• Air Warfare

  Collins Aerospace wins $80 million contract for US Army Black Hawk avionics upgrade

  19th March 2025

  The US$80 million contract will provide the US Army Black Hawk helicopters with faster and more flexible technology on the battlefield, with upgrade work “actively” ongoing.

• Naval Warfare

  Hanwha wins Australian government approval to increase its stake in Austal

  12th December 2025

  The contract would mean the two shipbuilders can collaborate strategically and enhance shipbuilding capabilities in Western Australia.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2025: Trials completed for new version of Tridon air defence gun

  10th September 2025

  Less than two years ago, Sweden’s BAE Systems Bofors announced it was developing a new 40mm short-range air defence system using internal research and development funding, calling it the Tridon Mk2.

• Land Warfare

  US Army to field first human-machine platoon in two years

  1st April 2025

  The Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office plans to deploy armoured and infantry platoon configurations around FY2027.

• Land Warfare

  Egypt approved for $4.7 billion upgrade of its Abrams main battle tanks

  3rd January 2025

  The approval is for the upgrade of 555 of Egypt’s M1A1 Abrams tanks into M1A1SA configuration.

• Air Warfare

  British Army to explore CUAS options to combat Class 1 drones

  25th March 2025

  Named Project Vanaheim, the joint project will be run by the British and US armies and is the ‘first wave’ in a substantial programme of work to update both armed forces’ CUAS capabilities.

• Land Warfare

  The year ahead: Major trends and forecasts for the land domain in 2026

  8th January 2026

  2025 was a busy year for the land domain and 2026 looks set to be just as big. Shephard’s Dr Peter Magill analyses some of the major trends we are likely to see in the year ahead.

• Naval Warfare

  Austal signs long-delayed shipbuilding pact as industry risks persist

  18th August 2025

  Austal signs long-delayed Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement, but schedule risks and programme delays still loom over Canberra’s naval plans.

• Land Warfare

  Czech Republic set to order RBS 70 NG systems as CAESAR howitzers begin production

  2nd June 2025

  The Czech Government is to approve the purchase of a fleet of vehicle mounted integrated air defence systems as the country invests to overhaul its equipment. Spending includes two dozen F-35As, CAESAR howitzers and refurbished Leopard tanks.

• 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.

• Air Warfare

  Avalon 2025: Australia set to receive Apaches as Tiger retirement begins

  25th March 2025

  After giving European Tiger attack helicopters and NH90 large utility helicopters a chance to meet Australian needs, which encountered problems, the country has turned back to the US for Apaches and Black Hawks, respectively.

• Land Warfare

  Italy signs $784 million deal for tactical and logistic trucks

  20th December 2024

  The contract is for the supply of a variety of military logistic platforms equipped with tactical cabins and based on the new range of IDV SMR6 trucks (Standard Military Range), which includes 4×4, 8×8 and 10x10 variants.

• Naval Warfare

  Australian navy commissions two additional Austal-built patrol boats

  15th May 2025

  Despite bolstering its patrol fleet with new Evolved Cape-class vessels, the Royal Australian Navy’s offshore patrol vessel programme remains mired in delays, indecision and criticism over underwhelming capabilities.

• Air Warfare

  Will drone motherships form part of tomorrow’s warfare?

  26th August 2025

  While motherships offer multiple operational advantages, the changes in the character of warfare may bring new tactics to the battlefield, reducing their role.

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2025: GDLS showcases an "undetectable" mission command version of the Stryker

  14th October 2025

  Based on the Stryker A1, the NEXUS vehicle has been engineered to provide reduced signatures across the visual, thermal, acoustic and electromagnetic spectrums.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Nauru 1000C [Brazil]

  Programme Background The Logistics Command (COLOG) of the Brazilian Army purchased three Nauru 1000C UAVs, training, 36-month interested logistics support, two EO/MWIR XSIS 222A gimbals, two ...

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

  WanderB or ThunderB [Colombia]

  Programme Background Expodefensa 2019 During Colombia's Expodefensa 2019 exhibition, BlueBird Aero Systems displayed its ThunderB VTOL small UAV. Reportedly, the Colombian Army requested information on ...

• VMOE

  Programme Background The Spanish Army's SOF units are procuring the VMOE to meet their requirements for an SOV with sufficient firepower, mobility and mine-protection to ...

• Military UAS - micro

  NX70 Microdrone (First Batch)

  Programme Background The French Army procured the NX70 to meet an urgent operational requirement for a small UAS that could provide short-range ISR for dismounted ...

• 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 ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  US Army Maneuver Support Vessel Light (MSVL)

  Programme BackgroundThe Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) or MSV(L) contract was awarded by the US Army to Vigor in 2017 and are being built to replace ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow On

  Programme Background In March 2019, Airbus stated that it expected orders from the US Army for between 12 and 15 UH-72A helicopters. In March 2020, ...

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

  French Operational Pocket Drone / DrOP (France)

  Programme Background French UAV Procurment / DrOP Under its 2019-2025 Military Programming Law (LPM), France aims to introduce 1,200 new UAVs into service with the ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Batch 1) [Germany]

  By March 2019, 269 of the 350 Pumas on order had been delivered to the German Army. Deliveries of the remaining 81 vehicles are scheduled ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 (Pre-War) [Ukraine Army]

  Programme Background The Ukraine Army purchased 12 TB2 units in January 2019 for a reported $69 million. The units were reportedly delivered from June 2019 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Rosomak [Poland - Second Batch]

  Programme Background Requirement The Polish Army selected Patria's XC-360 Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV) to meet its requirement for a new 8x8 armoured vehicle to replace ...

• 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 helicopters - attack

  Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement In 2018, the US Army initiated the FARA project to develop a replacement for Army attack and scout helicopters, such as the OH-58D Kiowa and AH-64 ...

• AGMV 1.1

  Programme Background The US Army has been seeking a lightweight, air-droppable, high mobility vehicle since as early as 2014, when it initiated its Ultra Light ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Project Land 4503 [Australia]

  Programme Background The Australian Army has begun its search for a successor to the Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH), with an RfI issued by the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCU 2000 (Runnymede-class)

  The LCU 2000 class is in service with the US Army. They were built by VT Halter Marine and first entered service in February 1990. The ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  WZ-8

  First shown in October 2019, the WZ-8 is HALE UAV. Two closed-cycle liquid-fuelled rocket engines power the WZ-8 to a claimed supersonic speed of Mach 3.  In ...

• Land: RWS

  Guardian 2.0

  The Guardian 2.0 RWS is an upgraded version of Escribano's Guardian RWS in service with the Spanish Army, which offers improved sensors and better stabilisation. ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Sapsan-Bekas

  Unveiled at ARMY-2019 in Moscow, the Sapsan-Bekas is a C-UAS system comprising active radar, video and EO tracking, signal detection and jamming subsystems. The system ...

• Main battle tanks

  C2 Ariete

  The C2 Ariete is an upgraded variant of the C1 Ariete, designed for the Italian Army in the 1990s. Work on the C2 began in ...

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

  Nauru 1000C

  Manufactured by XMobtos, the Nauru 1000C is a VTOL-capable small fixed-wing UAV. The UAV features a hybrid propulsion system, autopilot and a gyro-stabilised payload. It is designed to ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Comm@nder Army

  Comm@nder Army is an integrated C4I system suitable for use in command post operational environments (infrastructure, shelter-based), providing specialised application services from the HQ of ...

• Sniper rifles

  SV-18

  The SV-18 is a light sniper rifle in a 12.7mm calibre, designed to be easier to carry and operate than existing rifles of that family. 

• Military helicopters - light/training

  LUH

  The Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) is being developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to meet the requirements of the Indian Army and Indian Air Force ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  RBS 70 missile

  The RBS 70 missile was produced to meet the requirements of the Swedish Army's short-range air defence needs. The missile is unique in being the ...

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Night Intruder 600 Vertical Take-Off (NI-600VT)

  The Night Intruder 600 Vertical Take-Off (NI-600VT) is an in-development UAV from Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) based on an MD 500 twin-seat American commercial helicopter airframe. With the ...

• Light UGVs

  T7

  The T7 is a multi-mission robotic system designed for military, police and hazardous missions. At DSEI 2017, the UK MoD awarded the Harris Corporation a ...

• Land: air defence radar, Land: indirect fire location radar

  AN/TPQ-50

  The AN/TPQ-50 is a lightweight, L-Band counterfire radar that performs early warning for indirect fire, target acquisition, and air surveillance modes. Part of SRC’s Lightweight ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Ezuwgu

  The Ezuwgu is an MRAP 4x4 APC designed and produced by the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON). 

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  BTR-82AT

  The BTR-82AT is an upgraded version of the BTR-82A and BTR-82AM 8x8 IFVs developed for the Russian Army. Introduced in 2019, it features a new, ...