• Defence Notes

  ​​​​​​​​​​​​Lethality of DF-21D anti-ship missile revealed

  15th October 2018

  Designed specifically to destroy US aircraft carriers, the DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) is one of China’s key anti-access area denial weapons.  However, how it would …

• Land Warfare

  Australian Army exercises armoured cavalry regiment structure

  10th October 2018

  Under Plan Beersheba, Australia created an Armoured Cavalry Regiment (ACR) in each of its three combat brigades, which represented a major shakeup for the 1st …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army armoured brigade incorporates EW vehicle

  11th September 2018

  The US Army has fielded a new electronic warfare tactical vehicle (EWTV) with an armoured combat brigade, boosting the unit's ability to jam enemy communications. …

• Naval Warfare

  Nine becomes four as Brazilian Navy makes Tamandaré corvette selections

  17th October 2018

  The Brazilian Navy has selected four out of a possible nine contenders for the Tamandaré class corvette project, the service announced on 15 October. All …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2018: Show round up

  10th October 2018

  As the curtain closes on AUSA 2018, Shephard's land editor Grant Turnbull discusses the main news from across the show, including the US Army's continued …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Iran says it has carried out 700 drone attacks in Syria

  17th October 2018

  Iran's Revolutionary Guards have carried out 700 drone strikes against forces of the Islamic State group (IS) in Syria, its aerospace chief told conservative news …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy names LCS 29

  11th October 2018

  The US Navy's next Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) has been named as Beloit, the navy announced on 9 October. The future USS Beloit, LCS …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2018: Up close with the 50mm super gun (exclusive photos)

  10th October 2018

  While visitors to this week’s AUSA annual meeting and exposition were limited to a glimpse of a 50mm cannon elevated to 85 degrees on the …

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM delays helmet decision

  5th October 2018

  The US Special Operations Command’s (USSOCOM’s) decision to select a preferred industry partner to facilitate its Family of Tactical Headborne Systems (FTHS) program has been …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2018: BAE makes CV90 optionally-manned pitch (video)

  8th October 2018

  BAE Systems displayed the 20-35t class CV90 Mk IV at AUSA, signalling its intent to partner with the US Army on the service's optionally-manned fighting vehicle programme.  Speaking …

• Digital Battlespace

  Bittium Tough radios for Spain's VCR pilot

  3rd October 2018

  Bittium’s Bittium Tough software defined radio (SDR) has been selected for the pilot phase of the Spanish Army's 8x8 wheeled combat vehicle (VCR) programme, the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Systel launches the Raven-Strike™ high performance rugged computer (sponsored video)

  3rd October 2018

  At the AUSA 2018 exhibition in Washington DC in October, Systel will launch its latest product in the embedded computing field. Raven-Strike™ is a fully …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2018: Futures Command - a force to be reckoned with (video)

  6th October 2018

  Now that the US Army's Futures Command is operational, Shephard looks at the breadth of its responsibilities and how its implementation will pave the way …

• Military Logistics

  Insight: MAN truck rollout reaches halfway in Australia

  5th October 2018

  The Australian Army is approximately halfway through the rollout of MAN trucks that are being delivered by Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles Australia, and combat units …

• Digital Battlespace

  AN/TPQ-53 radar gets GaN technology

  11th October 2018

  Lockheed Martin has received a contract modification from the US Army to insert Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology into the AN/TPQ-53 (Q-53) radar as part of …

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 ...