• Land Warfare

  Romania opens the chequebook and reorganises as it watches Russian aggression

  22nd November 2024

  Romania is retiring old systems, some Soviet, and replacing them with western equipment from countries such as Sweden and Turkey and boosting existing modern fleets.

• Air Warfare

  Enhancing education: How CAE is embracing new technology to boost military training

  12th June 2025

  In Conversation... Shephard's Gerrard Cowan talks to CAE's Marc-Olivier Sabourin about how the training and simulation industry can help militaries achieve essential levels of readiness by leveraging new technology, innovative procurement methods and a truly collaborative approach.

• Defence Notes

  UK Chancellor commits £2 billion to make the country a “defence industrial superpower”

  26th March 2025

  Rachel Reeves announced port upgrades, protected budgets for innovation and investment in novel technologies.

• Land Warfare

  Switzerland approved for $450 million Patriot support contract

  29th October 2024

  There has been strong demand for Patriot air defence and missile systems since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine with units going towards the country’s defensive efforts and systems to existing and new European customers.

• Land Warfare

  Dutch to substantially boost C2 capability with planned $1.4 billion radio purchase

  17th October 2024

  The radios to be bought are already widely used across several NATO countries, as well as Australia, New Zealand and Niger.

• Air Warfare

  Lessons learned from supplier switching on fast jet fleets

  31st December 2024

  How difficult is it for air forces to change aircraft fleets, moving from one defence hemisphere to another?

• Air Warfare

  Spain makes order for 25 Eurofighter Typhoons

  20th December 2024

  Known as the Halcon II programme, the order covers 21 single-seat and four twin-seat aircraft, set to be delivered between 2030 and 2035.

• Naval Warfare

  Germany and Finland suspect “hybrid sabotage” of undersea infrastructure

  20th November 2024

  Without naming a culprit, the defence ministers of both nations expressed concern about “deliberate” severing of undersea internet cables.

• Air Warfare

  Embraer “confident” as C-390 and A-29 production ramps up in 2025

  31st January 2025

  Embraer chief commercial officer Frederico Lemos said that it was aiming to produce more than 10 of its C-390 multi-mission aircraft a year by 2030, with some A-29 aircraft already allocated and ready for delivery.

• Naval Warfare

  Defence Insight Briefs: How market trends are shaping the future of naval defence (analysis)

  22nd November 2024

  As defence markets shift to meet new demands, the naval sector has found itself at the centre of a transformative wave, driven by geopolitical shifts, the need for rapid technological advancement, and a redefined approach to maritime power projection.

• Land Warfare

  In depth: Competition for British Army vehicle programme heats up, despite more delays

  16th September 2025

  The UK’s Land Mobility Programme (LMP) seems set to be delayed once again but industry is jockeying for position to partner in what would be one of the biggest ever buys for the British Army.

• Naval Warfare

  Turkey begins steel-cutting on MUGEM and MiLDEN vessels

  3rd January 2025

  The MUGEM, TF-2000 and MiLDEN programmes all aim to boost Turkey’s domestic shipbuilding prowess and its fleet.

• 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

  EuroDASS partners unveil details on next-gen EW system for Eurofighter Typhoon

  22nd November 2024

  The consortium has given details on the next-generation of sensing and jamming capabilities on the Eurofighter Typhoon without needing to update the airframe, according to the group’s partners.

• Air Warfare

  Finland’s Summa Defence establishes drone production facility with Ukrainian partners

  28th November 2024

  The Finnish defence and security group will work with Ukrainian drone companies to speed up production of platforms for Ukraine and across the European Union (EU) and NATO countries.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMD-4M

  Programme Background Since 2017, 11 battalion sets of the BMD-4M have been delivered to units of the VDV in addition to 27 located at the ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BTR-MDM Rakushka

  Programme Background Since 2016, 11 battalion sets of BTR-MDMs are known to have been delivered to units of the VDV in addition to 12 platforms ...

• Main battle tanks

  2S25 Sprut-SDM1

  Programme Background The Sprut-SDM1 is an upgraded version of the Sprut-SD, a mere 30 of which were produced for the VDV between 2006 and 2010 ...

• Destroyers

  Maya Class (27DDG) (1-2) [Japan]

  Programme Background The 27DD Maya class destroyers were previously known as the Improved Atago class because they are an addition to the existing two Atago-class destroyers that have entered service. ...

• AEW&C

  Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (1-6) [NATO]

  Programme Background NATO’s E-3A AWACS fleet is set to retire in 2035, after 50 years of service. To plan for the required follow-on capability, NATO's ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (1-6) [NATO]

  NATO is estimated to procure up to 18 AEW aircraft under the Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) programme to replace the current E-3 Sentry fleet when ...

• Data links

  Data links | Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (1-6) [NATO]

  NATO is estimated to procure up to 18 AEW aircraft under the Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) programme to replace the current E-3 Sentry fleet when ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (1-6) [NATO]

  NATO is estimated to procure up to 18 AEW aircraft under the Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) programme to replace the current E-3 Sentry fleet when ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (1-6) [NATO]

  NATO is estimated to procure up to 18 AEW aircraft under the Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (AFSC) programme to replace the current E-3 Sentry fleet when ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-390 Options [Portugal]

  Programme Background Leadership from Embraer and the Portuguese Air Force formalised a contract that includes 10 aircraft options that can be utilised by any NATO ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | A330 MRTT Follow-On [NATO]

  Six NATO member states, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway and the Netherlands, are planning to exercise an option to supply two A330 MRTT aircraft ...

• Data links

  Data links | A330 MRTT Follow-On [NATO]

  Six NATO member states, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway and the Netherlands, are planning to exercise an option to supply two A330 MRTT aircraft ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | A330 MRTT Follow-On [NATO]

  Six NATO member states, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway and the Netherlands, are planning to exercise an option to supply two A330 MRTT aircraft ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-390 [Portugal]

  Programme Background Leadership from the Portuguese Air Force and Embraer signed a contract for a sixth C-390, with the option for ten additional aircraft for ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) - (Greece)

  Programme Background EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) was announced in early 2022 and the project contract was awarded ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Major networking projects

  Ballistic Missile Defence

  In early 2010, NATO acquired the first phase of an initial theatre ballistic missile defence capability to protect alliance forces. 

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMD-2

  Between 1,000 and 2,000 BMD-2 (Boevaya Mashina Desantnaya - Airborne Combat Vehicle) amphibious IFVs were produced for the Soviet Airborne Forces (VDV) by the Volgograd ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMD-4M

  The BMD-4M is based on the BMD-4, which has been in the Russian Army's airborne forces (VDV) service since 2004. It was developed to provide an ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMD-1

  The Volgograd Tractor Plant (now known as the Volgograd Machine-Building Company) developed the BMD-1 amphibious IFV specifically to meet the requirements of the Soviet Union's ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System

  The Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) System, developed by the United States, provides advanced sea-based and land-based protection against ballistic missile threats.  Using the AN/SPY-1 ...

• Land: battle management systems

  BMD-Flex

  BMD-Flex is a modular C2 software system for integrated air and missile defence. Built on T-Core, BMD-Flex’s features and functions can be tailored, ranging from ...

• Land: manned turrets

  Bereg

  KBP developed the Bereg one-person turret (referred to as a ‘combat module’ in Russia) to provide an upgrade option for the Russian-designed BMD-series airborne IFV ...

• Land: manned turrets

  Bakhcha

  The Bakhcha is the latest version of the two-man turret originally developed for the BMP-3 tracked IFV, which entered Soviet Army service in 1987.  It ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  Aegis Ashore

  Aegis Ashore is the first operational land-based version of the Aegis Combat System originally developed by Lockheed Martin for the US Navy's Ballistic Missile Defence ...

• Cannons

  2A70

  The 2A70 is a 100mm cannon that has been designed to equip infantry fighting vehicles, including the BMP-3, BMP-3F and the BMD-4M.

• Major networking projects

  NATO DCIS

  Airbus is delivering the NATO Deployable Communication and Information System (DCIS). The project represents a major upgrade in the capability of NATO Response Forces (NRF) ...

• Land: RWS

  Qimek NATO

  Rheinmetall's RWS family includes the Qimek single-weapon RWS and the Nanuk dual-weapon RWS. The Qimek NATO combines full stabilisation, long-range day/night all-weather sights and a ...

• Land: RWS

  Nanuk NATO

  Rheinmetall's RWS family includes the Qimek single-weapon RWS and the Nanuk dual-weapon RWS, which was introduced in 2008. The Nanuk NATO combines full stabilisation, long-range ...

• Major networking projects

  NATO SATCOM

  Leonardo has been awarded a turnkey contract to rationalise and upgrade NATO’s SATCOM systems and associated infrastructure. The company will design, build, test, commission and ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BTR-MDM

  The BTR-MDM Rakushka is an amphibious tracked armoured vehicle developed by Kurganmashzavod to meet the Russian Airborne Forces' (VDV) need for a new air-droppable APC. ...