• Defence Notes

  Despite rows, EU-US defence ties still strong

  21st June 2018

  NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on 21 June acknowledged the ‘real’ disagreements between Europe and the US but insisted the trans-Atlantic bond on defence and …

• Naval Warfare

  UDT 2018: Saab to display full size torpedo model

  20th June 2018

  Among Saab’s displays at the forthcoming Undersea Defence Technology conference and exhibition will be a full size model of its new lightweight torpedo (SLWT), with …

• Training

  FAAC to modernise Combat Convoy Simulators

  19th June 2018

  Arotech's FAAC has received a contract to modernise the US Marine Corps’ (USMC) Combat Convoy Simulators (CCS). The contract is worth up to $28.9 million …

• 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. …

• Land Warfare

  Raytheon to continue TOW production

  15th June 2018

  Raytheon has received a $129.9 million contract modification from the US Army to continue production of the TOW weapon system, the company announced on 12 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  NASA Ikhana flies with detect and avoid avionics

  19th June 2018

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ (GA-ASI) Detect and Avoid (DAA) avionics system enabled the flight of NASA’s Ikhana UAS through the National Airspace System (NAS) earlier …

• Training

  BISim releases updated VBS3 versions

  19th June 2018

  Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim) has released updated versions of its VBS3, VBS Control Behavior Pack 1 and VBS Simulation SDK, the company announced on 13 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales introduces Nexium Defence Cloud

  14th June 2018

  Thales has developed a comprehensive private cloud infrastructure solution called Nexium Defence Cloud, the company announced on 7 June. The Nexium Defence Cloud offer users …

• Digital Battlespace

  EW Europe 2018: COMINT requirements continue to morph

  6th June 2018

  With focus shifting to state-based threats, communications intelligence (COMINT) is seeing renewed interest as nations look to once again modernise their inventories to suit this …

• Digital Battlespace

  Telesat eyes Canada's future SATCOM project

  5th June 2018

  Ottawa-based satellite firm Telesat has indicated that the company’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellation of satellites will feature as part of a bid for Canada’s …

• Naval Warfare

  Kongsberg sonar for Finnish corvettes

  12th June 2018

  Kongsberg Maritime has received a contract from the Finnish Defence Force to deliver the ST2400 Variable Depth Sonar (VDS) upgrade for the Hamina-class corvette fleet, …

• Defence Notes

  Qatar says 'stronger' despite year-long Gulf dispute

  6th June 2018

  On the first anniversary of a bitter Gulf diplomatic rift, Qatar's foreign minister on 5 June declared his country stronger than ever and said it …

• Digital Battlespace

  Eurosatory 2018: Hensoldt begins serial production of new AESA radar

  13th June 2018

  Hensoldt has begun serial production of its new software-defined AESA land-based air defence radar, the TRML-4D after receiving an initial order for ten units from …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: Virtual symposium launched to support industry

  16th May 2018

  The US Special Operations Command’s (USSOCOM’s) Science and Technology (S&T;) Directorate has launched a virtual symposium to support industry efforts to identify and enable disruptive …

• Military Logistics

  Eurosatory 2018: New automated load handling system for Australia

  12th June 2018

  Rheinmetall Defence has unveiled the new Supashock Automated Load Handing System (ALHS 17) at Eurosatory 2018. The new system, designed and built by Australian company, …

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 ...