• Land Warfare

  Japan beefs up ground force with new armoured vehicles

  22nd March 2024

  The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force’s (JGSDF) has been modernising its combat vehicle fleet to deter threats from nearby China, Russia and North Korea.

• Land Warfare

  Estonia receives Piorun MANPADS

  8th January 2024

  PIORUN, a man-portable air-defence system (MANPADS) in service in Poland and Ukraine, was introduced in 2019 and has a range of more than 7km.

• Naval Warfare

  TKMS enters Australian Tier 2 combatant market

  9th November 2023

  TKMS has joined the competition to meet the Australian Defence Strategic Review’s (DSR’s) desite to procure a new Tier 2 surface combatant for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

• Air Warfare

  Australia to sustain and upgrade Super Hornets and Growlers until 2030

  8th January 2024

  A contract extension with Boeing has secured the continued support and enhancement of the Royal Australian Air Force's F/A-18F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler fleets for the next five years.

• Land Warfare

  The Italian Army’s ambitious IFV plan

  14th June 2024

  The Italian Army has plans in place to procure up to 679 tracked IFVs to replace 200 Dardo IFVs currently in service with its mechanised units, as well as its M113 fleet.

• Land Warfare

  First Booker M10s to be delivered in March

  23rd January 2024

  The US Army awarded General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) a contract worth US$1.1 billion to supply 96 light tanks under the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) programme which became the Booker M10.

• Air Warfare

  Israel prepares F-35s for potential mission in Iran

  21st February 2024

  The threat of Iranian nuclear weapons has led Israel to make changes to its F-35s while Russian actions in Syria have acted as a catalyst for action in developing anti-jamming systems.

• Defence Notes

  Honeywell deal aims to improve ‘mission readiness’ of Indonesia’s armed forces

  16th November 2023

  Honeywell to extend support to Indonesian defence industry following four decades of collaboration with the country’s military sectors.

• Naval Warfare

  Romania cancels Gowind corvette buy, but needs swift new solution for Black Sea security

  22nd August 2023

  The Romanian Ministry of National Defence (MoND) has confirmed that plans to acquire four Gowind 2500 corvettes from French shipbuilder Naval Group have been cancelled.

• Naval Warfare

  AUSA 2023: Steadicopter aims to fly high with new rotary UAVs

  19th October 2023

  Israeli manufacturer Steadicopter presented its new Black Eagle and Golden Eagle rotary unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for the first time in the US at AUSA. Shephard spoke with Steadicopter CEO Itai Toren about what makes these Eagles different from other birds in the market.

• Naval Warfare

  Indian Navy tries again to procure minehunters, but this time it goes futuristic

  4th September 2023

  The Indian Navy is looking to the future with MCMVs that integrate a lot of autonomous technology. Meanwhile, other construction projects, such as ASWSWCs and survey vessels, are proceeding.

• Naval Warfare

  India gifts missile corvette to Vietnam amidst deepening ties

  17th July 2023

  Cementing the two countries' defence partnership, India has donated a second-hand warship to Vietnam.

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed withdraws from US Air Force tanker competition, leaving Airbus to bid alone

  24th October 2023

  Airbus remains resolute in its commitment to compete for the KC-135 replacement independently after Lockheed's exit. The shift could prove advantageous to competitor Boeing, potentially boosting its chances of securing another contract with the US Air Force.

• Naval Warfare

  Textron awarded UAS contract for Littoral Combat Ships

  11th August 2023

  The US Navy (USN) is expanding the airborne surveillance capabilities of three of its Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) with the addition of new UAS capabilities.

• Digital Battlespace

  US joins classified Australian cyber space exercise

  27th October 2023

  Dozen of US personnel from US Fleet Cyber Command and Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command participated in Exercise Cyber Sentinels in Canberra.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Maritime patrol

  P-8A Poseidon [US]

  Programme Background The P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) system is a heavily modified and militarized derivative of Boeing's 737-800 ERX commercial aircraft. The P-8A is ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8A Poseidon [UK]

  Programme Background In July 2016, the UK government announced that it had ordered nine aircraft for service with the RAF. Under this frame, in January ...

• Military helicopters - maritime, Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-53K - US Navy

  Programme Background The Marine Corps is replacing its aging CH-53E helicopters with the CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter. Designed as an evolution of the CH-53E, the CH-53K ...

• Frigates

  Second-hand LCS [Greece]

  Programme Background Timeline In January 2024, Tasos Chatzivasileiou, a Member of the Hellenic Parliament and Secretary General of the Standing Committee of National Defence and Foreign ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1700 [USN]

  Programme Background Timeline The US Navy LCU 1700 amphibious landing craft are being procured to replace the ageing LCU 1610 class, which has an average ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | F-35B STOVL Future Procurement - US Navy

  The US Navy is planning to order 115 F-35B STOVLs between FY2026 and FY2031 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase is estimated ...

• Data links

  Data links | F-35B STOVL Future Procurement - US Navy

  The US Navy is planning to order 115 F-35B STOVLs between FY2026 and FY2031 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase is estimated ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | F-35B STOVL Future Procurement - US Navy

  The US Navy is planning to order 115 F-35B STOVLs between FY2026 and FY2031 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase is estimated ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | F-35B STOVL Future Procurement - US Navy

  The US Navy is planning to order 115 F-35B STOVLs between FY2026 and FY2031 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase is estimated ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | F-35B STOVL Future Procurement - US Navy

  The US Navy is planning to order 115 F-35B STOVLs between FY2026 and FY2031 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase is estimated ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-53K - US Navy Follow-On

  Programme Background The Marine Corps is replacing its ageing CH-53E helicopters with the CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter. Designed as an evolution of the CH-53E, the CH-53K ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | F-35C Carrier Variant (CV) Future Procurement

  The US Navy is planning to order 130 F-35Cs between FY2026 and FY2030 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase is estimated be ...

• Data links

  Data links | F-35C Carrier Variant (CV) Future Procurement

  The US Navy is planning to order 130 F-35Cs between FY2026 and FY2030 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase is estimated be ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | F-35C Carrier Variant (CV) Future Procurement

  The US Navy is planning to order 130 F-35Cs between FY2026 and FY2030 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase is estimated be ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | F-35C Carrier Variant (CV) Future Procurement

  The US Navy is planning to order 130 F-35Cs between FY2026 and FY2030 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase is estimated be ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• US Navy T-44C training services

  In late 2013, CAE received a contract to provide the USN with comprehensive T-44C aircrew training services at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. CAE USA is ...

• Maritime patrol

  US-2

  The ShinMaywa US-2 is an amphibious short take-off and landing aircraft used primarily by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) for SAR. 

• Destroyers

  Kee Lung (Kidd) Class

  The Kee Lung-class consists of four ex-US Kidd-class guided missile destroyers in service with the Republic of China Navy (ROCN). The ships were originally built for ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Integrated Combat System

  The Integrated Combat System (ICS) is a combat management system being developed for the US Navy. The project, currently led by Lockheed Martin, aims to ...

• Sea: sonar systems

  AN/SQS-53

  The AN/SQS-53 is a computer-controlled sonar system with both active and passive operating capabilities. It can perform ASW search, detection, localisation and tracking tasks. In addition ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Navy Multiband Terminal (NMT)

  The Navy Multiband Terminal is the next-generation maritime military SATCOM for the US Navy and allied nations. The terminal integrates EHF and AEHF systems with ...

• EO/IR systems

  Sea Star Safire III

  Sea Star Safire III is a naval variant of FLIR Systems' EO/IR system. Its key capabilities include gyro-stabilisation, high-resolution thermal imaging and an eye-safe laser ...

• Sea: sonar systems

  AN/SQQ-89

  The AN/SQQ-89 is an ASW combat system incorporates and processes all the sonar information and LAMPS sensor data. Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, there are currently ...

• ISR/special mission

  E-130J

  The E130J is being developed for the United States Navy as part of the Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) project to replace the E-6B ...

• Minehunters

  Lerici/Gaeta Class

  The Lerici- and Gaeta-classes of minehunters are in service with the Italian Navy, and modified Gaeta variants entered into service with the Royal Australian Navy ...

• Air: sonar systems

  AN/AQS-22 ALFS

  The AN/AQS-22 Airborne Low-Frequency Sonar (ALFS) is the primary undersea warfare sensor for the USN MH-60R Seahawk multi-mission helicopter. The sonar system enables the MH-60R ...

• Data links

  GNOMAD US Domestic

  The US domestic version of GNOMAD (see separate entry) is a ruggedised system comprising a satellite antenna and baseband modular chassis that can be installed ...

• Frigates

  Hamilton Class

  The Hamilton-class cutter was originally the largest class of vessels operated by the US Coast Guard (USCG) before being replaced by the Legend-class. 12 cutters ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  S-70B/SH-60B Seahawk

  The SH-60B is an ASW/ASuW helicopter that is usually embarked on frigates, destroyers and cruisers. The SH-60B entered US service in 1984 and was retired ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  AN/SPS-52

  AN/SPS-52 is a long-range 3D naval air surveillance radar, developed originally by Hughes Electronics, which merged with Raytheon in 1997. The original AN/SPS-52 entered service ...