• Training

  Quantum3D receives L-3 contract

  20th April 2017

  Quantum3D Government Systems has received a contract from the Link Simulation and Training division of L3 Technologies to deliver equipment in support of an upgrade …

• Defence Helicopter

  ​Quad A 2017: V-280 on time, on the money

  25th April 2017

  With five months to go until the V-280 Valor embarks on its first flight, testing and simulations are keeping the tiltrotor's aggressive timeline on track.The …

• Defence Notes

  LRDR passes preliminary design review

  21st April 2017

  Lockheed Martin has announced that its Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) has passed preliminary design review (PDR), clearing the way for detailed design to move …

• Land Warfare

  K9 gives boost to India-Korea partnerships

  24th April 2017

  Engineering giant Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and South Korea's Hanwha Techwin signed a contract for co-development and co-production of the K9 Vajra-T 155mm self-propelled howitzer …

• Training

  T-72 converted to unmanned tank target

  18th April 2017

  Kratos Defense and Security Solutions' Micro Systems has converted a Russian T-72 tank to operate in an unmanned configuration, the company announced on 13 April.Micro …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Lockheed, USAF demo manned/unmanned teaming

  12th April 2017

  Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), US Air Force (USAF) Test Pilot School and Calspan Corporation have carried out a successful …

• Training

  US Navy, USCG partner for SLEP

  17th April 2017

  The US Navy is teaming up with the US Coast Guard (USCG) to execute a Service Life Extension Plan (SLEP) on the Yard Patrol (YP) …

• Military Logistics

  CENTCOM commander calls for increased munitions production

  19th April 2017

  The Pentagon needs to 'ramp up munitions production in a very significant way', according to the opening government keynote address at this week's NDIA National …

• Defence Helicopter

  US Army targets force projection improvements

  20th April 2017

  The US Army has begun using administrative unit movements to help practice and refine what some view as lost skill sets necessary for rapid force …

• Special Operations

  ​North Korea shows its SOF hand

  19th April 2017

  The international special operations community has reacted to North Korea's very public 'show of force' of its Unit 525 special operations forces (SOF) during an …

• Special Operations

  Belgium’s special forces show of force

  18th April 2017

  Belgium's Special Forces Group (SFG) has completed a series of demonstrations designed to demonstrate a 'show of force' in the wake of multiple terrorist attacks …

• Digital Battlespace

  Pakistan’s C-130 to get Flight2 upgrade

  4th April 2017

  The Pakistan Air Force has selected Rockwell Collins' Flight2 system to upgrade avionics equipment on its C-130 aircraft, the company announced on 31 March.The Flight2 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A 2017: Fresh life breathed into UH-60L

  19th April 2017

  The US Army's programme to upgrade its legacy UH-60L Black Hawks with a new digital cockpit is proceeding apace, following the first flight of the …

• Digital Battlespace

  SEA to upgrade Royal Navy's ANPS

  11th April 2017

  SEA will upgrade the Royal Navy's Ambient Noise Prediction System (ANPS) under a contract from the UK Ministry of Defence announced on 10 April.The ANPS …

• Training

  KC-135 simulator cleared for networking

  10th April 2017

  CAE USA's KC-135 Stratotanker aircrew training system has received authorisation to operate on the US Air Force's Distributed Training Center Network.The authorisation clears the way …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Project Brakestop [UK]

  Programme Background Information Notice On 25 September 2024, the UK MoD published a prior information notice on Project Brakestop, which informed the industry about the upcoming ...

• Loitering munitions

  Medium Range Precision Strike (MRPS) [UK]

  Programme Background Prior Information Notice (PIN) On 21 October 2024, the MoD published a PIN in collaboration with the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S;). The notice ...

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

  Dominator XP [Thailand]

  Programme Background Purchase As reported by Shephard, in September 2023, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) inducted three Dominator XPs. The RTAF purchased the trio ...

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

  Project Corvus [UK]

  Programme Background Retirement In November 2024, speaking in the House of Commons, Defence Secretary John Healey stated that the WK 450 Watchkeeper was to be retired ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook (Singapore)

  Programme Background In July 2020, photos have emerged on the internet of the first Boeing CH-47F Chinook destined for the Republic of Singapore Air Force ...

• Transport

  VC-25B - USAF

  The modifications to the 747-8 aircraft will include an electrical power upgrade with dual Auxiliary Power Units that are usable in flight, a mission communication ...

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

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian (US)

  Programme Background On 6 March 2023, GA-ASI announced that the Air Force Special Operations Command (ASFOC) had contracted three MQ-9B SkyGaurdians, making it the first US customer of the ...

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

  Anka-S (Second Batch) [Turkey]

  Programme Background First Batch Based on comments by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Turkish media in 2018, Shephard believes that Türkiye acquired 26 Anka-S drones ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | SSN(X) Programme [USN]

  The US Navy may be far from reaching the end of procuring the current Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines (SSNs), but that does not mean planning for ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | SSN(X) Programme [USN]

  The US Navy may be far from reaching the end of procuring the current Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines (SSNs), but that does not mean planning for ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28NE Night Hunter

  Algerian military's follow-up order suggests that the country is satisfied with the Mi-28NE Night Hunters' performance in operational conditions in the desert environment featuring sandstorms ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  F-5E/F Adversary Trainer US Navy

  The F-5N is a single seat, dual engine supersonic land based fighter. It is designed to a service life of 9000 flight hours. The aircraft ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  According to the FY2021 Base funding, the HH-60W helicopter unit cost is $43.2 million. The HH-60W will be capable of employment day or night, in ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  New Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (NWJFAC) (1-31) [India]

  Programme Background Requirements The Indian Navy is seeking replacements for a large proportion of its 19 46-49m-long waterjet-powered fast attack craft, several of which are approaching ...

• Loitering munitions

  ZT-180 [Russia]

  Programme Background Claims On 23 February 2023, DER SPIEGEL reported that, according to information it had gathered, China and Russia were negotiating the purchase of 100 ZT-180 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: surveillance radar

  AN/APQ-181

  The AN/APQ-181 is a low-probability-of-intercept radar fitted to USAFNorthrop Grumman B-2 stealth bombers. During the B-2 Radar ModernizationProgram – completed in 2012 – the B-2’s legacy ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  CreoLand HP

  CreoLand HP is a 10W MANET radio designed for command centres, long-range applications, artillery and special forces units. Notably, it offers a data throughput of 100Mbps ...

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

  H10 Poseidon

  The H10 Poseidon is a fixed-wing VTOL-capable UAV manufactured by Swamrly. Due to the UAV's electric propulsion system, small-radar cross-section, lack of detachable thermal signature and ability to operate ...

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

  Gogol-M

  The Gogol-M is a Ukrainian fixed-wing drone carrier, or mothership, from Strategy Force Solutions. The system can deliver two first-person view (FPV)-type attack drones to hit precision ...

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

  DT-101

  The DT-101 is a small fixed-wing UAV from Deftech. The VTOL-capable platform features SATCOM with up to 10Mbs bandwidth capability. DefTech lists various payloads for ...

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

  ARX

  Unveiled at Xponential 2024, the ARX is a fixed-wing drone developed by Tekever.  It features common electronics and software with other Tekever drones. Unlike those ...

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

  DT-001

  The DT-001 is a tandem wing UCAV from Deftech. It can host a range of non-offensive payloads, such as IO/EO cameras and an airborne LIDAR. ...

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

  Khronos

  The Khronos is a tethered, fully automated UAV for ISR missions in GPS/GNSS-denied and RF-denied environments. The drone's manufacturer, Elistair, stated that it could be deployed from a ...

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

  Spider VTOL

  The Spider VTOL is a mini electrical fixed-wing UAV. Unlike traditional VTOL UAVs with dedicated motors, propellors and structural parts for performing take-off and landing, the Spider ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/VRC-118(V)1

  The AN/VRC-118(V)1 is a Mid-tier Networking Vehicular Radio (MNVR) which provides warfighters with the ability to share situational awareness. The MNVR utilises two joint tactical ...

• Data links

  MAQA Terminal 3.8m Flyaway Variant

  The Modular Aperture Quad-Band Antenna (MAQA) Terminal is designed to provide a ruggedised, mobile, quad-band SATCOM terminal that supports operations with the WGS constellation, legacy ...

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

  BLADE-55

  The Ballistic Loitering Attack Drone (BLADE, or BLADE-55) is a multi-role, weaponised rotary-wing UAV from Alare Technologies.  The drone can notably host two NAMMO M72 LAW weapons. Additionally, the ...

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

  Disruptor

  Publically unveiled at AUSA 2024, the Disruptor is a loitering munition and UAV manufactured by AEVEX Aerospace. The Group III aircraft utilises a pneumatic launcher or Rocket Assisted ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARC-231 Skyfire

  The AN/ARC-231 Skyfire is an airborne VHF/UHF/LOS and DAMA SATCOM system. This system supports US DoD requirements for airborne, multi-band, multi-mission, secure anti-jam voice, data ...

• OPVs

  Afrika Class (Vard 7 055)

  The Afrika-class (Vard 7 055) is a 53m OPV developed by Vard Marine. Designed to undertake surveillance, patrol and response operations with the EEZ, the ...