• Naval Warfare

  UK, France deep strike project hits halfway mark

  12th July 2018

  The UK and France are now mid-way through a concept phase looking into the development of a joint anti-ship missile system, also known as the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Raytheon to develop LOCUST prototype

  29th June 2018

  Raytheon has received a $29.68 million contract from the Office of Naval Research to develop a Low Cost UAV Swarming Technology (LOCUST) prototype. The LOCUST …

• Training

  US puts the brakes on Nicaraguan military training

  12th July 2018

  With violence escalating between Nicaraguans and their government, the US has halted training the Central American nation's military and stopped delivering associated equipment. The decision …

• Digital Battlespace

  Chemring USA receives decoys contracts

  4th July 2018

  Chemring Countermeasures USA has received two contracts totalling approximately $42 million for the manufacture and delivery of decoys for the US Army and Air Force, …

• Defence Notes

  Seven European countries to hit NATO spending pledge: Stoltenberg

  10th July 2018

  Seven European countries are expected to meet a NATO defence spending pledge this year, the alliance said Tuesday, in news that is unlikely to appease …

• Defence Helicopter

  First EMD CH-47F​ Block II inches closer

  2nd July 2018

  The first engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) CH-47F Block II programme helicopter has entered final assembly, Boeing announced on 27 June.Boeing is developing the next-generation …

• Naval Warfare

  Pakistan buys corvette quartet from Turkey

  10th July 2018

  The Pakistan Navy (PN) ordered four 2,300t Ada-class corvettes from Turkish company STM on 5 July. This purchase, rumoured to be worth some $1 billion, …

• Defence Notes

  French arms exports halved in 2017

  2nd July 2018

  French defence exports fell sharply last year in the absence of major deals to sell new Rafale fighter jets, with Middle Eastern clients again making …

• Defence Notes

  Trump forces NATO allies to boost defence spending

  12th July 2018

  US President Donald Trump said NATO countries had agreed to increase their defence spending after he forced crisis talks over his mounting demands at a …

• Defence Notes

  Embraer sees shares soar amid talk of deal with Boeing

  4th July 2018

  Shares in the Brazil aircraft manufacturer Embraer soared on 4 July on the back of speculation that a deal to create a new company with …

• Defence Notes

  Zimbabwe army vows neutrality in election

  4th July 2018

  Zimbabwe's military vowed on 4 July to stay neutral in upcoming elections, dismissing suggestions it would deploy service personnel to influence national polls scheduled for …

• Special Operations

  Belgium inaugurates Special Operations Regiment

  6th July 2018

  The Belgian Ministry of Defence (MoD) officially inaugurated the Special Operations Regiment (SOR) on 3rd July as part of a wider move to increase the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Eurosatory 2018: First autonomous flight for VSR700 imminent

  14th June 2018

  Airbus Helicopters is moving ahead with its VSR700 project with the first fully autonomous flight test scheduled for 2018, the company told Shephard at Eurosatory …

• Land Warfare

  Axe hangs over UK's £1.6bn Warrior upgrade

  6th July 2018

  The British Army’s plans to upgrade its legacy Warrior IFVs looks to be in further jeopardy as a new UK government watchdog report revealed that …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  NASA Ikhana flies with detect and avoid avionics

  19th June 2018

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ (GA-ASI) Detect and Avoid (DAA) avionics system enabled the flight of NASA’s Ikhana UAS through the National Airspace System (NAS) earlier …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  DELI [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Speaking to Shephard at SAHA Expo 2022, a spokesperson stated that the platform was expected to enter into service with the Turkish Armed ...

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

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) (Tranche 2) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Programme 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 ...

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

  Micro UAV [Argentina]

  Programme Background Tender The EA and MoD in April 2021 announced Public Tender 0090/2021 (UOC: 84/135), which saw the General Directorate of Material begin the process ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache (Indian Air Force)

  Programme Background The Indian Army was originally granted co-ownership of the 22 Apaches by the Indian MoD. However, the IAF refused to cede them to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  ISR Civilian-Made UAVs [Taiwan]

  Background Civilian-made, Military-specification As reported by Shephard in April 2025, to accelerate the acquisition process and urgently build a larger UAV inventory, Taipei is enlisting the private ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Containerized Autonomous Drone Delivery System (CADDS) [US]

  Background CADDS Concept In early February 2026, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) stated that it required the ability to rapidly deploy large quantities of UAS ...

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

  Sovereign UAS Challenge [Australia]

  Background Chinese Drones Banned As reported by Shephard in August 2023, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) previously used commercial UAS from companies such as DJI ...

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

  Akinci [Libya]

  Programme Background 2022 Reports In October 2022, various Libyan media outlets reported that the country was eyeing a possible procurement from Baykar, possibly the Akinici ...

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

  ScanEagle [Czechia]

  Programme Background Earmarked The ACR took delivery of ten ScanEagle systems (100 UAVs), which were received as a donation from the US in 2015. In ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  TUAS [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Tender & Requirments The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) issued a tender in May 2020 to provide a new Tactical Uncrewed Aerial System (TUAS). ...

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

  Large ULS-A / Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) [USMC]

  Background US Marine ULS-A programmes The US Marines are seeking a family of Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A), which will provide logistics and ground units with their ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-37A - USAF

  Programme Background The USAF was using C-20B transport aircraft, variant of civilian Gulfstream III, to provide worldwide airlift for DoD and government officials. With the ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  OC-135B Replacement (USAF- Cancelled)

  Programme Background The modification and Treaty Certification works include Digital Visual Imaging System kits, design and development for mission system integration (structural design, interphone communications systems, ...

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

  HUSAR (2023 Order) [Germany]

  Programme Background First Order In 2015, the German Army launched the HUSAR programme to identify a replacement for its Airbus Defence & Space KZO and ...

• Loitering munitions

  ZT-180 [Russia]

  Background Claims On 23 February 2023, DER SPIEGEL reported that, according to information it had gathered, China and Russia were negotiating the purchase of 100 ZT-180 drones, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• md4-3000

  The md4-3000 is a small VTOL quadcopter UAV with a maximum take-off weight of 15kg, one-third of which can be payload. It can fly by remote ...

• Neo V2

  Flycam UAV displayed the Neo V2 at the Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas in November 2016. Developed in 2014, the UAV has a twin-boom ...

• Falcon 8+

  Intel unveiled the Falcon 8+ for the first time at the Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas in November 2016. The V-Form octocopter, which will ...

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

  Skylark 3

  The Skylark 3 is a small UAS manufactured by Elbit Systems. It is designed for both dismounted and vehicle-based operations.  It can perform a range of ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  M12 Monitor

  The Saxon Remote Systems M12 Monitor UAV is a commercial and military system designed to perform a range of roles such as surveillance, pipeline inspection ...

• H520

  The H520 is a hexarotor VTOL UAV designed for the commercial and industrial markets by Yuneec International. The system was unveiled in January 2017. It ...

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

  Resolute Eagle

  The Resolute Eagle is a tactical Group 3 UAS with fuselage and underwing payload bays, which is able to carry multiple sensors. The UAS has been ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  SICX-10E

  The SICX-10E is a rotary-wing UAV suitable for a range of military and civil roles, including tactical ISR, bomb damage assessment, homeland security, aerial surveillance, ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  SICX-25

  The SICX-25 is a rotary-wing UAV suitable for a range of military, commercial and civil missions, including tactical ISTAR, bomb damage assessment, civil air surveillance, ...

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

  30 June

  Developed by the Egyptian Ministry of Military Production, the 30 June is a MALE fixed-wing UAV designed for reconnaissance missions.  Additionally, it features an electromagnetic system and ...

• EO/IR systems

  Skybox

  The Skybox allows gimballed camera systems developed for small UAVs to be integrated on the nose of manned helicopters. It accommodates cameras such as DJI’s ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Wulung

  The Wulung is an Indonesian tactical UAV. First displayed at the Indo Defence Expo and Forum in November 2014, the aircraft entered mass production in May ...

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

  StratoAirNet

  The StratoAirNet is a lightweight MALE UAV that is solar-powered and designed for commercial and military applications. It can accommodate multiple payloads weighing up to ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Yagu

  Plasan unveiled the Yagu 4x4 at the March 2018 Expo Seguridad event. It is based on the Arctic Cat Wildcat 4 1000 commercial all-terrain vehicle. The ...

• EO/IR systems

  Geodetic photomapping and monitoring payload and blind zone cameras

  Heliatica unveiled a geodetic mapping and monitoring payload with Geoscan at Heli-Expo 2017. The system is designed to fit two Sony DSC-RX1 (24MP resolution) cameras ...