• Land Warfare

  MSPO 2017: Polish Army inks half billion dollar rifle order

  8th September 2017

  The Polish Army has signed a deal with arms manufacturer FB ‘Łucznik’ - Radom for up to 53,000 new rifles likely destined for the country’s …

• Special Operations

  Training Somalia’s Danab Special Forces

  23rd November 2017

  Somalia’s Special Forces unit is known as the Danab, which means lightning in Somali, and is regarded as the most competent of Somalia’s military.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2017: What to expect (video)

  23rd November 2017

  As the largest annual training and simulation event draws closer, the Shephard team looks at what to expect from this year's I/ITSEC in Orlando, Florida. 

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2017: USAFE builds walls

  20th November 2017

  UK-based IWC has announced that it has won a contract to supply the USAF Europe (USAFE) with a complete turn-key portable live training system for the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MSPO 2017: Watching brief for Thales in Polish UAS programme

  7th September 2017

  Patience is the name of the game for Thales as it awaits a final decision by Poland’s government for the provision of the Watchkeeper X …

• Digital Battlespace

  Japan makes decisions on Aegis Ashore deployment

  19th November 2017

  Japan’s MoD has decided to allocate two Aegis Ashore facilities armed with SM-3 Block IIA missiles to the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force (JGSDF), and to …

• Land Warfare

  New rifles destined for Somalia

  20th November 2017

  The Turkish government has gifted new rifles to Somalia as part of its plan to expand its influence in the region. Up to 450 new …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Dubai Airshow 2017: Fury given engine endurance boost

  19th November 2017

  Lockheed Martin's Fury UAS now boasts an endurance of 15 continuous flight hours owing to a newly integrated 1803 engine. Announcing the UAV engine upgrades …

• Land Warfare

  MSPO 2017: Shoulder-launched weapons ready to fire

  6th September 2017

  With the Polish Army still utilising a sizeable stock of legacy rocket-propelled grenades (RPG-7s) that are diminishing in capability, there is now a search underway …

• Digital Battlespace

  QNA demos underwater Dolphin technology

  24th August 2017

  QinetiQ North America (QNA) has successfully demonstrated full-duplex underwater acoustic data communications using its new Dolphin technology, the company announced on 22 August. The demonstration …

• Defence Notes

  MBDA, Romarm sign MoU

  29th August 2017

  MBDA has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Romanian defence group Romarm and its subsidiary Electromecanica Ploiesti to define and present a proposal for …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Roboteam receives MTGR orders

  31st August 2017

  Roboteam has received two orders for the Micro Tactical Ground Robot (MTGR) in support of US and international military missions, the company announced on 29 …

• Defence Helicopter

  DSEI 2017: Omnetics connecting next-gen army missions

  5th September 2017

  Omnetics has been delivering connectors of the micro-  and nano-minature variety to the US Army for more than 25 years. With cyber security threats to …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Starter underway as Harris wins EOD contract

  22nd August 2017

  In the modern military environment that land forces find themselves operating in automation and the use of unmanned platforms continues to play a vital role …

• Land Warfare

  Russia receives new mortar, mine-clearing vehicles

  17th November 2017

  The Russian armed forces has received a batch of modernised 2S4 Tulpan self-propelled mortars, the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 13 November. The …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Chinese UAVs [Bangladesh]

  Background Request for Proposals (RFP) In 2023, as reported by Shephard at the time, the Bangladesh Army released a 106-page tender document to gather information ...

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

  Jackal [Taiwan]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 14 September 2023, Jon Parker, CEO And Chief Examiner at Flyby Technology, announced on LinkedIn that the company had signed ...

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

  Tactical Short-Range UAVs (Taiwan)

  Programme Background Long-Held Desire Alongside other branches of the Taiwanese military, the ROCA is trying to incorporate more uncrewed systems into its force structure. During the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Multirole Fighter (Taiwan)

  Programme Background Taiwan claims that Chinese fighter jets are often crossing into the island's air defence zone. The Republic of China Air Force is looking for options ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Mid-Shore Multi Mission Vessels [Canada]

  Canada is seeking to procure six Mid-Shore Multi Mission Vessels (MSMMVs) to replace its mid-shore science vessels as well as address existing capability gaps within the ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Mid-Shore Multi Mission Vessels [Canada]

  Canada is seeking to procure six Mid-Shore Multi Mission Vessels (MSMMVs) to replace its mid-shore science vessels as well as address existing capability gaps within the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Fighter Aircraft [United Arab Emirates]

  Programme Background Competitors and Bids Lockheed Martin On 25 September, the United Arab Emirates submitted a FMS request for the F-35A; the proposal was approved ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Invincible Class (Type 218SG) (5-6) [Singapore]

  In March 2025, the Singapore Ministry of Defence (Mindef) announced it would acquire two more submarines to complement its four Type 218SG Invincible-class submarines. Speaking to ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Invincible Class (Type 218SG) (5-6) [Singapore]

  In March 2025, the Singapore Ministry of Defence (Mindef) announced it would acquire two more submarines to complement its four Type 218SG Invincible-class submarines. Speaking to ...

• Frigates

  Type 054A/P (Pakistan)

  Programme Background Contracts Pakistan has ordered four frigates from China under the Type 054AP programme, which refers to the vessels being based on the Peoples ...

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

  Artillery UAV [Thailand]

  Programme Background Requirement & Replacement The Royal Thai Army (RTA) was understood to be seeking a new tactical UAV to replace four legacy Israel Aerospace Industries ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Data links

  Data links | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | FA-50 [Philippines]

  The Philippines Department of National Defence has decided to double the nation's fleet of FA-50s by purchasing twelve new aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries for ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

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

  FH-95

  The FH-95, sometimes called the Feihong 95 or Flying Swan, is a UAV designed for EW, ISR and strike missions.  It is manufactured by Aerospace Times Feihong Technology Corporation ...

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

  CH-802

  The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation CH-802 is a fixed-wing micro air vehicle intended for short-range surveillance and tactical reconnaissance missions in support of ...

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

  CH-10

  The CH-10 is a tilt-rotor uncrewed aircraft unveiled by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC) in 2018.  The platform can take off and land on ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Dragon 10A

  The Loitering Dragon 10A is a tube-launched loitering munition from Norinco.  Similar in design to AeroVironment's Switchblade, the drone was displayed alongside its tube launcher at ...

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

  CH-805

  The CH-805 is known for its stealthy design and is used for target practice in air defence exercises and equipment testing. It is sometimes mentioned ...

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

  CH-4

  The CH-4 is a MALE UAV available in two variants, the CH-4A and CH-4B. The China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics developed the platform, which is manufactured ...

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

  CH-500

  The CH-500 is a small, coaxial, rotary-wing, multipurpose UCAV and is manoeuvrable due to its tandem, dual-rotor arrangement without a tail rotor – also making it ...

• Self-propelled missile systems

  Shahab Thaqeb

  Shahab Thaqeb is an Iranian-developed variant of China's HQ-7 short-range air defence system, itself a copy of  Thales' Crotale systems imported by China in the ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  CH-6

  The CH-6, or Cai Hong 6 or Rainbow-6, is a UCAV unveiled by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) on 19 April 2021.  Shown ...

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

  Pegaz

  The Pegaz, or Pegasus, is a multi-role UCAV developed for the Serbian Armed Forces. It is being manufactured by Military Technical Institute Belgrade (MIT) in collaboration ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  Caihong

  The Caihong (Rainbow), also known as the Cai Hong or CH, is a solar-powered HALE platform designed for near-space flight. It is suitable for military ...

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

  CH-5

  The CH-5 is a medium-altitude, long-endurance UAS designed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation to perform various military missions. Applications of the CH-5 include ISTAR, ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  AR-1

  The AR-1 is a Chinese air-to-surface missile specifically designed for deployment from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), notably the CH-3 and CH-4 series. Developed by the ...

• Anti-ship missiles

  C-801

  The C-801 is a Chinese subsonic anti-ship missile that served as the foundational design for many subsequent Chinese anti-ship missiles. It is the export variant ...

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

  CH-91

  The CH-91 has been designed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation for tactical missions such as battlefield reconnaissance, target location, artillery fire correction and damage ...