• Land Warfare

  Vietnam orders self-propelled howitzers from South Korea

  6th March 2025

  Vietnam turns to Hanwha Aerospace as it looks to reduce reliance on Russian military systems.

• Land Warfare

  Introducing the MITR-M1 Half Mask: Tactical respiratory protection for every scenario

  13th February 2025

  Counter terrorism, specialist firearms officers, special forces, explosive breaching, drug interdiction, riot control, indoor/outdoor shooting, environmental disaster response, first response, prisons and corrections: tactical operators across law enforcement, first responders, and the military face a vast array of low-mid level respiratory threats in their day-to-day operations.

• Naval Warfare

  Belgium and the Netherlands sign up for BAE Systems’ naval gun

  4th November 2024

  The Bofors 40Mk4, a compact and lightweight naval gun system, has been designed for anti-aircraft and anti-surface warfare operations to act against air, land and sea-based threats.

• Land Warfare

  How Ukraine’s wartime innovators are redefining tactical communication

  9th May 2025

  A Ukrainian company in a race against Russian jammers has been demonstrating how the country’s innovative start-ups have been beating the West at its own game.

• Land Warfare

  Manufacture of CTAI 40mm cannon prepares to ramp up with 700 already delivered

  29th January 2025

  Production of 40 CTAS cannon for 60 Belgian Jaguar 6x6 will begin this year and Luxembourg is set to make a similar order.

• Naval Warfare

  Israel buys five Reshef missile ships to bolster its arsenal

  16th December 2024

  The five Reshef corvettes are expected to patrol Israel’s Exclusive Economic Zone and critical infrastructure.

• Defence Notes

  UK begins process on new industrial strategy

  2nd December 2024

  The first stage of developing a new UK Defence Industrial Strategy has highlighted failings in current structures with solutions expected to be proposed in next year’s full strategy.

• Training

  Just Released: Military Training Technology Report December 2024 now available to read

  2nd December 2024

  In this latest Shephard technology report, Giles Ebbutt highlights the rise of the first person view (FPV) drone as a powerful asymmetric weapon that can …

• Air Warfare

  ECRS takes first test flight on Spanish Eurofighter

  9th December 2024

  The test flights follow Airbus’ integration of the radar into the Spanish Air Force’s ‘Halcon’ Typhoon fleet.

• Air Warfare

  Industrial benefit or political distraction? Navigating the final assembly line

  24th December 2024

  Using the example of the F-35, does rolling out a domestic final assembly line make economic or industrial sense for countries wanting to purchase new aircraft?

• Naval Warfare

  Avalon 2025: Kongsberg confirms its first Australian missile factory

  31st March 2025

  The deal, which has been planned since August 2024, is part of an ongoing attempt to bolster Australia’s defences against the potential of Chinese aggression.

• Air Warfare

  2025 air market review: European defence independence, next-gen tech and export concerns dominate

  23rd December 2025

  This year’s (geo)political turmoil has challenged many long-prevailing assumptions, leading to far-reaching consequences for air forces and their supplier bases in industry worldwide – with five key trends in review for 2025.

• Air Warfare

  IDEX 2025: Industry poised to profit from Middle East air forces’ modernisation efforts

  14th February 2025

  Companies such as the Eurofighter consortium and Embraer, await potential orders from the Middle East, while countries including Saudi Arabia and the UAE work to add mass, modernise and replace ageing aircraft.

• Land Warfare

  MilDef to supply customised switches for BvS10 under $7.3 million deal

  16th December 2024

  More than 1,000 BvS10 all-terrain armoured vehicles have been ordered and more than 500 delivered. The platform is focused on extreme cold weather operations and is being delivered to meet the US Army’s Cold Weather All-Terrain Vehicle (CATV) requirement.

• Land Warfare

  Australian Army experiments with UGVs, but seeks understanding before proliferation

  26th December 2024

  The Australian Army is exploring the options and benefits of a wide range of UGVs.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Tempest 50 [USAF]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 18 December 2024, the US DoD announced that the USAF had awarded Firestorm Labs a $100 million Small Business Innovation Research ...

• Trainer

  Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements The RAAF is seeking a future solution that provides a ‘relevant, adaptable, affordable and safe LIFTS out to 2050’ for training pilots ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Fast Response Cutters (USCG Domestic Programme) (68-77)

  As reported by Shephard in July 2025, the US Coast Guard (USCG) will receive around $25 billion to cover the acquisition of new capabilities from ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Fast Response Cutters (USCG Domestic Programme) (68-77)

  As reported by Shephard in July 2025, the US Coast Guard (USCG) will receive around $25 billion to cover the acquisition of new capabilities from ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Indonesian Navy PC-60M

  Programme Background Local Indonesian shipyard PT Caputra Mitra Sejati has designed and developed a class of fast patrol boats that have been ordered by the ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Roussen Class

  The Roussen class fast attack craft missile (FACM) is in service with the Hellenic Navy. The British-design FACMs also known as the Super Vita, has been improved ...

• 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 ...

• Patrol boats

  Fast Patrol Vessels (1-8) [India]

  Programme Background On 28 March 2022, the Indian MoD signed a contract worth INR 4.73 billion ($62.1 million) with Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) for the procurement ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV-30 PRTV (USA)

  Programme Background The Armoured Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked ...

• Patrol boats

  Fast Response Cutters (USCG Domestic Programme) (68-77)

  Programme Background Timeline As reported by Shephard in July 2025, the US Coast Guard (USCG) will receive around $25 billion to cover the acquisition of new ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Fast Patrol Boats Procurement (1-20) [Greece]

  Programme Background Requirements In March 2025, the Hellenic Coast Guard published an updated version of its 2021-2027 Procurement Plan. The Plan has a total budget ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  UK supplied Fast Inshore Attack Craft (FIAC) [Ukraine]

  Programme Background It was first reported in late September 2020 that the UK could provide eight Barzan-class fast attack craft to Ukraine. The platform has been ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Fast Patrol Vessels Procurement [India]

  In January 2023, the Indian MoD issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) entailing the acquisition of 14 Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) for the Indian Coast ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Fast Patrol Vessels Procurement [India]

  In January 2023, the Indian MoD issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) entailing the acquisition of 14 Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) for the Indian Coast ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Fast Patrol Vessels Procurement (1-14) [India]

  In January 2023, the Indian MoD issued a Request For Proposals (RFP) entailing the acquisition of 14 Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) for the Indian Coast ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  INTeACT

  Developed by BAE Systems, INTeACT is a next-generation combat management system for surface vessels with a dedicated software development kit (SDK). Notably, it includes AI-powered ...

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

  Tempest 50

  The Tempest 50 is an American loitering munition and UAV from Firestorm Labs. Uniquely, 50 units of the UAV a month can be produced from ...

• UAS: communication systems

  Helix Mesh Rider

  Helix Mesh Rider is a SWaP (Size, Weight and Power) optimised mesh radio designed for uncrewed systems. Notably, it supports six frequency bands in a ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Fast Interceptor Craft

  The Fast Interceptor Craft (FIC) is a high-speed insertion craft developed and built by VT Halmatic, now part of BAE Systems Maritime. According to BAE ...

• Subsystems: software

  Vortex Simulation

  Vortex Simulation is a software platform for simulating tactical wheeled and tracked vehicles, speciality vehicles and non-tactical vehicles. Vortex lets training systems developers and engineers ...

• Data links

  QNT

  The QUINT Networking Technology (QNT) programme is intended to develop robust, affordable, miniature networked data link technologies suitable for use on weapons and by tactical ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Sky Mantis 2

  Unveiled in March 2024, the Sky Mantis 2 is a mini rotary-wing drone manufactured by Evolve Dynamics.  Based on end-user feedback, the drone is an ...

• Air: mission management systems

  RAFES

  Germany’s NBC defence C2 system, known as RAFES, is integrated into the overall FüInfoSys Heer army C2 system, adding NBC-specific functions to the standard mapping, ...

• Air: aerial targets

  BQM-34 Firebee

  The BQM-34 Firebee is an uncrewed aerial target system that the USAF and USN have used for more than 50 years. The primary mission of ...

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

  Commander 3XL

  Described by the manufacturer, Draganfly, as the Swiss Army knife of drones, the Commander 3XL is a rotary-wing, multi-purpose UAV. The Commander 3 XL Hybrid is ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  Bofors 40mm 3P

  The Bofors 40mm 3P (Pre-fragmented, Programmable, proximity-fused) is a multi-purpose medium calibre round designed for the Bofors 40 Mk4, a gun system manufactured by BAE Systems ...

• Naval guns

  Mk 38 Mod 2/3

  The Mk 38 Machine Gun System is a stabilised self-defence weapon system intended for ships' self-defence capabilities in all weather conditions, day or night. Installed ...

• EW test systems

  FAST

  Functional And Stray voltage Tester (FAST) is a handheld armament pre-flight tester that functions as a flightline tester. It is used to perform ‘O’-level armament ...

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

  P550

  Designed by AeroVironment, the P550 is a fixed-wing UAV that can host reconnaissance, EW or offensive payloads. It was developed in collaboration with Parry Labs and features ...

• Self-propelled mortars

  AMOS

  The Advanced Mortar System (AMOS) is a twin-barrelled, 120mm breech-loading mortar turret designed to be mounted onto medium-sized wheeled or tracked APC chassis and fast ...