• Naval Warfare

  US Navy may look to foreign suppliers to accelerate shipbuilding programmes

  1st July 2025

  The US Navy (USN) is currently reassessing its acquisition efforts and seeking ways to reduce the multiple delays across the shipbuilding initiatives.

• Land Warfare

  QinetiQ awarded contract for further work on lasers, future systems and energy weapons

  6th May 2025

  Notable projects under the Weapons Sector Research Framework (WSRF) contract include the British Army determining the impact of a vehicle-mounted laser weapon on drones and testing a vehicle-mounted Radio Frequency Directed Energy Weapon (RFDEW).

• Air Warfare

  Next generation jammers ordered for Royal Australian Air Force and US Navy Growlers

  19th May 2025

  The order includes jammers for Australian EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft follows an order for deployment on US Navy Growlers in December last year and an announcement in March that full-rate production was near.

• Defence Notes

  Drones, C-UAS and air base investments top the list in $42 billion US-Qatar defence deal

  16th May 2025

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems secured a nearly $2 billion deal for MQ-9B uncrewed aerial systems, while Raytheon’s counter-UAS system was secured for $1 billion.

• Land Warfare

  Patria completes test firing of new self-propelled gun as demand for systems grows

  26th June 2025

  Patria quotes a maximum rate of fire of eight rounds a minute from the new ARVE (ARtillery on VEhicle) self-propelled gun with a range of 40km for an assisted round. The rapid, low-risk development is designed to meet emerging requirements which have arisen out of the Ukraine war.

• Air Warfare

  Czech Republic extend Gripen lease to bridge until entry of F-35

  3rd June 2025

  The Czech Republic has formally extended its lease of Saab JAS-39 Gripen fighter aircraft until 2035, allowing for the arrival of the first Lockheed Martin F-35 in 2031 and full operational capability four years later. .

• Land Warfare

  US Army LTAMDS enters production phase

  22nd April 2025

  LTAMDS was approved in multiple flight trials and assessments.

• Air Warfare

  RTX Raytheon to surge production of AIM-9X Block II missiles by nearly 80% in three years

  5th June 2025

  Currently manufacturing 1,400 AIM-9X Block II missiles annually, Raytheon plans to reach the mark of 2,500 per year by September 2028.

• Air Warfare

  Czech Republic confirms new Sweden offer on Gripen aircraft lease

  8th April 2025

  The current lease period for the 14 Gripen C/D aircraft flown by the Czech Air Force will come to an end in 2027. This new offer proposes that 12 Gripen aircraft will be leased after 2027.

• Land Warfare

  Czech Republic set to order RBS 70 NG systems as CAESAR howitzers begin production

  2nd June 2025

  The Czech Government is to approve the purchase of a fleet of vehicle mounted integrated air defence systems as the country invests to overhaul its equipment. Spending includes two dozen F-35As, CAESAR howitzers and refurbished Leopard tanks.

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed Martin builds first Saudi Arabian THAAD components

  12th May 2025

  The THAAD launcher was first procured by Saudi Arabia in 2017, with local production a key condition of the sale.

• Land Warfare

  Roke unveils new portable EW system

  9th May 2025

  Roke’s EM-Vis Deceive has been designed to be modular, open-standards based and mission configurable, and can be carried by a single soldier.

• Defence Notes

  Brazilian Congress to review constitution amendment to secure defence budget increase

  15th May 2025

  An amendment to the Brazilian Constitution currently under discussion would permanently assign 2% of annual GDP to the defence budget, potentially cementing modernisation programmes for the country’s armed forces.

• Land Warfare

  “Adversaries have adapted”: how counter-UAS and space control will decide future conflicts

  18th March 2025

  In conversation... EOS's Andreas Schwer talks to Shephard's Ben Watts about how the Australian company is shifting its strategic focus to two technologies it sees as essential for success on the modern battlefield - C-UAS and space control.

• Air Warfare

  Undisclosed customer signs for two C-390 Millennium aircraft

  30th December 2024

  The customer would be the 10th nation to select the C-390 after several others signed orders for the aircraft in 2024.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Transport

  C-130J (Secondhand) [Greece]

  Programme Background The decision was prompted by repeated operational failures in the HAF’s C-130 fleet, particularly highlighted during a failed mission to transport a Greek ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-2 (Japan)

  Programme BackgroundKawasaki Heavy Industries developed the C-2 for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) to replace its Kawasaki C-1 and Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules fleets. ...

• Transport

  C-130J [USA]

  Programme Background The C-130J Super Hercules is a four-engine turboprop transport aircraft developed by Lockheed Martin to replace aging C-130 variants. The US and foreign ...

• Transport

  KC-390 [Colombia]

  Background  In 2020, the United States and Colombia formalised an agreement that saw the transfer of 3 C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. In March 2026, one ...

• Transport

  C-130 Replacement [South Africa]

  Programme Background Requirement South Africa’s current C-130BZ fleet has become increasingly difficult and expensive to maintain, being amongst the oldest C-130 aircraft still operational. Despite a 2023 ...

• Transport

  C-130 Replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Requirement The Royal Saudi Air Force operates 33 C-130H, 7 KC-130H aircraft and two KC-130Js. The country has been seeking to replace its older ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-130H Replacement [Sweden]

  Programme Background Requirements Sweden has five C-130H aircraft (designated Tp-84) and one KC-130H. Two C-130Es bought in the 1960s have retired, but the six H ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-130 Hercules Replacement [Chile]

  Background Chile first acquired the C-130 Hercules at the start of the 1970's adding approximately two KC-130R Hercules platforms to their fleet between 2011 and 2016. ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [Indonesia]

  Programme Background The TNI-AU currently relies on 17 Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules and L-100-30 aircraft, including five C-130Hs transferred from Australia. Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) is ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M-Forecast [Indonesia]

  Programme Background The TNI-AU currently relies on 17 Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules and L-100-30 aircraft, including five C-130Hs transferred from Australia. Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) is ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | KC-390 [Colombia]

  Given government frustration with Colombia's fleet of second-hand transport aircraft following the fatal crash of a C-130 Hercules aircraft carrying over 60 soldiers, Shephard forecasts that Colombia ...

• Data links

  Data links | KC-390 [Colombia]

  Given government frustration with Colombia's fleet of second-hand transport aircraft following the fatal crash of a C-130 Hercules aircraft carrying over 60 soldiers, Shephard forecasts that Colombia ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | KC-390 [Colombia]

  Given government frustration with Colombia's fleet of second-hand transport aircraft following the fatal crash of a C-130 Hercules aircraft carrying over 60 soldiers, Shephard forecasts that Colombia ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-37A [USA]

  Programme Background The USAF was using C-20B transport aircraft, variant of civilian Gulfstream III, to provide worldwide airlift for DoD and government officials. With the ...

• Transport

  Strategic Airlift Capability [Mexico]

  Programme Background Requirement The Mexican Air Force's transport capability is provided by the country's 302nd (C-130 Hercules) and 502nd (Boeing 737-200) squadrons. Previously, it also operated Boeing ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  C-130 Tampa Training Center

  CAE owns and operates a training centre in Tampa, Florida, for operators of the Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules aircraft. CAE’s C-130 Tampa Training Center offers ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  C-130 ATS

  The Lockheed Martin C-130 Aircrew Training System (ATS) provides academic and simulation training for C-130 weapons system aircrews and maintenance personnel. Located in Little Rock, Arkansas, ...

• Air: surveillance radar

  AN/APN-241

  The AN/APN-241 is a high-resolution tactical transport radar manufactured by Northrop Grumman. It was designed and developed as a baseline radar for the C-130 mission ...

• EO/IR systems

  Orca 130

  According to the manufacturer, Threod Systems, the Orca 130 is a non-ITAR, four-sensor gyro-stabilised payload for ISR missions. The Orca 130 is the standard payload for the ...

• Transport

  C-130J Super Hercules

  The C-130J Super Hercules is the latest model of the C-130 Hercules four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. The C-130J primarily performs the tactical portion of ...

• Trailers

  MTVR Cargo Trailer

  The MTVR Cargo Trailer was developed for use with the USMC's Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR), produced by Oshkosh Defense. It is built for rugged ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Cockpit 9000

  Produced by CMC Electronics, the Cockpit 9000 is an integrated avionics solution primarily integrated into C-130 aircraft. According to the manufacturer, over 100 C-130s are ...

• Transport

  C-130 Hercules

  The C-130E/H Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. It first entered service in 1962. According to Lockheed Martin, 1,693 C-130E and C-130H models ...

• Transport

  C-2

  Kawasaki Heavy Industries developed the C-2 for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) to replace its Kawasaki C-1 and Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules fleets. The ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  USAF C-130J MATS

  Training for USAF C-130J crews is managed under a programme called C-130J Maintenance and Aircrew Training System (MATS). Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor for ...

• Fixed wing aircraft engines

  AE 2100

  The Rolls-Royce AE 2100 turboprop engine is a widely used military powerplant that can be found on Lockheed Martin C-130 variants (AE 2100D3), Leonardo C-27J ...

• Launchers

  Hercules AH-01

  The Hercules AH-01 high-pressure pneumatic launcher is designed to launch UAVs of up to 500kg MTOW. It is air-transportable in C-130, A400M, or other similar ...

• Fixed wing aircraft engines

  AE 2100D3

  The AE2100 engine, a derivative of the T406 turboshaft family of engines, is designed by Rolls-Royce to power high-speed transport aircraft. The AE2100D3 variant was ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Flyer 72/GMV 1.1

  The Flyer 72 Advanced Light Strike Vehicle (ALSV) was developed by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS), in partnership with Flyer Defense, to meet ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  X-61A Gremlin

  Dynetics, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Leidos, is developing the X-61A Gremlin. This low-cost swarming drone can be outfitted with different payloads, launched by a mothership, recovered ...