Defense Systems

Defense systems referenced in U.S. security cooperation disclosures, with definitions, recent news activity, and related events.

Systems shown here are curated and mapped to publicly available DSCA disclosures and related reporting. This list is not an authoritative or exhaustive catalog, and inclusion does not imply U.S. Government endorsement. Coverage depends on the underlying source material and curated mappings.

Showing 21–40 of 86 systems

Arrow missile system

The Arrow project began in the 1980s when its design was submitted to the United States in response to President Regan’s Strategic Defense Initiative.[v] The system was promoted as a more effective theater missile defense system than the Patriot air defense platform. After a successful demonstration test, the system, called Arrow-1, underwent full-scale development and pre-production with joint funding from the United States and Israel.[vi] The original Arrow-1 interceptor had two stages, used solid-fuel, and was designed to intercept short-range ballistic missiles such as Scuds.[vii] Arrow not only provides Israel with much-needed ballistic missile defense in a hostile region, but also offers valuable technical information for the United States that can be utilized to progress U.S. and allied BMD capabilities.

C-17 Globemaster III Aircraft

The C-17 Globemaster III is the most flexible cargo aircraft to enter the airlift force. The C-17 is capable of rapid strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases or directly to forward bases in the deployment area. The aircraft can perform tactical airlift and airdrop missions and can transport litters and ambulatory patients during aeromedical evacuations. The inherent flexibility and performance of the C-17 force improve the ability of the total airlift system to fulfill the worldwide air mobility requirements of the United States.

Country Wide Repeater System (CWRS)

A country wide repeater network extends the range of the RF-7800V/RF-7850M and RF-7850A network with intelligent retransmission of radio traffic including voice, data, SMS, SA, and directed calling . The system is Scalable and compatible with existing network infrastructure, the solution provides coverage for fast-moving teams to ‘roam’ across vast areas without losing connectivity.

DSU-38

The DSU-38 (DSU-38A/B) is a laser-illuminated target detector used as a precision laser guidance set added to JDAM-class weapons. It enables an optional semi-active laser guidance mode in addition to GPS/INS guidance, improving the ability to engage targets designated by a laser.

Defense Advanced Global Positioning System

The Defense Advanced GPS Receiver (DAGR) is a compact, rugged, SAASM-secured military GPS receiver from BAE Systems designed to deliver precise position, navigation, and timing in the field. Built for handheld and vehicular use, it supports missions ranging from surface mobility and situational awareness to sensor integration and gun-laying, with a moving-map display that can show routes, waypoints, imagery, and alerts. DAGR is engineered to perform in demanding environments, including jamming conditions, and it provides flexible integration through multiple external interfaces (including serial ports, timing outputs, and active antenna support), making it a widely fielded “workhorse” GPS solution across platforms and operational scenarios.

Embedded Global Positioning System

Embedded Global Positioning System (often referred to in DoD aviation as an Embedded GPS/INS, or “EGI”) is an integrated navigation unit that embeds a military GPS receiver inside an inertial navigation system so the platform can continuously compute accurate position, velocity, time, and orientation (attitude/heading) as a single, self-contained subsystem. In practice, an EGI blends GPS measurements with inertial sensors (gyros/accelerometers) in a tightly coupled design to provide stable navigation and pointing data for aircraft and other military platforms, including improved performance when GPS is degraded, contested, or briefly unavailable. Modern variants may incorporate military GPS user equipment such as SAASM or M-Code capabilities to support secure, more resilient positioning and navigation for operational use.

Excalibur Projectile

Excalibur is a precision-guided 155mm artillery projectile designed to deliver accurate fires at extended ranges compared to conventional shells, improving first-round effects and reducing collateral risk through guided navigation and control.

F-16

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft. It is highly maneuverable and has proven itself in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. It provides a relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system for the United States and allied nations. In an air combat role, the F-16's maneuverability and combat radius (distance it can fly to enter air combat, stay, fight and return) exceed that of all potential threat fighter aircraft. It can locate targets in all weather conditions and detect low flying aircraft in radar ground clutter. In an air-to-surface role, the F-16 can fly more than 500 miles (860 kilometers), deliver its weapons with superior accuracy, defend itself against enemy aircraft, and return to its starting point. An all-weather capability allows it to accurately deliver ordnance during non-visual bombing conditions.

F-35

The F-35 (Joint Strike Fighter) is a Department of Defense-led program and aircraft family developed to provide a next-generation, multi-role strike fighter in three closely related variants for the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, with a strong emphasis on common design across the variants to improve affordability and supportability. In its foundational concept, the F-35/JSF was intended to replace portions of several legacy tactical aircraft fleets by combining low-observable (stealth) features with advanced sensors and networked mission systems to conduct a wide range of combat missions in contested environments.

F/A-18

The F/A-18 Hornet (A/B/C/D) is an all-weather, twin-engine, carrier-suitable, multi-mission tactical aircraft designed to perform both fighter and attack roles. The A and C variants are single-seat, while the B and D variants are two-seat (with the B used primarily for training). For the legacy Hornet, the U.S. Navy lists the prime contractor as McDonnell Douglas and the major subcontractor as Northrop.

F404 Turbofan Engine

The F404 is a military turbofan engine family used on multiple fighter and trainer aircraft; in sustainment and spares contexts, procurement may include engine assemblies and key modules/components that support readiness for fleets powered by the F404 line.

FMU-139

FMU-139 is a U.S. military electronic tail fuze used on general-purpose bombs (notably the Mk-80 series) to control arming and warhead initiation based on the selected employment mode. In practical terms, it provides configurable functioning options such as impact (and, in some configurations, proximity-related employment when paired with a sensing element), with selectable delay/arm settings set either manually on the fuze or through aircraft/aircrew programmability on newer variants.

Fmu-167 Hard Target Void Sensing Fuzes (htvsf)

FMU-167/B, also known as the Hard Target Void Sensing Fuze. The Hard Target Void Sensing Fuze is an all-electronic, cockpit programmable, intelligent fuze capable of destroying deeply buried and targets. It provides multiple delay arming and detonation times, as well as a void-sensing capability, which allows for precision activation of the fuze.

GBU-39

GBU-39/B (Small Diameter Bomb, SDB I) is a 250-pound-class, precision-guided air-delivered munition designed to give aircraft an all-weather, day/night standoff strike option while reducing the risk of collateral damage through its smaller size and accuracy. It uses GPS-based guidance to navigate to its aimpoint, and its compact form factor lets many aircraft carry more weapons per sortie (often via a multi-store carriage rack such as the BRU-61/A), improving target coverage without increasing aircraft load as dramatically as larger bombs.

GBU-54

The GBU-54 Laser JDAM (LJDAM) is a 500-pound class precision-guided bomb that combines JDAM guidance with an added laser guidance capability. U.S. government descriptions characterize it as a 500-lb JDAM that adds a precision laser guidance set, providing optional semi-active laser guidance in addition to GPS/INS and enabling engagement of designated targets, including moving targets in certain conditions.

Guided MLRS (Alternative Warhead)

Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) is a precision rocket munition family used for long-range fires with guided accuracy; the “Alternative Warhead” designation refers to a warhead approach intended to deliver effective target effects without traditional submunitions while retaining the range and precision associated with GMLRS.

HAWK Phase III Missile System

The HAWK Phase III Missile System is a mobile, all-weather, medium-range surface-to-air guided missile air defense system designed to defend against low-to-medium altitude aircraft. “Phase III” refers to a later product-improvement configuration fielded in the early 1990s, paired with missile modifications intended to extend service life and improve performance against electronic countermeasures, and the U.S. Army identifies Raytheon as the prime contractor for the system.

HIMARS

HIMARS (M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) is a C-130 transportable, truck-mounted, wheeled rocket and missile launcher built on a 5-ton Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) chassis. It is the Army-fielded, high-mobility counterpart to the tracked MLRS (M270) and is designed to fire the MLRS Family of Munitions, including GMLRS rockets and ATACMS missiles, delivering GPS-aided precision fires across roughly 15 to 300 kilometers depending on the munition. The principal contractor for the system in U.S. government notifications is Lockheed Martin.

Harpoon missile

The Harpoon (AGM/RGM/UGM-84) is an all-weather, over-the-horizon anti-ship missile system produced by Boeing (and legacy McDonnell Douglas) that gives U.S. and partner forces a common weapon for air- and surface-launched maritime strike. It is fielded in variants that can be launched from aircraft (AGM), surface ships (RGM), and submarines (UGM), and it is designed to defeat surface targets using a low-level, sea-skimming flight profile and terminal active radar homing. Later variants such as Harpoon Block II add GPS-assisted inertial navigation, expanding employment in complex littoral environments and enabling a land-attack capability in addition to its core anti-ship role.

High Mobility Artillery Rocket

High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) is a U.S. Army fielded, truck-mounted, wheeled rocket and missile launcher designed to deliver rapid, long-range precision fires while staying highly deployable and mobile. Built on an Army tactical truck chassis, it uses a single interchangeable launch pod to fire munitions from the MLRS family, and it is optimized for “shoot-and-scoot” operations, meaning it can position quickly, fire, and relocate to reduce exposure. In U.S. government descriptions, the launcher is commonly defined as a system made up of a chassis, launcher module, and fire control system, and it is produced by Lockheed Martin for U.S. and partner use.

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