• Naval Warfare

  Germany goes for more US equipment for F127 frigates with SPY-6 radar choice

  13th October 2025

  If the foreign military sale request is approved, Germany would be the first country outside the US to acquire the technology, which is currently used extensively by the US Navy.

• 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

  USAF’s T-7A Red Hawk programme progresses with low-rate production to start in 2026

  7th May 2026

  The T-7A Red Hawk advanced trainer for the US Air Force reaching Milestone C is the first step towards production for the first batch of 14 aircraft, with training expected to start by 2028.

• Land Warfare

  Scorpion light mortar completes tests with US Army and moves to next exercise

  29th October 2025

  Having completed five days of trials with the US Army, the two Scorpion Light mortar systems will stay in Hawaii to take part in planned Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center training exercises in early November.

• Air Warfare

  Podcast: Critical Care episode 6 - Embedded sustainment with the Royal Netherlands Air Force

  8th January 2026

  What happens when sustainment stops being a service and becomes a partnership?

• 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

  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.

• Land Warfare

  Germany signs multi-billion-dollar deals for 6x6 CAVS and GDELS Eagle vehicles

  19th December 2025

  The order is a further boost for the Common Armoured Vehicles System programme which has notched notable successes in the past 12 months. The first vehicle, made in Finland, will be delivered next year with local production expected to ramp up in 2027.

• Land Warfare

  Elbit bets on local content for US howitzer bid as it faces off against popular systems

  30th December 2025

  The Israeli company hopes that producing its Sigma artillery system wholly in the US will help it win a key US Army contract, but it will be up against the popular CAESAR Mk II wheeled weapon and the K9 tracked.

• Land Warfare

  Drone Summit turns spotlight on smaller companies and new uncrewed systems

  3rd June 2026

  The Drone Summit saw more than 100 companies from 20 countries, including Latvia, Australia, Canada and Israel, presenting uncrewed surveillance and attack platforms. The event came just weeks after drones, believed to be Russian, invaded Latvia’s airspace.

• 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.

• Land Warfare

  Fischer KEYSTONE™ Hub: Enabling Next-Gen Command and Control

  6th October 2025

  KEYSTONE delivers modular soldier connectivity for NGC2 – customizable with Fischer Connectors’ online configurator.

• 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.

• Defence Notes

  Companies’ results boom as countries dig deep to buy missiles and air defence systems

  31st October 2025

  Air defence systems are continuing to appear top of countries’ shopping lists but broadly across different capabilities it is a sellers’ market, as demonstrated by backlogs and double-digit percentage point growth.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2025: Cockerill’s new weapon station nears end of development

  11th September 2025

  The Cockerill Compact Light Weapon Station (CLWS) could be fitted to older platforms to enhance their capability or to new platforms such as the Patria 6×6 which is being adopted by an increasing number of countries.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack

  AT-6 [Tunisia]

  Programme Background On 26 February 2020, the US State Department announced that it has approved a potential sale of four AT-6 aircraft and related equipment to Tunisia ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Iranian drones [Bolivia]

  Background Memorandum of understanding (MOU) Bolivia signed an MOU with Iran in 2023 on military-technical cooperation. More specifically, the deal included technology exchange, training and the possible ...

• Loitering munitions

  Mini-Harpy [Israeli Navy]

  Programme Background MADEX 2023 At MADEX 2023, IAI displayed the Mini-Harpy, dubbed the Green Dragon, loitering munition in a 12-system launcher mounted to an Israel Navy Sa'ar 6 ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Spain HT-29 Caiman (NH90 TTH) - Army Second Batch

  The $600 million program value is calculated based on the relative estimated unit costs of each helicopter type (NH90 NFH and TTH) and procurement quantity ...

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

  Mohajer-6 [Venezuela]

  Background Confirmed usage In December 2025, reports emerged that Venezuela was operating the Mohajer-6 UAV, which was reportedly seen at the Venezuelan Air Force’s El ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Armoured Cavalry Vehicle [Canada]

  Programme Background The Canadian Army is currently undergoing a generational transformation. Its organisational structure is being overhauled with a transition away from a geographical focus ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  CH-47D Replacement [Thailand]

  Programme Background The RTA divested its six Boeing CH-47D Chinooks after failing to sell the 25-year-old aircraft on the second-hand market. Thailand found Chinook maintenance ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache (May 2019 FMS)

  Also included are 28 M230 30mm automatic chain guns, AN/AVR-2B laser detecting sets, AN/APR-39 radar signal detecting sets, AN/AVS-6 night vision goggles, M299 Hellfire missile ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Spain HT-29 Caiman (NH90 TTH) - Army First Batch

  HT-29 Caiman GSPAs (NH90 TTH) will be assembled at Airbus Helicopters’ facility in Albacete and will replace AS332 Super Puma fleet in service. Even though ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Multi-Mission Aircraft (1-14) [Canada]

  The objective of the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft project is to equip the Canadian Armed Forces with a long-range manned Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4) and ...

• Data links

  Data links | Multi-Mission Aircraft (1-14) [Canada]

  The objective of the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft project is to equip the Canadian Armed Forces with a long-range manned Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4) and ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Multi-Mission Aircraft (1-14) [Canada]

  The objective of the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft project is to equip the Canadian Armed Forces with a long-range manned Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4) and ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Multi-Mission Aircraft (1-14) [Canada]

  The objective of the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft project is to equip the Canadian Armed Forces with a long-range manned Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4) and ...

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

  Beyond Vision Drones [Portugal]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 14 February 2023, Beyond Vision announced that it had been awarded a €600,375 contract for the acquisition of "6 Mulittoror ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Spain HT-29 Caiman MSPT (NH90 NFH) - Navy

  The deliveries of seven NH-90 NFHs to the Spanish Navy are expected to between 2022 and 2025, following the completion of 22-helicopters program for the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Major networking projects

  Skynet 6 SATCOM

  Skynet 6 is designed to replace Skynet 5. The PFI contract for Skynet 5,  held by Paradigm Secure Communications and Airbus DS, ends in 2022. As ...

• Major networking projects

  Skynet 5 SATCOM

  Airbus is the service provider for the UK MoD Skynet 5 private finance initiative contract, signed in October 2003 and now worth $5.6 billion. Airbus ...

• Major networking projects

  Satcom Post-2000

  The Satcom Post-2000 programme gives the alliance improved SATCOM capabilities, which is important as NATO forces take on expeditionary missions beyond their traditional area of ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Skynet

  The Skynet anti-drone system is a portable C-UAS device that resembles a rifle. It is operated with a manpack system and has a charging time ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  CH-6

  The CH-6, or Cai Hong 6 or Rainbow-6, is a UCAV unveiled by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) on 19 April 2021.  Shown ...

• Bomber

  H-6

  The People's Liberation Army Air Force has eight regiments of bombers and they operate an estimated 160 H-6 variants that have been in service since ...

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

  QX-6

  Unveiled at the Dubai Airshow 2021, the QX-6 is a cargo-carrying UAV manufactured by ADASI, a subsidiary of the EDGE Group. The QX-6 features an autopilot ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  SPY-6(V)2

  The SPY-6(V)2 Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR) is a rotating-face surveillance radar manufactured by Raytheon. The system is the smallest variant of the AN/SPY-6 radar ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARS-6 (V12) PLS R/T

  The new AN/ARS-6 (V12) Personnel Locator System (PLS) Receiver/Transmitter (R/T) is a functional replacement for the old AN/ARS-6. These systems are used to locate missing ...

• Trucks and utility vehicles - 4x4, Trucks and utility vehicles - 6x6

  7000-MV MTV

  The Navistar 7000 series is a range of military heavy-lift vehicles developed by Navistar Defense, based on the Navistar International WorkStar truck chassis. This series ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM, Land: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARS-6(V12) PLS

  The new AN/ARS-6 (V12) Personnel Locator System (PLS) Receiver/Transmitter (R/T) is a functional replacement for the old AN/ARS-6. These systems are used to locate missing ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  AT-6 GBTS

  CAE USA is the Ground-Based Training System (GBTS) provider for the Beechcraft AT-6 light attack and armed reconnaissance aircraft. CAE has responsibility for designing and ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  SPY-6(V)3

  The SPY-6(V)3 Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR) is a fixed-face surveillance radar manufactured by Raytheon. The system is designed to defend against cruise missiles, anti-surface ...

• Ship-launched torpedoes, Submarine-launched torpedoes

  RPK-6 Vyuga

  The RPK-6 (NATO Codename SS-N-16 Stallion) is a Russian-made long-range anti-submarine warfare (ASW) system designed to deliver a torpedo to its target. It includes two missile variants, the ...

• Trucks and utility vehicles - 6x6

  ATX-6

  The ATX-6 universal container carrier is a 17t-payload-capable 6x6 member of a military family of high-mobility heavy-duty tactical trucks jointly developed by Navistar Defense and ...