• Naval Warfare

  Japan successfully fires electromagnetic railgun

  23rd October 2023

  While other countries have given up on electromagnetic railgun technology Japan remains committed to the ground-breaking concept.

• Defence Notes

  Ireland outlines short-term defence equipment targets

  3rd October 2023

  Irish government introduces strategic plans for its Defence Forces to tackle aging equipment, personnel issues and continuing threats.

• Land Warfare

  Kongsberg demos new Protector RS2 Prototype

  3rd November 2023

  Norway’s Kongsberg shows of its lightest RWS to date, as the company continues to support Ukrainian forces, while also eyeing moves into Latin American markets

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall receives another artillery order worth hundreds-of-millions of dollars

  10th October 2023

  The latest order is for the delivery of over a hundred thousand 155mm shells from the group’s new Spanish subsidiary Rheinmetall Expal Munitions as well as additional DM 121 high-explosive rounds.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Air Force enlists top five contenders for CCA wingmen programme: here are the details

  26th January 2024

  The US Air Force's flagship Collaborative Combat Aircraft programme has marked a significant step towards advanced uncrewed aviation, with contracts awarded to five companies.

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army awards MAG Aerospace and L3Harris contract for enhanced ISR aircraft

  24th August 2023

  The US Army has selected MAG Aerospace and L3Harris to deliver two enhanced ISR aircraft for the Army’s Theater-Level, High-Altitude Expeditionary Next Airborne ISR-Radar (ATHENA-R) programme, providing high-altitude intelligence capabilities to meet global requirements.

• Air Warfare

  China’s J-20 fighter hits milestone with suspected first flight with WS15 engines

  7th July 2023

  The consensus amongst the open-source community is that China has test-flown a J-20 powered fully by WS15 engines for the first time.

• Naval Warfare

  UK naval shipbuilding: The start of a journey or destined to fail?

  18th December 2023

  As the UK’s naval shipyards build capacity and capability to meet orders in the short-term, questions about their sustainability are dependent on a long-term order book.

• Land Warfare

  EDA's AIDED project showcases autonomous UGV and UAS collaboration

  5th October 2023

  The European Defence Agency's AIDED project concluded with a demonstration of AI-enabled coordination between aerial and ground uncrewed systems for the detection of explosives.

• Naval Warfare

  Argentina maritime patrol boosted with P-3C Orion purchase from Norway

  20th October 2023

  The Argentine Navy will undertake long-range maritime patrol and surveillance missions with a fleet of four ex-Norwegian P-3 Orion aircraft under a deal announced by Argentina on 17th October.

• Air Warfare

  Poland receives first two AW149 helicopters

  31st October 2023

  This acquisition was the result of a signed US$2 billion contract for 32 AW149 helicopters announced in mid-June 2022.

• Naval Warfare

  Brazil’s nuclear-powered submarine project reaches new milestone

  10th October 2023

  The first steel plates of a test section for the future nuclear-powered attack submarine ‘Álvaro Alberto’ have been cut during a ceremony organised by Itaguaí Construções Navais (ICN) and the Brazilian Navy.

• Naval Warfare

  Can a new operational profile fix Canada's submarine problem?

  20th September 2023

  The four Victoria-class diesel-electric attack submarines (SSKs) of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) are in the midst of an evolution into a new operations and maintenance regime. Shephard investigates whether this will solve the navy's recurring issues with having only one boat (or even none) operational for long periods.

• Air Warfare

  Indonesia receives new C-130J Hercules, seeks AEW capability

  5th July 2023

  Indonesia is in receipt of its second C-130J from Lockheed Martin, after it arrived in Jakarta in late June, while plans to acquire two airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft have been approved.

• Land Warfare

  IVAS 1.2 receives ‘very positive’ feedback in initial trials, says US Army

  28th September 2023

  Delivered in July, the newest version of the system was tested at Fort Drum (New York).

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey [Japan]

  Programme Background Procurement Contracts The Japanese government is the first export customer of the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey, having ordered 17 helicopters from the US across ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

• Data links

  Data links | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | MAWS/PATMAR [France]

  French Navy is planning to purchase up to 22 MPA aircraft to replace its ATL2 fleet in service. Germany and France agreed to develop a ...

• Loitering munitions

  Harop [Morocco]

  Programme Background In November 2021, Haaretz reported that a $22 million drone sale between Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Morocco had occurred. That publication and ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) Forecast (South Korea)

  Programme Background The LAH is the first time that the South Korean OEM has developed an armed helicopter. The project kicked off in June 2015, ...

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

  MQ-4 Triton (Announced/Contracted) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The MQ-4C Triton programme, developed under the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) programme, required an uncrewed system to provide persistent real-time intelligence, surveillance ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Spain HT-29 Caiman MSPT (NH90 NFH) - Navy

  The deliveries of seven NH-90 NFHs to the Spanish Navy are expected to between 2022 and 2025, following the completion of 22-helicopters program for the ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (1-6) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved' Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020. The contract ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey (USN)

  Programme Background Requirement According to USN FY2023 Budget Estimate documentation, the V-22 programme provides an aircraft to meet the amphibious and vertical assault needs of ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AAV7A1 RAM/RS (Japan - 2nd Batch)

  Programme Background The Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) has procured the AAV7A1 RAM/RS to equip its Amphibious Assault Brigade formed in 2018. Tasked with ...

• Frigates

  30FFM Multi-Mission Frigates [Japan]

  Programme Background Timeline The Japanese Ministry of Defense (MoD) was expected to place orders for all eight multirole frigates by fiscal year (FY) 2021, with ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift, Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey [Indonesia]

  Programme Background Announcement Indonesia issued a letter of request for pricing, which eventually triggered the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) to announce on 6 June 2020, ...

• 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

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

  MD-22

  The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) unveiled the near-space hypersonic technology testbed MD-22 at the Zhuhai Airshow in 2022. Capable of speeds of Mach 7, the ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Air Combat Training

  Boeing has experience in delivering training for fixed-wing air combat platforms including F-15C/E, F-16, F/A-18E/F, EA-18G, F-22 and MV/CV-22.

• Data links

  MDM-2X02N

  The MDM-2X02N is a tactical data link modem that combines the functionalities of a Link 11 DTS and Link 22 signal processor controller (SPC) into ...

• Data links

  MLT 2920

  The MLT 2920 Multi Link Terminal is a Link 11/22 compatible data link solution. Supplied by Elbit Systems Deutschland, it comprises one Link 11 modem ...

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

  Kaman-22

  Unveiled in February 2021, the Kaman-22 is the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Forces (IRIAF) flagship UAV. With a payload capacity of 300kg and seven hardpoints, ...

• Transport

  An-22

  The largest transport aircraft of the time, the An-22 Antei (NATO reporting name Cock) is a heavy military transport aircraft developed by Antonov in the ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  RP-22 Sapfir 21

  The RP-22 Sapfir 21 is an upgraded Sapfir for late-1960s MiG-21 fighters. 

• Data links

  Maritime Tactical Data Link

  The Maritime Tactical Data Link (MTDL) is a developmental tactical data link by Hanwha Systems. Offered in 16 configurations, the system is based on the ...

• Anti-ship missiles

  P-270 Moskit

  The P-270 Moskit is a Soviet anti-ship missile designated as SS-N-22 (Sunburn) by NATO. It was not till after the end of the Cold War ...

• Sea: naval fire control radar

  Type 911

  The Type 911 is a lightweight, I-bad fire control system developed by Marconi, which is now part of BAE Systems. These radars were originally developed ...

• Data links

  LinkPro

  LinkPro is a standards-based, high fidelity, software-only, multi-link Tactical Data Link (TDL) processing engine that improves tactical communications, reduces the time, risk and expense of ...

• Corvettes

  Shahid Soleimani class

  At the beginning of September 2022, Iran unveiled the new Shahid Soleimani-class warship. The vessel features a catamaran design with a stealthy superstructure. Two other units are reportedly ...

• ISR/special mission

  IL-22

  The IL-22 Bison (NATO reporting name Coot-B), also known as IL-18D-36, is a special mission aircraft designed as an airborne command post for the Soviet Air Force.  ...

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

  Air Wolf

  The Air Wolf, or Airwolf, is a catapult-launched developmental UAS manufactured by Kratos Defense & Security Solutions.  On 25 August 2021, Kratos announced the platform had completed its ...

• Helicopter guns

  RGS (AWG-35)

  The RGS (AWG-35) fulfils the USMC requirement for an Interim Defensive Weapon System for the MV-22 tiltrotor. Armed with a three-barrel 7.62mm GAU-7 minigun, the ...