move

  13th February 2015

  The USMC has tested infantry squad level text messaging and image transfer during an exercise in December 2014. Exercise Talon Reach used a selection of …

• Land Warfare

  Japan shows off nascent AAV7 fleet

  12th February 2015

  Japan exhibited its AAVP7A1 amphibious assault vehicles to media at Camp Fuji on 9 February 2015.  To date, the Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) …

• Land Warfare

  US budget: land systems stabilise

  4th February 2015

  After years of ups and downs the ground procurement budget for the US military has achieved some stability. The US Army, which will receive the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Special forces suit project confirmed

  30th January 2015

  The future of the US Special Operations Command’s (USSOCOM’s) Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit (TALOS) programme is assured following a change of command. Details remained …

• Land Warfare

  USMC considers ATVs for ITV replacement

  23rd January 2015

  All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) are being included as one of the options to replace the US Marine Corp (USMC) Internally Transportable Vehicle (ITV). An RFI released …

• Land Warfare

  Manta showcases USMC weapon covers (video)

  22nd January 2015

  Greg Foster, with Manta Weapons Accessories, tells Shephard Media about its range of rail guards, grip sleeves and barrel covers, which are standard issue with …

• Defence Helicopter

  Slovakia leans towards Black Hawks

  19th January 2015

  The door may be closing on European helicopter manufacturers in Slovakia, with the country’s defence minister revealing the Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk transport helicopter is …

• Training

  Meggitt wins small arms training contract

  16th January 2015

  Meggitt Training Systems has won a $31.7 million contract for indoor simulated marksmanship training systems from the US Marine Corps (USMC), the company announced on …

• Land Warfare

  USMC issues armour challenge

  17th December 2014

  A new stand-alone armour system to provide protection against heavy machine guns (HMGs) is being sought by the USMC. In cooperation with the US Defense …

• Digital Battlespace

  RfT released for NZ soldier tactical simulation

  15th December 2014

  A Request for Tender has been released by the New Zealand Defence Force to procure a Tactical Engagement Simulation System (TESS) to train dismounted and …

• Land Warfare

  US bridging system rolls on

  9th December 2014

  The US Army and USMC are pushing ahead with the procurement of their new Joint Assault Bridge (JAB). A draft executive summary for the production …

• Land Warfare

  Nammo details new contracts and live firings

  27th November 2014

  Nammo has signed new ammunition contracts with the Spanish Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Norwegian armed forces, and announced a successful live fire demonstration …

• Training

  I/ITSEC: Meggitt wins USMC training contract

  26th November 2014

  Meggitt Training Systems has been awarded a $30 million contract from the US Marine Corps (USMC) for the upgrade of Indoor Simulated Marksmanship Trainer (ISMT) …

• Land Warfare

  Cubic receives USMC training support contract

  3rd November 2014

  Cubic Applications has been selected to provide support to the US Marine Corps’ Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Training Systems Support (MTSS), with the …

• Land Warfare

  Northrop Grumman to begin G/ATOR LRIP for USMC

  29th October 2014

  Northrop Grumman will begin low-rate initial production (LRIP) of AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) systems under a $207 million contract from the US Marine …

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 ...