• Naval Warfare

  US Coast Guard faces the “greatest readiness challenge since World War II”, says Homeland Security Secretary

  13th May 2025

  The service currently has diverse problems in its procurement programmes and capability gaps in its inventory, writes Shephard’s North America editor Flavia Camargos Pereira.

• Land Warfare

  DroneShield nets largest order ever with $40 million European CUAS contract

  27th June 2025

  The package of three standalone follow-on contracts makes this the largest contract won by the Australian company and larger than its total 2024 revenue.

• Defence Notes

  US forces’ heads lay out their needs and requirements before Senate committees

  22nd May 2025

  The new US administration has introduced or outlined plans for substantial change across the Department of Defence (DoD) and its branches. Several branch heads faced up to Senate Committees to outline needs and challenges.

• Naval Warfare

  US lawmakers approve a $37 billion investment in shipbuilding programmes

  22nd July 2025

  Available until 2030, the funding supports multiple efforts, including Columbia and Virginia-class submarines, Arleigh-class destroyers and Ford-class carriers.

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2025: New Slovak mortar system already being trialled in undisclosed country

  20th February 2025

  Slovak company ZTS-ŠPECIÁL, in association with Excalibur Army and Kerametal, launched a new 120mm self-propelled mortar (SPM) system at IDEX this week.

• Land Warfare

  Singapore launches the SAFTI City urban warfare complex

  21st March 2025

  The large urban recreation uses sensors and robots as well as realistic building design to test tactics and expertise.

• Naval Warfare

  US representatives plan to invest $1.6 billion in US Coast Guard inventory in FY2026

  11th June 2025

  The FY26 Homeland Security Bill Markup of the House Committee on Appropriations included resources for the procurement of ships, aircraft and unmanned systems.

• Naval Warfare

  Hanwha commits $5 billion to improving Philadelphia shipyard

  28th August 2025

  Hanwha Group said the cash would be dedicated to boosting the Philadelphia-based shipyard’s capacity and output.

• Naval Warfare

  Russia and Ukraine agree maritime ceasefire – then Russia attaches strings

  27th March 2025

  Tentative peace in the Black Sea broke down almost immediately amid Russian demands for a financial climb-down from the EU.

• Air Warfare

  DSEI 2025: MBDA reveals finalised FC/ASW low-observable missile design as programme advances

  9th September 2025

  The updated stealth airframe model will be displayed for the first time at DSEI 2025 to showcase the maturity of the technologies and system ahead of its launch into the development phase, MBDA said.

• Defence Notes

  Drones, C-UAS and air base investments top the list in $42 billion US-Qatar defence deal

  16th May 2025

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems secured a nearly $2 billion deal for MQ-9B uncrewed aerial systems, while Raytheon’s counter-UAS system was secured for $1 billion.

• 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.

• 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.

• Land Warfare

  Precision Strike Missile engine successfully tested from M270A2 launcher

  9th June 2025

  Lockheed Martin’s Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) is a next-generation surface-to-surface missile with the solid rocket motor (SRM) provided by Northrop Grumman. The company is working to boost its SRM production capability.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (RCH155) [Ukraine]

  Programme Background The war in Ukraine has demonstrated the importance of maintaining a large number of long-range fires. Since February 2022, Germany has donated a ...

• Frigates

  De Zeven Provinciën Class Replacement/LC Frigates [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Replacements The De Zeven Provinciën-class air defence and command platforms, which are in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN), are expected to be ...

• Transport

  C-130J-30 [Philippines]

  Programme Background Requirement The PAF relies on an older fleet of C-130s obtained secondhand. In fact, the last time the Philippines purchased brand-new Hercules was ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M-Forecast [Indonesia]

  Programme Background The TNI-AU currently relies on 17 Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules and L-100-30 aircraft, including five C-130Hs transferred from Australia. Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) is ...

• ISR/special mission, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Q02 (Qatar)

  Programme Background Reiner developed the Q01 jointly with the Emirate of Qatar, primarily for the Qatar Armed Forces. It was introduced at the ILA Berlin Air ...

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

  Camcopter Project (Thailand)

  Programme Background Batch One In November 2019, as reported by Shephard, Schiebel was awarded a TBH600 million ($18.76 million) contract from the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCU Replacement [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Requirements The Netherlands currently operates five landing craft utility (LCU) MKII vessels which are due to be replaced in 2031. In October, De Haas ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCVPs Replacement [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Requirements The Dutch Marine Corps needs to replace 12 Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP) from 2025. The current LCVPs will reach the end ...

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

  MQ-9B [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Biggest Intenrational Deal Speaking to defence media outlets at IDEX 2025, GA-ASI President David Alexander stated that the company was in the early stages of working on ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  LPDs/OPVs Replacement Programme [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Requirements The RNLN will need to replace the ageing LPDs Rotterdam and Johan de Witt when the vessels' service lives come to an ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [Indonesia]

  Programme Background The TNI-AU currently relies on 17 Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules and L-100-30 aircraft, including five C-130Hs transferred from Australia. Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) is ...

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

  WK 450 Watchkeeper [UK]

  Programme Background Procurement In 2005, Thales UK was awarded a $300 million contract for 54 UAVs based upon a substantially modified Hermes 450 platform as ...

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

  MQ-9B [Qatar]

  Background Possible FMS On 26 March 2025, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced that the State Department had a determination approving a possible Foreign Military ...

• Maritime patrol

  Maritime Patrol Aircraft [Malaysia]

  Programme Background In June 2019, The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has confirmed to Shephard that the government has given approval for the service to prepare ...

• Trainer

  Future Aircrew Training Program [Fixed-wing Aircraft Procurement] - Canada

  Programme Background The new procurement will result in one contract covering all the requirements, including maintenance and infrastructure services. Training services are currently provided through ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: range systems and targets

  Digital Modular Shoot House

  Turnkey custom-designed Digital Modular Shoot Houses can be provided to meet an organisation’s requirement for a close-quarters live-fire facility. The house provides a platform to ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  MATCH

  The Modular Armored Tactical Combat House (MATCH) is a live-fire 360° ballistically safe shoot house designed to teach and practise close-quarter urban battle skills such ...

• Land: infantry weapon simulators

  LST

  The Live-Fire System Trainer (LST) is an add-on option to Laser Shot military training systems. Its live-fire camera tracks replicate thermal heat signatures of ball ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  RC

  The RC family comprises compact multi-mode radars of modular construction aimed at combat aircraft and advanced trainers, developed from the Mirage 2000-5’s RDY radar. The ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  USAF F-16 ATD– JHMCS

  L3Harris Technologies has provided its simulated Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) and Advanced Helmet Mounted Display (AHMD) on the USAF’s F-16 Aircrew Training Device programme. ...

• Land: infantry weapon simulators

  EST 2000

  The Engagement Skills Trainer (EST) 2000 – described as the US Army’s only validated marksmanship trainer – teaches individual marksmanship skills, squad-level collective defence and ...

• Subsystems: software

  Judgmental Training Software

  The Judgmental Training Software (JTS) is Laser Shot’s latest advancement in firearms training technology. It provides judgemental training through the use of interactive, HD video ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  Infantry Shoot Back System

  Saab's Infantry Shoot Back System is a laser-based automated friend-or-foe target system for use in MOUT and open terrain training areas. Soldiers armed with a ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  Combat Training Range Instrumentation

  Combat training range instrumentation systems are meant for live-fire, force-on-force and constructive combat training ranges. GD OTS provides systems for dismounted and mounted player tracking and ...

• Ground control stations

  Ground Control Station (GCS)

  Aertec Solutions GCS station has been designed with in-house technology and allows for various types of unmanned vehicles to be controlled from the system.

• Land: fire support simulators

  Advanced Howitzer Simulator

  The Advanced Howitzer Simulator is a virtual self-propelled howitzer simulator for the entire crew, which provides training of operational and degraded modes, including direct fire, ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  SOVERON D

  Formerly known as SVFuA, SOVERON D is a software-defined radio designed for vehicular applications. Cleared for communications up to the NATO SECRET level, it can house ...

• EW test systems

  EMC Test Facility

  ECS has a custom-built semi anechoic chamber used for in-house product development and pre-compliance testing which is available to hire to outside organisations. The chamber ...

• Guided munitions

  Rash 2M

  Unveiled at IDEX 2021, the Rash 2M is a fixed-wing guidance kit for mortars and other in-house designed payloads and can strike medium-sized targets with ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  RP-25 Sapfir 25

  The RP-25 Sapfir 25 is a look-down/shoot-down radar for the MiG-25PD interceptor of late-1970s vintage, developed as a replacement for the RP-25 that was compromised ...