• Air Warfare

  Focus on economy over capability highlights the cost imperative for CCA success

  20th February 2026

  Striking the right balance between cost and capability is likely to become more crucial in the increasingly competitive collaborative combat aircraft market. Shephard’s special CCA market report examines where the opportunities lie for suppliers.

• Air Warfare

  Bayraktar TB2: The $4.11 billion market success of a cost-effective MALE UAV

  22nd January 2026

  The success of the Bayraktar TB2 stems from it fulfilling a niche of providing reasonable capabilities at a low cost, leading to its acquisition by more than 30 countries including many in Africa; but there are reasons to be cautious about its potential future prospects.

• Land Warfare

  First capability of Israel’s Iron Beam laser to be delivered by the end of December

  1st December 2025

  Iron Beam is a family of high-energy laser weapon systems currently in development by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and is designed to provide a low-cost kinetic effect against aerial threats at short distances.

• Air Warfare

  2025 UAV market review: $7.8 billion in new contracts signed as US leads spending

  17th December 2025

  Qatar and Indonesia followed the US’s high spending on new uncrewed aerial vehicle contracts across 2025, while MALE and micro drones and loitering munitions were particularly popular subcategories this year.

• Air Warfare

  February Drone Digest: US manufacturers face the Gauntlet and find success abroad

  25th February 2026

  The US launched the Gauntlet test in February as part of its accelerated attack drone procurement effort while also exploring various naval capabilities that could lead to procurements down the line. Shield AI’s V-Bat, meanwhile, has been stirring up global interest.

• Air Warfare

  Indonesia strengthens Turkish defence ties with Kizilelma drone order

  11th May 2026

  Indonesia’s purchase of 12 drones with options for an additional 48 is the third deal in as many years between Indonesian and Turkish defence industries, bolstering the former’s plans to strengthen its own domestic production and defence industry.

• Air Warfare

  Spain air focus: Demand builds with $19.7 billion up for grabs in unawarded contracts

  29th January 2026

  Despite Spain’s modest GDP spend on defence, the country still has a range of fixed-wing and UAV programme requirements as yet unawarded, with a potential US$3.10 billion set to be spent over the next decade.

• Air Warfare

  January Drone Digest: MALE, rotary-wing and loitering munition UAVs dominate early 2026

  27th January 2026

  The first month of 2026 has seen activity in the MALE, rotary-wing, and loitering munition UAV markets, with significant investments and commitments from Germany, Turkey, the UAE and the US. At the same time, questions over loitering munition performance in Ukraine highlight the growing scrutiny alongside rising demand.

• Land Warfare

  Australia’s revised defence investment plan: what it means for land warfare

  17th April 2026

  Australia’s 2026 National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program have been adjusted from the 2024 version to promote greater military and industrial self-reliance, taking lessons learned from ongoing conflicts and looking to reinforce the industrial base.

• Air Warfare

  UAE air focus: Domestic industries set to dominate the $5.24 billion UAV market

  12th November 2025

  Foreign suppliers may be seeking ways to break into the guarded UAE drone market, where domestic firms dominate much of the US$5.24 billion value and a large share of spending is already tied to a single major deal.

• Land Warfare

  World Defense Show 2026: Middle East remains focused on US equipment and local industry involvement

  10th February 2026

  Vehicle procurement in the Middle East continues to target big-ticket main battle tanks, with lighter platform purchases also potentially on the horizon including tactical, infantry fighting and armoured personnel carrier vehicles.

• Air Warfare

  Saab Gripen E/F: the multirole fighter that’s seeing a resurgence (updated 2026)

  14th April 2026

  The single-engine multirole fighter jet is seeing heightened demand with a sizeable orderbook and expanding export potential, as Shephard summarises the aircraft’s latest orders and developments.

• Air Warfare

  What does the FY2027 US budget signal for the country’s future airpower plans?

  16th April 2026

  The record-breaking defence budget request focuses on bolstering some core next-generation aircraft programmes across each domain, although questions remain on the US's commitment to some key defence programmes.

• Air Warfare

  Scaling for diverse fleet needs: How many CCA will be acquired per crewed aircraft?

  23rd February 2026

  There is currently no industry standard in the ratio of uncrewed to crewed aircraft. Because collaborative combat aircraft vary widely in capability and crewed-uncrewed teaming availability, while country-specific requirements vary, it is unlikely that a single CCA configuration will meet all operational needs.

• Defence Notes

  High tension in the High North – a wake-up call for NATO’s future Arctic defence efforts?

  20th January 2026

  Any potential ‘Arctic Sentry’ mission would be months in the planning, but with tensions high in the region given the US’s push for Greenland, NATO countries will need to continue to emphasise their commitment to the region, analysts have said.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [Türkiye]

  Turkey has become the second country to receive the new-generation A400M airlifter, with the first of ten aircraft handed over by Airbus Defence and Space ...

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

  DP18A [Thailand]

  Background 2023 According to Aero Technology Industry Company Limited (ATIL) officials, speaking to Janes at Defence & Security (D&S;) 2023 in Bangkok, the company was at ...

• Trainer

  S-211 Replacement [Philippines]

  Programme Background Requirement The Philippines is looking at replacement options for its ageing fleet of S-211 trainer jets. The S-211s have been in operation with ...

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

  Sky Scout-X [Thailand]

  Programme Background At the Defence & Security (D&S;) 2019 show in Bangkok, RV Connex displayed a variant of this Sky Scout, the Sky Scout-X. This ...

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

  Long-Endurance UAV [US AFRICOM]

  Programme Background Ageing MQ-9A Reapers In November 2022, Shephard reported that GA-ASI would continue supporting contractor SMX with its MQ-9A after winning a $2.3 billion task ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA)

  Programme Background Five prototypes will be manufactured for developmental tests. Indian Air Force will buy 36 AMCA Mark-I aircraft from 2029-30. The Mark-I configuration will ...

• Trainer

  T-4 Replacement [Japan]

  Programme Background The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) has been using the T-4 as an intermediate trainer jet since 1988, but now the Acquisition, Technology ...

• 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, ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16V [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Requirement Turkish Air Force ordered 100 F-35A aircraft as a partner nation, however, the country was removed from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions [Thailand]

  Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events such ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Next Generation Submarines [Japan]

  Japan is undertaking development studies for its Next Generation Submarine design. The project aims to develop a new platform that is expected to start replacing ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Next Generation Submarines [Japan]

  Japan is undertaking development studies for its Next Generation Submarine design. The project aims to develop a new platform that is expected to start replacing ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  MUM-T Drone [Thailand]

  Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Multirole fighters [Botswana]

  Botswana Defence Force is planning to purchase 10 multirole fighters to replace its ageing fleet of F-5 jets. Both Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) FA-50 platform ...

• Data links

  Data links | Multirole fighters [Botswana]

  Botswana Defence Force is planning to purchase 10 multirole fighters to replace its ageing fleet of F-5 jets. Both Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) FA-50 platform ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  PC-21 FTD

  Airbus D&S; has technical responsibility for overall system integration and the geo-specific database within the consortium for the development and production of the Pilatus PC-21 ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Distributed and Networked Mission Training

  Airbus D&S; networks training systems to enable joint and distributed mission training across local and national boundaries, generating realistic and needs-oriented scenarios. The solution uses ...

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

  Sky Scout-M

  Unveiled at the Defense & Security (D&S;) 2023 exhibition in Bangkok, the Sky Scout-M is a combat version of the Sky Scout from RV Connex.  ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  TEagle Eye III

  Thailand’s state-owned Defence Technology Institute (DTI) unveiled the TEagle Eye III fixed-wing UAV in November 2015 at the country's Defence and Security (D&S;) exhibition. It ...

• Helicopter guns

  FN D-HMP 250

  The FN D-HMP (Digital Heavy Machine Gun Pod) 250 is a self-contained airborne weapon system armed with a .50 cal FN M3P heavy machine gun, ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar, Air: surveillance radar

  AN/APY-1/2

  The S-band AN/APY-1 radar is installed in a large rotodome above the fuselage of the Boeing KE-3A/E-3A/B Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft ...

• Land: battle management systems, Naval: Combat Management Systems

  SENIN

  The French Navy has chosen Airbus D&S; and SODENA for development and installation of SENIN on its entire fleet of the ECDIS electronic cartography system. ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  21st Century Warrior

  Slovenia picked S&T; IT Solutions and Services for the R&D; phase of its 21st Century Warrior programme. The future soldier system is designed to fit ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Australian Army S-70 Training System

  The Australian Army S-70A-9 Black Hawk is a turnkey programme including a full flight and mission simulator (FF&MS;), building, facilities and maintenance support. This CAE-built ...

• Main battle tanks

  M60A3 Upgrade

  Leonardo presented its M60A3 upgrade proposal, which improves the tank's firepower, protection and mobility, for the first time at the Bahrain International Defence Exhibition and ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM, Naval: Radio and SATCOM

  R&S M3SR Series4100

  Rohde & Schwarz M3SR Series4100 is a family of software-defined HF radios designed for stationary and shipborne communications. Offered in multiple configurations, they offer high-data-rate BLOS ...

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

  DP18A

  Unveiled at Defence & Security 2023 in Bangkok, the DP18A is a fixed-wing tactical drone designed to provide the Thai Armed Forces with a cost-effective platform ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Brunei MPTC

  The CAE Brunei Multi-Purpose Training Centre (MPTC) is a JV established in 2012 between CAE and the Government of Brunei. Located in Rimba near the Brunei ...

• Data links

  MIDS FDL LVT-3

  The MIDS Fighter Data Link (FDL) LVT-3 was developed by Rockwell Collins and BAE Systems under a limited liability company to integrate MIDS commonality in ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  NanoS2

  The NanoS2 acquisition system combines a data concentrator and a compact flight test recorder, which provides modularity and permits stacking of 12 data acquisition modules ...