• Uncrewed Vehicles

  First test flights conducted for NBEC

  14th February 2019

  Cranfield University and Blue Bear Systems Research have successfully conducted the first test flights to establish the principles for the National Beyond visual line of …

• Special Operations

  Global SAR units take to the sky

  30th November 2018

  Search and Rescue (SAR) units from around the world gathered in Israel to share concepts of operation, tactics, techniques and procedures with senior service officials …

• Land Warfare

  GDLS receives Stryker fleet STS contract

  13th February 2019

  General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) has received a $402 million contract to provide systems technical support (STS) for the US Army’s Stryker Brigade Combat Team …

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2019: Rheinmetall’s new protection module on show

  16th February 2019

  Rheinmetall is set to exhibit its new Hybrid Protection Module at IDEX 2019. The Module can either be deployed in standalone mode or retrofitted into …

• Military Logistics

  KBRwyle to continue BOSS services in Djibouti, Bahrain

  15th February 2019

  KBRwyle has received two contract modifications to continue providing base operating support services (BOSS) to the US Navy in Djibouti and Bahrain, KBR announced on …

• Land Warfare

  India orders new SIG Sauer rifles

  13th February 2019

  The Indian Army will finally start receiving new small arms after a contract was signed with SIG Sauer in the US for 72,400 rifles of …

• Military Logistics

  Tinker AFB readies for KC-46 maintenance

  15th February 2019

  Construction is underway on the 158-acre, 14-dock maintenance campus at Tinker Air Force Base as part of work to prepare for maintenance of the incoming …

• Land Warfare

  US Army seeks new 155mm munitions

  12th February 2019

  In a sources sought request posted on 11 February 2019, the US Army stated its interest in a new 155mm Cannon-Delivered Area Effects Munition (C-DAEM) anti-personnel, …

• Defence Notes

  IDEX 2019: China's presence, UGV overload and new vehicles (video)

  17th February 2019

  As IDEX 2019 gets started the Shephard News team takes a look at some of the platforms and programmes that will be highlighted throughout the …

• Defence Notes

  Planes, tanks, subs: the Thai generals' shopping list

  14th February 2019

  Defence spending in Thailand has surged over the last decade, during which the military has seized power twice. The junta-picked National Legislative Assembly has proposed …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  HiDRON completes flights tests at 82,000ft

  12th February 2019

  UAVOS and Stratodynamics Aviation have successfully completed the next stage of flights tests of the HiDRON earth observation platform to an altitude of 82,000ft, UAVOS …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Logos Technologies’ sensors for Insitu’s UAS

  12th February 2019

  Logos Technologies has been selected to provide its wide-area motion imagery (WAMI) sensors for Insitu’s line of UAS, the company announced on 4 February. The …

• Naval Warfare

  Steel cutting commences for USCGC Argus

  13th February 2019

  Eastern Shipbuilding Group (ESG) has cut first steel for the US Coast Guard’s first Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC), Argus, at its facility in Panama City, …

• Defence Notes

  Airbus, Dassault Aviation to carry out FCAS study

  12th February 2019

  Airbus and Dassault Aviation have received a joint concept study (JCS) contract from France and Germany for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) programme, the …

• Defence Notes

  US intel chief to brief NATO on US withdrawal from INF treaty

  28th November 2018

  US Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said on 27 November that he is heading to Europe to explain to allies Washington's decision to pull …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Joint Light Helicopter (HIL) Programme

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

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 TTH [France]

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

• 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 ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | OPV Procurement (1-2) [Montenegro]

  During Euronaval 2024, the French Ministry of Armed Forces and Veterans announced that Montenegro signed a contract for the acquisition of two OPV 60. Both ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | OPV Procurement (1-2) [Montenegro]

  During Euronaval 2024, the French Ministry of Armed Forces and Veterans announced that Montenegro signed a contract for the acquisition of two OPV 60. Both ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (13-15) [France]

  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 as ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 Special Forces [France]

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

• 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 ...

• 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

  Colibri [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated in a press conference in May 2022 that the Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA) and ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 ...

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

• LTVs - 4x4

  PLFS [France]

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

• Loitering munitions

  Larinae [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated in a press conference in May 2022 that the Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA) ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Counter-UAS 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 - fixed-wing, 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, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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 ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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 - 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 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 - 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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. ...

• 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 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Toutatis

  The Toutatis is an in-development loitering munition from Thales. According to Thales, the platform is effective against groups of fighters and unarmored and light-armoured vehicles. Unveiled at ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Sky Keeper

  The Sky Keeper is a rotary-wing UAV from Milton International.  The UAV is capable of carrying a 10kg payload and features a modular gimbal, meaning ...