• Digital Battlespace

  German Air Force explores passive aggressive surveillance

  1st November 2019

  The Luftwaffe (German Air Force) is blazing a trail with its interest in passive radar, with the technology promising to enhance its ground-based air surveillance …

• Digital Battlespace

  Germany looks into radar picture improvements

  1st November 2019

  The Luftwaffe (German Air Force) may embark upon a major procurement of new ground-based air surveillance radars over the coming five years which could see …

• Digital Battlespace

  AOC 2019: Risks inherent with domain convergence

  23rd October 2019

  The last five years has seen much debate in the global EW community regarding the convergence of electronic and cyber warfare domains. Yet merging these …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUSA 2019: MUTT gets a radio boost

  15th October 2019

  The Persistent Systems MPU5 radio has been installed on General Dynamics’s Multipurpose Unmanned Tactical Transport (MUTT) UGV as part of the latter’s Small Multipurpose Equipment …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUSA 2019: USSOCOM increases MALET funding

  15th October 2019

  US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has increased the ceiling on its contract from $15 million to $93 million to support modifications and capability enhancements to …

• Defence Notes

  BAE Systems awarded INSCOM task order

  16th October 2019

  BAE Systems has received a $437 million task order to provide open source support for US Army and Army Intelligence & Security Command (INSCOM) approved …

• Training

  BISim to launch VBS4

  22nd October 2019

  Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim) is set to launch the latest iteration of its highly successful Virtual Battlespace visualisation product, VBS4, planning to unveil the system …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon to continue EWPMT development

  8th October 2019

  Raytheon will continue to develop the US Army’s Electronic Warfare Planning and Management Tool (EWPMT) under a 24 month contract announced on 3 October. EWPMT …

• Digital Battlespace

  ST Engineering strengthens SATCOM capabilities

  18th September 2019

  The US subsidiary of Singapore Technologies Engineering (ST Engineering), iDirect Government, has acquired 100% ownership of Glowlink Communications Technology, the company announced on 17 September.  …

• Naval Warfare

  Saturation Fly Away Diving System approved

  11th October 2019

  US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) has approved the US Navy’s Saturation Fly Away Diving System (SATFADS) for sustained operations. The approval follows 30ft wet …

• Digital Battlespace

  Podcast: Five Eyes Connectivity - SATCOM

  26th September 2019

  Welcome to Shephard Studio’s special series on Five Eyes Connectivity, sponsored by our partner Viasat.  Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more. In the Five Eyes Connectivity podcast …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUSA 2019: Qinetiq takes control with new robot controller

  16th October 2019

  QinetiQ North America has shown its new high-definition universal controller (UC-HD) for the first time at AUSA 2019. The UC-HD is a device with a …

• Digital Battlespace

  AUSA 2019: Commtact looks to international market with new product line

  15th October 2019

  With the launch of Commtact’s HiveComm datalink family at AUSA 2019 the Israel-based company is continuing expansion of its datalink solutions to the international market. …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army contracts for final phase of EW planning tool project

  4th October 2019

  Raytheon has been contracted to develop the final phase of the US Army’s Electronic Warfare Planning and Management Tool (EWPMT) that will offer personnel the …

• Digital Battlespace

  DSEI 2019: L3Harris merger promises greater communications offerings

  6th September 2019

  Two months on from the merger between L3 and Harris, now L3Harris, things are going ‘better than expected’ and developments of the company’s communications offerings …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Dominator XP [Thailand]

  Programme Background Purchase As reported by Shephard, in September 2023, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) inducted three Dominator XPs. The RTAF purchased the trio ...

• Loitering munitions

  Project Brakestop [UK]

  Background Information Notice On 25 September 2024, the UK MoD published a prior information notice for Project Brakestop, informing industry of the upcoming competition. Requirements ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook (Singapore)

  Programme Background In July 2020, photos have emerged on the internet of the first Boeing CH-47F Chinook destined for the Republic of Singapore Air Force ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Project Corvus [UK]

  Background Retirement In November 2024, speaking in the House of Commons, Defence Secretary John Healey stated that the WK 450 Watchkeeper was to be retired as ...

• Loitering munitions

  Project Instigator [UK]

  Background Prior Information Notice (PIN) On 21 October 2024, the MoD published a PIN in collaboration with the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S;). The notice announced ...

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

  Anka-S (Second Batch) [Turkey]

  Programme Background First Batch Based on comments by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Turkish media in 2018, Shephard believes that Türkiye acquired 26 Anka-S drones ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28NE Night Hunter

  Algerian military's follow-up order suggests that the country is satisfied with the Mi-28NE Night Hunters' performance in operational conditions in the desert environment featuring sandstorms ...

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

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian (US)

  Programme Background On 6 March 2023, GA-ASI announced that the Air Force Special Operations Command (ASFOC) had contracted three MQ-9B SkyGaurdians, making it the first US customer of the ...

• Transport

  VC-25B [USA]

  Background The modifications to the 747-8 aircraft will include an electrical power upgrade with dual Auxiliary Power Units that are usable in flight, a mission ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Mobile Strike Force Vehicle (Ukraine Aid) [USA]

  Programme background The US first provided Ukraine with the M1117 ASV in September 2022, when 250 vehicles were donated as part of a $400 million ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-390 [Poland]

  Programme Background Reports of a possible purchase of the C-390 by Poland began circulating in June 2024 after a Polish journalist revealed that Embraer executives ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | SSN(X) Programme [USN]

  The US Navy may be far from reaching the end of procuring the current Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines (SSNs), but that does not mean planning for ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | SSN(X) Programme [USN]

  The US Navy may be far from reaching the end of procuring the current Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines (SSNs), but that does not mean planning for ...

• Loitering munitions

  ZT-180 [Russia]

  Background Claims On 23 February 2023, DER SPIEGEL reported that, according to information it had gathered, China and Russia were negotiating the purchase of 100 ZT-180 drones, ...

• Patrol boats

  Naval Support Vessels [Sweden]

  Programme Background Requirements The vessels are designed to the operational requirements of the Scandinavian naval environment and will have a length of 47m, a beam of ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

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

  PL-5

  The PL is a Group 3 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capable UAV from EDGE Group. According to the company, it is engineered for persistent surveillance and ...

• Air: surveillance radar

  AN/APQ-181

  The AN/APQ-181 is a low-probability-of-intercept radar fitted to USAFNorthrop Grumman B-2 stealth bombers. During the B-2 Radar ModernizationProgram – completed in 2012 – the B-2’s legacy ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - small

  Vandal

  Vandal is a next-generation, group II, low-signature UAS manufactured by AEVEX. The UAS is built for speed, precision, and survivability in denied environments and can ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  CreoLand HP

  CreoLand HP is a 10W MANET radio designed for command centres, long-range applications, artillery and special forces units. Notably, it offers a data throughput of 100Mbps ...

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

  Gogol-M

  The Gogol-M is a Ukrainian fixed-wing drone carrier, or mothership, from Strategy Force Solutions. The system can deliver two first-person view (FPV)-type attack drones to hit precision ...

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

  DT-101

  The DT-101 is a small fixed-wing UAV from Deftech. The VTOL-capable platform features SATCOM with up to 10Mbs bandwidth capability. DefTech lists various payloads for ...

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

  H10 Poseidon

  The H10 Poseidon, or H-10, is a fixed-wing VTOL-capable UAV manufactured by Swamrly. Due to the UAV's electric propulsion system, small radar cross-section, lack of detachable thermal signature and ...

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

  ARX

  Unveiled at Xponential 2024, the ARX is a fixed-wing drone developed by Tekever.  It features common electronics and software with other Tekever drones. Unlike those ...

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

  DT-001

  The DT-001 is a tandem wing UCAV from Deftech. It can host a range of non-offensive payloads, such as IO/EO cameras and an airborne LIDAR. ...

• Loitering munitions

  Q-SLAM-100

  Unveiled at DSEI 2025, the Q-SLAM-100 is a man-portable loitering munition. Manufactured by Arquimea, the system is designed for medium-range missions with 120 minutes of flight autonomy ...

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

  Spider VTOL

  The Spider VTOL is a mini electrical fixed-wing UAV. Unlike traditional VTOL UAVs with dedicated motors, propellors and structural parts for performing take-off and landing, the Spider ...

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

  Khronos

  The Khronos is a tethered, fully automated UAV for ISR missions in GPS/GNSS-denied and RF-denied environments. The drone's manufacturer, Elistair, stated that it could be deployed from a ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - small

  Disruptor

  Publicly unveiled at AUSA 2024, the Disruptor is a loitering munition and UAV manufactured by AEVEX Aerospace. The Group III aircraft utilises a pneumatic launcher ...

• Data links

  MAQA Terminal 3.8m Flyaway Variant

  The Modular Aperture Quad-Band Antenna (MAQA) Terminal is designed to provide a ruggedised, mobile, quad-band SATCOM terminal that supports operations with the WGS constellation, legacy ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARC-231 Skyfire

  The AN/ARC-231 Skyfire is an airborne VHF/UHF/LOS and DAMA SATCOM system. This system supports US DoD requirements for airborne, multi-band, multi-mission, secure anti-jam voice, data ...