• Air Warfare

  Can Innovative Unmanned Aerial Systems Shape the Future of Tactical Operations?

  5th September 2023

  We are witnessing a world in which unmanned aerial systems are becoming ever more dominant in the modern battlefield, it's here, that Aeronautics is emerging as a prominent player, with its flagship Orbiter systems which are at the forefront of innovative technology.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  IAI's BlueWhale uncrewed submarine to join NATO’s Dynamic Messenger exercise

  28th September 2023

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announces that its autonomous BlueWhale uncrewed submarine will participate in the NATO Dynamic Messenger exercise, in an effort to demonstrate its capabilities in the maritime sector.

• Air Warfare

  Insight: Is the Watchkeeper UAV providing value for money for the British Army?

  8th September 2023

  The Watchkeeper UAS has garnered interest from countries like Poland and Romania, despite a chequered operational history in the UK. Shephard analyses the aircraft's capabilities and the cost they come at.

• Land Warfare

  UK seeks rear camera system for Warrior armoured vehicles

  13th July 2023

  The British Army is seeking to procure a rear camera system for its Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) to meet a safety critical modification.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UMS Skeldar and Ultra Maritime unveil anti-submarine warfare solution at DSEI 2023

  12th September 2023

  The new ASW platform allows for the deployment of sonobuoys via a rotary-wing UAS, enhancing capabilities to track potentially hostile submarines.

• Air Warfare

  KAI ramps up LAH production even as it develops new Surion variants

  18th October 2023

  KAI has continued to invest heavily in helicopters, including in its ability to deploy and operate with uncrewed systems.

• Land Warfare

  Japan to develop an unmanned amphibious vehicle

  11th September 2023

  Japan is developing an unmanned version of the Mitsubishi Amphibious Vehicle (MAV) as part of efforts to improve its amphibious capabilities.

• Land Warfare

  USMC experiments with Mission Master UGVs in Australia

  6th August 2023

  The USMC trialled Mission Master UGVs during the recent Exercise Talisman Sabre 2023 in Australia.

• Naval Warfare

  DSEI 2023: How PhantomBlu comms tech could mean an end to radio silence at sea

  15th September 2023

  Blu Wireless's PhantomBlu millimetre-wave communications nodes could put an end to the need to maintain radio silence to avoid detection or interception while supporting high data rates for C2 purposes.

• Land Warfare

  US Army concludes LTAMDS contractor verification testing

  3rd October 2023

  Trials at the White Sands Missile Range assessed the design and performance of LTAMDS against real and simulated threats.

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2023: GDLS introduces a new version of the Stryker armoured vehicle with robotic capabilities

  7th October 2023

  The StrykerQB has a hybrid diesel-electric power pack, has been designed to provide silent movement and watch, and has been developed with exportable electric power.

• Air Warfare

  Dubai Airshow 2023: How the MQ-9 Reaper UAS came to rule the skies

  10th November 2023

  Ahead of the 2023 edition of the Dubai Airshow, Shephard looks at the GA-ASI MQ-9A Reaper UAS, its role in shaping modern conflict dynamics, and its deployment for surveillance and precision strike throughout the Middle East.

• Digital Battlespace

  Redefining Modern Warfare: Multi-Domain Operations and the Shift to Integrated Communications across the Force (Studio)

  25th October 2023

  The multi-domain operations (MDO) concept is now a core focus for the US and its allies. The paradigm has significant implications for communications technology as militaries seek to integrate platforms and systems across different networked communications domains.

• Naval Warfare

  DSEI 2023: Orbit unveils MPT family of SATCOM terminals for USVs and small craft

  13th September 2023

  Israeli company Orbit unveiled a family of new multipurpose satellite communications systems for small ships and uncrewed surface vehicles (USV) at DSEI 2023.

• Land Warfare

  Threats and opportunities: NATO demand for game-changing connectivity

  12th September 2023

  On 4 April 2023, Finland joined NATO. What can be learned from the country’s ability to assure resilient tactical communications?

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior [India]

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

• Military UAS - small

  Black Hornet 3 PRS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army operated approximately 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS between 2013 and 2017, when the decision was made to retire ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Ajax IFV [UK]

  Programme Background Prior to commencing development of the Ajax the UK utilised the Warrior was its primary IFV. However, the Warrior entered service in 1987 making ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Naval Collaborative Combat Air Vehicle (N-CCAV) [India]

  Programme Background CATS Warrior The Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) is a planned, uncrewed and crewed family of aircraft in development by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-1 Gray Eagle [US Army]

  Background Required Quantity Although the US Army first envisioned a requirement for 132 MQ-1C Gray Eagles, the US Army's Army Acquisition Objective (AAO) was increased ...

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

  Orbiter 3 (Croatia)

  Programme Background The Croatian government launched a competitive tender for the procurement of a short-range UAV in October 2017. Although the tender was opened on ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  AR100-H [Germany]

  Programme Background In May 2022, it was announced that 145 AR100-H drones would be supplied to the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). At the time of ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (MIV) [UK]

  Programme Background History The UK MoD announced in March 2018 that it would re-join the Boxer programme and pursue a sole-source acquisition of the 8x8 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Larger UAVs [Estonia]

  2026-2029 Defence Investment On 30 July 2025, the Republic of Estonia’s Minister of Defence, Hanno Pevkur, announced an approved development plan, allocating more than €10 billion ($11.42 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Sixth-Generation Aircraft [South Korea]

  Programme Background Hanwha industries has confirmed that a new engine is under development to replace the American manufactured F-414 engine; according to reports, the new ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | New Generation Minehunters/Offshore (NGM/A) (1-4) [Italy]

  The Italian Navy is procuring twelve new multi-purpose mine countermeasures (MCM) vessels under the Cacciamine Nuova Generazione (CNG) programme. The programme includes coastal-going units (NGM/C) ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | New Generation Minehunters/Offshore (NGM/A) (1-4) [Italy]

  The Italian Navy is procuring twelve new multi-purpose mine countermeasures (MCM) vessels under the Cacciamine Nuova Generazione (CNG) programme. The programme includes coastal-going units (NGM/C) ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Ermine (Ukraine Aid) [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Western governments have sought to provide as much assistance as possible to the Ukrainian ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | New Generation Minehunters/Coastal (NGM/C) (1-5) [Italy]

  The Italian Navy is procuring twelve new multi-purpose mine countermeasures (MCM) vessels under the Cacciamine Nuova Generazione (CNG) programme. The programme includes coastal-going units (NGM/C) ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military - USVs

  SHARC

  The Sensor Hosting Autonomous Remote Craft (SHARC) wave glider platform is a JV developed between Boeing and Liquid Robotics. The SHARC is able to deliver ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Warrior Systems

  General Dynamics Mission Systems is prime contractor and system integrator for the US Army’s Warrior soldier systems, which include Air Warrior, Future Force Warrior, Land Warrior ...

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

  NRQ-21

  Insitu displayed the NRQ-21 Integrator at the Unmanned Warrior 2016 event in Wales. The aircraft has been designed to carry out tasks on land and ...

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

  Outlaw SeaHunter

  Outlaw UAVs are used by military and research agencies for training, testing, data collection and system development. In the 114-137kg maximum take-off weight class, SeaHunter ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Mounted Warrior

  Mounted Warrior will provide an integrated system-of-systems ensemble designed to improve the survivability, lethality and combat effectiveness of armoured vehicle crewmen. The system leverages capabilities ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Warrior

  The Warrior IFV entered service with the British Army in mid-1987. A total of 789 vehicles were delivered in IFV, infantry command, anti-tank, recovery, repair, ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  MIHDS

  The Modular Integrated Helmet Display System (MIHDS) is designed and developed jointly by General Dynamics Mission Systems, USA and Microvision Inc. The system's SD2500 design ...

• Military - USVs

  MAST

  The Maritime Autonomy Surface Testbed (MAST) was developed by ASV Global and Roke Manor Research under funding from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. It ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  Warrior 2020

  Finland’s Warrior 2020 programme is focused on improving individual soldier equipment in the five capability areas defined by NATO: C4I, lethality, mobility, survivability and sustainability. Warrior ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  CATS Warrior

  Manufactured by the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), the Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior is a medium-altitude long-endurance UAS part of the CATS family ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  OH-58D Kiowa Warrior

  The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior is a two-person, light scout helicopter with a day/night mast-mounted sight, glass cockpit and four-bladed rotor system. Following the retirement of ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MUBC

  The Modular Universal Battery Charger (MUBC) is a scalable charging system for a range of military and commercial batteries. It provides for the addition of ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F Cayuse Warrior

  An evolution of the OH-6 Cayuse light observation helicopter, the MD 530F was initially Federal Aviation Administration-certified in July 1985 as the Model 369FF. It ...

• Land: RWS

  Unmanned T40

  Nexter is developed an unmanned variant of its T40 two-man turret to meet the growing demand for these types of systems. Like the standard T40, ...

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  Athena 511

  The Athena 511 is a compact all-in-one GPS-aided INS air data system. The system’s integrated inertial sensing uses a tactical grade, ring-laser gyro IMU, with ...