• Land Warfare

  World Defense Show 2026: Russia reveals details of new loitering munition

  11th February 2026

  The Kalashnikov RUS-PE cannister-launched man-portable loitering munition was displayed as a model at World Defense Show 2026 with a company official telling Shephard it was “in service and in low-rate initial production”.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy SPY-6 approaches FRP with Raytheon already having “a hot production line”

  2nd March 2026

  Jen Gauthier, Raytheon’s VP of Naval Systems and Sustainment, told Shephard that the company is awaiting the US Navy’s green light to move “fully into full-rate production”.

• Air Warfare

  CH-47 Chinook: why the iconic helicopter design is still a heavy-lift contender (updated 2026)

  26th March 2026

  From its emergence as a ground-breaking design in the 1950s to its widespread deployment in diverse operations worldwide, the Chinook continues to leave an indelible mark on the aviation landscape. Shephard sums up the helicopter’s latest developments.

• Land Warfare

  Milrem outlines plans for Havoc and Vector as Ukrainian THeMIS numbers set to double

  5th March 2026

  Milrem’s THeMIS uncrewed ground vehicle is one of the most battle-proven medium UGV platforms in service, with the company looking to have production versions of new large platforms ready before the end of the decade.

• Land Warfare

  New armoured vehicles appear in Vietnam’s 80th anniversary parade

  8th September 2025

  Marking eight decades since Vietnam gained its independence, the Vietnam People’s Army used the procession to showcase two new vehicles.

• Air Warfare

  DSEI 2025: MBDA unveils Crossbow – a new deep strike one-way effector

  8th September 2025

  The One-Way Effector (Heavy) (OWE(H)) was designed over seven months, with the company currently in discussions to field demonstrations of the product by Q4 2025.

• Air Warfare

  AI mission-autonomy software integration and partnerships see progress across CCA efforts

  17th February 2026

  The successful integration of third-party mission autonomy in the US Air Force’s CCA programme and movement on Helsing’s Europa CA-1 timelines mark key milestones in the development of uncrewed aerial capabilities.

• Naval Warfare

  French Navy frigates to align with Hellenic Navy after Aster missile enhancement

  6th November 2025

  The FDI frigates will have an enhanced warfare capability that matches the configuration of ships ordered by Greece.

• Air Warfare

  US Air Force prepares to test uncrewed F-16 VISTA in challenging scenarios

  8th January 2026

  Th mission systems upgrade of the X-62 VISTA variant of the F-16 will allow the air force to evaluate the jet in more demanding environments.

• Air Warfare

  Anduril marks new milestones with YFQ-44A flight tests as USAF plans further demos

  4th March 2026

  A production decision on Increment 1 of the CCA Programme is due to be made by the end of the year, with further demonstrations building on F-22 Raptor and MQ-20 Avenger teaming flight tests.

• Air Warfare

  Sikorsky wins five-year $11 billion US Marine Corps contract for CH-53K helicopters

  29th September 2025

  The follow-on order for CH-53K helicopters is the largest one to date for the type and will see deliveries carried out from 2029 to 2034.

• Air Warfare

  Singapore Airshow 2026: RSAF refreshes air transport capability as part of force modernisation

  2nd February 2026

  Singapore is understood to have received three of four ex-Spanish C-130Hs from Blue Aerospace in recent weeks.

• Air Warfare

  European CCA programmes see progress as industry narrows in on key flight milestones

  17th March 2026

  European defence firms including Airbus, Helsing, General Atomics and Anduril are accelerating development and testing of collaborative combat aircraft to meet Germany’s loyal wingman requirement, targeting operational deployment by the end of the decade.

• Air Warfare

  What will the replacement of A-10s by F-35s mean for the US Air Force?

  9th March 2026

  The USAF plans to phase out its 162 in-operation A-10 Thunderbolt II Warthogs by the end of FY2026, replacing them with F-35As which will bring a leap in capabilities in terms of lethality, survivability and speed.

• Land Warfare

  Chaiseri’s quartet of new vehicles offers fresh capabilities to Asian markets

  20th November 2025

  The Guardian-T 8x8, Hisaar MRAP 4x4, Ridgeback 4x4 and Jackal 4x4 were all on display at Defense & Security 2025, with target markets for the vehicles including Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines as well as Thailand.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  H-X Fighter Programme [Finland]

  Programme Background In June 2020, Finnish MoD announced that the Hornet fleet life extension programme is neither cost-effective solution nor sufficient in terms of Finland’s ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  H10 Poseidon [Ukraine]

  Background 2022 According to Army Recognition in 2022, citing VK, a Russian social network, Ukrainian sources had reportedly stated that the 26th Artillery Brigade and ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | PAK-DA - Procurement - Russia

  Russian MoD is planning to procure PAK-DA strategic bomber aircraft to replace the existing Tu-95MS Bear-H fleet, about 65 examples of which are in service with ...

• Data links

  Data links | PAK-DA - Procurement - Russia

  Russian MoD is planning to procure PAK-DA strategic bomber aircraft to replace the existing Tu-95MS Bear-H fleet, about 65 examples of which are in service with ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | PAK-DA - Procurement - Russia

  Russian MoD is planning to procure PAK-DA strategic bomber aircraft to replace the existing Tu-95MS Bear-H fleet, about 65 examples of which are in service with ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | PAK-DA - Procurement - Russia

  Russian MoD is planning to procure PAK-DA strategic bomber aircraft to replace the existing Tu-95MS Bear-H fleet, about 65 examples of which are in service with ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  AR100-H [Germany]

  Programme Background In May 2022, it was announced that 145 AR100-H drones would be supplied to the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). At the time of ...

• Loitering munitions

  Project Brakestop [UK]

  Background Information Notice On 25 September 2024, the UK MoD published a prior information notice for Project Brakestop, informing industry of the upcoming competition. Requirements ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Ka-52K Katran [Russia]

  Programme Background The Ka-52K Katran is a navalised version of the Ka-52 Alligator reconnaissance and attack helicopter.  The history of the Ka-52K is aligned with ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  WH AFV [R&Sp]

  Programme Background The RfI for this requirement stipulated several technical requirements that a prospective platform must meet in order to provide 'high mobility, adequate armour ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Mi-17 [Sri Lanka]

  Programme Background Sri Lanka currently operates 28 Mi-17 Hip H and Mi-171Sh and Mi-8s; the latest variants were three Mi-171Es delivered in 2013. Sri Lanka's military is ...

• Bomber

  PAK-DA - Procurement - Russia

  Programme Background The full-scale design works on the new-generation strategic bomber developed under the PAK-DA initiative were launched by Tupolev in 2013, on order placed ...

• Destroyers

  Arleigh Burke Flight III (DDG 125 - DDG 139) [USN]

  Programme Background Timeline Flight III is the last of the four flights being built for the USN, with the first ship beginning construction in 2018 ...

• Light Bullet-Proof Vehicles (Army) [India]

  Programme Background An RfP for 375 light bullet-proof vehicles (LBPV) is expected to be announced by the end of 2023 following the approval of the Indian Army's ...

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

  VTOL-Capable Group 2 UAV [USA]

  Background Request for Information (RFI) In March 2026, the USAF issued an RFI seeking a VTOL-capable UAV capable of operating in austere environments to support ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  H-1 Family of Avionics

  Northrop Grumman produces a family of avionics for Bell H-1-series helicopters.

• Magline Cruiser

  First displayed at the DefExpo exhibition in 2014, the Magline Cruiser was developed as three variants: Cruiser 1, Cruiser 2 and Mini Cruiser. The two larger ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  UH-1Y/AH-1Z Training Devices

  Together with the prime contractor for the USMC’s new H-1 helicopters, FlightSafety produced the Viper (aka Super Cobra) and the Venom (Huey) flight simulator devices. ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Aybars-1

  The Aybars-1, alternatively known as the Aybars-I or Aerogard V3800-H, is a fixed-wing, VTOL-capable UAV from BMS Defence Technologies.  It is powered by a 100cc EFI engine and ...

• EO/IR systems

  HD25-XV

  The HD25--XV is a lightweight, compact UAV EO camera gimbal from Trillium Engineering. Sometimes called the Orion HD25, the system is designed to operate from ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARC-186

  The Collins Aerospace AN/ARC-186 is a low-Cost multi-band VHF/AM/FM transceiver designed to fulfill the demanding multirole missions flown in complex tactical and international environments. Aircraft installations ...

• Land: air defence radar

  H-200

  CEIEC's H-200 is the basis of the KS-1 air defence missile which is thought to have developed from reverse engineering a Patriot air defence system. ...

• Bomber

  H-6

  The People's Liberation Army Air Force has eight regiments of bombers and they operate an estimated 160 H-6 variants that have been in service since ...

• Subsystems: visual

  SpectraView Front Projection Display System

  Designed to support a variety of training requirements, SpectraView systems provide cost-effective, scalable and flexible options for single, tandem and side-by-side seating configurations. Standard and ...

• Naval guns

  H/PJ-45A

  H/PJ-45A is a Chinese 130mm naval gun deployed on the Type 052D destroyers. Reportedly, its design is based on the Soviet AK-130 gun. During the ...

• Self-propelled mortars

  2S34 Chosta

  The 2S34 Chosta is an upgraded version of the 122mm 2S1 tracked SPH that replaces the original 2A31 ordnance with the 120mm 2A80-1 mortar-gun, an ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  Trident 140TD2

  The Trident 140TD2 is a compression-ignition engine designed for MALE platforms. Based on the Trident 100TD2, it is a lightweight, four-cylinder design that is intended ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  Trident 180TD2

  The Trident 180TD2 is a compression-ignition engine designed for heavier UAVs up to the 2t class. The design is intended to improve efficiency, while being ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  118 Mk 3 Type 1

  The Chemring CM118 Mk.3 Type-1 is a spectral flare intended to defeat infrared-guided, surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles. The flare is designed to equip rotorcraft and ...

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

  FL-1

  The FL-1, sometimes called the Feilong-1 or Flying Dragon-1, is an unmanned, long-endurance platform under development for civilian and military use. Its design is aimed towards ...