• Special Operations

  Pacific 2019: Australia brews up smooth new Whiskey

  8th October 2019

  A start-up New South Wales-based company, The Whiskey Project, used the Pacific International Maritime Exhibition in Sydney to launch what it calls its next-generation Whiskey …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky show brings CH-53K double act to town

  25th September 2019

  Manufacturer Sikorsky has held meetings and CH-53K King Stallion flight demonstrations with German and Israeli delegations as it looks to encourage both that the aircraft …

• Digital Battlespace

  DSIT to provide bow-mounted ASW sonar for undisclosed navy

  29th August 2019

  DSIT Solutions has signed a contract with an undisclosed navy for the supply of its bow-mounted sonar (BMS) anti-submarine warfare (ASW) system.  DSIT's ASW systems …

• Defence Notes

  Is the US military beginning to put meat on its Asian bones?

  6th September 2019

  US politicians and senior military figures are effusive in affirming their commitment to partners and hangers-on in the Asia-Pacific region, but question marks always surround …

• Training

  DynCorp awarded support work for USN training aircraft

  6th September 2019

  DynCorp is being awarded an $88.7 million contract modification to provide organisational, intermediate, and depot-level maintenance and logistics support for US Navy training aircraft.  It …

• Training

  Germany prepares to announce Sea Lion simulator winner

  5th September 2019

  The German Federal Procurement Agency (BAAINBw) is expected to announce the winner of it’s long-running Sea Lion simulator programme in early October. The long-awaited contract covers …

• Defence Notes

  MSPO 2019: Patience a virtue for Polish AARGM deal

  3rd September 2019

  Northrop Grumman is confident it can land an order with Poland for the air-to-ground Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM), despite developments between the two sides …

• Naval Warfare

  PAE to support USN undersea test range

  6th September 2019

  PAE Applied Technologies has been awarded a $52.3 million contract modification to reinstate six-month periods of performance to support the operation of the US Navy’s …

• Naval Warfare

  China launches the first of multiple Type 075 LHDs

  25th September 2019

  China launched its first ever landing helicopter dock (LHD) at the Huangpu-Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai on the morning of 25 September, greatly furthering the future …

• Naval Warfare

  Progeny Systems to provide USN CBASS torpedo upgrade

  3rd September 2019

  Progeny Systems has been awarded $115.7 million by the US Navy to upgrade the Mk-48 M7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) heavyweight torpedo. This …

• Military Logistics

  Honeywell to support power units for USN aircraft

  3rd September 2019

  Honeywell has received a $11.5 million contract modification from the US Navy for the repair, replacement and programme support for auxiliary power units used on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  LRIP contract award for USN Knifefish UUV

  28th August 2019

  General Dynamics Mission Systems has been awarded $44.6 million contract modification to enter into low-rate initial production for the US Navy's Knifefish unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV). …

• Naval Warfare

  USN awards LRIP contract for ESSM weapons

  27th August 2019

  The US Navy has awarded Raytheon a $190 million low-rate initial production contract for Block 2 versions of the Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM).  Block 2 …

• Naval Warfare

  Erapsco awarded USN sonobuoy contract

  19th August 2019

  An Ultra Electronics and Sparton DeLeon Springs joint venture (JV) has been awarded a contract worth up to $1.04 billion for the manufacture of sonobuoys …

• Military Logistics

  USNS Puerto Rico completes acceptance trials

  28th August 2019

  The future USNS Puerto Rico Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessel has completed US Navy acceptance trials, manufacturer Austal announced on 26 August.   The trials …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Maritime patrol

  Maritime Patrol Aircraft Procurement [Italy]

  Programme Background In an appearance before the Italian parliament’s Foreign and Defence Affairs Committee on 14 July 2022, Italian Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Adm ...

• 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 - maritime

  MH-60R Seahawks [Norway]

  Programme Background NH90 NFH cancellation  The Norwegian government announced the termination of the NH90 NFH helicopter contract for 14 NH90s with NHIndustries in June 2022. Seahawk Acquisition ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey (USN)

  Programme Background Requirement According to USN FY2023 Budget Estimate documentation, the V-22 programme provides an aircraft to meet the amphibious and vertical assault needs of ...

• 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 - 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 - fixed-wing

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirement The USN wants to acquire carrier-capable loyal wingman drones. These drones will have a high level of autonomy, allowing them to work alongside crewed ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4 Triton (Announced/Contracted) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The MQ-4C Triton programme, developed under the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) programme, required an uncrewed system to provide persistent real-time intelligence, surveillance ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R Seahawk - Taiwan

  Programme Background Taiwan operates seven MD500 helicopters, acquired in 1977, from ex-US Chi Yang-class (Knox) frigates that are being decommissioned after 40-year service life. The ...

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

  MQ-25 Stingray (Selected) [USA]

  Programme Background Initial Requirments - Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) Despite the abovementioned goal, the programme did not begin with this in ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Blackwing (Second Batch) [USA]

  Programme BackgroundFirst Batch The Blackwing originated from a 2013 initiative to develop a low-cost submarine-launched UAS for the US Navy. Following successful tests with the ...

• 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 ...

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  SSN(X) Programme [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The CRS SSN(X) report states the USN is examining three broad design options for future submarines. One is based on the current ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military - USVs

  Fleet Class/Common Unmanned Surface Vessel

  Developed for the USN, the Fleet Class Common USV System uses a modular architecture that accommodates platform reconfiguration and interchangeable payload applications. 

• Military helicopters - maritime

  SH-3 Sea King

  The SH-3 Sea King is a twin-engine, amphibious, multirole helicopter developed for the USN as a shipborne ASW platform. The initial prototype made its first ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  SH-2G Super Seasprite

  The SH-2G Super Seasprite is an upgraded version of the SH-2F and has Kaman’s patented servo flap main rotor control system.  Designed to meet the ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  S-61T

  Developed as an ASW platform for the USN, the S-61 first flew in 1959. Although it has now been phased out of USN service, more ...

• Multipurpose missiles

  RPK 6/7

  The RPK family of missiles is developed and produced in Russia, specifically designed for ASW. The RPK-6, also known as Vodopad (Водопад, 'waterfall'), is a ...

• Military - USVs, Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Milkor ASW

  The Milkor ASW vessel is intended to perform underwater operations against submarine threats. In addition to this, the boat can also be prepared to operate ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  ITAS

  Northrop Grumman is a major producer of tactical information management systems for maritime patrol, ASW, ASuW, SAR and related applications. The Northrop Grumman AN/ASN-150 and ...

• 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 ...

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

  H-92

  The H-92 is the military version of the commercial S-92. It has a stand-up cabin, higher gross weight, more power and new composite rotor blades. ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  2800 ASW Patrol Boat

  The 2800 ASW Patrol Boat, developed by Couach, is a vessel designed for ASW operations. Unveiled at the 2022 World Defence Show, the vessel can be ...

• Frigates

  Bergamini Class (FREMM)

  The Bergamini-class frigates for the Italian Navy are based on the Franco-Italian, European, multipurpose frigate design FREMM (European multi-mission Frigate/Fregata europea multi-missione). For Italy, the ...

• Frigates

  Independence Class (LCS)

  The USN’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme was originally envisaged to be 50 ships, which would provide a coastal platform that would take over from ...

• Sea: tactical training

  Proteus ASW and Sonar Trainer

  The Proteus ASW and Sonar Trainer expands the Action Speed Tactical Trainer’s sonar capability with new sonar simulations to create a dedicated ASW trainer. Various ...

• Frigates

  Constellation Class FFG(X)

  The USN has selected Fincantieri Marinette Marine to build up to ten frigates under the FFG(X) next-generation future guided-missile frigate programme. The new Constellation-class will replace ...

• 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, ...