• Digital Battlespace

  Rockwell Collins position for changing op environment

  17th May 2014

  Changing operational environments will force the adoption of new technology and tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) as units seek to reduce reliance on satellite communications …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2014: Insitu ready for civil business

  15th May 2014

  As Insitu celebrated 20 years of innovation at AUVSI, the company said it is preparing itself for an increasingly civil business.  An uncertain outlook of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2014: iRobot targets key markets with latest systems

  15th May 2014

  iRobot is showcasing the 110 Firstlook and Ava 500 Video Collaboration Robot as the company addresses both defence and civil customers at AUVSI.  The FirstLook robot …

• Naval Warfare

  West Africa maritime crime prevention in focus

  14th May 2014

  Maritime security company GoAGT has called for increased levels of training and cooperation between the shipping industry and coastal countries in West Africa in order …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2014: Service leaders outline unmanned aspirations

  14th May 2014

  Tri-service leaders from the US Department of Defense (DoD) have described the future of unmanned systems in light of budget restrictions and an evolving operational …

• Digital Battlespace

  Selex introduces new tactical SATCOM solution

  8th May 2014

  Selex ES has expanded its satellite communications (SATCOM) offerings with the launch of a new robust, lightweight, on-the-move, tactical SATCOM system called TacSat Razor Antenna. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MQ-8C Fire Scout prepares for ship-board testing

  7th May 2014

  The MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is set to undergo testing to ensure it can safely operate within intense electromagnetic environments in preparation …

• Defence Helicopter

  Quad A: Sensors next step to address brownout threat

  7th May 2014

  The US Army is edging closer to a sensor-based solution to the lasting problem of landing helicopters in degraded visual environments (DVE) such as brownout …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Navy takes delivery of 100th EA-18G Growler

  6th May 2014

  The US Navy’s EA-18G Growler programme has reached an important milestone, with the navy taking delivery of its 100th EA-18G Growler from Boeing. A ceremony …

• Military Logistics

  Cubic details new simulation and training contracts

  6th May 2014

  Cubic has announced that it has received two separate contracts for its simulation and training solutions from US Africa Command (AFRICOM) and an unnamed government …

• Land Warfare

  MoD awards MBDA FLAADS Land assessment phase contract

  1st May 2014

  MBDA has been awarded a £36 million contract to assess the development of a land variant for the Future Local Area Air Defence System (FLAADS …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Industry stands by for next ASTRAEA phase

  28th April 2014

  Industry bids are being prepared for the next phase of a UK effort to ease the validation and certification of UAS in national airspace, an …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Airbus launches Zephyr 8 project

  25th April 2014

  Airbus Defence and Space announced on 23 April that it had launched the Zephyr 8 programme to develop the next generation of the world record …

• Naval Warfare

  Kongsberg awarded C4I CORTEX system contract

  23rd April 2014

  Kongsberg’s C4I CORTEX system will provide the C4I infrastructure solution for the Tactical Computer System onboard the Combatant Craft Medium Mark One (CCM Mk1) vessel …

• Defence Helicopter

  Optionally Piloted Black Hawk takes off

  23rd April 2014

  The Optionally Piloted Black Hawk (OPBH) demonstrator currently in development between Sikorsky and the US Army has completed a successful first flight at Sikorsky’s Development …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Project Brakestop [UK]

  Programme Background Information Notice On 25 September 2024, the UK MoD published a prior information notice on Project Brakestop, which informed the industry about the upcoming ...

• Loitering munitions

  Medium Range Precision Strike (MRPS) [UK]

  Programme Background Prior Information Notice (PIN) On 21 October 2024, the MoD published a PIN in collaboration with the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S;). The notice ...

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

  Dominator XP [Thailand]

  Programme Background Purchase As reported by Shephard, in September 2023, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) inducted three Dominator XPs. The RTAF purchased the trio ...

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

  Project Corvus [UK]

  Programme Background Retirement In November 2024, speaking in the House of Commons, Defence Secretary John Healey stated that the WK 450 Watchkeeper was to be retired ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook (Singapore)

  Programme Background In July 2020, photos have emerged on the internet of the first Boeing CH-47F Chinook destined for the Republic of Singapore Air Force ...

• Transport

  VC-25B - USAF

  The modifications to the 747-8 aircraft will include an electrical power upgrade with dual Auxiliary Power Units that are usable in flight, a mission communication ...

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

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian (US)

  Programme Background On 6 March 2023, GA-ASI announced that the Air Force Special Operations Command (ASFOC) had contracted three MQ-9B SkyGaurdians, making it the first US customer of the ...

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

  Anka-S (Second Batch) [Turkey]

  Programme Background First Batch Based on comments by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Turkish media in 2018, Shephard believes that Türkiye acquired 26 Anka-S drones ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | SSN(X) Programme [USN]

  The US Navy may be far from reaching the end of procuring the current Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines (SSNs), but that does not mean planning for ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | SSN(X) Programme [USN]

  The US Navy may be far from reaching the end of procuring the current Virginia-class nuclear attack submarines (SSNs), but that does not mean planning for ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28NE Night Hunter

  Algerian military's follow-up order suggests that the country is satisfied with the Mi-28NE Night Hunters' performance in operational conditions in the desert environment featuring sandstorms ...

• 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 ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  According to the FY2021 Base funding, the HH-60W helicopter unit cost is $43.2 million. The HH-60W will be capable of employment day or night, in ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  New Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (NWJFAC) (1-31) [India]

  Programme Background Requirements The Indian Navy is seeking replacements for a large proportion of its 19 46-49m-long waterjet-powered fast attack craft, several of which are approaching ...

• Loitering munitions

  ZT-180 [Russia]

  Programme Background Claims On 23 February 2023, DER SPIEGEL reported that, according to information it had gathered, China and Russia were negotiating the purchase of 100 ZT-180 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: surveillance radar

  AN/APQ-181

  The AN/APQ-181 is a low-probability-of-intercept radar fitted to USAFNorthrop Grumman B-2 stealth bombers. During the B-2 Radar ModernizationProgram – completed in 2012 – the B-2’s legacy ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  CreoLand HP

  CreoLand HP is a 10W MANET radio designed for command centres, long-range applications, artillery and special forces units. Notably, it offers a data throughput of 100Mbps ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  H10 Poseidon

  The H10 Poseidon is a fixed-wing VTOL-capable UAV manufactured by Swamrly. Due to the UAV's electric propulsion system, small-radar cross-section, lack of detachable thermal signature and ability to operate ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Gogol-M

  The Gogol-M is a Ukrainian fixed-wing drone carrier, or mothership, from Strategy Force Solutions. The system can deliver two first-person view (FPV)-type attack drones to hit precision ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  DT-101

  The DT-101 is a small fixed-wing UAV from Deftech. The VTOL-capable platform features SATCOM with up to 10Mbs bandwidth capability. DefTech lists various payloads for ...

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

  ARX

  Unveiled at Xponential 2024, the ARX is a fixed-wing drone developed by Tekever.  It features common electronics and software with other Tekever drones. Unlike those ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  DT-001

  The DT-001 is a tandem wing UCAV from Deftech. It can host a range of non-offensive payloads, such as IO/EO cameras and an airborne LIDAR. ...

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

  Khronos

  The Khronos is a tethered, fully automated UAV for ISR missions in GPS/GNSS-denied and RF-denied environments. The drone's manufacturer, Elistair, stated that it could be deployed from a ...

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

  Spider VTOL

  The Spider VTOL is a mini electrical fixed-wing UAV. Unlike traditional VTOL UAVs with dedicated motors, propellors and structural parts for performing take-off and landing, the Spider ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/VRC-118(V)1

  The AN/VRC-118(V)1 is a Mid-tier Networking Vehicular Radio (MNVR) which provides warfighters with the ability to share situational awareness. The MNVR utilises two joint tactical ...

• Data links

  MAQA Terminal 3.8m Flyaway Variant

  The Modular Aperture Quad-Band Antenna (MAQA) Terminal is designed to provide a ruggedised, mobile, quad-band SATCOM terminal that supports operations with the WGS constellation, legacy ...

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

  BLADE-55

  The Ballistic Loitering Attack Drone (BLADE, or BLADE-55) is a multi-role, weaponised rotary-wing UAV from Alare Technologies.  The drone can notably host two NAMMO M72 LAW weapons. Additionally, the ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Disruptor

  Publically unveiled at AUSA 2024, the Disruptor is a loitering munition and UAV manufactured by AEVEX Aerospace. The Group III aircraft utilises a pneumatic launcher or Rocket Assisted ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARC-231 Skyfire

  The AN/ARC-231 Skyfire is an airborne VHF/UHF/LOS and DAMA SATCOM system. This system supports US DoD requirements for airborne, multi-band, multi-mission, secure anti-jam voice, data ...

• OPVs

  Afrika Class (Vard 7 055)

  The Afrika-class (Vard 7 055) is a 53m OPV developed by Vard Marine. Designed to undertake surveillance, patrol and response operations with the EEZ, the ...