• Air Warfare

  European firms express interest in filling NATO airborne early warning replacement needs

  19th November 2025

  The comments from both Saab and Airbus on their potential to fulfil the airborne early warning and control requirement come after NATO countries shelved plans to procure six E-7 Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft.

• Air Warfare

  Sweden confirms order for four C-390 Millennium aircraft

  8th October 2025

  The firm order also included options for seven more aircraft as part of the joint European procurement for the multi-role aircraft, allowing for potential future European acquisitions.

• Land Warfare

  2025 land market review: British Army woes, European heavy armour and US MBT progress

  18th December 2025

  The last year has seen several major procurements in the land market. Shephard’s Dr Peter Magill reviews the main trends and themes in land procurement of 2025.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2025: DroneShield sets sights on Europe thanks to surge in CUAS demand

  9th September 2025

  The Australian-based CUAS technology specialist is responding to a marked shift in global appetite as it looks to branch out to an unspecified western European country early next year.

• Air Warfare

  Project Nightfall to test fire deep-strike capabilities for Ukraine by 2027

  13th January 2026

  The UK competition for industry to develop deep-strike capabilities for Ukraine in its war effort against Russia will also provide benefits for the country’s own long-range strike efforts.

• Air Warfare

  GA-ASI takes step towards developing European YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft

  21st July 2025

  The US company will work with its European affiliate company, General Atomics Aerotec Systems (GA-ATS) to support manufacture the YFQ-42A.

• Naval Warfare

  What HII’s UK expansion could mean for Royal Navy’s uncrewed future

  14th January 2026

  As HII prepares to deliver its latest AI-enabled uncrewed surface vessel later this year, its major UK facility expansion aligns with the UK Royal Navy’s plans for a hybrid fleet.

• 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.

• Land Warfare

  Strengthening Baltic defence capabilities

  26th November 2025

  How Latvia is bolstering its territorial defences, industrial capacity and international cooperation with Dynamit Nobel Defence’s SKORPION2 Remote Mining System.

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall and KNDS tank tie-up narrows trans-European options

  18th December 2025

  The French and German governments signed an agreement in June 2018 to cooperate on the development of a new main battle tank under the Main Ground Combat System programme but the effort has struggled. This new agreement may damage it further.

• Air Warfare

  MQ-28A Ghost Bat: Australia’s drone charts the future of loyal wingman UAVs

  6th October 2025

  Boeing Australia’s MQ-28A Ghost Bat stands as the oldest “loyal wingman” currently in development, with potential European opportunity on the horizon for the uncrewed aerial vehicle.

• Land Warfare

  Supacat and KNDS join forces for British Army vehicle programme

  17th November 2025

  The Land Mobility Programme is the biggest UK opportunity for the next few decades if it all falls into place. Companies have been filling their dance cards as milestones approach in the hope they are not the mirages of the past.

• Naval Warfare

  UK MoD’s confirmation of MBDA missile for Type 26 points to more European collaboration

  4th December 2025

  The Type 26 will also be fitted with the Sea Ceptor vertically launched air defence system that can fire CAMM missiles and a 24-cell Mk 41 vertical launch system that can fire the Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles, anti-submarine rockets and long-range anti-ship missiles.

• Naval Warfare

  DSEI 2025: Red Cat expands into USV production with focus on combat-proven technology

  11th September 2025

  At DSEI 2025, Red Cat outlines its expansion from UAVs into uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), positioning itself as a multi-domain defence provider spanning land, sea, and air.

• Defence Notes

  Elbit Systems awarded $2.3 billion contract as results soar

  18th November 2025

  The company’s order backlog as of 30 September totalled $25.2 billion and more than a third of this is scheduled to be fulfilled before the end of 2026.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (1-9) [NATO]

  Programme Background Following operations in Libya and extensive analyses by the European Defence Agency (EDA), it was agreed at the NATO Summit in 2012 that ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT Follow-On [NATO]

  Programme Background Following operations in Libya and extensive analyses by the European Defence Agency (EDA), it was agreed at the NATO Summit in 2012 that ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  EDA-S [France]

  Programme Background Following the announcement of the 14-ship contract, the DGA approved the design of the first two standard amphibious landing craft (EDA-S) in October 2019, ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  Tanker Aircraft [Greece]

  Programme Background Requirement Procurement of tanker aircraft is aligned with a broader 2021-approved Hellenic National Defence General Staff (GEETHA) plan to enhance the HAF's reach and ...

• OPVs

  Third Hamilton Class Cutter [Sri Lanka]

  Programme Background Timeline In mid-2017, Sri Lanka was considering purchasing a Gepard 5.1-class (Project 1166.1) frigate from Russia. The delivery was planned based on an ...

• Main battle tanks

  M1A2 Abrams SEPv3 [Romania]

  Programme Background Requirement The Romanian Army's MBT fleet is composed of T-55 variants that are due to be retired in the mid-2020s. Although Romania's TR-85 ...

• Main battle tanks

  New MBT [Romania]

  Programme Background Requirement The Romanian Army's MBT fleet is composed of T-55 variants that are due to be retired in the mid-2020s. Although Romania's TR-85 ...

• Corvettes

  European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [France]

  Programme Background Requirements The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is one of the new PESCO (Permanent Structured Cooperation on Defence and Security) projects. PESCO was established ...

• Corvettes

  European Patrol Corvette (EPC)/Buques de Protección Marítima (BPM) [Spain]

  Programme Background Requirements The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is one of the new PESCO (Permanent Structured Cooperation on Defence and Security) projects. PESCO was established ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Second-hand LCS [Greece]

  In January 2024, Tasos Chatzivasileiou revealed that discussions are taking place with the US regarding the potential acquisition of four second-hand Freedom-class LCS. A letter ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Second-hand LCS [Greece]

  In January 2024, Tasos Chatzivasileiou revealed that discussions are taking place with the US regarding the potential acquisition of four second-hand Freedom-class LCS. A letter ...

• Corvettes

  European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirements The 2021-2023 Documento Programmatico Pluriennale (DPP) - a multi-year defence planning document from the Italian MoD - includes a plan to acquire eight "Patrol Ships", ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Surplus Maxxpro [Bangladesh - Batch 1]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires MRAPs to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the Central African ...

• UAE Surplus Caiman MRAP

  Programme Background Following the withdrawal of many of its forces from Iraq and Afghanistan, the US has sought to divest of many of its MRAPs ...

• UAE Surplus MaxxPro MRAP

  Programme Background Following the withdrawal of many of its forces from Iraq and Afghanistan, the US has sought to divest of many of its MRAPs ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: air defence radar

  APIS

  APIS is a passive high-resolution primary radar system developed by Indra. It is the first passive system in the world capable of offering images using ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  EDA-S

  The Engins de Debarquement Amphibie - Standards (EDA-S) is an amphibious landing craft built by CNIM in partnership with Socarenam, Mauric and CNN MCO. It ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  EDA-R

  Four EDA-R (Engin de Débarquement Amphibie-Rapide) fast amphibious landing craft were ordered for the French Navy in 2009 after a 12-month evaluation. They are designed ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58 Kiowa

  The single-engine OH-58 Kiowa, derived from the Bell 206, entered US Army service in 1969 as a light observation helicopter. More than 2,200 were built for ...

• Patrol boats

  Marine Protector Class

  The Marine Protector-class of coastal patrol boats (CPBs) was ordered in 1996 to replace the USCG's Point-class vessels. Fifty boats were originally ordered, which was ...

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

  LOTUS

  The LOTUS, Low Observable Tactical Unnamed System, is a tactical UAV especially designed for border patrol ISR operations.  The development of the project is funded by ...

• Patrol boats

  Reliance Class Cutters

  The Reliance-class cutters, also known as Medium Endurance Cutters, are in service with the US Coast Guard (USGC). They work alongside the Famous-class ships on ...

• Frigates

  Aquitaine Class (FREMM)

  The Aquitaine-class frigates for the French Navy are based on the Franco-Italian, European, multipurpose frigate design FREMM (European multi-mission Frigate/Fregata Europea Multi-Missione). For France, the ships ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  AE50R

  The AE50R is an aviation gasoline single rotary engine with an output of 40.4kW. The engine is certified according to European Aviation Safety Agency Part ...

• Frigates

  Bergamini Class (FREMM)

  The Bergamini-class frigates for the Italian Navy are based on the Franco-Italian, European, multipurpose frigate design FREMM (European multi-mission Frigate/Fregata europea multi-missione). For Italy, the ...

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

  One 150

  The One 150 is a tactical UAV manufactured by Primoco UAV. The UAV is designed for commercial and military use and can be configured to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Sky-X

  The Sky-X UCAV was conceived for demonstration and research purposes and in 2005 became the first European-designed UAV over 1000 kg and with performance comparable ...

• Air: chaff, flare and decoy systems

  Sky Buzzer

  Hensoldt’s Sky Buzzer is a towed anti-radar decoy originally developed by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS). The system is designed to protect ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  PULS

  The PULS (Precise & Universal Launching System) from Elbit Systems is a modular, truck‑mounted multiple‑launch rocket/missile system developed in Israel to provide flexible long‑range fires ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  MaxxPro

  The International MaxxPro was developed by Navistar for the MRAP programme and the US Army’s Medium Mine Protected Vehicle project. Selected for the MRAP Category ...