• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Thales, NUAIR collaborate for UTM research

  28th September 2018

  Thales has signed a multi-year collaboration agreement with Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research (NUAIR) for UAS traffic management (UTM) research, the company announced on 24 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Commercial UAV Expo 2018: Drones embody Trump White House aims

  3rd October 2018

  While the keynote speeches at this year’s Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas did not reveal any ground breaking developments in the commercial drone industry …

• Special Operations

  SOF school teaches coastal patrol skills

  2nd October 2018

  As United States Special Operations Command’s only international security force assistance training center, the Naval Small Craft Instruction and Technical Training School (NAVSCIATTS) trains and …

• Naval Warfare

  Japan launches first Li-ion submarine

  5th October 2018

  A new submarine for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) was launched on 4 October. The launch of a Soryu-class submarine is not an unusual …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Commercial UAV Expo 2018: New Ewatt delivery drone makes debut

  4th October 2018

  Ewatt Aerospace bought two new products to the Commercial UAV Show in Las Vegas after stealing the show at the Amsterdam event with its enormous …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Opinion: Commercial enterprise

  21st September 2018

  This article first appeared in the Oct-Nov 2017 issue of UV magazine. It has been made available for non-subscribers following its shortlisting by the 2018 …

• Training

  US Coast Guard orders C-27J simulator

  27th September 2018

  The US Coast Guard has awarded a contract to L3 Technologies Integrated Systems for the procurement of a C-27J Spartan operational flight trainer, the USCG …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus tests stratospheric 4G/5G defence comms

  1st October 2018

  Airbus has successfully tested stratospheric 4G/5G defence applications with a high-altitude balloon demonstration, the company announced on 25 September. Supported by the French and Canadian …

• Special Operations

  Supacat unveils HMT 600 in C-UAS configuration

  18th September 2018

  Supacat has introduced its HMT 600 Coyote tactical support vehicle configured for an anti-UAS defence role. The vehicle will be installed with the Anti-UAV Defence …

• Defence Notes

  Russia boosts Syrian air defence after plane shot down

  24th September 2018

  Moscow on Monday announced new security measures to protect its military in Syria, including supplying the Syrian army with a new S-300 air defence system …

• Military Logistics

  MDM 2018: WHS looks to expand military presence

  26th September 2018

  Manufacturer World Housing Solution is utilising the Modern Day Marine 2018 venue to enhance military service awareness of its ability to deliver unique and effective …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Dedrone introduces DroneTracker 3.5

  26th September 2018

  Dedrone has launched DroneTracker 3.5, designed to detect, localise and track simultaneous targets to protect against advanced UAS threats, the company announced on 19 September. …

• Digital Battlespace

  AUSA 2018: Army's next-gen IBCS progresses

  5th October 2018

  Industry is preparing to speed up fielding of the US Army’s next-generation air and missile defence command and control (C2) system, which will form the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Sensofusion updates AIRFENCE

  25th September 2018

  Sensofusion is set to introduce the latest version of AIRFENCE, its counter-UAS solution designed to protect armed forces, police, airports, prisons and national guards from …

• Land Warfare

  Kongsberg receives CROWS contract

  18th September 2018

  Kongsberg has received a contract from the US Army for production, system support and technical engineering support for the family of CROWS remote weapon stations, …

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 ...