• Defence Notes

  US strengthens regional posture with munitions, ships and fighter jets in response to Hamas attack on Israel

  9th October 2023

  The swift deployment of munitions and the mobilisation of ships and fighter jets in response to the Hamas attack on Israel raise concerns about potential broader regional involvement.

• Land Warfare

  Threats and opportunities: NATO demand for game-changing connectivity

  12th September 2023

  On 4 April 2023, Finland joined NATO. What can be learned from the country’s ability to assure resilient tactical communications?

• Training

  Australian Army selects Operator XR for virtual reality tactical training

  8th August 2023

  Virtual reality (VR) training systems provider Operator XR has sold its OP-1 Tactical Rehearsal System to the Australian DoD, the company announced on 7 August.

• Land Warfare

  Russia tests C-UAS slat protection over turrets and anti-UAV jamming systems for armoured vehicles

  20th September 2023

  Russian defence companies are adapting to emerging threats and exploring ways to counter top-attack munitions and first-person-view (FPV) UAVs.

• Air Warfare

  Greece favours Leonardo AW139 over Black Hawk and H175 as Super Puma replacement

  12th December 2023

  Greece’s air force has said it has been leaning towards the Leonardo AW139 multirole military helicopter as the Super Puma replacement, pending official approval, marking a potential shift in its search and rescue capabilities.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DSEI 2023: Israel’s SpearUAV unveils new multi-canister launch system for Viper drone

  5th September 2023

  SpearUAV is displaying a new Multi-Canister Launcher (MCL) for its Viper UAV at DSEI, a system which will allow for swarming through deployment of up to four drones at a time from crewed or uncrewed platforms.

• Air Warfare

  Germany's potential SCAF exit for GCAP unpacked

  3rd November 2023

  The leaked information about Germany leaving the Future Combat Air Systems (FCAS/SCAF) project and joining the rival Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) hints at the growing complexities and tensions within the Franco-German partnership.

• Air Warfare

  US approves sale of JASSM-ER missiles to Japan

  29th August 2023

  The US State Department has approved a Foreign Military Sale of AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles-Extended Range (JASSM-ER) to Japan.

• Air Warfare

  Brazil receives first fully operational upgraded E-99M AEW&C

  24th November 2023

  The updated E-99M aircraft features an updated Erieye Radar and C2 systems, as well as new EW and Identification, friend or foe (IFF) systems.

• Land Warfare

  Mercury Systems delivers processing hardware for US Army's Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor radars

  11th August 2023

  Mercury Systems has completed delivery of processing hardware for the US Army's first six new Patriot radars, being built by Raytheon to provide air and missile defence capabilities against advanced lower-tier threats.

• Land Warfare

  How the US Army is getting ready to succeed in contested multidomain scenarios

  24th July 2023

  The service has been working on the improvement of strategy, inventory and training in addition to conducting several acquisition, development and modernisation efforts.

• Training

  Australia deploys F-35s as part of Indonesian military exercise

  10th October 2023

  The deployment involved planning and executing air combat exercise missions, including offensive and defensive counter-air missions, basic fighter manoeuvres, and air-to-air refuelling with a Royal Australian Air Force KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircrat.

• Training

  Singapore Army experiments with robot dog teaming at Exercise Forging Sabre

  26th September 2023

  The Singapore Army is testing robotic dogs and UAVs for urban operations on exercise in the US.

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2023: Black Hornet 4 nano-UAS described as the previous version ‘on steroids’

  10th October 2023

  Teledyne Flir Defense’s new Black Hornet 4 nano-UAS, being unveiled at AUSA 2023 today, has been described by the company as a ‘step change’ with improved range, endurance and sensor capability in a similar-sized package.

• Land Warfare

  Insight: Why the CV90 infantry fighting vehicle is making a clean sweep of Nordic markets

  19th September 2023

  Shephard Defence Insight explores the evolution of BAE Systems Hägglunds’ CV90 IFV from its inception in the late 1980s to the latest CV90 MkIV, detailing the order history and upgrade packages of its ten European customers.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  Hürkuş-C Advanced Armed Trainer (Turkey)

  The Hurjet-C development programme funding was included in the Hurkus-B procurement contract awarded by  the Turkish Undersecretariat for Defence Industries in December 2013.  The Hurjet will ...

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

  Tactical Drone System (SDT) (15-28) [France]

  Background Tactical Drone System (SDT) programme The French Army launched the SDT programme to replace the Sagem (now Safran) Sperwer Intermediate Tactical Drone System (SDTI) ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  NMS 4x4

  Prior to the announcement that Qatar had signed a contract for 214 NMS, there were reports in 2017 that the Qatar Armed Forces were seeking ...

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

  CU172 Blackjack (First System) [Canada]

  Background Requirement The Canadian Army identified a requirement for two new tactical UAV systems after recognising that the squadron and company-level Aerovironment RQ-11 Raven (CU173 ...

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

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) (Forecast) [US Army]

  Background USMC In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, which had been specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial ...

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

  Tactical Drone System (SDT) (1-14) [France]

  Background Tactical Drone System (SDT) programme The French Army launched the SDT programme to replace the Sagem (now Safran) Sperwer Intermediate Tactical Drone System (SDTI) ...

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

  Mini Intelligence Drone System (SMDR) [France]

  Background Requirement The French Army identified a need for a new tactical UAS to replace the Drac, which entered service in 2008. The Mini Reconnaissance ...

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

  CU172 Blackjack (Second System) [Canada]

  Programme Background Requirement The Canadian Army identified a requirement for two new tactical UAV systems after recognising that the squadron and company-level Aerovironment RQ-11 Raven ...

• Maritime patrol

  P-8 Poseidon [South Korea]

  Programme Background South Korea is facing an imminent submarine threat from North Korea. The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) is operating an aging fleet of P-3C ...

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

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 1) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was ...

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

  Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply System (JTAARS) / Medium ULS-A [USA]

  Background US Marine ULS-A programmes The US Marines are seeking a family of Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A), which will provide logistics and ground units with their ...

• Loitering munitions

  N-Raven / IRIX [Greece]

  Programme Background Unveiled during the Defence Exhibition Athens (DEFEA 2023) exhibition, IRIX is a Greek version of the N-Raven loitering munition developed by Paramount in ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 300 [Australia]

  Programme Background Contract Award & Delivery On 8 July 2024, the Australian Government announced its soldiers would be equipped with Switchblade 300 following an acquisition ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  RQ-7B Shadow v2 Block III (USA)

  Programme Background The first iteration of the Shadow UAS, the Shadow 600, was first introduced in 1992 and since then Textron has had a longstanding ...

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

  Tactical UCAV [Czechia]

  Programme Background Inception In November 2017, the Chief of Staff of the Army of the Czech Republic (ACR) announced that the service had earmarked CZK1 billion ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Surface-to-surface missiles

  Precision Strike Missile (PrSM)

  The Precision Strike Missile (PrSM), developed by Lockheed Martin, is a next-generation surface-to-surface missile system designed to provide the US Army with enhanced long-range precision ...

• Surface-to-surface missiles

  MGM-140 ATACMS

  The MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) is an American surface-to-surface missile. ATACMS is described as the US Army's primary 24/7, all-weather, and surface-to-surface artillery precision ...

• Land: battle management systems

  AMDWS

  AMDWS (Air and Missile Defense Work Station), is a collaborative battlespace awareness information management system developed by Northrop Grumman to meet the requirements of the ...

• Artillery rockets

  GMLRS

  GMLRS (Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System), an extended-range guided version of the MLRS,  is a GPS/INS-guided 227 mm artillery rocket for wheeled M142 HIMARS and tracked ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  MIM-104E PAC-2 Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical ballistic missile (GEM-T)

  An upgrade to the PAC-2 missile, the Guidance Enhanced Missile TBM (GEM-T) is designed to defeat tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles or enemy aircraft in ...

• Land: infantry weapon simulators

  DX407 GT Simulator

  The DX407 is an indoor GT simulator for the Eryx short-range shoulder- and tripod-fired antitank missile. It is used for initial training and skill maintenance ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - MLDS, Air: Defensive Systems - Laser Warning Receivers

  LIMWS

  BAE Systems is leading the US Army’s Limited Interim Missile Warning System (LIMWS) initiative. This is intended to enhance the missile protection provided to US ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  CAMM-ER

  The CAMM-ER, the Common Anti-air Modular Missile Extended Range, is part of MBDA's CAMM family of next-generation air defence missiles. The missile is conceived to provide ...

• Surface-to-surface missiles

  Iskander-M/E/K

  The Iskander-M (NATO reporting name: SS-26 'Stone') is a short-range ballistic missile. It was the second attempt by Russia to replace the Skud after its ...

• Land: air defence radar

  LTAMDS

  The Raytheon Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense System (LTAMDS) is an active electronically scanned array Gallium Nitrade (GaN) radar. The use of GaN strengthens ...

• Major networking projects

  IBCS

  The Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) is a C2 system designed to integrate current and future sensors. The system also improves ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  MIM-104 A/B Patriot (PAC-1)

  The MIM-104 Phased Array Tracking to Intercept of Target (Patriot) is an American Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) designed for air defence duties. The original Patriot entered US ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  HQ-9A/HHQ-9A

  The HQ-9 is a Chinese medium-range Surface-to-Air Missile equivalent to the Russian S-300. Its export version is known as the FD-2000. The missile is fitted ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons

  Terminator

  The Jadara Terminator is a crew-served antitank missile launcher designed and manufactured by Jadara Equipment and Defence Systems in Jordan. It features a 107mm diameter ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  MIM-104 C/D/E (Patriot PAC-2)

  The MIM-104C Phased Array Tracking to Intercept of Target (Patriot) Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2) is an American Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) designed for air-defence duties. The original ...