• Naval Warfare

  Australia is ramping up its uncrewed surface fleet as Sea Archer lines up for key requirement

  2nd April 2026

  As advances in uncrewed technology increasingly shape Australia’s maritime future, Shephard spoke with the country’s head of navy capability and a Leidos Australia executive about the operational advantages behind the shift.

• Air Warfare

  M-345 officially enters service as trainer for Italian Air Force

  13th June 2025

  The Leonardo M-345 High-Efficiency Trainer (HET) basic/advanced trainer is similar to the M-346, which is the second part of the Italian Air Force’s training system, but is a substantially smaller and less powerful aircraft.

• Air Warfare

  Singapore’s interest in GCAP reflects its long-term approach to air power

  8th September 2026

  A potential interest in joining GCAP is indicative of Singapore’s long-term and methodical approach to defence procurement and could benefit its local defence industry.

• Air Warfare

  July air forces review: Farnborough steals the headlines as programmes develop

  30th July 2026

  The biannual Farnborough International Airshow 2026 was the backdrop in July for scores of deals, partnerships and announcements, including developments in the multinational next-generation Global Combat Air Programme and the UK’s $486 million trainer aircraft requirement.

• Land Warfare

  Predicted air defence spending boom opens doors to Indian industry

  3rd April 2026

  Recent conflicts have created a surge in interceptor demand worldwide while exposing potential supply chain challenges, positioning India as a cost-effective partner and scalable supplier.

• Land Warfare

  July land forces roundup: UK outlines spending with details unveiled on Eurosatory vehicles

  31st July 2026

  Analysis of the long-awaited UK Defence Investment Plan, which was finally released on 30 June, revealed scant investment in platform replacement for the British Army. The bright spot in July, however, was a multibillion-dollar contract awarded for the British Army’s Collective Training System.

• Naval Warfare

  SOF Week 2026: US NSW explores 3D-printed USVs for forward-deployed operations

  19th May 2026

  US Naval Special Warfare Command is assessing the feasibility of rapidly producing expendable mid-sized USVs in theatre to support SOF and maritime security missions.

• Air Warfare

  Switzerland faces procurement shake-up with reduced F-35 buy and five-year Patriot delays

  9th March 2026

  The reduction in the number of planned F-35A aircraft from 36 to 30 by the Swiss government comes due to budget constraints, with no firm plans to fill the gap despite “negative consequences”.

• Air Warfare

  Airbus unveils expansion of uncrewed portfolio with new CCA and helicopter platforms

  10th June 2026

  The manufacturer is betting heavily on the demand for uncrewed systems, revealing the uncrewed H145M – known as the U145 – and the U760 Ravenstorm at ILA Berlin 2026 as the two latest additions to its expanding UAV offering.

• Air Warfare

  British Army’s Project Corvus selection highlights new era of drone sovereignty

  28th July 2026

  The UK’s choice of the Tekever AR5 for Project Corvus reflects a wider shift in military drone procurement towards solutions that centre on sovereignty and domestic production, moving away from overseas reliance.

• Naval Warfare

  Japan’s FY2027 budget bets on stand-off systems to offset demographic decline

  9th September 2026

  Japan’s FY2027 defence budget backs stand-off strike, a 17-aircraft MQ-9B buy and a declared bid to lead the world in uncrewed maritime assets, alongside new frigates, submarines and support ships.

• Air Warfare

  August crewed air review: KC-390 momentum builds as demand in the tanker market grows

  2nd September 2026

  The KC-390 is building a growing international operator base, but competition in the transport and tanker market is increasingly likely to depend on interoperability, commonality and the strength of supporting ecosystems. Meanwhile, Boeing’s KC-46 and Airbus’s A330 also gained ground in August.

• Defence Notes

  US Air Force pushes Sentinel’s initial capability to early 2030s despite China’s nuclear progress

  25th February 2026

  While the US struggles to modernise the 50-year-old land leg of its nuclear triad, China has been rapidly developing and fielding new nuclear capabilities.

• Land Warfare

  US Marine Corps provides US$900 million for prototypes as vehicle refresh motors on

  10th April 2026

  General Dynamics Land Systems and Textron Systems are competing to replace the US Marine Corps’ fleet of light armoured vehicles. The companies have been awarded contracts to provide prototypes of three different vehicle variants.

• Air Warfare

  March drone digest: Long-range, low-cost loitering munitions are changing warfare economics

  1st April 2026

  The effective use of the Shahed-136 in the Iran war has highlighted the need for countries to acquire a domestically produced, low-cost, long-range loitering munition, with the US, Turkey and European nations all at various stages of developing a similar capability.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  MiG-35 (Russia)

  The MiG-35 is a new-generation derivative of the twin-engine MiG-29 (NATO code-name ‘Fulcrum’) featuring multi-role combat capabilities, significantly reworked airframe and a vastly expanded arsenal ...

• Data links

  Data links | M-345 (Future Procurement) [Italy]

  The Italian Air Force is planning to purchase 27 M-345 trainer aircraft in addition to the 18 aircraft on order (see separate M-345 Italy entry).  ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | M-345 (Future Procurement) [Italy]

  The Italian Air Force is planning to purchase 27 M-345 trainer aircraft in addition to the 18 aircraft on order (see separate M-345 Italy entry).  ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | M-345 (Future Procurement) [Italy]

  The Italian Air Force is planning to purchase 27 M-345 trainer aircraft in addition to the 18 aircraft on order (see separate M-345 Italy entry).  ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | M-345 (Future Procurement) [Italy]

  The Italian Air Force is planning to purchase 27 M-345 trainer aircraft in addition to the 18 aircraft on order (see separate M-345 Italy entry).  ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  M-SHORAD Increment 1 [USA]

  Background The US Army is developing a new maneuver short-range air defense system (M-SHORAD) to perform short-range air defense (SHORAD). Under this programme, there are ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  M-346 [Egypt]

  Programme Background According to various media reports published throughout 2022, Egypt was expected to sign an agreement covering the production of 20 M-346 training aircraft. ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Next Generation Trainer/Light Combat Aircraft [Austria]

  Austria will replace its Saab 105 training fleet, which was retired from service in 2020. On 27 August 2024, Austrian Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner announced that Austria ...

• Data links

  Data links | Next Generation Trainer/Light Combat Aircraft [Austria]

  Austria will replace its Saab 105 training fleet, which was retired from service in 2020. On 27 August 2024, Austrian Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner announced that Austria ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Next Generation Trainer/Light Combat Aircraft [Austria]

  Austria will replace its Saab 105 training fleet, which was retired from service in 2020. On 27 August 2024, Austrian Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner announced that Austria ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Next Generation Trainer/Light Combat Aircraft [Austria]

  Austria will replace its Saab 105 training fleet, which was retired from service in 2020. On 27 August 2024, Austrian Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner announced that Austria ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Next Generation Trainer/Light Combat Aircraft [Austria]

  Austria will replace its Saab 105 training fleet, which was retired from service in 2020. On 27 August 2024, Austrian Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner announced that Austria ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  M-SHORAD Increment 3 [USA]

  Background The US Army is upgrading its maneuver short-range air defense system (M-SHORAD). Under the overal programme, there are three increments. Increment 1 vehicles are ...

• OPVs

  Taepyungyang Class (14) [South Korea]

  The South Korean Coast Guard (KGC) currently operates 13 Taepyungyang-class large patrol vessels or also referred to as an offshore patrol vessel (OPV) but the Eastern ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  M-ATV [Uruguay]

  Programme background Uruguay maintains a relatively small army, which primarily operates Cold War-era equipment.  The procurement of second-hand M-ATVs is intended to provide a more ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  NavStorm-M

  BAE Systems' NavStorm-M is a gun-hardened, integrated anti-jamming and Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver for artillery rounds, bombs, missiles, and uncrewed systems. It was revealed ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  LN-251

  Northrop Grumman's LN-251 is an Inertial Navigation System/Global Positioning System (INS/GPS) solution. It is an integrated navigation system with an embedded 12/24 channel, All-In-View, Selective Availability/Anti-Spoofing Module ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  KN-4074ED SAASM P(Y) Code INS/GPS

  The KN-4074EB SAASM P(Y) Code INS/GPS has an enhanced capability for the KN4074E with P(Y) code equivalent DGPS corrections.

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Common Open Reuse Environment

  The Lockheed Martin Common Open Reuse Environment (CORE) is an integrated glass cockpit and avionics solution that can interact with both civilian and military systems. ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  ADA Anti-Jamming System

  The ADA is an airborne GNSS anti-jamming solution manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). It is designed to protect avionics systems from GPS jamming by using digital ...

• UAS: communication systems

  N-100-6 GPS Antenna

  The N100-6 GPS antenna offers a polarimetric solution for multiple element outputs, and has been designed to provide a significantly reduced size aperture for anti-jam ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  PRC-434G/CS

  The PRC-434G/CS personal survival radio is a handheld, lightweight transceiver that is capable of responding to interrogations transmitted by the airborne location system. Short-burst transmissions ...

• Subsystems: visual

  EuroSim

  EuroSim is a configurable simulator tool used to support all phases of space and non-space programmes through real-time simulations with a person and/or hardware-in-the-loop, and ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  KN-4074E

  Produced by Kearfott, the KN-4074E SAASM P(Y) Code INS/GPS is a lightweight navigation system that can be used on various uncrewed or crewed applications, including fixed- and rotary-wing ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: UAS radar

  Lynx

  The Lynx (AN/APY-8) is a synthetic aperture radar manufactured by General Atomics. It is designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance for manned and unmanned aircraft. According to ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  M-ATV

  The Oshkosh 4x4 MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) family of vehicles is designed to provide high levels of protection and mobility in off-road combat environments such ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  KN-4075 High Performance INS/GPS

  Kearfott’s KN-4075 High Performance INS/GPS system offers a low weight and small-size navigation system for a variety of rotary- and fixed-wing unmanned and manned aircraft ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  TESS

  The Tactical Engagement Simulation System (TESS) is a transparent training instrumentation system designed for the AH-64 Apache Longbow Force-on-Force collective training for live aerial gunnery ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  KN-4073C SAASM P(Y) Code INS/GPS

  The KN-4073C SAASM P(Y) Code INS/GPS is a lightweight navigation system that can be used on a range of manned aircraft applications, fixed- and rotary-wing ...

• Maritime patrol

  US-2

  The ShinMaywa US-2 is an amphibious short take-off and landing aircraft used primarily by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) for SAR.