• Land Warfare

  New French Army rifle deliveries start

  31st May 2017

  The French armament procurement agency, the DGA (Direction Générale de l’Armement) has taken delivery of a first batch of new rifles. The first tranche of …

• Defence Notes

  HMS Diamond tests Sea Viper

  24th May 2017

  The Royal Navy’s HMS Diamond has tested its Sea Viper missile system off the coast of Scotland, the navy announced on 19 May.The firing was …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2017: SOCOM's thirst for vertical lift (video)

  22nd May 2017

  Special operations missions are often dependent on rotary wing capabilities, allowing operators to be moved into assault positions with speed and precision, while also enabling …

• Defence Helicopter

  HAL’s second LUH prototype takes off

  25th May 2017

  The second prototype (PT-2) of Hindustan Aeronautics’ (HAL) Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) has successfully completed its first flight at the company’s facility in Bengaluru, HAL …

• Training

  ITEC 2017: Meggitt to expand FATS solution (video)

  16th May 2017

  Meggitt Training Systems has already added 3D visual to its  FATS 100MIL simulation training system and later in 2017 the company is looking to further expand its product …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2017: Equipping the SOF warrior (video)

  22nd May 2017

  At this year's SOFIC exhibition in Tampa, Florida, Shephard spoke to the officer responsible for acquiring equipment for SOF operators on the ground and the challenges …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Commonality key for USN

  24th May 2017

  The US Navy could be using a common control system (CCS) for its unmanned assets as early as the mid-2020s. Speaking at an Unmanned Systems …

• Land Warfare

  Indonesia inducts BTR-4M… but looking elsewhere

  29th May 2017

  Spets Techno Export announced that the Indonesian Marine Corps has officially started using an initial batch of five Ukrainian-built BTR-4M 8x8 APCs that were delivered …

• Naval Warfare

  RAAF P-8A assists in civilian SAR mission

  23rd May 2017

  The Royal Australian Air Force’s new (RAAF) P-8A Poseidon aircraft has assisted in a search and rescue (SAR) operation approximately 50km south of Mount Gambier, Victoria, …

• Land Warfare

  GDELS delivers first Piranha to Denmark

  22nd May 2017

  General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) has delivered the first seven pre-production Piranha 8x8 armoured vehicles to the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO), the …

• Special Operations

  EW Europe: SIGINT payload tested on Puma UAS

  30th May 2017

  US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has completed final testing of the latest variant of its Silent Echo signals intelligence (SIGINT) payload, service officials have explained.  …

• Military Logistics

  Aussie truck, trailer deliveries continue

  19th May 2017

  The Australian Army's 7th Brigade at Gallipoli Barracks in Brisbane has accepted its first delivery of new generation trucks and trailers, the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) announced …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2017: Cubic outlines C4ISR growth (video)

  18th May 2017

  At this year's SOFIC exhibition in Tampa, Shephard  spoke to Cubic Mission Solutions president Mike Twyman about the expansion of the company and its growing …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2017: The week in Tampa (video)

  19th May 2017

  Over the last few days, the Shephard team has had several opportunities to speak to top officials from US Special Operations Command, as well as leading figures …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2017: Ballooning market for ISR aerostats (video)

  18th May 2017

  Florida-based company Drone Aviation is showcasing its range of tethered drones and balloons at this year's SOFIC in Tampa, Florida. Speaking to Shephard, Art Hughes explains a …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BTR-MDM Rakushka

  Programme Background Since 2016, 11 battalion sets of BTR-MDMs are known to have been delivered to units of the VDV in addition to 12 platforms ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMD-4M

  Programme Background Since 2017, 11 battalion sets of the BMD-4M have been delivered to units of the VDV in addition to 27 located at the ...

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

  Wolverine / Honeybadger [US]

  Programme Background During the Modern Day Marine (MDM) exhibition, held in Washington between 10-12 May 2022, XTEND announced it would supply hundreds of Wolverine platforms ...

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

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) (Tranche 2) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an ...

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

  Short Range/Short Endurance (SR/SE) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Warmate [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Ukraine placed an order for an undisclosed number of Warmate systems in 2017. Shepherd believes units acquired in this order later were utilised ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Ashok Leyland LBPV (India - Air Force)

  Programme Background The IAF created the Garud commando force in 2004 to protect its airbases, carry out combat search and rescue and conduct covert operations ...

• Minehunters

  Awaji Class

  Programme Background Two Awaji class mine countermeasures vessels (MCMV) were ordered from the Japanese shipyard Japan Marine United (JMU) for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) initially. ...

• OPVs

  Inlay Class (second OPV)

  Programme Background The Inlay class originally consists of a single OPV in service with the Myanmar Navy. However, a second Inlay-class OPV has been reported under construction since ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  Eagle V 4x4

  According to documents released by the Danish Ministry of Defence, a total of 233.6 million Danish Krone (US$34.669 million) were allocated to this programme. 62.1 ...

• OPVs

  Cyprus Second Sa'ar 62 OPV

  Programme BackgroundThe Republic of Cyrus' Ministry of Defence placed an order with Israel Shipyards for its first Sa'ar 62  OPV in December 2015 in a project valued ...

• Loitering munitions

  Warmate (2017) [Poland]

  Programme Background Order In November 2017, Poland ordered 100 sets of Warmate loitering munitions, each consisting of ten platforms, for a reported 100 million Polish Zloty ...

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

  HUSAR (2023 Order) [Germany]

  Programme Background First Order In 2015, the German Army launched the HUSAR programme to identify a replacement for its Airbus Defence & Space KZO and ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Makassar Class LPD (7)

  Indonesia signed a contract for $150 million for two LPDs in the Makassar class, KRI Makassar and KRI Surabaya, with South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering ...

• Patrol boats

  Rajshree Class (Flight II)

  Programme BackgroundThe Rajshree class is to consist of 13 FPVs built in two separate flights. Flight I saw construction begin in 2010 and all eight vessels ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MDM-HF

  The MDM-3001, MDM-2201 and MDM-2501 multi-mode HF data modems provide single-tone (serial) HF data communications capability in accordance with the requirements of MIL-STD-188-110A (para 5.3). ...

• Data links

  Link 11 DTS

  The programmable Data Terminal Set (DTS) uses real-time processor architectures and signal processing algorithms. It is designed for controlled network operation in a Link 11 ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BTR-MDM

  The BTR-MDM Rakushka is an amphibious tracked armoured vehicle developed by Kurganmashzavod to meet the Russian Airborne Forces' (VDV) need for a new air-droppable APC. ...

• Data links

  MDM-2X02N

  The MDM-2X02N is a tactical data link modem that combines the functionalities of a Link 11 DTS and Link 22 signal processor controller (SPC) into ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MDM-Q9604

  Collins Aerospace’s MDM-Q9604 high-speed, high-data-rate HF modem is capable of transmitting data over a standard 3KHz single sideband at 9,600b/s or a 6kHz ISB at ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMD-4M

  The BMD-4M is based on the BMD-4, which has been in the Russian Army's airborne forces (VDV) service since 2004. It was developed to provide an ...

• EW test systems, Air: chaff, flare and decoy systems

  CAST-easy

  RUAG unveiled the Countermeasure Advanced System Test Equipment (CAST-easy) in 2017 earmarking it for the Panavia Tornado series of combat aircraft. The 2017 announcement stated ...

• Naval guns, Land: RWS

  Dragonfire

  Dragonfire is a new laser weapon system built for the UK MoD, receiving £30 million of funding in early 2017. The design of the gun ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Drone Deterrence System

  First unveiled at the LIMA 2017 exhibition by Mitsubishi Electric, the Drone Deterrence System began to be developed in 2014 and made its first sale in ...

• Military - UUVs

  ThunderFish Alpha

  The ThunderFish Alpha (formerly DeDAvE) is an AUV designed for deep-sea military, commercial and scientific applications. In March 2017, Kraken announced a licensing agreement for ...

• Self-propelled mortars

  2S42 Lotos

  The 2S42 Lotos (Lotus) is a self-propelled artillery system that is being developed by Rostec subsidiary TsNIITochMash to replace the Russian VDV airborne forces' and ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  Fletcher

  Arnold Defense, which has produced more than 1.1 million 2.75in/70mm rocket launchers for airborne applications since 1961, unveiled the Fletcher 2.75in/70mm Weapon System at the September ...

• Minehunters

  Kormoran II Class

  Three Kormoran II-class minehunters were budgeted for the Polish Navy in 2011, and a contract was placed for a prototype in 2013, with the first ...

• OPVs

  La Confiance Class (PLG)

  The La Confiance-class, also known as the Guyanese Light Patrol Vessel (PLG), in service with the French Navy, was designed by Bureau Mauric and built ...

• Submachine guns

  FN SCAR-SC

  FN Herstal unveiled the 5.56mm FN SCAR-SC (Subcompact Carbine), the newest member of the SCAR (SOF Combat Assault Rifle) family originally developed for the US ...