• Defence Helicopter

  On display at RIAT (video)

  17th July 2017

  Shephard editors Grant Turnbull and Helen Haxell take a look at the flight line at RIAT 2017 and talk through some of the key platforms that …

• Training

  Second JDEAL reaches FOC

  14th June 2017

  The second Joint Deployable Exploitation and Analysis Laboratory (JDEAL) recently delivered to its new home in Soesterberg, the Netherlands, has now reached Full Operational Capability …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UAV demonstrator Sagitta makes maiden flight

  20th July 2017

  Airbus Defence and Space has for the first time flown its Sagitta UAS technology demonstrator, the company announced on 18 July. Sagitta flew autonomously for around …

• Defence Notes

  Typhoon in Brimstone live firing

  19th July 2017

  MBDA’s Brimstone air-to-surface missile has been fired from a Eurofighter Typhoon for the first time.The integration of the weapon is part of the Phase 3 …

• Training

  Inzpire to support Protector RPAS training development

  21st July 2017

  Inzpire will provide subject matter expertise to support the development of training for the Royal Air Force’s future Protector UAS. The company announced a contract …

• Defence Helicopter

  GTLK orders Russian-made HEMs helicopters

  26th July 2017

  Russian Helicopters and Russia’s state-owned leasing company GTLK signed on 20 July 2017 a contract detailing the delivery of 30 EMS helicopters under a newly-designed, …

• Defence Helicopter

  L3 Wescam receives MX-15 orders

  21st July 2017

  L3 Technologies’ Wescam has received an order from Airbus Helicopters to provide MX-15 electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) imaging systems for installation on multiple fleets of H225M Caracal …

• Training

  ASDOT gains pace

  17th July 2017

  The UK’s Air Support to Defence Operational Training (ASDOT) requirement has been ratcheted up following the declaration that Cobham Special Missions had signed a teaming …

• Digital Battlespace

  Australian tanks to get BMS hardware

  28th July 2017

  Leonardo DRS is supplying battle management system (BMS) hardware to the Australian Army for fitment in its M1A1 AIM Abrams main battle tanks (MBT). The …

• Naval Warfare

  City-class makes global waves as steel cut

  20th July 2017

  The first of the UK Royal Navy's Type 26 frigates, newly dubbed the City-class, will be named HMS Glasgow once commissioned into service. The Ministry …

• Defence Notes

  MBDA seeks munition revolution

  22nd June 2017

  European missile house MBDA has unveiled a new family of gliding smart munitions, but officials played down suggestions it could compete as a Small Diameter …

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: European helicopter procurement (video)

  16th June 2017

  Western European militaries are looking at new platforms to replace their existing fleets.  Shephard takes a look at the incumbent aircraft for Germany, Italy and …

• Land Warfare

  Canada’s delayed soldier upgrade on horizon

  27th July 2017

  The Canadian Army expects to take delivery of a new soldier electronics suite ‘within a few months’, in a sign that the service’s long-delayed soldier …

• Military Logistics

  Leonardo wins NATO ALIS contract

  27th June 2017

  Leonardo has been selected to provide logistic and support services for the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) programme, the company announced on 21 June. Under …

• Land Warfare

  Belgium aligns to France’s ‘Scorpion’ programme

  26th June 2017

  The Belgium government has approved plans that will see the country’s land forces recapitalise its armoured vehicle fleet through closer cooperation with France, in a …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  GEM-T Missiles [Sweden]

  Background A coalition of European countries has signed a $5.6-billion contract to procure 1,000 Patriot Guidance Enhanced Missile (GEM-T) interceptors under the auspices of the NATO Support ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (1-9) [NATO]

  Programme Background Following operations in Libya and extensive analyses by the European Defence Agency (EDA), it was agreed at the NATO Summit in 2012 that ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  Mistral SHORAD [Hungary]

  Background Hungary is a member of the common procurement programme for MISTRAL 3 ground-based air defence systems for protection against air threats. The project's framework ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R Seahawks [Norway]

  Programme Background NH90 NFH cancellation  The Norwegian government announced the termination of the NH90 NFH helicopter contract for 14 NH90s with NHIndustries in June 2022. Seahawk Acquisition ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT Follow-On [NATO]

  Programme Background Following operations in Libya and extensive analyses by the European Defence Agency (EDA), it was agreed at the NATO Summit in 2012 that ...

• Main battle tanks

  New MBT [Romania]

  Programme Background Requirement The Romanian Army's MBT fleet is composed of T-55 variants that are due to be retired in the mid-2020s. Although Romania's TR-85 ...

• Military UAS - small

  Penguin C VTOL [Croatia]

  Background Announcment Redwire Corporation announced on 12 November 2025 that its wholly owned subsidiary, Edge Autonomy, had been contracted to deliver the Penguin C VTOL ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A2 Abrams SEPv3 [Romania]

  Programme Background Requirement The Romanian Army's MBT fleet is composed of T-55 variants that are due to be retired in the mid-2020s. Although Romania's TR-85 ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) - (Greece)

  Programme Background EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) was announced in early 2022 and the project contract was awarded ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  EU next generation rotorcraft technologies project (ENGRT) - [Italy]

  Background ENGRT phase I EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) was announced in early 2022 and the project contract was awarded in December 2022. Phase I ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 [Kuwait]

  Background Contract Award On 18 January 2023, Baykar announced signing a $370 million export contract with Kuwait for the Bayraktar TB2. According to the announcement, ...

• Main battle tanks

  Leopard 2A8 [Netherlands]

  Background The Leopard 2A8, the latest in the Leopard family, was selected by the Royal Dutch Army as per announcements in September 2024.  Given the ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  UAV Tactical Level [Norway]

  Background Request for Information (RfI) In September 2022, the Norwegian Defence Material Agency (NDMA) launched a request for information in preparation for a possible procurement ...

• Corvettes

  European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [France]

  Background Requirements The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is one of the new PESCO (Permanent Structured Cooperation on Defence and Security) projects. PESCO was established by ...

• Corvettes

  European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [Italy]

  Background Requirements The 2021-2023 Documento Programmatico Pluriennale (DPP) - a multi-year defence planning document from the Italian MoD - includes a plan to acquire eight "Patrol Ships", which ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: air defence radar

  APIS

  APIS is a passive high-resolution primary radar system developed by Indra. It is the first passive system in the world capable of offering images using ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  AE50R

  The AE50R is an aviation gasoline single rotary engine with an output of 40.4kW. The engine is certified according to European Aviation Safety Agency Part ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  LOTUS

  The LOTUS, Low Observable Tactical Unnamed System, is a tactical UAV especially designed for border patrol ISR operations.  The development of the project is funded by ...

• Helicopter engines

  Arriel 2H

  Safran Helicopter Engines received European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) engine type certification for its Arriel 2H engine, installed in the Avicopter AC312E, in April 2018. ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  AR5

  First announced in October 2012, the AR5 is a MALE UAS designed for SAR, surveillance and maritime patrol missions. The AR5 can be flown manually or commanded ...

• Trainer

  Gabriel-TP

  Gabriel-TP is a low-wing, two-seat tandem trainer aircraft aimed at both military and civilian customers. It is certified by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in ...

• Air: NVGs

  PNL-3M Orlik

  PNL-3M are high-performance, lightweight, passive stereoscopic NVGs for helicopter crew members. Certification by European Aviation Safety Agency also enables civilian use. The device can be ...

• Military UAS - small

  Capa-X

  The Capa-X, or U050, is a VTOL-capable fixed-wing drone from Survey Copter, a subsidiary of Airbus. The drone has been linked with France’s Système de Drone Tactique Léger ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Standard 3

  Jointly developed by ATR and Thales, The Standard 3 avionics suite has been specifically designed for ATR-600 aircraft. It offers the pilot user-friendly interface, along ...

• CUAS - jammers

  DroneGun

  DroneGun enables controlled management of an adversarial UAS, causing no damage to the UAV or surrounding area. It either forces the drone to perform a ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Tryzub Laser

  Ukraine's Tryzub (Trident) laser was revealed during the European Defence Industry: Prospects for Cooperation with the Ukrainian Defence Industry conference in 2025. Video footage from ...

• Military - USVs

  NOMARS

  The No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) is a US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) effort to develop a first-of-its-kind large uncrewed surface vessel.

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  Trident 100TD2

  The Trident 100TD2 is a compression-ignition engine that is capable of operating on various types of heavy fuel. It is claimed to offer up to ...

• Space: radar systems

  ESA Sentinel-1

  Sentinel-1 is a planned constellation of four satellites with two already in orbit and two on order. They carry a payload of a C-band SAR ...

• Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  Sky Buzzer

  Hensoldt’s Sky Buzzer is a towed anti-radar decoy originally developed by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS). The system is designed to protect ...