• Air Warfare

  Denmark air focus: $2.64 billion UAV market blends US imports with Nordic cooperation

  14th April 2026

  While Denmark appears to be more committed to UAVs than most of its Nordic neighbours, its procurement efforts are likely to be split between American-made systems for its larger requirements and Nordic partnerships for smaller platforms.

• Air Warfare

  Middle East UAV market underscored by $17bn in unsigned deals

  25th February 2026

  While several UAV programmes remain unawarded in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia is forecast to be the biggest spender with its potential MQ-9B and Gambit deals overshadowing others in the region.

• Land Warfare

  UN “not fulfilling core tasks” for Ukraine, says Estonian defence secretary

  10th March 2026

  Estonia is looking for innovative ways to deal with its particular challenges but, according to the MoD’s permanent secretary, Kaimo Kuusk, technology still needs to be backed up by old-fashioned long-range punch.

• Defence Notes

  US National Security Strategy prioritises advanced military capabilities and national industry

  9th December 2025

  The 2025 NSS has emphasised investment in the US nuclear and air defence inventory and national industry, but it leaves multiple unanswered questions on how the White House will implement this approach.

• Air Warfare

  Bundeswehr launches loitering munition spending spree with $2.16 billion unassigned

  24th April 2026

  After months of delays, Rheinmetall has inked a €300 million deal with Germany for its FV-014 drone this week as part of a wider framework contract worth €2.4 billion for loitering munition procurement. Shephard looks at how the as-yet-unawarded funds could be spent.

• Air Warfare

  Norway revitalises effort to acquire a tactical-class UAV with $103 million competition

  2nd April 2026

  Norway first scoped the requirement in 2022, and included it in a defence strategy document in 2023. The announcement of a new framework agreement appears to have breathed fresh life into the effort.

• Air Warfare

  Saudi Arabia air focus: The world’s fourth-largest UAV market seeks to strengthen domestic industry

  17th February 2026

  With $9.18 billion in uncontracted programmes — including a potential multi-billion-dollar MQ-9B deal — Saudi Arabia’s UAV sector is poised for significant further growth and industrial expansion.

• Air Warfare

  February Drone Digest: US manufacturers face the Gauntlet and find success abroad

  25th February 2026

  The US launched the Gauntlet test in February as part of its accelerated attack drone procurement effort while also exploring various naval capabilities that could lead to procurements down the line. Shield AI’s V-Bat, meanwhile, has been stirring up global interest.

• Air Warfare

  France earmarks further $11.6 billion for missiles and drones amid rearmament push

  9th April 2026

  The revised funding allocation will see up to 23% of the additional budget put towards stockpiles of munitions, with the country’s GDP spending expected to reach 2.5% by 2030.

• Air Warfare

  Bayraktar TB2: The $4.11 billion market success of a cost-effective MALE UAV

  22nd January 2026

  The success of the Bayraktar TB2 stems from it fulfilling a niche of providing reasonable capabilities at a low cost, leading to its acquisition by more than 30 countries including many in Africa; but there are reasons to be cautious about its potential future prospects.

• Air Warfare

  April Drone Digest: Why militaries are rethinking high-end drones

  27th April 2026

  From France to Romania, there has been a clear shift away from expensive, vulnerable MALE UAVs in April towards lower-cost, expendable systems. Hard lessons from Ukraine and Iran have driven this shift.

• Air Warfare

  2025 UAV market review: $7.8 billion in new contracts signed as US leads spending

  17th December 2025

  Qatar and Indonesia followed the US’s high spending on new uncrewed aerial vehicle contracts across 2025, while MALE and micro drones and loitering munitions were particularly popular subcategories this year.

• Air Warfare

  FY2027 budget request highlights shift in USAF’s future aerial refuelling priorities

  23rd April 2026

  The USAF’s Next-Generation Aerial Refuelling Programme is coming under scrutiny in the wake of the Pentagon’s FY2027 budget request, signalling a change in how the force could prioritise the modernisation of its tanker fleet.

• Air Warfare

  Spain air focus: Demand builds with $19.7 billion up for grabs in unawarded contracts

  29th January 2026

  Despite Spain’s modest GDP spend on defence, the country still has a range of fixed-wing and UAV programme requirements as yet unawarded, with a potential US$3.10 billion set to be spent over the next decade.

• Air Warfare

  Singapore Airshow 2026: Early adopters and big spenders point to UAV market opportunities

  27th January 2026

  While an estimated $37.99bn is still to be awarded across the Asia-Pacific uncrewed aerial vehicle market, the balance of potential future spending is unevenly split between various countries, with significant opportunities to be found in the collaborative combat aircraft space.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Tracked Support Vehicle [Spain]

  Programme Background Requirement Spain has an inventory of ageing M113s in various configurations, at least 20 of which were transferred to Ukraine in 2022. According ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR (Batch 2) [Spain]

  Programme Background Purpose The VCR programme is to replace several legacy wheeled and tracked vehicles currently in service with the Spanish Army including the BMR-600 6x6, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR (Batch 3) [Spain]

  Programme Background Purpose The VCR programme is to replace several legacy wheeled and tracked vehicles currently in service with the Spanish Army including the BMR-600 ...

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

  Wing Loong I [Eygpt]

  Programme Background SIPRI According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), in 2016, Eygpt ordered around 10 Wing Loong I aircraft from China, which were ...

• Main battle tanks

  Al-Khalid-I

  Programme Background Pakistan operates a vast fleet of Chinese and Ukrainian MBTs primarily aimed at deterring regional rivals such as India. In order to build ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  San Antonio LPD 17 Flight I [USN]

  The LPD 17 Flight I ships are the first flight of the San Antonio-class Landing Platform Docks (LPD). Procured between FY1996 and FY2017, the vessels ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Light Forces Enhancement [Canada]

  Programme Background The LFE programme was first launched in 2020 with the intention of providing the Canadian army with new light mobility platforms that could ...

• Submarines: conventional/attack

  KSS-III (Boats 1-3) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Timeline The new KSS-III Dosan Ahn Chang-Ho-class submarines for the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) are a significant advance on the earlier KSS-II ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR (Batch 1) [Spain]

  Programme Background Purpose The VCR programme is to replace several legacy wheeled and tracked vehicles currently in service with the Spanish Army including the BMR-600 6x6, ...

• Main battle tanks

  Al-Khalid-II

  Programme Background Pakistan operates a vast fleet of Chinese and Ukrainian MBTs primarily aimed at deterring regional rivals such as India. In order to build ...

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

  Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) (Phase II) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) provides short-range day and night ISR to US Army units at the squad, platoon and other small ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (1-4) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B Batch-II fast attack ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (5-8) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW 212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (13-22) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B Batch-II ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  PKX-B Batch II (9-12) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Contracts Award On 24 November 2022, HJ Heavy Industries was awarded a contract worth KRW212 billion ($160 million) to build four PKX-B Batch-II ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  ITAS-TESS

  The Improved Target Acquisition System – Tactical Engagement Simulation System (ITAS-TESS) is a laser-based system designed to conduct simulated weapons engagement during crew and collective ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  Field Artillery Training Systems

  The ICE Field Artillery Training Systems for the M109A6 Paladin and M270/M270A1 MLRS provides instrumented real-time data and performance monitoring during training and live-fire missions. ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  TESS

  The Tactical Engagement Simulation System (TESS) is a transparent training instrumentation system designed for the AH-64 Apache Longbow Force-on-Force collective training for live aerial gunnery ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  MANWORN II DPU

  The MANWORN II Dismounted Player Unit (DPU) is a flexible position location tracking system suitable for individual through brigade-level training. MANWORN II DPU features GPS ...

• Land: vehicle simulators

  LETS

  The US Army maintains a large fleet of locomotives and rail vehicles throughout the US to facilitate the movement of equipment and supplies and provides ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  SMODIM

  ICE's Smart Onboard Data Interface Module (SMODIM) integrates with aircraft and ground vehicles to provide collective force-on-force participation and weapons systems training. SMODIM is the ...

• Air: mission management systems

  I-C2F

  The Integrated Command and Control Framework (I-C2F) provides an end-to-end C2 architecture delivering J1-J9 functionality across the joint battlespace. As well as C2 messaging and ...

• Air-to-air missiles, Surface-to-air missiles

  I-Derby ER

  Rafael Advanced Defense Systems developed the I-Derby ER missile as an extended-range evolution of the earlier Derby and I-Derby missiles. Building on the proven foundation ...

• Sea: tactical training

  Sub Command

  Sub Command was developed by Sonalysts, released in 2001, and published by Electronic Arts. Sub Command continues the legacy of 688(I) Hunter/Killer. The player takes ...

• Light UGVs

  TMR-I MTF

  The Elektroland TMR-I MTF is the larger of the TMR-I platforms offered by the company at twice the weight of the TMR-I Khan (see separate ...

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

  Carcará I

  Carcará I is a simple flying-wing UAV developed to meet Brazilian Army specifications for an unmanned platform to provide tactical reconnaissance at platoon level. A ...

• Air: mission management systems

  I-TaCCS

  Integrated Tactical Command and Control Services (I-TaCCS) is a secure, scalable C2 system. Core applications of I-TaCCS are used by several countries, allowing interoperability within ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  SIR-S/I

  The SIR-S/I, manufactured by Leonardo, is a Mode-S secondary surveillance radar. The SIR-S/I is primarily operated for the detection of cooperative targets in air traffic control, ...

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

  Skylark I-eVTOL

  The Skylark I-eVTOL is, as its name suggests, an electric-powered VTOL capable development of the Skylark I. Manufactured by Elbit Systems, the drone can be controlled ...

• Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  BriteCloud

  Leonardo's BriteCloud is a digital radio frequency memory (DRFM) expendable active decoy (EAD). The device is designed to disrupt incoming missiles' RF tracking systems and ...