• Defence Helicopter

  What to expect for defence in 2017 (video)

  16th January 2017

  Shephard's editorial team has gazed into the crystal ball to see what the next 12 months might bring for the defence and aerospace community. Geopolitics and …

• Defence Helicopter

  Germany to deploy Tiger and NH90s to Mali

  13th January 2017

  The German government on 11 January approved the deployment of four Tiger attack and four NH90 medical evacuation helicopters to Mali to replace the Royal …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Unmanned wagon keeps rolling

  13th January 2017

  The past week has seen a flurry of announcements regarding the military UAV programmes, to both US and international customers, and serves as an indicator …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  CUSV enters water-based testing

  13th January 2017

  On-water testing has begun for the fourth-generation Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle (CUSV), Textron Systems Unmanned Systems announced on 11 January. The company is developing the …

• Defence Helicopter

  First firing for JAGM from Apache

  12th January 2017

  The Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) has been fired from an AH-64D Apache for the first time, it has been confirmed by the US Army's Program …

• Naval Warfare

  US clears SM-6 for international sales

  12th January 2017

  Sales of Raytheon’s Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) have been approved by the US government to several international customers, the company announced on 10 January. Of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Qinetiq UGVs to get Persistent radios

  12th January 2017

  Qinetiq North America will integrate Persistent Systems’ Wave Relay Mobile Ad Hoc Networking (MANET) radio products into its Talon and Dragon Runner unmanned ground vehicles …

• Naval Warfare

  UDT Asia: China commissions MCMV

  11th January 2017

  China commissioned a fifth Wozang-class mine countermeasures vessel (MCMV) on 29 December 2016, the type distinguished by the fact that it is designed to operate …

• Digital Battlespace

  EW Singapore: ReDrone offers UAV protection

  11th January 2017

  Elbit Systems revealed a new instrument against unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) at a homeland security exhibition in Tel Aviv in November 2016. Labelled ReDrone, the Israeli …

• Naval Warfare

  UDT Asia: China to upgrade undersea sensors

  11th January 2017

  China is believed to be expanding an underwater sensor network, which was established beginning from October 2014, in the Western Pacific to better suit its …

• Training

  MilSim Asia: ISS Global defuses bomb threats

  11th January 2017

  Already with a foothold in Asia, ISS Global is eyeing further opportunities in the region for its software that is employed by militaries and law …

• Defence Notes

  UDT Asia: Singapore’s growing underwater confidence

  11th January 2017

  This year the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) commemorates 20 years of submarine operations as it anticipates the arrival of two new ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems …

• Military Logistics

  Textron receives Shadow support contract

  11th January 2017

  The US Army has awarded a $206 million logistics support contract to Textron Systems Support Solutions for the Shadow UAS, the company announced on 9 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Blackjack gamble pays off with full-rate decision

  10th January 2017

  The US Navy and Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has contracted manufacturer Insitu for the first full-rate production lot of the RQ-21A Blackjack unmanned aircraft, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Spain nears Predator B club membership

  10th January 2017

  Spain has moved a step closer to joining the Predator B club following an announcement by the US Department of Defense (DoD) of a more …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior [India]

  Programme Background Make In India The 'Make In India' initiative is an effort by the Indian government to boost domestic manufacturing. In the context of ...

• Military UAS - small

  Black Hornet 3 PRS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army operated approximately 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS between 2013 and 2017, when the decision was made to retire ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Ajax IFV [UK]

  Background Prior to commencing development of the Ajax the UK utilised the Warrior was its primary IFV. However, the Warrior entered service in 1987 making it ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Naval Collaborative Combat Air Vehicle (N-CCAV) [India]

  Programme Background CATS Warrior The Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) is a planned, uncrewed and crewed family of aircraft in development by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited ...

• 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 - MALE

  MQ-1 Gray Eagle [US Army]

  Background Required Quantity Although the US Army first envisioned a requirement for 132 MQ-1C Gray Eagles, the US Army's Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) was increased ...

• Military UAS - small

  Orbiter 3 (Croatia)

  Programme Background The Croatian government launched a competitive tender for the procurement of a short-range UAV in October 2017. Although the tender was opened on ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Protected 4x4 Replacement [Argentina]

  Programme Background Argentina currently operates the AML, Spartan 4x4 APC and Dongfeng Warrior CSK131, with 45 still in service across the three vehicles. It also previously operated ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (MIV) [UK]

  Background History The UK MoD announced in March 2018 that it would re-join the Boxer programme and pursue a sole-source acquisition of the 8x8 vehicle. ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  Fixed Site-Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft System Integrated Defeat System [Qatar]

  Background In 2022, Qatar received authorisation from the US Government to acquire 10 Fixed Site-Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft System Integrated Defeat System (FS-LIDS) for $1 billion. Also ...

• Military UAS - mini

  AR100-H [Germany]

  Programme Background In May 2022, it was announced that 145 AR100-H drones would be supplied to the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). At the time of ...

• Military UAS - small

  Alpha 900 [Uruguay]

  Background Acqustiion In October 2022, the Alpha 900 from Alpha Unmanned Systems was reportedly jointly purchased by the Uruguayan state energy company UTE and the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Sixth-Generation Aircraft [South Korea]

  Programme Background Hanwha industries has confirmed that a new engine is under development to replace the American manufactured F-414 engine; according to reports, the new ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Ermine (Ukraine Aid) [Netherlands]

  Background Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Western governments have sought to provide as much assistance as possible to the Ukrainian government. ...

• Minehunters

  New Generation Minehunters/Coastal (NGM/C) (1-5) [Italy]

  Background Requirements Four vessels were planned to be NGM/A, a new ocean-going MCMV, while a further eight NGM/C minehunters, a new coastal MCMV. These will replace ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military - USVs

  SHARC

  The Sensor Hosting Autonomous Remote Craft (SHARC) wave glider platform is a JV developed between Boeing and Liquid Robotics. The SHARC is able to deliver ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Warrior Systems

  General Dynamics Mission Systems is prime contractor and system integrator for the US Army’s Warrior soldier systems, which include Air Warrior, Future Force Warrior, Land Warrior ...

• Military UAS - small

  Outlaw SeaHunter

  Outlaw UAVs are used by military and research agencies for training, testing, data collection and system development. In the 114-137kg maximum take-off weight class, SeaHunter ...

• Military UAS - small

  NRQ-21

  Insitu displayed the NRQ-21 Integrator at the Unmanned Warrior 2016 event in Wales. The aircraft has been designed to carry out tasks on land and ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Mounted Warrior

  Mounted Warrior will provide an integrated system-of-systems ensemble designed to improve the survivability, lethality and combat effectiveness of armoured vehicle crewmen. The system leverages capabilities ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Warrior

  The Warrior IFV entered service with the British Army in mid-1987. A total of 789 vehicles were delivered in IFV, infantry command, anti-tank, recovery, repair, ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  MIHDS

  The Modular Integrated Helmet Display System (MIHDS) is designed and developed jointly by General Dynamics Mission Systems, USA and Microvision Inc. The system's SD2500 design ...

• Military - USVs

  MAST

  The Maritime Autonomy Surface Testbed (MAST) was developed by ASV Global and Roke Manor Research under funding from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. It ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  CATS Warrior

  Manufactured by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior is a medium-altitude long-endurance UAS part of the CATS family ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  Warrior 2020

  Finland’s Warrior 2020 programme is focused on improving individual soldier equipment in the five capability areas defined by NATO: C4I, lethality, mobility, survivability and sustainability. Warrior ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58D Kiowa Warrior

  The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, manufactured by Bell Helicopter Textron, is a two-person, light scout helicopter with a day/night mast-mounted sight, glass cockpit and four-bladed rotor system. ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MUBC

  The Modular Universal Battery Charger (MUBC) is a scalable charging system for a range of military and commercial batteries. It provides for the addition of ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F Cayuse Warrior

  An evolution of the OH-6 Cayuse light observation helicopter, the MD 530F was initially Federal Aviation Administration-certified in July 1985 as the Model 369FF. It ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  Athena 511

  The Athena 511 is a compact all-in-one GPS-aided INS air data system. The system’s integrated inertial sensing uses a tactical grade, ring-laser gyro IMU, with ...

• Land: RWS

  Unmanned T40

  Nexter is developed an unmanned variant of its T40 two-man turret to meet the growing demand for these types of systems. Like the standard T40, ...