• Air Warfare

  How the US Air Force plans to use data analytics to enhance the roles of airmen and assets

  27th November 2025

  The USAF has allocated nearly US$500 million to further the deployment of this type of technology in FY2026. It envisions using analytics to enhance sensors, weapons, missiles and human performance.

• Air Warfare

  F-35 capability boost could come in next three years, says Lockheed CEO

  3rd June 2025

  Lockheed had previously spoken of ‘supercharging’ its F-35, using technology developed for its unsuccessful NGAD bid, while broader work on delivering its TR-3 aircraft to customers continues.

• Air Warfare

  Dubai Airshow 2025: GA-ASI’s MQ-9B racks up new milestones with AEW demo planned

  20th November 2025

  The company announced its demonstration timeline while confirming the MQ-9B had completed the platform’s third lifetime test.

• Defence Notes

  New Zealand boosts defence spend to US$6.6 billion and vows increased closeness with Australia

  9th April 2025

  This budget will be spent over the next four years and nearly doubles the country’s defence spending as part of GDP to 2%.

• Air Warfare

  US approves $4.9 billion E-7 AEW&C sale to South Korea

  5th November 2024

  The purchase of the four aircraft will also include 10 CFM56 engines, alongside aircraft countermeasures, GPS navigation systems, and related logistic and programme support.

• Land Warfare

  Pearson Engineering remote mine-clearance system ploughs on

  10th April 2025

  The Weevil system is built around the Beacon remote control and a Pearson mine-plough. It is being evaluated on a British Army Warrior infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) but could be used for other platforms.

• Naval Warfare

  US and UK to begin Trident II D5 Increment 8 in October 2026

  11th November 2025

  Trident II D5 Increment 8 will involve improvements to the shipboard navigation subsystem for the US Ohio and Columbia and the UK Dreadnought and Vanguard submarine classes.

• Air Warfare

  US Army cancels FTUAS and the MQ-1 Gray Eagle as part of the Army Transformation Initiative

  13th May 2025

  Last week, it was revealed that the US Army intended to cancel the long-running Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS). The revelation, no doubt part of the Army Transformation Initiative (ATI), came a week after the force highlighted that it would cancel the procurement of Gray Eagle aircraft.

• Air Warfare

  Sweden signs contract for $552 million Gripen E/F sale to Thailand

  26th August 2025

  The confirmed order now makes Thailand the third country to operate the Gripen E/F aircraft, after sales to Sweden and Brazil.

• Naval Warfare

  Taiwan entrusts USVs with task of deterring a PLA amphibious invasion

  23rd August 2025

  Drawing lessons from Ukraine’s Black Sea experience, Taiwan is investing heavily in unmanned surface vessels to strengthen its asymmetric defence strategy against potential PLA amphibious assaults.

• Land Warfare

  Iran lifts lid on its anti-tank missiles used in the field against Israel

  1st October 2025

  Iran’s anti-tank guided weapons (ATGWs) are generally lesser known but systems were put on display at the Partner 2025 exhibition in Serbia late last month, many of which are based on US weapons.

• Air Warfare

  India revives Netra Mk-II AWACS after Airbus cost dispute

  22nd August 2025

  India has cleared higher retrofit costs for six ageing Airbus A321s to be converted into Netra Mk-II airborne surveillance platforms, marking progress in a long-delayed AWACS programme but raising questions over lifespan and operational value.

• 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

  Resilience, adaptiveness and collaboration vital for success in space (Studio)

  5th November 2025

  Speakers at the Defence In Space Conference (DISC) 2025 highlighted the critical and evolving role of space in national security, defence and the global economy.

• Land Warfare

  Digital backbone: bringing new capabilities to the UK defence market

  29th August 2025

  In Conversation: Shephard’s Gerrard Cowan talks to Bittium’s newly appointed general manager for UK defence, Dean Aldridge, about how the company’s tactical communications technologies can empower the British armed forces, and its ambitions for the UK market.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Invincible Class (Type 218SG) (5-6) [Singapore]

  In March 2025, the Singapore Ministry of Defence (Mindef) announced it would acquire two more submarines to complement its four Type 218SG Invincible-class submarines. Speaking to ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Invincible Class (Type 218SG) (5-6) [Singapore]

  In March 2025, the Singapore Ministry of Defence (Mindef) announced it would acquire two more submarines to complement its four Type 218SG Invincible-class submarines. Speaking to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Small-Sized Suicide Drones [South Korea]

  Programme Background Drone Ambition As reported by Shephard, South Korea has ambitions to possess a large arsenal of drones. In May 2024, the presidential office ...

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

  Joint Tactical Autonomous Aerial Resupply System (JTAARS) / Medium ULS-A [USA]

  Background US Marine ULS-A programmes The US Marines are seeking a family of Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A), which will provide logistics and ground units with their ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Type 707 (1-2) [Germany]

  Programme Background Requirements The German Navy approved an acquisition to start replacing the two ageing Rhön-class (Type 704) class single-hulled tankers, which were constructed in the ...

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

  Switch V2 [India]

  Background June 2025 In June 2025, India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the signing of 13 contracts under the Emergency Procurement (EP) mechanism. The procurements, ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Wolf 2 [Germany]

  Programme Background The Wolf 2 was designed by Mercedes-Benz to replace the German Bundeswehr's ageing fleet of Wolf utility vehicles. The Bundeswehr is currently replacing its ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Indonesian Interim Readiness Submarine Class (IRSC) Programme

  Following the sinking of KRI Nanggala in April 2021, the Indonesia Ministry of Finance (MoF) has granted approval to obtain up to $600 million in foreign loans ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Indonesian Interim Readiness Submarine Class (IRSC) Programme

  Following the sinking of KRI Nanggala in April 2021, the Indonesia Ministry of Finance (MoF) has granted approval to obtain up to $600 million in foreign loans ...

• Transport

  C-130 Replacement [Greece]

  Programme Background Requirement The existing C-130 fleet of the Hellenic Air Force has faced operational readiness issues, with only one or two airframes in service at ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  F-5E/F Adversary Trainer US Navy

  The F-5N is a single seat, dual engine supersonic land based fighter. It is designed to a service life of 9000 flight hours. The aircraft ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Second LHD [Turkey]

  Programme Background Timeline On 29 October 2023, during the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey, Turkish President Recep Erdogan stated that the Navy is ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Patria 6x6 CAVS [Germany]

  Programme Background  Programme History The Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) programme brings together Finland, Denmark, Germany, Latvia and Sweden to develop an armoured vehicle based on ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F (Australia)

  Programme Background The government of Australia has requested to buy four CH-47F cargo helicopters with unique modifications: eight T55-GA-714A aircraft turbine engines, five AN/AAR-57 common ...

• OPVs

  58m OPV Procurement [Guyana]

  Programme Background Timeline In April 2024, OCEA announced the signing of a Letter of Intent (loI) with the Guyana Defence Force for the procurement of an ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Guided munitions

  LG-155

  Unveiled for the first time at Saha Expo 2024, the LG-155 is a 155 mm artillery round developed by Roketsan. This laser-guided projectile is engineered ...

• Deployable/static missile systems

  Oerlikon Laser Gun

  Rheinmetall showcased the applications for its High Energy Laser (HEL) guns for the first time at IDEX 2015 in Abu Dhabi. The Oerlikon Laser Gun ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Locust

  BlueHalo's Locust is a laser weapon system. The system delivers a complete kill chain, providing a layered and broadband detection capability that is coupled with electronic ...

• Light machine guns

  LSAT LMG

  Textron Systems Unmanned Systems is developing and maturing a Lightweight Small Arms Technologies (LSAT) family of weapons and ammunition with the US Army that fires ...

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

  Attritable Multirotor First Person View (AM-FPV)

  Unveiled in May 2025, the Attritable Multirotor First Person View (AM-FPV) is a low-cost, rapidly deployable platform for strike and ISR missions, inspired by battlefield lessons from ...

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  MEWS

  The Modular Electronic Warfare System (MEWS) is a land COMINT sensor that was jointly developed by L3 TRL and Qinetiq. Utilising L3 TRL compact receiver ...

• Land: fire control systems

  Oerlikon Skymaster

  Oerlikon Skymaster is the command and control unit of Rheinmetall's Skynex air defence system. The Skymaster is intended to support tactical and operational level air ...

• Land: air defence radar

  X-TAR 3D

  The X-Band Tactical Acquisition Radar 3D (X-TAR 3D) air surveillance and acquisition radar is the newest member of Rheinmetall’s X-TAR family. The fully coherent phased-array ...

• Loitering munitions

  Lumberjack

  The Lumberjack is a one-way attack drone from  Northrop Grumman. The company describes it as a force multiplier.  The drone follows an open systems architecture, ...

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  Smartscan- MEWS

  MEWS (Modular Electronic Warfare System) is a software-driven spectrum surveillance system covering two megahertz to three gigahertz. It is designed to detect, collect and geolocate ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  CM32/33/34 Yunpao

  The CM32 Yunpao (Cloud Leopard) family of 8x8 armoured vehicles has been developed to meet the requirements of the Republic of China Army to replace ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  SBTS

  The Shore-Based Sonar Training System (SBTS), launched in 2016, incorporates technology from the Model 997 Hull/Bow-Mounted Sonar Model 980 ALOFTS system to help support sonar ...

• Subsystems: visual

  Apogée 7

  Apogée 7 is an integrated COTS-based image generation system. It provides functions enhancing overall fixed- or rotary-wing simulation efficiency, image quality and supports large-area realistic ...

• Land: handheld NV devices

  NVS 7 Binocular Series

  Based on the NVS 7-3AG NVG, the NVS 7 Binocular Series uses Gen III auto-gated NV technology and is suitable for defence, marine and SAR ...

• Land: handheld NV devices

  Jaguar

  MKU's Jaguar 14 monoculars and Jaguar 7 binoculars have Gen III technology with military-grade Schott lenses. An automatic bright light cut-off sensor provides protection from ...