• Air Warfare

  Leonardo’s Proteus concludes ground tests with maiden flight on horizon

  3rd December 2025

  The technology demonstrator forms part of a wider effort to help the Royal Navy explore the potential of uncrewed systems supporting its existing crewed aviation platforms.

• Naval Warfare

  South Korea, Japan and Turkey vie for US shipbuilding access in future frigate contest

  10th September 2026

  Washington’s search for a foreign-built frigate could hand South Korea, Japan and Turkey a larger prize than a double-hull order: a foothold inside the US shipbuilding industrial base.

• Land Warfare

  “A survivable architecture”: why resilient communications are no longer a luxury

  6th October 2026

  In Conversation… Military communications must adapt to a rapidly evolving battlespace, characterised by decentralised forces and an increasingly contested electromagnetic spectrum. To survive and thrive, it is vital to prioritise resilient systems and networks, Faisal Munir, President – Mission-Critical Communications at L3Harris Technologies, told Shephard’s Gerrard Cowan.

• Defence Notes

  Why the NORAD inventory might be the US and Canada’s Achilles’ heel

  4th November 2025

  Both the US and Canada operate Cold War-era capabilities which cannot defeat today’s and tomorrow’s threats.

• Defence Notes

  US speeds up B61-13 nuclear bomb production as programme moves further ahead of schedule

  29th July 2026

  The US government plans to accelerate production even further after achieving key B61-13 milestones months ahead of schedule, as the programme advances amid growing US-China strategic competition.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy to accelerate the replenishment of SM-6 stocks as demand continues to surge

  5th May 2026

  The Naval Sea Systems Command exercised a US$335 million modification to a contract with RTX Raytheon to support increasing the production of Standard Missiles 6 by 2030. Shephard spoke with the company president about how the company has scaled to meet demand.

• Air Warfare

  France and India secure long-term defence roadmap built on shared production

  20th February 2026

  Expanded fighter jet and missile production, next-generation engine cooperation and helicopter assembly deals have all been struck between the two countries, signalling a strengthening bilateral partnership between France and India.

• Naval Warfare

  Ukraine war drives ‘minimum deployable capability’ doctrine in uncrewed systems development

  9th June 2026

  Ukraine’s battlefield has rewritten the rules of uncrewed systems development. For Syos Aerospace, real-time operator feedback, lean serial production and a system-of-systems philosophy are central to its operating model.

• Land Warfare

  Shephard's DSEI 2025 Show News Portal is live

  1st September 2025

  Join Shephard for the latest news from DSEI 2025.

• Air Warfare

  Sikorsky emphasises localised Black Hawk conversion for uncrewed U-Hawk

  25th November 2025

  The platform was first unveiled in September 2025, with efforts now focusing on flight tests in the next year.

• Defence Notes

  Ukraine experience forces rethink of counter-UAS doctrine

  9th July 2026

  A panel session at Eurosatory 2026 brought together industry, academia and the French armed forces to assess how Ukraine’s battlefield reality is reshaping counter-UAS (CUAS) technology, air defence doctrine and Western procurement priorities.

• Defence Notes

  Six critical capability gaps shaping the US Golden Dome implementation

  4th June 2026

  How emerging technologies and capability priorities will shape America’s next-generation missile defence system.

• Air Warfare

  Paris Air Show 2025: Milkor and Hanwha partner to integrate the latter’s SAR payload into the Milkor 380

  17th June 2025

  Hanwha Systems and Milkor announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Paris Air Show to integrate the Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) system into the Milkor 380 drone.

• Land Warfare

  US Marine Corps provides US$900 million for prototypes as vehicle refresh motors on

  10th April 2026

  General Dynamics Land Systems and Textron Systems are competing to replace the US Marine Corps’ fleet of light armoured vehicles. The companies have been awarded contracts to provide prototypes of three different vehicle variants.

• Air Warfare

  First confirmed US one‑way drone strike on Iran sharpens Pentagon UAV expansion

  2nd March 2026

  The US is currently escalating its efforts to acquire more than 300,000 low-cost one-way attack drones, with the confirmed use of these platforms against Iran in recent days emphasising their growing use in combat.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Landing Platform Docks [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Requirements The Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) is in the process of a fleet transformation plan (SNEP II) which, so far, has seen the procurement of ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) [Qatar]

  Background Saudi Arabia Speaking to Breaking Defense at the Dubai Airshow 2025, GA-ASI President David Alexander stated that Saudi Arabia was working to sign a procurement ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Haboob [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Licence production In April 2020, the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) announced that it had granted NTRA Defense Technologies a licence to produce ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Gambit [UAE]

  Background Saudi Arabia Speaking to Breaking Defense at the Dubai Airshow 2025, GA-ASI President David Alexander stated that Saudi Arabia was working to sign a procurement ...

• Military UAS - small

  Shield AI UAVs [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Reported talks Reporting from the World Defence Show (WDS) 2026, the Middle East Eye (MEE) noted that, according to two sources, Saudi Arabia was ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M (National Guard) [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Broader order The Saudi Arabian UH-60M order in 2017 was part of a broader contract with the US Army, which covered 257 total helicopters ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions [Czech Republic]

  Background KVAČR Concept In February 2024, the Czech Army unveiled the Construction of the Army of the Czech Republic (KVAČR) concept, which outlined an increase ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Hawk Mk 165 Advanced Jet Trainer- Saudi Arabia

  Background Requirement The Hawk Mk 165 fleet will be used to train Saudi pilots before they transition to the Eurofighter Typhoon and F-15 in service with RSAF.  Under ...

• Frigates

  Frigates Procurement Programme [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Requirements The Royal Saudi Navy urges to enhance its combat capabilities and to replace older vessels. Riyadh has recently embarked on major naval procurement ...

• Loitering munitions

  Deep-strike, low-cost, loitering munition [India]

  Background Effectiveness of the capability Following the launch of Operation Epic Fury on 28 February 2026, which marked the beginning of the 2026 Iran war, ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  StormFighter [UK]

  Background Project Mosquito and its cancellation Beginning in 2019, the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), in collaboration with the Royal Air Force (RAF), ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Kaan [Saudi Arabia]

  Background 2024 and 2025 discussions Reports in the Saudi Arabian interest in the Kaan aircraft first emerged in 2024 during a visit of the commander ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Surion Marine Attack Helicopter [South Korea]

  Programme Background The ROKMC has planned to obtain 24 attack helicopters for the first time. When bidding opened in January 2019, there were five contenders: Bell ...

• Transport

  C-130 Replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Requirement The Royal Saudi Air Force operates 33 C-130H, 7 KC-130H aircraft and two KC-130Js. The country has been seeking to replace its older ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Watchkeeper X (Contracted) [Romania]

  Background 2021 In mid-2021, the Romanian manufacturer Aerostar signed a collaboration with U-TacS to potentially produce the Watchkeeper X in Romania. U-TacS is a joint ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  Samoom

  Unveiled at the World Defence Show 2022, the Samoon is a Saudi Arabian UCAV manufactured by Intra Defence Technologies.  It is powered by Belgian ULPower Aero ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  2800 ASW Patrol Boat

  The 2800 ASW Patrol Boat, developed by Couach, is a vessel designed for ASW operations. Unveiled at the 2022 World Defence Show, the vessel can be ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Cockerill i-X

  The Cockerill i-X is a wheeled armoured vehicle designed as a light armoured platform with a modular turret for intercepting enemy forces. John Cockerill Defense unveiled the new ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Mulhim

  Developed by Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI), Mulhim is a developmental Battle Management System designed for brigade-level and below formations. First unveiled in 2022, it ...

• UAS: communication systems

  SkyARX Ku-18

  CTech SkyARX Ku-18 is a lightweight, SATCOM-on-the-move terminal designed for air applications. The Ku-band terminal supports the secure transmission of full-motion video, data, and mission-critical ...

• EO/IR systems

  PT-8N

  The PT-8D is an IR system from Overwatch Imaging. It is fitted with multiple HD thermal cameras and has been designed to conduct missions at dusk ...

• Military UAS - mini

  SKAT 350

  Based on the Supercam 350, the SKAT 350 is a mini fixed-wing UAV manufactured by Kalashnikov Concern JSC. The drone was revealed in early 2024, ...

• EO/IR systems

  PT-8D

  Marketed as a cost-effective solution, the PT-8D is a wide-area search and ISR payload from Overwatch Imaging. It features an RGB colour camera and a ...

• Air: Displays

  LAD2008DA

  Produced by Psion DSP, LAD2008DA is a 20"x8" Large Area Display for full-glass cockpit applications. It was showcased during the 2022 Farnborough Air Show and the 2023 ...

• Land: RWS

  TEBER-II 30/40

  The Teber II-30/40 is a remote-controlled turret developed by Turkish manufacturer FNSS. This RCT is designed to fit tracked or wheeled armour vehicle programs. FNSS ...

• EO/IR systems

  PT-8DN

  The PT-8DN is a versatile day-night payload from Overwatch Imaging.  It has dual RGB sensors of different focal lengths and an HD LWIR sensor. It also ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  Dzhigit

  Dzhigit is a two-barrel, pedestal air defence missile launcher intended for single or salvo launches of Igla family surface-to-air missiles. Developed in the 1990s, the Dzhigit ...

• Loitering munitions

  Hamza-3

  Egypt’s state-owned Arab Organisation for Industrialisation (AOI) unveiled its Hamza-3 at the World Defence Show 2026. It is fitted with cameras and anti-jamming systems, and can ...

• Air: Displays

  RDU-4208 LAD

  ScioTeq RDU-4208 is a 20"x8" Large-Area Display. It features a fully redundant, high-resolution screen with multitouch support. Unveiled in 2022, it was also demonstrated in ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  D-Tiger

  Thai Defense Industry (TDI) unveiled its D-Tiger 4x4 armoured tactical vehicle at Defense & Security 2022 in Bangkok. The D-Tiger is aimed at export sales, with ...