• Air Warfare

  Initial flight testing completed of LRASM anti-ship missile on F-35

  5th March 2025

  The AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) is a precision-guided, anti-ship standoff missile based on the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER). It is being developed to meet US requirements and in 2020 the sale was approved to Australia of up to 200 LRASM for an estimated cost of US$990 million.

• Naval Warfare

  Hunter-class frigate communications deal awarded to Rohde & Schwarz

  29th August 2024

  A new contract awarded for Australia’s Hunter-class frigates will see Rohde & Schwarz provide the vessels’ “central nervous system”.

• Air Warfare

  Expanded focus – unleashing the potential of commercial SATCOM for defence

  17th June 2025

  In conversation... Intelsat's Ray Lindenmayer talks to Shephard's Gerrard Cowan about the new capabilities advanced commercial SATCOM technologies can provide for military customers, and how industry and government can best work together to achieve maximum effect in orbit.

• Naval Warfare

  R&S to supply German Sachsen ships with Kora EW and communications systems

  22nd October 2024

  The Sachsen-class (F124) frigates were designed for enhanced air defence with stealth features with the first entering service in 2003. The class is now undergoing a substantial upgrade.

• Land Warfare

  Modern militaries crawl towards electrification of the battlefield

  12th March 2025

  Full electrification of their land and air vehicles may be beyond modern militaries for now. But how close are they to the tipping point of the widespread use of electric vehicles?

• Air Warfare

  Turkey scales back F-16 deal while US shifts position on F-35s, minister claims

  28th November 2024

  Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler gave updates on the country’s F-16 and Eurofighter acquisitions in Parliament, while signalling the US could reinstate Turkey into its F-35 programme.

• Land Warfare

  Polaris upgrades MRZR for heavier payloads and announces US Air Force contracts

  23rd October 2024

  A reinforced version of the 6x6 MRZR ultra-light mobility vehicle can transport a payload of approximately 1,360kg and munitions such as Northrop Grumman’s Jackal.

• Naval Warfare

  Saab to supply combat system for Colombian Navy’s frigates

  27th February 2025

  A deal between Saab and Damen Naval will add significantly to the technological fit of Colombia’s new vessels.

• Air Warfare

  Paris Air Show 2025: A400M production moved forward as development plans outlined

  17th June 2025

  It is more than a decade since the Airbus A400M tactical lift aircraft entered service. More than 130 aircraft are in service around the world with nine countries, while another order has been made by Indonesia. The company is now looking to lower operational costs and increase the number of potential missions.

• Air Warfare

  Embraer evaluates new mission capabilities for C-390 with ISR study to finish by 2026

  10th June 2025

  Alongside its official Maritime Patrol study, Embraer is also evaluating further special missions capabilities for its aircraft, including those in the space domain and with drones, CEO Bosco da Costa Junior told Shephard.

• Naval Warfare

  NATO to strengthen its Baltic Sea presence after new cable cutting incident

  27th December 2024

  The vessel suspected of cutting cables has been boarded by the Finnish Coast Guard, and Estonia has launched naval protection patrols.

• Naval Warfare

  Naval Group launches first-of-its-kind uncrewed surface vessel for warships at Euronaval

  6th November 2024

  The Seaquest S is a modular add-on that enhances situational awareness – and could do much more.

• Digital Battlespace

  US Space Force increases efforts to plug training capabilities gaps

  22nd July 2024

  The service has been seeking simulation and emulation solutions capable of reproducing multiple in-orbit threats.

• Air Warfare

  Paris Air Show 2025: Aarok to be offered to India

  18th June 2025

  Turgis Gaillard and Bharat Forge have signed an MoU to offer the Aarok, produced in India, to the Indian Ministry of Defence. The UAV could satisfy the country’s desire for an indigenous MALE UAV, offering an alternative to the TAPAS BH-201 that has had a rocky development.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Canadian Navy’s final Harry DeWolf-class vessel to be delivered this summer

  9th June 2025

  The sixth Canada’s Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship is currently at the final stages of construction within Irving Shipbuilding.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  DP18A [Thailand]

  Programme Background According to Aero Technology Industry Company Limited (ATIL) officials, speaking to Janes at Defence & Security (D&S;) 2023 in Bangkok, at the time of ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [Türkiye]

  Turkey has become the second country to receive the new-generation A400M airlifter, with the first of ten aircraft handed over by Airbus Defence and Space ...

• Trainer

  S-211 Replacement [Philippines]

  Programme Background Requirement The Philippines is looking at replacement options for its ageing fleet of S-211 trainer jets. The S-211s have been in operation with ...

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

  Sky Scout-X [Thailand]

  Programme Background At the Defence & Security (D&S;) 2019 show in Bangkok, RV Connex displayed a variant of this Sky Scout, the Sky Scout-X. This ...

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

  Long-Endurance UAV [US AFRICOM]

  Programme Background Ageing MQ-9A Reapers In November 2022, Shephard reported that GA-ASI would continue supporting contractor SMX with its MQ-9A after winning a $2.3 billion task ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  D-Eyes 04 [Thailand]

  Programme Background Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) According to a 29 June 2021 announcement, the RTA signed an MoU with Thailand's DTI to develop a MALE ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA)

  Programme Background Five prototypes will be manufactured for developmental tests. Indian Air Force will buy 36 AMCA Mark-I aircraft from 2029-30. The Mark-I configuration will ...

• Trainer

  T-4 Replacement [Japan]

  Programme Background The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) has been using the T-4 as an intermediate trainer jet since 1988, but now the Acquisition, Technology ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Requirement Turkish Air Force ordered 100 F-35A aircraft as a partner nation, however, the country was removed from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions [Thailand]

  Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events such ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Next Generation Submarines [Japan]

  Japan is undertaking development studies for its Next Generation Submarine design. The project aims to develop a new platform that is expected to start replacing ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Next Generation Submarines [Japan]

  Japan is undertaking development studies for its Next Generation Submarine design. The project aims to develop a new platform that is expected to start replacing ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  MUM-T Drone [Thailand]

  Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events ...

• Trainer

  T-6C [Thailand]

  Programme Background The contract is for 12 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II advanced military training aircraft, ground-based training systems for pilots and maintenance professionals, a mission ...

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

  Persistent Surveillance / High-Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) [Japan]

  Programme Background Drone Appetite Released in December 2022, the Defence Buildup Programme (DBP) called on the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) to replace some human assets with ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  PC-21 FTD

  Airbus D&S; has technical responsibility for overall system integration and the geo-specific database within the consortium for the development and production of the Pilatus PC-21 ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Distributed and Networked Mission Training

  Airbus D&S; networks training systems to enable joint and distributed mission training across local and national boundaries, generating realistic and needs-oriented scenarios. The solution uses ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Sky Scout-M

  Unveiled at the Defense & Security (D&S;) 2023 exhibition in Bangkok, the Sky Scout-M is a combat version of the Sky Scout from RV Connex.  ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  TEagle Eye III

  Thailand’s state-owned Defence Technology Institute (DTI) unveiled the TEagle Eye III fixed-wing UAV in November 2015 at the country's Defence and Security (D&S;) exhibition. It ...

• 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 ...

• Helicopter guns

  FN D-HMP 250

  The FN D-HMP (Digital Heavy Machine Gun Pod) 250 is a self-contained airborne weapon system armed with a .50 cal FN M3P heavy machine gun, ...

• Land: battle management systems, Naval: Combat Management Systems

  SENIN

  The French Navy has chosen Airbus D&S; and SODENA for development and installation of SENIN on its entire fleet of the ECDIS electronic cartography system. ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  21st Century Warrior

  Slovenia picked S&T; IT Solutions and Services for the R&D; phase of its 21st Century Warrior programme. The future soldier system is designed to fit ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Australian Army S-70 Training System

  The Australian Army S-70A-9 Black Hawk is a turnkey programme including a full flight and mission simulator (FF&MS;), building, facilities and maintenance support. This CAE-built ...

• Tanks

  M60A3 Upgrade

  Leonardo presented its M60A3 upgrade proposal, which improves the tank's firepower, protection and mobility, for the first time at the Bahrain International Defence Exhibition and ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM, Naval: Radio and SATCOM

  R&S M3SR Series4100

  Rohde & Schwarz M3SR Series4100 is a family of software-defined HF radios designed for stationary and shipborne communications. Offered in multiple configurations, they offer high-data-rate BLOS ...

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

  DP18A

  Unveiled at Defence & Security 2023 in Bangkok, the DP18A is a fixed-wing tactical drone designed to offer the Thai Armed Forces a cost-effective drone capable ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Brunei MPTC

  The CAE Brunei Multi-Purpose Training Centre (MPTC) is a JV established in 2012 between CAE and the Government of Brunei. Located in Rimba near the Brunei ...

• Data links

  MIDS FDL LVT-3

  The MIDS Fighter Data Link (FDL) LVT-3 was developed by Rockwell Collins and BAE Systems under a limited liability company to integrate MIDS commonality in ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  NanoS2

  The NanoS2 acquisition system combines a data concentrator and a compact flight test recorder, which provides modularity and permits stacking of 12 data acquisition modules ...