• Digital Battlespace

  RAF launches advanced video imaging satellite

  1st March 2018

  The UK Air Force has significantly advanced its satellite intelligence capabilities with the successful launch of the Carbonite-2 satellite terminal.  Providing the service with detailed …

• Special Operations

  AFSOC hones tactical training edge

  7th March 2018

  Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) is helping pre-deployment forces hone their tactical training edge, according to recent contract awards and sources sought announcements. On 1 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Colombian Navy fields Falcon ROV

  1st March 2018

  The Colombian Navy (ARC) has acquired a single Saab Seaeye Falcon ROV and it is now operational with the Diving and Rescue Department (DEBUSA). The …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MUM-TX ready for fielding on Apache Echo models

  2nd March 2018

  Enhanced manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) capabilities are set to be deployed by the US Army as soon as 2020 with the fielding of its AH-64E Apache …

• Naval Warfare

  Additional Trackfire RWS for Swedish navy

  28th February 2018

  Saab will equip the Royal Swedish Navy’s new Combat Boat 90 with its Trackfire Remote Weapon Station (RWS) under an order received from the Swedish …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  China improves cueing for Cloud Shadow UAV

  23rd February 2018

  China’s UAVs will reach farther, faster and hit the enemy harder, if current trends continue. Evidence of this was visible at the recent 2018 Singapore …

• Defence Notes

  India publishes ambitious defence roadmap

  28th February 2018

  India released its ‘Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap - 2018’ (TPCR-2018) document in late February, outlining the equipment and technology that the country’s armed forces …

• Defence Notes

  Airbus to axe 3,700 jobs in Europe

  7th March 2018

  Airbus is to axe around 3,700 jobs in Europe as it cuts back production of its troubled A380 superjumbo and A400M military transporter, the company …

• Training

  USAF to get enhanced training courseware

  2nd March 2018

  US company Alpha-Omega Change Engineering (AOCE) has been awarded a $8.5 million firm, fixed-price contract modification, known as Phase 1, to produce additional training courseware for …

• Defence Helicopter

  Playing the Ace card with the Austrian Armed Forces

  8th March 2018

  Despite setbacks with contracts and the adjustment of onboard tech, Ace Aeronautics, manufacturers of the Ace Deck VL 60 avionics suite, is not only confident …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Delair, Frontier Precision sign agreement

  28th February 2018

  Delair has signed an agreement with Frontier Precision to offer expanded commercial UAS sales and services in the US, the company announced on 26 February. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Opportunity knocks for GA's drones

  20th February 2018

  With the potential easing of export restrictions of technology sensitive to the US missile technology control regime and a growing demand for long-endurance UAVs, General …

• Special Operations

  US Army prepares for new weapon milestone

  4th March 2018

  The US Army has released a draft prototype opportunity notice (PON) for its Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle (NGSAR).  The 1 March release is seen …

• Defence Notes

  BAE counting on UK defence spending as profits fall

  22nd February 2018

  BAE Systems announced a drop in annual net profit on 22 February but said it expected government defence spending to remain a priority. Profit after …

• Training

  Increasing S-70A, UH-60 training opportunities

  1st March 2018

  FlightSafety International (FSI) is to offer a new Sikorsky S-70A training syllabus at its West Palm Beach Learning Center in Florida. The S-70A is based …

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 - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 [UK]

  Background Rumours In mid-October 2022, Mustafa Varank, Turkey’s minister of industry, revealed to CNN Turk that the UK was interested in Turkish armed drones. The ...

• Military UAS - micro

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

  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 organic, ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Micro UAV [Argentina]

  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 of ...

• 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 ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Ground Master 403 Radar [Egypt]

  Background In 2020, Egypt ordered four of France-based Thales Ground Master 403 radars, the mobile member of their GM400 radar family.  At least one of the ...

• 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 - micro

  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 - small

  Domestically developed UAV [Mexican Army]

  Background Domestic development In 2025, President Claudia Sheinbaum announced initiatives for the Army and Navy to independently develop UAV prototypes, as part of a broader ...

• 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 ...

• 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 - 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 - mini

  Wizjer [Poland]

  Programme Background Requirements In its Technical Modernisation Programme 2013-2022, the Polish Ministry of National Defense (MND) identified the need for several new types of UAVs ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  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) that will provide logistics and ground units with their ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  OC-135B Replacement [USA]

  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, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• 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 - 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 ...

• 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Air: mission management systems

  TM-100 Map and Video Management system

  Trakka Systems introduced a new TM-100 Map and Video Management system at HAI Heli-Expo 2017 in Dallas. The augmented reality mapping system with metadata video and audio ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  EJ-30

  Produced by Industrial Complex Engineering Robots in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Military Production, the EJ-30 is a MALE UAV with visual similarity to the ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Dragonfish (Series)

  The Dragonfish is a series of mini fixed-wing tiltrotor UAVs from Autel Robotics. The series consists of the Lite, Standard and Pro dragonfish, with the ...

• OPVs

  Shachi Class (Project 21)

  Project 21 (P-21) Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels (NOPVs)  was intended to enhance the maritime surveillance and patrol capabilities of the Indian Navy. The design of ...