• Special Operations

  SOF Week 2023: U.S. Army Special Operations Command outlines recruitment challenges (video)

  10th May 2023

  USSOCOM has the nation’s most elite warfighters in its arsenal, but how does it ensure they thrive and excel throughout their careers?

• Naval Warfare

  The Philippines has ended its flirtation with China – so what next for the country’s navy?

  11th September 2023

  For decades, largely as a result of historical ties, the US was the only Western country with a strong interest in the Philippines and its navy. Over the past year, other nations have turned their attention to the archipelago. The question is why now? And what is the impact of this shift on the Philippine Navy?

• Training

  Paris Air Show: New cockpit voice recorder certified for T-6 trainer aircraft

  20th June 2023

  The US FAA has approved installation of Curtiss-Wright's Fortress CVR25 cockpit recorder to upgrade T-6 Texan II trainer aircraft worldwide.

• Land Warfare

  US pushes Japan to provide 155mm ammo for Ukraine

  6th July 2023

  Japan is reluctant to provide lethal aid to support Ukraine's war, despite pressure from the US.

• Land Warfare

  Demand for AFVs and artillery keeps South Korean firms busy

  28th June 2023

  Worldwide demand for military equipment is playing into South Korea's hands, as the country's defence industry makes deeper inroads into foreign markets.

• Land Warfare

  UK's Project Morpheus land forces communications programme falling short

  26th July 2023

  The UK's existing Bowman system will continue to soldier on, as while other aspects of the wider LETacCIS comms programme progress, Morpheus currently does not have an agreed initial operational capability date.

• Land Warfare

  Polaris adds remote weapon station to MRZR Alpha light vehicle

  28th June 2023

  Polaris displayed an MRZR Alpha vehicle fitted with a Kongsberg Protector RS2 remote weapon station (RWS) at the Modern Day Marine (MDM) expo in Washington DC.

• Training

  US Army to use customised QinetiQ Banshee Jet 80+ target for training

  18th May 2023

  QinetiQ's MQM-185B target, based on the Banshee Jet 80+, aims to provide the US Army with hyper-realistic training capabilities.

• Land Warfare

  Contract award imminent for new British Army bridging capability

  16th May 2023

  The UK MoD is expected to award a contract to WFEL to provide replacements for the Royal Engineers' Close Support Bridge and General Support Bridge systems later this year.

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems lands three-year US Army contract for precision weapons R&D

  19th May 2023

  BAE Systems has been awarded a further $72.5 million R&D contract to work on long-range cannon-fired guided munitions for the US Army.

• 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

  As the Ukraine war passes the 18-month mark, how are NATO’s factories meeting the artillery challenge?

  18th September 2023

  NATO is rapidly increasing its supply of equipment to Ukraine in a number of key areas including tube artillery and, crucially, its ammunition. Shephard analyses how the alliance's members are stepping up to this challenge after years of industrial neglect.

• Defence Helicopter

  Argentina orders Bell 407s for military search and rescue missions

  6th June 2023

  Argentina is to acquire six Bell 407 helicopters for search and rescue operations by the country's army and air force under a government-to-government contract with Canada.

• Land Warfare

  European countries test use of mixed reality in combat vehicles

  26th July 2023

  Estonia and Croatia recently conducted trials with the Vegvisir Mixed Reality Situational Awareness System.

• Air Warfare

  Insight: Is the Bayraktar TB2 UAV living up to expectations?

  15th September 2023

  Sold to well over 20 countries and combat-proven in Nagorno-Karabakh, Ukraine and elsewhere, the Bayraktar TB2 has been an export success for its Turkish manufacturer. Shephard Defence Insight analyses the aircraft's design and capabilities and reviews in depth who is buying it and why.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Special operations vehicles

  VMOE

  Programme Background The Spanish Army's SOF units are procuring the VMOE to meet their requirements for an SOV with sufficient firepower, mobility and mine-protection to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions [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 organisations, ...

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

  Micro 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 ...

• Tanks

  New MBT (Spain)

  Programme Background One of the long-term needs identified in the Spanish Army's Force 2035 modernisation plan is a next-generation MBT. To this end, the Spanish ...

• Military UAS - small

  Small 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR (Spain - First Batch)

  Programme Background Purpose The VCR programme is to replace several legacy wheeled and tracked vehicles currently in service with the Spanish Army including the BMR-600 6x6, ...

• 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR (Spain - Second Batch)

  Programme Background Purpose The VCR programme is to replace several legacy wheeled and tracked vehicles currently in service with the Spanish Army including the BMR-600 6x6, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR (Spain - Third Batch)

  Programme Background Purpose The VCR programme is to replace several legacy wheeled and tracked vehicles currently in service with the Spanish Army including the BMR-600 ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Neton VLOE

  Programme Background The VLOE will replace several variants of the VLOE Lathar (a SOF vehicles based on the Nissan Patrol ML-6 COTS chassis) currently in ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Neton VLOE - (Spain - Navy)

  Programme Background Information regarding the Spanish Navy's procurement of the Einsa Neton remains limited, however, it is likely that decisions to procure the platform arose from ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Spain HT-29 Caiman (NH90 TTH) - Air Force Second Batch

  The HT-29 Caiman will replace AS332 Super Puma fleet in service with the Spanish Air Force. The Spanish version of the NH90 TTHs can perform ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Spain HT-29 Caiman (NH90 TTH) - Air Force First Batch

  The HT-29 Caiman will replace AS332 Super Puma fleet in service with the Spanish Air Force. The Spanish version of the NH90 TTHs can perform ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Secondhand Logistics Transport Vessel

  Programme Background Following the decommissioning of El Camino Español (A-05) and Martín Posadillo (A-04) in November 2019 and June 2020 respectively, the Spanish Navy began the procurement process ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UGVs

  Valkyrie

  The Valkyrie is a 6x6 UGV developed by the Spanish company SASCorp. It was unveiled for the first time at FINDEF 2021. The platform has reportedly ...

• Towed guns

  SIAC 155mm/52cal

  The SIAC 155mm/52cal towed howitzer is the latest derivative of the 155mm/52cal APU SBT howitzer originally developed by GDELS-SBS in the 1990s to meet a ...

• Land: RWS

  Guardian 2.0

  The Guardian 2.0 RWS is an upgraded version of Escribano's Guardian RWS in service with the Spanish Army, which offers improved sensors and better stabilisation. ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  ASCOD CBP IFV

  GDELS unveiled a new variant of its tracked ASCOD (Austrian Spanish Cooperative Development) IFV based on the new Common Base Platform (CBP) at the June ...

• Land: vehicle simulators

  Leopard 2E Simulators

  Indra was prime contractor for the Spanish Army Leopard 2E Tank Simulation Programme, which involved 23 devices across driving, turret and platoon simulators with networking ...

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

  Alcotán

  The Alcotán is a lightweight, hand-launched platform. Designed by USOL, the system features an aerial platform, autopilot and GCS. It is suitable for both civil ...

• Special operations vehicles

  Neton

  The 4x4 Neton Ultrafast Tactical Vehicle is manufactured by Spanish firm Einsa. It is an all-terrain, highly mobile and air-transportable SF platform. Following an evaluation ...

• Loitering munitions

  QLM-40

  The QLM-40, or Q-SLAM-40, is a multi-purpose loitering munition manufactured by Arquimea. It is launched from a pneumatic launcher, powered by an electric motor and contains an ISR payload ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  BMR-600

  The BMR-600 "Pegaso"  is a wheeled fully-amphibious 6x6 APC which began development in 1972. It was originally designed by Santa Barbara Sistemas which is now ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Piranha V

  The Piranha V, the latest member of the Piranha family of wheeled armoured fighting vehicles, introduced a vehicle in the upper weight class. Unveiled in ...

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

  Searcher Mk III

  The Searcher Mk III is a multi-mission, fixed-wing tactical UAS used for ISTAR, artillery adjustment and damage assessment. Manufactured by Isreal Aerospace Industries, the platform ...

• Individual assault/anti-tank weapons

  Alcotan-100

  The Alcotan-100 is a recoilless, shoulder-launched, antitank rocket launcher developed to meet a Spanish Army requirement, entering service in 2008. In 2014, the Peruvian Army ...

• Light machine guns

  MG4

  The 5.56mm MG4 has been in German Army service since 2005 and sold to at least five export customers, including the Spanish Army. The MG4 ...

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

  Fulmar X

  The Fulmar X is a Thales UAV designed to carry out high-quality ISTAR missions for civil and military applications. A complete system comprises two UAVs, launch and recovery ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  RF-7800H-MP

  The L3Harris RF-7800H-MP is a manpack HF radio with expanded data capabilities for long-range communications. First delivered in 2012, it remains in service with several militaries ...