• Land Warfare

  New Type 100 AFVs help China leapfrog ahead of other Western concepts

  19th September 2025

  China’s fourth-generation armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) have pulled ahead of international analogues in their concept of operations, but questions remain about the reliability of their advanced technologies further down the line.

• Air Warfare

  MBDA progresses Aster ramp-up with first accelerated delivery

  31st July 2025

  The first delivery comes less than two years after the first joint order was placed. MBDA has committed to halving Aster production lead-time by 2026.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy outlines next steps of the Aegis modernisation programme

  19th August 2025

  The US Navy intends to enhance the integration and lethality of the Aegis capabilities onboard its cruisers and destroyers.

• Land Warfare

  US Army modernisation plans raise big concerns for lawmakers

  25th June 2025

  The termination of programmes such as JLTV and RCV has been harshly criticised by members of the US Congress.

• Land Warfare

  “A new philosophy of defence”: ASELSAN sets out ambitions for the future

  14th November 2025

  In Conversation: Shephard’s Gerrard Cowan talks to ASELSAN CEO and President Ahmet Akyol about how the business has evolved and expanded over the past five decades, and its aim of becoming a top 30 global defence company by 2030.

• Land Warfare

  New version of Altay tank to be delivered “soon” with Turkish engine for later iterations

  19th August 2025

  The first of the Altay T1 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) will have a South Korean power pack while later Altay T2s will be fitted with the locally made BMC BATU engine.

• Air Warfare

  Norway cleared for possible $2.6 billion HH-60W helicopter FMS

  14th July 2025

  The possible sale for nine HH-60W by the US government could make Norway the first Foreign Military Sale customer for the rescue and combat helicopter and add to the country’s ongoing acquisition of Sikorsky-made helicopters.

• Naval Warfare

  Pentagon requests industry support to address issues with low-cost undersea effectors

  22nd July 2025

  The US Pentagon Defence Innovation Unit (DIU) will award OTAs for small and medium affordable uncrewed underwater vehicles. Companies can submit their solution until 24 July.

• Land Warfare

  Hungary’s Gamma Technical expands vehicle range

  3rd July 2025

  The company’s new variants of 4×6 and 6×6 vehicles are designed to be modular for a greater variety of missions and also flexibility at a subsystem level, for example transmission and engine.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy seeks suppliers to upgrade the MK 41 VLS

  30th July 2025

  The US Navy has been preparing to award a contract for the refurbishment of MK 41 VLS on board USN vessels and other military type ships.

• Air Warfare

  How unconventional warfare demands are changing the CUAS and drone development landscape

  14th August 2025

  The use of drones in unconventional ways is accelerating technological advances and countermeasures as military planners try to stay ahead of the drone revolution in military affairs.

• Land Warfare

  Czech Government increases Leopard tank ties

  25th July 2025

  The Czech Government is aligning itself even more closely to a future fleet of Leopard tanks as other countries in Europe also sign up for the Leopard 2A8 variant.

• Land Warfare

  Czech CAESAR howitzer order at risk of cancellation

  10th July 2025

  The Czech Republic ordered 52 CAmion Equipé d’un Système d’ARtillerie (CAESAR) self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) in 2021 and added another 10 a year later. A cancellation of the programme would impact both the army’s capabilities and local industry which is involved in the manufacture.

• Air Warfare

  India readies private sector push as AMCA moves towards 2028 prototype

  17th July 2025

  India’s stealth fighter ambitions gain fresh momentum as HAL opens the door to private sector involvement in AMCA Mk1A structural assembly, with strategic support growing for next-gen propulsion and sensor technologies.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  What’s next for the Pentagon after the Replicator programme?

  28th August 2025

  Although the Replicator initiative has made several accomplishments, there are still multiple gaps to plug across the US Department of Defense (DoD) and its services.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - small

  Adaptable Aerial Platforms (AAP) [South Korea]

  Programme Background KF-21 Boramae Crewed Fighter The Republic of Korea's Air Force (ROKAF) plans to acquire the KF-21 Boramae fighter, replacing F-4E Phantom II and ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  T129B [Philippines]

  Programme Background On 31 August 2019, it was announced that the Philippines National Defence Acquisition Decision Memorandum continues with the T-129 procurement. However, on 30 April ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  KF-21 Loyal Wingman [South Korea]

  Background KF-21 Boramae Crewed Fighter The Republic of Korea’s Air Force (ROKAF) plans to acquire the KF-21 Boramae fighter, replacing F-4E Phantom II and F-5E/F fighters in the ROKAF. ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache (Follow-On) [Morocco]

  Background Initial FMS request Morocco placed a request in 2019 with the US government for AH-64E Apache attack helicopters. On 20 November 2019, it was ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Embarked VTOL UAV [South Korea]

  Background VTOL Development In January 2024, South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced that it would commence development of a VTOL-capable rotary-wing UAV to be ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Project Land 4503 [Australia]

  Programme Background The Australian Army has begun its search for a successor to the Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH), with an RfI issued by the ...

• Trainer

  Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements The RAAF is seeking a future solution that provides a ‘relevant, adaptable, affordable and safe LIFTS out to 2050’ for training pilots ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache [Morocco]

  Background Initial FMS request Morocco placed a request in 2019 with the US government for AH-64E Apache attack helicopters. On 20 November 2019, it was ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache [UK]

  Background According to the MoD, to further ‘guarantee value for money’ systems from the current Apache fleet such as the Modernised Target Acquisition & Designation ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache add on [Israel]

  Background Capability gap Before 7 October 2023, the Israeli MoD was planning to decommission a portion of its AH-64 fleet due to age, but changed ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache (Indian Air Force)

  Programme Background The Indian Army was originally granted co-ownership of the 22 Apaches by the Indian MoD. However, the IAF refused to cede them to ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache [Israel]

  Background Capability gap Before 7 October 2023, the Israeli MoD was planning to decommission a portion of its AH-64 fleet due to age, but changed ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Camcopter S-300 [South Korea]

  Programme Background Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) On 18 January 2023, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Northop Grumman at a ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Kruk / AH-64E Apache [Poland]

  Background Requirement history In May 2019, Wojciech Skurkiewicz, the Polish deputy defence, released some details on the helicopter programme. Part of Poland's broader defence modernisation plan, ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache [South Korea]

  Programme Background Requirement South Korea saught to replace its ageing Bell AH-1F/S Cobra fleet with modern alternatives, almost certainly the AH-64E, although the ROKA originally proposed to ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - mini

  MUM-T

  The Military Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) is a UAS in development by Korean Aerospace Industries. Showcased at Seoul ADEX 2021, the MUM-T can be launched from the ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  T-022 Vortex

  Announced in June 2026, the T-022 Vortex, developed by UK-based MGI Engineering, is a high-speed Autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft (ACCA). It is a fixed-wing UAV ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Demogorgon

  In late October 2021, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) awarded Kratos Unnamed Systems Division an initial $17.68 million 12-month cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to develop an Off-Board Sensing ...

• Loitering munitions

  Air Launched Effect (ALE)

  The Air-Launched Effect (ALE) is an in-development uncrewed platform from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). Shown at IDEX 2023, it is set to come in two variants, one ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  Arrow

  The Arrow is a supersonic prototype UAV developed by Singapore-based Kelley Aerospace. According to the manufacturer, the 16.8t prototype will be operated as a conventional UAV, ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  Uncrewed Checkmate

  At the Dubai Airshow 2021, United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), the parent company of Checkmate manufacturer Sukhoi Design Bureau, announced its intention to manufacture an uncrewed version of ...

• Military UAS - small

  Koios

  Callen-Lenz manufactures the Koios, a small UAS that is available in VTOL and non-VTOL variants.  Designed for the civil and military market, as standard, the ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  Defender

  The Defender is a jet-powered uncrewed escort aircraft built by GA-ASI. The primary goal of the UAV is to protect high-value airborne assets, such as refuelling ...

• Land: handheld NV devices, Land: handheld day observation/surveillance and targeting systems, Weapon sights for night use (image intensifiers)

  MUM-14

  The Multi-Use Mini-Monocular (MUM-14) is a modular, passive NVD designed to maintain situation awareness in a range of low-light conditions, utilising a single Gen III ...

• Data links

  Micro TMA

  Thales Micro TMA is a high-rate datalink designed for uncrewed platforms and video streaming applications from aircraft. It provides command and control functions as well ...

• Light UGVs

  X Series

  The X Series is a family of UGVs developed by the UK's DCE. Utilising a modular design, the X Series can be configured for a ...

• Loitering munitions

  Mighty Hornet IV

  Unveiled in September 2025, the Mighty Hornet IV is a development of the MQM-178 target drone designed for attack missions. Kratos and the National Chung-Shan Institute ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MUCCA

  Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is developing the MUCCA, a medium cooperative uncrewed fighter to potentially operate alongside the Republic of Korea Air Force's (ROKAF) KF-21 ...

• Heavy UGVs

  Havoc 8x8 RCV

  The Havoc 8x8 Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) is a heavy UGV currently being developed by Milrem. It is expected to enter production in 2028 or ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Light Armed Helicopter

  The South Korean government selected Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) in July 2014 to develop the Light Armed Helicopter (LAH) and the related Light Civil Helicopter ...