• Air Warfare

  Where is air warfare going in the 21st century?

  23rd July 2020

  Despite the tumultuous events of recent months, the global COVID-19 hiatus offers the chance to look ahead at the shape of air warfare as the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Study urges UK defence sector to exploit quantum computing

  13th July 2020

  Possibilities offered by AI and quantum computers need to be more fully embraced by the UK armed forces, according to a study released on 13 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  BAE Systems to contribute to DARPA’s Squad X Programme

  3rd June 2020

  BAE Systems has been selected by Lockheed Martin to provide key autonomy and AI capabilities to the  DARPA Squad X programme. The contract is worth …

• Digital Battlespace

  LIMWS moves on to first production lots

  16th July 2020

  BAE Systems has received $179 million in contract awards from the US Army as part of the Limited Interim Missile Warning System (LIMWS) Quick Reaction …

• Land Warfare

  Elta has SF and autonomous developments in mind for all-terrain vehicles

  24th July 2020

  If it seemed odd to some observers for Israel Aerospace Industries, with its long aviation heritage, to acquire the manufacturing operations for three all-terrain 4x4 …

• Land Warfare

  Czech IFV procurement survives the axe

  21st July 2020

  Funding for core Czech Army modernisation programmes will remain uncut despite the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. A Czech MoD spokesman confirmed to Shephard that Prime Minister …

• Military Logistics

  Singapore seeks future air power generation with smart airbases

  24th July 2020

  While the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) builds up its future fleet with new platforms such as the F-35B and A330 MRTT, it has …

• Land Warfare

  Indian Army considers light tanks…again

  19th August 2020

  Ongoing tensions in the Ladakh sector of the border between India and China have spurred the Indian Army to revisit a requirement for a light tank suitable …

• Land Warfare

  Stalled OMFV programme resumes forward movement

  27th July 2020

  The US Army has released a draft RfP under the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) programme, in its fourth attempt to move ahead with plans …

• Defence Notes

  Tempest expansion masks industry funding fears

  21st July 2020

  A series of new collaborative agreements between Tempest industry lead BAE Systems and seven aerospace and defence suppliers is expected to add ‘game changing’ capabilities …

• Naval Warfare

  Naval Warfare magazine: Ship-to-shore connectors, vessel automation, global frigate market and more

  15th July 2020

  Read the latest edition of Naval Warfare for free in our app or on your desktop. Register below to be sent the download link and …

• Defence Notes

  Russian aero engine manufacturer looks to integrate AI into production process

  25th June 2020

  Rostec company United Engine Corporation (UEC) is working with Russian-Finnish industrial software specialist Zyfra to blend AI into production of Russian military aircraft engines. The …

• Training

  CAE confirms order for Typhoon simulator visual system

  9th July 2020

  The CAE Medallion MR e-Series visual system will be included in Eurofighter Typhoon full-mission simulators for the Qatar Emiri Air Force. In an announcement on …

• Digital Battlespace

  AR helps image analysts move towards ‘situational understanding’, says FLIR

  3rd July 2020

  FLIR plans to integrate AR into its new Star SAFIRE 380X long-range imaging system with the aim of significantly improving operator situational awareness, company officials …

• Digital Battlespace

  Radiation-hardened BAE Systems radios make their way to Lockheed Martin

  1st July 2020

  Lockheed Martin has received its first shipment of BAE Systems-made RAD5545 radios for spacecraft. The radiation-hardened and software-defined radios ‘provide spacecraft with the performance, availability, reliability …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Skyborg [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Intention Skyborg is one of three USAF Vanguard programs outlined in the Air Force Science and Technology 2030 initiative. The program intends ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  FPV Drones [Lithuania]

  Programme Background Ukraine FPV Drones On 5 April 2024, the Lithuanian MoD announced it would purchase around 3,000 Lithuanian-made FPV drones to give to Ukraine ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  FPV Drones (Ukraine Aid) [Lithuania]

  Programme Background 3000 FPV Drones On 5 April 2024, the Lithuanian MoD announced it would purchase around 3,000 Lithuanian-made FPV drones to give to Ukraine to ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  FPV Drones [Moldova]

  Programme Background Lithuanian Drones Lithuania's Minister of National Defense, Laurynas Kasciunas, announced that Lithuian-produced thermal night vision devices and FPV drones had begun being delivered to Moldova during ...

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

  V-Bat 128 (Brazil)

  Programme Background On 7 February 2022, Sheild AI announced on its website that it had signed a contract with VSK Tactical which included the 'purchase of [the] V-Bat ...

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

  Loyal Wingan [Japan]

  Programme Background Drone Appetite Released in December 2022, the Defence Building Program (DBP) called on the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) to replace some human assets with uncrewed ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Mi2 Challenge [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The USN wants a UAV to be flown in austere environments without dedicated launch or recovery equipment; since it would be launched ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirements According to the UK MoD's March 2021 Defence Command Paper, entitled 'Defence in a Competitive Age', the RN will invest in six ...

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

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [USAF]

  Programme Background Requirements The programme's requirements are based on the USAF's belief that it requires mass to compete effectively with an adversary in symmetrical warfare. However, ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The OMFV programme is the latest of several attempts to develop a Bradley replacement.  Designed to be capable of operating with or without ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV-30 PRTV (USA)

  Programme Background The Armoured Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  ARV (USMC)

  Programme Background The ARV constitutes one component of a wider USMC effort to develop an interconnected network of manned and unmanned platforms more suited to ...

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

  Loyal Wingman (Forecast) [Sweden]

  Programme Background Konceptet Framtidens Stridsflyg (KFS) In May 2024, Saab revealed the initial details of Sweden's Konceptet Framtidens Stridsflyg (KFS), translating to a future fighter aircraft ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BvS10 (Sweden)

  Programme Background The FMV announced that it had signed a contract with BAE Systems Hägglunds for 127 BvS10 MkIIBs in May 2021. These will fulfil ...

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

  Loyal Wingman (Forecast) [Germany]

  Programme Background Need Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, stated in Jue 2024 that the "German Air Force has expressed a clear need for ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• UAS: flight control systems

  Hivemind

  Developed by Shield AI, Hivemind is an ecosystem of tightly integrated AI software tools and interfaces that leverages several factors to deliver  intelligent and resilient autonomy ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  GA-10FPV-AI

  The GA-10FPV-AI is a Lithuanian FPV quadcopter drone manufactured by Granta Autonomy. The drone can carry a 3kg payload and operate in GNSS-denied environments. In September 2024, Granta Autonomy ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  TETTRON TM-450

  The Tettron TM-450 is a micro rotary-wing UAV manufactured by Thunder Tiger. The primary mission of the drone is to provide short-range reconnaissance (SRR), particularly ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  INTeACT

  Developed by BAE Systems, INTeACT is a next-generation combat management system for surface vessels with a dedicated software development kit (SDK). Notably, it includes AI-powered ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Nova 2

  The Nova 2 is a rotary-wing UAV designed by Sheild AI. The platform features Level 5 autonomy, allowing it to autonomously traverse complex domains without an operator's ...

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

  UAS Concept 1

  In July 2022, BAE Systems revealed two UAV concepts. The UAS Concept 1 is described as a small, versatile aircraft designed to augment existing forces ...

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

  UAS Concept 2 / Autonomous Collaborative Platform (ACP)

  In July 2022, BAE Systems revealed two UAV concepts, one later being branded Concept 2, or the Autonomous Collaborative Platform (ACP), at DSEI 2023.  Signage near ...

• Military UGVs

  Robotics Technology Demonstrator

  BAE Systems unveiled its Robotics Technology Demonstrator (RTD) at the AUSA exhibition in 2019. Designed to meet the requirements of the US Army's Robotic Combat ...

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

  Inquisithor

  Shephard saw the Inquisithor at DSA 2024. It is a quadcopter UAV from ProLab Engineering. It is highly customisable and can be changed to a user's requirements ...

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

  V-Bat 118

  Initially manufactured by Martin UAV, a company now owned by Shield AI, the V-Bat is a VTOL rotary platform that rotates and operates as a fixed-wing ...

• Air: aerial targets, Loitering munitions

  Super Simsek

  The Super Simsek (Süper Şimşek) is an improved version of the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) training drone turned loitering munition.  The drone has reconfigurable payload options ...

• Fixed wing aircraft engines

  АI-24

  The Ivchenko AI-24 turboprop aircraft engine was initially designed and manufactured in the late-1950s. Manufacturing was later moved to Motor Sich, a Ukraine based manufacturer ...

• Fixed wing aircraft engines

  AI-222-25

  Manufactured by Ukraine’s Motor Sich, the AI-222 is a high thrust-to-weight ratio turbofan engine family developed to power Russian Air Force advanced trainers and light ...

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

  V-Bat 128

  Unveiled in March 2021, the V-Bat 128 is an improved version of the V-Bat 118. Compared to that platform, the V-Bat 128 has an increased ...

• Land: vehicle surveillance/target acquisition systems

  TKN-AI

  TKN-AI is a commander’s periscope intended for guiding a vehicle, and battlefield observation and target acquisition by day and night. It is compatible with T-62, ...