• Naval Warfare

  Exclusive: Royal Navy Second Sea Lord on ships, the defence command paper, and the future Indo-Pacific presence

  5th May 2023

  The UK Royal Navy’s Second Sea Lord VAdm Martin Connell said it shouldn’t be a surprise that adjustments must be made ahead of a hotly anticipated new Defence Command Paper and praised the progress made by HMS Tamar and Spey in reinforcing the UK’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific.

• Defence Notes

  UK and France target 2030 for future cruise missile, seek commonality on future fighter weapons

  15th March 2023

  The UK and France aim to deliver a new cruise missile in 2030 as part of the MBDA-led Future Cruise/Anti-Ship Weapon (FC/ASW) project.

• Training

  Space and cyber wargame brings 350 experts together

  6th April 2023

  The Schriever Wargame 2023 explored critical space and cyberspace issues within a multi-domain environment across the spectrum of conflict.

• Naval Warfare

  First Belgian-Dutch rMCM vessel launched

  31st March 2023

  On 29 March, Naval Group launched the first of 12 mine countermeasure vessels (MCMVs), M940 Oostende, under the Belgian-Dutch rMCM programme.

• Training

  France buys new sims for its E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft

  20th March 2023

  The full flight simulator procurement falls under the cockpit modernisation programme awarded to Air France Industries KLM Engineering and Maintenance.

• Land Warfare

  French Army still not committed to Hornet Air Guardian anti-drone concept

  14th April 2023

  Arquus subsidiary Hornet is still trying to convince French and export customers of the value of the Air Guardian remote weapon station's counter-drone capability.

• Naval Warfare

  The mad and murky world of submarines in Asia-Pacific (Opinion)

  15th May 2023

  Whatever problems can go wrong with military acquisitions, submarines seem to have ticked all the boxes in the Indo-Pacific region.

• Naval Warfare

  Argentina seeks to rejuvenate submarine capabilities, but economic woes pose a challenge

  20th April 2023

  Argentina is seeking bids from European shipbuilders for new submarines but may struggle to sell the plan to the public due to economic difficulties.

• Defence Notes

  North Korea launches solid-fuelled ICBM for the first time

  20th April 2023

  In quick speed, North Korea has performed its maiden launch of a solid-fuelled ICBM after parading it just two months ago.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Survey Copter enters crowded lightweight tactical drone market

  30th March 2023

  The company is hoping the Capa-X VTOL fixed-wing drone's modularity and French supply chain will help it stand out against competitors.

• Training

  Royal Navy destroyer tests French aircraft carrier’s defences

  11th March 2023

  The exercise was the first significant involvement for HMS Duncan since a major refit, allowing its crew to put training into practice in a realistic scenario.

• Defence Notes

  China cannot bring peace in Ukraine, Monsieur Macron! (Opinion)

  12th April 2023

  The French president has dangerously aligned himself with Chinese talking points, and seems willing to leave Taiwan to its own fate, according to his recent visit to China.

• Land Warfare

  France's Technamm to unveil new special forces vehicles

  23rd March 2023

  Inspired by lessons learned in Ukraine, the 4x4 Technamm Fennec 2 is looking for its first customers, while the Masstech Commando has already been ordered by France and Jordan

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2023: France weighs air defence needs as global SAMP/T NG production kicks off

  22nd February 2023

  Having signed a global production contract, Eurosam is ready to deliver air defence systems to Paris and Rome in 2025.

• Special Operations

  France adds L3Harris sensor turret to A400M for special forces missions

  28th February 2023

  The French Air Force is modifying A400M transport aircraft with a mount for an MX-20 EO/IR turret for the special forces support role.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 [Mali]

  Programme Background Six Drones On 22 December 2022, Joseph Dempsey, a research associate at IISS, tweeted photographs showing a Baytraktar TB2 adorned with the Malian ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  EBRC Jaguar [Luxembourg]

  Background Luxembourg currently operates a small military of just over 1,000 personnel. Despite its small size, Luxembourg has contributed troops to both NATO and EU missions in ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VBMR-L Serval [Luxembourg]

  Background Luxembourg currently operates a small military of just over 1,000 personnel. Despite its small size, Luxembourg has contributed troops to both NATO and EU missions in ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VBMR Griffon [Luxembourg]

  Background Luxembourg currently operates a small military of just over 1,000 personnel. Despite its small size, Luxembourg has contributed troops to both NATO and EU missions in ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Akinci [Mali]

  Background Presentation In December 2024, Akinci drones were presented to the Malian Armed Forces by transitional President General Assimi Goita during a ceremony in Bamako, confirming ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-171Sh [Burkina Faso]

  While the Burkinabe Armed Forces declined to discuss the deal when contacted by Shephard, a Burkinabe military source did acknowledge that the aircraft were being ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Surplus Maxxpro [Bangladesh - Batch 1]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires MRAPs to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the Central African ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Surplus Maxxpro [Bangladesh - Batch 2]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires MRAPs to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the Central African ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  UN Peacekeeping Vehicles [Bangladesh]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires 4x4 armoured vehicles to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the ...

• Medium UGVs

  THeMIS [Netherlands and Estonia]

  Background The Estonian Armed Forces had already been operating the THeMIS UGV in Mali for a year at the time the programme was announced in ...

• Medium UGVs

  THeMIS [Sweden]

  Programme Background Many countries have been acquiring small numbers of Milrem's THeMIS UGV since its success in the hands of Estonian Forces in Mali. The ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Anaconda replacement [Netherlands]

  Background The Netherlands procured the Anaconda to serve as a patrol vehicle for the Netherlands Marine Corps in the Dutch Caribbean. This role was previously filled ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Wheeled Armoured Vehicles (Sri Lanka)

  Programme Background Requirement The Sri Lankan army operates armoured vehicles from several countries, with Russia and China being its biggest suppliers. Its wheeled APC inventory ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  HMT Extenda [UK]

  Background Programme requirements The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated in a Contract Notice that it required at least 240 new HMT platforms to mitigate ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, LTVs - 4x4

  Supacat HMT 400 [UK]

  Background Programme requirements The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) stated in a Contract Notice that it required at least 240 new HMT platforms to mitigate a shortfall ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: mission management systems

  FINDSAT - BFT System

  Using geo-satellite positioning, Nexter’s BFT system (FINDSAT) is capable of identifying and locating friendly personnel who are not equipped with networked information or radio systems. ...

• Medium UGVs

  THeMIS

  Milrem's Tracked Hybrid Modular Infantry System (THeMIS) is a modular, hybrid UGV.  The vehicle's modular design and open architecture allow it to be reconfigured to ...

• Land: indirect fire location radar

  GA10

  The Ground Alerter 10 (GA10), developed by Thales, is a portable Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) early warning system. It provides 360° azimuth coverage with ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  HOT 3

  Designed to destroy reactive armour, the HOT (Haut subsonique Optiquement Téléguidé Tiré d'un Tube, or High Subsonic, Optical, Remote-Guided, Tube-Launched) family has demonstrated its multipurpose capability. Tens ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-8/Mi-17

  The Mil Mi-8 (NATO reporting name Hip) is a twin-engine, multirole, medium helicopter developed from 1960 to meet Soviet military requirements. More than 18,000 examples of the ...

• Light UGVs

  Probot

  The 4x4 Professional Robot (Probot) is suitable for various applications, both indoor and outdoor, and is designed to carry a payload of up to 700kg. ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Heron Mk 1

  The Heron, now called the Heron Mk I, is a MALE UAS manufactured by Isreal Aerospace Industries' (IAI) Malat Division. Designed for various missions, including ISTAR and artillery fire ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AS532

  The AS532 is a development of the SA 330 Puma, with a long fuselage and marketed for tactical transport and logistical support missions. It has ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Puma M36 Mk 5

  OTT developed the Puma M36 Mk 5 to meet the needs of African customers for a lower-cost vehicle that offers a greater payload than its ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  TopOwl

  The TopOwl binocular helmet-mounted sight and display has been chosen by 16 countries for their army, navy and/or air force attack and transport helicopters. It ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Protivnik-GE

  The Protivnik-GE is a mobile 3D surveillance radar distributed by Russian supplier Rosoboronexport and is currently used by the Russian Armed Forces and the Egyptian ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  SPREOS

  Bird Aerosystems’ SPREO is a Directional Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) designed to protect rotary and fixed-wing aircraft against incoming infrared (IR) guided surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles. ...

• Frigates

  La Fayette/Kang Ding Class

  The La Fayette-class frigates have a stealthy design and are in service with France and Taiwan, with some variance between the ships on length and ...

• Air-to-air missiles

  9M39 Igla-V

  The 9M39 Igla-V (‘needle’) is a Russian IR homing SAM adapted for helicopter use. It is an air-launched version of the Igla MANPADS, which the ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Storm

  The Storm is a light APC based on the Toyota Land Cruiser 79 commercial SUV developed by Qatari armoured vehicle manufacturer Stark Motors.  The Storm ...