• Naval Warfare

  UK DIP: Royal Navy bets on defence technology over bigger fleets

  7th July 2026

  The Royal Navy’s transition towards a hybrid fleet could prove to be less about building more hulls and more about delivering the autonomous technologies, AI and digital integration that will support future maritime operations.

• Air Warfare

  Viper Shield electronic warfare suite for F-16s enters low-rate initial production

  18th November 2025

  The L3Harris Viper Shield is seen as a key component in keeping the newest generation of F-16s up to date and providing a retrofit capability to earlier aircraft.

• Defence Notes

  US Pentagon pushes for major reform of defence acquisition system

  3rd August 2026

  The US Department of Defense has requested new contracting authorities from Congress, using the Army's MV-75 Cheyenne programme to demonstrate how competition, digital engineering and closer industry collaboration could accelerate acquisitions.

• Land Warfare

  GDLS is “on track and on schedule” to deliver the first XM30 prototypes in July

  18th May 2026

  In an exclusive interview with Shephard, General Dynamics Land Systems’ director of US strategy and growth disclosed details of the company’s XM30 Wolf design.

• Air Warfare

  FIA 2026: Boeing pitches Ghost Bat as mature answer to growing CCA demand

  23rd July 2026

  Boeing said demand for collaborative combat aircraft could outstrip what any single supplier can provide, as BAE Systems and Anduril unveiled new platforms at Farnborough International Airshow 2026.

• Air Warfare

  Norway revitalises effort to acquire a tactical-class UAV with $103 million competition

  2nd April 2026

  Norway first scoped the requirement in 2022, and included it in a defence strategy document in 2023. The announcement of a new framework agreement appears to have breathed fresh life into the effort.

• Air Warfare

  Baykar’s Kizilelma drone makes progress with first air-to-air kill

  1st December 2025

  This test is the latest milestone achieved by the indigenous drone, destroying a target using a beyond-visual-range missile.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy SPY-6 approaches FRP with Raytheon already having “a hot production line”

  2nd March 2026

  Jen Gauthier, Raytheon’s VP of Naval Systems and Sustainment, told Shephard that the company is awaiting the US Navy’s green light to move “fully into full-rate production”.

• Air Warfare

  Saab Gripen E/F: the multirole fighter that’s seeing a resurgence (updated 2026)

  14th April 2026

  The single-engine multirole fighter jet is seeing heightened demand with a sizeable orderbook and expanding export potential, as Shephard summarises the aircraft’s latest orders and developments.

• 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.

• Air Warfare

  Optimism remains for GCAP and FCAS future despite programme stumbling blocks

  22nd May 2026

  Both sixth-generation combat aircraft programmes are still awaiting major key decisions from respective governments with regards to funding or future direction, but industry and governmental officials remain optimistic of progress going forward.

• Defence Notes

  Nuclear costs crowd out key defence priorities in UK investment plan, say SDR authors

  8th July 2026

  The UK government’s Defence Investment Plan has been criticised by the authors of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025 which formed the basis of the plan. The SDR’s external reviewers told the country’s defence committee how the plan misses the mark.

• Naval Warfare

  Europe’s naval contractors benefit from growing refit and upgrade demand

  10th August 2026

  Rheinmetall’s order to modernise the German Navy frigate Bayern points to a wider European shift towards extending warship service life as new-build programmes face delay.

• Air Warfare

  USMC advances MV-22B Osprey safety and reliability upgrades

  31st August 2026

  The US Marine Corps is testing a redesigned input quill assembly and plans to transition its MV-22B fleet to improved gearboxes by January 2033 as it prepares to operate the tiltrotor through 2055.

• Defence Notes

  “Start planning much earlier”: delivering defence support in an era of disruption

  14th October 2026

  In Conversation… The geopolitical landscape is increasingly uncertain, with the UK and its allies confronting the most unpredictable international environment for decades. To adapt, defence readiness must begin long before assets reach the front line, forging a resilient support enterprise that can thrive in a time of ongoing disruption, argue the partners of Team ORION.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW101-Norway

  AgustaWestland is also providing initial support and training services, including spares at each of the operating bases and aircrew training. It will then provide performance ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  IAR-99 Replacement (Romania)

  On 29 August 2017, Leonardo announced that the IAR-99 trainer technology demonstrator (TD) will be fitted with company's Vixen 500E AESA radar. The Vixen 500E AESA ...

• CUAS - jammers

  Stationary C-UAS [Croatia]

  Background Croatia is procuring counter-UAS systems, covering stationary and mobile systems. The procurement of the systems is a response to growing security threats and the ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  Mobile C-UAS [Croatia]

  Background Croatia is procuring counter-UAS systems, covering stationary and mobile systems. The procurement of the systems is a response to growing security threats and the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer IFV (Schakal) [Netherlands]

  Background The Boxer is currently in service with both Germany and the Netherlands, having entered service in 2009 and 2013, respectively.  In October 2025, the ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Mobile Short Range Radar [Austria]

  Background As part of its efforts to modernise its ground-based air defence (GBAD) network, Austria is seeking to acquire 14 mobile short-range radar systems. According ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer IFV (Schakal) [Germany]

  Background The Boxer is currently in service with both Germany and the Netherlands, having entered service in 2009 and 2013, respectively.  In October 2025, the ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-35M

  Serbia became the 10th export customer of the Mi-35M helicopter, a new-generation Hind derivative, launched in production since 2007, featuring an improved armour protection, more ...

• 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, ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Bell 505 - Montenegro

  The deal between Montenegro and export agency Canadian Commercial Cooperation will see aircraft production take place at Bell’s Mirabel facility before being transited to the ...

• Military UAS - micro

  EVO Max 4T [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Ukraine On 6 October 2023, Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's Miniter of Digital Transformation, announced that the Army of Drones sent nearly 2,000 EVO Max ...

• AEW&C

  AEW&C Aircraft [India]

  Programme Background India is planning to increase its AEW&C; capabilities with indigenous radar systems.  A330 Bid In 2015, the IAF has requested to procure six ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  M-SHORAD Increment 1 [USA]

  Background The US Army is developing a new maneuver short-range air defense system (M-SHORAD) to perform short-range air defense (SHORAD). Under this programme, there are ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Black Hornet 4 [Switzerland]

  Background Announcment Teledyne FLIR Defense announced on 2 February 2026 that it had received a $17.5 million contract from armasuisse, the Swiss Federal Office of ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47ER Chinook [UK]

  Background Formally known as the Chinook Capability Sustainment Program the UK is planning to replace its 14 oldest CH-47s with 14 new-build CH-47F (ER). The ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Vixen-1000E

  The Vixen 1000E is an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar designed for fighter and interceptor aircraft, incorporating a roll-repositionable antenna with a ±100º field ...

• Land: air defence radar

  KRONOS Power Shield Land

  This system is an L-band digital AESA anti-TBM radar. It is the land-based version of the naval KRONOS Power Shield, also known as KRONOS Ground ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Smart-L MM/F

  The SMART-L MM/F (Multi-Mission Fixed) is a next-generation, long-range, multi-mission radar developed by Thales for air and space surveillance and ballistic missile detection. It features ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  KRONOS Power Shield

  The KRONOS Power Shield is an early warning naval radar manufactured by Leonardo. It is primarily designed for ballistic missile defence and surveillance. The main ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  Ground Fire Radar

  Thales unveiled its Ground Fire Radar family, a range of multifunction ground radars, on 19 June 2017 at the Paris Air Show. Using AESA technology, ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  Viper Shield AN/ALQ-254(V)1

  L3Harris, in partnership with Lockheed Martin and the USAF, are developing an all-digital EW suite, which is custom design to be the baseline on advanced ...

• Land: air defence radar

  All-Threat Tactical Air-Surveillance radar

  RADA’s All-Threat Tactical Air Surveillance radar systems, which include the RPS-12, RPS-42, RPS-72 and RPS-82, detect all types of aerial vehicles (including UAVs of all ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Nebo-SVU

  The Nebo-SVU is an air defence radar distributed by Rosoboronexport in Russia and is currently used by the Russian Army and the Iranian Army. It ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-63(V)2

  The AN/APG-63(V)2 is a significant radar upgrade for the U.S. Air Force F-15C aircraft. This upgrade replaces the mechanically-scanned antenna (MSA) with an AESA antenna,  ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Raven ES-05

  The Raven ES-05 is an AESA fire-control radar developed by Leonardo in close collaboration with Saab for the Gripen E/F. It features a repositionable AESA ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  CENK 600-N

  The CENK 600-N is a two-dimensional long-range volume search radar manufactured by Aselsan. The radar is part of Aselsan’s Multi-Function Radar Systems Suite.

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-73

  The AN/APG-73 is an X-band multimode radar system designed for both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, featuring programmable digital processors, memory capacity, and electronic countermeasures capabilities ...

• Fighter - electronic warfare

  Eurofighter EK (Electronic Combat)

  The Eurofighter EK is the  jamming and escort electronic attack version of the Eurofighter fighter jet. Developed by Airbus and incorporating Saab's Arexis EW suite ...

• Air: surveillance radar, Sea: naval fire control radar

  SF 500

  Sea Fire 500 (SF 500) is a multifunction radar providing simultaneous long-range air and surface surveillance, target acquisition and tracking and fire control (ASTER missiles ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  Hostile Fire Location Radar

  RADA’s Hostile Fire Location radar systems – which include the RPS-15, RPS-40/RPS-41, RPS-70/RPS-71 and RPS-82 – detect, track, classify and locate all types of direct and ...