• Land Warfare

  New Type 100 AFVs help China leapfrog ahead of other Western concepts

  19th September 2025

  China’s fourth-generation armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs) have pulled ahead of international analogues in their concept of operations, but questions remain about the reliability of their advanced technologies further down the line.

• Land Warfare

  Europe’s air defence boosted by more IRIS-T SLM system orders

  4th August 2025

  The IRIS-T (InfraRed Imaging System - Tail/thrust vector-controlled) SLM (Surface Launched Medium-Range) is a surface-to-air missile system has been developed by Diehl Defence. The system is a key part of the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) and have been purchased by Sweden for this role.

• Land Warfare

  US approves more than $650 million in possible Foreign Military Sales to Ukraine

  29th July 2025

  The possible sales focus on maintenance and sustainment for a variety of equipment used by the Ukrainian armed forces, notably air defence equipment, MIM-23 Hawk missiles, M109 howitzers and Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs).

• Naval Warfare

  Russia and Ukraine agree maritime ceasefire – then Russia attaches strings

  27th March 2025

  Tentative peace in the Black Sea broke down almost immediately amid Russian demands for a financial climb-down from the EU.

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed picks Australian site for GMLRS support and possible missile manufacture

  20th August 2025

  A final decision on the siting of an Australian Weapons Manufacturing Complex (AMWC), which will produce all-up GMLRS (Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System) rounds, will be made by the Australian Department of Defence (DoD).

• Land Warfare

  "The next industrial revolution": Pearson Engineering embraces autonomy and robotics

  1st September 2025

  In Conversation: Shephard’s Gerrard Cowan talks to Pearson Engineering group chief executive officer Ian Bell about how the company is turning to new technologies to provide critical protection and mobility for troops on the front line.

• Land Warfare

  Companies look to tank-launched guided projectiles for non-line-of-sight effects

  29th December 2025

  While integration of guided weapons on modern armoured vehicles usually takes the form of a podded launcher on the turret exterior, recent developments suggest the concept of firing missiles from a tank’s main gun could be seeing a revival.

• Defence Notes

  Why is the defence market “exploding exponentially” for autonomous targeting capabilities?

  5th May 2025

  Solutions that identify, engage and destroy targets with minimal or no human intervention are becoming critical on tomorrow’s battlefield.

• Land Warfare

  “Adversaries have adapted”: how counter-UAS and space control will decide future conflicts

  18th March 2025

  In conversation... EOS's Andreas Schwer talks to Shephard's Ben Watts about how the Australian company is shifting its strategic focus to two technologies it sees as essential for success on the modern battlefield - C-UAS and space control.

• Land Warfare

  Tiberius Aerospace promises big on capability and accuracy with new artillery rocket

  20th May 2025

  Tiberius Aerospace has deep roots in the entrepreneurial high-technology Silicon Valley in the US with its owners having established or been involved with major technology companies such as Nest, Veritone, Apple and Google. The owners shifted from this world to that of defence at the outbreak of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

• Air Warfare

  NATO funds portable charging technology for Arctic deployment

  8th May 2025

  Technology provided by Quaze Technologies will enable wirelessly charging of unmanned systems.

• Naval Warfare

  How the US Government plans to put the US Navy’s shipbuilding programmes back on track

  20th June 2025

  In an attempt to reduce delays in shipbuilding efforts, the US government, lawmakers and the Navy are betting big on further investments in the national defence industry and public shipyards. Reviewing and reformulating ongoing initiatives and business practices will also be form part of the effort.

• Land Warfare

  HIMARS arrive in Hawaii as first multinational launch in Australia takes place

  18th July 2025

  The M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launcher is in high demand with Lockheed Martin doubling speed of manufacture since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As orders are racked up in Europe, the Indo-Pacific region is seeing the increasing presence of the system.

• Land Warfare

  Beretta discloses details of its proposal for the British Army’s Project Grayburn

  6th May 2025

  The company is offering weapons and accessories produced by itself and by other Beretta Holding subsidiaries.

• Defence Notes

  Rheinmetall sales up by almost a quarter on wave of German spending

  8th August 2025

  Germany’s Rheinmetall released its 1H 2025 results on 7 August, continuing the strong growth of recent years. A particular highlight of the result’s presentation was the Skyranger air defence system for which the company is predicting sales of about US$8.2 billion from the German Government before the end of the year.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Destroyers

  Type 83 Future Air Defence System (FADS) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirements The Daring-class (Type 45) consists of six ships, although the original plan was to have 12 destroyers. This was cut to eight in ...

• Destroyers

  Next-Generation Large Surface Combatants (LSC) - DDG(X) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) is acknowledging a need to move away from the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer design, which is slowly outgrowing. Flight III ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Data links

  Data links | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Multi-Role Strike Ship (MRSS) Programme [UK]

  Programme Background Requirements According to the UK MoD's March 2021 Defence Command Paper, entitled 'Defence in a Competitive Age', the RN will invest in six ...

• Frigates

  European Combat Vessel [Spain]

  Background Requirements The European Combat Vessel (ECV) is currently a conceptual project that seeks to design a European collaborative multi-mission, modular warship. As of March ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [Germany]

  Programme Background Germany originally said it would but 60 A400Ms, but when the program was re-baselined in 2010 reduced its planed off take to 53, ...

• Destroyers

  Sejong the Great Class (KDX-III) Batch 2 (1-3) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Requirements The Sejong the Great class (KDX-III) Batch 2 will consist of three improved Sejong the Great-class (KDX-III) batch 1 guided-missile destroyers, which ...

• 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 ...

• Corvettes

  Continental Defence Corvette [Canada]

  Background Initial requirements Under the second pillar of its shipbuilding strategy, Canada is seeking to procure an undisclosed number of small vessels (below 1000t). Part ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Landing Platform Docks [India]

  Programme Background Requirements The LPD tender, although more akin to an LHD, specifies that the quartet of ships must be built within India, although collaboration ...

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

  Alpha 900 [Uruguay]

  Background Acqustiion In October 2022, the Alpha 900 from Alpha Unmanned Systems was reportedly jointly purchased by the Uruguayan state energy company UTE and the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Italian LDEW (Leonardo/MBDA)

  As announced in December 2024, Leonardo and MBDA are collaborating to produce a Fire Unit Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) for the Italian Navy. The ...

• 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 ...

• 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

  Archimedes

  Archimedes, developed by Aurelius Systems, is a laser-directed energy weapon designed to stop drones at scale. The system is still in development, though Aurelius received ...

• Directed energy weapons

  ALKA-KAPLAN

  ALKA-KAPLAN is a collaborative effort between Turkish manufacturers ROKETSAN and FNSS. The system is a mobile armoured anti-drone system, which integrates the ALKA directed energy-weapon ...

• Directed energy weapons

  German LDEW (Rheinmetall/MBDA)

  Rheinmetall and MBDA Germany's collaborative work on laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW) technology has resulted in a German laser weapon system that is close to being ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Guorong-1 Anti Drone System

  Guorong-1 is an anti-drone system developed by China. The system is jointly developed by the Chinese Electronics Technology Group (CETG), Guorong Technology, and the Chinese public ...

• 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, ...

• Destroyers

  Flight III Destroyer

  During Indo Pacific 2023, Navantia Australia unveiled a 10200t destroyer design. Dubbed as Flight III Destroyer, the Spanish shipbuilder is pitching the ship for the ...

• 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, ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  SCATA Mk1

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