• Air Warfare

  Leonardo and Textron pitch M-346N for upcoming US Navy T-45 replacement

  30th April 2024

  Leonardo and Textron’s joint effort to introduce the M-346N aircraft into the US Navy’s training programme has promised to offer a proven efficient training enterprise as the T-45 replacement.

• Land Warfare

  Hanwha contracted to develop radar for South Korean missile defence

  30th April 2025

  Hanwha will develop the multi-function radar of the Low Altitude Missile Defense (LAMD), work which is scheduled to be completed before the end of 2028.

• Naval Warfare

  US Coast Guard faces the “greatest readiness challenge since World War II”, says Homeland Security Secretary

  13th May 2025

  The service currently has diverse problems in its procurement programmes and capability gaps in its inventory, writes Shephard’s North America editor Flavia Camargos Pereira.

• Air Warfare

  Teledyne FLIR upgrades Black Hornet 4 UAS

  9th May 2025

  Integration and expanding capabilities are among the objectives for Teledyne FLIR to further develop its family of uncrewed systems.

• Naval Warfare

  SOF Week 2025: SubSea Craft introduces MARS USV

  7th May 2025

  The MARS platform was built be a low-signature, multi-role, mission-configurable capability.

• Air Warfare

  MBDA backs British startup to continue development on heavy-lift drone

  29th April 2025

  The investment will bring together the Hybrid Drones and MBDA to enable the former to further develop its Hydra 400 UAV, previously showcased by the British Army.

• Land Warfare

  Anduril Industries unveils improved electromagnetic warfare system

  30th April 2025

  Pulsar-L has already entered service and weighs about 12kg with range of 5km. It was only in May last year that the company disclosed that earlier versions were already in service.

• Air Warfare

  Pivotal showcases BlackFly eVTOL at SOF Week with eyes on military adoption (video)

  8th May 2025

  Pivotal has demonstrated its lightweight electric VTOL aircraft, BlackFly, live at SOF Week 2025, as the company positions the platform for special operations and wider defence applications.

• Defence Notes

  Leonardo CEO urges “speed as important as money” as joint ventures progress picks up

  9th May 2025

  The company’s Q1 2025 results showed a 20% increase in new orders and a 15% increase in revenue across the business.

• Naval Warfare

  Euroatlas brings Greyshark AUV to Asia for its maiden visit

  9th May 2025

  Euroatlas displayed its Greyshark autonomous underwater vehicle outside Europe for the first time, highlighting variant specifications and development progress at IMDEX 2025.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy expands GARC sUSV deployment

  5th May 2025

  The small, unmanned surface vehicle will operate this year in multiple operations and military exercises worldwide.

• Air Warfare

  NATO funds portable charging technology for Arctic deployment

  8th May 2025

  Technology provided by Quaze Technologies will enable wirelessly charging of unmanned systems.

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall BAE Systems wins Challenger 3 modular armour contract in UK

  22nd January 2024

  RBSL has secured a contract from the UK Ministry of Defence to provide a new modular armour system for the Challenger 3 tank, which will enhance its survivability and counter modern threats.

• Defence Notes

  A “bolder, more radical” UK Strategic Defence Review will be published within two weeks, says key reviewer

  22nd May 2025

  The UK Strategic Defence Review, which was anticipated to be published by mid-2025, has been given a more definitive release date by the report’s lead reviewer.

• Air Warfare

  US Army continues pivot to large-scale combat operations from counter-insurgency in the shadow of world events

  27th February 2024

  US Army Aviation has been pivoting to face a different kind of war. On the platform front that has meant investing in proven systems and improving platforms already in service.

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]

  Programme 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) ...

• 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 ...

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

  French MALE UAVs [France]

  Programme Background Requirements The French Ministry of the Armed Forces wishes to develop a French MALE offering comparable to the MQ-9 Reaper, the Eurodrone and the ...

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

  Tactical Drone System Light (SDTL) [France]

  Programme Background The French 2024-2030 military programme unveiled the SDTL for the special forces and the French Army. According to reports, the requirement would cover 30 ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...