• Land Warfare

  Rafael unveils new Boxer-mounted concept for Iron Dome at DSEI 2023

  12th September 2023

  Israel's Rafael has unveiled a new export concept version of the Iron Dome air defence system, based on a Boxer 8x8 infantry fighting vehicle platform. The configuration is aimed at the NATO market, especially the UK and Germany.

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed Martin unveils plans to develop new class of 500kW laser weapon

  31st July 2023

  Lockheed Martin will scale its technology to a 500kW-class laser under a new contract, aiming to optimize efficiency and size while increasing power for high-powered directed energy weapon systems.

• Naval Warfare

  Insight: How rising tensions have fuelled the Type 26 frigate's development

  12th September 2023

  Slated to enter service in the late 2020s, the Type 26 frigate addresses the pressing need for enhanced ASW capabilities, particularly in light of heightened tensions with Russia. Shephard Defence Insight analyses the design and its equipment fit.

• Air Warfare

  Netherlands receives first MQ-9A Reaper UAS

  16th August 2023

  The first Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) General Atomics MQ-9A Block 5 Reaper UAS has arrived at the Leeuwarden air base in the north of the country.

• Air Warfare

  Bigger bang for your buoys: Schiebel makes headway on S-300 at Paris Air Show

  22nd June 2023

  The rotary-wing UAS maker – famed for its S-100 Camcopter – is making strides with the development of its S-300, a larger aircraft that will offer expanded payload options and more persistence.

• Digital Battlespace

  Israel Aerospace Industries successfully launches Singapore's DS-SAR radar satellite

  31st July 2023

  The DS-SAR radar satellite, developed and produced by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), was successfully launched into space on a PSLV-C56 rocket from the launch site SDSC SHAR Sriharikota, India.

• 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.

• Digital Battlespace

  EOS to provide AS-65 gimbal for L3Harris's VAMPIRE weapon system

  21st July 2023

  EOS Defense Systems USA's AS-65 gimbal has been selected for L3Harris's VAMPIRE weapon system, empowering Ukraine's ground forces to counter hostile drones and ground threats using precision rockets.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Northrop reveals details of offer for DARPA ANCILLARY VTOL UAS programme

  14th July 2023

  Northrop Grumman will design an autonomous VTOL aircraft system for DARPA, capable of operating from navy ships at sea. The ANCILLARY program aims to enhance long endurance and expeditionary capabilities.

• Air Warfare

  Shield AI successfully demonstrates autonomous teaming with V-BAT UAS

  31st August 2023

  Shield AI has completed an autonomous teaming demonstration using three V-BAT UAS, showcasing their Hivemind AI pilot and paving the way for deployable teaming capabilities in GPS-denied environments.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Turkish defence industry expands drone portfolio with new tactical UAVs

  6th September 2023

  Turkish defence and aerospace company ESEN recently opened its doors to Turkish media and unveiled two brand new UAVs.  The first is the Gokhun tactical …

• Training

  UK trains hundreds of Ukrainian marines

  14th August 2023

  Ukrainian marines were trained by Royal Marines and British Army Commandos to conduct small boat amphibious operations, including beach raids.

• Air Warfare

  MARSS reveals plans for new counter-drone UAV and roadmap for Interceptor

  13th September 2023

  MARSS expects to begin testing its Interceptor Medium Range (MR) UAS against Class 2 UAVs later this year in Cornwall UK and has revealed details on the Interceptor Short Range (SR) UAS with soldier-carried deployment system.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  More Black Hornet UAVs bound for Ukraine as part of Norway order

  18th July 2023

  Teledyne FLIR Defense will supply Black Hornet 3 nano-UAVs to Ukraine, as part of a Norway MoD order. The pocket-sized drones provide crucial reconnaissance capabilities.

• Air Warfare

  F-35 Lightning II: key facts about the world's most popular fifth-generation fighter jet

  18th September 2023

  This growing family of F-35 operators exemplifies the power of collective effort, fostering stronger diplomatic ties and contributing to the evolution of modern aerial warfare on a global scale.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  ISTAR UAS project [Canada]

  Programme Background Objective The Royal Canadian Navy's (RCN) main significant UAV project is the RCN Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Unmanned Aircraft System (RCN ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Flexible Tactical Uncrewed Air System (FTUAS) [UK]

  Programme Background Tender Notice & Timeline On 25 May 2021, the MoD published a tender notice for the urgent acquisition of a UAS and ancillaries under ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  DEF129 (Nano UAS) [Australia]

  Programme Background DEF129 The Australian Ground Service has combined various army procurement efforts under the DEF129 programme to increase the abundance and proliferation of UAVs ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Aeromobila A Pilotaggio Remoto (Mini) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirement Released on 5 August 2021, the Italian MoD's Multi-Year Defence Programme Document for 2021-2023 announced a programme aimed at acquiring a mini-UAS capable ...

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

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (Japan)

  Programme Background Selection & Contract AwardIn 2015, Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft were selected by Japan to ...

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

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (South Korea)

  Programme Background Requirments Seoul required UAS assets to help monitor its neighbour to the north and, increasingly, Chinese activities in waters and in the air near ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Aeromobila A Pilotaggio Remoto (Micro) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirement Released on 5 August 2021, the Italian MoD's Multi-Year Defence Programme Document for 2021-2023 announced a programme aimed at acquiring a micro-UAS capable ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  RQ-20 Puma (Belgium)

  Programme Background Requirement The Belgian MoD outlined plans to procure more mini and tactical UAS in its Strategic Vision for Defence published in 2016. According ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  IAR-99 Replacement (Romania)

  On 29 August 2017, Leonardo announced that the IAR-99 trainer technology demonstrator (TD) will be fitted with company's Vixen 500E AESA radar. The Vixen 500E AESA ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Goal The Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) programme stems from the Military Sealift Command and Fleet Forces Command identifying, in 2018, a ...

• Military UAS - small

  Puma 2 AE (Germany)

  Programme Background The Germany navy had an urgent requirement for three UAS required for reconnaissance and identification in maritime operations. A platform was required that ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Class 2 Tactical UAS [Ireland]

  Background EU Tender On 13 March 2024, the Irish Department of Defence released a planning notice on the EU tenders website, confirming that the Irish ...

• AEW&C

  Airbus A330 AWACS (India)

  Programme Background India is planning to increase its AEW&C; capabilities with indigenous radar systems. IAF has requested to procure six Airbus 330 airliner to host ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Mini UAS [Spain]

  Programme Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: air defence radar

  MPDR 12

  The MPDR 12 is a 60 rpm pulse-Doppler radar with high data rates and effective clutter rejection performance. Integrated with Siemens pulse-Doppler tracking and fire ...

• Land: air defence radar, Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar, Sea: coastal surveillance radar, Sea: naval surveillance radar

  ieMHR

  The ieMHR radar is a three-dimensional pulse-doppler radar previously manufactured by Israeli company RADA Electronic Industries and is currently produced by Leonardo. It is designed ...

• Air: weather radar

  TWR-850/WXR-840/WXR-80

  The TWR-850/WXR-840/WXR-80 weather radar systems use Doppler-based turbulence and weather detection for faster analysis and a solid-state transmitter for optimum pulse width for different ranges ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  NR-100

  The NR-100 is a man-portable pulse-Doppler radar designed to detect and track moving people and vehicles, providing targeting information for infantry weapons. 

• Air: AEW/fire control radar, Air: surveillance radar

  AN/APY-1/2

  The S-band AN/APY-1 radar is installed in a large rotodome above the fuselage of the Boeing KE-3A/E-3A/B Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  EL/M-2238 STAR

  EL/M-2238 Surveillance Threat Alert Radar (STAR) is an S-band, pulse-Doppler, 3D, surface and air search radar for naval platforms. The STAR has three antenna variants: ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  N001

  The N001 is a mechanically scanned pulse-Doppler fire control radar associated with the Su-27, -30 and -33 fighters. The system features single-target engagement capability. 

• Sea: naval fire control radar

  MR-90 Orekh

  The MR-90 Orekh, also known as Front Dome, is a Russian fire control system developed originally in the 1980s. It is a pulse-Doppler radar with ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  RDI

  The RDI is an optimised pulse-Doppler radar installed on Mirage 2000B and C models used in the air superiority role. The slotted flat-plate antenna features ...

• Land: air defence radar

  SkyFender ADR

  SkyFender Air Defence Radar (ADR) is a pulse-Doppler radar operating in the X-band that performs signal processing in time and spectral domains to provide target ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  BFSR-MR

  The BattleField Surveillance Radar – Medium Range (BFSR-MR) is a ground-based surveillance and acquisition radar capable of detecting and displaying moving targets, including people, vehicles, ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  RP-100 Fara-1

  The RP-100 Fara-1 is a tripod-mounted, pulse-Doppler ground/coastal surveillance radar capable of detecting and tracking a variety of moving targets and cueing infantry weapons. Additionally, ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  P-200 Credo-1

  The P-200 Credo-1 is a tripod-mounted, pulse-Doppler ground/coastal surveillance radar capable of detecting and tracking a variety of targets. This includes people, vehicles, ships and ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  ARSS

  Relied upon by US as well as international paramilitary and government agencies, Telephonics’ Advanced Radar Surveillance System (ARSS) uses pulse-Doppler technology, providing wide-area ground surveillance ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  FoPEN

  The FoPEN is a wide-band, pulse-Doppler and ground surveillance radar that operates in the UHF band, minimising foliage attenuation. The system features track-while-scan and pulse ...