• Digital Battlespace

  CIA faces crippling challenges in China

  17th May 2018

  China’s perfection of facial recognition and gait detection software, integrated into algorithms that have access to millions of profiles of ‘blacklisted’ individuals, would give Cold …

• Defence Notes

  US commandos help Saudis against Yemen rebels

  4th May 2018

  A team of elite US Green Beret commandos were deployed to the Saudi border of Yemen in 2017 to help find and destroy Huthi rebel …

• Defence Notes

  Xi unleashes PLA on Taiwan

  8th May 2018

  China’s military and intelligence services have significantly ramped up efforts to undermine the self-ruled island of Taiwan. These strategies have much to teach regional neighbours …

• Defence Notes

  Nine aboard US C-130 destroyed in fiery crash

  3rd May 2018

  An aging US military cargo plane carrying nine troops was destroyed in a fiery crash on 2 May as it made its final scheduled flight …

• Defence Helicopter

  Dutch AH-64E delivery schedule revealed

  3rd May 2018

  The Netherlands is planning on receiving its 28 strong fleet of remanufactured Apache AH-64E Guardian attack helicopters over a two and half year period beginning …

• Training

  Malaysia finally commissions two training ships

  3rd May 2018

  The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) formally commissioned two Samudera-class training ships on 26 April, five years past their targeted induction year of 2013. Both 75.9m …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2018: In-Flight Data confident ahead of TCCA's BVLOS decision

  1st May 2018

  Canada-based UAS operator In-Flight Data is hopeful of gaining permission from Transport Canada Civil Aviation Authority (TCCA) to start BVLOS flight tests in the country …

• Naval Warfare

  Seventh Astute class submarine build underway

  1st May 2018

  After the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) approved the Astute class submarine boat seven contract in March, BAE Systems has confirmed to Shephard the build …

• Defence Helicopter

  PDR of T901-GE-900 engine complete

  27th April 2018

  GE Aviation and the US Army have conducted the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) of the T901-GE-900 engine, the company announced on 25 April. The engine …

• Digital Battlespace

  Portugal joins NATO cyber-defence centre

  25th April 2018

  Portugal on 24 April became the 21st country to join NATO's cyber defence centre, the Tallinn-based body said at a flag-raising ceremony. ‘We are facing …

• Defence Notes

  Airbus and Dassault to team up on combat fighter

  25th April 2018

  Airbus and Dassault Aviation announced on 25 April that they intend to team up on the development of the future French-German combat fighter, a project …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  European MALE UAS finally revealed

  26th April 2018

  The European MALE RPAS has been revealed at the ILA Berlin Air Show on 26 April during a sound and light show accompanied by clouds of …

• Digital Battlespace

  Angola loses first satellite, plans successor

  23rd April 2018

  Angola on 23 April confirmed the premature death of its first national telecoms satellite, Angosat-1, which was launched in December 2017 and was expected to …

• Naval Warfare

  Timor-Leste to receive two patrol boats from Australia

  20th April 2018

  Australia will gift two new patrol boats to Timor-Leste under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project, the Australian Department of Defence announced on 19 April. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  DSA 2018: China’s Orwellian nightmare comes true

  19th April 2018

  George Orwell would have déjà vu if the late author of 1984 attended this week’s DSA exhibition in Kuala Lumpur. Beijing-based Yitu Technology showcased its artificial …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Kingston Class Replacement [Canada]

  Under the second pillar of its shipbuilding strategy, Ottawa is seeking a replacement for its Kingston-class OPVs. The programme is still in the very early stages of project ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Kingston Class Replacement [Canada]

  Under the second pillar of its shipbuilding strategy, Ottawa is seeking a replacement for its Kingston-class OPVs. The programme is still in the very early stages of project ...

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

  Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) [Canada]

  Programme Background Programme Inception The Royal Canadian Air Force's (RCAF) Joint Unmanned Surveillance and Target Acquisition System (JUSTAS) project was established to procure a UAS for ...

• OPVs

  Kingston Class Replacement [Canada]

  Programme Background Requirements Under the second pillar of its shipbuilding strategy, Canada is seeking to procure an undisclosed number of small vessels (below 1000t). Part ...

• Loitering munitions

  Warmate [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Ukraine placed an order for an undisclosed number of Warmate systems in 2017. Shepherd believes units acquired in this order later were utilised ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Ashok Leyland LBPV (Air Force) [India]

  Programme Background The IAF created the Garud commando force in 2004 to protect its airbases, carry out combat search and rescue and conduct covert operations ...

• Minehunters

  Awaji Class

  Programme Background Two Awaji class mine countermeasures vessels (MCMV) were ordered from the Japanese shipyard Japan Marine United (JMU) for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) initially. ...

• OPVs

  Inlay Class (second OPV)

  Programme Background The Inlay class originally consists of a single OPV in service with the Myanmar Navy. However, a second Inlay-class OPV has been reported under construction since ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Eagle V 4x4

  According to documents released by the Danish Ministry of Defence, a total of 233.6 million Danish Krone (US$34.669 million) were allocated to this programme. 62.1 ...

• OPVs

  Cyprus Second Sa'ar 62 OPV

  Programme BackgroundThe Republic of Cyrus' Ministry of Defence placed an order with Israel Shipyards for its first Sa'ar 62  OPV in December 2015 in a project valued ...

• Loitering munitions

  Warmate (2017) [Poland]

  Programme Background Order In November 2017, Poland ordered 100 sets of Warmate loitering munitions, each consisting of ten platforms, for a reported 100 million Polish Zloty ...

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

  HUSAR (2023 Order) [Germany]

  Programme Background First Order In 2015, the German Army launched the HUSAR programme to identify a replacement for its Airbus Defence & Space KZO and ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Makassar Class LPD (7)

  Indonesia signed a contract for $150 million for two LPDs in the Makassar class, KRI Makassar and KRI Surabaya, with South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering ...

• Patrol boats

  Rajshree Class (Flight II)

  Programme BackgroundThe Rajshree class is to consist of 13 FPVs built in two separate flights. Flight I saw construction begin in 2010 and all eight vessels ...

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

  HUSAR (2017 Order) [Germany]

  Programme Background Requirement In 2015, the German Army launched the HUSAR programme to identify a replacement for its Airbus Defence & Space KZO and first-generation ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• OPVs

  Vigilance OPV

  At CANSEC 2023, Vard Marine, partnering with Heddle Shipyards, Thales Canada, SH Defence and Fincantieri under the Team Vigilance banner, pitched an OPV design for ...

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  Scorpion 2

  Scorpion 2 is a man-portable, non-ITAR remote controlled improvised explosive device (RCIED) jammer, designed to deliver a hybrid, full-spectrum system and threat-band coverage protection for ...

• Air: helicopter radar, Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: UAS radar

  PicoSAR

  The PicoSAR is a compact multi-mode Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) surveillance radar weighing 10 kg, suitable for UAS, fixed-wing, and helicopter platforms.

• EW test systems, Air: chaff, flare and decoy systems

  CAST-easy

  RUAG unveiled the Countermeasure Advanced System Test Equipment (CAST-easy) in 2017 earmarking it for the Panavia Tornado series of combat aircraft. The 2017 announcement stated ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Polar Icebreaker

  Ottawa is in the process of procuring two new Polar Icebreakers, which will ensure a year-round presence in Canada’s North in support of Arctic sovereignty, ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Drone Deterrence System

  First unveiled at the LIMA 2017 exhibition by Mitsubishi Electric, the Drone Deterrence System began to be developed in 2014 and made its first sale in ...

• Naval guns, Land: RWS

  DragonFire

  Dragonfire is a new laser weapon system built for the UK MoD, receiving £30 million of funding in early 2017. The design of the gun ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  Fletcher

  Arnold Defense, which has produced more than 1.1 million 2.75in/70mm rocket launchers for airborne applications since 1961, unveiled the Fletcher 2.75in/70mm Weapon System at the September ...

• Minehunters

  Kormoran II Class

  Three Kormoran II-class minehunters were budgeted for the Polish Navy in 2011, and a contract was placed for a prototype in 2013, with the first ...

• OPVs

  La Confiance Class (PLG)

  The La Confiance-class, also known as the Guyanese Light Patrol Vessel (PLG), in service with the French Navy, was designed by Bureau Mauric and built ...

• Submachine guns

  FN SCAR-SC

  FN Herstal unveiled the 5.56mm FN SCAR-SC (Subcompact Carbine), the newest member of the SCAR (SOF Combat Assault Rifle) family originally developed for the US ...

• Self-propelled guns

  MGS-25 Aleksandar

  Yugoimport-SDPR unveiled the MGS-25 Aleksandar 155mm/52cal wheeled  SPH at the Partner defence exhibition in July 2017, which builds on the company's experience producing the Nora ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  FarAlert Sensor

  DroneShield's FarAlert Sensor is a remotely configurable, weather-resistant UAS surveillance system. It is able to distinguish UAS activity from common environmental noise sources at varying ...

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

  Nightwarden

  Textron Systems Unmanned Systems unveiled the Nightwarden TUAS – the company’s latest addition to their TUAS range – at the 2017 Pars Air Show. The platform represents ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  TW-950 TSM Shadow

  The TW-950 TSM Shadow radio by TrellisWare combines a low-SWaP design with advanced features such as streaming multiple HD videos and an expanded frequency range. ...