• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2026: can converting established vehicle platforms offer route into emerging UGV market?

  13th October 2026

  Defence manufacturers are showcasing uncrewed versions of established military and commercial vehicles at AUSA 2026 as the US Army’s Project Sustainment draws interest.

• Naval Warfare

  A closer look at the US Navy’s $268 billion investment in shipbuilding by 2031

  14th May 2026

  The recently released USN 2026 Shipbuilding Plan anticipates the procurement of 185 crewed and uncrewed platforms in the next five years.

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall’s Lynx XM30 to go to “shakedown testing” ahead of its delivery to the US Army

  8th May 2026

  The first Lynx XM30 platforms are in the final stages of construction and integration, to be handed over to the US Army in the coming months. Shephard caught up with Rheinmetall to find out more about the programme's progress.

• Naval Warfare

  Rheinmetall’s GMF 140: Ambitious frigate or market misfit?

  6th August 2026

  Rheinmetall has unveiled its first next-generation frigate design, showing ambitions to compete as a surface combatant prime contractor. While the company is targeting North America, analysts believe the concept may be better positioned for future European programmes.

• Naval Warfare

  Critical infrastructure protection fuels growth in maritime counter-drone market

  9th July 2026

  Operational lessons are pushing navies towards counter-uncrewed aerial systems at sea, creating a fast-emerging industrial opportunity for radar and effector makers.

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2026: Nammo advances 155mm ramjet artillery technology for extended-range fire

  15th October 2026

  Nammo is developing new artillery ammunition designed to extend firing ranges, combining ramjet propulsion research with conventional, base-bleed and rocket-assisted projectile designs.

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2026: European cooperation drives TRACKX programme towards production

  16th June 2026

  Finland and Sweden have advanced the Common Arctic Mobility programme, highlighting how multinational funding and industrial cooperation are becoming increasingly important to European defence capability development.

• Air Warfare

  US Air Force awards Boeing $131 billion F-15 contract to sustain Eagle fleet through 2037

  26th August 2026

  The agreement supports F-15 production, modernisation and sustainment for the US and seven international operators.

• Air Warfare

  NATO’s GlobalEye selection reflects a move towards greater European defence autonomy

  8th July 2026

  The joint acquisition of Saab’s GlobalEye AEW&C aircraft by 11 allies marks the end of NATO’s more than four-decade reliance on a US-built airborne early warning platform.

• Naval Warfare

  Funding for the future US Navy Trump-class battleship sparks controversy in Congress

  26th June 2026

  Lawmakers question the US Navy’s proposed $2 billion investment in the Trump-class battleship as concerns over cost, technology maturity and operational relevance fuel growing bipartisan scrutiny on Capitol Hill.

• Land Warfare

  Saab Barracuda update prioritises drone protection on modern battlefield

  11th May 2026

  Barracuda multispectral camouflage systems have been developed over decades and are designed to conceal a range of infrared and ultraviolet signals as well as reducing detection by radar.

• Air Warfare

  US Army extended-range CUAS missile ramjet work to continue through December 2029

  6th October 2026

  Northrop Grumman’s US$18.8 million XRC propulsion contract runs through December 2029, but performance targets and the pathway to operational fielding remain undisclosed.

• Air Warfare

  FIA 2026: Bell highlights MOSA-driven growth path for MV-75 Cheyenne

  29th July 2026

  Bell Flight’s modular open-systems approach for the US Army’s MV-75 Cheyenne could open doors for international allies and suppliers once locked out by closed rotorcraft architectures.

• Defence Notes

  Ukraine experience forces rethink of counter-UAS doctrine

  9th July 2026

  A panel session at Eurosatory 2026 brought together industry, academia and the French armed forces to assess how Ukraine’s battlefield reality is reshaping counter-UAS (CUAS) technology, air defence doctrine and Western procurement priorities.

• Naval Warfare

  Armada 2050: can Spain deliver its naval transformation?

  26th August 2026

  Spain’s naval modernisation drive is moving from concept to contracts, with RfIs and RfPs expected before the end of the decade, despite second-batch frigate and submarine numbers remaining undecided.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV-30 PRTV [USA]

  Background The Armoured Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked vehicles. ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV (Initial Batches) [USA]

  Background The Armored Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked vehicles. ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BvS10 [Sweden]

  Programme Background The FMV announced that it had signed a contract with BAE Systems Hägglunds for 127 BvS10 MkIIBs in May 2021. These were to ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV (Batch 2) [USA]

  Background The Armoured Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked vehicles. ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AMPV [US]

  Background Platform development The US Army initiated the AMPV programme to acquire a replacement for several variants of the M113 tracked APC, which has been ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV (Batch 3) [USA]

  Background The Armoured Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked vehicles. ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  CV90 [Czech Republic]

  Background The Czech Republic has been working on modernising its mechanised units at least since 2017, when the country launched its "Tracked IFV" programme to ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV (Batch 4) [USA]

  Background The Armoured Combat Vehicle (ACV) programme is intended to provide a replacement for the USMC's fleet of Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7 (AAV7) tracked vehicles. ...

• OPVs

  River Class Batch 2

  Programme Background BAE Systems developed an improved version at the River class Batch 1 ships (which first entered service in 2003), to be dubbed the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV-30 (Batch 1) [USA]

  Background The ACV is a family of vehicles intended to modernise the USMC's vehicle fleet, particularly the Corps' ageing AAV7 vehicles.  Development of the ACV began ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV-30 (Batch 4) [USA]

  Background The ACV is a family of vehicles intended to modernise the USMC's vehicle fleet, particularly the Corps' ageing AAV7 vehicles. Development of the ACV ...

• Frigates

  Project SEA 5000 Phase 1 (1-3) [Australia]

  Background Timeline Under Australia's Sea 5000 Future Phase I Programme, the Royal Australian Navy was planned to receive nine new anti-submarine warfare (ASW) frigates to replace the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  ACV-30 (Batch 5) [USA]

  Background The ACV is a family of vehicles intended to modernise the USMC's vehicle fleet, particularly the Corps' ageing AAV7 vehicles. Development of the ACV ...

• Submarines: nuclear/attack

  Astute Class (1-7) [UK]

  Background The Astute-class nuclear attack submarines (SSN) are the replacement for the UK Royal Navy's Swiftsure and Trafalgar classes of SSNs. The initial contract for ...

• Trainer

  Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements The RAAF is seeking a future solution that provides a ‘relevant, adaptable, affordable and safe LIFTS out to 2050’ for training pilots ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  BAE Systems Avionics

  The avionics suite developed by BAE Systems, USA, is specifically designed for aircraft operating in harsh environments. The integrated suite includes caution and warning systems, ...

• Air: mission management systems

  BAE Systems Mission Computers and Display Systems

  The Mission Computers and Display Systems has been designed and developed by BAE Systems, UK, for military platforms. These systems are fully qualified to military, ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  F-35 Training System

  BAE Systems is involved in F-35 Lightning II Training System design and sustainment, working with prime contractor Lockheed Martin. BAE Systems leads the instructional systems ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Celldar

  BAE Systems and Roke have developed the Celldar passive radar which detects disturbances to civilian Global System for Mobile Communications digital cellphone networks operating in ...

• Naval guns

  Bofors 40 mk4

  Bofors 40 Mk4 is a naval gun system developed and produced by BAE Systems. It was originally produced by Swedish Bofors, which was acquired by ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Fast Interceptor Craft

  The Fast Interceptor Craft (FIC) is a high-speed insertion craft developed and built by VT Halmatic, now part of BAE Systems Maritime. According to BAE ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Training Services

  Working in Saudi Arabia, BAE Systems is the prime contractor supplying training solutions. These include managing the design, development, delivery and integration of pilot and ...

• Major networking projects

  Defence Architecture Framework

  BAE Systems is developing a broad base of systems architecture expertise to execute network-centric warfare projects on behalf of the Australian Defence Force. This is ...

• Main battle tanks

  MPF Prototype

  In 1992, the US Army selected the M8 to meet its requirement for an air-transportable Armored Gun System, but the programme was cancelled for budgetary ...

• Land: NVGs

  BAE Systems ENVG III/FWS-I

  The US Army tasked industry teams with meeting its Enhanced Night Vision Goggle III and Family of Weapon Sight-Individual (ENVG III/FWS-I) programme goals of providing ...

• Transport

  BAe 146M/Avro RJM

  BAE Systems is offering previously owned BAE 146 and Avro RJ aircraft to air forces operating ageing turboprop and jet airliners for transport and communications ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  T-650

  Debuted at DSEI 2021, the T-650, or T650, is a multi-role quadcopter UAS manufactured by BAE Systems in collaboration with Malloy Aeronautics.  The electric-powered platform produces ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  STRIX

  The STRIX is a prototype tandem-wing UAV that BAE Systems Australia is developing in collaboration with Innovaero. It is slated to begin operational service in 2026 and can be ...

• Unguided Artillery Ammunition

  L21 High Explosive (HE)

  The L21 High Explosive (HE) is a 155mm artillery shell manufactured by BAE Systems. The British Army uses the L21 with its Archer artillery systems.

• Military UAS - HALE

  HAPS / PHASA-35

  The High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) is a solar-electric Persistent High Altitude Solar Aircraft (PHASA-35).  Produced by BAE Systems and Prismatic, the platform is designed to provide a persistent, ...