• Land Warfare

  Threats and opportunities: NATO demand for game-changing connectivity

  12th September 2023

  On 4 April 2023, Finland joined NATO. What can be learned from the country’s ability to assure resilient tactical communications?

• Training

  Aeralis and Inzpire take fast jet training to new heights

  19th July 2023

  With a focus on on-demand operational air support and cost reduction, the partnership harnesses Aeralis' digitally engineered platform and Inzpire's training and engineering expertise.

• Land Warfare

  No plans to increase British Army tank fleet as Challenger 3 programme hits milestones

  10th August 2023

  The Challenger 3 MBT has hit key milestones at RBSL's Telford facility, with the programme progressing to prototype building.

• Naval Warfare

  Anglo-French uncrewed minehunting project moves forward with assurance trials

  14th June 2023

  The joint Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MMCM) effort is delivering an autonomous minehunting capability to the Royal Navy and Marine Nationale.

• Naval Warfare

  UK, Italy and France embark on destroyer upgrade programmes

  28th June 2023

  At the Paris Air Show, France and Italy signed an MoU for the mid-life upgrade of their Horizon-class destroyers. The upgrades will focus on anti-air defences, including radar, weapons and combat systems, while the UK's Daring-class destroyers will receive air defence capability enhancements.

• Air Warfare

  Bigger bang for your buoys: Schiebel makes headway on S-300 at Paris Air Show

  22nd June 2023

  The rotary-wing UAS maker – famed for its S-100 Camcopter – is making strides with the development of its S-300, a larger aircraft that will offer expanded payload options and more persistence.

• Land Warfare

  KMW rolls out new 120mm mortar and drone recon modules for Boxer armoured vehicle

  2nd June 2023

  KMW has displayed two new mission modules for the 8x8 Boxer armoured vehicle, one housing a Patria NEMO 120mm mortar turret, and the other equipped for launch and recovery of multiple UAVs for short- and long-range reconnaissance.

• Land Warfare

  Australia orders more Bushmaster 4x4 vehicles from Thales in vital orderbook boost

  18th May 2023

  Australia has ordered dozens more Bushmaster vehicles to replenish army stocks, providing a much-needed boost to the manufacturer's backlog.

• 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.

• Land Warfare

  SAMP/T operational in Ukraine, Macron announces at Paris Air Show

  22nd June 2023

  The SAMP/T air defence system – made by Eurosam – is now operational in Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IMDEX 2023: Flyby and Thales look to further Jackal development after successful missile firing

  4th May 2023

  Having successfully developed and successfully fired a Lightweight Multi-Role Missile (LMM) from the Jackal drone, Flyby Technology and Thales see the system as offering a cross-domain capability for the UK and others.

• Naval Warfare

  UK awards BAE £270 million naval radar contract

  12th June 2023

  The UK has awarded BAE Systems a ten-year, £270 million contract to support the radars used by RN warships to spot air and seaborne threats.

• Naval Warfare

  Vard pitches Vigilance OPV design to replace Canada’s Kingston class

  31st May 2023

  Vard Marine has launched an OPV designed and tailored to meet the future needs of the Royal Canadian Navy at the CANSEC 2023 event.

• Naval Warfare

  IMDEX 2023: Singapore shares MRCV design details

  3rd May 2023

  Singapore's new Multi Role Combat Vessel is designed to be a 'mothership' for various types of uncrewed systems, the navy has revealed.

• 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.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• ISR/special mission

  Strategic Intelligence Aircraft [France]

  Programme Background In February 2018, the Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, announced that the strategic intelligence aircraft program CUGE Universal EW Capability began ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Land 121 Phase 4 (Hawkei PMV-L)

  Programme Background Three suppliers were originally down-selected to meet the Land 121 Phase 4 requirement: Thales Australia, General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) and Force Protection ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Spy Ranger SMDR - Contracted (France)

  Programme Background Requirement The French Army has identified a need for a new tactical UAS to replace the Drac UAS, which first entered service in ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Spy Ranger SMDR - Option (France)

  Programme Background Requirement The French Army has identified a need for a new tactical UAS to replace the Drac UAS, which first entered service in ...

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

  Flexible Tactical Uncrewed Air System (FTUAS) [UK]

  Programme Background Tender Notice & Timeline On 25 May 2021, the MoD published a tender notice for the urgent acquisition of a UAS and ancillaries under ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Su-30SM Armenia

  The Su-30SM is upgraded variant of Su-30MKI. Its capabilities include Bars-R radar, RVV-SV medium-range air-to-air missile, Thales SMD55S/VEN-3022 or Russian IKSh-1M avionics replacing Elbit SU967 head-up display, LINS-1000RS inertial ...

• Pegaz Special Operations Vehicles

  Programme BackgroundRequirementThe Polish MoD has a long-standing requirement to procure a new 4x4 tactical vehicle to replace the M1165A1 HMMWVs and Oshkosh M-ATVs currently in ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  LAV Replacement [Japan]

  Programme Background The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) and Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) received 1,937 Light Armoured Vehicles (LAVs) from Komatsu between 2001 and ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Jaguar Medium Common Armoured Vehicle Platform [Belgium]

  Programme Background In its Strategic Vision for Defence document published in June 2016, the Belgian MoD outlined its aspirations for equipping five motorised manoeuvre battalions ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, MPVs - 4x4

  Multi-Role Vehicle (Protected) Package 2

  Programme Background The MRV-P platforms will replace a diverse fleet of 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles purchased during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, thereby helping to ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VBCI (Qatar)

  Programme Background The VBCI-2 was selected in preference to a competing offer comprising Patria's AMV 8x8 equipped with a Lockheed Martin turret. However, at the ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530G Lebanon

  The Armed MD 530G Scout Attack Helicopter features next-generation all-glass cockpit that includes: two Genesys Aerosystems IDU-680 6” x 9” LCD primary displays, Tek Fusion ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Griffon Light Common Armoured Vehicle Platform [Belgium]

  Programme Background In its Strategic Vision for Defence document published in June 2016, the Belgian MoD outlined its aspirations for equipping five motorised manoeuvre battalions ...

• Frigates

  Joint Future Surface Combatant - FSC (3) [Belgium]

  Programme Background Timeline In June 2018, both Belgium and the Netherlands signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the joint procurement of at least four ...

• Frigates

  MKS 180 Programme (1-4) [Germany]

  Programme Background Timeline The MKS 180 frigate programme for the Federal German Navy reflects the desire for the German government to become more engaged on ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Transponders and IFF

  Thales TSX-3500

  Thales TSX 3500 Family includes the TSA & TSB 3520 - Naval IFF Interrogators and Combined Interrogator Transponder, which provide medium and long-range information on ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  SquadNet Soldier Radio

  Thales SquadNet Soldier Radio is compact radio with a simplified screen designed for dismounted troops. It has built-in Bluetooth and GPS functionality, as well as ...

• Naval: Radio and SATCOM

  SURFSAT-L

  Produced by Thales, SURFSAT-L is a SATCOM terminal designed for medium to large surface vessels. According to the manufacturer, it is designed to achieve a ...

• Frigates

  SIGMA 115115HN

  Dutch shipbuilder Damen has designed a new multi-mission frigate as part of the Sigma class known as the Sigma 11515. As with all Sigma-class designs, ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  NH90

  As part of the Helisim consortium based in Marignane, Thales has supplied an NH90 simulator for use by French and foreign military forces. Helisim also ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  Live Training Solutions

  Thales offers live training solutions for land and combined forces around the world. Thales Combat Training Centres are available for open and urban battlefields, and ...

• EO/IR systems

  TALIOS

  The TArgeting Long-range Identification Optronic System (TALIOS) is a targeting pod from Thales.  It is equipped with top-down and bottom-up datalinks and can scan a large area, identify ...

• Service Provision

  Thales supports armed forces in peacetime and during operations, providing ab initio, operational conversion, continuation, upgrade and refresher training, through to mission rehearsal in preparation ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  A330 Voyager MRTT Training Services

  Through AirTanker Services, a JV between Thales, Airbus Group, Cobham, Rolls-Royce and Babcock, Thales provides and maintains training services for the RAF’s Future Strategic Tanker ...

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

  Searchmaster

  The Searchmaster is an airborne multi-role surveillance radar manufactured by Thales. The Searchmaster is suitable for MALE (medium altitude, long endurance) UAVs, medium-tonnage or heavy-lift ...

• Data links

  Link Y Mk2

  Thales Link Y Mk2 is used to securely exchange tactical data and orders via a self-managing, adaptive radio network between multiple military platforms. Designed for ...

• Land: battle management systems

  SILVER

  Developed by Indra Systemas, SILVER is a land management system designed specifically for vehicular applications. Based on a modular system that can run on COTS ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  NS50

  The NS50 is a four-dimensional surveillance radar produced by Thales. It is designed to provide simultaneous air and surface target detection and tracking, and fire ...

• Loitering munitions

  Munition Télé-Opérée – Longue Portée (MTO-LP)

  At the Paris Air Show 2025, Thales and Boreal announced they had partnered to develop the Munition Télé-Opérée – Longue Portée (MTO-LP), a long-range loitering ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  Smart-S Mk 2

  The Smart-S Mk2 is a three-dimensional naval air and surface surveillance radar manufactured by Aselsan and Thales. The transmit and receive modules are produced by ...