• Naval Warfare

  Is the end in sight for Canada’s painful Joint Support Ship procurement journey?

  1st November 2023

  The launch of the second of two new Joint Support Ships for the Royal Canadian Navy has represented steps forward on a project that has suffered huge delays due to supply chain issues and the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Canada's DND.

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky lands $2.7 billion contract for CH-53K helicopters, eight for Israel and 27 for USMC

  25th August 2023

  The USN has awarded Sikorsky a $2.7 billion contract for the production and delivery of 35 CH-53K King Stallion helicopters, split between the USMC and Israel, with deliveries expected to start in 2026.

• Defence Helicopter

  Germany goes ahead with 60 Chinook order for nearly $9 billion

  6th July 2023

  The CH-47F Block II Chinook helicopters will enhance Germany's heavy-lift capabilities and interoperability with allied nations.

• Defence Helicopter

  Boeing receives last contract for CH-47F Chinook Block I

  6th July 2023

  Boeing has received a contract worth up to $793 million to produce 18 CH-47F Chinook helicopters for South Korea and an additional aircraft for Spain, marking the conclusion of Block I orders.

• Air Warfare

  China and Iran look beyond Russian market for UAS and precision weapon exports

  6th September 2023

  Chinese and Iranian firms unveiled new UAS and smart munitions at Army-2023, claiming they reflected lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian conflict and were attracting international interest.

• Special Operations

  UPDATED: Romania orders Polaris DAGOR special operations vehicles

  12th July 2023

  Polaris has been awarded a contract to provide 50 of its DAGOR ultralight tactical vehicles to Romania, joining other NATO countries such as Canada, the UK and US as operators.

• Air Warfare

  Australia receives its first UH-60M Black Hawks

  8th August 2023

  Sikorsky has been extremely rapid in delivering Black Hawks to Australia, with the first two already handed over.

• Land Warfare

  Germany, Netherlands place €1.9 billion order for Caracal airmobile vehicles

  11th July 2023

  Germany and the Netherlands have signed a contract with Rheinmetall for the supply of Caracal airmobile platforms, worth €1.9 billion.

• Training

  Adacel and SkyWarrior win $7m deal for US Army simulators

  6th July 2023

  Adacel and SkyWarrior have been awarded a subcontract by GDIT to replace the US Army's Enhanced Tower Simulator and Aviation Radar Training Simulator as part of the Flight School Training Support Services program.

• Naval Warfare

  Insight: How rising tensions have fuelled the Type 26 frigate's development

  12th September 2023

  Slated to enter service in the late 2020s, the Type 26 frigate addresses the pressing need for enhanced ASW capabilities, particularly in light of heightened tensions with Russia. Shephard Defence Insight analyses the design and its equipment fit.

• Air Warfare

  Indonesia orders Anka UAVs from Turkiye

  3rd August 2023

  Indonesia becomes the eighth customer for the Anka, as Turkiye further cements its positions as a major supplier of UAVs.

• Defence Helicopter

  CH-47F Chinook Block II reaches final assembly line as wider programme moves forward

  26th May 2023

  The Block II upgrade incorporates various enhancements to increase lift capability and commonality between US Army and allied fleets, reducing maintenance costs.

• Air Warfare

  Insight: How the P-8 Poseidon has conquered the maritime patrol aircraft market

  6th September 2023

  Shephard Defence Insight analyses the success story of the Boeing P-8 Poseidon, a multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft that has captured international interest, detailing its variants, operators and unit cost.

• Air Warfare

  Indra to enhance protection of Spanish Air Force C295 aircraft

  1st August 2023

  Indra has won a contract to upgrade the radar warning and self-protection suite of the Spanish Air Force's C295 aircraft fleet to the ALR-400 system which will replace the legacy solution, enhancing their capabilities in conflict zones.

• Training

  CAE wins US Air Force helicopter introductory training contract

  13th June 2023

  CAE has been awarded the USAF Rotary Wing Introductory Flight Training (IFT-R) contract to support Air Education and Training Command (AETC).

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Heavy-lift Helicopter STH [Germany]

  Background Requirement The German government issued a tender in March 2019 for the procurement of heavy-lift helicopters under the Schwerer Transporthubschrauber (STH) program, 60 units are ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47 [United Arab Emirates]

  Background 2025 tour Ahead of Trump's 2025 Middle East tour, the State Department approved a possible FMS to the UAE for six CH-47 Block II ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47ER Chinook [UK]

  Background Formally known as the Chinook Capability Sustainment Program the UK is planning to replace its 14 oldest CH-47s with 14 new-build CH-47F (ER). The ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Heavy Lift Helicopter [Philippines]

  Programme Background Procurement from Russia In November 2021, Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed that a contract had been signed to acquire 16 Mi-171 heavy ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47J [Japan]

  Programme Background Kawasaki Heavy Industries secured a 71.4 billion yen ($460 million) contract to provide the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) with five CH-47J helicopters. ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook (Singapore)

  Programme Background In July 2020, photos have emerged on the internet of the first Boeing CH-47F Chinook destined for the Republic of Singapore Air Force ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook [Brazil]

  Programme Background  In 2014, Boeing announced that they had been in talks with the Brazilian Army regarding the potential sale of CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters. ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F CHINOOK [USA]

  Programme Background As the Army's only heavy-lift helicopter, the CH-47F Improved Cargo helicopter is an essential component of the Army's Multi-Domain Battle framework. The CH-47F ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  MH-47 Chinook

  The US DoD report, Enhancing Security and Stability In Afghanistan, published in December 2019 doesn't disclose the number of Chinook platforms but media sources suggest ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook (1-8) [Saudi Arabia]

  Methodology PGO As this contract is awarded and deliveries are complete, the PGO is 100.  Units required A total of eight CH-47F Chinook are required ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47JA [Japan]

  Programme Background  Kawasaki Heavy Industries received an order from the Japanese government for 12 CH-47JA helicopters for the Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF). The CH-47JA is ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-53K (Israel)

  Programme Background The Israeli Air Force (IAF) plans to buy around 18 heavy-lift helicopters to form a squadron that replaces its current CH-53 Yasur helicopters that ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  CH-47D Replacement [Thailand]

  Programme Background The RTA divested its six Boeing CH-47D Chinooks after failing to sell the 25-year-old aircraft on the second-hand market. Thailand found Chinook maintenance ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-53K (Options) [Israel]

  Programme Background The Israeli Air Force (IAF) plans to buy around 18 heavy-lift helicopters to form a squadron that replaces its current CH-53 Yasur helicopters that ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Heavy transport helicopters [Belgium]

  Background  In July 2025, Belgium announced the retirement of its fleet of four NH-90 TTH helicopters following a troubled service life. At the time of ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  C-Lynx

  Unveiled in May 2017, the C-Lynx is a light weight multiple rocket launcher developed for use with the 122mm ACCULAR rocket, the latest member of ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F/MH-47G Chinook

  The CH-47F is the current production model of Boeing's CH-47. Initially fielded in 2007, the F model provides increased situational awareness through the Common Avionics ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  All-in-Small

  The All-in-Small is a Self-Protection System (SPS) manufactured by Elbit Systems and designed for use in military and commercial fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters. It is marketed as ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  LSMP

  US Army Simulation, Training and Instrumentation Command selected Rockwell Collins to perform the LIFT Simulator Modernization Program (LSMP) delivery order under the STRI Omnibus Contract. ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47D

  The CH-47D Chinook is a twin-engine, tandem-rotor, heavy-lift transport helicopter that emerged from a US Army contract placed in 1976 to remanufacture the CH-47A/B/C. The ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  UK MSHATF

  The Medium Support Helicopter Aircrew Training Facility (MSHATF) opened for training at RAF Benson, England in July 1999. It provides training services to personnel from ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Pars 4x4

  The Pars 4x4 is an amphibious 4x4 developed by FNSS to meet the TurkishLand Forces' requirement for a wheeled antitank vehicle. It has a power-to-weight ...

• Helicopter engines

  T55

  The T55-GA-714A is a turboshaft in the 13kg/s airflow size class. Honeywell has produced more than 6,000 T55-series engines for military and civil use, and ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  AN/AAR-57 CMWS

  BAE Systems’ AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning System (CMWS) provides missile warning and hostile fire detection for rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft. The CMWS’ ensemble includes the Advanced Threat ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Pod

  Universal DIRCM Pod

  Terma provides universal pods for Directed IR Countermeasures (DIRCM) installations as a role-fit solution for a range of fixed- and rotary-wing platforms. The pods house ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS)

  Developed by Collins Aerospace, the Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS) is based on the Flight2 open system architecture design and includes an advanced hardware, software ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Rapid Intervention Vehicle

  At the February 2017 IDEX exhibition, Nimr formally unveiled its 4x4 Rapid Intervention Vehicle (RIV), which it is offering to meet a UAE requirement for ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  NCM3

  The Non-Rated Crewmember Manned Module (NCM3) is the first integrated crewmember virtual simulator for the rear portion of the CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Black Hawk ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Mungo

  KMW developed the Mungo family to meet a requirement from the German Army for a protected multipurpose air-portable vehicle that could be carried by a ...

• EO/IR systems

  AN/ZSQ-2

  The AN/ZSQ-2 is a multi-sensor EO/IR turreted system that contains three imaging sensors. A day colour TV, IR camera with 3-5µm, InSb, 480x640px and staring ...