• Naval Warfare

  SeaFuture 2023 puts spotlight on Italian naval programmes

  20th June 2023

  The recent SeaFuture event highlighted some of Italy's most important submarine, surface ship and naval aviation procurements. Shephard Defence Insight puts these latest programme developments in detailed context.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy orders ninth John Lewis-class fleet oiler from General Dynamics NASSCO

  25th May 2023

  General Dynamics NASSCO received a $736 million modification from the USN to the existing T-AO contract to build a ninth ship (T-AO 213) under the John Lewis-class fleet oiler programme.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IMDEX 2023: Aeronautics sees growing interest in maritime UAV integration

  4th May 2023

  Israeli UAV maker Aeronautics, known for its Orbiter family of systems, has told Shephard that the company sees great potential in the maritime space and navies’ growing interest in integrating drones into the domain globally.

• Naval Warfare

  The mad and murky world of submarines in Asia-Pacific (Opinion)

  15th May 2023

  Whatever problems can go wrong with military acquisitions, submarines seem to have ticked all the boxes in the Indo-Pacific region.

• Air Warfare

  General Atomics to provide launch systems for next Ford-class aircraft carrier

  12th June 2023

  General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) will provide production, manufacturing, engineering, programme management, logistics support and information assurance as well as launch and arrestor system shipsets for the USS Doris Miller.

• Land Warfare

  Demand for AFVs and artillery keeps South Korean firms busy

  28th June 2023

  Worldwide demand for military equipment is playing into South Korea's hands, as the country's defence industry makes deeper inroads into foreign markets.

• 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

  UK no longer able to manufacture large-calibre gun barrels, BAE Systems admits

  8th June 2023

  The UK may need to cannibalise stored Challenger tanks and AS90 howitzers to source replacement barrels for platforms sent to Ukraine as no manufacturing capability currently exists.

• Training

  US Navy anti-sub exercise puts crewed-uncrewed teaming to the test

  22nd May 2023

  Operating in concert with US Navy MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, an MQ-9B SeaGuardian UAV participated in the constructive 'kill' of a simulated submarine target.

• Land Warfare

  UK weighs up tracked and wheeled options for Mobile Fires Platform artillery programme

  5th June 2023

  The business case for the British Army's Mobile Fires Platform artillery system will be submitted this summer with contenders including offerings from Hanwha, KMW, BAE Systems Bofors and Rheinmetall.

• Naval Warfare

  Aurora partnership secures £22 million contract to provide expert support to Royal Navy fleets

  14th April 2023

  The UK MoD's Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) agency has awarded a five-year, £22 million contract to the Aurora Engineering Partnership to provide support to Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary fleets.

• Air Warfare

  US declines Thai F-35 fighter request, offers F-15 and F-16

  24th May 2023

  The US has advised the Royal Thai Air Force that the service is not ready to operate the F-35 yet, according to local media reports.

• Naval Warfare

  Indo-Pacific-geared corvette design unveiled by Abu Dhabi Ship Building

  24th May 2023

  At the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA 2023) event in Malaysia, Emirati shipbuilder Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) has unveiled a new 92m corvette design.

• Training

  IT2EC 2023: Simulation is a key enabler of multi-domain operations, says Dutch navy leader

  24th April 2023

  The Royal Netherlands Navy's Cdre Jeanette Morang highlighted how simulation now allows training for complex multi-domain scenarios that are impractical to replicate in full in the real world.

• Naval Warfare

  Colombia's COTECMAR commences construction of new OPV

  10th May 2023

  The Colombian shipbuilding corporation COTECMAR has started the construction of an OPV as the first platform as part of an order for three new ships.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munition PODS [UK]

  Background PODS As the Royal Navy stated in 2022, Persistent Operational Deployment Systems (PODS) are  “interchangeable modules that can be fitted to the surface fleet. ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  T-150 (Royal Navy) [UK]

  Background Deployment On 7 April 2025, the Royal Navy announced that, for the first time, nine T-150 drones would be operated from the HMS Prince ...

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

  Flexible Tactical Uncrewed Air System (FTUAS) [UK]

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

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | LMS Batch II (5-7) [Malaysia]

  The Royal Malaysia Navy (RMN) plans to acquire eight Littoral Mission Ships (LMS). In line with the plan, it was assumed the RMN would acquire ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | LMS Batch II (5-7) [Malaysia]

  The Royal Malaysia Navy (RMN) plans to acquire eight Littoral Mission Ships (LMS). In line with the plan, it was assumed the RMN would acquire ...

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

  Puma 3 AE (UK)

  Programme Background Testing The Royal Navy announced in October 2020 that the Puma was undergoing its first operational testing on HMS Albion's autumn deployment to ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Submarines Procurement [Malaysia]

  According to the Royal Malaysian Navy 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, the Navy wants to acquire two more submarines between 2031 and 2035. Shephard estimates ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Submarines Procurement [Malaysia]

  According to the Royal Malaysian Navy 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, the Navy wants to acquire two more submarines between 2031 and 2035. Shephard estimates ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Joint Future Surface Combatant - FSC (3) [Belgium]

  The Belgian Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) are undertaking a joint Future Surface Combatant (FSC) project to replace their existing M-class Karel Doorman-class ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Joint Future Surface Combatant - FSC (3) [Belgium]

  The Belgian Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) are undertaking a joint Future Surface Combatant (FSC) project to replace their existing M-class Karel Doorman-class ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) (3) [Malaysia]

  According to the Royal Malaysian Navy 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, the Navy wants to acquire a total of three Multi-Role Support Ships (MRSSs). This ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) (3) [Malaysia]

  According to the Royal Malaysian Navy 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, the Navy wants to acquire a total of three Multi-Role Support Ships (MRSSs). This ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Offshore Patrol Vessels [Thailand]

  The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) is reportedly considering procuring four new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs). The RTN currently has two Krabi-class OPVs based on the Royal ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Offshore Patrol Vessels [Thailand]

  The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) is reportedly considering procuring four new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs). The RTN currently has two Krabi-class OPVs based on the Royal ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Joint Future Surface Combatant - FSC (3) [Netherlands]

  The Belgian Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) are undertaking a joint Future Surface Combatant (FSC) project to replace their existing M-class Karel Doorman-class ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Submarine-launched torpedoes

  Mk 48 Mod 7AT CBASS

  The MK 48 MOD 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) is the latest variant of the Mk 48 torpedo family manufactured by Lockheed Martin and ...

• Military - UUVs

  XV Excalibur

  XV Excalibur is an Extra Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (XLUUV) built by UK-based MSubs, in conjunction with the Royal Navy. It is an experimental vessel ...

• Frigates

  Hunter Class (Type 26)

  The Hunter-class frigates for the Royal Australian Navy are based on the Type 26 design. The ships are set to replace the Anzac-class under the ...

• Sea: naval fire control radar

  Ceros 200

  The Ceros 200 is a radar and optronic tracking system designed for use on naval vessels. When interfaced with modern missile or gun systems, it ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Royal Danish Navy MH-60R MOFT

  In January 2014, CAE was awarded an FMS contract by the USN to develop an MH-60R mission operational flight trainer (MOFT) for the Royal Danish ...

• Frigates

  Naresuan Class

  The Naresuan-class guided-missile frigates are a modified variant of the Chinese-built Type 053 frigate. The two ships-in-class were built by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation ...

• Destroyers

  River Class (Type 26)

  The Type 26 Anti-Submarine Warfare frigate has been designed for the UK Royal Navy, but with an emphasis on export. Both the Royal Canadian Navy ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  AN/SPY-7(V)1

  The AN/SPY-7(V)1 is a solid-state naval surveillance radar produced and manufactured by Lockheed Martin. The system is expected to be fully integrated into programmes for ...

• Frigates

  Jacob Van Heemskerck Class

  The Jacob van Heemskerck class frigates were ex-Royal Netherlands Navy frigates that also served under the Chilean Navy, also known as the Latorre-class. Two anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) ...

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

  Walrus

  The Walrus is a mini rotary-wing UAV manufactured by the Royal Navy's 700X Naval Air Squadron.  As stressed during the December 2022 announcement, Walrus has been ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  RD-170BT

  The RD-170BT is a man-portable surveillance radar deployed ashore to protect moored patrol boats of the Royal Norwegian Navy. 

• Minehunters

  Sandown Class

  The Sandown class vessels are coastal minehunters and OPVs in service with the UK Royal Navy and Royal Saudi Naval Forces as the Al Jawf class. Additionally, ...

• Military - UUVs

  Mission Specialist Defender

  The Mission Specialist Defender is a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) developed by VideoRay, now part of BlueHalo's unmanned maritime systems. The ROV is known ...

• Frigates

  Type 22 (Batch 1)

  The Type 22 frigates were previously the Broadsword-class in service with the UK's Royal Navy. The vessels were built in three batches, with the first ...

• Sea: weapon training

  Inflatable Naval Gunnery Targets

  GeoData produces a range of Naval Gunnery Target Balloons (NavTGTs) for use by marine, navy, coast guard and army units to maintain target acquisition and ...