• Air Warfare

  Russia to start mass production of Scalpel loitering munition

  15th September 2023

  A Russian loitering munition developer has said it will begin mass production a loitering munition which is claimed to be much cheaper than the Lancet which has been widely used in Ukraine.

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed Martin opens new facility for small satellite manufacture

  7th August 2023

  Lockheed Martin has unveiled a new facility for small satellite processing, featuring scalable assembly lines and dedicated testing capabilities to support high-rate delivery and the development of space programmes.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2023: Elbit exhibits export version of Crossbow mortar turret

  19th September 2023

  Elbit Systems has unveiled a lightweight export model of its Crossbow 120mm mortar system being developed for the Israel Defense Forces.

• Land Warfare

  US Army looks to enhance its command post capabilities

  5th July 2023

  The US Army recently issued a draft of an RfP for the Command Post Integrated Infrastructure Increment 1 effort to update the command post capabilities of its FMTV platforms.

• Air Warfare

  Poland's PZL Mielec completes first F-16 fighter rear fuselage for Lockheed Martin

  8th September 2023

  Lockheed Martin company PZL Mielec has completed its first F-16 Block 70/72 aft fuselage as the aircraft’s popularity continues to grow.

• Air Warfare

  Why the F-16 fighter jet remains a force to be reckoned with (updated 2024)

  3rd January 2024

  The Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jet is still in the limelight over 40 years after its first flight. Shephard sums up the latest developments and tells you everything you need to know about the aircraft in the 2020s.

• Air Warfare

  Dominator XP UAVs are commissioned into Thai air force

  5th September 2023

  Thailand has adopted its first ever UAVs in the medium-altitude long-endurance class.

• Air Warfare

  Sky high diplomacy: Saudi Arabia's fighter jet puzzle entangles Eurofighter, Rafale and global alliances

  16th January 2024

  Saudi Arabia faces a juncture in aerial diplomacy as Germany's approval of a potential Eurofighter Typhoon deal introduces fresh possibilities and uncertainties, prompting the kingdom to weigh the Eurofighter against the appealing alternative of the Dassault Rafale.

• Land Warfare

  Babcock and Cosworth to test hybrid propulsion in militarised Land Cruiser 70

  21st September 2023

  Babcock has signed an MoU with propulsion experts Cosworth to investigate the use of hybrid power systems in military vehicles and will begin with integrating a Catalytic Generator (Cat Gen) into a 70 Series Toyota Land Cruiser.

• Land Warfare

  Insight: Why the CV90 infantry fighting vehicle is making a clean sweep of Nordic markets

  19th September 2023

  Shephard Defence Insight explores the evolution of BAE Systems Hägglunds’ CV90 IFV from its inception in the late 1980s to the latest CV90 MkIV, detailing the order history and upgrade packages of its ten European customers.

• Defence Helicopter

  Thales to supply standby flight instruments for Airbus H160M helicopter

  29th June 2023

  The first military application for Thales' third-generation Integrated Electronic Standby Instruments (IESI) will be the Guépard Joint Light Helicopter version of the Airbus H160.

• Land Warfare

  Ukraine to receive SurveilSPIRE C-UAS systems from Germany

  6th October 2023

  A new order has been made for Ukraine to receive automated SurveilSPIRE C-UAS systems from Germany’s Rheinmetall and Estonia’s DefSecIntel.

• Air Warfare

  Chinese air power – analysing the bigger picture

  14th September 2023

  Admitted by the US to be a ‘pacing threat’, the development of Chinese air power will continue to be a core measure of Beijing’s military capability.

• Land Warfare

  BvS 10 all-terrain weapon platform bares its teeth at DSEI 2023

  14th September 2023

  BAE Systems is touting the high-mobility weapon-carrying capabilities of the BvS 10, showcasing an example of the tracked all-terrain vehicle fitted with Moog's Flexible Mission Platform at DSEI 2023.

• Air Warfare

  BAE Systems flight tests next-generation computer for F-35 fighter

  6th September 2023

  BAE Systems has successfully tested its next-generation vehicle management computer for the F-35 Lightning II, maximising processing power for enhanced mission capabilities and safety improvements.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Tanks

  VT5 (Bangladesh - Contracted)

  Programme Background The Bangladesh MoD issued an RfI for a new light tank and a related ARV in September 2017. This will be easier to ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  PMV (S) (India)

  Programme Background Requirement The PMV programme is aimed at improving the Indian Army's capability in manoeuvre warfare. Since the mid-2010s, The Indian Army has been seeking to modernise ...

• Tanks

  VT5 (Bangladesh - Forecast)

  Programme Background The Bangladesh MoD issued an RfI for a new light tank and a related ARV in September 2017. This will be easier to ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  PMV (HA) (India)

  Programme Background Requirement India's PMV programme is aimed at improving the Indian Army's capability in manoeuvre warfare. Since the mid-2010s, The Indian Army has been seeking to modernise ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  B1 Centauro Replacement (Spain)

  Programme Background The Spanish Army entered the B1 Centauro into service between 2000 and 2006. Manufactured by the Italian Iveco and Oto Melara consortium CIO, the ...

• Tanks

  Future Ready Combat Vehicle MBT (India)

  Programme Background At least three RfIs have been published for the FRCV requirement, but the programme has struggled to get off the ground. The FRCV ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  8x8 IFV [Greece]

  Programme Background The Greek Army is believed to operate a vast inventory of tracked APCs numbering more than 2,600 vehicles. This consists of legacy Cold ...

• Frigates

  F125 (Baden-Württemberg Class)

  Programme Background The Baden Württemberg class (F125) frigates are in fact closer to the size of a destroyer than a traditional frigate, however, designed for ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Piranha I Replacement [Chile]

  Programme Background Chile has operated the Piranha I armoured vehicle platform for more than 40 years. During the early 1980s between 100 and 200 Piranha ...

• Frigates

  Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)

  Programme Background The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme was developed in 2003 as a cheap and fast way to increase the size of the fleet ...

• Transport

  Large Transport Aircraft-II (LTA-II) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Requirements The aircraft are needed for peacetime, international peacekeeping, emergency and combat operations. They are especially required to ensure a strategic lift capacity ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4, Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  High Mobility Reconnaissance Vehicle (India)

  Programme Background Aiming to boost mobility and enhance Recce and Command elements, the Indian Army is seeking 91 High Mobility Reconnaissance Vehicles (HMRV). Prioritising mobility and protection ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Future Infantry Combat Vehicle (India)

  Programme Background Requirement The Indian Army first identified its requirement for a new tracked IFV to replace the BMP-2 Sarath in 2009, but this initial ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  VBMT Rec Multirole Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle

  Technical Requirements The Brazilian Army released two documents outlining the technical and operational requirements for the VBMT Rec in early 2020. These elucidate a number ...

• Special operations vehicles

  UKSF Project Westerly HMT400 Replacement

  Programme Background The new special operations forces vehicle selected under Project Westerly looks set to either replace or supplement the HMT 400 4x4 vehicle. At ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: UAS radar

  ANKA SATCOM Radome

  The ANKA SATCOM Radome is a structural component developed by the Turkish defence manufacturer Meteksan Savunma Sanayi. It is designed for the protection of Ku-band ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  LiteHUD

  BAE Systems' LiteHUD is a low-profile head-up display compatible with various aircraft ranging from conventional turboprops to next-generation fighter jets. 

• UAS: communication systems

  Helix Mesh Rider

  Helix Mesh Rider is a SWaP (Size, Weight and Power) optimised mesh radio designed for uncrewed systems. Notably, it supports six frequency bands in a ...

• Data links

  Missile Data Links

  The Missile Data Links developed by the Turkish defence manufacturer Meteksan Savunma Sanayi provide a permanent and secure communication channel between the missile launcher platform ...

• Data links, UAS: communication systems

  Tove RF Datalink

  The Tove RF Data Link is a lightweight Software Defined Radio (SDR) designed for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV) and Unmanned Surface ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  Ophir IR optics optimised for 10-12µm LWIR detectors

  Ophir, addressing the new market shift in the direction of 10-12μm detectors, is offering a wide collection of lenses, optimised to meet the needs of ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  NavStorm-M

  BAE Systems' NavStorm-M is a gun-hardened, integrated anti-jamming and Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for artillery rounds, bombs, missiles, and uncrewed systems. It was revealed ...

• UAS: communication systems

  TW-880 TSM Ghost

  Designed for uncrewed applications, TrellisWare TW-880 TSM Embedded Module provides communication in a small form factor. The transceiver provides simultaneous voice, data and PLI communication ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  CamSight

  CamSight is a family of lightweight, compact core cameras to be integrated into complex optronic systems equipping UAV, UGV, and UGS systems. The CamSight optronic modules ...

• 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 ...

• Weapon sights for night use (image intensifiers)

  Merlin

  Merlin SR, MR and LR inline sights are aimed at the assault rifle, sharpshooter rifle and sniper rifle end user. They provide different size/weight/performance trade-offs ...

• Data links, Land: Radio and SATCOM, UAS: communication systems

  QNT-200

  The Collins QNT-200 is a dual-channel software-defined radio (SDR) designed for size, weight and power-constrained platforms. Using IP-based mesh networks, it offers high-bandwidth mobile networking ...

• Data links

  BANDIT 2x

  The L3Harris BANDIT 2x Miniature is a data link and transceiver adaptable to a wide variety of applications. Notably, it supports tri-band operation, increased output ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  R&S SDTR

  The software communications architecture (SCA)-based R&S; SDTR allows legacy and new high data rate waveforms to be ported to the radio system, maintaining interoperability with ...

• Land: Defensive Systems - DF systems

  EGON

  L3Harris' EGON is a counter-IED system designed to address all current and emerging radio-controlled IED threat. The active-reactive counter IED system has been operationally deployed ...