• Defence Notes

  Resilience, adaptiveness and collaboration vital for success in space (Studio)

  5th November 2025

  Speakers at the Defence In Space Conference (DISC) 2025 highlighted the critical and evolving role of space in national security, defence and the global economy.

• Defence Notes

  Venezuela prepares personnel and equipment for a potential second US attack

  6th January 2026

  Defence Minister Gen Vladimir Padrino López has declared that the Venezuelan armed forces “will continue to employ all its available capabilities for military defence”.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2025: First mobility trials completed for British Army Challenger 3 tanks

  11th September 2025

  The mobility trials saw the Challenger 3 main battle tank (MBT) tested at a variety of locations in the UK, covering a combined 760km across a variety of terrains including road and cross country.

• Land Warfare

  British Army fires Javelin from Boxer as Australia set for lightweight launchers

  20th August 2025

  Australia has received approval to buy Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Units (LwCLU) on the same day as the British Army announced the first firing from a Boxer armoured vehicle, a sign of the continuing interest in the weapon. Billons-of-dollars of Javelin missiles and systems have been ordered in the past two years.

• Air Warfare

  DSEI 2025: Deutsche Aircraft takes aim at special mission market with D328MR

  12th September 2025

  The company plans to offer its D328eco commercial aircraft as a multi-role variant, and spoke to Shephard at DSEI 2025 about its ambitions for the future.

• Naval Warfare

  Singapore declassifies SEAL Carrier swimmer delivery vehicle for special forces use

  27th June 2025

  Singapore’s navy has introduced the Combatant Craft Underwater vessel, a multi-mode swimmer delivery vehicle designed to enhance its Naval Diving Unit’s ability to conduct covert maritime special operations.

• Air Warfare

  France pushes for 80% workshare as FCAS programme nears critical development stage

  9th July 2025

  Tensions on the programme have long simmered, with Airbus and Dassault recently clashing over workshare in June ahead of the Paris Air Show. The sixth-generation fighter programme is due to replace Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon jets beginning in 2040.

• Land Warfare

  Tests almost completed on German Army Wolf vehicles with deliveries soon

  12th August 2025

  The Germany Army (Bundeswehr) signed for 1,500 Mercedes-Benz Defence Vehicles Wolf 2 all-purpose 4×4 light utility vehicle in July last year, a deal which ultimately be for 5,800 units. Testing is ongoing and first production vehicles are expected to be delivered in November.

• Air Warfare

  German Air Force pushes ahead with A400M infrared protection system upgrade

  6th June 2025

  The Direct Infrared Counter Measures (DIRCM) system will serve to protect the aircraft from surface-to-air missile threats, with installation scheduled for later this year.

• Land Warfare

  Czech Government increases Leopard tank ties

  25th July 2025

  The Czech Government is aligning itself even more closely to a future fleet of Leopard tanks as other countries in Europe also sign up for the Leopard 2A8 variant.

• Land Warfare

  Companies look to tank-launched guided projectiles for non-line-of-sight effects

  29th December 2025

  While integration of guided weapons on modern armoured vehicles usually takes the form of a podded launcher on the turret exterior, recent developments suggest the concept of firing missiles from a tank’s main gun could be seeing a revival.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2025: Leopard 1 offered extra kick with new power pack

  4th September 2025

  The new power pack from Germany’s Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft (FFG) is about 300kg lighter than the original system, consists of a more modern eight-cylinder diesel developing up to 1,080hp. It is being shown for the first time at DSEI.

• Land Warfare

  German Army to receive third-generation Dingo protected patrol vehicles this year

  3rd July 2025

  More than 1,200 Dingo 1 and Dingo 2 models have been built and deployed by some 10 countries. The latest Dingo 3 pulls through from user inputs and, like earlier versions, is also based on a UNIMOG chassis.

• Land Warfare

  The integration between drones and land vehicles is accelerating

  17th September 2025

  Drones and military ground vehicles are increasingly being designed to operate together as a single platform or even to convert crewed systems to automated ones.

• Land Warfare

  "The next industrial revolution": Pearson Engineering embraces autonomy and robotics

  1st September 2025

  In Conversation: Shephard’s Gerrard Cowan talks to Pearson Engineering group chief executive officer Ian Bell about how the company is turning to new technologies to provide critical protection and mobility for troops on the front line.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - mini

  X10D (Airman’s toolkit) [USAF]

  Background November 2025 contract award Skydio announced in November 2025 that the USAF had awarded it two initial multi-million dollar contract awards to acquire the ...

• Light UGVs

  L3 Harris T7 [USA]

  Programme Background  In 2021 and 2022 the US Air Force ordered over 107 L3Harris T7 EOD UGVs to replace its 20 year old fleet of ...

• Military UAS - mini

  X10D (Base defence) [USAF]

  Background Contract award On 8 April 2026, Skydio announced that it had been awarded a $9 million contract by the US Air Forces Central (USAFCENT), the air component ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VAMTAC ST5 (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) [Spain]

  Background The VAMTAC ST5 is already in Spanish service with the Spanish Army, Navy, and Air Force in various configurations. In June 2025, the Spanish ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Render Safe Sets, Kits & Outfits (RS SKO) (UAV) [US]

  Programme Background Definition The RS SKO provides capabilities needed for Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams to render safe US and foreign ordnance and improvised explosive ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VTMM 2 [Italy]

  Background The Italian Army has a requirement for 633 VTMMs, known as the Orso (Bear) in Italian service. These will be used to perform specialised ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Batch 3) [Germany]

  Background The contract award for Germany's second batch of Pumas was originally scheduled for 2021, following the final deliveries of Germany's first batch. However, in April ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Tornado Replacement (F-35A) [Germany]

  Background Requirement In March 2020, it emerged that the German government was considering  30 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets to replace 45 nuclear-capable Tornados. The remaining 40 Tornados ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV [Germany]

  Background The SPD-led approach Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany has been under consistent pressure to increase its defence spending. In the immediate ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Vector / Scorpion (Ukraine Aid) [Germany]

  Programme Background German Enablement Initiative On 18 April 2024, Quantum-Systems announced that German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck and Ukrainian Minister of Strategic Industry Alexander Kamyshin had opened the ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  Skyranger 30 [Germany]

  Background The SPD-led approach Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany has been under consistent pressure to increase its defence spending. In the immediate ...

• Military UAS - small

  Zielplan Marine 2035+ (Rotary-Wing UAVs) [Germany]

  Background Zieplan Marine 2035+ Chancellor Olaf Scholz said at the 2022 Bundeswehr Conference that Germany must become the "cornerstone of conventional defence in Europe". To ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (Heavy Weapons Infantry Carrier) [Germany]

  Background The German Army is believed to require a total of 43 Boxer Heavy Weapons Infantry Carriers to equip its Division 2027. 36 of these ...

• Main battle tanks

  Leopard 2A8 [Germany]

  Background The SPD-led approach Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany has been under consistent pressure to increase its defence spending. In the immediate ...

• Submarines: conventional/attack

  Type 212CD (1-2) [Germany]

  Background Norway selected TKMS as the shipbuilder for its new class of Type 212CD submarines to replace the six Ula-class SSKs currently in service. TKMS ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• MPVs - 4x4

  Shrek

  The Shrek is an MRAP vehicle developed by the Streit Group in collaboration with the Ukrainian Kremenchug Automotive Plant (KrAZ). It is available in three ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  DURO IIIP

  The DURO IIIP (also known as the GMTF) 6x6 is a protected, mobile off-road armoured vehicle based on the DURO (Durable, Robust) family of 4x4 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Fuchs 1

  Spanning now 8 variants, the Fuchs 1 is the German Army's longstanding wheeled armoured personnel carrier. The army received 1,125 Fuchs, with most delivered between 1979-86. ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  German HFTS

  Helicopter Flight Training Services (HFTS) was founded by the consortium of CAE, Airbus Helicopters, Thales and Rheinmetall Defence Electronics. Each company owns a 25% share ...

• Land: UGV simulators

  Remote Controlled Vehicle Simulation

  The Remote Controlled Vehicle Simulation is designed for users such as EOD forces.  Key features: use of original control devices; PC-based VR simulation; multiple scenarios ...

• Military - UUVs

  Bluefin-HAUV

  The Bluefin Hovering AUV (HAUV) is a two-man system used for ship hull and infrastructure inspection, port and harbour security and MCM. Operators are able ...

• Light UGVs

  Oto-TRP7-HS

  The Oto-TRP7-HS (Homeland Security) is a semi-autonomous, electric-powered, tracked UGV. It is designed to undertake a number of homeland security missions. 

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  Manpack-6 Bomb Ranger

  Manpack-6 is a portable jamming system that can be carried by a person in areas where there is a risk of encountering remoted controlled improvised ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Eagle V 6x6

  GDELS unveiled the fifth generation of its Eagle light tactical vehicle in both 4x4 and 6x6 models at Eurosatory 2012. The Eagle V has replaced ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Eagle V 4x4

  GDELS unveiled the fifth generation of its Eagle light tactical vehicle at Eurosatory 2012. The platform has replaced earlier-generation vehicles in production. More than 1,250 ...

• Light UGVs

  Zeus

  NIC Instruments' Zeus UGV is a development of its First Responder (see separate entry) platform and was unveiled at Milipol Paris in November 2017. The company ...

• EO/IR systems

  Gyrocam 15DHD

  Gyrocam 15DHD is a 15in dual system that delivers HD and mid-wave thermal optics, in a modular payload that supports ISR missions. The 15DHD features ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  MPV/GFF 4

  Iveco Defence Vehicles cooperated with KMW to develop the Medium Protected Vehicle (MPV). This vehicle is designed to have sufficient payload, protection, capacity and mobility to ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Varan

  Streit unveiled the Varan 6x6 amphibious armoured vehicle at the IDEX defence exhibition in February 2013. The vehicle can be fitted with additional ballistic protection ...

• Light UGVs

  Vanguard

  The Vanguard UGV is designed to provide mission support for EOD technicians in both law enforcement and the military. It can be deployed in EOD/IED ...