• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Raytheon working on Competency Aware Machine Learning

  14th January 2020

  Raytheon has received a $6 million contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to developing machine learning technology, the company announced on 13 …

• Training

  PLA is forced to alter its recruitment cycle

  30th January 2020

  The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) recently implemented important changes to the PLA’s recruitment processes, moving its intake of conscripts from once per year to twice, …

• Defence Notes

  IRST Block II pod flies on F/A-18 Super Hornet

  16th January 2020

  Boeing and the US Navy have flown an F/A-18 Super Hornet equipped with an Infrared Search & Track (IRST) Block II pod for the first …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  New year’s resolution for CUSV and its Milestone C

  15th January 2020

  A ‘variety of circumstances’ were factors in Textron Systems’ Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle (CUSV) missing its Milestone C target in 2019, with the system now being …

• Training

  Exercise Matilda concludes in Australia

  9th December 2019

  The Australian Army has completed two-week training exercise, Exercise Matilda, with the Singapore Army at Gallipoli Barracks. Soldiers from 8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (8/9RAR) …

• Naval Warfare

  Indonesian Navy continues to modernise

  26th December 2019

  The Indonesian Navy (TNI-AL) continues to modernise and build up its diverse fleet, and one of its latest projects aims to gain a new class …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  France commissions stratobus platform study

  9th January 2020

  Thales Alenia Space and Thales have signed a contract with the French defence procurement agency, DGA, to carry out a concept study for the use …

• Special Operations

  US Air Force contracts for AN/PRC-161 radios

  18th December 2019

  ViaSat has received a $93 million IDIQ contract from the US Air Force for AN/PRC-161 radios, the US Department of Defense announced on 16 December. …

• Military Logistics

  Delta Digital Video converters approved for FRP

  15th January 2020

  Lockheed Martin has approved full rate production for Delta Digital Video to deliver multiple Model VSC/900 Universal Video Format Converters for use in the Electronic …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Air Force readies for MH-139A arrival

  16th December 2019

  The US Air Force is set to accept its first MH-139A helicopter on 19 December at Duke Field, Florida. The MH-139A will replace the US …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Innovative Chinese UAVs appear, including a triple-engine platform

  22nd January 2020

  A large UAV from the Tengden Technology Company in China performed its maiden flight on 16 January, the platform being notable for the three turbocharged …

• Naval Warfare

  Revealed: How Turkey is modernising its Barbaros-class frigates

  15th January 2020

  A new graphic has been released revealing how the modernisation of Turkey’s Barbaros-class frigates will enhance the capabilities of the vessels. Turkey’s Presidency of Defence …

• Defence Helicopter

  US DoD awards M-TADS/PNVS support contract modification

  18th December 2019

  Lockheed Martin has received a $64.7 million contract modification for Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) support, the US Department of …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon awarded FAB-T contract modification

  21st January 2020

  Raytheon has received a contract modification for its work on the Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T) production contract. The $36.8 million modification was …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman to carry out HBTSS work

  4th December 2019

  Northrop Grumman has received a place on the Phase IIa Prototype Payload Design and Signal-chain Processing Demonstration of the Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) Hypersonic and …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  Hürkuş-C Advanced Armed Trainer (Turkey)

  The Hurjet-C development programme funding was included in the Hurkus-B procurement contract awarded by  the Turkish Undersecretariat for Defence Industries in December 2013.  The Hurjet will ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  NMS 4x4

  Prior to the announcement that Qatar had signed a contract for 214 NMS, there were reports in 2017 that the Qatar Armed Forces were seeking ...

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

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) (Forecast) [US Army]

  Programme Background USMC In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, which had been specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Joint Tactical Autonomous ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Desert Hawk III Replacement (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army has taken 222 Lockheed Martin Desert Hawk III UAVs into its core fleet, after having originally procured the system to ...

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

  Tactical Drone System (SDT) [France]

  Programme Background Tactical Drone System (SDT) programme The French Army launched the SDT programme to replace the Sagem (now Safran) Sperwer Intermediate Tactical Drone System ...

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

  CU172 Blackjack (First Batch) (Canada)

  Programme Background Requirement The Canadian Army identified a requirement for two new tactical UAV systems after recognising that the squadron and company level Aerovironment RQ-11 ...

• Military UAS - small

  Small UAV (Colombia)

  Programme Background Many of the Colombian military's UAVs are operated by the Colombian Air Force, but the Colombian Army has also employed several different types ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8 Poseidon [South Korea]

  Programme Background South Korea is facing an imminent submarine threat from North Korea. The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) is operating an aging fleet of P-3C ...

• 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 - mini

  Spy Ranger SMDR - Contracted (France)

  Programme Background Requirement The French Army has identified a need for a new tactical UAS to replace the Drac UAS, which first entered service in ...

• Loitering munitions

  N-Raven / IRIX [Greece]

  Programme Background Unveiled during the Defence Exhibition Athens (DEFEA 2023) exhibition, IRIX is a Greek version of the N-Raven loitering munition developed by Paramount in ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 300 [Australia]

  Programme Background Contract Award & Delivery On 8 July 2024, the Australian Government announced its soldiers would be equipped with Switchblade 300 following an acquisition ...

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

  Patroller [Greece]

  Programme Background On 20 June 2023, the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) announced at the Paris Air Show that Greece had signed a contract with Safran ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  RQ-7B Shadow v2 Block III (USA)

  Programme Background The first iteration of the Shadow UAS, the Shadow 600, was first introduced in 1992 and since then Textron has had a longstanding ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions [Switzerland]

  Programme Background Announcement In a February 2023 interview with Swiss news outlet CH-Media, Swiss army chief Thomas Süssli stated that the country was considering acquiring loitering ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Surface-to-surface missiles

  Precision Strike Missile (PrSM)

  The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), developed by Lockheed Martin, is a next-generation surface-to-surface missile system designed to provide the US Army with enhanced long-range precision ...

• Surface-to-surface missiles

  MGM-140 ATACMS

  The MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) is an American surface-to-surface missile. ATACMS is described as the US Army's primary 24/7, all-weather, and surface-to-surface artillery precision ...

• Land: battle management systems

  AMDWS

  AMDWS (Air and Missile Defense Work Station), is a collaborative battlespace awareness information management system developed by Northrop Grumman to meet the requirements of the ...

• Artillery rockets

  GMLRS

  GMLRS (Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System), an extended-range guided version of the MLRS,  is a GPS/INS-guided 227 mm artillery rocket for wheeled M142 HIMARS and tracked ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  MIM-104E PAC-2 Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical ballistic missile (GEM-T)

  An upgrade to the PAC-2 missile, the Guidance Enhanced Missile TBM (GEM-T) is designed to defeat tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles or enemy aircraft in ...

• Land: infantry weapon simulators

  DX407 GT Simulator

  The DX407 is an indoor GT simulator for the Eryx short-range shoulder- and tripod-fired antitank missile. It is used for initial training and skill maintenance ...

• Land: air defence radar

  LTAMDS

  The Raytheon Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense System (LTAMDS) is an active electronically scanned array Gallium Nitrade (GaN) radar. The use of GaN strengthens ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - MLDS, Air: Defensive Systems - Laser Warning Receivers

  LIMWS

  BAE Systems is leading the US Army’s Limited Interim Missile Warning System (LIMWS) initiative. This is intended to enhance the missile protection provided to US ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  CAMM-ER

  The CAMM-ER, the Common Anti-air Modular Missile Extended Range, is part of MBDA's CAMM family of next-generation air defence missiles. The missile is conceived to provide ...

• Surface-to-surface missiles

  Iskander-M/E/K

  The Iskander-M (NATO reporting name: SS-26 'Stone') is a short-range ballistic missile. It was the second attempt by Russia to replace the Skud after its ...

• Major networking projects

  IBCS

  The Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) is a C2 system designed to integrate current and future sensors. The system also improves ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  MIM-104 A/B Patriot (PAC-1)

  The MIM-104 Phased Array Tracking to Intercept of Target (Patriot) is an American Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) designed for air defence duties. The original Patriot entered US ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  HQ-9A/HHQ-9A

  The HQ-9 is a Chinese medium-range Surface-to-Air Missile equivalent to the Russian S-300. Its export version is known as the FD-2000. The missile is fitted ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  Terminator

  The Jadara Terminator is a crew-served antitank missile launcher designed and manufactured by Jadara Equipment and Defence Systems in Jordan. It features a 107mm diameter ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  MIM-104 C/D/E (Patriot PAC-2)

  The MIM-104C Phased Array Tracking to Intercept of Target (Patriot) Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2) is an American Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) designed for air-defence duties. The original ...