• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Pacific 2017: Schiebel and Skeldar spar in Australia

  6th October 2017

  Australia is shaping up as a battleground for suppliers of rotary-winged UAVs as the country’s military eyes future acquisitions. Two top contenders are Schiebel and …

• Special Operations

  Germany special forces acquire​ Black Hornet nano UAS

  27th September 2017

  The German Army’s Special Forces Command, also known as Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK), is set to benefit from additional ISR assets following the procurement of nano …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2017: Industry gears up for SHORAD requirement

  9th October 2017

  US Army leaders in search of a new short-range air defence (SHORAD) system might be a little spoilt for choice at this year’s AUSA, as …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australian Army airs UAV ambitions

  9th October 2017

  The Australian Army laid out its road map for future UAVs at the Pacific International Maritime Exposition in Sydney on 4 October. Lt Col Keirin …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Aerosonde SUAS achieves milestone with Volz Servos

  25th September 2017

  Textron Systems’ Aerosonde Mk4.7 small UAS has achieved over 200,000 flight hours using Volz Servos’ DA 15-N actuators, it was announced on 20 September. Textron …

• Digital Battlespace

  Elbit Systems details new Africa order

  29th September 2017

  Elbit Systems has received a contract worth $240 million to provide electronic defence systems to an unnamed country in Africa, the company announced on 26 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australian navy explains UxV roadmap

  9th October 2017

  The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) laid out a roadmap for the future direction of unmanned technology at the Pacific International Maritime Exposition in Sydney on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AeroVironment delivers M1/M2/M5-compatible UAS

  22nd September 2017

  AeroVironment has integrated new M1/M2/M5 radio frequencies into its family of small UAS, enabling users to securely conform to the Department of Defense’s (DoD's) new …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Kongsberg Geospatial wins EOAMS contract

  21st September 2017

  Kongsberg Geospatial has received a contract to produce an Emergency Operations Airspace Management System (EOAMS) for evaluation by Canadian government agencies for safely managing UAS …

• Land Warfare

  ATHENA defeats airborne targets

  25th September 2017

  Lockheed Martin has demonstrated its prototype Advanced Test High Energy Asset (ATHENA) laser weapon system at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. During testing with …

• Digital Battlespace

  Rockwell Collins demos new communication link

  19th September 2017

  Rockwell Collins has demonstrated a new directional communication link with longer range and anti-jamming capability for smaller applications such as UAS, radar systems and satellite …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MDM 2017: AeroVironment highlights UAS camera upgrade

  21st September 2017

  In addition to spotlighting expanded datalink compatibility for Raven and Puma AE with the new M1/M2/M5 radios and frequency spectrum, AeroVironment used MDM 2017 to …

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2017: Nammo takes down UAV (video)

  18th September 2017

  Helge Stadheim, programme director for Nammo, spoke to Shephard about the company's 40mm programmable ammunition.  The air-burst round was recently used to take down a small …

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2017: T-REX makes an entrance into C-UAS

  13th September 2017

  Orbital ATK has unveiled its Tactical Robotic Exterminator (T-REX) counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) concept at DSEI in London. The T-REX concept, displayed in a scale-model …

• Special Operations

  DSEI 2017: USMC special ops look for new UAS

  14th September 2017

  The US Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) will be looking to trial a group two UAV in the near future, Shephard  has learnt. MARSOC …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  DEF129 (Nano UAS) [Australia]

  Programme Background DEF129 The Australian Ground Service has combined various army procurement efforts under the DEF129 programme to increase the abundance and proliferation of UAVs ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Aeromobila A Pilotaggio Remoto (Mini) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirement Released on 5 August 2021, the Italian MoD's Multi-Year Defence Programme Document for 2021-2023 announced a programme aimed at acquiring a mini-UAS capable ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Aeromobila A Pilotaggio Remoto (Micro) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirement Released on 5 August 2021, the Italian MoD's Multi-Year Defence Programme Document for 2021-2023 announced a programme aimed at acquiring a micro-UAS capable ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  RQ-20 Puma [Belgium]

  Programme  Requirement The Belgian MoD outlined plans to procure more mini and tactical UAS in its Strategic Vision for Defence published in 2016. According to ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

• Military UAS - small

  Puma 2 AE [Germany]

  Programme Background The Germany navy had an urgent requirement for three UAS required for reconnaissance and identification in maritime operations. A platform was required that ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Small UAS [Spain]

  The Spanish Army examined the Russo-Ukrainian War in early 2024 and incorporated many learnings into its Fuerza 35 Project, a restructuring and procurement modernisation initiative. ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Small UAS [Spain]

  The Spanish Army examined the Russo-Ukrainian War in early 2024 and incorporated many learnings into its Fuerza 35 Project, a restructuring and procurement modernisation initiative. ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Goal The Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS (BWUAS) programme stems from the Military Sealift Command and Fleet Forces Command identifying, in 2018, a ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Medium Range Reconnaissance (MRR) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Under its Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) programme, the US Army plans to procure a Family of Small UAS (FoSUAS) to provide an organic ISR capability ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Medium Range Reconnaissance (MRR) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Under its Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) programme, the US Army plans to procure a Family of Small UAS (FoSUAS) to provide an organic ISR capability ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Class 2 Tactical UAS [Ireland]

  Background EU Tender On 13 March 2024, the Irish Department of Defence released a planning notice on the EU tenders website, confirming that the Irish ...

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

  Anafi [Sweden]

  Programme Background Sweden announced on 7 February 2024 that Defence Material Works had procured drones for the Home Guard on behalf of the Armed Forces. ...

• Military UAS - small

  Small UAS [Spain]

  Programme Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational ...

• Military UAS - small

  Black Hornet 3 PRS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army operated approximately 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS between 2013 and 2017, when the decision was made to retire ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Maveric UAS

  The Maveric is a small, lightweight UAS designed to perform covert ISR missions at the tactical level. In order to camouflage the drone, its profile ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  UAS Academy

  IAI has established a UAS Academy for training and certification of operators and technicians. The academy was established to meet a perceived need for skilled ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Heavy UAS

  The Heavy UAS, or Cargo Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, is, as its name suggests, a cargo-carrying UAV.  Manufactured by Honeywell Aerospace, the VTOL capable UAV's horizontal flight ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  UAS Operator Training

  To help in the development of training applications for UAS pilots, Presagis offers a suite of integrated COTS software that can be used for the ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  UAS Mission Trainer

  The UAS Mission Trainer combines an open architecture with COTS hardware and simulation software that minimises the use of proprietary designs to provide a platform-agnostic ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Skylock C-UAS

  Skylock, an Avnon Group company, has developed a C-UAS system that is intended to bring sensors, jammers and a laser effector into a single deployable ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Howler C-UAS

  Developed by Raytheon, the Howler is a counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS), which includes a Ku-band Radio Frequency Sensor (KuRFS), a command-and-control system, and a Coyote ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  UAS Concept 1

  In July 2022, BAE Systems revealed two UAV concepts. The UAS Concept 1 is described as a small, versatile aircraft designed to augment existing forces ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Small UAS CISR

  Cubic's Secure ISR Radio (SCISR) for small unmanned aerial systems is a rugged common data link (CDL) multi-band (L, S, and C) full-duplex transceiver for ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  AsteRx-m2 UAS

  The AsteRx-m2 UAS is a GNSS receiver designed to be easily integrated into UAS applications to provide centimetre-level RTK positioning. The system’s standard connectors enable ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Cobham C-UAS

  Unveiled at the AUVSI 2017 trade show in Dallas, Texas, the Cobham C-UAS primarily consists of wideband omnidirectional, directional helix (single- or dual-band), directional flat ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  MAUI

  The Mobile Application for UAS Identification (MAUI) is an acoustic sensor that operates on smartphones using the microphone to detect Group 1 (small, lightweight) UAS, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS

  The Blue Water Maritime Logistics UAS is a developmental cargo-carrying platform heavily based on the Skyways commercial available V2.5 Hybrid-Electric UAS.  Following a 2019 industry event, the Naval ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Silent Falcon

  The Silent Falcon is a solar-electric sUAS with long-endurance capabilities for extended-range missions. The UAS can be used for commercial and military applications. The entire ...