• Land Warfare

  Early prototype of General Dynamics M1E3 main battle tank displayed at Detroit auto show

  16th January 2026

  The first prototype M1E3 main battle tank was handed over to the US Army for testing and evaluation earlier this year, and now a pre-prototype has been unveiled. What have we learned from the vehicle first seen on 14 January?

• Land Warfare

  Next-generation gun set to boost US Army combat vehicle capabilities

  8th January 2026

  The 50mm main weapon on the XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle currently being competed for by industry will offer a step-change in firepower and targeting over the in-service M2 Bradley.

• Air Warfare

  British Army’s Project Corvus selection highlights new era of drone sovereignty

  28th July 2026

  The UK’s choice of the Tekever AR5 for Project Corvus reflects a wider shift in military drone procurement towards solutions that centre on sovereignty and domestic production, moving away from overseas reliance.

• Naval Warfare

  SOF Week 2026: MARSOC selects upgraded Shark Marine dive navigation system

  18th May 2026

  MARSOC is procuring the Shark Marine Dive Tablet 2 to address a longstanding combat diver navigation capability gap, improving underwater positioning, situational awareness and integration with existing diver propulsion vehicles.

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2026: Land modernisation programmes gather pace across Europe and beyond

  16th June 2026

  New armoured vehicles, artillery systems and robotic platforms on display at Eurosatory 2026 highlight how armies are seeking greater mobility, firepower, survivability and automation as they modernise ageing fleets and adapt to lessons from recent conflicts.

• Air Warfare

  Lithuania air focus: Majority of $235.98 million drone investment to be spent before 2030

  4th May 2026

  Lithuania has committed significant funding towards expanding its UAV capabilities, with more than $54 million already spent and substantial additional investment planned through to 2029. Alongside domestic procurement, the country has also acquired various drones to support Ukraine.

• Land Warfare

  Textron unveils a smaller, low-cost variant of the Ripsaw family of UGVs

  29th April 2026

  Ripsaw M1 has been designed to support the US Marine Corps’ littoral missions by carrying diverse types of payloads and performing multiple missions. Shephard spoke with Textron to find out more.

• Land Warfare

  MAAF to test Britain’s shift from armour to distributed lethality in Estonia

  10th September 2026

  The bilateral agreement between the UK and Estonia comes as both countries explore how dispersed troops, drones, digital targeting, anti-tank weapons and increasingly long-range fires can complement the combat mass traditionally provided by heavy armour.

• Air Warfare

  Eurosatory 2026: MBDA and Thales look to civilian industry for loitering munition scale-up

  19th June 2026

  Thales and MBDA have taken steps to ensure the mass production of their respective loitering munition offerings at Eurosatoy, teaming with civilian manufacturers. These moves come amid France’s push towards sovereign drone production and continued market expansion.

• Naval Warfare

  Singapore expands maritime presence with future-ready Sentinel OPV

  1st October 2026

  Singapore is building space for uncrewed systems and future technologies into its new Sentinel-class OPVs, reflecting a wider move towards adaptable vessels capable of maintaining persistent maritime presence.

• Defence Notes

  New UK armed forces minister frames High North defence as vital to “homeland security”

  16th July 2026

  The UK’s Minister for the Armed Forces Louise Sandher-Jones made her first appearance in the role before the House of Commons Defence Committee this week to highlight efforts to improve capability in the High North.

• Land Warfare

  Team Grenadier aims for success with the British Army’s LMV programme

  7th September 2026

  Team Grenadier has unveiled the latest variant of its Grenadier 4x4, which it hopes will win the Light Mobility Vehicle segment of the army’s Land Mobility Programme.

• Land Warfare

  New US$1.4 billion package to boost Canada’s defence capabilities

  30th March 2026

  The Canadian defence department has outlined major investments in ISR solutions, small arms and ammunition production capabilities as the country pushes for greater self-reliance to bolster its forces and its supply chain.

• Land Warfare

  UAE’s first combat use of M-SAM II could raise export prospects for South Korean air defence

  13th March 2026

  Reported to provide a high percentage of precision in its engagements, the South Korean air defence system has been receiving growing international interest since it was deployed by the UAE to defeat Iranian missiles.

• Air Warfare

  Long-range drone acquisition axed as Norway announces $11.75 billion spending uplift

  31st March 2026

  Norway’s funding boost will help the country reach 3.5% of GDP on defence spending by 2035, with autonomous systems part of the long list of priorities alongside frigate acquisition and development of a new Finnmark Brigade.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-1 Gray Eagle [US Army]

  Background Required Quantity Although the US Army first envisioned a requirement for 132 MQ-1C Gray Eagles, the US Army's Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) was increased ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (US Army) (Batch 1) [USA]

  Background As of January 2021, the US DoD had signed 15 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches ...

• Main battle tanks

  Decisive Lethality Platform [USA]

  Background The DLP is one of five vehicle families being developed for the US Army's NGCV programme. Expanded to include five programmes in October 2018, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker DVH (March 2026) [US]

  Background The US Army has been operating the Stryker since 2002. The Stryker DVH is an upgraded variant that has additional armour on its underside ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker DVH (September 2026) [US]

  Background The US Army has been operating the Stryker since 2002. The Stryker DVH is an upgraded variant that has additional armour on its underside ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AMPV [US]

  Background Platform development The US Army initiated the AMPV programme to acquire a replacement for several variants of the M113 tracked APC, which has been ...

• Military UAS - small

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 2) [US Army]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was intended to ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) [US Army]

  Background USMC First, Army Second In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle – Expeditionary ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  M-SHORAD Increment 3 [USA]

  Background The US Army is upgrading its maneuver short-range air defense system (M-SHORAD). Under the overal programme, there are three increments. Increment 1 vehicles are ...

• Military UAS - small

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 1) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was ...

• Military UAS - micro

  eBee Vision [US]

  Background Multiple orders In November 2025, the US Army acquired three eBee Vision systems to enhance training operations at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany. A ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker (Sergeant Stout) (Batch 2) [USA]

  Background As part of the Army Transformation Initiative, the US DoD is fundamentally reorganising the structure of the US Army. The development of the Sergeant ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) [Tranche 1] / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) (USA)

  Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) programme The RPUAS programme will provide the Battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an organic, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker (Sergeant Stout) [USA]

  Background As part of the Army Transformation Initiative, the US DoD is fundamentally reorganising the structure of the US Army. As part of this all Infantry Brigade ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Lower Tier Air and Missile Defence Sensor [US]

  Background The US Army's Lower Tier Air and Missile Defence Sensor (LTAMDS) is being acquired from US-based Raytheon.  The United States Army is the primary customer ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  US Army AVCATT PDSS

  L3Harris Technologies is the prime contractor for the US Army’s Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (AVCATT) Post Deployment Software Support (PDSS) programme. L3Harris Technologies is ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  US Army Flight School XXI OFT/RCTD

  L3Harris Technologies is a major subcontractor to CSC on the US Army’s Flight School XXI (FSXXI) programme. L3Harris Technologies has built or is under contract ...

• Maritime patrol

  US-2

  The ShinMaywa US-2 is an amphibious short take-off and landing aircraft used primarily by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) for SAR. 

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58 Kiowa

  The single-engine OH-58 Kiowa, derived from the Bell 206, entered US Army service in 1969 as a light observation helicopter. More than 2,200 were built for ...

• Towed guns

  M198

  The US Army developed the M198 155mm towed howitzer from 1969 to replace the M114 155mm howitzer. From 1978, 1,600 weapons were built by Rock ...

• Towed mortars

  M120/M120A1

  The M120/M120A1 120 mm Towed Mortar System is a US-built version of the Soltam K6 mortar that was accepted into US Army service in 1990.

• Light tanks

  M10 Booker

  The US Army awarded General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) a contract worth US$1.14 billion to supply 96 light tanks under the Mobile Protected Firepower (MPF) ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72A/B Lakota

  In 2006, the US Army selected a version of the medium-sized, twin-engine H145, designated the UH-72A Lakota,  to meet its requirement for a new Light ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  M1150 ABV

  The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) project, launched by the USMC in 2002, is a joint programme to meet the requirements of both the US ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV)

  BAE Systems' Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) was developed in response to a US Army requirement for a platform to replace the ageing M113 APCs in ...

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  AN/PLQ-9 Thor-III

  Sierra Nevada’s AN/PLQ-9 Thor-III is the standard Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) manpack system in service with the US Army and US Marine Corps (USMC). ...

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M821A3 High Explosive Mortar Round

  The M821A3 High Explosive Mortar Round is an 81mm mortar round manufactured by Day & Zimmerman for the US Army.

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M933A1 High Explosive Mortar Round

  The M933A1 High Explosive Mortar Round is a 120mm mortar round manufactured by Day & Zimmermann for the US Army.

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M934A1 High Explosive Mortar Round

  The M934A1 High Explosive Mortar Round is a 120mm mortar round produced by Day & Zimmermann for the US Army.

• Unguided Mortar Ammunition

  M930 Illumination Mortar Round

  The M930 Illumination Mortar Round is a 120mm mortar round manufactured by Island Pyrochemical Industries for the US Army.