• Defence Notes

  US outlines foreign policy in Global Posture Review

  30th November 2021

  The Global Posture Review, released on 29 November, will inform the next iteration of the US National Defense Strategy.

• Defence Helicopter

  Future requirements and negotiations to decide UK NMH fleet total

  14th December 2021

  The UK MoD is still to decide on the exact number of aircraft to order under the New Medium Helicopter programme — but there is little room for delay.

• Naval Warfare

  Indonesia launches fifth missile boat

  10th December 2021

  Progress is made in Indonesia on fast attack craft, tank landing ships and OPVs.

• Air Warfare

  Myanmar commissions potpourri of aircraft types

  22nd December 2021

  Russia and China continue to support Myanmar with an array of military equipment, despite a military coup earlier this year.

• Naval Warfare

  Island-class patrol boats arrive in Ukraine

  23rd November 2021

  The arrival of two ex-USCG boats follows the delivery of another pair of Island-class craft to Ukraine in 2019.

• Air Warfare

  Dubai Airshow 2021: Kronstadt displays new Russian unmanned capabilities

  15th November 2021

  AI-powered supervision of multiple semi-autonomous UAVs marks a step forward for Russia.

• Naval Warfare

  UK progresses support for Ukrainian naval capabilities

  18th November 2021

  A series of joint projects will see Ukraine acquire new ships, weapons and help to develop naval facilities.

• Digital Battlespace

  USSOCOM choppers to receive BLoS radios

  8th December 2021

  The AN/PRC-160(V) radio will be installed aboard MH-47 and MH-60 helicopters.

• Defence Helicopter

  MH-47G renew programme continues for USSOCOM

  26th November 2021

  Boeing is to provide six remanufactured MH-47G Chinooks to USSOCOM.

• Defence Notes

  US, UK condemn Russian anti-satellite missile test

  16th November 2021

  US Space Command (USSPACECOM) has stated that Russia conducted a test of a direct-ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) missile against its own Cosmos 1408 satellite.

• Naval Warfare

  Australia launches first OPV but delivery will be six months late

  16th December 2021

  The first OPV for the Royal Australian Navy has been launched, but the programme is experiencing difficulties because of COVID-19 delays and weapon integration issues.

• Land Warfare

  Russian UGVs make headway of sorts

  4th November 2021

  Russian UGV projects are set for further development and tests in 2022, although noticeable gaps remain in certain functions.

• Air Warfare

  Dassault captures mega Rafale order from UAE

  3rd December 2021

  Dassault and the UAE have signed off on a huge order for new fighter jets, helicopters and weapons.

• Defence Notes

  The defence industry: same as it ever was?

  24th December 2021

  Earlier this year at DSEI, Shephard sat down with defence industry observers for an overview of the last twenty years in the defence industry.

• Air Warfare

  China’s AHL programme inches forward

  11th November 2021

  China's progress on the heavylift AHL has been far less than rapid, but it is claimed a contract was recently signed to push things along.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28UB - Russia

  Programme BackgroundThe Russian MoD plans to acquire up to 60 Mi-28UB aircraft for the Russian Air Force by mid-2020s. Moscow signed a contract with Russian Helicopters ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28UB - Forecast [Russia]

  Programme Background The Russian MoD plans to acquire up to 60 Mi-28UB aircraft for the Russian Air Force by mid-2020s. Moscow signed a contract with Russian ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Ka-52K Katran [Russia]

  Programme Background The Ka-52K Katran is a navalised version of the Ka-52 Alligator reconnaissance and attack helicopter.  The history of the Ka-52K is aligned with ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60A [Portugal]

  Programme Background At the end of February 2025, the Portuguese Minister of National Defence said that as part of the Portuguese Army's Support, Protection & ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  AW119Kx [Bosnia and Herzegovina]

  Programme Background  In May 2025, the U.S. State Department approved an FMS to Bosnia and Herzegovina for approximately $100 million including 8 AW119Kx helicopters and a ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Mi-26T2 Halo [Russia]

  Programme Background The original Mi-26 was initially revealed to the West at the Paris airshow in June 1981. In terms of carrying capacity (weight and ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-1Y Venom (Czechia)

  Programme Background Czech Armed Forces intended to use the UH-1Y Venom helicopters in various missions including utility, search and rescue, aerial reconnaissance, air-to-ground support and ...

• 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 - multirole

  Ka-226T- Air Force [India]

  Programme Background India had operated a diverse and antiquated fleet of helicopters to support its high-altitude operations along contested borders with China and Pakistan. Reducing ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  T129 (Nigeria)

  Programme Background Requirement The Nigerian Air Force has an ongoing requirement for attack helicopters in order to assist the country's ongoing counter-insurgency operations. Nigeria already ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Ka-226T - Army [India]

  Programme Background India had operated a diverse and antiquated fleet of helicopters to support its high-altitude operations along contested borders with China and Pakistan. Reducing ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Naval Utility Helicopters [India]

  Programme Background The programme would have involved the formation of a joint venture between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and another local or foreign manufacturer. In June ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1Z Viper [Czech Republic]

  Programme Background On 3 May 2019, it was announced that the US State Department had approved a possible FMS of four AH-1Z Vipers to the Czech ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Heavy-lift Helicopter STH [Germany]

  Programme Background 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

  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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Mi-38

  Russian Helicopters' Mi-38 medium-lift helicopter is designed to compete with the Leonardo AW101 and Sikorsky S-92 in both the civil and military markets. The first ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28UB

  Russian Helicopters unveiled the Mi-28UB rotorcraft at the International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS 2013) exhibition. As the combat training modification of the Mi-28NE Night ...

• Model 327 Fire Attack

  The Model 327 is a belly tank/refill hose system designed for the Russian Helicopters Ansat.

• Model 328 Fire Attack

  The Model 328 is a belly tank/refill hose system designed for the Russian Helicopters Ka-32.

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  BAS-750

  The BAS-750, or БАС-750, is a rotary-wing UAS unveiled at Army 2022 by Russian Helicopters. Described as a multifunctional UAV, it can host various payloads to complete several mission ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28N/Mi-28NM

  The Mi-28N is a Russian attack helicopter manufactured by Russian Helicopters for use by the Russian Armed Forces. The helicopter is twin-engined with tandem seating ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  NSTsI-V

  Developed by KRET, the NSTsI-V is a helmet-mounted targeting and display system for pilots. The system projects an image onto the transparent screen in front of ...

• Helicopter guns

  YAK-B

  The YAK-B is a four-barrel 12.7x108mm Gatling gun. The system is remotely controlled, using a gas-operated mechanism, and offers a high rate of fire. It ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Ansat

  The Ansat is a light, multipurpose, twin-engine helicopter designed and built by Kazan Helicopters. The helicopter is able to carry up to six fully equipped troops, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-171Sh

  The Mi-8AMTSh (domestic)/Mi-171Sh (export) is a civil and military transport helicopter that was developed from the Mi-8MT/Mi-17 by the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant. The type is built ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  Rychag-AVM

  KRET’s Rychag-AVM radio frequency jammer is designed to perform electronic attack against hostile communications and radar systems. The Rychag-AVM ensemble is mounted onboard dedicated Mil ...

• Land: RWS

  Nanuk Russian

  Rheinmetall Canada's Nanuk RWS family includes this variant for non-NATO weapons, which combines full stabilisation, long-range day/night all-weather sights and a versatile weapon cradle that ...

• Land: RWS

  Qimek Russian

  Rheinmetall's Qimek single-weapon RWS family includes a variant for non-NATO weapons, which combines full stabilisation, long-range day/night all-weather sights and a versatile weapon cradle for ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  Kopyo-A

  The Kopyo-A is a Russian, multipurpose radar intended for deployment on helicopters. It is designed for coastal monitoring, search and detection of sea surface and ground ...

• Military helicopters - attack, Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-35M

  The Mi-35M is a multirole combat helicopter used for ground attack, assault and cargo transport. It is the current production version of Rostvertol's Mi-24/35. Designed ...