• Naval Warfare

  Groundhog day for UK naval programmes as NAO criticism continues

  24th June 2021

  The latest annual report from the UK National Audit Office (NAO) attacked the MoD for repeated delays and cost slippages to major projects. However, it noted, the Type 26 frigate programme was a year ahead of schedule.

• Land Warfare

  US Army indirect fire initiative advances

  24th May 2021

  The US Army is pushing ahead with the procurement of an indirect fire air defence capability on an aggressive timeline, to provide the protection needed in any future conflict against a near-peer competitor.

• Training

  RAF Gladiator programme faces late IOC

  26th May 2021

  The Gladiator networked programme for the RAF faces issues concerning on-time delivery of the training system due to customer expectations and industry delivery.

• Digital Battlespace

  US strives to address space cyber challenge

  9th June 2021

  Securing space assets from direct attack or hacking is an ever more important task — but is it impossible?

• Defence Notes

  Washington cancels Seoul’s missile limits

  27th May 2021

  South Korea is expected to develop longer-range ballistic missiles after a bilateral accord is cancelled.

• Training

  USN shakes up aggressor squadrons

  10th May 2021

  The USN is looking to enhance its aggressor training capabilities by adding new aircraft and making improvements to in-service platforms.

• Land Warfare

  NORA prepares to ship out for shoot-off

  14th April 2021

  Serbian self-propelled howitzer will compete in US Army shoot-off.

• Defence Notes

  Israeli precision-guided weapons power takes on new meaning in Gaza (Analysis)

  21st May 2021

  Analysis from conflict between Israel and Hamas points to heavy reliance on JDAM GPS guidance kits by the IDF and IAF, an indicator of military operators increasing demand for precision targeting weapons, but the two services also seem to have made C2 and multi-domain improvements.

• Military Logistics

  Now is the time to deliver on Support Advantage (sponsored)

  3rd June 2021

  This article is brought to you by CDS Defence & Security With the recent Defence Integrated Review reigniting the appetite for defence equipment programmes such …

• Land Warfare

  Raytheon to meet UK cyber challenge

  17th May 2021

  As internet usage grows exponentially, the threat of cyber warfare activities from criminal organisations or state-supported organisations has increased as well. Raytheon is using is CICs to expand the depth and breadth of skills across industry and meet this challenge

• Naval Warfare

  Becoming a shaft line component provider for navies (sponsored)

  3rd June 2021

  In July 2020, Wärtsilä Marine streamlined its areas of expertise into three businesses focused on engine and fuel technology (Marine Power), software, navigation and simulation (Voyage), and end-to-end manufacturing businesses (Marine Systems). The business formerly known as Wärtsilä Seals & Bearings was brought under the new Marine Systems business line and renamed Wärtsilä Shaft Line Solutions.

• Special Operations

  Arquus VLFS and PLFS take to the road

  27th April 2021

  French SOF await two new vehicle types.

• Training

  US Navy closes AIC training gap

  20th April 2021

  The US Navy has been facing challenges as to how it trains its Air Intercept Controllers. The arrival of ASCOT appears to have solved the issue.

• Naval Warfare

  Marshal Shaposhnikov bulks up after major refit

  29th April 2021

  An upgrade has transformed the Udaloy-class ASW destroyer Marshal Shaposhnikov into a multirole frigate, the Russian Navy claims.

• Naval Warfare

  BAE Systems rolls out bow for first Type 26 frigate

  19th April 2021

  BAE Systems has finished construction of the bow of HMS Glasgow for the UK RN.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Frigates

  De Zeven Provinciën Class Replacement/LC Frigates [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Replacements The De Zeven Provinciën-class air defence and command platforms, which are in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN), are expected to be ...

• Transport

  C-130J-30 [Philippines]

  Programme Background Requirement The PAF relies on an older fleet of C-130s obtained secondhand. In fact, the last time the Philippines purchased brand-new Hercules was ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M-Forecast [Indonesia]

  Programme Background The TNI-AU currently relies on 17 Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules and L-100-30 aircraft, including five C-130Hs transferred from Australia. Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) is ...

• ISR/special mission, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Q02 (Qatar)

  Programme Background Reiner developed the Q01 jointly with the Emirate of Qatar, primarily for the Qatar Armed Forces. It was introduced at the ILA Berlin Air ...

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

  Camcopter Project (Thailand)

  Programme Background Batch One In November 2019, as reported by Shephard, Schiebel was awarded a TBH600 million ($18.76 million) contract from the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCU Replacement [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Requirements The Netherlands currently operates five landing craft utility (LCU) MKII vessels which are due to be replaced in 2031. In October, De Haas ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCVPs Replacement [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Requirements The Dutch Marine Corps needs to replace 12 Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP) from 2025. The current LCVPs will reach the end ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  LPDs/OPVs Replacement Programme [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Requirements The RNLN will need to replace the ageing LPDs Rotterdam and Johan de Witt when the vessels' service lives come to an ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M (Indonesia)

  Programme Background The TNI-AU currently relies on 17 Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules and L-100-30 aircraft, including five C-130Hs transferred from Australia. Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) is ...

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

  WK 450 Watchkeeper [UK]

  Programme Background Procurement In 2005, Thales UK was awarded a $300 million contract for 54 UAVs based upon a substantially modified Hermes 450 platform as ...

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

  Project Corvus [UK]

  Programme Background Retirement In November 2024, speaking in the House of Commons, Defence Secretary John Healey stated that the WK 450 Watchkeeper was to be retired ...

• Maritime patrol

  Maritime Patrol Aircraft [Malaysia]

  Programme Background In June 2019, The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has confirmed to Shephard that the government has given approval for the service to prepare ...

• Trainer

  Future Aircrew Training Program [Fixed-wing Aircraft Procurement] - Canada

  Programme Background The new procurement will result in one contract covering all the requirements, including maintenance and infrastructure services. Training services are currently provided through ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  CV90 [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Announced at the NATO Defense Ministers’ Meeting in Brussels in June 2023, Ukraine formally signed a Joint Declaration on Cooperation in the Procurement and Operation ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Phoenix Ghost (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (21 April 2022) Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, on 21 April 2022, President Biden announced an $800 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: range systems and targets

  Digital Modular Shoot House

  Turnkey custom-designed Digital Modular Shoot Houses can be provided to meet an organisation’s requirement for a close-quarters live-fire facility. The house provides a platform to ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  MATCH

  The Modular Armored Tactical Combat House (MATCH) is a live-fire 360° ballistically safe shoot house designed to teach and practise close-quarter urban battle skills such ...

• Land: infantry weapon simulators

  LST

  The Live-Fire System Trainer (LST) is an add-on option to Laser Shot military training systems. Its live-fire camera tracks replicate thermal heat signatures of ball ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  RC

  The RC family comprises compact multi-mode radars of modular construction aimed at combat aircraft and advanced trainers, developed from the Mirage 2000-5’s RDY radar. The ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  USAF F-16 ATD– JHMCS

  L3Harris Technologies has provided its simulated Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) and Advanced Helmet Mounted Display (AHMD) on the USAF’s F-16 Aircrew Training Device programme. ...

• Land: infantry weapon simulators

  EST 2000

  The Engagement Skills Trainer (EST) 2000 – described as the US Army’s only validated marksmanship trainer – teaches individual marksmanship skills, squad-level collective defence and ...

• Subsystems: software

  Judgmental Training Software

  The Judgmental Training Software (JTS) is Laser Shot’s latest advancement in firearms training technology. It provides judgemental training through the use of interactive, HD video ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  Infantry Shoot Back System

  Saab's Infantry Shoot Back System is a laser-based automated friend-or-foe target system for use in MOUT and open terrain training areas. Soldiers armed with a ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  Combat Training Range Instrumentation

  Combat training range instrumentation systems are meant for live-fire, force-on-force and constructive combat training ranges. GD OTS provides systems for dismounted and mounted player tracking and ...

• Ground control stations

  Ground Control Station (GCS)

  Aertec Solutions GCS station has been designed with in-house technology and allows for various types of unmanned vehicles to be controlled from the system.

• Land: fire support simulators

  Advanced Howitzer Simulator

  The Advanced Howitzer Simulator is a virtual self-propelled howitzer simulator for the entire crew, which provides training of operational and degraded modes, including direct fire, ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  SOVERON D

  Formerly known as SVFuA, SOVERON D is a software-defined radio designed for vehicular applications. Cleared for communications up to the NATO SECRET level, it can house ...

• EW test systems

  EMC Test Facility

  ECS has a custom-built semi anechoic chamber used for in-house product development and pre-compliance testing which is available to hire to outside organisations. The chamber ...

• Guided munitions

  Rash 2M

  Unveiled at IDEX 2021, the Rash 2M is a fixed-wing guidance kit for mortars and other in-house designed payloads and can strike medium-sized targets with ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  RP-25 Sapfir 25

  The RP-25 Sapfir 25 is a look-down/shoot-down radar for the MiG-25PD interceptor of late-1970s vintage, developed as a replacement for the RP-25 that was compromised ...