• Air Warfare

  Germany approved for possible $1.23 billion AMRAAM acquisition

  26th September 2025

  The potential foreign military sale for up to 400 missiles could be used to enhance Germany’s F-35 programme.

• Land Warfare

  China goes for ground-launched attack weapons as it strengthens deterrence strategy

  26th November 2025

  China has been advancing its capabilities with a new generation of precision-guided artillery and loitering munitions, positioning ALIT’s WS-series as direct competitors with Western systems like the US’s M982 Excalibur.

• Land Warfare

  More details of Indonesia’s Celeris-based 4x4 emerge as customer hunt begins

  12th November 2025

  The Texelis Celeris builds on the rolling chassis of the Serval 4×4 lightweight multi-role armoured vehicle which is being built by Texelis and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Nexter Defence Systems (KNDS France).

• Air Warfare

  Finland secures possible $1.07 billion AMRAAM deal with US State Department

  12th September 2025

  The Nordic country is set to bolster its defence capabilities after its foreign military sales request for AIM-120D-3 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles (AMRAAMs) was approved.

• Naval Warfare

  US tests the newest QUICKSINK maritime weapon variant in the Norwegian Sea

  17th September 2025

  The low-cost, anti-ship, precision-guided 500lb class capability was launched by a USAF B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.

• Air Warfare

  Poland confirms US$3.8 billion F-16V upgrade

  14th August 2025

  The Mid-Life Upgrade agreement comes as Poland makes significant increases in its defence spend as its plans to increase it to 5% of GDP by 2026.

• Land Warfare

  Land forces review: British Army vehicle programme stalls and company results land

  26th November 2025

  In the first monthly review of land forces stories, the Shephard team looks back to evaluate the major news events that have impacted the sector. The UK’s Land Mobility Programme was notable but another setback occurred when a market industry day was scrapped.

• Naval Warfare

  Navantia combat systems selected for Chinese-built Thai LPD

  6th March 2025

  The landing platform dock, believed to be the largest naval vessel that China has exported, will see the Chinese-built vessel embrace Western technology.

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2025: Could ST Engineering’s 120mm mortar be in the frame for UAE service?

  18th February 2025

  ST Engineering is working with Emirati company International Golden Group (IGG) to market its 120mm Ground Deployed Advanced Mortar System (GDAMS) in the region.

• Land Warfare

  Tiberius Aerospace promises big on capability and accuracy with new artillery rocket

  20th May 2025

  Tiberius Aerospace has deep roots in the entrepreneurial high-technology Silicon Valley in the US with its owners having established or been involved with major technology companies such as Nest, Veritone, Apple and Google. The owners shifted from this world to that of defence at the outbreak of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

• Land Warfare

  British Army’s commitment to L118 105mm light gun may be death knell for Light Fires Platform

  15th April 2025

  The UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) was running the programme for the Light Fires Platform (LFP) which was touted as the replacement for the 105mm L118 Light Gun used by the Royal Artillery (RA) regular and reserve units.

• Land Warfare

  Patria adds 120mm mortar system to 4x4 truck

  21st March 2025

  A key feature of TREMOS (Traditional REborn Mortar System) is that it can be rapidly fitted to another platform. After the demonstration in Finland, TREMOS is going to Sweden to be fitted and fired from a standard commercial vehicle fitted with a hook lift to show its flexibility.

• Land Warfare

  Patria unveils new 155mm artillery system with Ukraine war in mind

  21st March 2025

  The war in Ukraine has shown the need for howitzers with a rapid deploy, fire and move capability, the ‘shoot and scoot’ concept, and Patria’s newest self-propelled system, ARVE, acknowledges that.

• Air Warfare

  Taurus KEPD 350E missile sees upgrade for German armed forces

  4th April 2025

  Taurus Systems, a joint venture between MBDA Germany and Saab, was awarded a $161 million 10-year contract in January 2025 to modernise the Taurus 350 missile.

• Land Warfare

  EMOC 120mm lightweight mortar system targeted at British Army requirement

  10th March 2025

  EMOC can be fitted with an 81mm or a 120mm smooth bore barrel and when in the travelling position is horizontal. For firing, it is deployed over the rear arc until the baseplate contacts the ground.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F (Australia)

  Programme Background The government of Australia has requested to buy four CH-47F cargo helicopters with unique modifications: eight T55-GA-714A aircraft turbine engines, five AN/AAR-57 common ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Su-30SM Armenia

  The Su-30SM is upgraded variant of Su-30MKI. Its capabilities include Bars-R radar, RVV-SV medium-range air-to-air missile, Thales SMD55S/VEN-3022 or Russian IKSh-1M avionics replacing Elbit SU967 head-up display, LINS-1000RS inertial ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton - Germany (Cancelled)

  Programme Background Germany requested to buy four MQ-4C Triton HALE UAVs from Northrop Grumman. On 5 April 2018, the US State Department announced that it ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R Seahawk [Greece]

  Programme Background Contract In July 2019, the US State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of MH-60R helicopters to Greece for an estimated cost ...

• OPVs

  PV43-M (1-10) [Egypt]

  Programme Background Timeline At NAVDEX 2023, Shephard understood that DIV M.E.S. and NVL are discussing with Egypt to supply the Egyptian Navy with up to ...

• Maritime patrol

  AVSIMAR (France)

  Programme Background In November 2018, the French MoD announced that it awarded a contract for the detailed definition study of the future surveillance and maritime ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk (First Contact) [Croatia]

  Programme Background Western Technology With the help of the US, Croatia has attempted to improve its military technology, replacing Soviet equipment, such as the Mi-8/Mi-17. ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  AH-6i (Thailand)

  Programme Background The US State Department has made a determination approving the possible $400 million sale on 24 September 2019. The eight AH-6i light attack ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Sistema RPAS Táctico de Altas Prestaciones (SiRTAP) [Colombia]

  Background MoU In 2017, it was announced that Spain was jointly developing a MALE UAV with Colombia to meet the ISR requirement of both armed ...

• Trainer

  T-54A Multi-Engine Training System (METS) [USA]

  Programme Background Multi-Engine Training System is a USN programme to replace the ageing T-44C Pegasus fleet and modernize multi-engine aircraft training. Multi-Engine Training System provides ...

• OPVs

  Jan Mayen Class (1-3) [Norway]

  Programme Background Contract The Jan Mayen-class vessels were designed by LMG Marin, with the process beginning with the Norwegian Defence Material Agency (NDMA) in 2013 and ...

• Bomber

  TU-160M strategic bombers

  Programme Background The Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) operate a fleet of 16 Tu-160 strategic bombers, the last of which  ("Peter Denikin", serial number 8-04) was built ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Sistema RPAS Táctico de Altas Prestaciones (SiRTAP) [Spain]

  Background MoU In 2017, it was announced that Spain was jointly developing a MALE UAV with Colombia to meet the ISR requirement of both armed ...

• Bomber

  Tu-160M Follow-On (Russia)

  Programme Background The Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) operate a fleet of 16 Tu-160 strategic bombers, the last of which  ("Peter Denikin", serial number 8-04) was built ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9A Reaper (Second Batch) [Netherlands]

  Programme Background First Batch Following a cancelled MALE UAV project in 2007, the Dutch MOD revealed its intention to acquire four MQ-9A Reapers from General ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• UAS: flight control systems

  Polar AHRS-IMU

  The Polar is a MEMS-based Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS) and inertial navigation system (INS). It is able to offer assistance with system integration ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  KI-4921 Tactical Grade Modular IMU/INU

  Kearfott's KI-4921/KI-4922 monolithic ring laser gyro and accelerometer triad-based IMU/INU delivers two functionalities in a modular configuration (kit) which can serve as an IMU/INU for ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  KI-4901/4902 High Performance Modular IMU/INU

  The KI-4901/4902 is a high-accuracy monolithic ring laser gyro and accelerometer triad-based IMU/INU that delivers two functionalities in a modular configuration (kit). This can serve ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  STIM

  Safran's STIM (Small Tactical IMU) products are ITAR-free, non-GPS-aided inertial measurement units. Providing high-accuracy measurements while maintaining low weight, they are suitable for uncrewed applications, weapon systems, airborne ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  3DM-RQ1-45

  The 3DM-RQ1-45 is a ruggedised tactical grade GPS/INS. It combines a MEMS inertial sensor core with a high-sensitivity GPS receiver and a sophisticated Extended Kalman ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  Iconyx

  Developed by Safran Federal Systems, Iconyx is a high-performance HRG-based inertial measurement unit. It was unveiled during the Joint Navigation Conference 2024 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  LN-200

  Northrop Grumman's LN-200 is a small, lightweight, fiber-optic, all-altitude, strap down Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). It has three solid-state gyros and three accelerometers that measure velocity ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  Athena 511

  The Athena 511 is a compact all-in-one GPS-aided INS air data system. The system’s integrated inertial sensing uses a tactical grade, ring-laser gyro IMU, with ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  MMQ50 MMQ

  The MMQ50 Miniature MEMS Quartz is an IMU incorporating solid-state quartz micro-machined inertial rate sensors and silicon MEMS accelerometers. The MMQ is suited for embedded ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  Tamnava MLRS

  The Tamnava 122/267mm dual MLRS is produced by Serbia's Yugoimport. It is fitted to an 8x8 Kamaz 6560 chassis with armored crew cabin. The system ...

• Military - UUVs

  Bluefin-SandShark

  The Bluefin SandShark is a one-person deployable and autonomous micro-UMV designed by General Dynamics Mission Systems. It can be used for offshore/littoral surveys, exploration, environmental ...

• EO/IR systems

  M-DSA

  M-DSA is the next step in the sensor modernisation of the M-TADS/PNVS system. Upgraded capabilities support more rapid target identification and coordination, as well as ...

• Military - USVs

  Silver Marlin

  The Silver Marlin USV is designed by Elbit Systems. It can be used for ISR, force protection, or anti-terror and anti-surface warfare missions.

• Loitering munitions

  Hunter V2

  Unveiled in early 2025, the Hunter V2 is a loitering from the Brazilian company BRVANT. It is designed for anti-tank missions and can be equipped with a ...

• Loitering munitions

  Hunter V1

  Unveiled in early 2025, the Hunter V1 is a loitering from the Brazilian company BRVANT. It is designed for anti-personnel strikes and is equipped with ...