• Air Warfare

  Insight: Is the Watchkeeper UAV providing value for money for the British Army?

  8th September 2023

  The Watchkeeper UAS has garnered interest from countries like Poland and Romania, despite a chequered operational history in the UK. Shephard analyses the aircraft's capabilities and the cost they come at.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  XLUUV towed array trials pave the way for autonomous anti-submarine warfare

  7th July 2023

  SEA, MSubs and Sonardyne conducted trials integrating uncrewed anti-submarine warfare systems using the MSubs Extra Large Uncrewed Vehicle and SEA KraitArray towed array, opening the door to potential autonomous ASW capabilities.

• Digital Battlespace

  L3Harris, Amazon team up to advance battlespace networking

  1st June 2023

  L3Harris Technologies has announced an agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to demonstrate networking and sensor fusion capabilities across a distributed battlespace. The two companies …

• Land Warfare

  Insight: Why the CV90 infantry fighting vehicle is making a clean sweep of Nordic markets

  19th September 2023

  Shephard Defence Insight explores the evolution of BAE Systems Hägglunds’ CV90 IFV from its inception in the late 1980s to the latest CV90 MkIV, detailing the order history and upgrade packages of its ten European customers.

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: Safran and MTU join forces to power next-gen European rotorcraft

  21st June 2023

  Safran and MTU have agreed to partner up to develop a new European helicopter engine, in anticipation of European Defence Fund support for such an initiative.

• Air Warfare

  Paris Air Show: Romania orders first batch of Watchkeeper X drones

  21st June 2023

  Romania has awarded Elbit Systems a $180 million purchase order for three Watchkeeper X Tactical UAS, the Israeli firm announced at the Paris Air Show.

• Special Operations

  SOF Week 2023: USSOCOM outlines acquisition priorities (video)

  10th May 2023

  The Acquisition Executive for U.S. Special Operations Command outlines his priorities and requirements.

• Air Warfare

  BAE Systems Phasa-35 UAS soars into the stratosphere

  17th July 2023

  BAE Systems has achieved the first stratospheric flight of the Phasa-35 High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) uncrewed aerial system (UAS). Weighing 150kg, the drone flew to over 66,000ft in altitude and could offer long-endurance ISR and communication capabilities.

• Special Operations

  SOF Week 2023: Handheld translation technology breaks the language barrier for operators

  10th May 2023

  USSOCOM operators are already using voice and visual translation devices to improve communications and situational awareness in mission-critical scenarios.

• Land Warfare

  Galvion’s Ballistic Combat Helmets now available to all NATO member countries through NSPA (Sponsored)

  5th July 2023

  The company’s products and technology have evolved beyond purely passive protection, focusing instead on integrated systems.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UMS Skeldar equips V-200 UAV with Hydronalix USV

  27th June 2023

  At Modern Day Marine, drone-maker UMS Skeldar and Hydronalix announced a cooperation agreement to equip the V-200 rotary-UAS with the latter’s uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs).

• Air Warfare

  Korean Air completes first AH-6i fuselage

  27th June 2023

  Korean Air in South Korea is building Boeing scout helicopter fuselages for an international customer.

• Land Warfare

  Oshkosh submits Robotic Combat Vehicle proposal

  22nd May 2023

  Oshkosh has submitted its response to the US Army’s request for prototype proposals for the platform prototype design and build phase of its Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) programme.

• Naval Warfare

  Naval Engineering Technology Report 2023 released

  22nd May 2023

  How digital engineering is revolutionising naval vessel design and support.

• Air Warfare

  Return of the mach: MBDA positions itself to lead European counter-hypersonic development at Paris Air Show

  21st June 2023

  MBDA is leading a consortium of companies seeking to develop a counter-hypersonic interceptor over the next three years with the support of four European countries.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply System (JTAARS) / Medium ULS-A [USMC]

  Programme Background US Marine ULS-A programmes The US Marines are seeking a family of Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A), which will provide logistics and ground units with ...

• Loitering munitions

  Small-Sized Suicide Drones [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 ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Type 707 (1-2) [Germany]

  Programme Background Requirements The German Navy approved an acquisition to start replacing the two ageing Rhön-class (Type 704) class single-hulled tankers, which were constructed in the ...

• Transport

  C-130 Replacement [Greece]

  Programme Background Requirement The existing C-130 fleet of the Hellenic Air Force has faced operational readiness issues, with only one or two airframes in service at ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  F-5E/F Adversary Trainer US Navy

  The F-5N is a single seat, dual engine supersonic land based fighter. It is designed to a service life of 9000 flight hours. The aircraft ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F (Australia)

  Programme Background The government of Australia has requested to buy four CH-47F cargo helicopters with unique modifications: eight T55-GA-714A aircraft turbine engines, five AN/AAR-57 common ...

• OPVs

  58m OPV Procurement [Guyana]

  Programme Background Timeline In April 2024, OCEA announced the signing of a Letter of Intent (loI) with the Guyana Defence Force for the procurement of an ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Second LHD [Turkey]

  Programme Background Timeline On 29 October 2023, during the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey, Turkish President Recep Erdogan stated that the Navy is ...

• Corvettes

  Ada Class Corvettes (1-2) [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Timeline In October 2020, the MoD of Ukraine and the President of the Turkish Defence Industries signed a memorandum of understanding. This outlined ...

• Frigates

  Multi-Role Combat Vessels (1-6) [Singapore]

  Programme Background Requirements Singapore is planning to replace its current ageing Victory-class corvettes, which are due to leave service in 2025, with an equal number of ...

• AEW&C

  E-7 Wedgetail (737) - UK

  Programme Background Seeking to replace its six ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry AEW&C;, the British Royal Air Force awarded Boeing a £1.89 billion contract in 2019 covering the ...

• AEW&C

  E-7 Wedgetail - UK (Second Order)

  Programme Background Seeking to replace its six ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry AEW&C;, the British Royal Air Force awarded Boeing a £1.89 billion contract in 2019 ...

• Amphibious assault ships

  TCG Anadolu LHD [Turkey]

  Programme Background TCG Anadolu is a Multipurpose Assault Ship (LHD) built by Sedef in Tuzla for the Turkish Navy. The vessel, which is the single ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  VN16 (Thailand - First Batch)

  Programme Background The RTMC has the capability to carry out amphibious landing operations, having previously taken delivery of more than 30 AAV7s (formerly known as ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | E-7 Wedgetail - UK (Second Order)

  The UK MoD signed a £1.51 billion ($1.98 billion) deal to purchase five E-7 Wedgetail aircraft from Boeing for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Cheetah

  The new Denel Cheetah counter-rocket, artillery and mortar (C-RAM) missile is designed to be integrated into existing air defence systems. It complements cannon-based systems and ...

• EO/IR systems

  MEES

  Developed by Rheinmetall, the Mobile Eagle Eye System (MEES) is an air space and ground surveillance unit with its own command post. It combines the ...

• Deployable/static missile systems

  Oerlikon Laser Gun

  Rheinmetall showcased the applications for its High Energy Laser (HEL) guns for the first time at IDEX 2015 in Abu Dhabi. The Oerlikon Laser Gun ...

• Self-propelled missile systems, Land: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Skyranger Missile

  Rheinmetall's Skyranger Missile is a short-range air defence system that is being developed to defeat low-flying air threats such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and UAVs, as ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  InShield

  Indra’s InShield Directional Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) system has been developed by the company to protect the Ejército del Aire (Spanish Air Force) Airbus A400M Atlas. 

• Light machine guns

  LSAT LMG

  Textron Systems Unmanned Systems is developing and maturing a Lightweight Small Arms Technologies (LSAT) family of weapons and ammunition with the US Army that fires ...

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  MEWS

  The Modular Electronic Warfare System (MEWS) is a land COMINT sensor that was jointly developed by L3 TRL and Qinetiq. Utilising L3 TRL compact receiver ...

• EO/IR systems

  MSP600

  Modular Sensor Platform MSP600 is a lightweight, four-axis stabilised EO system, which can be used in land-based applications (eg border or coastal surveillance and air ...

• Land: fire control systems

  Oerlikon Skymaster

  Oerlikon Skymaster is the command and control unit of Rheinmetall's Skynex air defence system. The Skymaster is intended to support tactical and operational level air ...

• EO/IR systems

  UMIT

  Universal Multispectral Information and Tracking (UMIT) system, developed by Rheinmetall, is a multi-sensor platform for airspace surveillance missions. The UMIT is modular and provides flexibility ...

• Land: air defence radar

  X-TAR 3D

  The X-Band Tactical Acquisition Radar 3D (X-TAR 3D) air surveillance and acquisition radar is the newest member of Rheinmetall’s X-TAR family. The fully coherent phased-array ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  Manta

  Manta is a laser-based DIRCM system for airborne platforms. Designed to defeat first- and second-generation and imaging IR seekers, it is said to be effective ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  CM32/33/34 Yunpao

  The CM32 Yunpao (Cloud Leopard) family of 8x8 armoured vehicles has been developed to meet the requirements of the Republic of China Army to replace ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems, Sea: sonar systems

  SBTS

  The Shore-Based Sonar Training System (SBTS), launched in 2016, incorporates technology from the Model 997 Hull/Bow-Mounted Sonar Model 980 ALOFTS system to help support sonar ...

• Subsystems: visual

  Apogée 7

  Apogée 7 is an integrated COTS-based image generation system. It provides functions enhancing overall fixed- or rotary-wing simulation efficiency, image quality and supports large-area realistic ...