• Air Warfare

  March drone digest: Long-range, low-cost loitering munitions are changing warfare economics

  1st April 2026

  The effective use of the Shahed-136 in the Iran war has highlighted the need for countries to acquire a domestically produced, low-cost, long-range loitering munition, with the US, Turkey and European nations all at various stages of developing a similar capability.

• Air Warfare

  US Navy to start the next phase of E-2D Block II modernisation in FY2028

  21st July 2026

  NAVAIR plans to award a five-year retrofit contract to a broader transition of the carrier-based airborne early warning fleet to the AHE configuration.

• Air Warfare

  FIA 2026: BAE unveils Brontanax for British and international CCA requirements

  22nd July 2026

  Designed for the UK Royal Air Force’s StormFighter requirement, the carrier-capable platform could also support Royal Navy operations and international customers within the estimated $77.08 billion air force CCA market.

• Air Warfare

  December drone digest: Germany, Australia and US champion indigenous UAV production

  30th December 2025

  One of the key trends seen in December has been the rise in indigenous investment within the UAV market, particularly across certain countries, with Germany, Australia and the US focusing on their commitments to sovereign development.

• Defence Notes

  Australia’s Exercise Talisman Sabre concludes after a series of firsts

  14th August 2025

  More than 40,000 military personnel from 19 participating nations took part in the 11th iteration of the biennial Exercise Talisman Sabre multi-domain event which was held across Australia and in Papua New Guinea.

• Land Warfare

  Bahrain approved for $500 million HIMARS order as production surges

  15th August 2025

  Lockheed Martin’s M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) is being widely ordered and deployed. The company has been working to ramp up production while continuing work to design and produce more potent missiles.

• Land Warfare

  Scorpion light mortar completes tests with US Army and moves to next exercise

  29th October 2025

  Having completed five days of trials with the US Army, the two Scorpion Light mortar systems will stay in Hawaii to take part in planned Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center training exercises in early November.

• Land Warfare

  Thales’ Ground Fire radar meets growing European demand for airspace protection

  7th October 2025

  The new radar will be used to enhance the French-Italian SAMP/T NG system with a greater surveillance range and wider coverage to detect, track and classify targets.

• Land Warfare

  UK Defence Investment Plan: What does it mean for the British Army?

  30th June 2026

  The UK’s Defence Investment Plan splurges big for future air and naval programmes, including new hybrid ships, but there are fewer big-ticket items for British Army vehicles. Shephard’s Damian Kemp looks at the much delayed plan.

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed plans further solid rocket motor investment in Europe and Middle East

  27th November 2025

  The company has worked to heavily invest in its solid rocket motor production capabilities, both in the US and internationally, to build a strong supply chain to meet growing demand.

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall’s Lynx XM30 to go to “shakedown testing” ahead of its delivery to the US Army

  8th May 2026

  The first Lynx XM30 platforms are in the final stages of construction and integration, to be handed over to the US Army in the coming months. Shephard caught up with Rheinmetall to find out more about the programme's progress.

• Land Warfare

  First firing of Sabre air defence system in UK as government places order

  26th August 2025

  Land Ceptor air defence missile launchers which will form part of Sky Sabre, a defence system designed to intercept cruise missiles, aircraft and drones.

• Land Warfare

  Milrem outlines plans for Havoc and Vector as Ukrainian THeMIS numbers set to double

  5th March 2026

  Milrem’s THeMIS uncrewed ground vehicle is one of the most battle-proven medium UGV platforms in service, with the company looking to have production versions of new large platforms ready before the end of the decade.

• Land Warfare

  Unlocking the potential of Light Forces in modern warfare (Studio)

  4th December 2025

  The Ukraine conflict has highlighted the strategic importance of “Light Forces” – rapidly deployable dispersed units, able to conduct an expanding range of mission sets. What technologies and equipment are needed to ensure their success in combat?

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2025: Milrem’s Havoc 8×8 robot to undergo live firing trials next year

  14th September 2025

  The Havoc uncrewed ground vehicle (UGV) was unveiled at IDEX 2025 in February. It is built around a hybrid electric powertrain which provides silent running over medium distances and silent watch for extended periods of time.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Organic Precision Fire - Medium (OPF-M) [USMC]

  Background Request for Waiver (RFW) In April 2026, the USMC announced a new programme, the Organic Precision Fire - Medium (OPF-M), to equip the Fleet ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  Long Range Air Defence [Belgium]

  Background In its Strategic Vision Defence 2025 Capability Investment Portfolio (CIP) document, Belgium announced that it has budgeted €1,981,590,000 ($2,287,101,638) for three long-range air defence systems. A decision is ...

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

  Scorpio 500 [US]

  Background Contract Award In December 2024, XTEND was awarded a US$8.8 million contract by the US Department of Defense (DoD) for its Scorpio 500. As reported by ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Mobile Tactical Cannon [USA]

  Background The US Army began using the M777 in 1995. Since then, it has served as a field artillery piece providing fire support for American ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  T-50 [Thailand]

  The purchase had been earlier approved by the Thai cabinet on 11 July 2017.  AVM Pongsak Semachai revealed that the aircraft would be paid for ...

• Loitering munitions

  Organic Precision Fire - Light (OPF-L) (Uncontracted) [USMC]

  Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. In May 2022, an annual update ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Cobra IFV [Indonesia]

  Programme Background It is unclear how many different variants of the Cobra have been ordered by the TNI-AD, but it is thought that the majority ...

• Loitering munitions

  Echelon 2: Ground Organic Precision Strike Systems (GOPSS) [USSOCOM]

  Programme Background Requirements The U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has made loitering capabilities a priority in its efforts to support counter-violent extremist organization (C-VEO) operations and ...

• Self-propelled mortars

  Project Stokes [UK]

  Background The British Army does not currently operate any self-propelled mortars. The war in Ukraine has demonstrated that static fire support platforms are increasingly vulnerable ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Piranha V [Denmark]

  Programme Background In February 2013, the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO) selected the Piranha V as one of five contenders for evaluation to ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  T-50 Follow-On [Thailand]

  Programme Background The Royal Thai Air Force  (RTAF) exercised its option to purchase additional two aircraft from an earlier deal. The RTAF purchased four T-50 jets in ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munition 1 [Taiwan]

  Programme Background 2023 At Taichung in March 2023, NCSIST unveiled the loitering munition. The munition showed the country's focus on asymmetric capabilities to defend itself ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Land 400 Phase 2 - Boxer CRV [Australia]

  Programme Background History The Land 400 Phase 2 programme will procure a replacement for the ASLAV, a derivative of the General Dynamics Land Systems Light Armoured Vehicle ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Cobra IFV [Indonesia - Batch 2]

  Programme Background It is unclear how many different variants of the Cobra have been ordered by the TNI-AD, but it is thought that the majority ...

• Loitering munitions

  Maritime Launched Effects (MLE) [US]

  Background Origin The loitering munition effort dates back to at least 2018 and was previously called Maritime Precision Engagement (MPE). The US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  PULS

  The PULS (Precise & Universal Launching System) from Elbit Systems is a modular, truck‑mounted multiple‑launch rocket/missile system developed in Israel to provide flexible long‑range fires ...

• Artillery rockets

  Predator Hawk

  The Predator Hawk artillery rocket, developed by Elbit Systems, is a high-precision, long-range weapon designed to engage targets at distances up to 300km. 

• Land: Defensive Systems - Gunshot Detection / Hostile Fire Indicator

  SWAD

  Small Arms Fire Warning and Direction System (SWAD) is a passive, stationary EO gunshot detection and hostile fire indicator manufactured by Elbit Systems. It is ...

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  SkyFix DF

  The SkyFix DF is a lightweight, high-precision COMINT/DF system covering the 30MHz-3GHz frequency band. It uses a correlative interferometer technique and wide aperture, high-precision antenna ...

• Guided munitions

  Mini Lizard

  The Mini Lizard is a compact, precision-guided munition developed by Elbit Systems, tailored for light attack aircraft. Weighing approximately 9kg, the Mini Lizard is designed to ...

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

  Thor

  Thor is a VTOL small-UAV manufactured by Elbit Systems. The platform is designed for ISR missions and features a real-time HD data link and unique ...

• Major networking projects

  ELBIT TIGER

  Tactical Intranet Geographic Dissemination in Real Time (TIGER) is a tactical communications system that integrates media, including legacy and narrowband channels, creating an end-to-end, unified ...

• Land: RWS

  Elbit UT50

  Announced in FQ4 2022, the Elbit UT50 is Elbit Systems of America's latest RWS mounted with a 50mm XM913 cannon. Elbit's development of a 50mm variant ...

• EO/IR systems, Sea: ship surveillance and fire control systems

  MSP 500

  The MSP 500 (Multi-Sensor Platform) is an electro-optical fire control and reconnaissance system developed by STN Atlas Elektronik and Zeiss Optronik and produced by Rheinmetall Defence ...

• Guided munitions

  Excalibur N5

  The Excalibur N5 is a 5-inch (127mm) naval variant of the Excalibur precision-guided artillery projectile, engineered to enhance the capabilities of naval gunfire. Designed for ...

• Towed guns

  ATHOS 2052

  The 155mm/52 calibre Autonomous Towed Howitzer Ordnance System (ATHOS) 2052 is a towed system offered by Elbit Systems, which acquired artillery manufacturer Soltam in 2010.Equipped ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Torch-X Mounted

  Elbit Systems Torch-X Mounted is a battle management solution that notably includes fire control capability and AI-powered decision support tools. According to news sources, the ...

• Light tanks

  ASCOD MMBT

  GDELS unveiled the ASCOD Medium Main Battle Tank (MMBT), a 120mm-armed 42 tonne tank based on its tracked ASCOD IFV, at Eurosatory 2018.  The ASCOD MMBT ...

• Self-propelled guns

  ATMOS

  Unveiled in 1999, the Autonomous Truck Mounted Howitzer System (ATMOS) was developed by Soltam Systems (now Elbit Systems) as a private venture to meet the ...

• Land: vehicle simulators

  AGTS

  The Advanced Gunnery Training System (AGTS) is designed to train individuals, crews and platoons in the skills of precision gunnery. It provides training on procedures, ...