• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Pacific 2017: Schiebel and Skeldar spar in Australia

  6th October 2017

  Australia is shaping up as a battleground for suppliers of rotary-winged UAVs as the country’s military eyes future acquisitions. Two top contenders are Schiebel and …

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2017: Thales pitches new F90 rifle to Germany

  12th September 2017

  Defence manufacturer Thales has set its sight on the European and NATO market for its new F90MBR modular bullpup rifle, with the company already bidding …

• Digital Battlespace

  Russia finalises Su-57 comms testing

  30th August 2017

  Testing of a new advanced integrated communications system for Russia's Su-57 fifth-generation stealth fighter (previously known under its internal Sukhoi designation T-50) is slated for …

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2017: That's a wrap (video)

  15th September 2017

  DSEI 2017 brought news from the land, sea and air domains. Shephard's Land Warfare Editor, Grant Turnbull, reviews some of the highlights of the week. 

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Kongsberg Geospatial wins EOAMS contract

  21st September 2017

  Kongsberg Geospatial has received a contract to produce an Emergency Operations Airspace Management System (EOAMS) for evaluation by Canadian government agencies for safely managing UAS …

• Land Warfare

  PAC-3 MSE test from remote launcher

  26th September 2017

  Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptor has successfully intercepted a tactical ballistic missile target in the first-ever MSE test from a remote launcher. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Analysis: Frantic year for military helicopter market

  10th August 2017

  While progress has continued across US military helicopter programmes, one platform that has garnered its share of headlines this side of 2017 has been the …

• Defence Notes

  MDM 2017: Commandant highlights new fighting concept

  21st September 2017

  The Commandant of the US Marine Corps, Gen Robert Neller, used the venue of Modern Day Marine 2017 to highlight the service’s new Littoral Operations …

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2017: Nammo takes down UAV (video)

  18th September 2017

  Helge Stadheim, programme director for Nammo, spoke to Shephard about the company's 40mm programmable ammunition.  The air-burst round was recently used to take down a small …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DSEI 2017: UMS Skeldar announces leasing partnership (video)

  19th September 2017

  UMS Skeldar announced that it has joined forces with JetLease, a private aircraft leasing company, to launch the first global leasing product for its V-200 …

• Military Logistics

  RAF’s A400M participates in Mobility Guardian

  21st August 2017

  A Royal Air Force  (RAF) A400M Atlas has taken part in Exercise Mobility Guardian in the US, the RAF announced on 14 August. The exercise …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russia ready to receive first Alligator helicopters

  13th September 2017

  The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) is set to receive its first consignment of Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopters by the end of the year, the …

• Digital Battlespace

  First Flight2 upgrade for French C-130H

  14th September 2017

  Rockwell Collins has completed its first Flight2 avionics system integration for the French Air Force’s C-130 Hercules transport aircraft modernisation programme, the company announced on …

• Land Warfare

  MSPO 2017: Poland prepares light vehicle procurement

  31st August 2017

  After years of neglect the Polish Army is finally putting effort into modernising its fleet of 4x4 light all-terrain vehicles.  The force has set up …

• Defence Helicopter

  Pakistan receives Mi-35M quartet

  29th August 2017

  The Pakistan Army Aviation Corps has received four Mil Mi-35M attack helicopters, the Defence Export Promotion Organisation (DEPO) confirmed in late August. A statement issued …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS 39E/F Gripen (Brazil)

  In 2016, Gripen’s Project and Development Center was opened in Sao Paulo to allow Sweedish and Brazillian engineers to work together in the Gripen development ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-130H Replacement [Sweden]

  Programme Background Requirements Sweden has five C-130H aircraft (designated Tp-84) and one KC-130H. Two C-130Es bought in the 1960s have retired, but the six H ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390 (Brazil)

  Programme Background Requirement The aircraft deliveries were scheduled to start by the end of 2016 and continue over a period of ten years. However,  the first ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Army Aviation Project [Brazil]

  Programme Background Brazilian Investment As reported by Shephard, in August 2023, the Brazilian government disclosed its plans to invest BRL 52.8 billion ($10.6 billion) in new military ...

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

  Hermes 900 [Brazil]

  Programme Background First Batch (2014) In 2014, Elbit reported supplying the Hermes 900 to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB). The drone is called the RQ-900 in ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Polar Support Vessel [Brazil]

  Programme Background Requirements In June 2020, the Brazilian Navy released a Request for Proposal (RfP) to procure a new Antarctic vessel to be manufactured in Brazil. The ...

• Military helicopters - attack, Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-35M Replacement (Brazil)

  Programme Background The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) High Command sprung a surprise on 10 February 2022 when it issued a document stating that its fleet ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VBC Cav-MSR (Brazil)

  Programme Background Purpose The Brazilian Army's mechanised cavalry regiments are believed to operate approximately 400 EE-9 Cascavel 6x6 fire support vehicles manufactured by the now-defunct ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  A-29 Philippines

  Programme Background The aircraft will be deployed for close air support (CAS), light attack, surveillance, air-to-air interception and counterinsurgency (COIN) missions. On three previous occasions ...

• APCs/IFVs - 4x4

  JLTV (Brazil - 1st Batch)

  Programme Background Under its PROADSUMUS programme, the Brazilian Marine Corps is procuring new equipment to support its deployment in expeditionary operations. One of the new ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VBTP-MR Guarani

  Programme Background Part of the Brazilian Army's New Armoured Wheeled Vehicle Family (NFBR), the VBTP-MR platform is to be manufactured in several versions including standard ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | QX-2 (Forecast) [Brazilian Marine Corps]

  In August 2023, EDGE Group announced that it hosted a four-day Brazilian Marine Corps delegation. The tour was focused on, among other things, autonomous systems and ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | QX-2 (Forecast) [Brazilian Marine Corps]

  In August 2023, EDGE Group announced that it hosted a four-day Brazilian Marine Corps delegation. The tour was focused on, among other things, autonomous systems and ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Submarines Procurement Programme [Romania]

  Programme Background Requirements Since 2014, Romania has seen a significant increase in its defence budget, which has allowed for more room to procure modern platforms. One ...

• Frigates

  Tamandaré Class Programme (1-4) [Brazil]

  Programme Background Timeline The Brazilian defence ministry is in the process of procuring four multi-role corvettes based on the German MEKO A100 design for the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  EMB-312 Tucano

  The EMB-312 Tucano (Brazilian designation T-27) is a trainer and light attack aircraft developed by Embraer to meet the training requirements of the Brazilian Air ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  TPTS

  Tactical Procedures Training Simulators (TPTS), operating with SWARM software, can be used to provide most core training elements to pilots or offload training tasks from ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  H225M

  The medium-weight, 11t-class H225M (formerly known as the EC725) is the latest military Super Puma/Cougar family member.  Technical features include a modular design of mechanical ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Grifo-346

  The Grifo-346 is a combat aircraft X-band radar covering +/-60° in azimuth and elevation and a weight under one kilogram. It can track up to ...

• Trainer, Transport

  EMB-121 Xingu

  The EMB-121 Xingu is a twin-turboprop light transport and advanced multi-engine trainer aircraft developed by Embraer based on the EMB-110 Bandeirante. Its maiden flight was ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  H125M

  The H125M (formerly the AS550 B3e Fennec) is a military version of the civil H125. The helicopter has a reduced radar signature due to the use ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-390/C-390 Millennium

  The KC-390 is a high-wing, twin-turbofan, T-tail design intended to meet the needs of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) for a tanker/transport aircraft. Developed and ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Arkhe Mission & Combat

  Launched in 2017, Atech's Arkhe Mission & Combat solutions offer a variety of solutions enabling operator to conduct missions from planning to execution and debriefing. It ...

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS 39E/F Gripen

  The Saab JAS 39E/F Gripen is a multirole fighter aircraft developed from earlier Gripen models and the Gripen NG. The latest version was selected by Brazil ...

• Fighter - air superiority

  F-5E/F Tiger II

  The F-5E (single-seat)/F (twin-seat) Tiger II is an air superiority fighter developed by Northrop Grumman based on the original F-5 Freedom Fighter. Production of the ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  EMB-314 Super Tucano

  The EMB-314 (also designated A-29) Super Tucano turboprop aircraft includes single- and two-seat variants. The former is designed for light attack and COIN missions, while ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: Electronic Attack - Pod

  Sky Shield

  The Sky Shield RF pod  jammer can perform simultaneous jamming against multiple, diverse threats and can equip both small and large platforms. Simultaneous jamming is ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Saber M60

  The Saber M60 is a low-altitude air-defence radar developed by the Brazilian Army's CTEx (Army Technology Centre) in collaboration with Bradar, part of Embraer Defence ...

• Guided munitions

  SMKB

  The Smart-MK-Bomb, or the SMKB, is a precision guidance kit designed to turn Mk 82 and Mk 83 bombs into guided munitions.

• Simulator Support Services

  Elbit Systems provides simulator support services such as contractor logistics support, training, manuals and spare parts. The latest integrated data environment is employed for visibility ...