• Defence Notes

  Paris Air Show: Under wraps on the flight line (video)

  16th June 2019

  As the 2019 edition of the Paris Air Show thrusts into public view, Shephard examines some of the platforms on display, others being kept under …

• Military Logistics

  V-22 radar maintenance goes digital

  19th June 2019

  Maintenance support on the US Air Force’s CV-22 Ospreys is going digital with a new artificial intelligence tool being trialled to help better determine when …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: Door ajar for MQ-9 Middle East sales

  14th June 2019

  Large category UAS sales to US allies in the Middle East have been complicated by strict guidelines contained within the international Missile Technology Control Regime …

• Military Logistics

  Paris Air Show: DIRCM for Germany's A400M fleet

  21st June 2019

  Airbus Defence and Space will supply Directed Infrared Counter Measure (DIRCM) systems for Germany's A400M aircraft under a contract from Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr …

• Defence Notes

  Two pilots die in Chinese fighter jet crash

  12th March 2019

  A Chinese navy fighter jet crashed during training on the southern island province of Hainan on 12 March 2019, killing two pilots, the defence ministry …

• Military Logistics

  Raytheon awarded JPALS work

  18th June 2019

  Raytheon will equip the US Navy’s nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships with the Joint Precision Approach and Landing Systems (JPALS) under a $234 …

• Defence Notes

  Paris Air Show: Fighting talk (video)

  19th June 2019

  Two days into the 53rd edition of Paris Air Show and the Shephard editorial team takes a look back at the fast-jet highlights, conceptual models …

• Military Logistics

  Rolls-Royce to power Malta's new OPV

  11th March 2019

  Rolls-Royce has received a contract from Cantiere Navale Vittoria for the supply of a marine propulsion package for the Armed Forces of Malta’s new P71 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AeroVironment acquires Pulse Aerospace

  14th June 2019

  AeroVironment announced on 11 June that it has acquired Pulse Aerospace, a developer and supplier of small VTOL UAS. Pulse Aerospace had recently been awarded …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  BAE Systems joins MQ-25 team

  18th June 2019

  BAE Systems has become the latest company to join the Boeing MQ-25 industry team.The company has received contracts from Boeing to supply the Vehicle Management …

• Military Logistics

  US Army seeks to fill ‘tug boat’ shortfall

  14th June 2019

  The US Army's interest in possible solutions to the Modular Warping Tug (MWT) shortfall has been identified in a recently-released RfI issued by the service’s …

• Special Operations

  Airbus offers H145M for Australian SOF

  25th March 2019

  Airbus Helicopters has confirmed that it has offered its H145M military helicopter in response to the Australian government’s request for information for a four-tonne class, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Milipol Asia 2019: TRD launches covert handheld C-UAS

  2nd April 2019

  Singaporean company TRD launched a new covert handheld counter-UAS device, adding to its existing range of such C-UAS systems, at the Milipol Asia 2019 exhibition …

• Defence Notes

  US approves $3.8 billion F-16 sale to Morocco

  26th March 2019

  The US approved the sale of 25 F-16 fighter aircraft to Morocco for $3.8 billion on 25 March, the State Department announced. Besides the new …

• Land Warfare

  GDLS awarded Abrams support

  14th June 2019

  General Dynamics Land Systems has been awarded a contract modification for Abrams vehicle support, the US Department of Defense announced on 12 June.The $16.2 million …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 TTH [France]

  Background In 2001, the French government made its first purchase of 34 NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopters, followed by a second order in 2013 for an ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Joint Light Helicopter (HIL) programme [France]

  Background The French Ministry of the Armed Forces has elected to bring the launch of the French Armed Forces’ HIL programme forward to 2021. The ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - mini

  Micro & Mini Drones (France)

  Programme Background RequirementOn 23 April 2021, an RfP was published by the Direction de la Maintenance Aéronautique (DMAé) to supply around 500 micro and nano drones for the ...

• Short Range Missile Defence Systems: 0 to 20 km range

  Mistral SHORAD [Romania]

  Background Romania signed a contract with the Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans of the French Republic within the "European Joint Acquisition of Mistral ...

• Loitering munitions

  Colibri: Short-range loitering munition (Contracted) [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated at a press conference in May 2022 that the General Directorate for Armament (DGA) ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 300 [France]

  Programme Background Plans to Purchase At Eurosatory 2022, Col. Arnaud Goujon, the French Army's chief of plans, told the media that the French Army was ...

• Loitering munitions

  Colibri: Short-range loitering munition (Uncontracted) [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated at a press conference in May 2022 that the General Directorate for Armament (DGA) ...

• OPVs

  OPV Procurement (1-2) [Montenegro]

  Programme Background Timeline During Euronaval 2024, the French Ministry of Armed Forces and Veterans announced that Montenegro signed a contract for the acquisition of two ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 (Special Forces) [France]

  Background In French service, advanced H225M Caracals with aerial refuelling capabilities are used by SOF units of the French Air Force (FAF) and French Army. ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (13-15) [France]

  Background In June 2020, The French government has pledged to buy new military heavy-lift helicopters and accelerate plans for naval drone, ISTAR and tanker aircraft programmes ...

• OPVs

  OPV 58 S [Senegal]

  Programme Background Senegal ordered three OPV 58 S patrol vessels on 17 November 2019. A procurement contract was signed between the Ministry of Armed Forces ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - mini

  UX11 (Ukraine Aid) [France]

  Programme Background First Batch On 6 September 2023, Sébastien Lecornu, the French Minister of Defence, announced Delair was providing Ukraine with more than 150 drones. ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  French MALE UAVs [France]

  Background Requirements The French Ministry of the Armed Forces wishes to develop a French MALE offering comparable to the MQ-9 Reaper, which would, it is hoped, promote ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  PLFS [France]

  Background The Sabre, then known as the Sherpa FS, was developed as a response to a 2014 requirement for three types of new vehicles to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Larinae: Medium-range loitering munition [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated at a press conference in May 2022 that the General Directorate for Armament (DGA) ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  Boreades

  Boreades is a modular anti-UAV system developed by CS. This suite combines multi-sensors and multi-effectors in order to enable the detection, identification and neutralisation of rogue ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  UAS 100

  The UAS 100 is an autonomous, three-engined platform, modular UAS manufactured by Thales in partnership with Issoire Aviation, Hionos and with the support of the ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Vespa-15

  The Vespa-15 is a first-person view (FPV) rotary-wing UAV manufactured by a Ukrainian company.  In May 2025, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Ukraine announced it ...

• Loitering munitions

  MX-10 Damocles

  The MX-10 Damocles is a quadcopter loitering munition from KNDS France and Delair. Unveiled at IDEX 2025, it features a 500g fragmentation payload. It is part ...

• Military UAS - small

  LEMUR

  LEMUR is a VTOL, fixed-wing UAV designed for long-endurance observation and reconnaissance missions. The aircraft is available with either an electric motor or an internal ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Tundra 2

  The Tundra 2 is a rotary-wing UAV from Hexadrone. It is described as a new, modular, plug-and-play, and multi-trade drone. Hexadrone's website states that the French Armed ...

• OPVs

  OPV 60

  The OPV 60 is designed to conduct surveillance missions in coastal and EEZ waters. The ship can be armed with a 40mm naval gun and ...

• EO/IR systems

  Euroflir 350

  The Euroflir 350 is an out-of-production gyro-stabilised optronic system. According to Safran, it is effective at long ranges, can track mobile targets, designate important areas for ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 TTH

  Developed as a multinational programme between France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, the European NH90 was designed to meet NATO requirements for multirole capability from ...

• Military UAS - small

  Lanner

  Unveiled at Eurosatory 2024, the Lenner is a modified variant of the Pengion C VTOL drone, specifically modified to meet the SDTL (Light Tactical Drone System) program ...

• Military helicopters - light/training, Military helicopters - multirole, Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  H160M

  Airbus is developing the H160M to meet the requirements of the French military for the Joint Light Helicopter (Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger, or HIL) programme. It ...

• Land: handheld NV devices

  O-NYX

  The Thales O-NYX is a Ultra-Compact Night Vision Goggle used by the French armed forces. They have an enlarged field of vision to 51° compared ...

• Pistols

  Glock Pistol

  The Glock family of pistols have been in widespread service since the Glock 17 was selected for Austrian military and police service in 1982. The company's ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  TDS-FA/-TA/-H

  Thales’ TDS family is comprised of Radar Warning Receivers (RWRs) designed to equip a range of fixed-wing aircraft. The product series includes the TDS-FA designed ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  Mistral 2

  MISTRAL is a man-portable, fully digital, heat-seeking missile designed to meet the requirements of all branches of the armed forces to defend against air threats. ...