• Defence Helicopter

  Industry awarded new contracts for Australian and US Apache attack helicopter work

  1st September 2023

  Longbow LLC and Lockheed Martin have received new contracts to supply Longbow fire control radars to Australia, and refurbish US Army Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (TADS/PNVS) equipment. Both systems equip the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.

• Defence Helicopter

  US approves AH-64 Apache attack helicopters for Poland

  23rd August 2023

  Poland is poised to enhance its military might through acquiring AH-64 Apache attack helicopters from the US.

• Digital Battlespace

  DSEI 2023: APS claims 90% success rate in tracking drones in Ukraine

  19th September 2023

  Advanced Protection System (APS) has reported a 90% success in tracking Russian UAVs operating in the Ukraine war using its SKYctrl anti-drone system.

• Land Warfare

  Meteksan targets drones with new radar and counter-UAS systems

  1st August 2023

  Meteksan showcased the Retinar AESA radar at IDEF 2023, offering enhanced detection and tracking capabilities for UAVs and tactical targets. The radar has applications in mobile counter-UAS systems.

• Digital Battlespace

  DSEI 2023: Controp unveils Smart Vision AI software for EO/IR payloads

  21st September 2023

  Controp Precision Technologies unveiled its Smart Vision AI software for enhancing the level of autonomy and automation for a variety of surveillance and reconnaissance missions at DSEI 2023.

• Naval Warfare

  German Armed Forces successfully concludes laser weapon demonstrator trials

  22nd September 2023

  The German Armed Forces has successfully completed trials of the laser weapon demonstrator (LWD) at sea, proving its combat effectiveness against various targets in realistic operating conditions.

• Air Warfare

  Royal Air Force begins training on new Protector remotely piloted aircraft system

  10th May 2023

  The Royal Air Force has started training its first cohort of pilots, sensor operators and mission intelligence coordinators on operating its new Protector at General Atomics' Flight Test & Training Centre in the US.

• Training

  HAL delivers India’s first LCA twin-seat trainer

  5th October 2023

  India has received the first twin-seat trainer version of the Tejas aircraft manufactured by HAL.

• Naval Warfare

  Insight: Gowind 2500 corvette enjoys strong export business despite Romanian rejection

  5th September 2023

  France's Naval Group's Gowind 2500 corvette, designed for multiple naval missions, has gained popularity worldwide. Shephard Defence Insight provides detailed analysis of its export contracts, armament and technical specifications.

• Naval Warfare

  DSEI 2023: SEA launches high-performance countermeasures system for surface platforms

  19th September 2023

  UK ship protection specialist SEA has unveiled Ancilia, a trainable decoy launcher system designed to provide rapid and effective protection against missile, including hypersonic, and torpedo threats to surface vessels.

• Air Warfare

  Elbit Systems to equip Philippine maritime patrol aircraft

  11th July 2023

  The Israeli company will integrate maritime patrol mission systems onto an ATR 72 turboprop for the Philippine Air Force.

• Naval Warfare

  Fourth US Navy TAO replenishment oiler launched despite cost concerns

  31st October 2023

  The fourth John Lewis-class (TAO-205) fleet replenishment oiler for the US Navy was launched in a ceremony at shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO’s San Diego facility on 28 October 2023.

• Air Warfare

  South Korea seeks extra F-35A fighters

  15th September 2023

  South Korea is looking for more F-35A fighters to bolster its fleet, as development of the KF-21 Boramae continues apace.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Leidos to manage US Navy uncrewed surface vessels under $95 million deal

  22nd August 2023

  Leidos has won a $95 million contract from the USN to manage and maintain the Overlord and Medium USVs, an effort which will accelerate the integration of autonomous vessel capabilities.

• 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.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Seeker 400 - First Batch (UAE)

  Programme Background The UAE has a long history of transactions with Denel Dynamics. The country has been purchasing various Seeker systems from as far back ...

• Maritime patrol

  Challenger 650 ISR - UAE

  Programme Background In February 2019 at IDEX, the UAE announced that it will procure a new special mission aircraft with an option for the second ...

• 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 - tactical

  Seeker 400 - Second Batch (UAE)

  Programme Background The UAE has a long history of transactions with Denel Dynamics. The country has been purchasing various Seeker systems from as far back ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Family of UAVs [Bangladesh]

  Programme Background RfP The Bangladesh Army released a 106-page tender document to gather information about different platforms that would enable the force to "standardise" its UAV ...

• ISR/special mission

  ISTAR Aircraft (South Korea)

  Programme Background South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration stated that Seoul is planning to procure additional aircraft to minimize potential surveillance gaps amid growing security ...

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

  ScanEagle 2 [Japan]

  Programme Background Defence Building Program (DBP) Released in December 2022, this 1 trillion yen ($8 billion) Japanese policy called on the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) ...

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

  Jump 20 [Denmark]

  Programme Background 2020 Tender In January 2018, Denmark's three main political parties signed the Danish Defence Agreement, a cross-party defence white paper covering the period ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  NCUAV

  Programme Background The ROKA recognised the need for a more capable long-range ISR UAV in the aftermath of the North Korean shelling of its forces ...

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

  MQ-9A Reaper (First Batch) [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Acquisition Decision The Netherlands cancelled a project to procure a MALE UAV in 2007. Six years later, in 2013, it was revealed the Dutch ...

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

  MQ-9A Reaper Block 5 [Italy]

  Programme Background Initial Procurement Italy submitted a $330 million FMS request through the Defence Security Cooperation Agency for four MQ-9A aircraft, four GCS and five ...

• 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 - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Intra-Theatre Lift [UK]

  Programme Background  Relationship to the Heavy Lift Challange The Royal Navy (RN) embarked on the Heavy Lift Challenge, now called the Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC), to explore ...

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

  KUS-FS (ROKA) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Inception The Aerospace Division of Korean Air (KAL-ASD) commenced developing the MUAV in 2008 in response to a ROKAF requirement for a MALE ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

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

  AR5

  First announced in October 2012, the AR5 is a MALE UAS designed for SAR, surveillance and maritime patrol missions. The AR5 can be flown manually or commanded ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  AN/APY-10

  The AN/APY-10 is an airborne maritime surveillance radar manufactured by Raytheon. It is designed to equip the USN'S Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and has ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  AN/ZPY-1 STARLite

  The AN/ZPY-1 Small Tactical Radar-Lightweight (STARLite) is a synthetic aperture radar and GMTI sensor for UAVs, manufactured by Northrop Grumman. It offers strip and spot synthetic ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: surveillance radar

  AN/APS-137B(V)5

  The AN/APS-137B(V)5 is a maritime patrol radar manufactured by Raytheon. It provides both multi-resolution synthetic aperture radar and inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR), allowing performance over the ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  TriSAR

  The Tri-mode Synthetic Aperture Radar (TriSAR) is a real-time, high-resolution land and maritime surveillance radar designed by Array Systems Computing in Canada. It is suited ...

• Air: helicopter radar

  AN/DPY-1 Lynx Block 30

  The multi-mode AN/DPY-1 Lynx Block 30 is a reduced weight, power and volume variant of the AN/APY-8. It is a high-resolution, wide-area surveillance, Ku-band synthetic ...

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

  AR3

  The AR3, or AR3 Net Ray, is an autonomous small-UAS designed to support land-based and maritime missions.  In May 2025, the Royal Air Force announced ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  TacSAR

  The Tactical Synthetic Aperture Radar (TacSAR) is an airborne reconnaissance system designed by Collins Aerospace (now part of Raytheon). It is intended for land and ...

• Air: surveillance radar

  AN/APY-3

  The AN/APY-3 is a large, phased-array, ground surveillance, side-looking airborne radar with synthetic aperture radar/moving target indication (MTI) capability. It is the primary sensor of ...

• Subsystems: software

  Radar Simulation Systems

  The Digital Radar Landmass Simulator (DRLMS) model accurately simulates real-world terrain and cultural feature returns, as well as weather patterns and targets. Configurable parameters allow ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  Seaspray 7500E V2

  The Seaspray 7500E V2 is a long-range, maritime-focused multi-mode surveillance radar produced by Leonardo and manufactured in the UK. The system can rapidly interleave radar modes ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  MOSAIC

  The MOSAIC is a three-dimensional, AESA-based, multi-mode surveillance radar manufactured by Telephonics. It is designed for maritime, littoral and overland surveillance missions for rotary- and fixed-wing ...

• Air: surveillance radar

  ASTOR

  The Airborne Stand-Off Radar (ASTOR) is abattlefield surveillance synthetic aperture radar/moving target indication (MTI) system installed in the UK RAF's Raytheon SentinelR1 aircraft, a version ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  Seaspray 7300E V2

  The Seaspray 7300E V2 radar is an airborne, maritime, multi-mode surveillance radar manufactured by Leonardo. It is designed for the detection of small maritime targets in ...

• Air: surveillance radar

  ASARS-3

  The Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar System-3 (ASARS-3) is a 75kg payload providing Ku-band synthetic aperture radar and ground moving target indication capabilities for high-altitude and ...