• Land Warfare

  Pearson Engineering remote mine-clearance system ploughs on

  10th April 2025

  The Weevil system is built around the Beacon remote control and a Pearson mine-plough. It is being evaluated on a British Army Warrior infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) but could be used for other platforms.

• Air Warfare

  Italy boosts UAV fleet with Jump-20 procurement and ScanEagle additions

  22nd April 2025

  The Jump-20 uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) procurement will replace Italy’s RQ-7 Shadow UAS fleet.

• Defence Notes

  US forces’ heads lay out their needs and requirements before Senate committees

  22nd May 2025

  The new US administration has introduced or outlined plans for substantial change across the Department of Defence (DoD) and its branches. Several branch heads faced up to Senate Committees to outline needs and challenges.

• Air Warfare

  Germany confirms loitering munitions contracts for its armed forces

  15th April 2025

  Contracts for the procurement of two platforms have been signed, and will be tested by the German armed forces.

• Land Warfare

  L3Harris awarded manpack and handheld radio deal worth almost $300 million

  28th January 2025

  The award is for L3Harris AN/PRC-158 two-channel Leader manpack radio and AN/PRC-163 Handheld multi-channel radio under the Handheld, Manpack & Small Form Fit (HMS) programme.

• Land Warfare

  Prototypes ordered for next generation USMC trucks with electric power a focus

  20th May 2025

  The Medium Tactical Truck (MTT) is slated to replace the existing Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) fleet, including cargo, dump, wrecker, tractor and re-supply variants which are in use with the USMC. Significantly, the vehicles will include hybrid electric technologies and onboard and export power.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Australian Navy’s plan for fleet refresh continues in the face of headwinds

  5th August 2025

  Australia has selected the Mogami-class frigate from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) to replace Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Anzac-class frigates. The decision has been made as the RAN pushes to introduce delayed offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), awaits criticised Hunter-class ships and lives in the shadow of threats to the Collins-class submarine replacement efforts.

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2025: AM General and Oshkosh could face battle over British Army vehicle requirement

  19th February 2025

  AM General’s Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV A2) has entered production and is eyeing the light protected (LPV) element of the British Army’s Land Mobility Programme on which it could compete with Oshkosh Defense with the JLTV A1.

• Land Warfare

  Hanwha Defence Australia continues rush of deal signings as it picks up speed with Redback

  9th April 2025

  Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA) has signed a deal with the UK’s Pearson Engineering for combat dozer blades for Redbacks, a contract which follows an engine contract and hull production contract in the past fortnight.

• Land Warfare

  Allison to provide Abrams transmissions under $81 million deal

  8th January 2025

  The contract is for transmissions for the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center (JSMC) in Lima, Ohio for new tanks and overhaul and repair activities at Anniston Army Depot.

• Land Warfare

  Germany places $342 million for Rheinmetall logistics trucks

  21st January 2025

  The trucks are being ordered within a framework agreement concluded in July 2024 which covers the delivery of up to 6,500 trucks worth up to €3.5 billion (US$3.6 billion).

• Land Warfare

  Thai marines induct new 8x8 amphibious vehicles from Chaiseri

  9th October 2024

  Designed specifically for the requirements of the Royal Thai Marine Corps, the domestically built Armoured Wheeled Amphibious Vehicle will be fitted with a Guardian 1.5 remote-controlled weapon station and have a payload capacity of 2.5t.

• Naval Warfare

  Shipbuilders’ group warns US failing to tap full naval industry capacity

  3rd June 2025

  The Amphibious Warship Industrial Base Coalition has pointed out that issues related to bureaucracy, prerequisites and predictability have been limiting the involvement of smaller shipyards in military acquisition programmes in the US.

• Land Warfare

  Bidders for the British Army Land Mobility Programme stir as the process begins

  21st January 2025

  The UK’s Land Mobility Programme (LMP) is seen as vital for both the British Army and local industry as it is worth billions-of-dollars for thousands of vehicles.

• Air Warfare

  How the MQ-9B’s interoperability is driving future market success

  8th September 2025

  With numerous nations, including the UK, committing a combined US$9.99 billion to acquiring the MQ-9B MALE UAV according to Shephard Defence Insight data, the capability now looks set to soar as UAV spending rises globally.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• VMOE

  Programme Background The Spanish Army's SOF units are procuring the VMOE to meet their requirements for an SOV with sufficient firepower, mobility and mine-protection to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions [Spain]

  Programme Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible, cohesive operational organisations, highly ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Small UAS [Spain]

  The Spanish Army examined the Russo-Ukrainian War in early 2024 and incorporated many learnings into its Fuerza 35 Project, a restructuring and procurement modernisation initiative. ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Small UAS [Spain]

  The Spanish Army examined the Russo-Ukrainian War in early 2024 and incorporated many learnings into its Fuerza 35 Project, a restructuring and procurement modernisation initiative. ...

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

  X10D [Spain]

  Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational organisations, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Twister [Spain]

  Background Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational ...

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

  Vector / Scorpion [Spain]

  Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational organisations, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR (Batch 1) [Spain]

  Programme Background Purpose The VCR programme is to replace several legacy wheeled and tracked vehicles currently in service with the Spanish Army including the BMR-600 6x6, ...

• Military UAS - small

  Small UAS [Spain]

  Programme Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR (Batch 2) [Spain]

  Programme Background Purpose The VCR programme is to replace several legacy wheeled and tracked vehicles currently in service with the Spanish Army including the BMR-600 6x6, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR (Batch 3) [Spain]

  Programme Background Purpose The VCR programme is to replace several legacy wheeled and tracked vehicles currently in service with the Spanish Army including the BMR-600 ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VAMTAC ST5 (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) [Spain]

  Programme Background The VAMTAC ST5 is already in Spanish service with the Spanish Army, Navy, and Air Force in various configurations. In June 2025, the ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VAMTAC ST5 (Batch 3) [Spain]

  Programme Background The decision to acquire these vehicles comes within the wider context of the Spanish government announcing a significant increase in defence spending in ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VAMTAC ST5 (Batch 2) [Spain]

  Programme Background The decision to acquire these vehicles comes within the wider context of the Spanish government announcing a significant increase in defence spending in ...

• Neton VLOE

  Programme Background The VLOE will replace several variants of the VLOE Lathar (a SOF vehicles based on the Nissan Patrol ML-6 COTS chassis) currently in ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Heavy UGVs

  Valkyrie

  The Valkyrie is a 6x6 UGV developed by the Spanish company SASCorp. It was unveiled for the first time at FINDEF 2021. The platform has reportedly ...

• Towed guns

  SIAC 155mm/52cal

  The SIAC 155mm/52cal towed howitzer is the latest derivative of the 155mm/52cal APU SBT howitzer originally developed by GDELS-SBS in the 1990s to meet a ...

• Land: RWS

  Guardian 2.0

  The Guardian 2.0 RWS is an upgraded version of Escribano's Guardian RWS in service with the Spanish Army, which offers improved sensors and better stabilisation. ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  ASCOD Common Base Platform

  GDELS unveiled a new variant of its tracked ASCOD (Austrian Spanish Cooperative Development) IFV based on the new Common Base Platform (CBP) at the June ...

• Land: vehicle simulators

  Leopard 2E Simulators

  Indra was prime contractor for the Spanish Army Leopard 2E Tank Simulation Programme, which involved 23 devices across driving, turret and platoon simulators with networking ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Neton

  The 4x4 Neton Ultrafast Tactical Vehicle is manufactured by Spanish firm Einsa. It is an all-terrain, highly mobile and air-transportable SF platform. Following an evaluation ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Alcotán

  The Alcotán is a lightweight, hand-launched platform. Designed by USOL, the system features an aerial platform, autopilot and GCS. It is suitable for both civil ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  ASCOD

  The Austrian Spanish Cooperative Development (ASCOD) I/CFV was developed to meet the joint requirements of the Austrian and Spanish armies for a medium-weight armoured vehicle ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  BMR-600

  The BMR-600 "Pegaso"  is a wheeled fully-amphibious 6x6 APC which began development in 1972. It was originally designed by Santa Barbara Sistemas which is now ...

• Loitering munitions

  Q-SLAM-40

  The QLM-40, or Q-SLAM-40, is a multi-purpose loitering munition manufactured by Arquimea. It is launched from a pneumatic launcher, powered by an electric motor and contains an ISR payload ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Piranha V

  The Piranha V, the latest member of the Piranha family of wheeled armoured fighting vehicles, introduced a vehicle in the upper weight class. Unveiled in ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR Dragon

  Having received a $2 billion order from the Spanish Army, the General Dynamics European Land Systems VCR Dragon 8x8 IFV is swiftly replacing the ageing BMR-600 6x6 ...

• Individual assault/anti-tank weapons

  Alcotan-100

  The Alcotan-100 is a recoilless, shoulder-launched, antitank rocket launcher developed to meet a Spanish Army requirement, entering service in 2008. In 2014, the Peruvian Army ...

• Light machine guns

  MG4

  The 5.56mm MG4 has been in German Army service since 2005 and sold to at least five export customers, including the Spanish Army. The MG4 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Fulmar X

  The Fulmar X is a Thales UAV designed to carry out high-quality ISTAR missions for civil and military applications. A complete system comprises two UAVs, launch and recovery ...