• Air Warfare

  Union slams “self-sabotage” of UK government over Typhoon production

  8th July 2025

  The UK Ministry of Defence remains resolute that the Typhoon sits at the heart of the country’s air defence capabilities and is focused on the aircraft’s potential export orders, despite its continued focus on F-35 procurement.

• Naval Warfare

  Half of Australia’s first Hunter frigate is now in fabrication

  29th September 2025

  BAE Systems Maritime Australia’s Andy Coxall gave Shephard a progress update on its HMAS Hunter frigate, while addressing concerns over the cost difference between Australia’s programme and Norway’s.

• Land Warfare

  Avalon 2025: Hanwha outlines tight schedule for Redback deliveries

  28th March 2025

  The Hanwha Armoured vehicle Centre of Excellence (H-ACE) is a A$225 million (US$142 million) factory being built beside Avalon Airport near Melbourne, Australia, despite a substantial drop in the number of vehicles originally planned to be produced.

• Land Warfare

  "The next industrial revolution": Pearson Engineering embraces autonomy and robotics

  1st September 2025

  In Conversation: Shephard’s Gerrard Cowan talks to Pearson Engineering group chief executive officer Ian Bell about how the company is turning to new technologies to provide critical protection and mobility for troops on the front line.

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2025: Hanwha looks to a proven template as it plans further international expansion

  24th February 2025

  Hanwha Aerospace global defense CEO Michael Coulter was appointed to the seat just over two months ago. He sat down with Shephard at last week’s IDEX 2025 to outline his vision for how the company is looking to grow its footprint in the US and Europe.

• Defence Notes

  How Canada plans to “seize” the opportunity to increase investments in defence

  25th September 2025

  The Canadian Department of National Defence has been increasing efforts to accelerate the acquisition of new equipment and modernise its in-service inventory.

• Air Warfare

  “Gloves are off” as US Defense Secretary memo calls for sweeping drone procurement reform

  14th July 2025

  US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has promised to usher in a new era of “military drone dominance”.

• Land Warfare

  Canada unveils plans for mobile artillery

  27th May 2025

  Canada did deploy the US M109 155mm/39 cal tracked self-propelled artillery system as its only mobile weapon for many years but these were finally declared surplus in 2005.

• Naval Warfare

  What capabilities has the US deployed in the Caribbean and South America to engage “drug boats”?

  7th November 2025

  The US arsenal includes amphibious assault and littoral combat ships, cutters, destroyers, landing platform docks, a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine, drones, ISR aircraft, helicopters and fighters.

• Land Warfare

  HIMARS arrive in Hawaii as first multinational launch in Australia takes place

  18th July 2025

  The M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launcher is in high demand with Lockheed Martin doubling speed of manufacture since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As orders are racked up in Europe, the Indo-Pacific region is seeing the increasing presence of the system.

• Naval Warfare

  Japan accelerates naval shipbuilding with new OPVs, destroyers and amphibious craft

  23rd May 2025

  Japan Marine United has made advances in OPV construction, as it unveils next-gen DDGX concepts and expands fast-landing craft fleet for island defence.

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2025: India’s Kalyani brings latest 155mm gun to Abu Dhabi

  20th February 2025

  The MArG 45 wheeled self-propelled artillery system has made it debut at IDEX 2025 but has yet to enter production.

• Land Warfare

  Axe swings on US Army procurements

  6th May 2025

  The US Army was undergoing a large refresh of its land vehicles but this seems to have come to a whiplash stop. Procurements have been reduced, legacy vehicles and systems are on the chopping block and even the number of Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs) is under threat.

• Air Warfare

  Portuguese Embraer programmes progress as company works on opportunities

  21st July 2025

  Embraer has notched up substantial wins this year with Sweden ordering C-390s, Lithuania selecting it and Portugal ordering more as the company pushes to expand roles for the aircraft. Embraer’s A-29 has also had wins in the same period with the aircraft ordered by an African country and Paraguay ordering more.

• Air Warfare

  Avalon 2025: Australia’s missile and ordnance plans excite companies

  31st March 2025

  Australia’s Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) industrial plan is ambitious and promises big spending in an effort to create a local and sovereign capability. Companies at last week’s Australian International Airshow near Melbourne were making their pitches.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  K239 Chunmoo (Batch 1) [Estonia]

  Background Estonia currently operates the HIMARS as its primary MRLS. However, in an effort to expand its capabilities, as well as diversify its supply base, ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Caesar [Croatia]

  Background Croatia currently operates the Soviet 2S1 Gvozdika, alongside a small number of German PzH 2000s.  Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, multiple ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  K239 Chunmoo (Batch 2) [Estonia]

  Background Estonia currently operates the HIMARS as its primary MRLS. However, in an effort to expand its capabilities, as well as diversify its supply base, ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  K239 Chunmoo [Norway]

  Programme Background Norway previously operated a fleet of 12 M270 MLRS, which were put into storage in 2005 before being donated to Ukraine, via the ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Caesar [Portugal]

  Background The Portuguese army currently operates the M109 Paladin, alongside a number of traditional towed platforms. As part of the wider European trend towards modernising ...

• Loitering munitions

  Warmate 3.0 [South Korea]

  Programme Background Korean Reports On 3 September 2024, The Korea Economic Daily, nicknamed Hankyung, reported that the South Korean military was to introduce Polish loitering ...

• Self-propelled guns

  M109 Paladin replacement [USA]

  Background The M109 entered US service in the 1960s. Since then it has served as the US Army's primary self-propelled howitzer (SPH). Over the course ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Mobile Tactical Cannon [USA]

  Background The US Army began using the M777 in 1995. Since then, it has served as a field artillery piece providing fire support for American ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Pandur II (Second Batch)

  Since the first two Pandur IIs were delivered at the end of 2019, this forecast anticipates that the majority of the value of this programme ...

• Self-propelled guns

  ATMOS [Colombia]

  Programme background The Colombian army currently operates a variety of towed artillery platforms. The acquisition of self-propelled platforms is intended to enhance the capabilities of ...

• Self-propelled guns

  K9 Thunder (Batch 1) [Poland]

  Programme Background Poland began utilising the K9 in 2008, when it was selected as the basis for its domestically produced Krab self-propelled gun, with the K9 providing ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Caesar (Batch 2) [Estonia]

  Programme Background Estonia procured its first 12 Caesars in June 2024, with deliveries taking place in 2025. This second contract, awarded in February 2026, mirrors ...

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

  DT46 [France]

  Programme Background Reports Around Eurosatory 2024, multiple defence news outlets, notably Army Recognition and The Defence Post, reported that the French Army had acquired Delair's ...

• Self-propelled guns

  ATMOS [Denmark]

  Programme Background In 2016, the ATMOS was one of two systems shortlisted to meet a requirement from the Danish Army for up to 21 new ...

• Self-propelled mortars

  Mjolner [Netherlands]

  Background The Netherlands does not currently operate any self-propelled mortars, relying instead on traditional towed platforms.  The war in Ukraine has demonstrated that static fire ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Self-propelled guns

  Arpan

  The Arpan is a 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer (SPH), developed by ASFAT. It is a modification of the Panter towed howitzer, developed to provide a ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Morana

  Developed by Excalibur Army, the Morana is a 155mm self-propelled-howitzer capable of hitting targets up to 41km away. The howitzer is mounted on a Tatra Force ...

• Self-propelled guns

  PLZ-05/PLZ-52

  The PLZ-05 is a 155 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer developed for the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) to supplement and eventually replace its inventory of ...

• Land: battle management systems

  ATLAS

  An interoperable C4I system for artillery missions and resources deployed in the French Army. Commissioned in 2005, ATLAS represents a main element of battlespace digitisation, ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Mounted Artillery Gun (MArG)

  The Mounted Artillery Gun (MArG) is a wheeled self-propelled howitzer developed by Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited. It was first unveiled at Eurosatory 2026.

• Self-propelled guns

  Uran

  The Uran is a 105mm self-propelled howitzer (SPH) developed by MKE. First unveiled at SAHA 2026, the Uran is intended to provide a mobile fire ...

• Self-propelled guns

  SH3

  The SH3 (also referred to as WMZ322) is a 122 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer introduced by Norinco in 2008. Believed to be an updated version ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Attila

  The Attila is a wheeled 155mm self-propelled howitzer (SPH) developed by MKE. Unveiled at SAHA 2026, the Attila is intended to provide Turkey with a ...

• Self-propelled guns

  GCT

  The GCT 155 mm tracked self-propelled howitzer was developed as a replacement for the French Army's Mk F3 155 mm self-propelled howitzer. Unlike the open-topped ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Gurhan

  The Gurhan is a tracked 155mm self-propelled howitzer (SPH) developed by MKE. First unveiled at SAHA 2024, the Gurhan is intended to provide a domestically ...

• Guided munitions

  GP155/GP155A

  The GP155 and its advanced variant, the GP155A, are precision-guided 155 mm artillery projectiles developed by Norinco.

• Unguided Artillery Ammunition

  XM1122E1 High Explosive Projectile

  The XM1122E1 High Explosive Projectile is a 155mm artillery round being developed by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems. As of May 2025, it was undergoing testing with the US Army.

• Self-propelled guns

  VBM 155

  The Veicolo Blindato Medio (VBM) 155 is a self-propelled howitzer, currently being developed by CIO. The VBM 155 will provide the Italian army's wheeled armoured formations ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Type 99

  The Type 99 is a self-propelled howitzer developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and the Japan Steel Works to replace the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's ...

• Self-propelled guns

  SIGMA

  The SIGMA is the latest self-propelled howitzer (SPH) developed by Elbit America and Oshkosh Defense. Produced entirely in the US, the SIGMA is intended to ...