• Defence Notes

  Future F-35 production numbers released

  19th May 2017

  A new document released by the US Department of the Navy reveals further specifics of future Lockheed Martin F-35 multirole fighter aircraft production lots and confirms …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales Nederland details radar advancements

  19th May 2017

  Thales Nederland is currently undertaking testing activity of an initial three SMART-L MM 3D long-range multi-mission radars for air and space surveillance and ballistic missile …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2017: The week in Tampa (video)

  19th May 2017

  Over the last few days, the Shephard team has had several opportunities to speak to top officials from US Special Operations Command, as well as leading figures …

• Military Logistics

  Austria receives fuel dispensing racks

  19th May 2017

  The Austrian armed forces has taken delivery of 20 mobile fuel dispensing racks from WEW, the company announced on 17 May. The Heavy Vehicle Module-Fuel (HVM-F) …

• Training

  ITEC 2017: Military and VIP presence on the up (video)

  19th May 2017

  This year's ITEC took place in Rotterdam, Netherlands, for the first time and for those attending the show the Dutch Ministry of Defence had a …

• Military Logistics

  MT30 turbines ordered for Korean frigates

  19th May 2017

  Rolls-Royce will deliver MT30 marine gas turbines to power the next three ships in the Republic of Korea Navy’s Daegu class frigate programme under a …

• Military Logistics

  Aussie truck, trailer deliveries continue

  19th May 2017

  The Australian Army's 7th Brigade at Gallipoli Barracks in Brisbane has accepted its first delivery of new generation trucks and trailers, the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) announced …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2017: NSW Expands Surface Mobility

  18th May 2017

  US Naval Special Warfare (NSW) elements are expanding the size of their surface mobility platform fleet. The fleet changes were included in an update presented …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2017: Cubic outlines C4ISR growth (video)

  18th May 2017

  At this year's SOFIC exhibition in Tampa, Shephard  spoke to Cubic Mission Solutions president Mike Twyman about the expansion of the company and its growing …

• Digital Battlespace

  RFP released for COBRA DANE radar support

  18th May 2017

  The US Air Force is seeking a contractor for sustainment of the COBRA DANE radar system at Shemya, Alaska, with a request for proposal released for …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2017: Ballooning market for ISR aerostats (video)

  18th May 2017

  Florida-based company Drone Aviation is showcasing its range of tethered drones and balloons at this year's SOFIC in Tampa, Florida. Speaking to Shephard, Art Hughes explains a …

• Military Logistics

  AAR to supply KC-46 palletised seating

  18th May 2017

  AAR Mobility Systems will provide palletised seating systems for the US Air Force's (USAF's) KC-46 aircraft under a $5 million contract announced on 15 May.The palletised seating accommodates …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2017: Textron tests Fury against moving targets (video)

  18th May 2017

  Textron Systems has successfully tested the Fury lightweight precision-guided glide munition against moving targets at Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona, marking the completion of the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Lord placing bets on future

  18th May 2017

  Lord Corporation is a key contributor to the next-generation of rotorcraft through its participation in the build of both the Boeing-Sikorsky SB>1 Defiant and Bell …

• Training

  ITEC 2017: Festo Didactic delivers to Royal Navy

  18th May 2017

  There has been much debate of recent years about the use of virtual versus live training. Observers tend to relate this to flight simulation but …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  PC-21 (Project Air 5428) [Australia]

  The new PTS, including aircraft, flight training simulators and learning environments is being acquired from a single capability contractor, Team 21, which consists of Lockheed ...

• Transport, Transport/tanker aircraft

  Project Air 7404 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement Australia is thinking ahead to an enlarged transport fleet to replace the current C-130Js. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was the second ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A (Project Air 6000 Phase 2A/B) [Australia]

  Programme Background The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) took delivery of 18 F-35A aircraft as of March 2020 and the remaining aircraft are expected to ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (5-6) [Australia]

  Background Four Contracted Units In the summer of 2020, Northrop Grumman announced that the Australian Government provided $333 million for three MQ-4C Tritons and associated GCS. ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Medium Range Air Defence [Australia]

  Background Faced with a growing threat from China and a vast land and sea territory to protect, Australia is seeking to establish a medium-range ground-based ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (13-14) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [Australia]

  Background Older Efforts On 23 April 2021, the US State Department's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) approval announcement revealed that Australia had requested to buy up ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Project Air 7003 [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Royal Australian Air Force has been without a UAS capability since the Heron was withdrawn in mid-2017. According to Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, ...

• OPVs

  Arafura Class (Project SEA 1180) (1-6) [Australia]

  Programme Background Australia's new class of Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV), the Arafura-class, will replace the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) fleet of Armidale and Cape-class patrol ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-28 Ghost Bat [Australia]

  Background Goal As stated by the Head of Air Force Capability, Air Vice-Marshal Robert Denney, in March 2022, the Ghost Bat will be an "operational system ...

• Loitering munitions

  Mission Talon Strike [Australia]

  Background Request for Tender (RFT) On 19 May 2025, the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator (ASCA), an agency aimed at streamlining defence invocation for the Australian Defence ...

• Military UAS - small

  VTOL UAV [New Zealand]

  Background Defence Capability Plan (DCP) In April 2025, the New Zealand government published the DCP, a document that is essentially a blueprint for what procurements ...

• Trainer

  Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements The RAAF is seeking a future solution that provides a ‘relevant, adaptable, affordable and safe LIFTS out to 2050’ for training pilots ...

• Military UAS - small

  DEF129 (Tactical UAS) [Australia]

  Programme Background Programme Announcement The Australian Army announced the Project Land 129 Phase 3 programme in 2017. This announcement led to the release of an industry ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Harpii Szpon (Loyal Wingman) [Poland]

  Background Market Evaluation On 6 November 2023, speaking at the IQPC International Fighter Conference (IFC) 2023 in Madrid, Major General Cezary Wiśniewski, the Deputy General Commander of the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Air-5416 Project Echidna

  Air-5416 Project Echidna was an initiative launched in 2001 by BAE Systems for the Australian DoD. Its goal was to overhaul the self protection systems ...

• Trainer

  King Air trainer

  Textron / Beechcraft King Air trainers are a family twin-engine aircraft based on King Air 90, 100, 200 and 350 utility aircraft. The King Air ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Australian Defence Force MRH90 Training

  As prime contractor for the ADF's MRH90 training programme, CAE has provided two MRH90 full-flight mission simulators (FFMS), training facilities and engineering and support services. ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  RAAF Hawk Mk 127 FMS

  Under subcontract to BAE Systems, CAE is designing and manufacturing three Hawk Mk 127 full-mission simulators (FMS) for the Royal Australian Air Force that will ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Wanderer

  The Wanderer is a low-altitude, low-cost, long-endurance UAV produced in-house by the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) Jericho Disruptive Innovation Group and the Australian Government's Defense Science ...

• Light attack

  Hawk 200

  The Hawk 200 is a single-seat light attack iteration of the Hawk 100 (see separate entry) and Advanced Jet Trainer or AJT (see separate entry). ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-28A Ghost Bat

  The MQ-28A Ghost Bat is a loyal wingman-type, Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), MALE fixed-wing drone being developed by Boeing Defence Australia. Its development began in ...

• Military - USVs

  Bluebottle

  Bluebottle is a persistent, autonomous, uncrewed surface vessel from Ocius Technology in service with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF). In ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  Predator Mission Trainer (PMT)

  The CAE Predator Mission Trainer (PMT) is an integrated platform that combines the features of CAE's UAS mission trainer with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' Predator-specific ...

• Maritime patrol

  Challenger 604

  Bombardier Challenger CL-604 MPAs are in service with the Royal Danish Air Force and the Korea Coast Guard. The first of three Danish aircraft entered ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Phantom 4 (Series)

  Designed for aerial photograph applications by DJI, the Phantom 4 series of UAVs includes the Phantom 4 Pro, Phantom 4 Pro V2.0, Phantom 4 Advanced ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Hawkei

  Thales Australia developed the 4x4 Hawkei for the Australian Army's Land 121 Phase 4 Protected Mobility Vehicle – Light (PMV-L) project.  The prototype was unveiled in ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  AN/ALR-2001

  BAE Systems’ AN/ALR-2001 Electronic Support Measure (ESM) is thought to be based on Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Elta Systems division’s EL/M-8382 ESM. The AN/ALR-2001 is ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  AGM-88E AARGM

  The AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) is a supersonic, medium-range, air-launched tactical missile compatible with US and allied strike aircraft. Designed to upgrade the AGM-88 ...

• Military UAS - mini

  M Solar-X

  First revealed in August 2020, in February 2024, at its symposium, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) showcased the M Solar-X. This solar-powered fixed-wing drone was ...