• Land Warfare

  The year ahead: Major trends and forecasts for the land domain in 2026

  8th January 2026

  2025 was a busy year for the land domain and 2026 looks set to be just as big. Shephard’s Dr Peter Magill analyses some of the major trends we are likely to see in the year ahead.

• Naval Warfare

  AUKUS settles into steadier waters as industrial pathways widen

  15th April 2026

  Sessions at UDT 2026 signalled that the AUKUS programme is pressing ahead at a steady pace – with trilateral commitment reaffirmed, Australian industrial capacity expanding and additive manufacturing emerging as an opportunity for suppliers.

• Land Warfare

  SAHA 2026: Armour, artillery and autonomous systems on display

  12th May 2026

  The array of platforms on display at SAHA 2026 showcased the diversity of equipment now provided by the Turkish defence industry.

• Naval Warfare

  Finland’s naval sector eyes growth opportunities in NATO era

  15th July 2026

  Finland’s naval industrial base is expanding as NATO membership, Baltic Sea security concerns and proximity to Russia push shipbuilders and equipment makers to capture new roles.

• Defence Notes

  European Council to deliver at “pace and scale” on European defence readiness 2030 roadmap

  27th October 2025

  Two of the concrete projects outlined in the readiness report, the European Air Shield and Space Shield, will aim to be launched by Q2 2026.

• Naval Warfare

  UK Royal Navy explores modular counter-drone capabilities for future hybrid fleet

  10th March 2026

  The UK MoD is scoping out systems to counter the growing threat of uncrewed aerial systems, with a focus on low-cost modularity and speed to field.

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed Martin plans a major expansion in Canada following the HIMARS acquisition

  9th June 2026

  The HIMARS acquisition could deliver launchers within 18 months while driving new investments in Canadian manufacturing, technology and defence supply chains.

• Land Warfare

  How joint ventures are expanding Rheinmetall's munitions portfolio (video)

  5th August 2026

  Roman Köhne, CEO of Rheinmetall's Weapon and Ammunition Division, discusses the company's announcements at Eurosatory 2026, including developments in defence technology, precision systems, industrial partnerships and future capability programmes.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy’s MUSV programme could lay the USV procurement blueprint for NATO allies

  2nd July 2026

  The programme’s structure as a marketplace will allow multiple companies to compete for ongoing procurements; an approach which could be replicated across the Atlantic.

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2026: Advanced fire control systems to the fore as industry powers digital solutions

  12th June 2026

  BAE Systems is presenting its Next Generation Indirect Fire Control System at Eurosatory 2026. It is designed to connect large calibre guns with wider sensor and effector networks to provide targeting information more quickly.

• Land Warfare

  Why bridging the gap between military and COTS systems is key to seamless defence comms (Studio)

  25th March 2026

  Technology that enables armed forces to leverage existing network infrastructure can be a game-changer in many combat scenarios.

• Air Warfare

  US Army resumes Apache flights as cause of fatal Texas crash remains undisclosed

  25th August 2026

  The rapid return to training leaves international AH-64 operators without a public explanation of whether the Fort Hood accident involved a potentially shared technical or maintenance risk.

• Air Warfare

  SOF Week 2026: DroneShield moves to double its production capacity in the US

  16th May 2026

  The DroneShield US subsidiary is rapidly expanding its manufacturing footprint in the country and has expedited the process to double its domestic production capacity in at least four months.

• Land Warfare

  May land forces roundup: counter-drone systems move up the agenda

  2nd June 2026

  There has been a drive towards uncrewed aerial systems and defeating them in recent weeks, with NATO exercises addressing the danger, new systems unveiled and a new Latvian counter-drone unit stood up following recent incursions.

• Land Warfare

  Push strengthens for a second JLTV supplier

  5th August 2026

  A move, launched in May, could lead to a second supplier for the US Marines Corps’ Joint Light Tactical Vehicle requirement. Meanwhile, Wisconsin elected representatives have been pushing for necessary funding to be included in the FY27 budget.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - small

  Vietnam - ScanEagle 2

  Programme Background The Vietnamese Coast Guard are receiving the ScanEagle 2's thought to be provided by the US under the Maritime Security Initiative (MSI) programme. This ...

• Military UAS - small

  V-Bat [Armenia]

  Background Announcment On 9 February 2026, in a press release from the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan and JD Vance, US vice-president, ...

• Military UAS - small

  Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF) GUARD [Ireland]

  Background Problem As stated on the project’s website in 2022, Ireland is the “softest target in the EU for smugglers” due to its 3171km of ...

• Main battle tanks

  Leopard 2A8 [Croatia]

  Programme Background Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Croatia became the latest in a string of Eastern/Central European countries to bolster its ...

• Frigates

  European Combat Vessel [Spain]

  Background Requirements The European Combat Vessel (ECV) is currently a conceptual project that seeks to design a European collaborative multi-mission, modular warship. As of March ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  Land Ground Based Air Defence [UK]

  Background In November 2023, the UK published the Land Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) Prior Information Notice, which informed industry of the future direction of the ...

• Military UAS - small

  Indonesia - ScanEagle 2

  Programme Background As part of a large scale programme, Indonesia was set to receive eight ScanEagle UAS drone Insitu provided by the US under the Maritime ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Land Ground Based Air Defence (SHORAD) [UK]

  Background In November 2023 the UK published the Land Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) Prior Information Notice which informed industry of the future direction of the ...

• Military UAS - small

  V-Bat [Romania]

  Programme Background Modernisation According to HotNews, a Romanian news outlet reporting on 25 February 2025, the Romanian MoD announced to journalists that it would focus on ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Baltic Joint Naval Procurement [Latvia]

  The Baltic republics of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia plan to continue developing their respective navies, regarding them as important elements in the NATO alliance — ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Baltic Joint Naval Procurement [Latvia]

  The Baltic republics of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia plan to continue developing their respective navies, regarding them as important elements in the NATO alliance — ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Army Armoured Combat System (A2CS) [Italy]

  Background The Italian Army has identified a requirement for new tracked IFVs to equip its armoured and mechanised brigades. These new vehicles will replace 200 ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC) [UK]

  The Royal Navy's (RN) Uncrewed Aerial Systems Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC), or Heavy Lift Challenge, is a developmental programme exploring cargo-carrying uncrewed technology and new acquisition approaches.  Phase ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC) [UK]

  The Royal Navy's (RN) Uncrewed Aerial Systems Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC), or Heavy Lift Challenge, is a developmental programme exploring cargo-carrying uncrewed technology and new acquisition approaches.  Phase ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Typhoon Tranche 3A [Germany]

  Methodology PGO As this programme has been contracted with all units delivered, the PGO is 100.  Units required A total of 31 units are required ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  Smartscan- MEWS

  MEWS (Modular Electronic Warfare System) is a software-driven spectrum surveillance system covering two megahertz to three gigahertz. It is designed to detect, collect and geolocate ...

• Land: battle management systems, Major networking projects, Naval: Combat Management Systems

  DOOB (HARBIYE)

  Defence out of a Box (DOOB, also marketed as HARBIYE) is a C4I system family developed by Havelsan as an integrated defence solution aiming for ...

• Subsystems: software

  Simulation Engine II

  The Simulation Engine II (SE II) commercial game engine is the first PC-based game engine to be developed by Sonalysts as a commercial product and ...

• Air: mission management systems

  Naval Command Center

  The Elbit Systems Naval Command Center (NCC) provides the infrastructure, systems and functionality required to achieve maritime domain awareness in conjunction with applicable means, evaluating ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  JTRS Increment 1 Waveforms

  A number of waveforms are set to be implemented under JTRS Increment 1: WNW with OFDM and anti-jam; SRW (ground domain); joint airborne network-tactical edge ...

• Sea: procedural training

  Submarine Simulator

  A multi-domain simulation system for submarines, covering all vessel systems and subsystems: Submarine Tactical Trainer (STT); Submarine Diving and Steering Simulator (SDS) in a cockpit; Surface Navigation Simulator ...

• Air: mission management systems

  I-JOCCS

  Integrated Joint Operational Command and Control Services (I-JOCCS) is designed for interoperability among coalition forces including the UK and US. The capability supports fixed-site installations ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  GMS Cross-Domain Systems (CDS) Family

  At AUSA 2024, General Micro Systems (GMS Computing Engines) unveiled four new cross-domain systems (CDS) designed to give air and land forces ultra-secure, real-time gigabit ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  ELK-7065

  The ELK-7065 ground and naval HF COMINT direction-finding system was unveiled in 2013, with a compact, lightweight airborne version launched in September 2017. The sensor was ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  JTRS Domains

  The former JTRS ‘clusters’, that had become separate disjointed programmes, have been replaced with centrally managed domain programme management offices. The construct comprises four JTRS ...

• Land: battle management systems

  AMDWS

  AMDWS (Air and Missile Defense Work Station), is a collaborative battlespace awareness information management system developed by Northrop Grumman to meet the requirements of the ...

• Major networking projects

  TNE

  Trusted Network Environment (TNE) is used by the US DoD and federal agencies where multiple coalitions of interest need trusted information brokers to let them ...

• Major networking projects

  GIG

  Global Information Grid (GIG) is a DoD-wide programme, managed by OSD Network Information Infrastructure and integrated by the Defense Information Systems Agency, to support all ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Hawkeye AD

  Hawkeye Air Defence (AD) is an integrated sensor suite optimised for acquisition, tracking, classification and engagement of air targets from fixed and mobile platforms. The ...

• Land: air defence radar

  3D Primary Surveillance Radar

  The Primary Surveillance Radar (PSR) 3D is part of the Lanza family of 3D radar systems. It has been designed especially for airport and air ...