• 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.

• 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.

• Land Warfare

  MAAF to test Britain’s shift from armour to distributed lethality in Estonia

  10th September 2026

  The bilateral agreement between the UK and Estonia comes as both countries explore how dispersed troops, drones, digital targeting, anti-tank weapons and increasingly long-range fires can complement the combat mass traditionally provided by heavy armour.

• 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

  Bell advances to next stage of US Army’s aviator training programme competition

  7th January 2026

  The US Army plans to award a contract through its Flight School Next competition to replace its UH-72A Lakota by late 2026.

• Naval Warfare

  Iran and the future of amphibious operations: crewed and uncrewed solutions

  1st April 2026

  Amphibious operations are a very unique type of military operation, and global defence industries are developing new solutions to enhance capabilities and efficiency.

• 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.

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall’s Lynx XM30 to go to “shakedown testing” ahead of its delivery to the US Army

  8th May 2026

  The first Lynx XM30 platforms are in the final stages of construction and integration, to be handed over to the US Army in the coming months. Shephard caught up with Rheinmetall to find out more about the programme's progress.

• Air Warfare

  Airbus Helicopters is deepening its European reach as NATO orders climb

  16th February 2026

  Airbus has delivered more than 2,000 helicopters to nations across Europe, and continues to solidify its position at the heart of the region’s defence industrial base.

• 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

  Callen-Lenz pushes ahead with Nyan OWE as it hails operational success

  22nd June 2026

  The one-way-effector uncrewed aerial vehicle has also been tested by the British Army, following on from its contract award notice in February 2026.

• Naval Warfare

  Babcock onshores 85% of Canada’s submarine supply chain as it eyes future CPSP programme

  30th July 2026

  By moving most of the Royal Canadian Navy’s submarine supply chain into Canada, Babcock Canada is driving to strengthen sovereign sustainment capabilities while preparing to compete to maintain the future Canadian Patrol Submarine Project.

• 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.

• Air Warfare

  US Army order for CH-47F Block II aircraft takes total contracted to 18 in rapid fielding effort

  22nd October 2025

  Boeing has delivered six Chinook CH-47F Block II production helicopters to the US Army, with the helicopters now undergoing a series of evaluations to demonstrate their enhanced capabilities. The company is working with the army on a path forward for Lot 6.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk [USA]

  Background The UH-60M Black Hawk is a digitally networked platform with greater range and lift to support manoeuvre commanders through air assault, general support, command ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawks [Greece]

  Programme Background In October 2023, Greece submitted a formal request to acquire 49 Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters as replacements for the Army's Bell UH-1s after launching ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-2 [Japan]

  Programme Background The UH-2 is a Japanese militarised version of Bell’s civilian 412EPX, with the two OEMs cooperating on this particular programme. The Acquisition, Technology ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M (National Guard) [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Broader order The Saudi Arabian UH-60M order in 2017 was part of a broader contract with the US Army, which covered 257 total helicopters ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-1Y Venom (Czechia)

  Programme Background Czech Armed Forces intended to use the UH-1Y Venom helicopters in various missions including utility, search and rescue, aerial reconnaissance, air-to-ground support and ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  UH-72B [US Army]

  Background UH-72A replacement The 2026 order comes as preparations are underway to remove 220 older UH-72A models from initial pilot entry training. The UH-72B is ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60A [Portugal]

  Programme Background At the end of February 2025, the Portuguese Minister of National Defence said that as part of the Portuguese Army's Support, Protection & ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow-On [USA]

  Programme Background In March 2019, Airbus stated that it expected orders from the US Army for between 12 and 15 UH-72A helicopters. In March 2020, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Bell 412 Replacement (1-9) [Norway]

  Programme Background Although Norway has a long-stated ambition of reducing its helicopter fleet to a single type in order to reduce costs and simplify support ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Additional UH-60M Procurement [Sweden]

  Programme Background Requirement In November 2022, General Micael Byden of the Swedish Armed Forces announced that the country would replace its NH90 fleet. At the ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk [Latvia]

  Programme Background In August 2018, the Latvian government approved the acquisition of four UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters. The UH-60Ms are intended for both military and ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  UH-60M Black Hawk [Mexico]

  Programme Background In April 2016, Mexico finalised an order for seven additional UH-60M platforms. At the time of procurement, the Mexican Air Force already had ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M [Jordan]

  Methodology PGO As this programme is complete, the PGO is 100%. Units required One UH-60M unit is required through this programme. Unit cost Using the ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M [Australia]

  Programme Background Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton said, 'The Black Hawk makes perfect sense, and they are much cheaper to fly than what the Taipans ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HM-3 Cougar & HM-2 Black Hawk (Replacement) [Brazil]

  Programme Background As reported by Janes in August 2023, Army Commander General Tomás Miguel Miné Ribeiro Paiva stated on 20 July that the Army was aiming ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Integrated Avionics Suite

  Northrup Grumman's Integrated Avionics Suite is an open architecture mission equipment package, which can be deployed on a number of rotorcraft platforms. It consists of ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60L/M Black Hawk

  The Sikorsky UH-60/S-70 is a medium transport/utility helicopter that entered US Army service in 1979 as the UH-60A Black Hawk. It was succeeded in 1987 by ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Argus Digital Modems

  Commtact’s line of digital transmitters is designed for UAV applications. Using the technology of its Argus family of digital modems the company can tailor wireless ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-169D Light Utility Helicopter (LUH)

  The UH-169D Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) was created as a result of cooperation between Leonardo Helicopters, the Directorate for Air Armaments and Airworthiness, and the Italian ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  S-70i Black Hawk

  The S-70i is an international variant of Sikorsky's UH-60/S-70. It is produced by Sikorsky subsidiary PZL Mielec in Poland and by Turkish Aerospace Industries. The aircraft’s ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Bell 212/UH-1N Twin Huey

  The UH-1N Twin Huey is a twin-engine, medium utility helicopter developed in 1968-69 from the single-engine Bell 205/UH-1H by Bell and Pratt & Whitney Canada. ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  H-1 Family of Avionics

  Northrop Grumman produces a family of avionics for Bell H-1-series helicopters.

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  IDM

  The Improved Data Modem (IDM) is described as a flight-proven, off-the-shelf system that provides an open-architecture, multipath approach to situation awareness in the cockpit. The ...

• Military helicopters - maritime, Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-1Y Venom

  Originally planned as a UH-1N Twin Huey upgrade for the USMC, all but the first ten UH-1Ys now use new-build airframes. This new build prevents ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS)

  Developed by Collins Aerospace, the Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS) is based on the Flight2 open system architecture design and includes an advanced hardware, software ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Bell 205/UH-1 Iroquois

  The Bell 205/UH-1 Iroquois is a single-engine, medium utility helicopter developed from the Bell 204/UH-1 for the US Army. The platform first flew in August ...

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

  UH-2

  The UH-2 (formerly known as UH-X) is a utility helicopter developed by Subaru (formerly Fuji Heavy Industries) in cooperation with Bell to meet the Japan Ground ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60J/JA

  The UH-60J is a license-built version of Sikorsky's S-70, built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan for transport and search and rescue missions. 

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Helicopter Mission Systems

  Elbit Systems' helicopter modernisation activities are focused on upgrading existing utility and attack platforms, supplying systems for latest-generation aircraft, converting utility and assault helicopters into ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Flight2

  The Flight2 integrated flight and mission management system provides increased situation awareness that enables reduced pilot workload, while enhancing flight safety and improving mission effectiveness. ...