• Land Warfare

  How and why Europe is replenishing tube artillery in the drone warfare era

  21st April 2026

  Modern conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war have exposed gaps in Western artillery, with European militaries increasingly looking to invest in longer-range systems with a focus on logistics and resilience.

• Land Warfare

  Early prototype of General Dynamics M1E3 main battle tank displayed at Detroit auto show

  16th January 2026

  The first prototype M1E3 main battle tank was handed over to the US Army for testing and evaluation earlier this year, and now a pre-prototype has been unveiled. What have we learned from the vehicle first seen on 14 January?

• Land Warfare

  Western Europe is looking to refresh its APC/IFV fleets with potential $41 billion spend

  4th December 2025

  As militaries across Western Europe continue to modernise their capabilities, there are some major potential opportunities in the requirement for armoured personnel carriers and infantry fighting vehicles.

• Land Warfare

  “No single technology is enough”: why an integrated approach to uncrewed warfare is essential

  16th July 2026

  In Conversation… Ahmet Akyol, CEO of ASELSAN, talks to Shephard’s Gerrard Cowan about how the rapid evolution of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) is transforming the battlespace, with militaries focused on both deploying these platforms to maximum effect and developing the defensive systems needed to counter them.

• Defence Notes

  Canada set to look away from its neighbour and across the Atlantic for partners

  5th December 2025

  While non-EU UK struggles to join the Security Action for Europe initiative, which provides loans for defence programmes, Canada has become the first country outside Europe to get access – and did so for a nominal fee.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2025: General Dynamics firms up Ajax for potential British Army IFV requirement

  10th September 2025

  Following the cancellation of the Lockheed Martin UK Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme (WCSP), the British Army will have a serious capability gap when the current Warrior infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) is soon phased out of service.

• Land Warfare

  FNSS adds punch to Pars to increase appeal

  23rd September 2025

  FNSS’s Pars family of vehicles is looking to capitalise on export growth as it increases the punch of its 4×4 Wheeled Armoured Combat Vehicle (WACV).

• Naval Warfare

  Is the US Navy’s Golden Fleet initiative achievable?

  5th January 2026

  The effort to provide the US Navy with Trump-class battleships might face financial, production and doctrinal obstacles.

• Land Warfare

  Supply of new self-propelled guns is rising to meet looming demand

  5th January 2026

  As the need for self-propelled artillery continues to climb across Europe and NATO-allied nations, orders for existing capabilities continue to roll in while new and improved weapons are on the way.

• Land Warfare

  China goes for ground-launched attack weapons as it strengthens deterrence strategy

  26th November 2025

  China has been advancing its capabilities with a new generation of precision-guided artillery and loitering munitions, positioning ALIT’s WS-series as direct competitors with Western systems like the US’s M982 Excalibur.

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2025: Hanwha Aerospace reveals new wheeled artillery system

  20th October 2025

  The aerospace company showed a model of its new mobile howitzer at AUSA in Washington, where a representative told Shephard more about its design.

• Land Warfare

  Next stage approved for major European robot programme

  21st November 2025

  The European Commission and Milrem Robotics have signed a grant agreement for iMUGS2, following on from the original iMUGS collaboration to develop modular and scalable architecture for crewed and uncrewed systems.

• Defence Notes

  Estonia opts for smart, adaptable and cooperative solutions in the face of Russian threat

  20th March 2026

  Estonian-made equipment is being put through the toughest of evaluations in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers resisting the full-scale Russian invasion which began in 2022. The country has long seen the threat and is continuing to adapt for the future.

• Defence Notes

  Companies’ results boom as countries dig deep to buy missiles and air defence systems

  31st October 2025

  Air defence systems are continuing to appear top of countries’ shopping lists but broadly across different capabilities it is a sellers’ market, as demonstrated by backlogs and double-digit percentage point growth.

• Land Warfare

  Could the Ajax IFV solve the UK’s Warrior capability gap?

  22nd September 2025

  With the UK facing an imminent capability gap after the retirement of its Warrior infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), the Ajax IFV appears to be in a prime position to fill that gap.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Static/towed guns

  L-70 40mm Bofors upgrade [India]

  Background Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) won an order in a global open tender issued by the Indian Army to upgrade L-70 40mm Bofors guns. The ...

• Self-propelled guns

  SHORAD [Sweden]

  Background In January 2026, Sweden announced its intention to dramatically expand its territorial air defence capabilities, which would include the purchase of a gun-armed Short ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Commando Select MSFV (Afghanistan)

  Programme Background Between 2011 and 2018, 733 Commando Selects of various configurations were delivered to the Afghan National Army (ANA). Known as the Mobile Strike ...

• OPVs

  Second-hand Nordkapp OPVs [Uruguay]

  Programme Background For years, the Uruguayan Navy has sought to procure new Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) to modernise its fleet. The Navy has attempted to do ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  CV90 (Ukraine Aid) [Denmark & Sweden]

  Programme Background Following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukraine was the recipient of a number of Western systems, many of which ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AIFV replacement [Egypt]

  Background Egypt acquired over 1,000 AIFVs from the Netherlands from 1994 to 2008. Of these, 690 remain in active service. Whilst they have received various upgrades to ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  AIFV replacement [Bahrain]

  Background Bahrain acquired 120 secondhand AIFVs from 1996 to 2016. Of these, 75 remain in active service. Whilst they have received various upgrades to extend their service ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Indonesian Navy PC-60M

  Programme Background Local Indonesian shipyard PT Caputra Mitra Sejati has designed and developed a class of fast patrol boats that have been ordered by the ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  NASAMS [Australia]

  Background The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) initiated the LAND 19 Phase 7b programme, which intends to replace the Bofors RBS 70 VSHORAD system with ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Pars 4x4 STA (First Batch)

  Programme Background The STA programme was initiated in 2008, when the Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) released an RfP for the procurement of 1,075 wheeled ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VN1 (Thailand)

  Programme Background Thailand has procured and tested a variety of 8x8 armoured vehicle platforms. Between 2010 and 2015, 217 BTR-3E1 amphibious 8x8s were acquired from ...

• Frigates

  Plataforma Estratégica de Superficie (PES) - Frigate Acquisition Programme [Colombia]

  Programme Background The replacement of the existing ageing Almirante Padilla-class frigates was first initiated in 2015. The predecessors, built by Germany's Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) have been in service ...

• Destroyers

  Type 83 Future Air Defence System (FADS) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirements The Daring-class (Type 45) consists of six ships, although the original plan was to have 12 destroyers. This was cut to eight in ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Kaplan-10 STA (First Batch)

  Programme Background The STA programme was initiated in 2008, when the Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) released an RfP for the procurement of 1,075 wheeled ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Pars 4x4 STA (Second Batch)

  Programme Background The STA programme was initiated in 2008, when the Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) released an RfP for the procurement of 1,075 wheeled ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  Bofors 40mm 3P

  The Bofors 40mm 3P (Pre-fragmented, Programmable, proximity-fused) is a multi-purpose medium calibre round designed for the Bofors 40 Mk4, a gun system manufactured by BAE Systems ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Tridon Mk2

  The Tridon Mk2 consists of a Bofors 40mm gun mounted on a removable pallet, which is mounted on the back of a military truck. An ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Sarucabey Class

  Two Sarucabey landing ship tanks are in service with the Turkish Navy. The design is an enlarged version of the decommissioned Cakabey design with the ...

• OPVs

  Bir Anzaran (OPV 70)

  The first OPV 70, Bir Anzaran, was delivered to the Royal Moroccan Navy in June 2011. Another three ships have reportedly been ordered, although no further ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  ​Osman Gazi

  A single Osman Gazi-class landing ship/minelayer is in service with the Turkish Navy. The ship was laid down in 1989,  launched in 1990, and commissioned ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Magar

  Magar-class landing ship tank helicopter vessels are in service with the Indian Navy. Based on the British Sir Lancelot design the first two entered service ...

• Unguided Naval Ammunition

  Bofors 57mm 3P

  The Bofors 57mm 3P (Pre-fragmented, Programmable, Proximity- fused) is a multi-purpose naval round designed for the Bofors 57 Mk3 naval gun system, manufactured by BAE Bofors.

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  Cetina

  Cetina (Silba)-class amphibious landing craft are operated by the Croatian Navy which are also used for minelaying. Three were built and two remain in service. ...

• Static/towed guns

  L-70 40mm Upgraded Anti-Aircraft Gun

  The L-70 is a 40mm towed anti-aircraft gun originally developed by Bofors and operated by the Indian Army. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) upgraded 200 guns under ...

• Minehunters

  MCMV 24

  The MCMV 24 is a mine countermeasures vessel concept being developed by Saab. The 66m vessel is designed for mine countermeasures missions in the Baltic ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  BATRAL

  BATRAL (Bâtiment de Assaut et de Transport Léger)  landing ships  are in service with Chile, Gabon and Morocco and have been retired from French service. ...

• Naval guns

  Bofors 40 mk4

  Bofors 40 Mk4 is a naval gun system developed and produced by BAE Systems. It was originally produced by Swedish Bofors, which was acquired by ...

• Naval guns

  Bofors 57 mk3/mk110

  Bofors 57 mk3, known as mk110 in the United States, is a naval gun system produced by BAE Systems. It was originally designed in the ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  FPB 57

  FPB 57 fast attack craft has been designed by German company Lürssen and is in service with Indonesia, Kuwait, Nigeria and Turkey. Some of these ...

• Guided munitions

  Bonus

  The Bofors 155 Bonus is a guided artillery round developed as a joint initiative between Bofors and Nexter. BONUS is currently in use by several countries, including Finland, ...