• Training

  MetaVR VRSG for additional ANG F-16 simulators

  6th February 2020

  MetaVR’s Virtual Reality Scene Generator (VRSG) is to equip additional US Air National Guard (ANG) F-16 simulators, the company announced on 5 February.A total of …

• Digital Battlespace

  Dstl working on CIRCE project

  22nd January 2020

  A joint mission to launch miniature sensors that will advance space weather measurement and modelling capabilities is being carried out by the Defence Science and …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  RAN trials USV, AUV capabilities

  29th January 2020

  The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the Defence Science and Technology (DST) Group have carried out a trial of autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) capabilities at …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ​Northrop Grumman not pausing for thought on MQ-4C

  13th February 2020

  The US DoD's decision to pause production of the MQ-4C Triton high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) UAV is not one that concerns the platform’s manufacturer. A two-year …

• Naval Warfare

  Proposed USN budget outlines unmanned investment

  11th February 2020

  Amid efforts to rein in spending in an economy feeling the figurative and literal weight of more than $20 trillion of debt, the FY2021 budget …

• Land Warfare

  French armed forces receive new O-NYX night vision goggles

  1st February 2020

  France is increasing efforts to renew the small equipment of its armed forces, with the MoD reporting the delivery of the first batch of new O-NYX …

• Naval Warfare

  DefExpo 2020: MBDA launches missile bids in India

  6th February 2020

  MBDA has a half-century-long history of missile cooperation in India, and the next step on the journey was a recent bid by L&T; MBDA Missile …

• Defence Notes

  Finland looks to crown new fighter from overcrowded acquisition

  16th January 2020

  Tests and evaluations of five candidates involved in Finland’s HX Fighter Programme (HX-FP) are set to run through to 26 February and will act as …

• Training

  Kratos receives Australian DoD trainer update order

  8th January 2020

  Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has received a contract from the Australia Department of Defence to deliver hardware, software and technical data package upgrades for …

• Training

  BISim, DiSTI sign agreement

  13th January 2020

  DiSTI Corporation has expanded its software VAR contract portfolio to include Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim) under an agreement announced on 13 January. Under the agreement …

• Training

  Dstl opens UK's first wargaming centre

  15th January 2020

  The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has opened the UK’s first dedicated, purpose designed wargaming centre. The Defence Wargaming Centre (DWC), located on Dstl’s …

• Naval Warfare

  State of the navy: US surface fleet programmes

  31st January 2020

  With its share of the US DoD’s budget reduced from the Cold War, the USN is having to manage a range of surface fleet shipbuilding …

• Training

  Dignitas Technologies awarded training systems support

  10th January 2020

  Dignitas Technologies has received an IDIQ contract from the US Naval Air Warfare Center to provide total life cycle support for US Navy training systems. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Camcopter S-100 supports emergency response efforts in Malaysia

  13th January 2020

  Schiebel’s Camcopter S-100 was deployed to provide critical situational information during the 2019 Kim Kim river toxic pollution crisis in Malaysia, the company announced on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  New year’s resolution for CUSV and its Milestone C

  15th January 2020

  A ‘variety of circumstances’ were factors in Textron Systems’ Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle (CUSV) missing its Milestone C target in 2019, with the system now being …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Surface-to-surface missiles, Loitering munitions

  Project Brakestop [UK]

  Programme Background Information Notice On 25 September 2024, the UK MoD published a prior information notice on Project Brakestop, which informed the industry about the upcoming ...

• Loitering munitions

  Medium Range Precision Strike (MRPS) [UK]

  Programme Background Prior Information Notice (PIN) On 21 October 2024, the MoD published a PIN in collaboration with the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S;). The notice ...

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

  Dominator XP [Thailand]

  Programme Background Purchase As reported by Shephard, in September 2023, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) inducted three Dominator XPs. The RTAF purchased the trio ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook (Singapore)

  Programme Background In July 2020, photos have emerged on the internet of the first Boeing CH-47F Chinook destined for the Republic of Singapore Air Force ...

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

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian (US)

  Programme Background On 6 March 2023, GA-ASI announced that the Air Force Special Operations Command (ASFOC) had contracted three MQ-9B SkyGaurdians, making it the first US customer of the ...

• Transport

  VC-25B - USAF

  The modifications to the 747-8 aircraft will include an electrical power upgrade with dual Auxiliary Power Units that are usable in flight, a mission communication ...

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

  Anka-S (Second Batch) [Turkey]

  Programme Background First Batch Based on comments by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Turkish media in 2018, Shephard believes that Türkiye acquired 26 Anka-S drones ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | SSN(X) Programme [USN]

  The US Navy may be far from reaching the end of procuring the current Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines (SSNs), but that does not mean planning for ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | SSN(X) Programme [USN]

  The US Navy may be far from reaching the end of procuring the current Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines (SSNs), but that does not mean planning for ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28NE Night Hunter

  Algerian military's follow-up order suggests that the country is satisfied with the Mi-28NE Night Hunters' performance in operational conditions in the desert environment featuring sandstorms ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  F-5E/F Adversary Trainer US Navy

  The F-5N is a single seat, dual engine supersonic land based fighter. It is designed to a service life of 9000 flight hours. The aircraft ...

• Loitering munitions

  ZT-180 [Russia]

  Programme Background Claims On 23 February 2023, DER SPIEGEL reported that, according to information it had gathered, China and Russia were negotiating the purchase of 100 ZT-180 ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  According to the FY2021 Base funding, the HH-60W helicopter unit cost is $43.2 million. The HH-60W will be capable of employment day or night, in ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply System (JTAARS) / Medium ULS-A [USMC]

  Programme Background US Marine ULS-A programmes The US Marines are seeking a family of Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A), which will provide logistics and ground units with ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  AN/APQ-181

  The AN/APQ-181 is a low-probability-of-intercept radar fitted to USAF Northrop Grumman B-2 stealth bombers. During the B-2 Radar Modernization Program – completed in 2012 – the ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  CreoLand HP

  CreoLand HP is a 10W MANET radio designed for command centres, long-range applications, artillery and special forces units. Notably, it offers a data throughput of 100Mbps ...

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

  H10 Poseidon

  The H10 Poseidon is a fixed-wing VTOL-capable UAV manufactured by Swamrly. Due to the UAV's electric propulsion system, small-radar cross-section, lack of detachable thermal signature and ability to operate ...

• Air: UAS radar

  ANKA SATCOM Radome

  The ANKA SATCOM Radome is a structural component developed by the Turkish defence manufacturer Meteksan Savunma Sanayi. It is designed for the protection of Ku-band ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Khronos

  The Khronos is a tethered, fully automated UAV for ISR missions in GPS/GNSS-denied and RF-denied environments. The drone's manufacturer, Elistair, stated that it could be deployed from a ...

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

  DT-101

  The DT-101 is a small fixed-wing UAV from Deftech. The VTOL-capable platform features SATCOM with up to 10Mbs bandwidth capability. DefTech lists various payloads for ...

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

  ARX

  Unveiled at Xponential 2024, the ARX is a fixed-wing drone developed by Tekever.  It features common electronics and software with other Tekever drones. Unlike those ...

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

  DT-001

  The DT-001 is a tandem wing UCAV from Deftech. It can host a range of non-offensive payloads, such as IO/EO cameras and an airborne LIDAR. ...

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

  Spider VTOL

  The Spider VTOL is a mini electrical fixed-wing UAV. Unlike traditional VTOL UAVs with dedicated motors, propellors and structural parts for performing take-off and landing, the Spider ...

• Data links

  MAQA Terminal 3.8m Flyaway Variant

  The Modular Aperture Quad-Band Antenna (MAQA) Terminal is designed to provide a ruggedised, mobile, quad-band SATCOM terminal that supports operations with the WGS constellation, legacy ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/VRC-118(V)1

  The AN/VRC-118(V)1 is a Mid-tier Networking Vehicular Radio (MNVR) which provides warfighters with the ability to share situational awareness. The MNVR utilises two joint tactical ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  BLADE-55

  The Ballistic Loitering Attack Drone (BLADE, or BLADE-55) is a multi-role, weaponised rotary-wing UAV from Alare Technologies.  The drone can notably host two NAMMO M72 LAW weapons. Additionally, the ...

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

  Disruptor

  Publically unveiled at AUSA 2024, the Disruptor is a loitering munition and UAV manufactured by AEVEX Aerospace. The Group III aircraft utilises a pneumatic launcher or Rocket Assisted ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARC-231 Skyfire

  The AN/ARC-231 Skyfire is an airborne VHF/UHF/LOS and DAMA SATCOM system. This system supports US DoD requirements for airborne, multi-band, multi-mission, secure anti-jam voice, data ...

• Major networking projects

  ISOM

  Integrated SATCOM Global Information Grid Operations and Management (ISOM) develops a scalable and policy-based management system that enables automatic allocation and provisioning of SATCOM resources. ...