• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UMS Skeldar equips V-200 UAV with Hydronalix USV

  27th June 2023

  At Modern Day Marine, drone-maker UMS Skeldar and Hydronalix announced a cooperation agreement to equip the V-200 rotary-UAS with the latter’s uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs).

• Air Warfare

  Insight: How will the US Navy keep its EA-18G Growler EW aircraft flying until 2046?

  14th September 2023

  The carrier-based EA-18G Growler entered service in 2010 and is intended to remain in service until 2046. Shephard Defence Insight analyses the key operational technologies on the aircraft and the upgrade path needed to keep it flying and effective for another two decades.

• Defence Notes

  DSEI 2023 in review: Ukraine, AI and the real world

  20th September 2023

  DSEI 2023 took place in the shadow of the largest European land war in more than seven decades and a growth in conversations about artificial intelligence (AI) with limited UK immediate defence programme opportunities; many of the new products and exhibitors' announcements reflected this.

• Land Warfare

  Fibrotex develops mobile camouflage systems for US clients

  19th July 2023

  Fibrotex’s camouflage triad will be complete with the development of mobile camouflage systems.

• Land Warfare

  US increases investments in mortar production capacities

  20th September 2023

  The US Army and companies of the defence industrial base have been expanding and upgrading their facilities as well as improving capabilities to produce mortar systems and rounds.

• Air Warfare

  Germany's potential SCAF exit for GCAP unpacked

  3rd November 2023

  The leaked information about Germany leaving the Future Combat Air Systems (FCAS/SCAF) project and joining the rival Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) hints at the growing complexities and tensions within the Franco-German partnership.

• Defence Helicopter

  US Coast Guard to upgrade radars for MH-60 and MH-65 helicopter fleets

  11th April 2023

  New Honeywell IntuVue RDR-7000 weather radars will be installed on USCG MH-60 and MH-65 helicopters.

• Digital Battlespace

  CAES to supply new radio frequency jammers for US Navy Growler aircraft

  11th April 2023

  CAES has been awarded a contract by the United States Navy to begin initial production work on the AN/ALQ-99 LBC transmitter for the EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft fleet.

• Air Warfare

  Insight: What does the future hold for the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft?

  11th September 2023

  The Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 3A has been adopted by Middle Eastern air forces as well as the European partner nations. Shephard Defence Insight analyses its next-generation radar, cockpit technology and future upgrade plans.

• Naval Warfare

  Indian Navy tries again to procure minehunters, but this time it goes futuristic

  4th September 2023

  The Indian Navy is looking to the future with MCMVs that integrate a lot of autonomous technology. Meanwhile, other construction projects, such as ASWSWCs and survey vessels, are proceeding.

• Defence Helicopter

  Bell H-1 fleet achieves half a million flight hours

  30th June 2023

  The current fleet of AH-1Z Vipers and UH-1Y Venoms have surpassed the 500.000-flight hour mark.

• Air Warfare

  Paris Air Show: Ukraine to benefit from billion-dollar AMRAAM deal

  22nd June 2023

  Ukraine will benefit from a new $1.15 billion AMRAAM contract awarded to RTX – the company formerly known as Raytheon - by the US Air Force.

• Land Warfare

  US Army invests in range and firepower with M109 howitzers

  20th February 2023

  BAE Systems will provide hardware kits and support for its M109A7 self-propelled howitzers and M992A3 ammunition carriers to the US Army.

• Digital Battlespace

  Estonia adds more Thales radars to boost air defences

  26th June 2023

  Estonia is to acquire two of the latest Thales GM400a radars to reinforce the Baltic state's air sovereignty.

• Defence Helicopter

  Turkiye's Gokbey helicopter marks first indigenous engined flight

  4th May 2023

  On April 22, 2023, Turkish Aerospace’s T-625 GOKBEY general-purpose helicopter conducted a test flight with an indigenous TEI-TS1400 engine for the first time.

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 ...