• Naval Warfare

  Euronaval 2018: Leonardo continues progress with weapon systems

  23rd October 2018

  Italy’s Leonardo presented numerous weapon system updates at this year’s Euronaval including on its Black Scorpion lightweight torpedo which is set for helicopter qualification in …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2018: BAE makes CV90 optionally-manned pitch (video)

  8th October 2018

  BAE Systems displayed the 20-35t class CV90 Mk IV at AUSA, signalling its intent to partner with the US Army on the service's optionally-manned fighting vehicle programme.  Speaking …

• Digital Battlespace

  Japan developing a counter-IED system

  9th October 2018

  Because the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) does not have any vehicles able to remotely detect IEDs, the Ground Systems Research Center (GSRC) of the …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2018: Show round up

  10th October 2018

  As the curtain closes on AUSA 2018, Shephard's land editor Grant Turnbull discusses the main news from across the show, including the US Army's continued …

• Land Warfare

  US Army orders additional M777 howitzers

  11th October 2018

  BAE Systems has received an order under a new contract from the US Department of Defense to deliver 18 additional M777 155mm ultra lightweight howitzers …

• Training

  Hawk T2 aircraft completes hot weather trials

  5th October 2018

  The Royal Air Force (RAF) has completed hot weather trials of the Hawk T2 aircraft advanced jet trainer, BAE Systems announced on 2 October. A …

• Naval Warfare

  ​Taiwan submarine programme builds momentum

  11th October 2018

  Taiwan’s Indigenous Defense Submarine (IDS) programme is now cracking on after almost two decades of inertia. However, the effort has raised eyebrows in media and …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  L3 Technologies acquires ASV Global

  28th September 2018

  L3 Technologies has acquired ASV Global, the company announced on 24 September. Based in Louisiana and the UK, the new company will be known as …

• Land Warfare

  MDM 2018: BAE Systems looks to expand ACV variants

  28th September 2018

  Following the June 2018 contract award for 208 Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) 1.1 personnel variants, BAE Systems has been moving toward production while simultaneously working …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems advances tactical hotspot tech

  26th September 2018

  BAE Systems’s Strike Hotspot technology demonstrator (TD) continues to be upgraded as it remains in an assessment programme with the British Army, company officials have …

• 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 …

• Naval Warfare

  Nine becomes four as Brazilian Navy makes Tamandaré corvette selections

  17th October 2018

  The Brazilian Navy has selected four out of a possible nine contenders for the Tamandaré class corvette project, the service announced on 15 October. All …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE Systems signs GaN agreement

  21st September 2018

  BAE Systems and the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) have signed a cooperative agreement for Phase 1 of a technical effort to transition gallium …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  First auto-landing of MQ-9 Block 5

  20th September 2018

  The US Air Force has completed the first automated landing of an MQ-9 Block 5, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) announced on 17 September. The …

• Military Logistics

  BAe 146 fleet support contract awarded

  18th September 2018

  BAE Systems has received a four-year £42 million contract from the UK Ministry of Defence to support the Command Support Air Transport's fleet of four …

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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, ...