• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Russia banking on drone cash transport

  8th June 2018

  Sberbank, a large Russian Bank, is set to be the launch customer for Russian Helicopters’ new VRT300 VTOL UAV. The bank intends to use the …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: SOCOM looks to next gen communications

  26th May 2018

  The US Special Operations Command’s (USSOCOM’s) Program Executive Office for Command and Control, Communications and Computers (C4) has confirmed to Shephard it is still interested …

• Special Operations

  Indonesia reactivates Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC)

  5th June 2018

  The Indonesian government has reactivated the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) in response to emerging terrorism fears, administration officials have confirmed. Announced on 21st May …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon signs Australian EW agreement

  30th May 2018

  Raytheon has signed a project agreement with Australia's Defence Science and Technology (DST) to collaborate on the development of advanced electronic warfare (EW) capabilities for …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UMS, QinetiQ partner for Canadian market

  30th May 2018

  UMS Skeldar has partnered with QinetiQ Target Systems to offer joint platforms and solutions for Canadian maritime UAS programmes. The new partnership will work to …

• Defence Helicopter

  BAE to demonstrate optical seeker for DARPA

  9th May 2018

  BAE Systems has received a $13.1 million contract from DARPA to demonstrate a new optical seeker for precision-guided munitions, the company announced on 7 May. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Hughes to prototype FMI for US DoD

  10th May 2018

  Hughes Network Systems has received a follow-on contract to continue the second phase of a pilot study programme to assess the feasibility of interoperability across …

• Digital Battlespace

  Lockheed’s fifth AEHF satellite completes TVAC testing

  23rd May 2018

  Lockheed Martin’s fifth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF-5) protected communications satellite has completed a series of launch environment tests, the company announced on 21 May. …

• Training

  ITEC 2018: UK industry team delivers M&S report

  22nd May 2018

  A UK industry team has recently delivered its findings on the future of modelling and simulation (M&S;) to the UK MoD. The core Architectures, Interoperability …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thailand rolls out first upgraded F-5ST

  30th May 2018

  The first prototype of the upgraded F-5 Super Tigris (F-5ST), completed by Elbit Systems, has been delivered to the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF). ACM …

• Training

  Alion to provide US personnel with JTSE

  23rd May 2018

  Alion Science and Technology has received a $34.9 million contract from the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) to provide Joint Training Synthetic Environment (JTSE) for …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: FLIR introduces two new products

  23rd May 2018

  SOFIC 2018 has witnessed the launch of two new products by FLIR Systems, the R8SS-3-D radar and the Recon V Ultra-Light imaging device.  The manufacturer …

• Digital Battlespace

  Kelvin Hughes’s SharpEye for LCS, MMSC vessels

  23rd May 2018

  Kelvin Hughes has been selected by OSI Maritime Systems to supply a number of SharpEye solid-state naval radar sensors for installation on board Lockheed Martin’s …

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2018: French Army vehicle increase to get green light

  4th June 2018

  French lawmakers are expected to give final approval in the coming weeks to increase the country’s defence budget and pump even more money into the …

• Digital Battlespace

  US needs to become proactive on AI and cyber threats

  4th June 2018

  Proactive measures need to begin before threats posed by cyber and artificial intelligence (AI) overwhelm our ability to react to them in real-time during a …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Project Brakestop [UK]

  Programme 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 ...

• 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

  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 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  New Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (NWJFAC) (1-31) [India]

  Programme Background Requirements The Indian Navy is seeking replacements for a large proportion of its 19 46-49m-long waterjet-powered fast attack craft, several of which are approaching ...

• 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 ...

• Loitering munitions

  ZT-180 [Russia]

  Programme 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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  AN/APQ-181

  The AN/APQ-181 is a low-probability-of-intercept radar fitted to USAF Northrop Grumman B-2 stealth bombers. During the B-2 Radar Modernization Program – completed in 2012 – the ...

• 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

  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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• OPVs

  Afrika Class (Vard 7 055)

  The Afrika-class (Vard 7 055) is a 53m OPV developed by Vard Marine. Designed to undertake surveillance, patrol and response operations with the EEZ, the ...

• Major networking projects

  ISOM

  Integrated SATCOM Global Information Grid Operations and Management (ISOM) develops a scalable and policy-based management system that enables automatic allocation and provisioning of SATCOM resources. ...