• Land Warfare

  Turkish Army beefs up missile protection for Syria ops

  19th February 2018

  The Turkish Army is bolstering the number of upgraded M60T ‘Fırat’ tanks – equipped with new anti-tank missile protection systems and remote weapon stations – …

• Naval Warfare

  ADECS 2018: Might Asia’s submarine fleet shrink rather than grow?

  30th January 2018

  The conventional wisdom being propounded is that the size of Asia-Pacific’s combined submarine fleet will increase greatly, perhaps up to 350 boats by 2030. However, …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky qualifies weapons system for S-70M/S-70i helicopters

  8th February 2018

  Sikorsky has qualified a comprehensive weapons system for the S-70M/S-70i Black Hawk helicopter to military standards. The system is fully integrated with the aircraft's existing …

• Defence Helicopter

  Singapore Airshow 2018: Singapore receives final Seahawks

  8th February 2018

  The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) has displayed one of its two newest Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk helicopters at Singapore Airshow 2018, with the pair of …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russian Helicopters, Datagate sign aftersales agreement

  12th February 2018

  Russian Helicopters has signed a memorandum of intent with Thai company Datagate for cooperation in establishing a maintenance service center for Russian-made helicopters in Thailand, …

• Defence Notes

  Opinion: China’s Silk Road project – a PLA weapon?

  7th February 2018

  On 7 September 2013, President Xi Jinping called for the construction of a Silk Road Economic Belt during a speech at Nazarbayev University in Astana, …

• Digital Battlespace

  UAE F-16 fleet get HUD upgrade

  13th February 2018

  BAE Systems will modernise head-up displays (HUD) on the United Arab Emirates’ F-16 aircraft under a contract with Lockheed Martin. The HUD, which sits directly …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  RT demonstrates SkyStar 110 system

  9th February 2018

  RT Aerostat Systems has demonstrated its new SkyStar 110 micro-tactical aerostat system for the first time in US, the company announced on 7 February. The …

• Defence Notes

  Singapore Airshow 2018: Show in focus (video)

  9th February 2018

  On the final trade day of Singapore Airshow Shephard's Asia-Pacific editor, Gordon Arthur, takes a look at some of the highlights of the 2018 event. 

• Military Logistics

  France receives first C-130J Super Hercules

  19th January 2018

  The first C-130J Super Hercules aircraft has been delivered to the French Air Force 62st Transport Wing at Orléans-Bricy Air Base in France, Lockheed Martin …

• Defence Helicopter

  Singapore Airshow 2018: Lightweight rocket launcher debuted (video)

  9th February 2018

  Arnold Defense showcased its ultra-light LWL-12 rocket launch system at the Singapore Airshow 2018. Shephard spoke with Timothy Moore, business development consultant at Arnold Defense, about the benefits …

• Digital Battlespace

  Elbit’s in-fill radar and tower system certified

  6th February 2018

  Elbit Systems of America’s in-fill radar system and tower has been certified by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency for operational use, it …

• Special Operations

  NROL-47 payload launched

  16th January 2018

  United Launch Alliance (ULA) has successfully launched a Delta IV rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, carrying the NROL-47 mission payload for the US National …

• Defence Notes

  ADECS 2018: South Korea harbours nuclear submarine ambitions

  31st January 2018

  South Korea is airing ambitions to form a nuclear-powered submarine (SSN) fleet and the eventual commissioning of such boats is being described as ‘politically inevitable’. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Russia to ink Mi-17V-5 contact with India

  23rd January 2018

  India is soon to receive a batch of 48 Russian Helicopters Mi-17V-5 aircraft, Rostec announced on 23 January. The deal, which is anticipated to be …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  PC-21 (Project Air 5428) [Australia]

  The new PTS, including aircraft, flight training simulators and learning environments is being acquired from a single capability contractor, Team 21, which consists of Lockheed ...

• Transport, Transport/tanker aircraft

  Project Air 7404 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement Australia is thinking ahead to an enlarged transport fleet to replace the current C-130Js. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was the second ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A (Project Air 6000 Phase 2A/B) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) took delivery of 18 F-35A aircraft as of March 2020 and the remaining aircraft are expected to ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (5-6) [Australia]

  Background Four Contracted Units In the summer of 2020, Northrop Grumman announced that the Australian Government provided $333 million for three MQ-4C Tritons and associated GCS. ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Medium Range Air Defence [Australia]

  Background Faced with a growing threat from China and a vast land and sea territory to protect, Australia is seeking to establish a medium-range ground-based ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (13-14) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [Australia]

  Background Older Efforts On 23 April 2021, the US State Department's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) approval announcement revealed that Australia had requested to buy up ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Project Air 7003 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Australian Air Force has been without a UAS capability since the Heron was withdrawn in mid-2017. According to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, ...

• OPVs

  Arafura Class (Project SEA 1180) (1-6) [Australia]

  Programme Background Australia's new class of Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), the Arafura-class, will replace the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) fleet of Armidale and Cape-class patrol ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-28 Ghost Bat [Australia]

  Background Goal As stated by the Head of Air Force Capability, Air Vice-Marshal Robert Denney, in March 2022, the Ghost Bat will be an "operational system ...

• Loitering munitions

  Mission Talon Strike [Australia]

  Background Request for Tender (RFT) On 19 May 2025, the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA), an agency aimed at streamlining defence invocation for the Australian Defence ...

• Military UAS - small

  VTOL UAV [New Zealand]

  Background Defence Capability Plan (DCP) In April 2025, the New Zealand government published the DCP, a document that is essentially a blueprint for what procurements ...

• Trainer

  Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements The RAAF is seeking a future solution that provides a ‘relevant, adaptable, affordable and safe LIFTS out to 2050’ for training pilots ...

• Military UAS - small

  DEF129 (Tactical UAS) [Australia]

  Programme Background Programme Announcement The Australian Army announced the Project Land 129 Phase 3 programme in 2017. This announcement led to the release of an industry ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Harpii Szpon (Loyal Wingman) [Poland]

  Background Market Evaluation On 6 November 2023, speaking at the IQPC International Fighter Conference (IFC) 2023 in Madrid, Major General Cezary Wiśniewski, the Deputy General Commander of the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Air-5416 Project Echidna

  Air-5416 Project Echidna was an initiative launched in 2001 by BAE Systems for the Australian DoD. Its goal was to overhaul the self protection systems ...

• Trainer

  King Air trainer

  Textron / Beechcraft King Air trainers are a family twin-engine aircraft based on King Air 90, 100, 200 and 350 utility aircraft. The King Air ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Australian Defence Force MRH90 Training

  As prime contractor for the ADF's MRH90 training programme, CAE has provided two MRH90 full-flight mission simulators (FFMS), training facilities and engineering and support services. ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  RAAF Hawk Mk 127 FMS

  Under subcontract to BAE Systems, CAE is designing and manufacturing three Hawk Mk 127 full-mission simulators (FMS) for the Royal Australian Air Force that will ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Wanderer

  The Wanderer is a low-altitude, low-cost, long-endurance UAV produced in-house by the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) Jericho Disruptive Innovation Group and the Australian Government's Defense Science ...

• Light attack

  Hawk 200

  The Hawk 200 is a single-seat light attack iteration of the Hawk 100 (see separate entry) and Advanced Jet Trainer or AJT (see separate entry). ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-28A Ghost Bat

  The MQ-28A Ghost Bat is a loyal wingman-type, Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), MALE fixed-wing drone being developed by Boeing Defence Australia. Its development began in ...

• Military - USVs

  Bluebottle

  Bluebottle is a persistent, autonomous, uncrewed surface vessel from Ocius Technology in service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF). In ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  Predator Mission Trainer (PMT)

  The CAE Predator Mission Trainer (PMT) is an integrated platform that combines the features of CAE's UAS mission trainer with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' Predator-specific ...

• Maritime patrol

  Challenger 604

  Bombardier Challenger CL-604 MPAs are in service with the Royal Danish Air Force and the Korea Coast Guard. The first of three Danish aircraft entered ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Phantom 4 (Series)

  Designed for aerial photograph applications by DJI, the Phantom 4 series of UAVs includes the Phantom 4 Pro, Phantom 4 Pro V2.0, Phantom 4 Advanced ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Hawkei

  Thales Australia developed the 4x4 Hawkei for the Australian Army's Land 121 Phase 4 Protected Mobility Vehicle – Light (PMV-L) project.  The prototype was unveiled in ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  AN/ALR-2001

  BAE Systems’ AN/ALR-2001 Electronic Support Measure (ESM) is thought to be based on Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Elta Systems division’s EL/M-8382 ESM. The AN/ALR-2001 is ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  AGM-88E AARGM

  The AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) is a supersonic, medium-range, air-launched tactical missile compatible with US and allied strike aircraft. Designed to upgrade the AGM-88 ...

• Military UAS - mini

  M Solar-X

  First revealed in August 2020, in February 2024, at its symposium, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) showcased the M Solar-X. This solar-powered fixed-wing drone was ...