• Defence Notes

  How the UK is approaching the use of AI in weapon systems

  4th May 2023

  British lawmakers have been analysing how to safely and reliably deploy AI technology as well as their impact on the nature of armed conflicts.

• Defence Notes

  HAL is major beneficiary of latest Indian procurement approvals

  22nd March 2023

  India has approved millions of dollars in new military purchases, most of which will go to public sector companies.

• Training

  GNSS simulator software breaks high-capacity barrier

  7th March 2023

  Global navigation satellite system simulation Skydek can generate 500 simulated signals.

• Air Warfare

  Canada eyes up P-8A Poseidon to replace Aurora fleet

  29th March 2023

  Canada has submitted a request to purchase P-8A Poseidon multi-mission aircraft to replace CP-140 Auroras but a final decision has not yet been made.

• Air Warfare

  BAE Systems highlights need to invest in skills and infrastructure to de-risk next-gen combat aircraft programme

  19th April 2023

  BAE Systems has won a contract extension worth £656m from the UK MoD to develop the concept and technology for the next generation combat aircraft, part of the Tempest project, but will need to ensure it has the right niche skills and digital and physical infrastructure to successfully deliver.

• Training

  IT2EC 2023: Get ready to explore the future of military training and simulation in Rotterdam

  17th April 2023

  The IT2EC military training and simulation event returns to Rotterdam in April 2023. Sanjay Khetia, director of PLEXSYS and chairman of IT2EC told Shephard what attendees can expect when visiting the show this year.

• Air Warfare

  General Atomics nets first US customer for MQ-9B SkyGuardian UAS

  6th March 2023

  Air Force Special Operations Command is procuring the MQ-9B SkyGuardian to support its Adaptive Airborne Enterprise concept.

• Land Warfare

  Inflation hits US Army modernisation plans

  26th April 2023

  As the increase in the branch’s budget proposal did not cover the inflation rates, the army is losing its spending power, impacting its acquisition and development programmes.

• Defence Notes

  Why UK defence still faces an uncertain future and difficult decisions

  17th March 2023

  Despite the additional funding promised this week, the UK armed forces still look set to face cutbacks, and maintaining international commitments to AUKUS and GCAP may limit the options for other programmes.

• Naval Warfare

  Exclusive: Royal Navy Second Sea Lord on ships, the defence command paper, and the future Indo-Pacific presence

  5th May 2023

  The UK Royal Navy’s Second Sea Lord VAdm Martin Connell said it shouldn’t be a surprise that adjustments must be made ahead of a hotly anticipated new Defence Command Paper and praised the progress made by HMS Tamar and Spey in reinforcing the UK’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific.

• Land Warfare

  EOS of Australia to deliver one hundred RWS to Ukraine

  3rd April 2023

  Ukraine's army will add up to 100 remote-controlled weapon stations to armoured vehicles, according to a contract with EOS in Australia.

• Land Warfare

  Persisent Systems to roll out regional network for US Air Force bases

  3rd March 2023

  Persistent Systems will deliver Infrastructure-based Regional Operation Network (IRON) functionality across three major USAF missile bases to improve situation awareness for security forces.

• Naval Warfare

  The US Navy's 2024 budget request in five charts

  22nd March 2023

  In early March, the Biden administration submitted a proposal to Congress that would see the US DoD funded to the tune of $842 billion, around a quarter of which will go to the US Navy.

• Naval Warfare

  Argentina turns to local industry in naval modernisation push

  23rd March 2023

  Local companies will build a new landing ship and floating dock, modernise in-service corvettes and develop a naval surveillance radar.

• Air Warfare

  India set to manufacture parts for GA-ASI UAVs

  16th February 2023

  India has been unable to conclude a deal for MQ-9B Reapers so far, but local companies hope to join in regardless.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Special operations vehicles

  LTTV

  Programme Background The LTTV is to equip the combat support and combat service support elements of the Belgian SOF and the Belgian Army's two Ranger ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 Special Forces (France)

  Programme Background In French service, advanced H225M Caracals with aerial refuelling capabilities are used by SOF units of the French Air Force (FAF) and French ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Pegaz Special Operations Vehicles

  Programme BackgroundRequirementThe Polish MoD has a long-standing requirement to procure a new 4x4 tactical vehicle to replace the M1165A1 HMMWVs and Oshkosh M-ATVs currently in ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4, Special operations vehicles

  SOF Vehicles (Bulgaria)

  Programme Background The Bulgarian MoD is investing in the modernisation of the Bulgarian Armed Forces by procuring new equipment for all of its branches, including ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Zmag SOF Vehicle (Israel)

  Programme Background Originally designed by and marketed by Ido Cohen, the Zmag is part of a family of ATVs aimed at both civilian and military customers. In ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Zmag SOF Vehicle (Israel - Options)

  Programme Background Originally designed by and marketed by Ido Cohen, the Zmag is part of a family of ATVs aimed at both civilian and military customers. In ...

• Special operations vehicles

  SOV-Cdo Replacement (Australia)

  Programme Background The Australian MoD plans to invest in new equipment for its SOF units to allow the ADF to respond more effectively and more ...

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

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (Japan)

  Programme Background Selection & Contract AwardIn 2015, Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft were selected by Japan to ...

• 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 ...

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

  FlyEye (December 2018) [Poland]

  Programme Background December 2018 Contract Before receiving a contract to supply Poland's Territorial Defence Force with FlyEye systems, WB Group had previously supplied earlier versions ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Neton VLOE - (Spain - Navy)

  Programme Background Information regarding the Spanish Navy's procurement of the Einsa Neton remains limited, however, it is likely that decisions to procure the platform arose from ...

• Special operations vehicles

  VMOE

  Programme Background The Spanish Army's SOF units are procuring the VMOE to meet their requirements for an SOV with sufficient firepower, mobility and mine-protection to ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (Follow-On) [Germany]

  In 2021, Germany awarded a contract to Hensoldt for the Kalaetron integrated SIGINT system to be installed on three Bombardier Global 6000 aircraft, forming the Persistent ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Thunder TM-1025

  The SOF Thunder comprises one variant in a wider family of TM-1025 RIBs currently in service with the Polish armed forces. The SOF Thunder is ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  ZH-753

  The Zodiac Hurricane 753 OB SAR is typically used as a shore-based boat operating independently in SAR, counterterrorism and law enforcement missions. The deep-V fibreglass ...

• Special operations vehicles

  VOS-APP

  The Arquus VOS-APP is a 6x6 support vehicle currently under trial with the French SOF. Acting as a replacement for the 1970s-vintage ACMAT VLRA, the VOS-APP is the ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Ares 35 Harpoon

  The Ares 35 Harpoon has been designed for interception & interdiction operations, as well as anti-smuggling, SOF insertion and extraction, surveillance and patrolling missions.

• 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 ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Ares 55 Harpoon

  The Ares 55 Harpoon is a fast interceptor craft by Ares Shipyard for interception & interdiction operations, as well as anti-smuggling, SOF insertion and extraction, ...

• Swimmer delivery vehicles

  Shallow Water Combat Submersible (SWCS)​

  The USN has contracted Teledyne Brown to develop the Shallow Water Combat Submersible (SWCS) as part of a wider effort to develop new underwater transports for ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Ares 65 Harpoon

  The Ares 65 Harpoon is a fast interceptor craft by Ares Shipyard for interception & interdiction operations, as well as anti-smuggling, SOF insertion and extraction, surveillance and ...

• 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 ...

• EO/IR systems

  Stormcaster-DX

  The Teledyne FLIR StormCaster-DX is a multi-role, low-SWaP laser target designator (LTD) payload designed to affect the STANAG-compliant terminal guidance of laser-guided munitions.  The StormCaster-DX ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  GAT-5530 Global Aero Terminal

  The Viasat Global Aero Terminal 5530 is a second-generation hybrid Ka- and Ku-band SATCOM terminal that enables global broadband connectivity services for commercial and government ...

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

  Global Observer

  The AeroVironment Global Observer HALE UAV was a developmental HALE UAV designed for various civil, commercial and government applications.  Development of the platform began in 2007 ...

• Global HET

  Built to haul payloads of up to 72.6t, the Oshkosh Global Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET) is a mover for some of the heaviest military equipment. ...

• Subsystems: software

  Global Teach

  Global Teach training management systems provide support for educational processes. Inovex’s military-adapted training management system oversees training processes from planning to controlling, independently from the ...

• AEW&C

  Global 6500 AEW&C

  Developed by L3Harris Technologies and Israel Aerospace Industries’ ELTA Systems Group (ELTA), the Global 6500 AEW&C; consists of a conformal airborne early warning (CAEW) mission ...