• Defence Notes

  World Defense Show promises bigger and better event for 2026

  24th July 2025

  At this year's IDEF in Istanbul, Shephard spoke to World Defense Show (WDS) CEO Andrew Pearcey about his event's strategic role in Saudi Arabia, its themes and new features for 2026 and how it has grown since its launch in 2022.

• Land Warfare

  Companies look to tank-launched guided projectiles for non-line-of-sight effects

  29th December 2025

  While integration of guided weapons on modern armoured vehicles usually takes the form of a podded launcher on the turret exterior, recent developments suggest the concept of firing missiles from a tank’s main gun could be seeing a revival.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2025: Polaris displays new all-terrain vehicle with Alakran mortar system

  18th September 2025

  The Polaris Government and Defense’s Military RZR (MRZR) Alpha 1KW was displayed at the Modern Day Marine exposition in the US earlier this year and with the Alakran mobile mortar weapon system at DSEI. The company outlined recent firing trials with the Alakran mobile mortar weapon system (MMWS) which was weeks after the company announced a major NATO deal.

• Air Warfare

  Analysis: South American domestic drone programmes fly high

  12th November 2025

  While South American militaries will continue to import drone technology from extra-regional suppliers, the successful test of a locally manufactured kamikaze drone by the Brazilian Navy demonstrates the rising role of “made in South America” systems.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2025: Teledyne takes wraps off autonomous launch recovery box for drones

  9th September 2025

  Teledyne FLIR Defense revealed the SkyPad fully autonomous quadcopter launch and recovery box at AUSA in Washington DC last year. The SkyCarrier is the production version of the system and is designed for the launch and recovery of the company’s SkyRaider and SkyRanger uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs).

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2025: Hanwha Aerospace reveals new wheeled artillery system

  20th October 2025

  The aerospace company showed a model of its new mobile howitzer at AUSA in Washington, where a representative told Shephard more about its design.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2025: Avon Protection provides first sight of new goggle and details on half mask

  15th September 2025

  Avon Protection has been growing and improving its integrated systems offerings. Last year the company released its Exoskin total protective suit system and earlier this year the MITR-M1 half mask.

• Air Warfare

  Elbit Systems discloses Iron Beam update and work on laser solution for IAF

  14th August 2025

  In its Q2 earnings call, the company said it has internal targets set for similar double-digit growth for 2026, as it welcomed a 21% boost in 2025 profits so far compared to 2024.

• Naval Warfare

  Brazil’s naval ambitions now firmly anchored in Europe

  6th May 2026

  With the Tamandaré frigate commissioned and a second batch under negotiation, Brazil is leveraging European partnerships to position itself as South America’s premier maritime power without surrendering industrial sovereignty.

• Air Warfare

  January drone digest: MALE, rotary-wing and loitering munition UAVs dominate early 2026

  27th January 2026

  The first month of 2026 has seen activity in the MALE, rotary-wing, and loitering munition UAV markets, with significant investments and commitments from Germany, Turkey, the UAE and the US. At the same time, questions over loitering munition performance in Ukraine highlight the growing scrutiny alongside rising demand.

• Land Warfare

  Layered protection: How air defence is adapting to rising drone and missile threats (Podcast)

  26th January 2026

  A surge in aerial threats – from advanced missiles to low-cost drones – is reshaping the way militaries approach air defence, driving demand for flexible, multi-layered solutions.

• Land Warfare

  Iran lifts lid on its anti-tank missiles used in the field against Israel

  1st October 2025

  Iran’s anti-tank guided weapons (ATGWs) are generally lesser known but systems were put on display at the Partner 2025 exhibition in Serbia late last month, many of which are based on US weapons.

• Defence Notes

  US seeks 32% boost for missile defence budget with $23 billion earmarked for interceptors

  22nd April 2026

  The Pentagon’s proposed budget for the next fiscal year includes an impressive increase in the procurement of interceptors, with the number of the US Army’s PAC-3 MSE rounds expanding by 683%, the US Navy’s Standard Missile by 365% and the MDA’s SM-3 IIA by more than 1,000%.

• Air Warfare

  Kratos Defense makes European CCA push with Airbus partnership

  16th July 2025

  Kratos’ XQ-58A Valkyrie will be equipped with an Airbus-made mission system to be offered as a ‘European’ collaborative combat aircraft option to the German Air Force.

• Land Warfare

  Supply of new self-propelled guns is rising to meet looming demand

  5th January 2026

  As the need for self-propelled artillery continues to climb across Europe and NATO-allied nations, orders for existing capabilities continue to roll in while new and improved weapons are on the way.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• LTVs - 4x4

  Infantry Squad Vehicle (Heavy) [USA]

  Background The US Army has been operating the ISV since 2019. It currently serves alongside the JLTV and HMMWV in the Army's Mobile Brigade Combat ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Infantry Squad Vehicle [USA]

  Background The JLTV, HMMWV, and ISV constitute the US Army’s Light Tactical Vehicle (LTV) fleet. The US Army has evaluated the ISV as part of ...

• Medium UGVs

  Medium Modular Equipment Transport Trailer (M-METT) [USA]

  Background Whilst there are many medium UGV programmes developing concepts for last-mile resupply problems, the US Army's M-METT programme aims to provide an uncrewed logistics ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Light Utility Vehicle (COTS) [Canada]

  Background The Canadian Army currently employs two platforms in what it terms its Light Utility Vehicle Wheeled (LUVW) fleet, the Mercedes G-Wagon and the Chevrolet Silverado. There ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Land Mobility Programme (Light Mobility Vehicle) [UK]

  This programme briefly introduces the wider Land Mobility Programme and then focuses on the Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) programme. Information on the LPM and HPM can ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Light Forces Enhancement [Canada]

  Background The LFE programme was first launched in 2020 with the intention of providing the Canadian army with new light mobility platforms that could rapidly ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  G-Wagon Replacement [Norway]

  Programme Background The Norwegian Army began to acquire its fleet of 3,000 G-Wagons in the 1980s. They are currently used for a variety of roles, ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  G-Wagon Replacement [Sweden]

  Programme Background Sweden currently operates an estimated 400 G-Wagons across the Army and Air Force, where they are used in a logistics and support capacity.  ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  G-Wagon Replacement [Argentina]

  Programme Background Like many militaries around the world, the Argentine Army uses the G-Wagon as a logisitics and support vehicle. In keeping with other G-Wagon ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  G-Wagon Replacement [Latvia]

  Programme Background Latvia procured 240 G-Wagons from Norway in 2004. These vehicles had been kept in storage in Norway and had very low mileage. This ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  eLRV [USA]

  Background Purpose The US Army unveiled a new concept for a more deployable IBCT structure at AUSA in October 2014. Built around three main types of ...

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

  Xtender [US]

  Programme Background Previous Procurement In early 2021, the US Department of Defence awarded a contract to XTEND for the platform in partnership with Isreal's MoD. ...

• Maritime patrol

  Maritime Patrol Aircraft [Singapore]

  Programme Background Deployed from Changi West airbase, and jointly operated by the RSAF and Republic of Singapore Navy, the ageing Fokker 50 fleet is primarily ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  BOV 8x8 (Batch 2) [Slovakia]

  Programme Background Requirement The Slovakian Army has a long-standing requirement for 8x8 armoured vehicles to equip its medium mechanised battalions and the combat support elements ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  BOV 8x8 [Slovakia - 3rd Batch]

  Programme Background Requirement The Slovakian Army has a long-standing requirement for 8x8 armoured vehicles to equip its medium mechanised battalions and the combat support elements ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• LTVs - 4x4

  Infantry Squad Vehicle

  The General Motors (GM) Defense Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) is a fully-integrated military platform based on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 mid-sized truck chassis with Roll ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Electric Military Concept Vehicle

  The Electric Military Concept Vehicle (e-MCV) is General Motors (GM) Defense's concept vehicle designed for the US Army's ongoing electric Light Reconnaissance Vehicle (eLRV) programme. Based on ...

• Land: air defence radar

  9S18M1E

  The 9S18M1E is a mobile, 3D, frequency-agile coherent pulse radar designed to detect and identify air threats and feed target data to the Buk-M1E AD ...

• Military vehicle engines

  6V53

  The 6V53 is a six cylinder, turbocharged diesel engine that stems from the GM Diesel Series 53 engine launched in 1957. The 6V53 has a ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  2K12 Kub (SA-6 Gainful)

  The 2K12 Kub, known by its NATO reporting name SA-6 Gainful, is a Soviet-era mobile surface-to-air missile (SAM) system designed to provide ground forces with low ...

• Self-propelled guns, Self-propelled missile systems

  Tunguska

  KBP Instrument Design Bureau began development of the 2K22 Tunguska tracked self-propelled anti-aircraft gun and missile system in 1970 to provide the Soviet Army with ...

• Medium UGVs

  SURUS

  General Motors unveiled its Silent Utility Rover Universal Superstructure (SURUS) – a large, multipurpose, hydrogen-electric UGV – at the AUSA exhibition in Washington, DC, in ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  CombatGuard

  IMI Systems unveiled its new CombatGuard, a 4x4 armoured combat vehicle designed to provide a high level of off-road mobility, at Eurosatory 2014. It is ...

• Air: mission management systems

  TAIKS Fire Support C3 System

  TAIKS is the tactical element of AFSAS (see separate entry) that integrates fire support units and target acquisition systems with each other and other functional ...

• Subsystems: software

  Network Defense Trainer

  The Scalable Network Defense Trainer is an LVC simulation system for delivering realistic hands-on cyber training. It enables students to experience cyber attacks launched against ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: Electronic Attack - Pod

  Talisman [Defense Initiatives]

  The Talisman is an integrated self-protection system developed by Defense Initiatives of Belarus. It is designed to equip combat aircraft and is thought to be ...

• 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 ...

• Naval: COMINT and ELINT systems

  GenCOM Defense Naval

  GenCOM Defense Naval offers an automatic situational awareness picture achieved through integration with single or multiple CESM-DF arrival sensors deployed on an array of naval ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  GenCOM Defense Air

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

• Land: battle management systems

  ADC3

  IAI's Air Defense Command, Control and Communication (ADC3) was developed to meet the air defence mission requirements of Israeli Defense Forces.