• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australia robotises M113AS4 APCs

  3rd September 2019

  BAE Systems Australia is developing an autonomous version of the M113 armoured personnel carrier (APC) on behalf of the Australian Army as part of a …

• Land Warfare

  Australian Army awards GBAD/C-RAM support work to Saab

  23rd August 2019

  Saab has received an order from the Australian Army to extend the support of its ground-based air defence (GBAD) and counter-rocket, artillery and mortar (C-RAM) …

• Naval Warfare

  Indonesia selects Bofors 57 Mk3 naval gun

  22nd August 2019

  The Indonesian navy has selected BAE Systems’ Bofors 57 Mk3 naval gun system for its fleet of KCR-60 fast-attack vessels.  The initial contracts with government-owned …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF downselects Falcon radio for airborne comms competition

  8th July 2019

  L3Harris Technologies has been awarded a development prototype contract from the US Air Force for its Falcon Wideband Airborne HF Radio, which will now be …

• Digital Battlespace

  Hughes awarded SATCOM R&D contract

  25th July 2019

  Hughes Network Systems has been awarded an $11.8 million military satellite communications (SATCOM) research and development contract by the US Army, the company announced on …

• Digital Battlespace

  How Canada is enhancing its SATCOM coverage

  15th August 2019

  Expanding its commitment to the space domain, Canada’s defence policy commits to ‘increased and predictable’ funding to deliver new capabilities, such as earth observation, space …

• Digital Battlespace

  BAE launches new intelligence automation centre

  20th August 2019

  BAE Systems has launched a new Robotic Operations Center (ROC), which will be used to customise and deploy suites of software robots that automate high-volume, …

• Defence Notes

  South Korea to scrap military intel-sharing pact with Japan

  22nd August 2019

  South Korea said on 22 August that it would terminate its military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan – a move Tokyo immediately protested against – in …

• Defence Helicopter

  CIRCM tests carried out on UH-60M

  31st July 2019

  The US Army has test flown the UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter equipped with new Common Infrared Countermeasures (CIRCM) system. CIRCM is an improved countermeasure system …

• Training

  VRSG software integrated into USAF T-1A trainer fleet

  14th August 2019

  MetaVR's Virtual Reality Scene Generator (VRSG) has been integrated into the US Air Force’s T-1A Jayhawk twin-engine jet trainer fleet, part of an embedded training …

• Defence Notes

  South Korea says warning shots fired at intruding Russian warplane

  23rd July 2019

  South Korean fighter jets fired nearly 400 warning shots at a Russian military aircraft on 22 July after it violated the country's airspace, with Seoul …

• Digital Battlespace

  TruNet AR-2000​ demonstrated to US DoD

  2nd August 2019

  Collins Aerospace Systems has demonstrated the increased flexibility and bandwidth of its new TruNet AR-2000 two-channel, software-defined networking airborne radio to the US Department of …

• Digital Battlespace

  Singapore rolls out SATCOM VAMTAC and MAN SX45 wrecker

  9th July 2019

  The Singapore Army unveiled a new SATCOM variant of the URO VAMTAC ST5, as well as MAN SX45 8x8 wreckers, in Singapore’s National Day mobile …

• Military Logistics

  USS Michigan begins refit work

  30th July 2019

  The US Navy’s USS Michigan has begun a 17-month Extended Refit Period (ERP) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Michigan will undergo …

• Naval Warfare

  Iran attempts to seize British tanker

  11th July 2019

  Armed Iranian boats attempted to seize a British tanker in strategic Gulf waters on 10 July but were driven off by a Royal Navy frigate, …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Project Brakestop [UK]

  Programme Background Information Notice On 25 September 2024, the UK MoD published a prior information notice on Project Brakestop, which informed the industry about the upcoming ...

• Loitering munitions

  Medium Range Precision Strike (MRPS) [UK]

  Programme Background Prior Information Notice (PIN) On 21 October 2024, the MoD published a PIN in collaboration with the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S;). The notice ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Dominator XP [Thailand]

  Programme Background Purchase As reported by Shephard, in September 2023, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) inducted three Dominator XPs. The RTAF purchased the trio ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Project Corvus [UK]

  Programme Background Retirement In November 2024, speaking in the House of Commons, Defence Secretary John Healey stated that the WK 450 Watchkeeper was to be retired ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook (Singapore)

  Programme Background In July 2020, photos have emerged on the internet of the first Boeing CH-47F Chinook destined for the Republic of Singapore Air Force ...

• Transport

  VC-25B - USAF

  The modifications to the 747-8 aircraft will include an electrical power upgrade with dual Auxiliary Power Units that are usable in flight, a mission communication ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Anka-S (Second Batch) [Turkey]

  Programme Background First Batch Based on comments by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Turkish media in 2018, Shephard believes that Türkiye acquired 26 Anka-S drones ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian (US)

  Programme Background On 6 March 2023, GA-ASI announced that the Air Force Special Operations Command (ASFOC) had contracted three MQ-9B SkyGaurdians, making it the first US customer of the ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | SSN(X) Programme [USN]

  The US Navy may be far from reaching the end of procuring the current Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines (SSNs), but that does not mean planning for ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | SSN(X) Programme [USN]

  The US Navy may be far from reaching the end of procuring the current Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines (SSNs), but that does not mean planning for ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28NE Night Hunter

  Algerian military's follow-up order suggests that the country is satisfied with the Mi-28NE Night Hunters' performance in operational conditions in the desert environment featuring sandstorms ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  F-5E/F Adversary Trainer US Navy

  The F-5N is a single seat, dual engine supersonic land based fighter. It is designed to a service life of 9000 flight hours. The aircraft ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  New Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (NWJFAC) (1-31) [India]

  Programme Background Requirements The Indian Navy is seeking replacements for a large proportion of its 19 46-49m-long waterjet-powered fast attack craft, several of which are approaching ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  According to the FY2021 Base funding, the HH-60W helicopter unit cost is $43.2 million. The HH-60W will be capable of employment day or night, in ...

• Loitering munitions

  ZT-180 [Russia]

  Programme Background Claims On 23 February 2023, DER SPIEGEL reported that, according to information it had gathered, China and Russia were negotiating the purchase of 100 ZT-180 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  AN/APQ-181

  The AN/APQ-181 is a low-probability-of-intercept radar fitted to USAF Northrop Grumman B-2 stealth bombers. During the B-2 Radar Modernization Program – completed in 2012 – the ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  CreoLand HP

  CreoLand HP is a 10W MANET radio designed for command centres, long-range applications, artillery and special forces units. Notably, it offers a data throughput of 100Mbps ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  H10 Poseidon

  The H10 Poseidon is a fixed-wing VTOL-capable UAV manufactured by Swamrly. Due to the UAV's electric propulsion system, small-radar cross-section, lack of detachable thermal signature and ability to operate ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  DT-101

  The DT-101 is a small fixed-wing UAV from Deftech. The VTOL-capable platform features SATCOM with up to 10Mbs bandwidth capability. DefTech lists various payloads for ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  ARX

  Unveiled at Xponential 2024, the ARX is a fixed-wing drone developed by Tekever.  It features common electronics and software with other Tekever drones. Unlike those ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  DT-001

  The DT-001 is a tandem wing UCAV from Deftech. It can host a range of non-offensive payloads, such as IO/EO cameras and an airborne LIDAR. ...

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

  Khronos

  The Khronos is a tethered, fully automated UAV for ISR missions in GPS/GNSS-denied and RF-denied environments. The drone's manufacturer, Elistair, stated that it could be deployed from a ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Spider VTOL

  The Spider VTOL is a mini electrical fixed-wing UAV. Unlike traditional VTOL UAVs with dedicated motors, propellors and structural parts for performing take-off and landing, the Spider ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/VRC-118(V)1

  The AN/VRC-118(V)1 is a Mid-tier Networking Vehicular Radio (MNVR) which provides warfighters with the ability to share situational awareness. The MNVR utilises two joint tactical ...

• Data links

  MAQA Terminal 3.8m Flyaway Variant

  The Modular Aperture Quad-Band Antenna (MAQA) Terminal is designed to provide a ruggedised, mobile, quad-band SATCOM terminal that supports operations with the WGS constellation, legacy ...

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

  BLADE-55

  The Ballistic Loitering Attack Drone (BLADE, or BLADE-55) is a multi-role, weaponised rotary-wing UAV from Alare Technologies.  The drone can notably host two NAMMO M72 LAW weapons. Additionally, the ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Disruptor

  Publically unveiled at AUSA 2024, the Disruptor is a loitering munition and UAV manufactured by AEVEX Aerospace. The Group III aircraft utilises a pneumatic launcher or Rocket Assisted ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARC-231 Skyfire

  The AN/ARC-231 Skyfire is an airborne VHF/UHF/LOS and DAMA SATCOM system. This system supports US DoD requirements for airborne, multi-band, multi-mission, secure anti-jam voice, data ...

• OPVs

  Afrika Class (Vard 7 055)

  The Afrika-class (Vard 7 055) is a 53m OPV developed by Vard Marine. Designed to undertake surveillance, patrol and response operations with the EEZ, the ...

• Major networking projects

  ISOM

  Integrated SATCOM Global Information Grid Operations and Management (ISOM) develops a scalable and policy-based management system that enables automatic allocation and provisioning of SATCOM resources. ...