• Air Warfare

  Gray Eagle UAS makes first ship-to-shore journey

  14th November 2024

  The Gray Eagle short take-off and landing (STOL) UAS has a different engine, wings, control surfaces and landing gear to earlier Gray Eagles, and is a production variant of the demonstrator Mojave UAS.

• Air Warfare

  Why tactical UAVs are winning on the future battlefield (Podcast)

  9th June 2025

  In Conversation: In this special edition of the Shephard Defence Podcast, Tony Skinner sits down with Dan Slasky, President and CEO of Aeronautics, to explore how cutting-edge tactical unmanned aerial systems are reshaping today’s battlefields.

• Land Warfare

  Missile production being boosted across three continents

  12th December 2024

  The demand for missiles reflects current strategic interests, such as those in the Indo-Pacific region and conflict in Europe, along with an expectation of local involvement in manufacture which also supports a drive to build capacity.

• Land Warfare

  US Army orders TOW missiles from Raytheon under contracts totalling $676 million

  23rd October 2024

  The order from the US Army is made of two contracts with some of the weapon systems potentially destined for Ukraine and other set to resupply US stocks of missiles sent to Ukraine.

• Air Warfare

  Anduril’s Barracuda-100M completes latest successful test flights

  16th July 2025

  The munitions variant of the Barrauda-100 autonomous air vehicle is being tested for the US Army’s High-Speed Manoeuvrable Missile (HSMM) testbed programme, with further flight tests expected in 2026.

• Air Warfare

  Indian defence budget boosted by 9% as MoD heralds a “year of reforms”

  7th February 2025

  This new budget announcement, which has an increased focus on domestic procurement, comes as international countries arrive ahead of Aero India 2025.

• Air Warfare

  Sikorsky advances Black Hawk modernisation with new engine ground tests

  6th February 2025

  The UH-60 helicopter ground run test of the T901 engine is the first in a set of tests for boosting the helicopter’s range and lift capacity. The first flight of the improved engine Black Hawk is anticipated for later in 2025.

• Air Warfare

  IDEX 2025: Edge Group expands aerospace portfolio with six new UAVs and collaboration agreements

  26th February 2025

  Edge Group’s international partnership collaboration included Letters of Intent (LoIs) and agreements with US firm Lockheed Martin and multinational aerospace, defence and security company, Leonardo.

• Naval Warfare

  South Korea pushes forward on unmanned surface vessel development for future fleet

  20th June 2025

  South Korean industry continues to evolve unmanned surface vessels as the ROK Navy targets future force needs and addresses manpower challenges.

• Air Warfare

  Combat-proven capabilities: How precision-strike systems are evolving for tomorrow’s battlespace (podcast)

  11th June 2025

  Combat-tested technology is being reshaped to counter A2/AD threats, reduce reliance on GPS and enable faster, more autonomous targeting in complex environments. In this special podcast, experts explain how the evolving threat landscape is shaping next-generation strike capabilities.

• Air Warfare

  What impact will the massive drone attack on Russian territory have on the future of the war in Ukraine?

  2nd June 2025

  The large-scale Ukrainian UAV offensive against airbases in Russia is likely to affect the conflict in multiple ways in addition to impacting the warfare of tomorrow.

• Air Warfare

  USAF’s VENOM programme advances with modifications and autonomous testing

  7th April 2025

  The first fully modified aircraft is expected to begin testing by the end of 2025, according to the US Air Force.

• Land Warfare

  US Army modernisation plans raise big concerns for lawmakers

  25th June 2025

  The termination of programmes such as JLTV and RCV has been harshly criticised by members of the US Congress.

• Air Warfare

  Taurus KEPD 350E missile sees upgrade for German armed forces

  4th April 2025

  Taurus Systems, a joint venture between MBDA Germany and Saab, was awarded a $161 million 10-year contract in January 2025 to modernise the Taurus 350 missile.

• Land Warfare

  Canada lines up over-the-horizon radar purchase from Australia

  7th April 2025

  Ottawa is planning to procure a version of Australia’s Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN), which gives an over-the-horizon radar (OTHR) capability reaching approximately 3,000km for detection of air and sea targets.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-2 (Japan)

  Programme Background The UH-2 is a Japanese militarised version of Bell’s civilian 412EPX, with the two OEMs cooperating on this particular programme. The Acquisition, Technology ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-2 Forecast (Japan)

  Programme Background The UH-2 is a Japanese militarised version of Bell’s civilian 412EPX, with the two OEMs cooperating on this particular programme. The Acquisition, Technology ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 [Croatia]

  Programme Background Contract Award As reported by Shephard in November 2024, Croatia's government approved the purchase of six Bayraktar TB2 drones, a training package in Türkiye, a command-and-control centre, ...

• Trainer

  T-6C [Thailand]

  Programme Background The contract is for 12 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II advanced military training aircraft, ground-based training systems for pilots and maintenance professionals, a mission ...

• ISR/special mission

  ISTAR Aircraft (South Korea)

  Programme Background South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration stated that Seoul is planning to procure additional aircraft to minimize potential surveillance gaps amid growing security ...

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

  KUS-FT (South Korea)

  Programme Background Requirement The ROKA had identified a need for tactical UAVs that can be employed at the divisional level to carry out ISTAR missions ...

• Loitering munitions

  ALTIUS-600M [Taiwan]

  Programme Background China's Aggression Taiwan's national defence policy revolves around defending itself from a possible invasion by China. In Early 2025, the Taipei Times elaborated ...

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

  KUS-FS (ROKA) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Inception The Aerospace Division of Korean Air (KAL-ASD) commenced developing the MUAV in 2008 in response to a ROKAF requirement for a MALE ...

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

  KUS-FS (ROKAF) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Inception The Aerospace Division of Korean Air (KAL-ASD) commenced developing the MUAV in 2008 in response to a ROKAF requirement for a MALE UAV ...

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

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (South Korea)

  Programme Background Requirments Seoul required UAS assets to help monitor its neighbour to the north and, increasingly, Chinese activities in waters and in the air near ...

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

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (Japan)

  Programme Background Selection & Contract AwardIn 2015, Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft were selected by Japan to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Long Range One-way Platforms [US]

  Solicitation In October 2024, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) released a solicitation for long-range, one-way platforms. The DIU noted recent conflicts highlighted the asymmetric impact of low-cost, ...

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

  Eurodrone (Forecast) [Czechia]

  Programme Background Eurodrone Programme For context, the European MALE RPAS, or Eurodrone, is a quad-nation effort from some of Europe's most prominent defence manufacturers to ...

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

  Eurodrone (Forecast) [Japan]

  Programme Background Japan's Application The Letter of Approval (LOA) for observer status in the programme was presented to the Japanese Ambassador to Germany, Hidenao Yanagi, by Joachim ...

• ISR/special mission

  Baekdu-II (South Korea)

  Programme Background This ISR aircraft programme, which first appeared on the 2020-24 Mid-Term Defense Acquisition Plan, comprises four Baekdu-II aircraft. These will add to two ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  GenCOM Defense Ground

  GenCOM Defense Ground provides an automatic multi-layered situational awareness picture to the decision-maker, based on external signal data (metadata) gathered in real time. Integrating with ...

• Major networking projects

  DCGS

  The Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) is the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office plan for the integrated architecture of all ground and surface computing and communications ...

• EO/IR systems

  CM262

  Manfuaucted by AVT Australia, the CM262 is a ground-based imaging system combining four sensor configurations into a compact and ruggedised system for C-UAS and ISR ...

• Land: air defence radar

  KRONOS Power Shield Land

  This system is an L-band digital AESA anti-TBM radar. It is the land-based version of the naval KRONOS Power Shield, also known as KRONOS Ground ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  AMRAAM-ER

  The AIM-120 AMRAAM-ER is essentially an upgraded version of the AIM-120 AMRAAM tailored for extended range and enhanced performance in ground-based air defense systems like ...

• Short Range Missile Defence Systems: 0 to 20 km range

  Initial Maneuver - SHORAD

  Unveiled at AUSA 2019, Initial Maneuver Short Range Air Defense (IM-SHORAD) is a multipurpose platform, based on the Stryker IFV, which moves and maneuvers in ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Type 87

  The Type 87 is a 6x6 armoured reconnaissance vehicle developed by the now defunct Defense Division of Komatsu to meet the specific requirements of the ...

• Parvus DuraCOR 312

  The Parvus DuraCOR 312 is an Ultra-Small Form Factor (USFF) modular mission computer unveiled by Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions in November 2016. The DuraCOR 312 is ...

• Land: battle management systems

  AMDWS

  AMDWS (Air and Missile Defense Work Station), is a collaborative battlespace awareness information management system developed by Northrop Grumman to meet the requirements of the ...

• AEW&C

  P600 AEW&C

  In June 2019, Embraer and IAI/Elta signed a cooperation agreement aimed at developing an AEW&C; aircraft based on the business jet Praetor 600, namely the ...

• Long-range Video and Data Downlinks

  BMS airborne and ground-based equipment enables long-range, real-time HD video and broadband data links. Products include cockpit control panels, airborne antennas, real-time encoders, compact high-power ...

• Land: battle management systems

  FAAD/C-RAM C2

  The Forward Area Air Defense (FAAD) Command and Control (C2) system was developed by Northrop Grumman to provide command and control (C2) for the US Army ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Airborne Launching and Attack System (AirLAS)

  The Airborne Launching and Attack System (AirLAS) is a system that pairs Diehl Defence's IRIS-T air-to-air missile with a reusable carrier UAV developed by POLARIS. The companies ...

• Data links

  Universal Link System

  Developed by Scytalys, the Universal Link System (ULS) is a modular, scalable multi data link processor. It supports all NATO and US standard data links ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  MIM-72 Chaparral

  The MIM-72 Chaparral is a short-range, low-altitude, surface-to-air missile produced for the M48 Chaparral fire unit. It was produced as a replacement for the cancelled MIM-46 Mauler ...