• Training

  French Navy conducts first anti-drone training exercise

  3rd July 2023

  France's Naval Action Force (FAN) has conducted a dedicated exercise to train ship crews, marine riflemen and fast jet pilots in countering asymmetric drone threats.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ESEN Gördes demonstrates S-100 UAS navigation system

  25th July 2023

  The ESEN GöRDES vision based navigation system was successfully demonstrated on the Schiebel Camcopter S-100 UAS, showcasing its capability to operate in GPS-denied environments and offering a jam and spoofing resilient platform.

• Land Warfare

  Israel-Hamas War: Israel’s fleet of armoured vehicles set to get their metal tested

  20th October 2023

  Israel appears to be set for a ground war in northern Gaza in what the Israeli government argues is an effort to destroy the capability of Hamas to attack Israel. It is an environment the IDF has fought in before and the army’s vehicles will likely have a key role.

• Defence Helicopter

  ITP Aero tests NH90 engines with sustainable fuel

  26th July 2023

  ITP Aero has successfully completed engine testing using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for the NH90 helicopter's GE CT7-8F5 engines, marking a significant step in reducing emissions.

• Training

  High-End Defense Training for Multipolar Threats

  13th September 2023

  From US National Intelligence Council reports to defense and foreign policy commentary, much ink has been spilled in the last five years on changing power dynamics in the world order.

• Naval Warfare

  France and Italy's Horizon-class destroyers to receive mid-life upgrade

  1st August 2023

  The Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) has awarded Naviris and Eurosam a €1.5 billion ($1.65 billion) contract for the mid-life upgrade (MLU) of the French Navy’s Forbin-class destroyers and Italian Navy’s Orrizonte-class destroyers.

• Naval Warfare

  New Turkish naval mines will be able to distinguish between friend and foe

  9th August 2023

  The Malaman smart bottom mine and Uça guided smart bomb will use acoustic, magnetic and pressure sensors to detect and classify targets.

• Training

  US Navy upgrades its red air aggressor F-16 Vipers

  4th August 2023

  Amentum will maintain US Navy adversary F-16 aircraft and provide full system maintenance and supply chain support to ensure seamless flight operations in all naval bases.

• Defence Notes

  The centre of gravity of ‘Axis of Evil 2.0’ shifts eastwards (Opinion)

  14th September 2023

  Russia might be at the tip of the spear in terms of authoritarian aggression, but it has plenty of backers in the shape of countries like China, Iran and North Korea. Others, like India, try to duplicitously sit on the fence.

• Land Warfare

  EOS unveils Slinger C-UAS weapon system

  16th May 2023

  EOS in Australia has come up with a dedicated C-UAS weapon that can be mounted on light 4x4 vehicles.

• Digital Battlespace

  Insitu reveals next-generation sensor demo at US Army exercise

  4th July 2023

  Insitu Pacific showcased advanced sensors on board its Integrator UAS during the US Army's Project Convergence 2022.

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed calls for ‘forward-looking approach’ on F-35 engine at Paris Air Show

  22nd June 2023

  Lockheed Martin emphasises the need for more power and cooling, suggesting a potential requirement for an Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP) performance-related improvement, a programme that was recently revived by the House Armed Services Committee.

• Air Warfare

  City-wide imaging sensor flies on US drone

  14th June 2023

  Logos Technologies, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems of America, has seen its BlackKite IR wide-area motion imagery (WAMI) pod flown on a US Army UAS for the first time.

• Land Warfare

  Insight: The UK's Challenger 3 tank programme gets ready for service in 2025

  4th September 2023

  Initially planned for service entry between 2027 and 2030, the British Army's first Challenger 3 tanks remain on track for accelerated delivery in 2025. Shephard Defence Insight provides full technical details and a programme update for this vital UK armoured capability.

• Air Warfare

  Ukraine lessons: is bringing an attack helicopter to a missile fight too dangerous?

  15th September 2023

  According to multiple OSINT sources, Russian forces have lost possibly as many as 200 rotary-wing aircraft since February 2022. Some of these occurred in early high-profile operations, but most have been attrition casualties during the ongoing fighting. Shephard analyses the nature of these losses, and what lessons NATO attack helicopter operators should draw.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Medium Range Reconnaissance (MRR) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an organic, on-demand ...

• Transport

  C-27J [Azerbaijan]

  Programme Background The Azerbaijani Air Force signed a contract with Leonardo in June 2023 to procure the C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft. This move is ...

• Tanks

  NGCV: DLP

  Programme Background Requirement The DLP is one of five vehicle families being developed for the US Army's NGCV programme. Expanded to include five programmes in ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  General-Purpose UAS [Australia]

  Programme Background Banned As reported by Shephard in August 2023, in the past, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) used commercial UAS from companies such as DJI for ...

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

  Mini Reconnaissance Drones [Lithuania]

  Programme Background Planned Purchases On 14 September 2022, the Lithuanian MoD announced in a short statement on Twitter, now X, that it had begun organising ...

• 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 - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Small Reconnaissance Drones [Lithuania]

  Programme Background Planned Purchases On 14 September 2022, the Lithuanian MoD announced in a short statement on Twitter, now X, that it had begun organising ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Data links

  Data links | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Destroyers

  Next-Generation Large Surface Combatants (LSC) - DDG(X) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) is acknowledging a need to move away from the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer design, which is slowly outgrowing. Flight III ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Multirole Underwater Seabed Surveillance Ship (MU3S) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirements According to the presentation provided by the Italian Navy, the MultiroleUnderwater Seabed Surveillance Ship (MU3S) will:operate a wide range of uncrewed systems, ...

• OPVs

  Harry DeWolf Class (AOPS) Coast Guard (7-8) [Canada]

  Programme Background Requirements The new vessels will replace the CCGS Leonard J Cowley, an ice-strengthened fisheries patrol vessel that entered service in 1984 and CCGS Cygnus, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Counter-UAS systems

  MEHEL 2.0

  The Mobile Expeditionary High-Energy Laser (MEHEL) is a C-UAS-capable vehicle that employs directed energy to neutralise targets. MEHEL 2.0 was first seen at AUSA 2016, ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  DroneDefender

  DroneDefender is a directed-energy UAS countermeasure that disrupts the adversary's control of the aircraft, neutralising it so that no remote action (including detonation) can occur, ...

• OPVs

  PPA/MultiPurpose Combat Ship (MPCS) EVO

  The PPA/MultiPurpose Combat Ship (MPCS) EVO is an enhanced version of the Thaon di Revel-class PPAs unveiled at Euronaval 2024. The PPA/MPCS EVO retains the core platform ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Howler C-UAS

  Developed by Raytheon, the Howler is a counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS), which includes a Ku-band Radio Frequency Sensor (KuRFS), a command-and-control system, and a Coyote ...

• Naval guns, Land: RWS

  DragonFire

  Dragonfire is a new laser weapon system built for the UK MoD, receiving £30 million of funding in early 2017. The design of the gun ...

• Military - USVs

  C-Enduro

  C-Enduro is a long-endurance platform used to safely and cost-effectively collect data at sea. Built to operate in all marine environments, C-Enduro uses energy-harvesting technology ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Drone Dome

  Drone Dome is made up of three main components: RADA Electronic Industries' RPS-42 radar; Controp's MEOS observation; and Netline's C-Guard RD and NetSense subsystems for ...

• Destroyers

  Flight III Destroyer

  During Indo Pacific 2023, Navantia Australia unveiled a 10200t destroyer design. Dubbed as Flight III Destroyer, the Spanish shipbuilder is pitching the ship for the ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range, Self-propelled missile systems

  Multi-Mission Launcher

  The Multi-Mission Launcher (MML) was developed by the U.S. Army's Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) as part of the Indirect Fire ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  MK4-RX

  Manufactured by Chartis Federal, the MK4-RX is a small cargo-carrying UAV that can autonomously deliver up to 45lbs of cargo over a range of 17.5k. The quadcopter ...

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

  Silent Falcon

  The Silent Falcon is a solar-electric sUAS with long-endurance capabilities for extended-range missions. The UAS can be used for commercial and military applications. The entire ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  C-UAS Solution

  The C-UAS Solution uses goniometry, radar technologies and various sensors to detect and remove UAS from the air. So far, the solution has been proven effective against ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: chaff, flare and decoy systems

  ADM-141A/B/C TALD/ITALD

  Israel Military Industries’ ADM-141A/B/C Tactical Air Launched Decoy (TALD) and Improved TALD is in service with the US Navy, and possibly with the Israeli Air ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Airfence 5.0

  Airfence 5.0 is a C-UAS RF technology released by Sensofusion. It is designed to protect airports, personnel, prisons and private companies from rogue UAS in ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Cobham C-UAS

  Unveiled at the AUVSI 2017 trade show in Dallas, Texas, the Cobham C-UAS primarily consists of wideband omnidirectional, directional helix (single- or dual-band), directional flat ...