• Land Warfare

  Axe swings on US Army procurements

  6th May 2025

  The US Army was undergoing a large refresh of its land vehicles but this seems to have come to a whiplash stop. Procurements have been reduced, legacy vehicles and systems are on the chopping block and even the number of Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs) is under threat.

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop Grumman receives follow-on contract for CUAS and C-IED systems

  26th September 2024

  The Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device Electronic Warfare (JCREW) counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) and Drone Restricted Access Using Known Electromagnetic Warfare (DRAKE) counter-UAS (CUAS) systems are mounted and dismounted RF jammers.

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems awarded $544 million in vehicle contracts

  17th March 2025

  The two contracts are for Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACVs) and Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles (AMPVs) as part of previously awarded contract agreements worth billions of dollars.

• Air Warfare

  US approves possible $1.96 billion MQ-9B drone sale for Qatar

  27th March 2025

  Qatar moves one step closer towards acquiring the MQ-9B SkyGuardian, as the Trump administration shows a renewed interest selling the platforms to countries in the Middle East.

• Air Warfare

  What lessons could Europe learn from air power use in Ukraine?

  3rd July 2025

  The use of air power by both sides in the ongoing conflict has been extensively focused on, influencing policy and procurement around the world. But are the lessons from the front line universally applicable, or should other nations be planning for very different scenarios?

• Air Warfare

  US Navy tests new comms pod for Marine Corps’ MQ-9A Reaper

  12th March 2025

  The pod, named SkyTower II (STII) was tested ahead of the system’s initial operational capability (IOC) in 2026.

• Naval Warfare

  Fincantieri begins steel-cutting on FREMM EVO frigates for the Italian Navy

  4th April 2025

  The two new frigates are expected to enter service by 2030.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy to invest nearly $12 billion in maritime uncrewed systems and naval munitions in FY2026

  15th July 2025

  Forming part of the Reconciliation Bill, the funding will support multiple efforts involving autonomous capabilities, interceptors, missiles, rockets and torpedoes.

• Air Warfare

  Embraer expands European footprint with new Portugal subsidiary

  18th December 2024

  The subsidiary will be named ‘Embraer Defense Europe’ and work to strengthen the company's foothold on the continent.

• Defence Notes

  India greenlights $4.7 billion defence spend as post-war tensions simmer

  30th May 2025

  Precision strikes, drone warfare and shifting regional doctrine mark aftermath of four-day India-Pakistan conflict.

• Land Warfare

  British soldiers successfully complete anti-drone EW test firing

  2nd January 2025

  The system beams radio waves to disrupt or damage the critical electronic components of enemy vehicles causing them to stop in their tracks or fall out of the sky. It has been described as costing only £0.10 (US$0.12) per shot.

• Naval Warfare

  CUAS and satellite capabilities to be among US Coast Guard’s acquisition priorities in FY2026

  21st May 2025

  The Secretary of Homeland Security said the branch needed “counter-UAS technology in every cutter”.

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2025: Allen-Vanguard releases new radio-frequency core to defeat threats

  14th February 2025

  The new core comprises a customisable product-specific application interface card, which means users can detect, protect and defeat a wider range of threats.

• Air Warfare

  Germany looks to upgrade KEPD 350 missiles and Sweden begins purchase process

  4th March 2025

  The Taurus KEPD 350 is an air-launched cruise missile developed by Taurus Systems, a joint venture between MBDA Deutschland and Saab Dynamics. The German contract is for maintenance and modernisation of German Air Force missiles.

• 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.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  General-Purpose UAS [Australia]

  Programme Background Banned As reported by Shephard in August 2023, in the past, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) used commercial UAS from companies such as DJI for ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Mini Reconnaissance Drones [Lithuania]

  Programme Background Planned Purchases On 14 September 2022, the Lithuanian MoD announced in a short statement on Twitter, now X, that it had begun organising ...

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

  ISTAR UAS project [Canada]

  Programme Background Objective The Royal Canadian Navy's (RCN) main significant UAV project is the RCN Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Unmanned Aircraft System (RCN ...

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

  Small Reconnaissance Drones [Lithuania]

  Programme Background Planned Purchases On 14 September 2022, the Lithuanian MoD announced in a short statement on Twitter, now X, that it had begun organising ...

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

  Skeldar V-200 (ASW) [Canada]

  Programme Background Contract Award At Euronaval 2022, Shephard reported that UMS Skeldar and Ultra had been awarded a Phase 2 contract on 19 October to provide ...

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

  Medium Range Reconnaissance (MRR) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an organic, on-demand ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Replicator 2 [US]

  Programme Background 1.0 The Replicator programme is a US effort to field thousands of attritable, autonomous systems across multiple domains before the end of 2025 ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  DEF129 (Nano UAS) [Australia]

  Programme Background DEF129 The Australian Ground Service has combined various army procurement efforts under the DEF129 programme to increase the abundance and proliferation of UAVs ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Aeromobila A Pilotaggio Remoto (Mini) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirement Released on 5 August 2021, the Italian MoD's Multi-Year Defence Programme Document for 2021-2023 announced a programme aimed at acquiring a mini-UAS capable ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Aeromobila A Pilotaggio Remoto (Micro) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirement Released on 5 August 2021, the Italian MoD's Multi-Year Defence Programme Document for 2021-2023 announced a programme aimed at acquiring a micro-UAS capable ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  RQ-20 Puma [Belgium]

  Programme  Requirement The Belgian MoD outlined plans to procure more mini and tactical UAS in its Strategic Vision for Defence published in 2016. According to ...

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

  Company Level Small Uncrewed Aircraft System (SUAS) Directed Requirement (DR) [US Army]

  Background Requirement The US Army approved the Co-Level SUAS DR acquisition in June 2023 to supply Brigade Combat Teams with an "immediate, commercially available capability" to meet ...

• Military UAS - small

  Puma 2 AE [Germany]

  Programme Background The Germany navy had an urgent requirement for three UAS required for reconnaissance and identification in maritime operations. A platform was required that ...

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

  Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) [Canada]

  Programme Background Programme Inception The Royal Canadian Air Force's (RCAF) Joint Unmanned Surveillance and Target Acquisition System (JUSTAS) project was established to procure a UAS for ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Counter-UAS systems

  Howler C-UAS

  Developed by Raytheon, the Howler is a counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS), which includes a Ku-band Radio Frequency Sensor (KuRFS), a command-and-control system, and a Coyote ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Skylock C-UAS

  Skylock, an Avnon Group company, has developed a C-UAS system that is intended to bring sensors, jammers and a laser effector into a single deployable ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Cobham C-UAS

  Unveiled at the AUVSI 2017 trade show in Dallas, Texas, the Cobham C-UAS primarily consists of wideband omnidirectional, directional helix (single- or dual-band), directional flat ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Airfence 5.0

  Airfence 5.0 is a C-UAS RF technology released by Sensofusion. It is designed to protect airports, personnel, prisons and private companies from rogue UAS in ...

• EO/IR systems

  CM262

  Manfuaucted by AVT Australia, the CM262 is a ground-based imaging system combining four sensor configurations into a compact and ruggedised system for C-UAS and ISR ...

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

  Penguin C VTOL

  The Penguin C VTOL is the VTOL version of the Penguin C MIL Mk2; hence it is sometimes called the Penguin C Mk2 VTOL. Edge ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Pitbull C-UAS Jammer

  In June 2018, MyDefence launched the Pitbull wearable C-UAS solution, which utilises smart jamming to defeat enemy drones. Pitbull was developed to have a minimal ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  SkyTracker

  SkyTracker is a technology suite that detects, identifies, tracks and mitigates UAS threats. The system provides continuous 24h automated monitoring in all weather conditions. The ...

• EO/IR systems, Land: unattended sensor/surveillance systems, Land: vehicle surveillance/target acquisition systems

  T-SIGHT

  The T-SIGHT is a rapid deployment and vehicle-mounted medium-range surveillance system. It hosts the SIGHT-25HD EO/IR system. It is designed for remote tactical surveillance, ISR observation, force protection, route ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  C-UAS Operator Assist

  Operator Assist software contributes to force protection by utilising algorithms to detect and track objects in the air and on the ground. This increases the ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Falcon Air Defence System

  Unveiled at IDEX 2019, Falcon is a medium range ground-based air defence system, including C-RAM and C-UAS capabilities. The Falcon consists of Lockheed Martin's Skykeeper ...

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

  ATLAS C4EYE

  The Advanced Technology Light Acquisition System (ATLAS) C4EYE is the smallest UAS developed by C-Astral Aerospace. Part of the Bramor family of UAS, the Atlas ...

• EO/IR systems

  CM202U

  The CM202U is a field-proven gyro-stabilised imaging system for counter small uncrewed aerial systems (C-sUAS) operations and ground ISR applications.  Manfuaucted by AVT Australia, it includes high-definition ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  X-MADIS

  The eXpeditionary Mobile Air Defense Integrated System (X-MADIS) is a portable, fully integrated C-UAS system for fixed-site, mobile and on-the-move operations.  Combining four all-threat air ...

• Freya

  An easy-to-use system which requires minimal training, Freya can be operated in difficult situations and weather conditions, including strong winds and mountainous areas. A tracker ...