• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DARPA seeks proposals for third swarm sprint

  18th October 2018

  DARPA is seeking proposals for its third swarm sprint, which will focus on the topics of human-swarm teaming and swarm tactics, the agency announced on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IAI develops autonomous IED detection system

  12th October 2018

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has completed the development of an autonomous improvised explosive device (IED) detection and neutralisation system, the company announced on 8 October. …

• Military Logistics

  AG600 makes its first water flight

  22nd October 2018

  The AG600 amphibian aircraft from the China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Company (CAIGA) performed its first official water take-off and landing in Jingmen, Hubei Province …

• Military Logistics

  Trident Juncture tests NATO’s logistics model

  30th October 2018

  NATO’s Trident Juncture 18 in Norway marks the first use of the alliance’s Joint Logistics Support Group (JLSG) in a live exercise, bringing a range …

• Digital Battlespace

  NCI to modernise US Army HSMCCs

  10th October 2018

  NCI Information Systems has received a $22 million contract to modernise US Army Home Station Mission Command Centers (HSMCCs) at nine sites across the US …

• Land Warfare

  Raytheon to improve US Army’s TOW missile

  10th October 2018

  Raytheon has received a $21 million contract from the US Army to develop a new propulsion system for its TOW missile, the company announced on …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army networking: Stepping up

  4th October 2018

  Despite its huge budget, the US Army has struggled to keep pace with the rapid developments in networking technologies. As peer adversaries increasingly threaten the …

• Digital Battlespace

  General Dynamics releases updated MUOS waveform for DMR

  21st September 2018

  General Dynamics Mission Systems has successfully completed testing and released the updated Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) WFv3.1.5 waveform for the US Navy's software defined …

• Digital Battlespace

  Harris receives AN/PRC-163 radio orders

  26th September 2018

  Harris Corporation has received orders to supply 1,540 AN/PRC-163 two-channel handheld radios and related equipment and services as part of the US Army’s leader radio …

• Digital Battlespace

  Intelsat encrypting Five Eyes as contested operations increase

  18th September 2018

  The safe transference of data is of the upmost importance to civil and military operators alike; however, the conduct of clandestine missions conducted by multinational …

• Training

  AUSA 2018: Cubic blends the live with the virtual

  10th October 2018

  US defence and technology company Cubic demonstrated its Live/Virtual Convergence training concept at AUSA in Washington, DC. Described by Cubic Vice-President Ground Training James Craig …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Commercial UAV Expo 2018: Drones embody Trump White House aims

  3rd October 2018

  While the keynote speeches at this year’s Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas did not reveal any ground breaking developments in the commercial drone industry …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Danger zone: SkyGuardian flight precautions emerge

  20th September 2018

  Temporary danger and diversion areas were established by the UK's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to assist the July 2018 transatlantic flight and UK touch down of …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2018: US Army carries out AMPV testing

  2nd October 2018

  The US Army has completed a two-month programme field testing the service’s new Armoured Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV). Soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division teamed with the …

• Defence Notes

  MDM 2018: Marine Corps calls for industry support

  26th September 2018

  During the Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYSCOM) ‘Report to Industry’ at this week’s Modern Day Marine, Col Michael Manning, portfolio manager for Ground Combat Element …

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 ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  Viper-E

  In November 2011, MBDA bought the Viper-E (previously called Viper Strike) precision munition from Northrop Grumman. Viper-E allows aircraft, helicopters and UAVs to precisely engage ...