• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: The aircraft on display (video)

  19th June 2017

  As Paris Air Show 2017 gets underway Shephard editors Grant Turnbull and Richard Thomas cast their gaze over the flight line to see what's on …

• Digital Battlespace

  RADA tests OTM capabilities of tactical radars

  22nd June 2017

  RADA Electronic Industries has successfully completed testing the on-the-move (OTM) capabilities of its tactical radars, the company announced on 15 June.The testing concerns the newly integrated …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: Experts focus on Korean border

  23rd June 2017

  Autonomous Device Experts is putting forward the Vivace UAS and Pathfinder seismic detection sensor for possible use by South Korea along sensitive border areas. The …

• Naval Warfare

  ECA demos unmanned port protection

  13th June 2017

  ECA Group has demonstrated an unmanned solution for port and coastal protection in the Toulon area in the south of France.The company’s solution combines the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Guardian sale could signal US policy change

  29th June 2017

  The White House approved the sale of 22 non-weaponised MQ-9B Guardian UAVs to India on 21 June, perhaps signalling a policy shift in terms of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Kraken’s AquaPix in mine warfare exercise

  13th June 2017

  Kraken Sonar Systems’ AquaPix synthetic aperture sonars (SAS) will take part in a mine warfare exercise to be conducted by the Belgium and Netherland navies …

• Training

  Paris Air Show: New target drone on target

  20th June 2017

  Leonardo has introduced its new Mirach 40 (M-40) aerial target system to the market at the Paris Air Show 2017. The company is looking to …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  THeMIS UGV set for further Estonian trials

  15th June 2017

  Milrem and the Estonian Defence League have signed an agreement to conduct further testing of Milrem’s THeMIS UGV during live military exercises, the company announced on 12 June.Feedback …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Boeing, HII team for extra large UUVs

  13th June 2017

  Boeing and Huntington Ingalls Industries have teamed up to design and build an unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV) in support of the US Navy’s Extra Large …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Chinese Rainbow goes stratospheric

  15th June 2017

  China's first solar-powered Caihong (Rainbow) UAS successfully flew at an altitude of 20,000m on 13 June, an altitude that is well within the stratosphere, the country’s …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Paris Air Show: Aeronautics showcases first VTOL UAV

  12th June 2017

  UAS manufacturer Aeronautics Group will present its newest UAVs at this year’s Paris Air Show, including the Orbiter 4 and Pegasus 120. The Pegasus 120 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ISDEF 2017: Controp expands portfolio

  10th June 2017

  Israel-based Controp has in recent months been showcasing the latest additions to its STAMP family of aircraft payloads at overseas shows, such as AUVSI’s Xponential …

• Naval Warfare

  Netherlands details new ship projects

  7th June 2017

  While the Royal Netherlands Air Force focuses on the F-35 multirole fighter, its new tanker aircraft and the procurement of CH-47F Chinooks, the navy is …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2017: Equipping the SOF warrior (video)

  22nd May 2017

  At this year's SOFIC exhibition in Tampa, Florida, Shephard spoke to the officer responsible for acquiring equipment for SOF operators on the ground and the challenges …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DroneHome latest entry into unmanned infrastructure

  9th June 2017

  A challenge currently faced by some commercial rotary UAS operators, particularly for longer range pipeline or powerline inspection or large area surveillance, is the need …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior [India]

  Programme Background Make In India The 'Make In India' initiative is an effort by the Indian government to boost domestic manufacturing. In the context of ...

• 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Ajax IFV [UK]

  Programme Background Prior to commencing development of the Ajax the UK utilised the Warrior was its primary IFV. However, the Warrior entered service in 1987 making ...

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

  Naval Collaborative Combat Air Vehicle (N-CCAV) [India]

  Programme Background CATS Warrior The Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) is a planned, uncrewed and crewed family of aircraft in development by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited ...

• 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 - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-1 Gray Eagle [US Army]

  Background Required Quantity Although the US Army first envisioned a requirement for 132 MQ-1C Gray Eagles, the US Army's Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) was increased ...

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

  Orbiter 3 (Croatia)

  Programme Background The Croatian government launched a competitive tender for the procurement of a short-range UAV in October 2017. Although the tender was opened on ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  AR100-H [Germany]

  Programme Background In May 2022, it was announced that 145 AR100-H drones would be supplied to the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). At the time of ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (MIV) [UK]

  Programme Background History The UK MoD announced in March 2018 that it would re-join the Boxer programme and pursue a sole-source acquisition of the 8x8 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Larger UAVs [Estonia]

  2026-2029 Defence Investment On 30 July 2025, the Republic of Estonia’s Minister of Defence, Hanno Pevkur, announced an approved development plan, allocating more than €10 billion ($11.42 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Sixth-Generation Aircraft [South Korea]

  Programme Background Hanwha industries has confirmed that a new engine is under development to replace the American manufactured F-414 engine; according to reports, the new ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | New Generation Minehunters/Offshore (NGM/A) (1-4) [Italy]

  The Italian Navy is procuring twelve new multi-purpose mine countermeasures (MCM) vessels under the Cacciamine Nuova Generazione (CNG) programme. The programme includes coastal-going units (NGM/C) ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | New Generation Minehunters/Offshore (NGM/A) (1-4) [Italy]

  The Italian Navy is procuring twelve new multi-purpose mine countermeasures (MCM) vessels under the Cacciamine Nuova Generazione (CNG) programme. The programme includes coastal-going units (NGM/C) ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Ermine (Ukraine Aid) [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Western governments have sought to provide as much assistance as possible to the Ukrainian ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | New Generation Minehunters/Coastal (NGM/C) (1-5) [Italy]

  The Italian Navy is procuring twelve new multi-purpose mine countermeasures (MCM) vessels under the Cacciamine Nuova Generazione (CNG) programme. The programme includes coastal-going units (NGM/C) ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military - USVs

  SHARC

  The Sensor Hosting Autonomous Remote Craft (SHARC) wave glider platform is a JV developed between Boeing and Liquid Robotics. The SHARC is able to deliver ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Warrior Systems

  General Dynamics Mission Systems is prime contractor and system integrator for the US Army’s Warrior soldier systems, which include Air Warrior, Future Force Warrior, Land Warrior ...

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

  NRQ-21

  Insitu displayed the NRQ-21 Integrator at the Unmanned Warrior 2016 event in Wales. The aircraft has been designed to carry out tasks on land and ...

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

  Outlaw SeaHunter

  Outlaw UAVs are used by military and research agencies for training, testing, data collection and system development. In the 114-137kg maximum take-off weight class, SeaHunter ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Mounted Warrior

  Mounted Warrior will provide an integrated system-of-systems ensemble designed to improve the survivability, lethality and combat effectiveness of armoured vehicle crewmen. The system leverages capabilities ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Warrior

  The Warrior IFV entered service with the British Army in mid-1987. A total of 789 vehicles were delivered in IFV, infantry command, anti-tank, recovery, repair, ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  MIHDS

  The Modular Integrated Helmet Display System (MIHDS) is designed and developed jointly by General Dynamics Mission Systems, USA and Microvision Inc. The system's SD2500 design ...

• Military - USVs

  MAST

  The Maritime Autonomy Surface Testbed (MAST) was developed by ASV Global and Roke Manor Research under funding from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. It ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  Warrior 2020

  Finland’s Warrior 2020 programme is focused on improving individual soldier equipment in the five capability areas defined by NATO: C4I, lethality, mobility, survivability and sustainability. Warrior ...

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

  CATS Warrior

  Manufactured by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior is a medium-altitude long-endurance UAS part of the CATS family ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58D Kiowa Warrior

  The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior is a two-person, light scout helicopter with a day/night mast-mounted sight, glass cockpit and four-bladed rotor system. Following the retirement of ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MUBC

  The Modular Universal Battery Charger (MUBC) is a scalable charging system for a range of military and commercial batteries. It provides for the addition of ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F Cayuse Warrior

  An evolution of the OH-6 Cayuse light observation helicopter, the MD 530F was initially Federal Aviation Administration-certified in July 1985 as the Model 369FF. It ...

• Land: RWS

  Unmanned T40

  Nexter is developed an unmanned variant of its T40 two-man turret to meet the growing demand for these types of systems. Like the standard T40, ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  Athena 511

  The Athena 511 is a compact all-in-one GPS-aided INS air data system. The system’s integrated inertial sensing uses a tactical grade, ring-laser gyro IMU, with ...