• Land Warfare

  Milipol Asia 2019: SIG Sauer sees boom in business

  4th April 2019

  SIG Sauer has enjoyed recent sales successes in Asia. One of its biggest contracts was for 72,400 SIG 716 7.62mm rifles for the Indian military, …

• Special Operations

  SOFINS 2019: French Special Operations Command shows off new flight suit

  4th April 2019

  The French Special Operations Command (COS) has designed its very own next-generation tactical flight suit for air crew members, service officials have disclosed to Shephard. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Milipol Asia 2019: Rafael highlights its cybersecurity credentials

  3rd April 2019

  Rafael is well known for its military products – Singapore uses its Protector USV and SPYDER air defence systems, for example – but at the …

• Military Logistics

  Leonardo introduces C-27J firefighting configuration

  25th March 2019

  Leonardo has introduced a firefighting configuration of the C-27J Spartan aircraft to expand its multirole capabilities, the company announced on 19 MarchThe aircraft is fitted …

• Digital Battlespace

  India's ASAT test reflects space race

  1st April 2019

  India’s Mission Shakti, an anti-satellite (ASAT) missile test carried out on 27 March by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), makes it the fourth …

• Military Logistics

  LIMA 2019: RMAF focuses on MRO out of necessity

  1st April 2019

  The Malaysian government put a positive gloss on LIMA 2019 in Langkawi, stating that MYR3.67 billion’s ($913.8 million) worth of deals was concluded. These included …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Unmanned Systems Asia 2019: Lockheed targeting Asia with Indago

  8th April 2019

  Lockheed Martin is targeting further growth in Asia for its Indago 3 UAS, having recently sold two of the systems to the Singapore Ministry of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Heathrow picks C-UAS to combat drone disruption

  13th March 2019

  Heathrow has placed an order with German drone detection systems manufacturer Aaronia AG for a counter-UAS (C-UAS) system in a multi-million Euro deal, Shephard has learned.  Aaronia …

• Defence Notes

  US successfully tests anti-ICBM system

  28th March 2019

  The US military said on 26 March 2019 that it had successfully tested an anti-intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system, with a target launched from the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Study considers Ag-Cormorant for crop spraying

  27th March 2019

  ADAMA has partnered with Tactical Robotics to carry out a joint study of the use of high-payload UAS for aerial crop spraying, the company announced …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  EchoGuard radar Black Sage Technologies

  11th March 2019

  Echodyne’s EchoGuard security radar has been selected by Black Sage Technologies for mid-range C-UAS security, the company announced on 6 March. The EchoGuard radar provides …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Thales to lead Geosafe project

  22nd March 2019

  Thales will take part in the European Commission’s U-Safe project for UAS geofencing solutions to secure the future operations of UAS in civil airspace, the …

• Military Logistics

  Oman allows US military to use its ports

  25th March 2019

  Oman on 24 March said it had signed an agreement with the US that would allow American ships and warplanes to take advantage of ports …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airbus looks to France and Germany to fill MUM-T partner gap

  27th March 2019

  Following a successful series of flight trials between the H145 and Schiebel Camcopter S-100 UAS last year, Airbus is still struggling to find funding and partners …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  GA-EMS demos ALPS to power underwater ROV

  13th March 2019

  General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) has successfully completed the first end-to-end demonstration of its aluminium power system (ALPS), powering an underwater remotely operated vehicle (ROV) …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Directed energy weapons

  Project Dragonfire [UK]

  Background The UK Government's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has been working with MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ to develop a LASER Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) called ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Indirect Fire Protection Capability - Generation II – High-Power Microwave [US]

  Background In July 2025 Epirus received a US$43,551,060 contract from the US Army for two Generation II systems developed from the HPM (Leonidas). Previously, in ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Indirect Fire Protection Capability – High-Power Microwave [US]

  Background In May 2024, the US Army took delivery of four High-Powered Microwave (HPM) Directed-Energy Weapons (DEW) to fulfil its Indirect Fire Protection Capability – High-Power ...

• Military UAS - small

  Medium Range Reconnaissance (MRR) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an organic, ...

• Military UAS - mini

  U&C reconnaissance drones [US Army]

  Methodology PGO The programme has been assigned a PGO of 100%, as a contract has been awarded. Unit cost It has not been clarified what ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  C-UAS [Portugal]

  Background Portugal's Military Programming Law 2023–2034 includes $8.8724 million (€8.2 million) to acquire counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) by 2034. It is assumed that this acquisition requires ...

• Transport

  C-27J [Azerbaijan]

  Programme Background The Azerbaijani Air Force signed a contract with Leonardo in June 2023 to procure the C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft. This move is ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  Border C-UAS Defence [Latvia]

  Background Latvia's long-term blueprint for its armed forces lists a comprehensive C-UAS element with an approximate range of three to four km. This programme is ...

• CUAS - jammers

  NEROD RF [France]

  Background France has procured an unconfirmed number of MC2's NEROD RF C-UAS rifles ("fusils brouilleurs") for short-range counter-drone use. In a 2024 Senate report, it ...

• CUAS - jammers

  C-UAS [Taiwan]

  Background Taiwan announced a requirement for portable C-UAS systems with capabilities that include passive detection, takeover, spoofing and jamming. The systems are planned to strengthen ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  Finnish Border Guard C-UAS Capability

  Background In response to the growing UAS threat, the Finnish Border Guard was given €44 million for procurements to strengthen drone detection, identification, and countering capabilities. ...

• CUAS - jammers

  C-UAS [Australia]

  Background The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is accelerating the acquisition of state-of-the-art counter-drone technologies through Project LAND 156. The ADF signed a contract with HighCom ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  SAN C-UAS [Poland]

  Background In January 2026, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and its Polish partner Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) signed a contract with the Polish Armaments Agency for the delivery ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  US SOF CUxS (Static) [US]

  Background The US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is procuring a Family of Systems (FoS) design to defeat drones. The programme includes development, integration, prototyping, and test of ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  US SOF CUxS (Mounted) [US]

  Background The US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is procuring a Family of Systems (FoS) design to defeat drones. The programme includes development, integration, prototyping, and test of ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  MEHEL 2.0

  The Mobile Expeditionary High-Energy Laser (MEHEL) is a C-UAS-capable vehicle that employs directed energy to neutralise targets. MEHEL 2.0 was first seen at AUSA 2016, ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Fractl:2

  Fractl:2, developed and manufactured by AIM Defence, is an Australian laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). The high-powered portable system is Australia's first acquisition of a directed ...

• CUAS - jammers

  DroneDefender

  DroneDefender is a directed-energy UAS countermeasure that disrupts the adversary's control of the aircraft, neutralising it so that no remote action (including detonation) can occur, ...

• CUAS - jammers

  EJDERHA HPEM System

  The EJDERHA is a high power electromagnetic system manufactured by Aselsan. It generates high-amplitude electromagnetic fields and directs them to potential targets such as IEDs ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Apollo

  Apollo is a High-Energy Laser Weapon System manufactured by Electro Optic Systems (EOS). Apollo's laser utilises directed energy to disable or destroy aerial targets without ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  SCATA Mk1

  The SCATA Mk1 is the first military vehicle developed by Finland's SCATA.

• Directed energy weapons

  Leonidas High-Powered Microwave DEW

  Leonardo's US-based subsidiary Epirus has received funding from both the US and Singapore to develop its Leonidas High-Powered Microwave (HPM) directed-energy weapon (DEW).

• Directed energy weapons

  GÖKBERK 10 Laser DEW

  Turkish company ASELSAN's GÖKBERK 10 laser directed-energy weapon (DEW) is designed to destroy cheap, class-I drones. The system is designed to work with other components ...

• 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 ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Minotaur

  Minotaur, developed by Soukos Robots, is a Greek laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). Minotaur is an anti-drone platform with the ability to shoot down unmanned ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  SkyRanger 30

  SkyRanger 30 is a mobile ground-based air defence (GBAD) laser directed energy weapon (LDEW) system designed by Rheinmetall. The system comprises automatic cannons, guided missiles, and a ...

• OPVs

  PPA/MultiPurpose Combat Ship (MPCS) EVO

  The PPA/MultiPurpose Combat Ship (MPCS) EVO is an enhanced version of the Thaon di Revel-class PPAs unveiled at Euronaval 2024. The PPA/MPCS EVO retains the core platform ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Royal Thai Army Laser DEW

  Under Government instructions, the Royal Thai Army is developing a Laser-based Directed Energy Weapon (DEW) to counter drones in its border regions. The unit cost ...

• Directed energy weapons

  CROSSBOW MINI

  CROSSBOW MINI, developed by IPG Photonics, is a laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW). The LDEW has multiple deployable configurations and is a part of the manufacturers ...

• Directed energy weapons

  DIAL

  The Laser Weapon Instrumental Demonstrator (DIAL), in joint development with Indra and Escribano Mechanical Engineering, is a Spanish laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). The system ...