• Land Warfare

  Thales’ personal EW system Storm 2 set for 2025 launch

  15th December 2023

  Information on Storm 2 was first revealed by Shephard in May last year when the primary focus of the system was counter-IED. The concepts of operation for the system have since changed .

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2023: New US chassis for Archer

  19th October 2023

  Sweden has placed an order for 48 new Archers for delivery from 2025.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy orders new San Antonio LPD as class's future remains uncertain

  3rd April 2023

  The USN has awarded HII a $1.3 billion contract for the detail design and construction of the third Flight II San Antonio-class LPD, LPD-32, while question marks loom over the future of the class.

• Digital Battlespace

  Improving integration for smarter operations

  6th September 2023

  Military operations can be improved through the digitisation of the intelligence and operational cycles.

• Naval Warfare

  DSEI 2023: Kongsberg expects launch customer for Vanguard multrole ship imminently

  8th September 2023

  Testing and qualification of the Vanguard multirole ship by designer Kongsberg has been completed and the company expects a launch customer shortly. The vessel is optimised to be a 'mothership' for uncrewed systems.

• Naval Warfare

  Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship USS Marinette Littoral Combat Ship commissioned

  19th September 2023

  The latest USN Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), the Freedom-class USS Marinette (LCS 25) was commissioned on 16 September. It will be homeported at Naval Station Mayport, Florida.

• Air Warfare

  Airbus wins US Army UH-72A Lakota upgrade contract

  22nd August 2023

  The US Army has awarded Airbus a $27.8 million contract to modernise the Army National Guard Security & Support Battalion Mission Equipment Package (MEP).

• Air Warfare

  Germany selects consortium to develop key SCAF technologies and ‘remote carriers’

  1st November 2023

  A signed contract between Airbus, FCMS and MBDA will focus on technology maturation, with an emphasis on complementary basic technologies for NGWS and the Future Combat Air System use from 2040.

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2023: Roshel shows latest Senator MRAP

  11th October 2023

  Canadian company Roshel are displaying the latest version of its Senator 4x4 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle at AUSA 2023 for the first time.

• Naval Warfare

  DSEI 2023: Kongsberg Maritime unveils new Mission Bay Handling System

  14th September 2023

  Kongsberg Maritime unveiled its new Mission Bay Handling System at DSEI 2023 and has signed a contract to supply Kamewa waterjets for 17 Jurmo-class landing craft for the Finnish Navy.

• Defence Helicopter

  Dart Aerospace to supply high-lift heliporter to US Navy

  11th September 2023

  The Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) is has been awarded an indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract by the US DoD to provide a high-lift heliporter designed and manufactured by Dart Aerospace to the USN.

• Training

  Ukrainian Navy participate in Exercise Joint Warrior in UK

  26th October 2023

  The Ukrainian Navy has joined 10 nations involved in a major multinational exercise in waters off Scotland.

• Air Warfare

  General Atomics completes test of small UAS aerial recovery system

  10th October 2023

  The aerial recovery system for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems/Air-Launched Effects (SUAS/ALE) works by deploying a towline which connects to SUAS/ALE and retracts to stow the platform in a bay on the recovering platform.

• Air Warfare

  Why the F-16 fighter jet remains a force to be reckoned with (updated 2024)

  3rd January 2024

  The Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jet is still in the limelight over 40 years after its first flight. Shephard sums up the latest developments and tells you everything you need to know about the aircraft in the 2020s.

• Land Warfare

  Brazilian Army outlines future acquisitions under Land Forces 2040 programme

  15th August 2023

  The army is interested in procuring C2, EW, ISR and communication solutions as well as helicopters. It also plans to invest in AI, automation and 3D printing as well as in bio, cyber and quantum technologies.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Special operations vehicles

  Fardier SOV

  Programme Background The French Army's airborne units previously operated 280 Lohr FL500 Fardier utility vehicles to carry heavy equipment. Those vehicles increased the tactical mobility ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  French Operational Pocket Drone / DrOP (France)

  Programme Background French UAV Procurment / DrOP Under its 2019-2025 Military Programming Law (LPM), France aims to introduce 1,200 new UAVs into service with the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VBMR Griffon (France)

  Programme Background Development of the Griffon commenced in 2014 when the consortium of Arquus, Nexter and Thales was awarded a development contract to design the ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M-France

  Airbus formally delivered the first production A400M to the French Air Force in August 2013. The French Air Force took delivery of its 15th A400M ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Navio Polivalente Logistico (NAVPOL) (Portugal)

  Programme Background Requirements The NAVPOL is expected to feature a flexible and modular LPD design capable of amphibious operations and HADR tasks. Timeline The plans for ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Parrot Anafi - Completed Units (France)

  Programme Background Requriment In February 2020, the French DGA procurement agency released a tender calling for a quadcopter micro UAS to equip all branches of ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H-145M-Luxembourg

  With a MTOW of 3.7t, the H145M can be used for a wide range of tasks, including troop and passenger transport, surveillance, air rescue, reconnaissance ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Corps of Engineers UAS [Ireland]

  Programme Background EU Competition Notice On 13 August 2024, a competition notice appeared on the EU tendering website stating that the Irish Defence Force invited ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  EBRC Jaguar (France)

  Programme Background Requirement Initially, the French government required 248 Jaguars. However, this requirement quickly rose to 300 platforms, 50% of which are set to be ...

• OPVs

  Patrouilleurs Hauturiers OPVS (former Patrouilleurs Océanique) [France]

  Programme Background Requirements The programme aims to procure new OPVs that will replace the D'Estienne d'Orves-class and the Flamant-class vessels. The OPVs are intended to be armed ...

• APCs/IFVs - 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. ...

• OPVs

  Next Generation OPVs (NGOPVs) Procurement [India]

  Programme Background Timeline On 20 December 2023, the Indian Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Mazagon Dockyard Shipbuilders (MDL) to construct six Next Generation Offshore ...

• OPVs

  Project 21 (P-21) OPV

  Programme BackgroundThe P-21 project was originally awarded to Pipavav Defence and Offshore Engineering Company Limited (PDOECL) in 2011, however, the company ran into financial difficulties ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4, Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  VBMR-L Serval (Additional Batches)

  Programme Background The French Army has launched several projects to modernise its equipment and C4I capabilities as part of its Scorpion modernisation programme. These projects ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4, Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  VBMR-L Serval (Second Batch)

  Programme Background The French Army has launched several projects to modernise its equipment and C4I capabilities as part of its Scorpion modernisation programme. These projects ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UGVs

  Centurio

  At Eurosatory 2024, KNDS unveiled the Centurio family of 4x4 UGVs. Based on the Phobos UGV by SOGECLAIR, Centurio has been developed in the 2024-30 ...

• Land: handheld NV devices

  O-NYX

  The Thales O-NYX is a Ultra-Compact Night Vision Goggle used by the French armed forces. They have an enlarged field of vision to 51° compared ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  Storm Shadow/SCALP EG

  The Storm Shadow is an air-launched cruise missile developed by France, Italy and the UK. It is known as the Storm Shadow in the UK ...

• Sniper rifles

  Model 95

  The Model 95 is a bolt-action 50cal sniper rifle in a bullpup configuration, which entered production in 1995. Its buttplate, magazine well and trigger housing ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  Urban Ranges

  Cubic Range Design Solutions has provided facilities around the world for military and law enforcement training in urban terrain. It uses its previous experience, as ...

• Pistols

  P30

  The P30 is available in 9x19mm and .40 S&W; calibres with six variants of each. The grip of the P30 has exchangeable backstrap and grip ...

• Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  SandCat

  The 4x4 SandCat family of vehicles was designed by Israeli armour specialist Plasan Sasa in 2005 for a range of military, special operations, homeland security, ...

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

  EK 001 Blue Whale

  The EK 001 Blue Whale is a large, rotary-wing UAV capable of carrying a payload of 23kg. It is in the early stages of development. ...

• Suppressors

  FA556-212

  The Fast Attach 5.56mm (FA556)-212 sound suppressor is designed for use on the AR-15, C8 SFW, HK416, M4, M16 and SA-80. Firearms with 266.7mm barrels ...

• Pistols

  Jericho Steel

  Designed for military and law enforcement users, the Jericho pistol in steel frame configuration is available in 9x19mm and .45 ACP calibres and in standard ...

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

  IA-12A Stark

  The IA-12A Stark is a small, rotary-wing UAV that features a dual propulsion system, swappable payload bay, retractable landing gear, single operator control, ground mission planning, ...

• Pistols

  P Series

  The S120 pistol series has been used globally in law enforcement and military organisations, with the weapons initially designed as tactical and task force pistols ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4, Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  Tiger LPV

  The MDT Armor 4x4 Tiger Light Protected Vehicle (LPV) is designed to meet the requirements of military and law enforcement customers for a survivable, light ...

• Pistols

  Jericho Polymer

  Jericho pistols have been used for over three decades by military and police units, including law-enforcement entities in Israel and around the world. Designed for ...

• Sniper rifles

  ALIAS CS5

  The ALIAS Concealable Subsonic/Supersonic Suppressed Sniper System (CS5) is designed for concealment in urban settings. With the buttstock and suppressor detached, the CS5 is 597mm ...