• Military Logistics

  BRF build programme begins for French Navy

  19th May 2020

  Steel was cut on 18 May for the first of four new Bâtiments Ravitailleurs de Force (BRF) replenishment ships for the French Navy, in a …

• Air Warfare

  Frontline requirements spur demand for Switchblade

  18th May 2020

  AeroVironment reported on 15 May that it has been awarded a new Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile Systems (LMAMS) contract from the US Army, with deliveries …

• Defence Notes

  Norway unveils strategic investment plan

  21st April 2020

  The Norwegian government has announced a new long-term strategic development plan for its armed forces, with an emphasis on greater investment in upgrades and new …

• Land Warfare

  Brazilian Army tests REMAX weapons system on VBMT-LSR vehicle

  21st May 2020

  As it continues efforts to integrate the REMAX remotely controlled weapon system into different platforms, the Brazilian Army has conducted integration engineering tests on the …

• Land Warfare

  Japan boosts armoured vehicle fleet with new orders

  11th May 2020

  The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) has been severely pruning by half the number of tanks and artillery pieces in its inventory, but it continues …

• Defence Notes

  COVID-19 prompts RCAF to enhance medevac capabilities

  3rd June 2020

  The Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) is procuring a new isolation system to facilitate the transport of up to four highly infectious patients on …

• Defence Notes

  Airbus and Fraunhofer FKIE form panel on responsible tech use

  15th May 2020

  Airbus and the Fraunhofer Institute for Communications, Information Processing and Ergonomics (FKIE) have created an independent panel of experts on the responsible use of new …

• Land Warfare

  UK MoD negotiates new contract with Lockheed Martin for WCSP

  1st May 2020

  The UK MoD has published a voluntary transparency notice on the EU online tenders portal, announcing its intention to negotiate an £800 million ($1 billion) …

• Naval Warfare

  SOF reaches underwater mobility milestones

  15th May 2020

  US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and Naval Special Warfare Command (NAVSPECWARCOM) are in the process of achieving several milestones for both ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ submersible …

• Naval Warfare

  USN eyes potential to arm DDG-1000 with advanced weaponry

  10th May 2020

  After $23 billion in sunk costs, more than two decades of development and nearly four years after commissioning, the USN in April took formal delivery …

• Naval Warfare

  COVID-19 impact delays INS Magen delivery

  20th May 2020

  Delivery of the first of four Sa’ar 6 corvettes for the Israeli Navy is being delayed by the industrial impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The Israeli …

• Defence Notes

  Russia eyes new bases to project global power

  26th May 2020

  Recent statements from senior military commanders, as well as insight gleaned by Shephard from military analysts, indicate that Russia is intent on expanding and reinforcing …

• Digital Battlespace

  AVT delivers X-MADIS CUAS to DoD customer

  13th May 2020

  Ascent Vision Technologies (AVT) on 13 May confirmed that it had delivered several units of its newest eXpeditionary Mobile Air Defence Integrated System (X-MADIS) to …

• Defence Notes

  Russian industry feels the pinch from COVID-19

  27th April 2020

  According to information circulated by the Russian media and confirmed to Shephard, several officials working at the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) headquarters in Moscow have …

• Special Operations

  AFSOC to procure additional A-29 Super Tucano

  12th May 2020

  USAF Special Operations Command (AFSOC) is to procure an additional A-29 Super Tucano from Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC). The aircraft will be used for Combat …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Warmate (2017) [Poland]

  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 ($26.49 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker (Sergeant Stout) [USA]

  Programme Background As part of the Army Transformation Initiative the US DoD is fundamentally reorganising the structure of the US Army. As part of this all Infantry ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Combat General Purpose Vehicle [Netherlands]

  Programme Background The Dutch military is currently modernising its armoured vehicle fleet. The Combat General Purpose Vehicle (CGPV) programme is one of several procurement programmes currently ...

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

  Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Project [UK]

  Programme Background Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Project The British Army launched the RAS project to provide the "direction required to exploit emerging technologies to ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  CV90 [Slovakia - Second Batch]

  Programme Background Requirements The Slovakian Armed Forces are currently lumbered with an ageing inventory of legacy platforms that are not interoperable with its allies and ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Mini-UAVs [Czechia]

  Programme Background Tactical UCAV Halted The effort to acquire mini-UAVs is directly linked to the Czech MoD's now-delayed procurement programme for tactical or MALE drones, such as ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  6x6 APC (Philippines)

  Programme Background The Philippine Army has identified an urgent need for new wheeled APCs, after the Battle of Marawi exposed shortcomings in its existing fleet ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  CV90 [Slovakia - First Batch]

  Programme Background Requirements The Slovakian Armed Forces are currently lumbered with an ageing inventory of legacy platforms that are not interoperable with its allies and ...

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

  Latvian Drones (2024) (Ukraine Aid) [Latvia]

  Background Ukrainian Defence Contact Group (UDCG) In January 2024, the Ukrainian Defence Contact Group (UDCG), a multi-nation organisation that coordinates military aid for Ukraine, established a drone ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, MPVs - 4x4

  Armoured Vehicles (Ecuador)

  Programme Background In November 2022, the Ecuadorian Army confirmed it had placed an order with Elbit for 137 armoured vehicles required for military combat operations against ...

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

  Company Level Small Uncrewed Aircraft System (SUAS) Directed Requirement (DR) [US Army]

  Programme Background Requirement The US Army approved the Co-Level SUAS DR acquisition in June 2023 to supply Brigade Combat Teams with an "immediate, commercially available capability" to ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Interim Air Assault Vehicle (Netherlands)

  Programme Background As part of its Defence-wide Replacement Programme of Wheeled Vehicles (DVOW), the Dutch Army initiated the 12kN AASLT Air Assault Vehicle procurement programme ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  CV9035NL [Estonia]

  Programme Background In its previous National Defense Development Plans, the Estonian MoD identified the need for a mechanised infantry brigade that would enable its forces ...

• Tanks

  Leopard 2A8 [Germany - Forecast]

  Programme Background The SPD-led approach Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany has been under consistent pressure to increase its defence spending. In the ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV [Germany - Forecast]

  Programme Background The SPD-led approach Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany has been under consistent pressure to increase its defence spending. In the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Major networking projects

  Army BCT Modernisation Program Increment 1

  The US Army brigade combat team (BCT) modernisation strategy will build a mix of mobile, networked BCTs that can gain leverage from mobility, protection, information ...

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

  Aerosonde Mk 4.8 HQ FTUAS

  From the Texton family of Aerosonde UAS, the Aerosonde Mk 4.8 Hybrid Quad (HQ) FTUAS is a tactical drone purpose-built to meet the US Army's Future Vertical Lift ...

• 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 ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  CATS CTC

  The CATS Combat Training Centre (CTC) trains armed forces in simulated opposition. Features: direct-fire weapon effect simulation with laser engagement systems; area weapon effect simulation ...

• Construction vehicles

  HMEE

  The JCB High Mobility Engineer Excavator (HMEE) was originally designed to support the US Army’s Stryker brigade combat teams and has been proven on operations ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  M1150 ABV

  The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) project, launched by the USMC in 2002, is a joint programme to meet the requirements of both the US ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  JAB

  The US Army is leading the Joint Assault Bridge (JAB) project to replace legacy M60A1-based bridge launchers in service with itself and USMC with an M1-based ...

• Land: C2 simulators

  Collective Combat Training

  Thales offers a global simulation and training approach that links together various simulators to perform the full spectrum of military operations (offence, defence, stability and ...

• Land: battle management systems

  FüInfoSys Heer

  FüInfoSys Heer (Army Command and Control Information System) is the first common, integrated and mobile system of its kind in the German Army. It is ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  GAMER Deployable CTC

  Saab’s GAMER Deployable Combat Training Center (CTC) is an instrumented training system, enabling a military to train on home bases and deploy worldwide for training ...

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

  RQ-7 Shadow 200

  The Shadow 200, designated RQ-7B by the US Army, is flown by the army brigade combat teams and combat aviation brigades along with the UAV ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  M3 Bradley Cavalry Fighting Vehicle

  The tracked M3 Bradley Cavalry Fighting Vehicle (CFV), developed in parallel with the M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV), equips reconnaissance units within the US ...

• Surface-to-surface missiles

  Iskander-M/E/K

  The Iskander-M (NATO reporting name: SS-26 'Stone') is a short-range ballistic missile. It was the second attempt by Russia to replace the Skud after its ...

• Subsystems: software

  Simulation-based Embedded Training Software Package

  This software package is installed in the Stryker Interim Armoured Vehicle (IAV), supporting US Army brigade combat team training requirements. It has been in service ...

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  EWPMT

  Raytheon’s Electronic Warfare Planning and Management Tool (EWPMT) is a US Army programme which began in 2014, designed to support electronic warfare officers and provide ...