• Air Warfare

  Ukraine to receive Rheinmetall LUNA NG recon drones

  14th August 2023

  Ukrainian defence forces will this year receive Rheinmetall LUNA NG short-range reconnaissance UAS, an order described by the company as ‘worth a low double-digit million Euro amount’.

• Naval Warfare

  DSEI 2023: Exail in competition for Australian mine countermeasures contract

  14th September 2023

  French company Exail's UMIS maritime mine countermeasure (MCM) multi-drone system is in competition for a Royal Australian Navy contract.

• Land Warfare

  New Zealand issues RfP to integrate C4I systems into Bushmaster vehicles

  6th October 2023

  New Zealand has invited tenders for C4I and communications equipment for its Defence Force's new fleet of Bushmaster protected vehicles.

• Air Warfare

  DSEI 2023: Tekever to open new UK site, hints at scaled-up MALE UAV project

  14th September 2023

  Tekever has unveiled its plans to expand in the UK market by establishing a new facility at West Wales Airport in Aberporth, and has also revealed first details of a new large UAV project.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Ukraine shows combat-tested armament at DSEI 2023

  15th September 2023

  The Ukrainian pavilion at DSEI 2023, organised by state-owned Spetstechnoexport, exhibited several indigenous combat-tested systems, including UAVs, USVs and an evacuation vehicle.

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman delivers components for Arctic satellite broadband mission

  8th August 2023

  Northrop Grumman has delivered major components and begun pre-launch preparations for the Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM), a crucial effort in delivering protected satellite communications to the challenging northern polar region.

• Land Warfare

  Dedicated recon model of Otokar Akrep II vehicle ready for export

  28th July 2023

  Otokar has introduced a reconnaissance variant of the Akrep II 4x4 armoured vehicle, equipped with a remote weapon station and advanced surveillance features. The export-ready vehicle offers adaptable weapon systems and hybrid electric drive options.

• Air Warfare

  Indonesia orders next batch of 18 Rafale fighters

  14th August 2023

  The next 18 Rafale fighters for Indonesia have been formally ordered.

• Air Warfare

  General Atomics achieves AI flight milestone with Avenger UAV

  14th April 2023

  General Atomics has used an MQ-20 Avenger to demonstrate collaboration between human and AI pilots over a low-Earth-orbit SATCOM data link.

• Air Warfare

  Indonesia orders Anka UAVs from Turkiye

  3rd August 2023

  Indonesia becomes the eighth customer for the Anka, as Turkiye further cements its positions as a major supplier of UAVs.

• 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.

• Special Operations

  SOF Week 2023: USSOCOM plans to boost investment in cyber and space capabilities

  10th May 2023

  US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) plans to invest heavily in cyber effects and space-based capabilities to enhance counter-violent extremist operations, according to General Fenton.

• Air Warfare

  Paris Air Show: NATO brokers Greek deal to acquire Safran UAVs

  21st June 2023

  The Greek Army has chosen Safran Electronics & Defense to modernise its UAV inventory, adding four new Patroller tactical drones to its current Sperwer fleet.  The …

• 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

  Reaper UAV tests new SATCOM capability

  6th February 2023

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GS-ASI) has successfully flight-tested a low-Earth-orbit SATCOM capability on board an MQ-9A aircraft.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Dominator XP [Thailand]

  Programme Background Purchase As reported by Shephard, in September 2023, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) inducted three Dominator XPs. The RTAF purchased the trio ...

• Loitering munitions

  Medium-Range Loitering Munition with LEO Satellite Data Link [South Korea]

  Background New Project In April 2025, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) announced a new project titled “Development of Medium-Range ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook (Singapore)

  Programme Background In July 2020, photos have emerged on the internet of the first Boeing CH-47F Chinook destined for the Republic of Singapore Air Force ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions (Special Mission Brigade) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Drone Ambition As reported by Shephard, South Korea has ambitions to possess a large arsenal of drones. In May 2024, the presidential office ...

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

  Anka-S (Second Batch) [Turkey]

  Programme Background First Batch Based on comments by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Turkish media in 2018, Shephard believes that Türkiye acquired 26 Anka-S drones ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  New Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (NWJFAC) (1-31) [India]

  Programme Background Requirements The Indian Navy is seeking replacements for a large proportion of its 19 46-49m-long waterjet-powered fast attack craft, several of which are approaching ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Portugal VTLB

  Programme Background The Portuguese Army planned to allocate funds for the procurement of 167 VTLBs during the Military Programming Law running from 2015 until 2026. ...

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

  Akinci [Turkey]

  Programme Background Unveiling & Testing Unveiled at TEKOFEST Istanbul Aviation, Space and Technology Festival in September 2019, the Akinci completed its first flight in December 2019. In June 2021, ...

• 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 - MALE

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian [Belgium]

  Programme Background FMS Contract On 26 March 2019, the US State Department announced that it had approved a possible FMS of four MQ-9B SkyGuardians for an estimated ...

• Military UAS - small

  Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirement & Objective The RN identified a requirement to acquire an RPAS to transport cargo and supplies between ships and personnel. When mature, it ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Greenerwave LEO/GEO Terminal

  Greenerweave's LEO/GEO Terminal is a Ku-band SATCOM solution which benefits from the manufacturer's proprietary technology to reduce manufacturing costs and power requirements. Unveiled in March ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MONDO Satellite Terminal

  The Multi Orbit Network, Dual Operation (MONDO) Satellite Terminal is a developmental SATCOM solution that provides continuous communication links on GEO, LEO and MEO networks. ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Revolution 450mp

  Introduced in 2023, the 450mp is a small form factor SATCOM modem which supports multiple orbits and waveforms. Notably, the man-portable modem supports the manufacturer's Evolution ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  FoldSat LEo Ku OW Mil

  The FoldSat LEo Ku OW Mil is a ruggedised SATCOM terminal developed by OneWeb. Launched in September 2023, it provides person-portable communications with a foldable ...

• Naval: Radio and SATCOM

  King Cobra

  The Fleet 394 'King Cobra' is a 2m-class Naval SATCOM terminal designed by EM Solutions. It provides simultaneous Ka-Band and X-Band coverage. According to the manufacturer, it ...

• Towed guns

  105mm LEO

  Denel Land Systems began development of the 105mm Light Experimental Ordnance (LEO) in 1995 to meet a South African Army technical requirement for a 105mm ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Osprey u8 HGL

  Launched in 2023, Kymeta Osprey u8 HGL is a hybrid Geostationary/Low-Earth Orbit terminal that provides satellite communications on the move. Notably, it can be mounted ...

• EO/IR systems

  LEO-II

  The LEO-II airborne observation system was a COTS, gyro-stabilised platform containing a multi-sensor payload and a laser pointer, which is available simultaneously in the turret. ...

• Space: radar systems

  TecSAR

  TecSAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar Technonology Demonstrator) is designed for LEO IMINT and carries an X-band radar payload with multi-beam electronic steering. The system is also ...

• EO/IR systems

  LEO-III

  The LEO-III, or LEO-III HD, was an airborne observation system with HD sensors and video outputs. It was a COTS, gyro-stabilised platform containing a multi-sensor HD ...

• Air: mission management systems

  LEO-III-HD

  The LEO-III-HD is an airborne observation system with HD sensors and video outputs. It is a COTS, gyro-stabilised platform containing a multi-sensor HD payload that ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  Leo MW

  Leo MW is a compact detector designed for optimised SWaP mediumwave IR (3-5µm) applications. It features a digital output camera link.

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Multi-Orbit Tactical Terminal

  Intelsat Multi-Orbit Tactical Terminal (MOTT) is a ruggedised terminal with a low-profile design. The vehicle-mountable terminal features an electronically steered array antenna, edge computing capabilities ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Vireo

  Produced by CesiumAstro, Vireo is a Ka-band, multi-beam payload communication system designed for commercial and military applications. The system enables uplink and downlink operations from ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  RESA L Ka

  Requtech's RESA L Ka is an integrated, electronically scanned array antenna terminal for Ka-Band LEO, MEO or GEO constellations for on-the-move and on-the-pause applications. Unveiled ...