• Air Warfare

  UH-60M Black Hawk: export demand underpins $13 billion market opportunity

  19th May 2026

  The UH-60M is the latest variant of the UH-60, a workhorse multirole helicopter that continues to attract further orders from across the globe. With further modernisation upgrades underway, the platform is expected to remain in operation until 2050.

• Air Warfare

  Further investments in OWE and launchers to boost British Army deep fires capability

  23rd February 2026

  Two contracts are expected to be signed by March 2026 that will help bolster the force’s capabilities, with further trials of the launcher expected across other departments.

• Land Warfare

  The US military is expanding its efforts to modernise mortar technology

  26th February 2026

  A growing push towards increasing mobility and lethality across forces can be seen in recent contracts and modernisation efforts, with advancing mortar technology playing an integral role in modern warfare.

• Land Warfare

  France mulls new turret options to increase its VBCI IFV’s firepower

  27th March 2026

  The proposed enhancements could better position the French Army’s armoured infantry fighting vehicle for future export campaigns.

• Land Warfare

  GDLS is “on track and on schedule” to deliver the first XM30 prototypes in July

  18th May 2026

  In an exclusive interview with Shephard, General Dynamics Land Systems’ director of US strategy and growth disclosed details of the company’s XM30 Wolf design.

• Land Warfare

  British Army’s Project Stokes 120mm mortar bids due in March 2026

  18th February 2026

  Project Stokes could see a new 120mm mortar capability enter British service, with domestic production and international partnerships central to competing bids.

• Land Warfare

  Land forces review: Tanks, trucks and IFVs dominate but woes remain for Ajax

  29th January 2026

  This year has begun with main battle tanks taking the lead while orders for large logistics and support vehicles continued from last year. Additionally, two of the British Army’s most significant contracted vehicle programmes, Ajax reconnaissance vehicle and Challenger 3 tank, continued to make news in January.

• Land Warfare

  US Army seeks industry support to prepare acquisitions of Group 4+ UAVs

  2nd January 2026

  The US Army is keen to hear about vendor designs, strategies and potential hardware and software solutions to inform requirements for procurement efforts.

• Air Warfare

  SOF Week 2026: US Army to conduct trials with Mountain Horse’s containerised drone launcher

  21st May 2026

  The Mountain Horse Containerised Autonomous Drone Delivery System has been engineered for dispersed, forward UAV operations. It can store, protect, charge, launch and recover drones.

• Land Warfare

  UK plans to adopt “phased approach to restarting” British Army Ajax programme

  28th April 2026

  The introduction of Ajax vehicles into British Army service was stopped after health issues during an exercise. However, an investigation reported “no single causal mechanism of the symptoms reported by our soldiers but rather a combination of multiple factors”.

• Air Warfare

  CH-47 Chinook: why the iconic helicopter design is still a heavy-lift contender (updated 2026)

  26th March 2026

  From its emergence as a ground-breaking design in the 1950s to its widespread deployment in diverse operations worldwide, the Chinook continues to leave an indelible mark on the aviation landscape. Shephard sums up the helicopter’s latest developments.

• Land Warfare

  Team LionStrike fleshes out UK Land Mobility Programme bid

  13th May 2026

  At an industry press day this week, Shephard's Christopher Foss looked more closely at Team LionStrike's line-up.

• Land Warfare

  April land forces roundup: Munitions and long-range fires drive procurement momentum

  1st May 2026

  The demand for long-range fires continues alongside the drive to increase artillery shell manufacture and the procurement of new artillery weapons.

• Air Warfare

  Bell advances to next stage of US Army’s aviator training programme competition

  7th January 2026

  The US Army plans to award a contract through its Flight School Next competition to replace its UH-72A Lakota by late 2026.

• Land Warfare

  Canada looking to expedite purchase of armoured fighting vehicle and a new tank

  26th January 2026

  Canada is improving its Leopard main battle tank fleet but before this is fully completed, it is expected to begin looking for new vehicles.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  MQ-1 Gray Eagle [US Army]

  Background Required Quantity Although the US Army first envisioned a requirement for 132 MQ-1C Gray Eagles, the US Army's Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) was increased ...

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

  Group 4/5 UAV [US Army]

  Background Request for Information (RFI) On 5 June 2024, the American DoD published an RfI with an original response date of 19 July 2024. The ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions [Czech Republic]

  Background KVAČR Concept In February 2024, the Czech Army unveiled the Construction of the Army of the Czech Republic (KVAČR) concept, which outlined an increase ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Viper (Nigeria)

  Programme Background Due to its ongoing campaign against Islamist insurgents in the north of Nigeria, the Nigerian Army has procured a wide range of mine-protected armoured ...

• Military UAS - micro

  eBee Vision [US]

  Background Multiple orders In November 2025, the US Army acquired three eBee Vision systems to enhance training operations at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany. A ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Heavy Lift VTOL (HVTOL) [US Army]

  Background USMC First, Army Second In September 2021, Kaman unveiled its Kargo UAV, specifically designed to meet the requirements of the Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Parrot Anafi (Singapore)

  Programme Background On 7 February 2022, the Singapore Army posted photographs on Facebook that showed the Anafi UAV used as training devices in a five-day ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Titan-B [Colombia]

  Background Colombia is understood to have a requirement for as many as 100 APCs capable of carrying up to 20 troops and protecting their occupants ...

• Military UAS - small

  Small UAS [Spain]

  Programme Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  FPV Drones [Czech Republic]

  Background KVAČR Concept In February 2024, the Czech Army unveiled the Construction of the Army of the Czech Republic (KVAČR) concept, which outlined an increase in ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions [Spain]

  Programme Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible, cohesive operational organisations, highly ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Kalyani M4 (India)

  Programme Background In the wake of border clashes with the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) in 2020, the Indian Army has accelerated several of its ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  US Army Manoeuvre Support Vessel Light (MSVL)

  Background The Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) or MSV(L) contract was awarded by the US Army to Vigor in 2017 and are being built to replace ...

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

  Nauru 1000C [Brazil]

  Background Contract award The Logistics Command (COLOG) of the Brazilian Army purchased three Nauru 1000C UAVs, training, 36-month integrated logistics support, two EO/MWIR XSIS 222A gimbals, ...

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

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 2) [US Army]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was intended to ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  StreamCaster Mini 4210

  The StreamCaster Mini 4210 (SM4210) is a single-channel data radio (SCDR) that can create MANET mesh networks. It is currently in use with the US ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Comm@nder Army

  Comm@nder Army is an integrated C4I system suitable for use in command post operational environments (infrastructure, shelter-based), providing specialised application services from the HQ of ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  German Army Aviation School

  CAE is the prime contractor for the German Army’s Night-Time Low-Level Flight Training Facility, commonly known as the German Army Aviation School, at Bückeburg. This ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  US Army AVCATT PDSS

  L3Harris Technologies is the prime contractor for the US Army’s Aviation Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (AVCATT) Post Deployment Software Support (PDSS) programme. L3Harris Technologies is ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  M2A4/M7A4 Bradley

  Since 2011, the US Army and BAE Systems have been developing modifications for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle platform to address concerns regarding its ever-increasing weight, ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  British Army Apache Training Facilities

  Aviation Training International (ATIL) – a Leonardo Helicopters/Boeing joint venture formed in 1998 - was selected to provide the attack helicopter training service to the ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  ROC Army UH-60M OFT

  L3 Link (now L3Harris Technologies) gained ready-for-training certification in 2015 on two UH-60M OFT delivered to the Taiwan Army. These training devices are similar to ...

• Major networking projects

  Army BCT Modernisation Program Increment 1

  The US Army brigade combat team (BCT) modernisation strategy will build a mix of mobile, networked BCTs that can gain leverage from mobility, protection, information ...

• 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 ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  German Army CH-53 Simulator Upgrades

  In 2011, CAE completed major upgrades on two CAE-built CH-53 full mission simulators operated at the German Army Aviation School at Bückeburg. Airbus Helicopters has ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72A/B Lakota

  In 2006, the US Army selected a version of the medium-sized, twin-engine H145, designated the UH-72A Lakota,  to meet its requirement for a new Light ...

• Military UAS - mini

  ZAPICAN 01-02

  In May 2026, a sample aircraft, called the ZAPICAN 01-02, was showcased at the headquarters of the “Oriental” Infantry Battalion No. 4, with attendants from ...

• Land: battle management systems

  ARTEMIS BMS

  The Army Tactical Engagement and Information System (ARTEMIS) is a battle management system in service with the Singapore Army. Designed for applications between the Platoon ...

• 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 ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  M1150 ABV

  The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) project, launched by the USMC in 2002, is a joint programme to meet the requirements of both the US ...