Richard Thomas

Insight: Intelligent design drives FFG(X) concepts

Someway past the midpoint mark on the US Navy’s concept design phase for its FFG(X) programme – a class of guided missile frigates that will ...

Surface Navy 2019: Commonality demand drove DDG 1000 planar rethink

The planar array technology intended to be installed on Zumwalt-class guided missile destroyers will instead likely be fitted to future US Navy surface combatants, with ...

Surface Navy 2019: Raytheon continues development of MCM, ASW packages

Raytheon is pushing ahead with its MCM and subsurface surveillance programmes for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and other US Navy platforms, with several recent ...

Surface Navy 2019: New vessels of opportunity being considered to host LCS MCM module

Northrop Grumman has discussed with the US Navy whether other vessels in its fleet could host the company’s MCM mission module, following the foreshortening of ...

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Richard Thomas is the Editor-in-chief here at Shephard Media as well as being editor of Unmanned Vehicles and International Maritime and Port Security magazines, joining the company in April 2015.

Richard recently returned to the UK in 2014 after nearly five and a half years in the Sultanate of Oman, where he began as senior journalist with the Muscat Daily newspaper, rising to become deputy news editor in his final couple of years.

UV - Unmanned Vehicles

Surface Navy 2019: Federal shutdown creating delays for USCG ScanEagle integration

15th January 2019

The integration of ScanEagle UAS onto the US Coast Guard (USCG) Legend-class National Security Cutter (NSC) fleet is being further delayed by the ongoing shutdown ...
NWI - Naval Warfare

Israel Shipyards looks to Shaldag and Saar for market breakthrough

8th January 2019

Although the naval arm of Israel's military is the smallest of its services, recent hydrocarbon finds have focused interest in securing industrial assets inside its ...
UV - Unmanned Vehicles

Insight: Industry and associations react to Gatwick drone incursion

21st December 2018

As Gatwick Airport begins to clear its backlog of flights caused by an unknown UAS threat earlier this week, the regulatory, legislative and security implications ...
NWI - Naval Warfare

Sea Venom firing latest in series of UK-France missile developments

17th December 2018

As work continues on the joint UK-France programme to develop a next-generation cruise and anti-ship missile system, the smaller but equally crucial Sea Venom has ...
NWI - Naval Warfare

High degree of commonality between Hunter and City class as contract signed for Aus programme

14th December 2018

With the award and signing of the contract to begin the formal design and build work of the Hunter-class frigates destined for the Royal Australian ...
NWI - Naval Warfare

Three designs enter UK Type 31e race ahead of end-2019 decision

10th December 2018

The UK’s restart of its Type 31e light frigate programme will be fought between three designs, after the government announced that Competitive Design Phase (CDP) ...
NWI - Naval Warfare

Valiant name confirmed for second Dreadnought SSBN

6th December 2018

In keeping with the UK MoD’s penchant for batches of announcements or orders, its submarine industry was the recipient of two doses of good will ...
MTSN - Training/Simulation

I/ITSEC 2018: Improbable ‘supporting’ US Army’s STE efforts

3rd December 2018

With simulated environments long-since utilised by military forces around the world for training purposes industry is looking to take the sector to the next milestone; ...
MTSN - Training/Simulation

I/ITSEC 2018: Show talking points (video)

30th November 2018

As this year's I/ITSEC draws to a close, Shephard reflects on the key messages across the show floor and the next steps in technology for the training ...
MTSN - Training/Simulation

I/ITSEC 2018: Autonomy inbuilt into HuMans training

28th November 2018

A program to aid flight instructors and trainee pilots better analyse missions flown in simulators was revealed by Thales at I/ITSEC in Orlando, Florida this ...
NWI - Naval Warfare

I/ITSEC 2018: Senior US Navy officials mull technology, testing processes

27th November 2018

Senior US Navy personnel have called for the more rapid introduction of technology into service in order to provide the fleet with the capabilities required ...
MTSN - Training/Simulation

I/ITSEC 2018: Raytheon HoloLens itself to sim and training market (video)

27th November 2018

Raytheon speaks with Shephard about its training services and solutions on display at I/ITSEC as well as detailing an international effort it provides to the Afghanistan ...
MTSN - Training/Simulation

I/ITSEC 2018: Bohemia's software shapes sim (video)

27th November 2018

At this year's I/ITSEC 2018, Arthur Alexion, Co-CEO at Bohemia Interactive Simulations, was keen to highlight the amalgamation of technology on display which is connected ...
MTSN - Training/Simulation

I/ITSEC 2018: CAE on the Rise (video)

26th November 2018

CAE demonstrated for the first time its real-time insights and standardised evaluations (Rise) technology for the defence sector. The data-driven training system is designed to ...
MTSN - Training/Simulation

I/ITSEC 2018: Show opens (video)

26th November 2018

I/ITSEC 2018 sees a host of high-fidelity projectors, VR and AR technologies on display. Shephard considers the key themes and trends which are likely to dominate ...
NWI - Naval Warfare

UK's Batch 1 OPVs retained as more Type 26 names announced

22nd November 2018

The UK will retain three Batch 1 River-class OPVs for use by the Royal Navy in national waters, bolstering its maritime security capability as the ...
UV - Unmanned Vehicles

Belgium looks to follow UK with SkyGuardian

19th November 2018

Belgium looks to be following the UK in the procurement of the General Atomics (GA-ASI) MQ-9B SkyGuardian UAV, after the announcement on 19 November that ...
NWI - Naval Warfare

NATO takes stock of Norwegian frigate incident

14th November 2018

The accident involving the Royal Norwegian Navy frigate Helge Ingstad will likely have some impact on Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) to which it ...
NWI - Naval Warfare

UK carrier progamme costs increase as PoW build nears completion

7th November 2018

Although the build and outfitting of HMS Prince of Wales, the second of the UK’s new class of aircraft carrier, continues broadly on schedule, budgetary pressures ...
NWI - Naval Warfare

Euronaval 2018: 'Light' boom as Type 31e passes PQQ

25th October 2018

Numerous shipbuilders and designers showcased a range of light multirole frigates and corvettes at this year’s Euronaval in Paris as demand for such platforms increases. ...