• Digital Battlespace

  EOS to provide AS-65 gimbal for L3Harris's VAMPIRE weapon system

  21st July 2023

  EOS Defense Systems USA's AS-65 gimbal has been selected for L3Harris's VAMPIRE weapon system, empowering Ukraine's ground forces to counter hostile drones and ground threats using precision rockets.

• Air Warfare

  South Africa upgrades ageing C-130s for a second time

  16th August 2023

  Marshall Aerospace has secured a contract to perform two modifications and extensive servicing on the South African Air Force’s (SAAF) 1960s-vintage C-130 fleet, as well as supporting subsequent in-country modification work.

• Defence Notes

  European Defence Agency report predicts multi-domain operations, new tech and robots to dominate beyond 2040

  24th October 2023

  Future defence forces will face a range of challenges beyond the metal, silicon chips and microprocessors that currently threaten national security and defence.

• Defence Helicopter

  Czech Republic receives first AH-1Z Viper helicopters

  18th August 2023

  The Czech Republic has taken delivery of its first AH-1Z Vipers as part of a partnership with the USMC H-1 Light/Attack Helicopter programme.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Saildrone to produce USVs in Australia from 2024

  13th November 2023

  The use of long-duration Uncrewed Surface Vehicles for maritime surveillance and monitoring has become part of the fleet inventory as navies try to reduce the level of effort required to gather intelligence on areas of interest.

• Air Warfare

  US Army accepts first FARA helicopter engine prototype

  5th October 2023

  Sikorsky has planned to start the installation process of the GE T901 engine in advance of ground testing and eventual flight testing of its FARA prototype.

• Air Warfare

  Ukraine lessons: is bringing an attack helicopter to a missile fight too dangerous?

  15th September 2023

  According to multiple OSINT sources, Russian forces have lost possibly as many as 200 rotary-wing aircraft since February 2022. Some of these occurred in early high-profile operations, but most have been attrition casualties during the ongoing fighting. Shephard analyses the nature of these losses, and what lessons NATO attack helicopter operators should draw.

• Training

  Elbit UK’s Joint Fires Synthetic Trainer delivers nearly 5,000 training hours

  21st September 2023

  Elbit Systems UK’s Joint Fires Synthetic Trainer (JFST) has officially achieved Initial Operating Capability (IOC).

• Air Warfare

  Croatia officially receives first Dassault Rafale fighter jet

  3rd October 2023

  The official handover of the first Dassault Rafale B jet is a key development in a deal involving 12 aircraft for Croatia. This marks the start of a transition from Croatia's Soviet-era MiG-21 fighters and legacy aircraft.

• Land Warfare

  Taiwan reveals new indigenous scout vehicle at TADTE 2023 defence show

  19th September 2023

  Taiwan's military establishment has developed a new 4x4 reconnaissance vehicle design, displayed for the first time at the TADTE defence expo in Taipei last week.

• Land Warfare

  Singapore Army tests AI in tactical and command post C2 systems

  25th September 2023

  Singapore is testing out new functions on its ARTEMIS battle management system on exercise in the US.

• Naval Warfare

  Japan proceeds with modified Mogami-class frigate for maritime self-defence force

  31st August 2023

  Instead of producing 22 Mogami-class frigates, the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) will transition to an improved design around halfway through the programme.

• Defence Notes

  Pentagon to strengthen cyber networks of US partners and allies

  18th September 2023

  The recently released 2023 Cyber Strategy states that the US will build the capacity and capability of allies and partners in cyberspace and expand avenues of potential cyber cooperation.

• Digital Battlespace

  DSEI 2023: OneWeb plans for next-generation satellites as constellation nears global coverage

  11th September 2023

  Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications company OneWeb will provide a global system from early next year with all 634 first-generation satellites in orbit and plans are under way to put next-generation satellites into space in three or four years’ time.

• Defence Notes

  Poland announces multi-million acquisitions to boost air and missile defence capacities

  8th September 2023

  As part of the second phase of the WISŁA air defence programme, Poland will procure PAC-3 MSE missiles, 48 Patriot launchers and 12 LTAMDS sensors.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-2 (Japan)

  Programme Background The UH-2 is a Japanese militarised version of Bell’s civilian 412EPX, with the two OEMs cooperating on this particular programme. The Acquisition, Technology ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-2 Forecast (Japan)

  Programme Background The UH-2 is a Japanese militarised version of Bell’s civilian 412EPX, with the two OEMs cooperating on this particular programme. The Acquisition, Technology ...

• Trainer

  T-6C [Thailand]

  Programme Background The contract is for 12 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II advanced military training aircraft, ground-based training systems for pilots and maintenance professionals, a mission ...

• ISR/special mission

  ISTAR Aircraft (South Korea)

  Programme Background South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration stated that Seoul is planning to procure additional aircraft to minimize potential surveillance gaps amid growing security ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Surion Marine Attack Helicopter [South Korea]

  Programme Background The ROKMC has planned to obtain 24 attack helicopters for the first time. When bidding opened in January 2019, there were five contenders: Bell ...

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

  KUS-FT (South Korea)

  Programme Background Requirement The ROKA had identified a need for tactical UAVs that can be employed at the divisional level to carry out ISTAR missions ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  FPV Drones [Israel]

  Background Reported Programme According to the Globes media outlet, reporting in March 2025, the Ministry of Defense Department of Production and Procurement was publishing the ...

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

  KUS-FS (ROKA) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Inception The Aerospace Division of Korean Air (KAL-ASD) commenced developing the MUAV in 2008 in response to a ROKAF requirement for a MALE ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 [Croatia]

  Background Contract Award As reported by Shephard in November 2024, Croatia's government approved the purchase of six Bayraktar TB2 drones, a training package in Türkiye, a command-and-control centre, ...

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

  KUS-FS (ROKAF) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Inception The Aerospace Division of Korean Air (KAL-ASD) commenced developing the MUAV in 2008 in response to a ROKAF requirement for a MALE UAV ...

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

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (South Korea)

  Programme Background Requirments Seoul required UAS assets to help monitor its neighbour to the north and, increasingly, Chinese activities in waters and in the air near ...

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

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (Japan)

  Programme Background Selection & Contract AwardIn 2015, Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft were selected by Japan to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Long Range One-way Platforms [US]

  Solicitation In October 2024, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) released a solicitation for long-range, one-way platforms. The DIU noted recent conflicts highlighted the asymmetric impact of low-cost, ...

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

  Eurodrone (Forecast) [Czechia]

  Programme Background Eurodrone Programme For context, the European MALE RPAS, or Eurodrone, is a quad-nation effort from some of Europe's most prominent defence manufacturers to ...

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

  Eurodrone (Forecast) [Japan]

  Programme Background Japan's Application The Letter of Approval (LOA) for observer status in the programme was presented to the Japanese Ambassador to Germany, Hidenao Yanagi, by Joachim ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  GenCOM Defense Ground

  GenCOM Defense Ground provides an automatic multi-layered situational awareness picture to the decision-maker, based on external signal data (metadata) gathered in real time. Integrating with ...

• Major networking projects

  DCGS

  The Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) is the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office plan for the integrated architecture of all ground and surface computing and communications ...

• EO/IR systems

  CM262

  Manfuaucted by AVT Australia, the CM262 is a ground-based imaging system combining four sensor configurations into a compact and ruggedised system for C-UAS and ISR ...

• Land: air defence radar

  KRONOS Power Shield Land

  This system is an L-band digital AESA anti-TBM radar. It is the land-based version of the naval KRONOS Power Shield, also known as KRONOS Ground ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  AMRAAM-ER

  The AIM-120 AMRAAM-ER is essentially an upgraded version of the AIM-120 AMRAAM tailored for extended range and enhanced performance in ground-based air defense systems like ...

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

  Initial Maneuver - SHORAD

  Unveiled at AUSA 2019, Initial Maneuver Short Range Air Defense (IM-SHORAD) is a multipurpose platform, based on the Stryker IFV, which moves and maneuvers in ...

• Parvus DuraCOR 312

  The Parvus DuraCOR 312 is an Ultra-Small Form Factor (USFF) modular mission computer unveiled by Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions in November 2016. The DuraCOR 312 is ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Type 87

  The Type 87 is a 6x6 armoured reconnaissance vehicle developed by the now defunct Defense Division of Komatsu to meet the specific requirements of the ...

• AEW&C

  P600 AEW&C

  In June 2019, Embraer and IAI/Elta signed a cooperation agreement aimed at developing an AEW&C; aircraft based on the business jet Praetor 600, namely the ...

• Land: battle management systems

  AMDWS

  AMDWS (Air and Missile Defense Work Station), is a collaborative battlespace awareness information management system developed by Northrop Grumman to meet the requirements of the ...

• Long-range Video and Data Downlinks

  BMS airborne and ground-based equipment enables long-range, real-time HD video and broadband data links. Products include cockpit control panels, airborne antennas, real-time encoders, compact high-power ...

• Land: battle management systems

  FAAD/C-RAM C2

  The Forward Area Air Defense (FAAD) Command and Control (C2) system was developed by Northrop Grumman to provide command and control (C2) for the US Army ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Airborne Launching and Attack System (AirLAS)

  The Airborne Launching and Attack System (AirLAS) is a system that pairs Diehl Defence's IRIS-T air-to-air missile with a reusable carrier UAV developed by POLARIS. The companies ...

• Data links

  Universal Link System

  Developed by Scytalys, the Universal Link System (ULS) is a modular, scalable multi data link processor. It supports all NATO and US standard data links ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  MIM-72 Chaparral

  The MIM-72 Chaparral is a short-range, low-altitude, surface-to-air missile produced for the M48 Chaparral fire unit. It was produced as a replacement for the cancelled MIM-46 Mauler ...