• Defence Notes

  Industry welcomes UK Strategic Defence Review, but pressure remains on future defence investment plans

  2nd June 2025

  While industry reception to the SDR has been positive, questions still remain from analyst and trade associations about what this could mean for future investment and the future UK Defence Industrial Strategy.

• Naval Warfare

  South Korea chooses LIG Nex1 for reconnaissance USV

  24th December 2024

  The uncrewed surface vessel was secured with a DAPA contract.

• Land Warfare

  Inside Pearson Engineering’s £8 million investment in future-ready manufacturing (Studio)

  8th September 2025

  Pearson Engineering’s home, Armstrong Works, has been an engineering hub for almost 200 years, delivering critical capabilities for the UK Armed Forces and customers around the globe. The company is now investing for the future, to meet customers’ evolving requirements for a battlespace defined by data and autonomous systems.

• Air Warfare

  Embraer’s Millennium and Super Tucanos generate new customers

  19th September 2024

  Described as a “true” multi-role aircraft, Embraer has set an aim for the C-390 Millennium to be the cornerstone for different operations, from HA/DR to combat missions.

• Land Warfare

  Kazakhstan to build new 8x8s based on Singapore’s Terrex

  11th December 2024

  Singapore’s ST Engineering will help Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering set up in-country production capability and provide technical support.

• Land Warfare

  The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle continues its success as the new variant rolls out

  20th March 2025

  The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) is becoming the dominant platform in its class as it replaces most of the massive US Army and US Marine Corps (USMC) fleets of HMMWV 4x4s, colloquially known as the Humvee. Shephard dives deep into the JLTV programme background and analyses the latest variants and contracts, including the controversial production switch to AM General and the continued contracts continuing to head Oshkosh's way.

• Naval Warfare

  South Korea pushes forward on unmanned surface vessel development for future fleet

  20th June 2025

  South Korean industry continues to evolve unmanned surface vessels as the ROK Navy targets future force needs and addresses manpower challenges.

• Land Warfare

  Australia and Singapore open expanded training area in Queensland

  15th November 2024

  Australia and Singapore have expanded Queensland’s Shoalwater Bay Training Area (SWBTA), adding advanced facilities and technologies to support larger, longer joint military exercises under their ongoing strategic partnership.

• Air Warfare

  Why is the US far behind Russia and China in the space warfare domain?

  21st April 2025

  While Beijing and Moscow have been working on anti-satellite weapons at an accelerated speed, Washington still does not have capabilities to defeat them, with one US legislator describing the situation as “the Cuban Missile Crisis in space”.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2025: Likely spending boosts outlined this year turn spotlight on show

  4th September 2025

  A surge in budgeted and planned defence spending across European NATO countries in the past year has come in the face of the war in Ukraine and demands from the Trump administration that the countries take on more of the load. This is likely to be reflected in what can be expected from DSEI.

• Land Warfare

  First upgraded Turkish Leopard with APS to be delivered this year

  19th November 2024

  Turkey has experienced losses of tanks in Syria including Leopards to anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs). A new active protection system (APS) will reduce the likelihood of such attacks being effective.

• Land Warfare

  What does a 20% cut by Congress mean for the JLTV programme?

  31st December 2024

  Reductions approved by the US Congress impact the US Army's and US Marine Corps' (USMCs') acquisition programmes.

• Defence Notes

  SAHA EXPO 2024 International Defence & Aerospace Exhibition

  13th May 2024

  SAHA EXPO 2024 will bring together the technologies that shape the future with the world between 22-26 October 2024.

• Naval Warfare

  Egypt considers new submarine acquisitions

  21st November 2024

  The long-standing naval procurement partnership between Egypt and France could soon be disrupted as South Korean bidders enter the race to replace the country’s Romeo-class submarines.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Navy sails autonomous RIB in UK waters for the first time

  2nd December 2024

  The RIB trials are expected to inform rapid future RN deployment of autonomous vessel technology.

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 - 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 ...

• Transport

  C-130J [Vietnam]

  Programme Background Requirement Vietnam’s interest in acquiring the C-130J reflects a broader effort to modernise its air transport fleet, which was previously dominated by Russian ...

• Corvettes

  Steregushchy Class (Project 20380) (11-18)

  Programme BackgroundThe Steregushchiy class (Project 20380) corvettes are designed to operate in littoral combat zones and engage with enemy ships and submarines. The multi-role missions ...

• 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 ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Data links

  Data links | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Hangor Class Submarines [Pakistan]

  Programme Background Timeline Chinese media first reported that the Pakistan Navy had agreed to buy eight modified Type 039B submarines in April 2015. The contract ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  T-15 Armata (Contracted)

  Programme Background The first contract for 132 Armatas was signed by the Russian MoD in 2015. This will comprise sufficient T-14, T-15 heavy IFV and ...

• Tanks

  T-14 Armata (Contracted)

  Programme Background The first contract for 132 Armatas was signed by the Russian MoD in 2015. This will comprise sufficient T-14, T-15 heavy IFV and ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Horizon 3 - Submarines Procurement Programme [Philippines]

  Programme Background Requirements The Philippines began its Future Submarine Acquisition back in 2015. The Philippines has no experience in operating submarines, but there is a ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 (Turkey)

  Programme Background  Selection The Turkish Armed Forces are purchasing large numbers of UAVs from Turkey's domestic defence industry to perform ISTAR missions and provide troops ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• H160

  Airbus Helicopters unveiled a full-scale model of the H160 medium twin rotorcraft on 3 March 2015 at Heli-Expo. The utility helicopter, the first to be ...

• 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 ...

• EO/IR systems

  OWLS

  Observation Wide-area Low-altitude Sensor (OWLS), demonstrated at Heli-Expo 2015, is a two-axis micro gimbal imager that combines a night vision sensor and an image-stabilised enclosure. ...

• Helicopter engines

  RR300

  The RR300 combines new design methodologies with the legacy of the M250 engine to produce a new engine family for the small rotorcraft market. Intended ...

• 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 helicopters - scout/light attack

  6XX

  Publicly unveiled at Heli-Expo in March 2017, the MD Helicopters 6XX is the next evolution in the MD 500 series and is a redesigned, single-engine ...

• Multipurpose missiles

  LAHAT

  The Laser Homing Attack (LAHAT) is an Israeli, semi-active, laser homing guided, low-weight, ATGM. It was designed to be fired from 105mm and 120mm tank guns.

• Tiltrotors

  AW609

  The Bell/Agusta BA609 became the first tiltrotor designed for the civilian market to fly in March 2003. In June 2011, Leonardo announced that it had ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  525 Relentless

  Bell Helicopter announced in February 2012 that it was developing the Model 525 Relentless. The Relentless features an ARC Horizon flight deck, including the Garmin ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Bars-8

  Following on from the 7t Bars-6 4x4 multipurpose armoured vehicle, Bogdan developed the 10t Bars-8 4x4 multipurpose armoured vehicle which was unveiled at the September ...

• Land: RWS

  AU-220M

  The AU-220M unmanned turret, developed by TsNII Burevestnik, a subsidiary of Uralvagonzavod (UVZ), mounts a dual-feed 57mm automatic cannon and a PKTM 7.62mm coaxial machine ...

• Military helicopters - maritime, Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  S-92/H-92

  The H-92 is the military version of the commercial S-92. It has a stand-up cabin, higher gross weight, more power and new composite rotor blades. ...

• Military vehicle engines

  TCD 2015

  The TCD 2015 is a modern water-cooled four stroke diesel V-engine that is currently integrated on the RG41 armoured vehicle.

• P1AR Virtual Hoist SAR simulator

  Priority 1 Air Rescue demonstrated an operational model of its Virtual Hoist SAR simulator for the first time at Heli-Expo 2017 with a small, transportable ...