• Naval Warfare

  Malaysia completes submarine overhaul programme

  20th April 2020

  The Royal Malaysian Navy’s (RMN's) Scorpene-class submarine KD Tun Abul Razak has returned to service following completion of major repair and overhaul work that started …

• Military Logistics

  MARAD warns of shortage of mariners in event of sealift surge

  15th April 2020

  The US Maritime Administration (MARAD) could suffer from a shortfall of nearly 2,000 mariners in the event that national security requirements demand an increase in …

• Air Warfare

  Leidos offers Orbiter to Australian Army

  7th April 2020

  Leidos Australia announced on 7 April the UAV platform that it is offering for the Australian Army's Project Land 129 Phase 3 requirement for a new …

• Digital Battlespace

  Saab hails X-band AESA trial

  24th April 2020

  Saab completed the first flight trial of its new X-band active electronically scanned array (AESA) fighter radar on 8 April. The company stated on 24 …

• Air Warfare

  Boeing’s first F-15QA test completed

  15th April 2020

  Boeing as successfully completed the first test of its F-15 Qatar Advanced (QA) fighter jet (pictured) which has been developed for the Qatar Emiri Air …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UAV Navigation FCS integrated with Sky Power Engines

  3rd April 2020

  Spain-based UAV Navigation has teamed up with Germany’s Sky Power to design modernised flight control solutions (FCS). As a result, the FCS used by UAV …

• Land Warfare

  Myanmar to acquire Chinese long-range strike system

  16th April 2020

  Myanmar’s military is reportedly soon set to receive an initial batch of SY-400 precision-guided strike weapons from China. It is not known how many of …

• Defence Notes

  Boeing suspends production at Puget Sound until further notice

  6th April 2020

  Boeing announced on 5 April that it is extending the suspension of production in at its plants in the Puget Sound area and Moses Lake …

• Naval Warfare

  FREMM-derived design wins out in USN FFG(X) programme

  1st May 2020

  The decision by the USN on 30 April to award the contract for the build up to ten of the future FFG(X) guided missile frigates …

• Air Warfare

  Indonesia rolls out first F-16A eMLU fighter

  17th April 2020

  The Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) has unveiled its first F-16A enhanced Midlife Upgrade (eMLU) aircraft, with upgrades carried out locally by PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) …

• Special Operations

  MMP makes its mark in Mali

  17th April 2020

  The French Army has disclosed details regarding the use of MBDA’s Missile Moyenne Portée (MMP) land combat missile system on operations in West Africa. Speaking …

• Naval Warfare

  Coronavirus lacerates Thai naval spending

  21st April 2020

  The COVID-19 outbreak has now struck down the annual budget of the Royal Thai Navy (RTN), which is being slashed by a third. In total, …

• Land Warfare

  Germany to gain artillery upgrade

  15th April 2020

  The German Army plans to enhance its indirect-fire capability by upgrading its legacy PzH 2000 155 mm/52 calibre self-propelled (SP) howitzer, procuring new systems and …

• Air Warfare

  Sukhoi prepares for Su-57 deliveries

  6th April 2020

  Sukhoi Corporation plans to start deliveries this year of its Su-57 fifth-generation fighter for the Russian Aerospace Forces despite the December 2019 crash of a test aircraft …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Coyote Block 2 UAV killer on target for IOC and sales

  17th March 2020

  Raytheon expects to begin full-rate production of Coyote Block 2 (pictured), a counter-UAS (C-UAS) UAV which is used with the Howler C-UAS system, in 2020. …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  DELI [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Speaking to Shephard at SAHA Expo 2022, a spokesperson stated that the platform was expected to enter into service with the Turkish Armed ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 [UK]

  Background Rumours In mid-October 2022, Mustafa Varank, Turkey’s minister of industry, revealed to CNN Turk that the UK was interested in Turkish armed drones. The ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) (Tranche 2) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an organic, ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Micro UAV [Argentina]

  Background Tender The EA and MoD in April 2021 announced Public Tender 0090/2021 (UOC: 84/135), which saw the General Directorate of Material begin the process of ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache (Indian Air Force)

  Programme Background The Indian Army was originally granted co-ownership of the 22 Apaches by the Indian MoD. However, the IAF refused to cede them to ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Ground Master 403 Radar [Egypt]

  Background In 2020, Egypt ordered four of France-based Thales Ground Master 403 radars, the mobile member of their GM400 radar family.  At least one of the ...

• Military UAS - small

  ScanEagle [Czechia]

  Programme Background Earmarked The ACR took delivery of ten ScanEagle systems (100 UAVs), which were received as a donation from the US in 2015. In ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Sovereign UAS Challenge [Australia]

  Background Chinese Drones Banned As reported by Shephard in August 2023, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) previously used commercial UAS from companies such as DJI ...

• Military UAS - small

  Domestically developed UAV [Mexican Army]

  Background Domestic development In 2025, President Claudia Sheinbaum announced initiatives for the Army and Navy to independently develop UAV prototypes, as part of a broader ...

• Military UAS - small

  HUSAR (2023 Order) [Germany]

  Programme Background First Order In 2015, the German Army launched the HUSAR programme to identify a replacement for its Airbus Defence & Space KZO and ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Akinci [Libya]

  Programme Background 2022 Reports In October 2022, various Libyan media outlets reported that the country was eyeing a possible procurement from Baykar, possibly the Akinici ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  TUAS [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Tender & Requirments The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) issued a tender in May 2020 to provide a new Tactical Uncrewed Aerial System (TUAS). ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Wizjer [Poland]

  Programme Background Requirements In its Technical Modernisation Programme 2013-2022, the Polish Ministry of National Defense (MND) identified the need for several new types of UAVs ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) [USMC]

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

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  OC-135B Replacement [USA]

  Programme Background The modification and Treaty Certification works include Digital Visual Imaging System kits, design and development for mission system integration (structural design, interphone communications systems, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - small

  Skylark 3

  The Skylark 3 is a small UAS manufactured by Elbit Systems. It is designed for both dismounted and vehicle-based operations.  It can perform a range of ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  M12 Monitor

  The Saxon Remote Systems M12 Monitor UAV is a commercial and military system designed to perform a range of roles such as surveillance, pipeline inspection ...

• Military UAS - small, Military UAS - tactical

  Resolute Eagle

  The Resolute Eagle is a tactical Group 3 UAS with fuselage and underwing payload bays, which is able to carry multiple sensors. The UAS has been ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  SICX-10E

  The SICX-10E is a rotary-wing UAV suitable for a range of military and civil roles, including tactical ISR, bomb damage assessment, homeland security, aerial surveillance, ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  SICX-25

  The SICX-25 is a rotary-wing UAV suitable for a range of military, commercial and civil missions, including tactical ISTAR, bomb damage assessment, civil air surveillance, ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  30 June

  Developed by the Egyptian Ministry of Military Production, the 30 June is a MALE fixed-wing UAV designed for reconnaissance missions.  Additionally, it features an electromagnetic system and ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Wulung

  The Wulung is an Indonesian tactical UAV. First displayed at the Indo Defence Expo and Forum in November 2014, the aircraft entered mass production in May ...

• EO/IR systems

  Skybox

  The Skybox allows gimballed camera systems developed for small UAVs to be integrated on the nose of manned helicopters. It accommodates cameras such as DJI’s ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Yagu

  Plasan unveiled the Yagu 4x4 at the March 2018 Expo Seguridad event. It is based on the Arctic Cat Wildcat 4 1000 commercial all-terrain vehicle. The ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  StratoAirNet

  The StratoAirNet is a lightweight MALE UAV that is solar-powered and designed for commercial and military applications. It can accommodate multiple payloads weighing up to ...

• Air: mission management systems

  TM-100 Map and Video Management system

  Trakka Systems introduced a new TM-100 Map and Video Management system at HAI Heli-Expo 2017 in Dallas. The augmented reality mapping system with metadata video and audio ...

• EO/IR systems

  Geodetic photomapping and monitoring payload and blind zone cameras

  Heliatica unveiled a geodetic mapping and monitoring payload with Geoscan at Heli-Expo 2017. The system is designed to fit two Sony DSC-RX1 (24MP resolution) cameras ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  EJ-30

  Produced by Industrial Complex Engineering Robots in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Military Production, the EJ-30 is a MALE UAV with visual similarity to the ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Dragonfish (Series)

  The Dragonfish is a series of mini fixed-wing tiltrotor UAVs from Autel Robotics. The series consists of the Lite, Standard and Pro dragonfish, with the ...

• OPVs

  Shachi Class (Project 21)

  Project 21 (P-21) Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels (NOPVs)  was intended to enhance the maritime surveillance and patrol capabilities of the Indian Navy. The design of ...