• Defence Notes

  CUAS platforms, security systems and MBTs steal the spotlight as the curtain falls on Eurosatory 2024

  21st June 2024

  Eurosatory 2024 is done, the boxes are mostly put away, vehicles sent home to bed, stalls torn down, ripped carpet rolled up and weary business directors and their engineers have, for the last time for this edition, hung their MKU lanyards around their necks. But what, if anything, have we learned from this show in suburban Paris?

• Digital Battlespace

  Just Released: Space Technology Report

  3rd October 2024

  Why space is an essential part of modern military capabilities

• Naval Warfare

  Military threats force through Australian frigate procurement

  9th July 2024

  Construction may have been started by BAE Systems on the first Hunter-class frigate but scepticism surrounds the general-purpose frigate programme due to delays and planning issues.

• Land Warfare

  CV90 upgrade programme helps BAE meet growing demand for IFV

  3rd June 2024

  The CV90 IFV has seen demand rockets leading its manufacturer to increase investments in production facilities. Tarkan Turkcan, CV90 platform director for BAE Systems Hägglunds, outlined the latest CV90 updates for Shephard.

• Land Warfare

  Steadicopter launches Golden Eagle Heavy Strike RUAS in Washington

  16th October 2024

  Using its platform at AUSA 2024, Steadicopter launched its latest rotary unmanned aerial system (RUAS), having worked alongside partner Rafael on the platform’s payload.

• Air Warfare

  Royal Navy Merlin Mk4 ditching kills one crew member

  5th September 2024

  A ditching is a deliberate emergency landing on water, not a crash.

• Naval Warfare

  HII acquires new manufacturing capacity for AUKUS work

  4th December 2024

  An existing facility in South Carolina will be turned over to work on AUKUS elements, as well as other US Navy projects.

• Land Warfare

  British Army’s Archer hits bullseye for capability and procurement

  26th December 2024

  The Archer artillery system was rushed into service and training of British Army trainers began in October 2023 before live fire trials just over a year later.

• Air Warfare

  GCAP model put on show at Farnborough as plans solidify

  22nd July 2024

  What Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) will be and how it will work is expected to be fleshed out over the next few years. For the moment, however, a concept model along with a lightshow has been drawing visitors and new UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Farnborough International Airshow.

• Air Warfare

  Poland signs for 96 Apache attack helicopters

  14th August 2024

  Poland selected the Apache two years ago and recently finalised details of an offset agreement. The Foreign Military Sale (FMS) Letter of Offer and Agreement (LOA) has sealed the deal.

• Land Warfare

  MilDef wins multimillion-dollar deal to supply CV90 computers to Norway

  29th August 2024

  Swedish rugged IT contractor wins Norwegian deal to provide the country’s CV90 combat vehicles with new computers.

• Naval Warfare

  General Dynamics awarded $1.3 billion for Virginia submarines

  6th August 2024

  Around 50 Virginia class submarines are planned for the US Navy (USN) with a total of 38 currently ordered and 21 having been delivered from various blocks.

• Naval Warfare

  Work begins on Type 26 frigate HMS Sheffield

  29th November 2024

  Manufacture of the fifth UK City-class frigate has begun in Scotland.

• Naval Warfare

  Virginia-class submarine USS Idaho launched

  15th August 2024

  The launch of the USS Idaho marks the halfway point of the Virginia-class series of submarines.

• Land Warfare

  Taiwan continues to modernise its army with indigenous products

  12th September 2024

  The island’s government has pushed through increased defence spending on new equipment, including the development of new rifles and the introduction of new armoured vehicle variants, as it prepares for a potential showdown with China.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Tempest 50 [USAF]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 18 December 2024, the US DoD announced that the USAF had awarded Firestorm Labs a $100 million Small Business Innovation Research ...

• Trainer

  Future Lead-In Fighter Training System (Project Air 6002 PH1) - Australia

  Programme Background Requirements The RAAF is seeking a future solution that provides a ‘relevant, adaptable, affordable and safe LIFTS out to 2050’ for training pilots ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Roussen Class

  The Roussen class fast attack craft missile (FACM) is in service with the Hellenic Navy. The British-design FACMs also known as the Super Vita, has been improved ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  New Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (NWJFAC) (India)

  Programme Background Requirements The Indian Navy is seeking replacements for a large proportion of its 19 46-49m-long waterjet-powered fast attack craft, several of which are approaching ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Indonesian Navy PC-60M

  Programme Background Local Indonesian shipyard PT Caputra Mitra Sejati has designed and developed a class of fast patrol boats that have been ordered by the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV-30 PRTV (USA)

  Programme Background The Armoured Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked ...

• Patrol boats

  Fast Patrol Vessels [India]

  Programme Background On 28 March 2022, the Indian MoD signed a contract worth INR 4.73 billion ($62.1 million) with Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) for the procurement ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BvS10 (Sweden)

  Programme Background The FMV announced that it had signed a contract with BAE Systems Hägglunds for 127 BvS10 MkIIBs in May 2021. These will fulfil ...

• 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV (US - USMC)

  Programme Background The Armored Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook-Saudi Arabia

  In addition to this, the request includes M134D mini-Guns, aircraft survivability equipment, infrared signature suppression system, fast rope insertion extraction system, extended range fuel system, ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Fast Patrol Vessels Procurement [India]

  In January 2023, the Indian MoD issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) entailing the acquisition of 14 Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) for the Indian Coast ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Fast Patrol Vessels Procurement [India]

  In January 2023, the Indian MoD issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) entailing the acquisition of 14 Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) for the Indian Coast ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV - Additional Order 1 (US - USMC)

  Programme Background The Armoured Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Reshef Class (6-8) [Israel]

  The Israeli Navy is replacing the Sa'ar 4 and 4.5 fast-attack vessels with a new corvette design called Reshef. On 12 December 2024, the Israeli MoD ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  INTeACT

  Developed by BAE Systems, INTeACT is a next-generation combat management system for surface vessels with a dedicated software development kit (SDK). Notably, it includes AI-powered ...

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

  Tempest 50

  The Tempest 50 is an American loitering munition and UAV from Firestorm Labs. Uniquely, 50 units of the UAV a month can be produced from ...

• UAS: communication systems

  Helix Mesh Rider

  Helix Mesh Rider is a SWaP (Size, Weight and Power) optimised mesh radio designed for uncrewed systems. Notably, it supports six frequency bands in a ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Fast Interceptor Craft

  The Fast Interceptor Craft (FIC) is a high-speed insertion craft developed and built by VT Halmatic, now part of BAE Systems Maritime. According to BAE ...

• Subsystems: software

  Vortex Simulation

  Vortex Simulation is a software platform for simulating tactical wheeled and tracked vehicles, speciality vehicles and non-tactical vehicles. Vortex lets training systems developers and engineers ...

• Data links

  QNT

  The QUINT Networking Technology (QNT) programme is intended to develop robust, affordable, miniature networked data link technologies suitable for use on weapons and by tactical ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Sky Mantis 2

  Unveiled in March 2024, the Sky Mantis 2 is a mini rotary-wing drone manufactured by Evolve Dynamics.  Based on end-user feedback, the drone is an ...

• Air: mission management systems

  RAFES

  Germany’s NBC defence C2 system, known as RAFES, is integrated into the overall FüInfoSys Heer army C2 system, adding NBC-specific functions to the standard mapping, ...

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

  P550

  Designed by AeroVironment, the P550 is a fixed-wing UAV that can host reconnaissance, EW or offensive payloads. It was developed with Parry Labs and features Modular Open Systems ...

• Air: aerial targets

  BQM-34 Firebee

  The BQM-34 Firebee is an uncrewed aerial target system that the USAF and USN have used for more than 50 years. The primary mission of ...

• Naval guns

  Mk 38 Mod 2/3

  The Mk 38 Machine Gun System is a stabilised self-defence weapon system intended for ships' self-defence capabilities in all weather conditions, day or night. Installed ...

• Self-propelled mortars

  AMOS

  The Advanced Mortar System (AMOS) is a twin-barrelled, 120mm breech-loading mortar turret designed to be mounted onto medium-sized wheeled or tracked APC chassis and fast ...

• EW test systems

  FAST

  Functional And Stray voltage Tester (FAST) is a handheld armament pre-flight tester that functions as a flightline tester. It is used to perform ‘O’-level armament ...

• Frigates

  Adaptable Strike Frigate

  The Adaptable Strike Frigate (ASF) is a frigate design developed by BAE Systems Naval Ships. Marketed as a platform characterised by strong modularity, the ship ...

• Trainer

  Hawk

  The BAE Systems Hawk trainer aircraft first flew in 1974, with the original Hawk T1 (designated Hawk 50 for export) entering service two years later ...