• Defence Helicopter

  AW169Ms for Italy's Guardia di Finanza

  16th November 2018

  Leonardo has signed a contract worth €280 million ($315.6 million) with Italy’s Guardia di Finanza for 22 new AW169M helicopters, the company announced on 12 …

• Defence Notes

  Cambodian PM says no China naval base being built

  19th November 2018

  Cambodia will not allow foreign military bases on its soil, premier Hun Sen said 19 November, swatting away US concerns about a possible Chinese naval …

• Digital Battlespace

  Russia blocked GPS data during NATO exercises: Norway

  15th November 2018

  Norway on 13 November pointed a finger squarely at Russia, accusing it of jamming GPS signals in Norway's Far North when it hosted NATO's massive …

• Special Operations

  Exclusive: Netherlands SOCOM stands up

  4th December 2018

  On 5 December, the Netherlands Special Operations Command (NLD SOCOM) will officially stand up as a single entity to command the various special operations force …

• Training

  UK opens new Chinook simulator facility

  26th November 2018

  The UK Ministry of Defence opened its new Chinook Mk 6 synthetic training facility at Royal Air Force (RAF) Odiham in Hampshire on 21 November. …

• Digital Battlespace

  AOC 2018: Threats shape EMSO

  29th November 2018

  The field of Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (EMSO) has become more complex in the past 20 years with changing threats which pilots and others need to …

• Digital Battlespace

  Harris’ AN/PRC-163 radio NSA Type-1 certified

  12th November 2018

  Harris Corporation has received National Security Agency Type-1 certification for its AN/PRC-163 multi-channel handheld networking radio, the company announced on 6 November. The Harris AN/PRC-163 …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2018: US Army CDT bids now in

  19th November 2018

  Following the release of the RfP for the US Army’s Common Driver Trainer (CDT) requirement in September, commercial bids have now been returned and are …

• Digital Battlespace

  GovSat, Telespazio France to provide SATCOM services

  12th November 2018

  GovSat and Telespazio France have been selected by the French Joint Directorate for Infrastructure Networks and Information Systems to provide satellite telecommunications services in various …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2018: Showing front with AR and VR tech

  27th November 2018

  First-time exhibitor, Frontis' AR and VR platforms are supporting training missions for the South Korean soldier from a mechanic level to field preparation operations, Shephard has learnt. …

• Digital Battlespace

  France announces plans for third Syracuse IV satellite launch

  6th November 2018

  The French Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed it intends on fielding a third independently owned satellite, as a new addition to its current Syracuse …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2018: Thai Army receives howitzer crew trainers

  19th November 2018

  Israeli simulation specialists, Bagira Systems has delivered its Joint-fires BattleSpace Simulator (JOBSS) to Van Halteren Defence, as part of the latter’s Integrated-Howitzer Crew Trainer (I-HCT) programme …

• Digital Battlespace

  AOC 2018: Industry eyes new EW concepts

  21st November 2018

  As recognition of the vital role dominance of the electromagnetic spectrum plays on the battlefield, industry is pushing forward with new EW concepts designed to …

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2018: Autonomy inbuilt into HuMans training

  28th November 2018

  A program to aid flight instructors and trainee pilots better analyse missions flown in simulators was revealed by Thales at I/ITSEC in Orlando, Florida this …

• Digital Battlespace

  A310 MRTT tests 'first step' toward combat cloud development

  8th November 2018

  A communications node test programme involving an Airbus A310 multirole tanker transport [MRTT] aircraft is representative of the company's 'first step' to developing a secure …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Project Brakestop [UK]

  Background Information Notice On 25 September 2024, the UK MoD published a prior information notice on Project Brakestop, which informed the industry about the upcoming competition ...

• Loitering munitions

  Medium Range Precision Strike (MRPS) [UK]

  Programme 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 ...

• 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 ...

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

  Project Corvus [UK]

  Programme 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Transport

  VC-25B - USAF

  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 communication ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  F-5E/F Adversary Trainer US Navy

  The F-5N is a single seat, dual engine supersonic land based fighter. It is designed to a service life of 9000 flight hours. The aircraft ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  According to the FY2021 Base funding, the HH-60W helicopter unit cost is $43.2 million. The HH-60W will be capable of employment day or night, in ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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

  H10 Poseidon

  The H10 Poseidon 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 ability to operate ...

• 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 - 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. ...

• 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

  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 ...

• 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 ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/VRC-118(V)1

  The AN/VRC-118(V)1 is a Mid-tier Networking Vehicular Radio (MNVR) which provides warfighters with the ability to share situational awareness. The MNVR utilises two joint tactical ...

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

  BLADE-55

  The Ballistic Loitering Attack Drone (BLADE, or BLADE-55) is a multi-role, weaponised rotary-wing UAV from Alare Technologies.  The drone can notably host two NAMMO M72 LAW weapons. Additionally, the ...

• 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 ...

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

  Disruptor

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