• Digital Battlespace

  Asian nations boost spy satellite capacities

  13th August 2019

  Asian countries continue to enhance their satellite constellations, with China, India and South Korea all making recent announcements in the space realm.  China, for instance, …

• Land Warfare

  Swedish CV90 Mjölner SPMs near delivery

  22nd July 2019

  BAE Systems Hägglunds will deliver the first Swedish 120mm CV90 Mjölner self-propelled mortar (SPM) to the Swedish Army in August 2019, the company has confirmed. …

• Land Warfare

  Chinese light tank now comes with active protection

  8th August 2019

  Norinco’s VT5 light tank, a platform dedicated to the export market, is set to receive a hard-kill active protection system (APS).  Such a system detects …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Russia’s jet-powered UCAV to fly soon

  23rd July 2019

  Russia’s first jet-powered unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV), dubbed Okhotnik (Hunter), is set to begin flight testing by year-end. According to Russia’s deputy prime minister responsible …

• Land Warfare

  Talisman Sabre 2019: Japan joins Australian landings for first time

  16th July 2019

  The force-on-force portion of Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019 kicked off on 16 July with the largest-scale Australian-led amphibious landing since World War II. A notable …

• Naval Warfare

  Bulgarian OPV programme drifts along

  22nd July 2019

  The procurement of two new multipurpose OPVs for the Bulgarian Navy could be delayed again with the country’s MoD having still not presented its evaluation …

• Training

  Talisman Sabre 2019: Australian Army’s joint training evolves upwards

  15th July 2019

  Exercise Talisman Sabre 2019 is but one event of the Australian Army’s joint land collective two-year training calendar, the latter now known as the Joint Warfare …

• Naval Warfare

  The future USS John F Kennedy comes together

  23rd July 2019

  The future USS John F Kennedy, the US Navy’s next aircraft carrier, has had its final major steel structural section installed by Huntington Ingalls’ Newport …

• Defence Helicopter

  Germany switches to private mode for heavy-lift helicopter competition

  2nd August 2019

  The German Federal Ministry of Defence (MoD) has privately handed RfP solicitations for its heavy-lift helicopter programme to Sikorsky and Boeing, Shephard can exclusively reveal.  The …

• Naval Warfare

  Iran caught UK by surprise in Gulf: audio company

  23rd July 2019

  The man behind the audio recording of Iran's seizure of a British-flagged tanker in the Gulf says the episode played out over a 20-40 minute …

• Defence Helicopter

  NH90 Sea Lion demo for German Navy

  19th July 2019

  The NH90 Sea Lion has completed a series of demonstrations for the German Navy, Airbus Helicopters announced on 18 July. The demonstrations covered search and …

• Defence Notes

  Why military integration is paramount for EU defence chief

  26th July 2019

  Despite Brexit and a lack of backing for a European Army the Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency (EDA) highlighted his commitment to collaboration on European …

• Special Operations

  US joint special ops identifies new technology needs

  30th July 2019

  USSOCOM’s Program Executive Office Special Operations Forces Warrior (PEO-SW) and Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) have identified a number of their emerging technology needs.  The …

• Land Warfare

  Poland elects to upgrade T-72 tanks

  26th July 2019

  PGZ consortium and ZM Bumar-Łabędy are to refurbish and upgrade the Polish Army’s T-72 tanks under a contract with the Polish Ministry of Defence announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  Malaysia launches search for naval helicopters

  25th July 2019

  Malaysia issued a notice inviting tenders for maritime operations helicopters for the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) on 19 July. No details of the programme value …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (South Korea)

  Programme Background Requirments Seoul required UAS assets to help monitor its neighbour to the north and, increasingly, Chinese activities in waters and in the air near ...

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

  V-Bat [India]

  Programme Background Make In India The 'Make In India' is an initiative by the Indian government to grow the domestic manufacturing industry. In the context of ...

• AEW&C

  GlobalEye (1-3) [UAE]

  Programme Background The GlobalEye is a modification of Bombardier's Global 6000 jet aircraft fitted with the S-band Erieye Extended Range (ER) radar and mission system ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | MVX Programme [Finland]

  Seeking to replace its two ageing Dornier 228 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), the Finnish Border Guard commenced its MVX program in 2019. The programme, which was ...

• Data links

  Data links | MVX Programme [Finland]

  Seeking to replace its two ageing Dornier 228 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), the Finnish Border Guard commenced its MVX program in 2019. The programme, which was ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | MVX Programme [Finland]

  Seeking to replace its two ageing Dornier 228 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), the Finnish Border Guard commenced its MVX program in 2019. The programme, which was ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | MVX Programme [Finland]

  Seeking to replace its two ageing Dornier 228 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), the Finnish Border Guard commenced its MVX program in 2019. The programme, which was ...

• ISR/special mission

  Pegasus SIGINT Aircraft (1-3) [Germany]

  Programme Background Requirement The Pegasus (Persistent German Airborne Surveillance System) project aims to fulfil a SIGINT capability which has been missing in the German Armed ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Xtender [US]

  Programme Background Previous Procurement In early 2021, the US Department of Defence awarded a contract to XTEND for the platform in partnership with Isreal's MoD. ...

• AEW&C

  AEW&C Aircraft [South Korea]

  Programme Background Requirement The requirement was initially reported in 2016 when it was noted as being part of a long-term development plan, however, reports from ...

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

  V-Bat [Greece]

  Background Contract Award In May 2025, Kathimerini, a Greek morning political and economic newspaper, reported that the Greek Army had acquired two V-Bat UAVs. Funded partly by ...

• Loitering munitions

  Echelon 0: Ground Organic Precision Strike Systems (GOPSS) [USSOCOM]

  Programme Background Requirements The U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has made loitering capabilities a priority in its efforts to support counter-violent extremist organization (C-VEO) operations ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk (First Contact) [Croatia]

  Programme Background Western Technology With the help of the US, Croatia has attempted to improve its military technology, replacing Soviet equipment, such as the Mi-8/Mi-17. ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Teal 2 (Customs and Border Protection Force) [US]

  Programme Background First Order Global News Wire reported that Red Cat had filled an order for 54 Teal 2 units from the US Customs and ...

• Amphibious assault ships

  TCG Anadolu LHD [Turkey]

  Programme Background TCG Anadolu is a Multipurpose Assault Ship (LHD) built by Sedef in Tuzla for the Turkish Navy. The vessel, which is the single ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Trainer

  HJT-36 Sitara

  Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) designed and developed the subsonic HJT-36 Sitara single-engine aircraft to meet the requirements of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian ...

• Heavy UGVs

  WOLF-X

  The WOLF-X is a wheeled 8x8 Robotic Combat Vehicle developed by HDT Global in partnership with McQ and BAE Land & Armament Systems. In September 2023, as ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk

  The Global Hawk is a HALE UAV manufactured by General Atomics (GA-ASI).  Primarily designed to carry ISTAR payloads, the platform has accumulated more than 200,000 ...

• Deployable/static missile systems

  Khordad-3

  Khordad-3 is a long-range air defence missile system in service with the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force of Iran.  The system was unveiled ...

• Heavy UGVs

  Robotics Technology Demonstrator

  BAE Systems unveiled its Robotics Technology Demonstrator (RTD) at the AUSA exhibition in 2019. Designed to meet the requirements of the US Army's Robotic Combat ...

• Short Range Missile Defence Systems: 0 to 20 km range

  Initial Maneuver - SHORAD

  Unveiled at AUSA 2019, Initial Maneuver Short Range Air Defense (IM-SHORAD) is a multipurpose platform, based on the Stryker IFV, which moves and maneuvers in ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Fang

  Fang is a first-person view (FPV) UAS for precision strike roles. The drone is aimed to launch in Q2 2025. Developed by Red Cat, the drone ...

• EO/IR systems

  MS-177 (series)

  The MS-177 is an EO/IR sensor designed to enhance the strategic ISR capabilities of the US military's RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS over land and maritime ...

• Data links

  GSNC

  Global Secure Network Connection (GSNC) provides a global data communications solution for military aircraft, including bomber, refuelling and transport aircraft. The GSNC system uses Iridium ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Bradley NG/RB301

  BAE Systems introduced the Bradley Next Generation (NG) at AUSA 2016 to showcase a cost-effective option for extending the M2 Bradley's service life into the 2030s. Centred around ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV)

  BAE Systems' Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) was developed in response to a US Army requirement for a platform to replace the ageing M113 APCs in ...

• Heavy UGVs

  Ripsaw M5

  The Ripsaw M5 has been developed to meet the requirements of the US Army's Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) programme for a family of new UGVs. ...

• Loitering munitions

  L-Spike 4X

  The L-Spike 4X is a loitering munition first displayed by Rafael US at AUSA 2025.  iI will be offered with two primary warhead configurations: Tandem HEAT ...

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

  Golden Eagle HS

  The Golden Eagle HS (Heavy Strike) is a rotary-wing UAV that can be armed with Rafael's powerful Spike SR and LR2 missiles, providing ground troops with anti-armour ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 400

  At AUSA 2025, AeroVironment (AV) unveiled the Switchblade 400, a rocket-launched, medium-range, man-portable loitering munition. AV states the aircrat has been designed to defeat tanks and heavy ...