• Naval Warfare

  Babcock to take over upkeep of Royal Navy Type-23 frigates

  24th April 2024

  The Royal Navy’s Type-23 Duke-class frigates for the UK Royal Navy were designed as anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ships but now have a multi-role function. Of the 16 Type 23s built, 12 remain in service with the Royal Navy and will be replaced by the Type-26 frigates before 2035.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Tekever unveils new swarm-controlling UAS

  24th April 2024

  Tekever has manufactured the AR3, AR4 and AR5 UAS with all systems sharing common electronics and software architecture, which has enabled the reuse of ground segment elements within the new ARX UAS.

• Naval Warfare

  Is the US Navy’s new DDG(X) destroyer facing cancellation?

  6th June 2024

  The projected costs for the DDG(X) destroyer project are spiralling, its technologies need to be matured and the USN has more pressing priorities. If the programme begins to repeat some of the mistakes made on previous major surface combatant procurements then DDG(X) is likely to face the axe.

• Defence Notes

  US FY2024 funding package passes as China closes military capability gap

  26th March 2024

  The Pentagon has been operating under temporary funding since October 2023, which has impacted its main acquisition and development programmes, increasing the capability gap between the US and China.

• Air Warfare

  Diehl and Northrop collaborate on layered air defence system

  12th March 2024

  Diehl Defence and Northrop Grumman have joined forces to explore the potential synergy between their technologies, aiming to bolster European air defence capabilities.

• Digital Battlespace

  How commercial tech is reshaping military requirements

  24th May 2024

  Non-military drones, robotics, VR, AR, SATCOM and cyber tech will play a crucial part in future warfare.

• Land Warfare

  European MBT programmes make tracks and try to find a path forward

  8th July 2024

  European MBT programmes over the next decade or two could result in orders up to US$10 billion with orders occurring and plans for purchases predicted to refresh ageing fleets.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Navy welcomes mine-hunting mothership

  15th April 2024

  RFA Stirling Castle, a 6,000-tonne vessel, will start operations later this year.

• Land Warfare

  Adaptable Architecture: How Vehicle Communications are Evolving for the Modern Battlespace

  12th June 2024

  In Conversation... General Dynamics Mission Systems' Dr Emeka Egbogah talks to Shephard's Gerrard Cowan about the communications challenges facing armoured vehicle crews and the need for an open-architecture modular system to meet their constantly evolving needs.

• Digital Battlespace

  How SOF teams can operate in disconnected and limited bandwidth environments

  28th May 2024

  Advanced, improved solutions have been enabling special operators to perform missions in isolated, remote locations across the globe.

• Land Warfare

  Japan orders THeMIS UGVs

  18th April 2024

  Milrem’s Tracked Hybrid Modular Infantry System (THeMIS) is a modular, multimission, hybrid UGV. The current fifth-generation model incorporates knowledge gained during tests in the US, Europe and the Middle East, as well as during field-deployment in Mali in the French-led Operation Barkhane.

• Land Warfare

  Patria orders Kongsberg Protector’s for common APCs

  27th March 2024

  Patria developed the Patria 6x6 APC, unveiled at the June 2018 Eurosatory exhibition, as a successor to the XA-series Pasi APC and was selected for the Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) programme.

• Air Warfare

  Boeing starts construction on first final assembly facility outside North America

  27th March 2024

  The site will manufacture the MQ-28 Ghost Bat, the first combat aircraft manufactured, engineered and designed in Australia in more than 50 years.

• Digital Battlespace

  Push for greater use of open source data, says senior British officer

  19th April 2024

  The huge amount of open source data available may not carry the weight of secret sources but it does carry substantial value, according to speakers at Defence IQ C4ISR Global conference in London.

• Land Warfare

  Germany orders more Patriot air defence systems

  26th March 2024

  The US Army has acquired more than 1,100 launchers of which it has exported at least 200 launchers, while more than 10,000 Patriot missiles have been produced to date.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  Programme Background  In February 2025, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste Simon Harris highlighted Irelands need to procure a new combat fighter jet to combat ...

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

  Polish Drones (Ukraine Aid) [Sweden]

  Background Swedish Support Package On 31 March 2025, the Swedish Government presented its 19th and largest military support package to Ukraine to date, valued at almost SEK ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | A400M (forecast) [United Kingdom]

  In April 2025, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that as part of the Strategic Defence Review is reviewing a potential purchase of additional A400M Atlas ...

• Data links

  Data links | A400M (forecast) [United Kingdom]

  In April 2025, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that as part of the Strategic Defence Review is reviewing a potential purchase of additional A400M Atlas ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | A400M (forecast) [United Kingdom]

  In April 2025, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that as part of the Strategic Defence Review is reviewing a potential purchase of additional A400M Atlas ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Landing Craft Utility (LCU) [Japan]

  According to the 2022 Defence Buildup Programme, Japan will procure new Landing Craft Utility (LCUs). This was already specified in the Medium Term Defence Programme (FY2019 ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Landing Craft Utility (LCU) [Japan]

  According to the 2022 Defence Buildup Programme, Japan will procure new Landing Craft Utility (LCUs). This was already specified in the Medium Term Defence Programme (FY2019 ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Landing Craft Utility (LCU)/Small Transport Vessels (1-4) [Japan]

  According to the 2022 Defence Buildup Programme, Japan will procure new Landing Craft Utility (LCUs). This was already specified in the Medium Term Defence Programme (FY2019 ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Landing Craft Utility (LCU)/Small Transport Vessels (1-4) [Japan]

  According to the 2022 Defence Buildup Programme, Japan will procure new Landing Craft Utility (LCUs). This was already specified in the Medium Term Defence Programme (FY2019 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (Skyranger) [Germany]

  Programme Background The SPD-led approach Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany has been under consistent pressure to increase its defence spending. In the ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Manoeuvrable Boats [Japan]

  According to the 2022 Defence Buildup Programme, Japan will procure new manoeuvrable boats for the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF). Deliveries are set to start ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Manoeuvrable Boats [Japan]

  According to the 2022 Defence Buildup Programme, Japan will procure new manoeuvrable boats for the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF). Deliveries are set to start ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Manoeuvrable Boats (1-3) [Japan]

  According to the 2022 Defence Buildup Programme, Japan will procure new manoeuvrable boats for the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF). Deliveries are set to start ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Manoeuvrable Boats (1-3) [Japan]

  According to the 2022 Defence Buildup Programme, Japan will procure new manoeuvrable boats for the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF). Deliveries are set to start ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Landing Craft Utility (LCU)/Small Transport Vessels [Japan]

  According to the 2022 Defence Buildup Programme, Japan will procure new Landing Craft Utility (LCUs). This was already specified in the Medium Term Defence Programme (FY2019 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Individual assault/anti-tank weapons

  RGW 60

  Dynamit Nobel developed the Recoilless Grenade Weapon 60mm (RGW 60) for special operations, airborne and other light forces which require a compact, lightweight assault weapon. ...

• Land: RWS

  FeWaS 80

  The FeWaS 80 (Fernbedienbare Waffen Station 80kg – Remotely Controlled Weapon Station 80kg) was originally developed alongside the heavier FeWaS 120 to meet a requirement from ...

• Land: RWS

  Dual FeWaS

  The Dual FeWaS is an RWS designed to be installed on medium and heavy AFVs. It is armed with two weapons consisting of either a ...

• Individual assault/anti-tank weapons

  Enforcer

  MBDA has been developing the Enforcer since 2014 to provide a shoulder-launched precision missile system  that is able to defeat lightly armoured and soft-skinned targets ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  ACSV G5

  The Armoured Combat Support Vehicle G5 (ACSV), formerly the PMMC G5, is a tracked armoured personnel carrier (APC) intended to replace vehicles such as the M113 ...

• Land: RWS

  FeWAS 120

  The FeWaS 120 (Fernbedienbare Waffen Station 120kg – Remotely Controlled Weapon Station 120kg) was originally developed alongside the lighter FeWaS 80 to meet a requirement from ...

• Land: RWS

  Samson Mini

  The Samson Mini is one of the lightest members of the Samson RWS family. It is a dual-axis, gyrostabilised RWS designed for use on vehicles, ...

• Major networking projects

  Missile Defence

  In 2010, NATO rolled out an initial capability to protect alliance forces against missile threats and is now examining options for protecting territory and populations. ...

• Naval: RF, IR and acoustic decoys

  Krait Defence System

  Krait Defence System is a flexible, scalable and modular anti-submarine warfare solution by the British SEA. It includes a family of products from stand-alone KraitArray ...

• Major networking projects

  Defence Architecture Framework

  BAE Systems is developing a broad base of systems architecture expertise to execute network-centric warfare projects on behalf of the Australian Defence Force. This is ...

• Major networking projects

  Ballistic Missile Defence

  In early 2010, NATO acquired the first phase of an initial theatre ballistic missile defence capability to protect alliance forces. 

• Short Range Missile Defence Systems: 0 to 20 km range

  NOMADS Air Defence

  Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace developed the National Manoeuvre Air Defence System (NOMADS) to address the increasing need for mobile, adaptable air defence systems capable of ...

• Land: air defence simulators

  Rapier Air Defence PTT

  In service with the British Army, the Rapier Air Defence Field Standard A and B part task trainer (PTT) gives students target alerting, identification, tracking ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  Patriot Air Defence System

  The MIM-104 Phased Array Tracking to Intercept of Target (Patriot) is an American Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) system designed for air-defence duties. The original Standard MIM-104A  ...

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

  Falcon Air Defence System

  Unveiled at IDEX 2019, Falcon is a medium range ground-based air defence system, including C-RAM and C-UAS capabilities. The Falcon consists of Lockheed Martin's Skykeeper ...