• Naval Warfare

  UDT 2018: US Mk 48 torpedo upgrade in sight

  20th June 2018

  A contract award for a technological insertion upgrade into the US Navy’s Mk 48 heavyweight torpedo is imminent. Defence sources have told Shephard that an …

• Naval Warfare

  USS Thomas Hudner accepted by US Navy

  21st June 2018

  The US Navy accepted delivery of its newest guided-missile destroyer, USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116), from shipbuilder General Dynamics Bath Iron Works on 15 June. …

• Land Warfare

  New production line for BTR-4E hulls launched

  18th June 2018

  Ukroboronprom’s Malyshev Plant has launched a new production line to manufacture experimental hulls for the BTR-4E armoured personnel carrier. The plant, which has received basic …

• Training

  BAE Systems to develop CONTEXTS software

  18th June 2018

  BAE Systems will develop software for DARPA that will aid military planners to understand and address the complex dynamics that drive conflicts around the world. …

• Defence Helicopter

  Honeywell tests HSD-400 system on military helos

  18th June 2018

  Honeywell has installed and tested its HSD-400 voice and high-speed data transceiver onboard in-service UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-53 Stallion helicopters, the company announced on …

• Defence Notes

  New Zealand to reset defence posture, says defence minister

  19th June 2018

  New Zealand is expected to focus its defence policy towards the Pacific and reassess its defence procurement plans under new proposals from Defence Minister Ron …

• Digital Battlespace

  Saab to provide additional functionality for UAE’s GlobalEye

  20th June 2018

  Saab has received a $39 million order from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for additional functionality for the GlobalEye advanced airborne early warning and control …

• Special Operations

  Qatar opens special ops training center

  3rd April 2018

  The Qatar Special Operations Command (Q-SOC) is set to benefit from a new state-of-the-art training facility following a deal confirmed at the Doha International Maritime …

• Special Operations

  Russia celebrates “SOF Day”

  22nd March 2018

  The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) celebrated the Special Operations Forces Day on 27th February with the disclosure of new video footage illustrating a series …

• Defence Helicopter

  MBDA receives Brimstone CSP contract

  29th March 2018

  MBDA has received a £400 million contract from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) for the Brimstone air-to-surface missile Capability Sustainment Programme (CSP), the company …

• Defence Helicopter

  Mi-35Ms en route to Kazakhstan

  19th June 2018

  A new contract covering four Mi-35M Hind attack helicopters has been signed between Russia and Kazakhstan. Its existence was officially confirmed on 29 May by …

• Defence Notes

  Israel Army given shoot orders ahead of Gaza border protest

  28th March 2018

  Israeli Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Gadi Eisenkot has warned the army has been given authorisation to open fire ahead of mass protests on the …

• Land Warfare

  Singapore allegedly acquires Leopard 2A7 tanks

  20th March 2018

  The Singapore Army could have quietly taken delivery of a dozen Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) Leopard 2A7 MBTs between 2016 and 2017, according to the Stockholm …

• Land Warfare

  Chinese marines could have adopted 8x8 SPH

  27th March 2018

  It appears likely that the Marine Corps of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has adopted the PLL-09, an 8x8 SPH boasting a 122mm gun. …

• Military Logistics

  New UK naval base comes online

  5th April 2018

  The UK officially opened its new naval support facility in Manama, Bahrain, on 5 March, the latest in a series of moves to boost its …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 TTH [France]

  Background In 2001, the French government made its first purchase of 34 NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopters, followed by a second order in 2013 for an ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Joint Light Helicopter (HIL) programme [France]

  Background The French Ministry of the Armed Forces has elected to bring the launch of the French Armed Forces’ HIL programme forward to 2021. The ...

• 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 ...

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

  Mistral SHORAD [Romania]

  Background Romania signed a contract with the Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans of the French Republic within the "European Joint Acquisition of Mistral ...

• Loitering munitions

  Colibri: Short-range loitering munition (Contracted) [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated at a press conference in May 2022 that the General Directorate for Armament (DGA) ...

• 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 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Colibri: Short-range loitering munition (Uncontracted) [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated at a press conference in May 2022 that the General Directorate for Armament (DGA) ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 (Special Forces) [France]

  Background In French service, advanced H225M Caracals with aerial refuelling capabilities are used by SOF units of the French Air Force (FAF) and French Army. ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (13-15) [France]

  Background 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 ...

• 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, 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. ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  French MALE UAVs [France]

  Background Requirements The French Ministry of the Armed Forces wishes to develop a French MALE offering comparable to the MQ-9 Reaper, which would, it is hoped, promote ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  PLFS [France]

  Background The Sabre, then known as the Sherpa FS, was developed as a response to a 2014 requirement for three types of new vehicles to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Larinae: Medium-range loitering munition [France]

  Background Origins French Ministry of Armed Forces spokesperson Hervé Grandjean stated at a press conference in May 2022 that the General Directorate for Armament (DGA) ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• CUAS - hybrid effector 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 - 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

  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 ...

• Loitering munitions

  MX-10 Damocles

  The MX-10 Damocles is a quadcopter loitering munition from KNDS France and Delair. Unveiled at IDEX 2025, it features a 500g fragmentation payload. It is part ...

• Military UAS - small

  LEMUR

  LEMUR is a VTOL, fixed-wing UAV designed for long-endurance observation and reconnaissance missions. The aircraft is available with either an electric motor or an internal ...

• Military UAS - mini

  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 - 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 ...

• 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 - 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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. ...