• Air Warfare

  Raytheon launches RAIVEN, an AI-enabled threat identification system

  25th April 2023

  Raytheon has launched a new intelligent EO/IR capability, RAIVEN, that uses artificial intelligence to allow pilots to identify threats faster and more accurately.

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2023: New EOS R800 RWS combines laser and kinetic capabilities to counter aerial threats

  10th October 2023

  The weapon has been designed to be capable of blinding the optics in all classes of UAVs and ATGMs.

• Land Warfare

  European countries test use of mixed reality in combat vehicles

  26th July 2023

  Estonia and Croatia recently conducted trials with the Vegvisir Mixed Reality Situational Awareness System.

• Land Warfare

  South Korea displays L-SAM at Seoul ADEX for first time

  17th October 2023

  Worried by the proliferation of new North Korean missile types, South Korea is going all out to improve its Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system.

• Land Warfare

  Refurbished Leopard 1 tanks will soon be ready for Ukraine

  17th April 2023

  Refurbished Leopard 1 main battle tanks will be soon ready for Ukraine, according to the Danish Ministry of Defence.

• Air Warfare

  XTEND aims to expand UAS footprint in US and the app store

  30th June 2023

  Israeli UAS developer XTEND will open a production facility in Florida to meet demand from DoD clients and also has signed a partnership with software development company SightX

• Digital Battlespace

  US awards $1.5 billion in deals for Transport Layer satellites

  22nd August 2023

  The US Space Development Agency (SDA) has awarded Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin contracts to build and operate the Tranche 2 Transport Layer (T2TL) - Beta satellite constellation which will provide global communications access and encrypted connectivity.

• Naval Warfare

  Canada takes delivery of fourth Arctic patrol vessel ahead of schedule

  1st September 2023

  Irving Shipbuilding has delivered the fourth Harry DeWolf-class Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPV) to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).

• Training

  Royal Air Force begins training instructors on Protector UAV simulator in the US

  31st August 2023

  Personnel from the RAF's 54 Squadron are currently undertaking the first Instructor Operating Course (IOC) on Protector simulators at the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) Flight Test & Training Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

• Air Warfare

  US Navy's next-generation high-speed missile might not be hypersonic

  8th August 2023

  Concepts for new missiles for the US Navy (USN) are being finalised under the Hypersonic Air-Launched Offensive Anti-Surface Weapon (HALO) programme.

• Naval Warfare

  No easy options: Australia's navy faces complex surface fleet choices

  14th September 2023

  As part of Australia’s Defence Strategic Review (DSR), a report into the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN’s) future surface fleet force structure was directed to be completed separately. Shephard examines its likely outcomes and how Australia might balance capability with affordability

• Air Warfare

  Canada to quadruple aerial tanker fleet with nine CC-330 Husky multi-role aircraft

  26th July 2023

  The significant expansion of strategic air-to-air refuelling capability is set to strengthen the Canadian Armed Forces' operational reach and enhance its ability to support more missions, with specific focus on the High North.

• Land Warfare

  US approves HIMARS sale to Morocco, allowing deep strikes against potential threats

  13th April 2023

  Morocco's ambitions to strengthen border security and the capability to detect and neutralise potential threats could soon come to fruition with a $524 million HIMARS, missile and guided rocket purchase from the US.

• Naval Warfare

  Why the durable MEKO warship design remains popular with navies

  8th September 2023

  The MEKO design from ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) can be found in many navies around the world and the number of countries that are purchasing MEKO ships is growing. Shephard provides an overview of the latest MEKO offerings and how this type of vessel has remained successful on the international markets over the decades.

• Air Warfare

  Bell makes move on FLRAA test lab construction despite ongoing Defiant protest

  27th March 2023

  Bell Textron began laying the foundations for a new testing facility for its V-280 Valor helicopter despite protest over its US Army Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) contract win.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  MQ-1 Gray Eagle [US Army]

  Programme Background Required Quantity Although the US Army first envisioned a requirement for 132 MQ-1C Gray Eagles, the US Army's Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) was ...

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

  Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior [India]

  Programme Background Make In India The 'Make In India' is an initiative by the Indian government to grow the domestic manufacturing industry. In the context ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8, APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Bulldog FV432 Mk 3 Replacement [UK]

  Programme Background Requirement Serving in several iterations since 1963, the FV432 Mk3 'Bulldog' remains operational and deployed as command vehicles, ambulances, and recovery vehicles within the British Army. Although ...

• Military UAS - small

  Black Hornet 3 PRS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army operated approximately 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS between 2013 and 2017, when the decision was made to retire ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

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

  Orbiter 3 (Croatia)

  Programme Background The Croatian government launched a competitive tender for the procurement of a short-range UAV in October 2017. Although the tender was opened on ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Supacat HMT 400 & 600 (UK - Option)

  Programme Background Programme Requirements The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated in a Contract Notice that it had a requirement for at least 70 new HMT platforms ...

• Tanks

  NGCV: DLP

  Programme Background Requirement The DLP is one of five vehicle families being developed for the US Army's NGCV programme. Expanded to include five programmes in ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  AGMV 1.1

  Programme Background The US Army has been seeking a lightweight, air-droppable, high mobility vehicle since as early as 2014, when it initiated its Ultra Light ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer MIV [UK]

  Programme Background History The UK MoD announced in March 2018 that it would re-join the Boxer programme and pursue a sole-source acquisition of the 8x8 ...

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

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) (Forecast) [US Army]

  Programme Background USMC In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, which had been specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Joint Tactical Autonomous ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AMPV (USA)

  Programme Background The US Army initiated the AMPV programme to acquire a replacement for several variants of the M113 tracked APC, which has been in ...

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

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) will provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It is intended to ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4, Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  JLTV Oshkosh Contract (US Army)

  Programme Background As of January 2021, the US DoD had signed 15 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all ...

• Loitering munitions

  Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System (LMAMS) (Forecast) [US Army]

  Programme Background Contracted Units As covered in a separate programme entry, the US Army first procured AeroVironment's Switchblade 300 over a decade ago, beginning the service's ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/PRC-170

  The AN/PRC-170 Javelin is a single-channel, small-form-factor radio that supports TSM waveform. Produced by Thales, it provides voice and data communications across multipath and dynamic environments. ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Warrior Systems

  General Dynamics Mission Systems is prime contractor and system integrator for the US Army’s Warrior soldier systems, which include Air Warrior, Future Force Warrior, Land Warrior ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MUBC

  The Modular Universal Battery Charger (MUBC) is a scalable charging system for a range of military and commercial batteries. It provides for the addition of ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Joint Battle Command - Platform

  Joint Battle Command - Platform (JBC-P) is a networked mission command information system designed for the US Army and USMC. It can provide real-time blue ...

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

  InstantEye Mk-3 GEN4-HL

  Manufactured by InstantEye Robotics, the InstantEye Mk-3 GEN4-Heavy Lift (HL) is a rotary-wing UAV that has been selected in the US Army's Render Safe Sets, ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Shadowcat

  General Dynamics Shadowcat radio provides low-visibility communications in a small form factor package. Capable of forming mesh networks, it provides voice, video and data communications ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58D Kiowa Warrior

  The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior is a two-person, light scout helicopter with a day/night mast-mounted sight, glass cockpit and four-bladed rotor system. Following the retirement of ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Warrior

  The Warrior IFV entered service with the British Army in mid-1987. A total of 789 vehicles were delivered in IFV, infantry command, anti-tank, recovery, repair, ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F Cayuse Warrior

  An evolution of the OH-6 Cayuse light observation helicopter, the MD 530F was initially Federal Aviation Administration-certified in July 1985 as the Model 369FF. It ...

• Land: vehicle simulators

  Convoy/C-IED Training System

  Laser Shot’s Convoy/Counter IED Training System consists of an immersive training environment that places soldiers in high-fidelity, virtual scenarios in order to train on a ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  DANES

  Initial efforts to field a complete soldier system through the Danish Army Network-Enabled Soldier (DANES) concept were abandoned, following an evaluation of the US Land ...

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

  Falcon II Nyx

  The Falcon II Nyx is a rotary-wing drone from Wave Aerospace. It is in the US Army's Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment (AEWE) programme. Primarily designed to operate in ...

• Land: NVGs

  AN/PSQ-20B ENVG

  The AN/PSQ-20B ENVG (Enhanced Night Vision Goggle) is a helmet-mounted dual-waveband monocular night vision system. As a fusion system that combines image intensification technology with ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Laser Warning Receivers

  AN/AVR-2B(V)

  UTC-ISR Systems' laser warning systems detect, prioritise in order of lethality and characterise laser rangefinders, laser designators and laser beam-riding missile threats. They are designed ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58 Kiowa

  The single-engine OH-58 Kiowa, derived from the Bell 206, entered US Army service in 1969 as a light observation helicopter. More than 2,200 were built for ...