• Naval Warfare

  Insight: Intelligent design drives FFG(X) concepts

  18th January 2019

  Someway past the midpoint mark on the US Navy’s concept design phase for its FFG(X) programme – a class of guided missile frigates that will …

• Special Operations

  Georgia expands SOF capacity

  15th January 2019

  The Georgian Armed Forces (GAF) have announced a strategy to expand the operational capacity of its special operations forces, senior service personnel have disclosed.Speaking on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Russian military funds three advanced UAV systems

  14th January 2019

  The Russian MoD has accelerated its efforts to field three new long-endurance combat UAV systems, with the first of these slated for entering service in …

• Digital Battlespace

  Russian Army receives Borisoglebsk-2 EW system

  15th January 2019

  The Russian Army's Eastern Military District motorised rifle unit has been equipped with the new Borisoglebsk-2 EW system, the Russian Ministry of Defence announced on …

• Defence Helicopter

  New H225M delivered to Brazil Navy

  14th January 2019

  Helibras has delivered a new H225M helicopter to the Brazilian Navy, the company announced on 7 January. The Brazilian Navy is to receive 50 aircraft …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2018: Show round up

  10th October 2018

  As the curtain closes on AUSA 2018, Shephard's land editor Grant Turnbull discusses the main news from across the show, including the US Army's continued …

• Land Warfare

  Brazil Army orders RBS 70 NG

  15th January 2019

  Saab will deliver RBS 70 NG systems to the Brazilian Army under an order announced on 14 January. Along with the RBS 70 NG the …

• Military Logistics

  Boeing signs new E-7A Wedgetail agreement

  2nd October 2018

  Boeing has signed a new agreement that allows for upgrades and sustainment for the life of the Royal Australian Air Force’s fleet of six E-7A …

• Military Logistics

  Improved MTS-3060A SmartCan for flightline testing

  11th January 2019

  Marvin Test Solutions began production shipments of its new MTS-3060A SmartCan Gen2 universal O-level armament test set, the company announced on 7 January. The new …

• Digital Battlespace

  RUAG to upgrade Swiss armed forces’ BTS

  11th October 2018

  RUAG Defence has received a contract to upgrade the broadband transmission system (BTS) of the routing network for the Swiss armed forces in Switzerland. Under …

• Defence Helicopter

  Ukraine returns to service EW helicopters

  11th January 2019

  The Ukrainian Air Force has returned to service two Soviet-era Mi-8 EW helicopters after a prolonged grounding. Both of these otherwise little-used machines, produced in …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Surface Navy 2019: Federal shutdown creating delays for USCG ScanEagle integration

  15th January 2019

  The integration of ScanEagle UAS onto the US Coast Guard (USCG) Legend-class National Security Cutter (NSC) fleet is being further delayed by the ongoing shutdown …

• Digital Battlespace

  UltiSat to provide network services for US government

  10th January 2019

  UltiSat has received a $23 million, five-year contract to provide secure meshed/managed network services for the US government, the company announced on 9 January.   …

• Defence Notes

  Japan FM to visit Moscow amid tensions over island dispute

  11th January 2019

  Japan's foreign minister Taro Kono will visit Moscow next week for talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on a decades-long row over four disputed …

• Training

  AUSA 2018: Cubic blends the live with the virtual

  10th October 2018

  US defence and technology company Cubic demonstrated its Live/Virtual Convergence training concept at AUSA in Washington, DC. Described by Cubic Vice-President Ground Training James Craig …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Chinese UAVs [Bangladesh]

  Background Request for Proposals (RFP) In 2023, as reported by Shephard at the time, the Bangladesh Army released a 106-page tender document to gather information ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Jackal [Taiwan]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 14 September 2023, Jon Parker, CEO And Chief Examiner at Flyby Technology, announced on LinkedIn that the company had signed ...

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

  Tactical Short-Range UAVs (Taiwan)

  Programme Background Long-Held Desire Alongside other branches of the Taiwanese military, the ROCA is trying to incorporate more uncrewed systems into its force structure. During the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Multirole Fighter (Taiwan)

  Programme Background Taiwan claims that Chinese fighter jets are often crossing into the island's air defence zone. The Republic of China Air Force is looking for options ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Mid-Shore Multi Mission Vessels [Canada]

  Canada is seeking to procure six Mid-Shore Multi Mission Vessels (MSMMVs) to replace its mid-shore science vessels as well as address existing capability gaps within the ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Mid-Shore Multi Mission Vessels [Canada]

  Canada is seeking to procure six Mid-Shore Multi Mission Vessels (MSMMVs) to replace its mid-shore science vessels as well as address existing capability gaps within the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Fighter Aircraft [United Arab Emirates]

  Programme Background Competitors and Bids Lockheed Martin On 25 September, the United Arab Emirates submitted a FMS request for the F-35A; the proposal was approved ...

• 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 ...

• Frigates

  Type 054A/P (Pakistan)

  Programme Background Contracts Pakistan has ordered four frigates from China under the Type 054AP programme, which refers to the vessels being based on the Peoples ...

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

  Artillery UAV [Thailand]

  Programme Background Requirement & Replacement The Royal Thai Army (RTA) was understood to be seeking a new tactical UAV to replace four legacy Israel Aerospace Industries ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Data links

  Data links | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

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

  FH-95

  The FH-95, sometimes called the Feihong 95 or Flying Swan, is a UAV designed for EW, ISR and strike missions.  It is manufactured by Aerospace Times Feihong Technology Corporation ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CH-802

  The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation CH-802 is a fixed-wing micro air vehicle intended for short-range surveillance and tactical reconnaissance missions in support of ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CH-10

  The CH-10 is a tilt-rotor uncrewed aircraft unveiled by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC) in 2018.  The platform can take off and land on ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Dragon 10A

  The Loitering Dragon 10A is a tube-launched loitering munition from Norinco.  Similar in design to AeroVironment's Switchblade, the drone was displayed alongside its tube launcher at ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CH-805

  The CH-805 is known for its stealthy design and is used for target practice in air defence exercises and equipment testing. It is sometimes mentioned ...

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

  CH-4

  The CH-4 is a MALE UAV available in two variants, the CH-4A and CH-4B. The China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics developed the platform, which is manufactured ...

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

  CH-500

  The CH-500 is a small, coaxial, rotary-wing, multipurpose UCAV and is manoeuvrable due to its tandem, dual-rotor arrangement without a tail rotor – also making it ...

• Self-propelled missile systems

  Shahab Thaqeb

  Shahab Thaqeb is an Iranian-developed variant of China's HQ-7 short-range air defence system, itself a copy of  Thales' Crotale systems imported by China in the ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  CH-6

  The CH-6, or Cai Hong 6 or Rainbow-6, is a UCAV unveiled by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) on 19 April 2021.  Shown ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Pegaz

  The Pegaz, or Pegasus, is a multi-role UCAV developed for the Serbian Armed Forces. It is being manufactured by Military Technical Institute Belgrade (MIT) in collaboration ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  Caihong

  The Caihong (Rainbow), also known as the Cai Hong or CH, is a solar-powered HALE platform designed for near-space flight. It is suitable for military ...

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

  CH-5

  The CH-5 is a medium-altitude, long-endurance UAS designed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation to perform various military missions. Applications of the CH-5 include ISTAR, ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  AR-1

  The AR-1 is a Chinese air-to-surface missile specifically designed for deployment from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), notably the CH-3 and CH-4 series. Developed by the ...

• Anti-ship missiles

  C-801

  The C-801 is a Chinese subsonic anti-ship missile that served as the foundational design for many subsequent Chinese anti-ship missiles. It is the export variant ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  CH-91

  The CH-91 has been designed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation for tactical missions such as battlefield reconnaissance, target location, artillery fire correction and damage ...