• Air Warfare

  UAV manufacturers flock to UK as MoD spends £270 million on Tekever drones for Ukraine

  19th September 2025

  On 15 September 2025, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed that Tekever would open the UK’s largest drone production facility in Swindon in 2026. The news follows a recent trend of several other manufacturers that have supplied drones to Ukraine also announcing the opening of UK facilities.

• Air Warfare

  Saab to explore possible Gripen production in Canada

  6th November 2025

  The potential expansion of production comes in the wake of Ukraine signing a letter of intent with Sweden for Gripen jets.

• 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.

• Digital Battlespace

  AUSA 2025: Persistent Systems to complete its largest order by year’s end

  15th October 2025

  Persistent Systems received its largest ever single order for its MPU5 devices and other systems earlier this month and has already delivered the 50 units to the US Army’s 4th Infantry Division.

• Air Warfare

  Why the F-16 fighter jet remains a force to be reckoned with (updated 2026)

  28th January 2026

  The Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jet remains in the limelight more than 40 years after its first flight. Shephard sums up the latest developments and details everything you need to know about the aircraft in 2026.

• Land Warfare

  World Defense Show 2026: Russia reveals details of new loitering munition

  11th February 2026

  The Kalashnikov RUS-PE cannister-launched man-portable loitering munition was displayed as a model at World Defense Show 2026 with a company official telling Shephard it was “in service and in low-rate initial production”.

• Air Warfare

  World Defense Show 2026: L3Harris to achieve full-rate production of Viper Shield soon

  9th February 2026

  L3Harris has completed the production candidate software load for its Viper Shield airborne electronic warfare system and is conducting sea trials with its VAMPIRE counter-drone system.

• Land Warfare

  US approves more than $650 million in possible Foreign Military Sales to Ukraine

  29th July 2025

  The possible sales focus on maintenance and sustainment for a variety of equipment used by the Ukrainian armed forces, notably air defence equipment, MIM-23 Hawk missiles, M109 howitzers and Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs).

• Land Warfare

  Next stage approved for major European robot programme

  21st November 2025

  The European Commission and Milrem Robotics have signed a grant agreement for iMUGS2, following on from the original iMUGS collaboration to develop modular and scalable architecture for crewed and uncrewed systems.

• Air Warfare

  Edge and Indra to form manufacturing entity to meet European loitering munition demand

  15th January 2026

  Once approved by shareholders, the newly established manufacturing company will be developed in Spain and will look to address the burgeoning demand for loitering munitions from Spain and the rest of Europe.

• Land Warfare

  Milrem THeMIS robot tests weapon firing to beyond one kilometre

  13th August 2025

  The Milrem Robotics Tracked Hybrid Modular Infantry System (THeMIS) uncrewed ground vehicle (UGV) has seen extensive service in Ukraine with an additional six ordered for Ukraine in May.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2025: ARX Robotics unveils combat version of Gereon UGV

  2nd September 2025

  Combat Gereon uncrewed ground vehicle (UGV) will be unveiled with Valhalla Turrets’ Loki remote-controlled weapon station, showcasing modular payload integration and full interoperability within ARX’s Mithra operating system-enabled ground fleet.

• Air Warfare

  “Strong year” ahead as Saab sees uptick in order potential for GlobalEye and Gripen aircraft

  27th October 2025

  The aeronautics business saw a 34% boost in growth year on year, driven largely by its success with its Gripen aircraft.

• Land Warfare

  Sweden’s recent air defence spend tips to $6 billion with 2026 procurement planned

  12th January 2026

  Procurement of various short-range systems will begin in the first quarter of 2026, with additional procurements to be made later in the year.

• Air Warfare

  Should the Ukrainian model for UAS technology development be copied?

  2nd October 2025

  The country’s industrial defence transformation since 2022 has ramped up rapidly, offering Europe and NATO lessons in agility, innovation and rapid procurement. But how easily can, or should, such wartime innovation be copied?

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47 Chinook [India]

  One role will be supporting army operations along India’s mountainous borders, with the Chinooks able to lift the M777 howitzers now being inducted. The last ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  RQ-35 Heidrun (Ukraine Aid) [Germany]

  Programme Background Early 2024 On 28 March 2024, the German Federal Government provided an update on the military aid it had given to Ukraine. In ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  CV90 [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Announced at the NATO Defense Ministers’ Meeting in Brussels in June 2023, Ukraine formally signed a Joint Declaration on Cooperation in the Procurement and Operation ...

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

  Akinci [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Two Export Contracts In January 2022, the Daily Sabah reported that Baykar had "recently" signed its first export contract for the Akinci. Haluk Bayraktar ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 600 (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background $300 Million USAI (1 April 2022) On 1 April 2022, the US DoD announced a $300 million military aid package for Ukraine following ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Phoenix Ghost (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (21 April 2022) Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, on 21 April 2022, President Biden announced an $800 ...

• Patrol boats

  FPB 98 (Ukraine)

  Programme Background The international competition had been launched in the Spring of 2018 by the Ukrainian Ministry of Interior for the reinforcement of the State ...

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

  Linza 3.0 (Ukraine Aid) [Germany]

  Background Build with Ukraine initiative In December 2025, Quantum Systems announced the creation of a German-Ukrainian defence joint venture, “Quantum Frontline Industries”, as part of ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Commando Select (Ukraine Aid) [USA]

  Programme Background In January 2026, Textron Systems was awarded a US$163.4 million contract by the US Government to provide Ukraine with 65 Commando Select vehicles. ...

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

  AR3 (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Background £270 Million investment On 15 September 2025, the UK MoD noted that, since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the UK ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 (Aid & Discounted Units) [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Pre Invasion Units The Ukrainian Army purchased 12 TB2 units in January 2019 for a reported $69 million. Deliveries began in June 2019, ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  UX11 (Ukraine Aid) [France]

  Programme Background First Batch On 6 September 2023, Sébastien Lecornu, the French Minister of Defence, announced Delair was providing Ukraine with more than 150 drones. ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  T-150 (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Programme Background Virtual Address On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. On 3 May 2022, the UK's Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, virtually addressed the Ukrainian ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 300 (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (16 March 2022 & 13 April 2022) On 16 March 2022, President Biden announced $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine through ...

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

  FPV Drones (Ukraine Aid) [Lithuania]

  Programme Background 3000 FPV Drones On 5 April 2024, the Lithuanian MoD announced it would purchase around 3,000 Lithuanian-made FPV drones to give to Ukraine to ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Towed guns

  M777

  The Ultralightweight Field Howitzer (UFH), now designated the M777, was designed in 1987 in order to satisfy US Army requirements for a lightweight 155mm howitzer. ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Enigma

  Unveiled in 2015, the Enigma is an 8x8 armoured personnel carrier. The vehicle is 8.3m long and 2.8m wide. It has a height of 2.39m ...

• Towed guns

  M198

  The US Army developed the M198 155mm towed howitzer from 1969 to replace the M114 155mm howitzer. From 1978, 1,600 weapons were built by Rock ...

• Towed mortars

  M327 120mm EFSS Mortar

  General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems is the prime contractor for the USMC’s Expeditionary Fire Support System (EFFS), which consists of the M327 120mm towed ...

• Towed guns

  AH4

  In 2010, Norinco revealed that it was developing the AH4 155mm/39cal Lightweight Gun Howitzer to provide a lightweight alternative to its 12.5t AH1 155mm/45cal and ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Brutus

  AM General and Mandus produce the Brutus self-propelled howitzer. It is a truck-mounted system armed with the M776 155mm Howitzer.  Developed with hopes of securing a ...

• Towed guns

  105mm Light Gun

  The 105mm Light Gun was designed and manufactured by Royal Ordnance Nottingham (now BAE Systems), with the first guns introduced to the British Army in ...

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

  Vespa-15

  The Vespa-15 is a first-person view (FPV) rotary-wing UAV manufactured by a Ukrainian company.  In May 2025, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Ukraine announced it ...

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

  Shpak

  Shpak is a mini rotary wing, FPV style, UAV manufactured by RSI Europe. Primarily designed to carry explosives, the drone was developed to help Ukraine ...

• Main battle tanks

  T-80UD

  The 125mm-armed T-80UD MBT is a variant of the T-80 which was in production in Ukraine when the Soviet Union broke up in 1991. An ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Pro

  The Pro VTOL is a fixed-wing UAV from DeltaQuad. It is available in three models, the Map, View and Cargo variants, which primarily impact the attached payload. ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  REX

  The REX is an in-development Ukrainian mini-attack drone. It can hold and subsequently drop various munitions weighing up to 10kg and can locate, fix, track, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Observer-S

  The Observer-S is a UAV produced by Def C of the Intecracy Group in Ukraine. Its main purpose is aerial survey and reconnaissance. It is ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Astero

  Manufactured by Nordic Wing, the Astero is a fixed-wing mini UAV designed for ISR missions. The drone is equipped with a NightHawk 2 camera. In the ...

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

  Black Hornet 3

  The Black Hornet 3 is the next generation of the PD-100 Black Hornet, the world's smallest nano-UAS. This new model of the Black Hornet provides ...