• Air Warfare

  India elevates defence systems to boost mountain surveillance

  17th October 2025

  India has strengthened its focus on terrain-adaptive intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance following recent incursions and drone activity along the country’s northern borders.

• Digital Battlespace

  Wave Relay devices cleared for security use on commercial systems in industry trend

  4th June 2025

  Persistent Systems has been cleared by National Security Agency (NSA) to transmit sensitive data on commercial networks. The devices are added to the NSA’s Commercial Solutions for Classified (CSfC) component list which also includes other companies’ products providing the same security.

• Air Warfare

  MQ-28A Ghost Bat: Australia’s drone charts the future of loyal wingman UAVs

  6th October 2025

  Boeing Australia’s MQ-28A Ghost Bat stands as the oldest “loyal wingman” currently in development, with potential European opportunity on the horizon for the uncrewed aerial vehicle.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal New Zealand Navy outlines modernisation goals

  2nd September 2025

  The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) has a crunch time coming up as it looks to refresh its fleet before 2040, and prepares to begin operating Sikorsky MH-60R helicopters, although it is at the back of a long ordering queue. A key part of any solution is looking at what neighbouring Australia is buying.

• Defence Notes

  Singapore’s DSTA seeks wider partnerships to advance robotics and AI capabilities

  19th September 2025

  The technology organisation is expecting a significant rise in the number of staff working across robotics and digital solutions as it becomes more of a focal point.

• Land Warfare

  Australia aims for rapid procurement of loitering munitions

  22nd May 2025

  The purchase will occur in a short timeframe, specifically for deliveries to begin next month, with local manufacture. All this puts Innovaero’s One-Way Loitering (OWL) systems, with OWL B already in service with the Australian Defence Force (ADF), comfortably perched for a likely win.

• Air Warfare

  T-6 Texan II trainers deepen their footprint in Asia

  20th December 2024

  Textron Aviation Defense has said it is confident it can continue to grow orders across Asia as Japan selects the T-6 Texan II to replace the Fuji T-7.

• Land Warfare

  The power of partnership: GDMS–UK deepens cooperation with the British Army

  25th June 2025

  In Conversation: Shephard's Gerrard Cowan talks to General Dynamics Mission Systems–United Kingdom’s Chris Burrows about how the company's UK TacCIS business is reshaping battlefield communications through sustained customer engagement, accelerated innovation and ecosystem collaboration.

• Land Warfare

  How the US Marine Corps “increased” Marines’ shooting accuracy by 99%

  2nd April 2025

  The new small arms training approach includes the use of data and simulation capabilities, as well as more realistic environments.

• Naval Warfare

  Indian Navy contracts Kongsberg to provide equipment for for its Fleet Support Ships

  3rd December 2024

  Kongsberg Maritime will give the Indian Navy’s future FSS fleet new replenishment options to boost the range of the navy’s vessels.

• Naval Warfare

  Swedish navy moves to final phase of Blekinge-class sub production with new Saab order

  14th October 2025

  Saab Kockums was initially awarded the contract to build two A26 submarines for the Royal Swedish Navy in 2015, but the programme has faced delays and escalating costs.

• Naval Warfare

  Newest Arleigh Burke Flight III destroyer launched and ready for fitting

  27th March 2025

  DDG 129, which will become the USS Jeremiah Denton on commissioning, was moved to dry dock to begin its technical fitting and testing.

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2025: New Slovak mortar system already being trialled in undisclosed country

  20th February 2025

  Slovak company ZTS-ŠPECIÁL, in association with Excalibur Army and Kerametal, launched a new 120mm self-propelled mortar (SPM) system at IDEX this week.

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed wins $8.7 million contract for Singapore F-16 upgrades

  21st January 2025

  The contract modification announced by the DSCA, will cover consolidated spares in support of Singapore’s F-16 upgrade programme.

• Air Warfare

  Tiltrotor: The Long-Range Maneuver Solution

  25th February 2025

  If competition turns to conflict, the United States, along with its allies and partners, must be prepared to confront peer and near-peer competitors capable of achieving parity in military capability.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Invincible Class (Type 218SG) (5-6) [Singapore]

  In March 2025, the Singapore Ministry of Defence (Mindef) announced it would acquire two more submarines to complement its four Type 218SG Invincible-class submarines. Speaking to ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Invincible Class (Type 218SG) (5-6) [Singapore]

  In March 2025, the Singapore Ministry of Defence (Mindef) announced it would acquire two more submarines to complement its four Type 218SG Invincible-class submarines. Speaking to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Small-Sized Suicide Drones [South Korea]

  Programme Background Drone Ambition As reported by Shephard, South Korea has ambitions to possess a large arsenal of drones. In May 2024, the presidential office ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply System (JTAARS) / Medium ULS-A [USA]

  Background US Marine ULS-A programmes The US Marines are seeking a family of Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A), which will provide logistics and ground units with their ...

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

  Switch V2 [India]

  Background Emergency Procurements In June 2025, India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the signing of 13 contracts under the Emergency Procurement (EP) mechanism. The procurements, ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Type 707 (1-2) [Germany]

  Programme Background Requirements The German Navy approved an acquisition to start replacing the two ageing Rhön-class (Type 704) class single-hulled tankers, which were constructed in the ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Wolf 2 [Germany]

  Programme Background The Wolf 2 was designed by Mercedes-Benz to replace the German Bundeswehr's ageing fleet of Wolf utility vehicles. The Bundeswehr is currently replacing its ...

• Transport

  C-130 Replacement [Greece]

  Programme Background Requirement The existing C-130 fleet of the Hellenic Air Force has faced operational readiness issues, with only one or two airframes in service at ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Land Autonomous Collaborative Platform (LACP) [UK]

  Background Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) Strategy Reflecting on lessons learned from the cancellation of the Mosquito programme, the Royal Air Force (RAF) redefined the role ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F (Australia)

  Programme Background The government of Australia has requested to buy four CH-47F cargo helicopters with unique modifications: eight T55-GA-714A aircraft turbine engines, five AN/AAR-57 common ...

• OPVs

  58m OPV Procurement [Guyana]

  Programme Background Timeline In April 2024, OCEA announced the signing of a Letter of Intent (loI) with the Guyana Defence Force for the procurement of an ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Second LHD [Turkey]

  Programme Background Timeline On 29 October 2023, during the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey, Turkish President Recep Erdogan stated that the Navy is ...

• Loitering munitions

  Nagastra-1 (Second Batch) [India]

  Background Emergency Procurements In June 2025, India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the signing of 13 contracts under the Emergency Procurement (EP) mechanism. The procurements, which ...

• AEW&C

  E-7 Wedgetail (737) - UK

  Programme Background Seeking to replace its six ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry AEW&C;, the British Royal Air Force awarded Boeing a £1.89 billion contract in 2019 covering the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Guided munitions

  LG-155

  Unveiled for the first time at Saha Expo 2024, the LG-155 is a 155 mm artillery round developed by Roketsan. This laser-guided projectile is engineered ...

• Deployable/static missile systems

  Oerlikon Laser Gun

  Rheinmetall showcased the applications for its High Energy Laser (HEL) guns for the first time at IDEX 2015 in Abu Dhabi. The Oerlikon Laser Gun ...

• Light machine guns

  LSAT LMG

  Textron Systems Unmanned Systems is developing and maturing a Lightweight Small Arms Technologies (LSAT) family of weapons and ammunition with the US Army that fires ...

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

  Attritable Multirotor First Person View (AM-FPV)

  Unveiled in May 2025, the Attritable Multirotor First Person View (AM-FPV) is a low-cost, rapidly deployable platform for strike and ISR missions, inspired by battlefield lessons from ...

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  MEWS

  The Modular Electronic Warfare System (MEWS) is a land COMINT sensor that was jointly developed by L3 TRL and Qinetiq. Utilising L3 TRL compact receiver ...

• Land: fire control systems

  Oerlikon Skymaster

  Oerlikon Skymaster is the command and control unit of Rheinmetall's Skynex air defence system. The Skymaster is intended to support tactical and operational level air ...

• Land: air defence radar

  X-TAR 3D

  The X-Band Tactical Acquisition Radar 3D (X-TAR 3D) air surveillance and acquisition radar is the newest member of Rheinmetall’s X-TAR family. The fully coherent phased-array ...

• Loitering munitions

  Lumberjack

  The Lumberjack is a one-way attack drone from  Northrop Grumman. The company describes it as a force multiplier.  The drone follows an open systems architecture, ...

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  Smartscan- MEWS

  MEWS (Modular Electronic Warfare System) is a software-driven spectrum surveillance system covering two megahertz to three gigahertz. It is designed to detect, collect and geolocate ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  CM32/33/34 Yunpao

  The CM32 Yunpao (Cloud Leopard) family of 8x8 armoured vehicles has been developed to meet the requirements of the Republic of China Army to replace ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  SBTS

  The Shore-Based Sonar Training System (SBTS), launched in 2016, incorporates technology from the Model 997 Hull/Bow-Mounted Sonar Model 980 ALOFTS system to help support sonar ...

• Subsystems: visual

  Apogée 7

  Apogée 7 is an integrated COTS-based image generation system. It provides functions enhancing overall fixed- or rotary-wing simulation efficiency, image quality and supports large-area realistic ...

• Land: handheld NV devices

  NVS 7 Binocular Series

  Based on the NVS 7-3AG NVG, the NVS 7 Binocular Series uses Gen III auto-gated NV technology and is suitable for defence, marine and SAR ...

• Land: handheld NV devices

  Jaguar

  MKU's Jaguar 14 monoculars and Jaguar 7 binoculars have Gen III technology with military-grade Schott lenses. An automatic bright light cut-off sensor provides protection from ...

• Subsystems: visual

  FL33 series

  FL33 series projectors use LED illumination technology with a lifespan of up to 100,000 hours. Designed for 24/7 operation without need for changing lamps, the ...