• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2025: Aselsan introduces new air-burst round with C-UAS mission in mind

  20th February 2025

  Aselsan revealed at IDEX 2025 that it has been developing a 25mm calibre air-bursting munition known as ATOM 25.

• Land Warfare

  Germany to increase artillery capability

  23rd May 2025

  Germany has substantially reduced its artillery capability since the end of the Cold War but is now looking to substantially boost numbers in the face of a changed geopolitical environment across the continent.

• Air Warfare

  Will Canada and Latin America seek new sources for combat aircraft?

  6th May 2025

  US-made combat aircraft are being passed over in favour of European types, as Latin America and Canada question their ageing fleet replacement choices.

• Land Warfare

  Hanwha contracted to develop radar for South Korean missile defence

  30th April 2025

  Hanwha will develop the multi-function radar of the Low Altitude Missile Defense (LAMD), work which is scheduled to be completed before the end of 2028.

• Defence Notes

  France unveils new strategic review as Macron vows to accelerate defence spend

  15th July 2025

  The 2025 National Strategic Review highlights the importance of readiness against a growing Russian threat and was published days after a speech from the French President Macron who called for an increase in defence spending worth €6.5 billion by 2027.

• Defence Notes

  Avalon 2025: Australian defence budget meets the low expectations of show attendees

  26th March 2025

  The Australian Budget was marked by tax cuts and a looming general election which led to little hope that there would be a substantial defence boost even with a big bill for nuclear submarines due.

• Defence Notes

  New UK-EU defence pact misses concrete details despite ambitious “first step”

  20th May 2025

  Given the geopolitical gravity, analysts have said the defence and security agreement established falls short of what is needed for future UK-EU co-operation.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy shipbuilding branded “too slow” and “too expensive” by acquisition chief

  12th March 2025

  Several of the US Navy’s leading programmes, including the Constellation-class frigate and the Virginia-class submarine, are significantly behind schedule.

• Naval Warfare

  Germany and UK build stronger naval ties in North Atlantic

  23rd October 2024

  The Trinity House agreement included joint training and a focus on anti-submarine warfare.

• Air Warfare

  NSPA and Royal Netherlands Air Force sign LoI on MRTT training integration

  29th November 2024

  The Letter of Intent (LoI) will allow for the integration of training of the Airbus A330 Multi Role Tank Transport (MRTT) fleet between the the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) and other groups.

• Air Warfare

  USSOCOM outlines acquisition priorities for FY2026

  23rd April 2025

  The service is seeking all-domain autonomous and counter-robotic solutions as well as deep sensing and assured access technologies.

• Naval Warfare

  Turkey begins steel-cutting on MUGEM and MiLDEN vessels

  3rd January 2025

  The MUGEM, TF-2000 and MiLDEN programmes all aim to boost Turkey’s domestic shipbuilding prowess and its fleet.

• Air Warfare

  US fires approximately 75 precision-guided weapons against Iran’s nuclear facilities

  22nd June 2025

  In the operation Midnight Hammer, the Pentagon deployed 14 GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators and more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles.

• Land Warfare

  British Army’s Archer hits bullseye for capability and procurement

  26th December 2024

  The Archer artillery system was rushed into service and training of British Army trainers began in October 2023 before live fire trials just over a year later.

• Defence Notes

  UK defence budget increased to 2.5% by 2027 as geopolitical landscape darkens

  25th February 2025

  UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer raises defence spending, while both NATO and President Trump demand significant further increases.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Frigates

  De Zeven Provinciën Class Replacement/LC Frigates [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Replacements The De Zeven Provinciën-class air defence and command platforms, which are in service with the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN), are expected to be ...

• Transport

  C-130J-30 [Philippines]

  Programme Background Requirement The PAF relies on an older fleet of C-130s obtained secondhand. In fact, the last time the Philippines purchased brand-new Hercules was ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M-Forecast [Indonesia]

  Programme Background The TNI-AU currently relies on 17 Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules and L-100-30 aircraft, including five C-130Hs transferred from Australia. Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) is ...

• ISR/special mission, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Q02 (Qatar)

  Programme Background Reiner developed the Q01 jointly with the Emirate of Qatar, primarily for the Qatar Armed Forces. It was introduced at the ILA Berlin Air ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Camcopter Project (Thailand)

  Programme Background Batch One In November 2019, as reported by Shephard, Schiebel was awarded a TBH600 million ($18.76 million) contract from the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCU Replacement [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Requirements The Netherlands currently operates five landing craft utility (LCU) MKII vessels which are due to be replaced in 2031. In October, De Haas ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCVPs Replacement [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Requirements The Dutch Marine Corps needs to replace 12 Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP) from 2025. The current LCVPs will reach the end ...

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

  MQ-9B [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Biggest Intenrational Deal Speaking to defence media outlets at IDEX 2025, GA-ASI President David Alexander stated that the company was in the early stages of working on ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  LPDs/OPVs Replacement Programme [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Requirements The RNLN will need to replace the ageing LPDs Rotterdam and Johan de Witt when the vessels' service lives come to an ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [Indonesia]

  Programme Background The TNI-AU currently relies on 17 Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules and L-100-30 aircraft, including five C-130Hs transferred from Australia. Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) is ...

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

  WK 450 Watchkeeper [UK]

  Programme Background Procurement In 2005, Thales UK was awarded a $300 million contract for 54 UAVs based upon a substantially modified Hermes 450 platform as ...

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

  MQ-9B [Qatar]

  Background Possible FMS On 26 March 2025, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced that the State Department had a determination approving a possible Foreign Military ...

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

  Project Corvus [UK]

  Programme Background Retirement In November 2024, speaking in the House of Commons, Defence Secretary John Healey stated that the WK 450 Watchkeeper was to be retired ...

• Maritime patrol

  Maritime Patrol Aircraft [Malaysia]

  Programme Background In June 2019, The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has confirmed to Shephard that the government has given approval for the service to prepare ...

• Trainer

  Future Aircrew Training Program [Fixed-wing Aircraft Procurement] - Canada

  Programme Background The new procurement will result in one contract covering all the requirements, including maintenance and infrastructure services. Training services are currently provided through ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: range systems and targets

  Digital Modular Shoot House

  Turnkey custom-designed Digital Modular Shoot Houses can be provided to meet an organisation’s requirement for a close-quarters live-fire facility. The house provides a platform to ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  MATCH

  The Modular Armored Tactical Combat House (MATCH) is a live-fire 360° ballistically safe shoot house designed to teach and practise close-quarter urban battle skills such ...

• Land: infantry weapon simulators

  LST

  The Live-Fire System Trainer (LST) is an add-on option to Laser Shot military training systems. Its live-fire camera tracks replicate thermal heat signatures of ball ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  RC

  The RC family comprises compact multi-mode radars of modular construction aimed at combat aircraft and advanced trainers, developed from the Mirage 2000-5’s RDY radar. The ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  USAF F-16 ATD– JHMCS

  L3Harris Technologies has provided its simulated Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) and Advanced Helmet Mounted Display (AHMD) on the USAF’s F-16 Aircrew Training Device programme. ...

• Land: infantry weapon simulators

  EST 2000

  The Engagement Skills Trainer (EST) 2000 – described as the US Army’s only validated marksmanship trainer – teaches individual marksmanship skills, squad-level collective defence and ...

• Subsystems: software

  Judgmental Training Software

  The Judgmental Training Software (JTS) is Laser Shot’s latest advancement in firearms training technology. It provides judgemental training through the use of interactive, HD video ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  Infantry Shoot Back System

  Saab's Infantry Shoot Back System is a laser-based automated friend-or-foe target system for use in MOUT and open terrain training areas. Soldiers armed with a ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  Combat Training Range Instrumentation

  Combat training range instrumentation systems are meant for live-fire, force-on-force and constructive combat training ranges. GD OTS provides systems for dismounted and mounted player tracking and ...

• Ground control stations

  Ground Control Station (GCS)

  Aertec Solutions GCS station has been designed with in-house technology and allows for various types of unmanned vehicles to be controlled from the system.

• Land: fire support simulators

  Advanced Howitzer Simulator

  The Advanced Howitzer Simulator is a virtual self-propelled howitzer simulator for the entire crew, which provides training of operational and degraded modes, including direct fire, ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  SOVERON D

  Formerly known as SVFuA, SOVERON D is a software-defined radio designed for vehicular applications. Cleared for communications up to the NATO SECRET level, it can house ...

• EW test systems

  EMC Test Facility

  ECS has a custom-built semi anechoic chamber used for in-house product development and pre-compliance testing which is available to hire to outside organisations. The chamber ...

• Guided munitions

  Rash 2M

  Unveiled at IDEX 2021, the Rash 2M is a fixed-wing guidance kit for mortars and other in-house designed payloads and can strike medium-sized targets with ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  RP-25 Sapfir 25

  The RP-25 Sapfir 25 is a look-down/shoot-down radar for the MiG-25PD interceptor of late-1970s vintage, developed as a replacement for the RP-25 that was compromised ...