• Naval Warfare

  Critical infrastructure protection fuels growth in maritime counter-drone market

  9th July 2026

  Operational lessons are pushing navies towards counter-uncrewed aerial systems at sea, creating a fast-emerging industrial opportunity for radar and effector makers.

• Land Warfare

  Canada reveals first requirements for future long-range air-to-air missile

  5th August 2026

  Exclusive: Ottawa says its future NORAD interceptor must be highly stealthy, resistant to jamming and capable of engaging threats at very long range, while leaving the competition open to domestic and international suppliers.

• Air Warfare

  Rapid APKWS integration sparks “strong” demand from Typhoon customers

  24th June 2026

  The recent operational use and success of the APKWS laser-guidance kit on the UK RAF's Typhoons has driven demand from other Eurofighter customers for integration of the system on their own combat aircraft fleet, according to BAE Systems.

• Air Warfare

  FIA 2026: KAI to offer T-50 jet trainer to UK Royal Air Force

  27th July 2026

  Another contender for the Royal Air Force's future Hawk trainer replacement programme has emerged, with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) putting forward its T-50 as a proven solution that could be manufactured in the UK.

• Air Warfare

  Norway revitalises effort to acquire a tactical-class UAV with $103 million competition

  2nd April 2026

  Norway first scoped the requirement in 2022, and included it in a defence strategy document in 2023. The announcement of a new framework agreement appears to have breathed fresh life into the effort.

• Land Warfare

  The C-UAS challenge: Finding the threat before it finds you

  18th May 2026

  How Teledyne FLIR Defense C-UAS solutions – and sensors optimized for third-party systems integrators – deliver early drone detection and decision advantage for UAS threat response

• 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.

• Land Warfare

  Australia’s SM-2 land trial could reshape ADF medium-range air defence plans

  27th July 2026

  The first ground launch of the SM-2 could offer Canberra a path to expand its missile defence capability by adapting systems already fielded across the ADF.

• Land Warfare

  Ireland targets improved anti-drone capability before mid-year ahead of EU presidency

  22nd April 2026

  With Ireland's EU presidency set to commence from July this year, the ramped-up efforts to procure a counter-uncrewed aerial system and radar capability under its Military Radar Programme are on track to meet targeted roll-out dates.

• Land Warfare

  Thales’ Ground Fire radar meets growing European demand for airspace protection

  7th October 2025

  The new radar will be used to enhance the French-Italian SAMP/T NG system with a greater surveillance range and wider coverage to detect, track and classify targets.

• Air Warfare

  Viper Shield electronic warfare suite for F-16s enters low-rate initial production

  18th November 2025

  The L3Harris Viper Shield is seen as a key component in keeping the newest generation of F-16s up to date and providing a retrofit capability to earlier aircraft.

• Land Warfare

  “A staggering rate of change”: how experience combating IEDs is being applied to the C-UAS arena

  10th June 2026

  The scale of the current escalation in drone attacks is fuelling demand for C-UAS technology that must address a rapidly evolving and expanding threat. Against this background, important lessons can be learned from the battle against IEDs, with networked responses and dispersed capabilities essential to deliver enduring protection.

• Air Warfare

  US Army seeks missile costing less than $150,000 to counter Group 2 and 3 drones

  25th August 2026

  The service wants a rapid-response, extended-range interceptor compatible with the Coyote launcher and wider US Army air-defence architecture, with initial testing scheduled for late 2026.

• Air Warfare

  USAF opens B-52 upgrade to new companies as major programmes fall behind schedule

  11th August 2026

  The US Air Force is seeking additional contractors to support communications upgrades for the B-52, while multiple Stratofortress modernisation programmes continue to experience delays, cost growth and technical challenges.

• Land Warfare

  Raytheon unveils land version of the Next Generation Jammer

  20th April 2026

  The ground-based NGJ is designed to work as an “invisible shield” to protect land structures and assets. Shephard spoke with Raytheon to find out more.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  IAR-99 Replacement (Romania)

  On 29 August 2017, Leonardo announced that the IAR-99 trainer technology demonstrator (TD) will be fitted with company's Vixen 500E AESA radar. The Vixen 500E AESA ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Mobile Short Range Radar [Austria]

  Background As part of its efforts to modernise its ground-based air defence (GBAD) network, Austria is seeking to acquire 14 mobile short-range radar systems. According ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW101-Norway

  AgustaWestland is also providing initial support and training services, including spares at each of the operating bases and aircrew training. It will then provide performance ...

• AEW&C

  AEW&C Aircraft [India]

  Programme Background India is planning to increase its AEW&C; capabilities with indigenous radar systems.  A330 Bid In 2015, the IAF has requested to procure six ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Deployable Short Range Radar [Austria]

  Background As part of its efforts to modernise its ground-based air defence (GBAD) network, Austria is seeking to acquire eight deployable short-range radar systems. According ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  M-SHORAD Increment 1 [USA]

  Background The US Army is developing a new maneuver short-range air defense system (M-SHORAD) to perform short-range air defense (SHORAD). Under this programme, there are ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Project Quadriga [Germany]

  Background Requirement Under Project Quadriga, Berlin is seeking a replacement for its 33 Typhoon Tranche 1. Furthermore, Germany is offering its Tranche 1 fleet to ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Multirole Fighter [Morocco]

  Programme Background 2019 In March 2019, the US State Department announced that it had approved a possible FMS of 25 F-16V Block 72 aircraft to ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  ISTAR UAS project [Canada]

  Programme Background Objective The Royal Canadian Navy's (RCN) main significant UAV project is the RCN Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Unmanned Aircraft System (RCN ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Project Halcon I [Spain]

  Programme Background The Spanish Air Force began requirements assessments, although potential suppliers including Boeing (F/A-18E/F), Lockheed Martin (F-35), Airbus-BAE-Leonardo (Eurofighter Typhoon) are already engaged with ...

• 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 ...

• ISR/special mission

  MC-27J [Algeria]

  Programme Background Algeria has a long standing ISR aircraft requirement to support its Beech 1900 fleet comprised of six aircraft. The new ISR fleet is ...

• Maritime patrol

  Sea Sultan [Pakistan]

  Programme Background On 10 January 2020, Pakistan issued a tender for a single unconfigured long-range twin-jet MPA. In October 2020, Adm Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, the PN’s soon-to-retire ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  M-SHORAD Increment 3 [USA]

  Background The US Army is upgrading its maneuver short-range air defense system (M-SHORAD). Under the overal programme, there are three increments. Increment 1 vehicles are ...

• 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 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Grifo E

  The Grifo-E is an advanced fire-control radar developed by Leonardo, featuring Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology for enhanced situational awareness. It employs Active Electronically Scanned ...

• Land: air defence radar

  ELM-2090S

  IAI-ELTA's ELM-2090S Spectra is an S-band search and track radar designed to autonomously detect and simultaneously track Ballistic Missiles (BMs), Air Breathing Targets (ABT) and ...

• Land: air defence radar

  KRONOS Grand Mobile HP

  The KRONOS GRAND Mobile HP is an upgraded version of the KRONOS Grand Mobile using GaN (Gallium Nitride) technology for the AESA antenna. The radar ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-79

  The AN/APG-79 is an agile beam radar with a solid-state digital array that scans at nearly the speed of light, enabling detection and tracking of ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  Sea Fire Multi Function Radar

  The Sea Fire is a four-panel, multifunction, four-dimensional radar developed by Thales. The radar was designed to conduct ship self-defence, extended air defence missions, and ...

• Land: air defence radar

  KRONOS Land

  KRONOS is a mobile multifunctional C-band radar system designed by Leonardo to support air and coastal defence tactical operations.  The system simultaneously performs surveillance, dedicated target ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  TRS-4D Fixed Panel

  The TRS-4D Fixed Panel is the fixed panel version of the TRS-4D, manufactured by Hensoldt. It is a three-dimensional multi-functional naval radar designed for surveillance ...

• Land: air defence radar

  TMMR

  The Tactical Multi-Mission Radar (TMMR) is Leonardo’s C-band AESA radar designed for detecting, classifying, and tracking small, high-maneuvering targets. It’s designed for various applications, including counter-UAS, ...

• Land: air defence radar

  iMOTR

  The Innovative Multiple-Object Tracking Radar (iMOTR) system has been designed to provide military test ranges with more accurate time, space and position information for several ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  ELM-2052

  The ELM-2052 is an X-band active electronically scanned array fire control radar designed for air-to-air superiority and advanced strike missions. The system features solid-state active ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Weapon Locating Radar

  The Weapon Locating Radar (TPQ-74K), developed by South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), designed to address North Korea's artillery threats. This radar system can ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  NS100

  The NS100 is a four-dimensional naval air surveillance and three-dimensional surface surveillance radar manufactured by Thales in the Netherlands. It can also provide weapons support ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers, Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: Electronic Attack - Pod, Naval: COMINT and ELINT systems

  Arexis

  The AREXIS EW suite from Saab is an ECM, ISR, and radar warning receiver system designed to enhance the situational awareness and survivability of fighter pilots. ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Smart-L MM/F

  The SMART-L MM/F (Multi-Mission Fixed) is a next-generation, long-range, multi-mission radar developed by Thales for air and space surveillance and ballistic missile detection. It features ...

• Fighter - electronic warfare

  Eurofighter EK (Electronic Combat)

  The Eurofighter EK is the  jamming and escort electronic attack version of the Eurofighter fighter jet. Developed by Airbus and incorporating Saab's Arexis EW suite ...