• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Blue Bear opens 5G-enabled UAS test facility

  1st April 2019

  Blue Bear has opened its 5G-enabled beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) flight test facility in Bedfordshire, UK, the company announced on 26 March. The …

• Special Operations

  AFSOC seeks advanced SERE training

  24th April 2019

  US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) is seeking advanced Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) training for elements of its 6th Special Operations Squadron …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A 2019: MD Helicopters Swift disqualified from FARA

  17th April 2019

  The US Army has officially disqualified MD Helicopters' Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) Swift demonstrator from competition consideration.  In response, the OEM is claiming the decision …

• Military Logistics

  Invisio equipment for US Army SFABs

  15th April 2019

  Invisio has received a $2.8 million order to provide communication equipment for the US Army’s Security Force Assistance Brigades (SFAB), the company announced on 11 …

• Military Logistics

  Northrop Grumman named on CMMARS contract

  12th April 2019

  Northrop Grumman has been selected as part of a $12.6 billion IDIQ contract to compete to provide contracted maintenance, modification, aircrew and related services (CMMARS) …

• Naval Warfare

  UK explores potential for large unmanned naval submersible

  18th April 2019

  The UK MoD has launched a two-stage competition to examine the utility of UUVs for the Royal Navy based on an existing platform.  This comes …

• Land Warfare

  Four musketeers to cross swords in Land 400 IFV tender

  11th April 2019

  Bids for the Australian Army’s Project Land 400 Phase 3 competition, which will see 450 IFVs enter service, closed on 1 March 2019. As expected, four …

• Defence Notes

  LAAD 2019: News round up from Rio (video)

  5th April 2019

  Across the land, sea and air domains the Shephard Media news team talk through some of the highlight's of this year's LAAD 2019 exhibition in Rio …

• Naval Warfare

  LAAD 2019: Israel Shipyards increases presence in South America

  5th April 2019

  Present for the first time at LAAD 2019, Israel Shipyards is looking to carve out future opportunities in South America. The company has already delivered …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales technology for Jamaican coastal surveillance

  11th April 2019

  Thales has been selected by the Jamaican Defense Force to provide a coastal surveillance system based around its Coast Watcher 100 radar, the company announced …

• Land Warfare

  First look: 50mm chain gun firing at Arizona Bushmaster trials (video)

  12th April 2019

  The 2019 Bushmaster live fire demonstration was held at the 'Big Sandy' test range, Arizona. It provides international attendees with a first look at a …

• Land Warfare

  UK funds new Foxhound upgrades

  25th April 2019

  The UK MoD has confirmed to Shephard that it has awarded General Dynamics a £2.8 million ($3.6 million) contract to design and deliver upgrade kits …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Unmanned Systems Asia 2019: ACSL debuts drones in Singapore

  10th April 2019

  Japan-based Autonomous Control Systems Laboratory (ACSL) is hoping to expand its operations in Singapore, building on successes in its home market in areas such as …

• Naval Warfare

  Bulgaria pursues patrol ship investment

  23rd April 2019

  The Bulgarian MoD has received offers from Lürssen, Fincantieri and local company MTG Delfin as part of a BGN820 million ($472 million) to build a …

• Digital Battlespace

  UK launches C-UAS competition

  15th April 2019

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced the launch of a £2 million competition for proposals to develop a range of solutions to mitigate …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (South Korea)

  Programme Background Requirments Seoul required UAS assets to help monitor its neighbour to the north and, increasingly, Chinese activities in waters and in the air near ...

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

  Large ULS-A / Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) [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 ...

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

  Xtender [US]

  Programme Background Previous Procurement In early 2021, the US Department of Defence awarded a contract to XTEND for the platform in partnership with Isreal's MoD. ...

• AEW&C

  GlobalEye (1-3) [UAE]

  Programme Background The GlobalEye is a modification of Bombardier's Global 6000 jet aircraft fitted with the S-band Erieye Extended Range (ER) radar and mission system ...

• ISR/special mission

  Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (1-3) [Germany]

  Programme Background Requirement The Pegasus (Persistent German Airborne Surveillance System) project aims to fulfil a SIGINT capability which has been missing in the German Armed ...

• Loitering munitions

  Echelon 0: Ground Organic Precision Strike Systems (GOPSS) [USSOCOM]

  Programme Background Requirements The U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has made loitering capabilities a priority in its efforts to support counter-violent extremist organization (C-VEO) operations ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | MVX Programme [Finland]

  Seeking to replace its two ageing Dornier 228 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), the Finnish Border Guard commenced its MVX program in 2019. The programme, which was ...

• Data links

  Data links | MVX Programme [Finland]

  Seeking to replace its two ageing Dornier 228 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), the Finnish Border Guard commenced its MVX program in 2019. The programme, which was ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | MVX Programme [Finland]

  Seeking to replace its two ageing Dornier 228 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), the Finnish Border Guard commenced its MVX program in 2019. The programme, which was ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | MVX Programme [Finland]

  Seeking to replace its two ageing Dornier 228 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), the Finnish Border Guard commenced its MVX program in 2019. The programme, which was ...

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

  Gray Eagle 25M (National Guard) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement In FY2021, the National Guard Association of the United States (NGUAS) announced that it was "critical" that it fielded the MQ-1C Gray Eagle ...

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

  Teal 2 (Customs and Border Protection Force) [US]

  Programme Background First Order Global News Wire reported that Red Cat had filled an order for 54 Teal 2 units from the US Customs and ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk (First Contact) [Croatia]

  Programme Background Western Technology With the help of the US, Croatia has attempted to improve its military technology, replacing Soviet equipment, such as the Mi-8/Mi-17. ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) [USA]

  Programme Background US Army's Future Vertical Lift Programme The FLRAA is one of three strands of a broader army programme. The others are the Future ...

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

  Vertical & Horizontal UAV [Italy]

  Programme Background Speaking in late January 2024 at the SAE Maritime Reconnaissance and Surveillance Technology conference in London, Commander Mauro Ghezzi stated that the Italian ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Self-propelled guns, Self-propelled missile systems

  IM-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 ...

• Trainer

  HJT-36 Sitara

  Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) designed and developed the subsonic HJT-36 Sitara single-engine aircraft to meet the requirements of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian ...

• Military UGVs

  WOLF-X

  The WOLF-X is a wheeled 8x8 Robotic Combat Vehicle developed by HDT Global in partnership with McQ and BAE Land & Armament Systems. In September 2023, as ...

• EO/IR systems

  MS-177

  The MS-177 is an EO/IR sensor designed to enhance the strategic ISR capabilities of the US military's RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS over land and maritime ...

• 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 - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk

  The Global Hawk is a HALE UAV manufactured by General Atomics (GA-ASI).  Primarily designed to carry ISTAR payloads, the platform has accumulated more than 200,000 ...

• Deployable/static missile systems

  Khordad-3

  Khordad-3 is a long-range air defence missile system in service with the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force of Iran.  The system was unveiled ...

• Bomber

  H-6

  The People's Liberation Army Air Force has eight regiments of bombers and they operate an estimated 160 H-6 variants that have been in service since ...

• Anti-ship missiles

  Atmaca

  Atmaca (“Hawk” in English) is a long-range, anti-ship cruise missile developed by Roketsan. The missile is intended to replace the Harpoon missile in Turkey's inventory. ...

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

  Twister

  Unveiled at AUSA 2023, the Twister is a mini fixed-wing UAV manufactured by Quantum-Systems. It will be released in Q2 2025. It is an eVTOL drone ...

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

  Reliant

  The Reliant is a Quantum Systems VTOL-capable fixed-wing drone unveiled at the Special Operations Forces (SOF) Week Exhibition 2024. The hybrid drone is due to ...

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

  Fang

  Fang is a first-person view (FPV) UAS for precision strike roles. The drone is aimed to launch in Q2 2025. Developed by Red Cat, the drone ...

• Data links

  GSNC

  Global Secure Network Connection (GSNC) provides a global data communications solution for military aircraft, including bomber, refuelling and transport aircraft. The GSNC system uses Iridium ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV)

  BAE Systems' Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) was developed in response to a US Army requirement for a platform to replace the ageing M113 APCs in ...

• Loitering munitions

  HERO-400

  The HERO-400 is a loitering munition manufactured by UVision. Part of the HERO family, the HERO-400 can accurately strike against a range of targets. It ...