• Air Warfare

  Rolls-Royce wins $711 million contract to support UK Royal Air Force Typhoon engines

  9th May 2025

  The contract covers maintenance and service for the EJ200 engine that powers the UK Royal Air Force’s Typhoon fleet.

• Naval Warfare

  UAE Coast Guard orders 10 OPVs for $434 million

  20th May 2024

  A deal to supply 10 P51MR-class 51m offshore patrol vessels to the UAE Coast Guard was proceeded by the signing of an Abu Dhabi-based JV between Fincantieri and EDGE.

• Defence Notes

  India greenlights $4.7 billion defence spend as post-war tensions simmer

  30th May 2025

  Precision strikes, drone warfare and shifting regional doctrine mark aftermath of four-day India-Pakistan conflict.

• Land Warfare

  Long-range strike: US announces European hypersonic missile deployment

  8th August 2024

  The US plans to deploy a suite of long-range precision strike missiles, including developmental hypersonics, to counter the advanced precision strike systems of Russia and China. It will form part of the US Army’s Multi Domain Task Force (MDTF) to enhance European long-range fires capabilities and include SM-6 air defence, Tomahawk cruise missiles and HIMARS batteries.

• Air Warfare

  StormShroud enters service with UK RAF to suppress enemy air defences

  2nd May 2025

  StormShroud is designed to support UK Royal Air Force (RAF) Lockheed Martin F-35B and Eurofighter Typhoon fighter aircraft by providing suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD). It is built around the Tekever AR3 uncrewed aerial system (UAS) and Leonardo BriteStorm electronic warfare (EW) jammer payload.

• Air Warfare

  US Air Force needs to “rebuild to win”, says deputy chief of staff of operations

  21st March 2025

  Aging aircraft, fewer platforms and a lack of replacements for retired systems has impacted the US Air Force’s lethality and training capabilities, according to the force’s deputy chief of staff for operations.

• Air Warfare

  IDEX 2025: Aselsan plans further electro-optic systems’ flight tests for 2025

  24th February 2025

  Aselsan CEO Ahmet Akyol confirmed that the tests for its TOYGUN and KARAT products would take place on a UAV platform as efforts continue to progress its “challenging” technology roadmap into 2025 and 2026.

• Air Warfare

  Philippines approved for potential $5.5 billion F-16 aircraft purchase

  2nd April 2025

  The potential sale, approved by the US to the Philippines, is for 20 F-16 Block 70/72 jets, days after US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth visited the country.

• Air Warfare

  USAF’s VENOM programme advances with modifications and autonomous testing

  7th April 2025

  The first fully modified aircraft is expected to begin testing by the end of 2025, according to the US Air Force.

• Air Warfare

  UK receives two additional F-35B aircraft as deliveries resume

  12th May 2025

  The two aircraft were delivered in the TR-3 configuration, bringing the RAF one step closer to fulfilling its order for 48 F-35B aircraft.

• Air Warfare

  FCAS programme to launch Phase 2 by mid-2026, say French officials

  22nd May 2025

  Developed by France, Spain and Germany, the European 6th-generation combat air programme is progressing apace with new milestones expected by next year after delays to the programme.

• Land Warfare

  Four issues the armoured vehicle industry needs to tackle

  18th June 2024

  As evident at Eurosatory 2024, the procurement of armoured vehicles is progressing, but some projects have stalled or been abandoned due to the fluid geopolitical and conflict landscape. Buyers, manufacturers and operators have been reassessing their needs, desires and capabilities amid tightening budgets and escalating demands.

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2025: Rafael increases missile and drone defence capability as threats and demands rise

  21st February 2025

  Rafael president and CEO Yoav Tourgeman, speaking to Shephard at IDEX 2025, has outlined how the company is pushing through air defence programmes in the face of attacks on Israel from rockets, missiles and drones on multiple fronts.

• Air Warfare

  Boeing beats out Lockheed to scoop NGAD $20 billion contract

  21st March 2025

  Designated ‘F-47’, the sixth-generation fighter will serve as a replacement for Lockheed’s F-22 Raptor, currently in service with the USAF.

• Air Warfare

  UK delays E-7 Wedgetail initial operational capability to 2026

  7th May 2025

  The E-7 Wedgetail programme had been classified as ‘red’ in a previous UK government report, denoting that it would either not meet cost, timeline or capability targets.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  Programme Background  In February 2025, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste Simon Harris highlighted Irelands need to procure a new combat fighter jet to combat ...

• Fighter - multirole

  MiG-35 (Russia)

  The MiG-35 is a new-generation derivative of the twin-engine MiG-29 (NATO code-name ‘Fulcrum’) featuring multi-role combat capabilities, significantly reworked airframe and a vastly expanded arsenal ...

• AEW&C

  Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (1-6) [NATO]

  Programme Background NATO’s E-3A AWACS fleet is set to retire in 2035, after 50 years of service. To plan for the required follow-on capability, NATO's ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Swiss Air 2030 - Combat Aircraft

  Programme Background Switzerland began the latest phase of flight and ground tests on 8 April 2019. In June 2019, Saab announced that the company’s in-development ...

• OPVs

  Samarth Class (Batch 2)

  Programme Background The Samarth class Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessels (AOPVs) are a class of six in service with the Indian Coast Guard with a further five vessels ...

• ISR/special mission

  EC-37B Compass Call [USAF]

  Programme Background Requirement The retirement of the EF-111A in 1990 left the USAF largely out of the operational and tactical level radar jamming business. Lockheed Martin ...

• OPVs

  Vikram Class

  Programme Background The Vikram class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) for the Indian Coast Guard are being built at the Kattupalli shipyard by Larsen and Toubro (L&T;)  Shipbuilding. ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Jamming and Escort Electronic Attack Aircraft (luWES) [Germany]

  Under the Luftgestützte Wirkung im Elektromagnetischen Spektrum (luWES) programme, Germany is committed to NATO to provide 15 electronic warfare escort aircraft to support its aerial jamming capability, ...

• Data links

  Data links | Jamming and Escort Electronic Attack Aircraft (luWES) [Germany]

  Under the Luftgestützte Wirkung im Elektromagnetischen Spektrum (luWES) programme, Germany is committed to NATO to provide 15 electronic warfare escort aircraft to support its aerial jamming capability, ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Jamming and Escort Electronic Attack Aircraft (luWES) [Germany]

  Under the Luftgestützte Wirkung im Elektromagnetischen Spektrum (luWES) programme, Germany is committed to NATO to provide 15 electronic warfare escort aircraft to support its aerial jamming capability, ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Jamming and Escort Electronic Attack Aircraft (luWES) [Germany]

  Under the Luftgestützte Wirkung im Elektromagnetischen Spektrum (luWES) programme, Germany is committed to NATO to provide 15 electronic warfare escort aircraft to support its aerial jamming capability, ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Jamming and Escort Electronic Attack Aircraft (luWES) [Germany]

  Under the Luftgestützte Wirkung im Elektromagnetischen Spektrum (luWES) programme, Germany is committed to NATO to provide 15 electronic warfare escort aircraft to support its aerial jamming capability, ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Future Aircrew Training Program (Helicopter Procurement) - Canada

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

• Military helicopters - multirole

  EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) - (Greece)

  Programme Background EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) was announced in early 2022 and the project contract was awarded ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Major networking projects

  Air Policing

  Air Policing is a collective peacetime mission that requires NATO to take action against all violations and infringements of its airspace using agreed procedures. Supreme ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  O-PEN Wall Penetration Radar

  SRC’s O-PEN sense-through-the-wall radar system, previously known as SOMISR II, was developed to address urban warfare requirements under a US Army Technology Objective programme. The ...

• Awing-F100J

  Awing-F100J is the latest UAV from Tianjin-based Quadrant Space (Tianjin) Technology and was displayed at the 11th Zhuhai Airshow in China for the first time ...

• RemoCopter-001

  The Uconsystem RemoCopter-001 is a very lightweight (1kg) quadrotor UAV dedicated to commercial and hobby applications, with an integrated EO payload. 

• Major networking projects

  Air and Missile Defence

  NATO Air and Missile Defence comprises all measures aimed at monitoring and reacting to potential air threats in NATO airspace, as well as countering hostile ...

• Major networking projects

  NATO DCIS

  Airbus is delivering the NATO Deployable Communication and Information System (DCIS). The project represents a major upgrade in the capability of NATO Response Forces (NRF) ...

• Land: RWS

  Qimek NATO

  Rheinmetall's RWS family includes the Qimek single-weapon RWS and the Nanuk dual-weapon RWS. The Qimek NATO combines full stabilisation, long-range day/night all-weather sights and a ...

• Land: RWS

  Nanuk NATO

  Rheinmetall's RWS family includes the Qimek single-weapon RWS and the Nanuk dual-weapon RWS, which was introduced in 2008. The Nanuk NATO combines full stabilisation, long-range ...

• Major networking projects

  NATO SATCOM

  Leonardo has been awarded a turnkey contract to rationalise and upgrade NATO’s SATCOM systems and associated infrastructure. The company will design, build, test, commission and ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Blackbird

  The Blackbird UAV detection and geolocation system detects and locates both the UAV and its controller, using signal processing technology. It can be deployed interactively ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  V-RAPTOR

  Unveiled at LAAD 2023 in Rio de Janeiro, the V-RAPTOR is a tactical police armoured vehicle from domestic manufacturer Combat Armor Defense do Brasil.

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

  Phoenix

  The Phoenix UAV is a delta-wing platform designed largely for civilian applications such as policing, border patrol, coast guard, fire-fighting and surveillance, as well as ...

• Destroyers

  TF-2000

  The TF-2000 class Air Defence Warfare (ADW) destroyers are part of Turkeys Milgem project to revitalise the fleet. The ships are intended to be NATO ...

• Air-to-air missiles

  Vympel R-27

  The Vympel R-27 (NATO reporting name AA-10 Alamo) is a Soviet air-to-air missile. It remains in service with the Russian Air Force and is also ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  SDR-H Special Role Radio

  In February 2018, Domo Tactical Communications (DTC) announced the development of the SDR-H Special Role Radio (SRR), designed for tactical and special operations. The SRR ...