• Defence Notes

  Taiwan approved for $11 billion weapon purchase from US

  19th December 2025

  The US State Department’s approval of a multi-billion-dollar sale of weapons to Taiwan includes tactical mission networks equipment, uncrewed aerial systems, artillery rocket systems and self-propelled howitzers as well as anti-tank guided missiles.

• Naval Warfare

  US shipbuilding struggles to keep pace with China

  22nd January 2025

  The small production capacity of US shipyards has generated multiple delays in US Navy programmes.

• Air Warfare

  Shield AI unveils new autonomous VTOL fighter jet concept

  23rd October 2025

  Named X-Bat, the AI-controlled vertical take-off and landing drone is expected to enter production by 2029, with first flight tests estimated to take place a year earlier.

• Air Warfare

  Baykar’s Akinci: Local participation and export freedom drive $4.63 billion success story

  5th May 2026

  The success of the Akinci drone stems from Turkey’s push for domestically produced components – which has led to fewer export restrictions – and from manufacturer Baykar’s willingness to coproduce the drone with customers’ domestic industries.

• Digital Battlespace

  AUSA 2025: Kopin pushes micro-LED plans as China moves faster

  22nd October 2025

  The plan for the new displays follows fresh investment in Kopin’s European facilities by Theon and an order for head-up displays in fielded aircraft, with funding from the US Department of Defense.

• Air Warfare

  Taiwan welcomes first batch of Altius-600M drones

  8th August 2025

  Anduril, the US company that manufactures loitering munitions, has doubled down on its expansion and presence in Asia, set against a growing threat from China and a push from Taiwan to expand its domestic uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) procurement efforts.

• Land Warfare

  April land forces roundup: Munitions and long-range fires drive procurement momentum

  1st May 2026

  The demand for long-range fires continues alongside the drive to increase artillery shell manufacture and the procurement of new artillery weapons.

• Air Warfare

  German Navy in “ramp-up” phase as it welcomes first NH90 Sea Tiger delivery

  16th December 2025

  With all 31 aircraft set to be delivered by 2030, the helicopters will gradually replace the ageing Sea Lynx fleet which are due to be retired in 2026.

• Air Warfare

  AUSA 2025: Sikorsky’s uncrewed Black Hawk to fly next year

  13th October 2025

  The uncrewed UH-60L Black Hawk or U-Hawk is built around the company’s Matrix autonomy technology and, after less than a year of development, is expected to fly in 2026.

• Naval Warfare

  Uncrewed fleets emerge as AUKUS nations’ answer to capability interval

  25th March 2026

  While their multibillion-dollar nuclear submarine ambitions move forward at a glacial industrial pace, all three countries are making a swifter bet: fleets of uncrewed vessels that can be built, deployed and iterated in years rather than decades.

• Naval Warfare

  US Coast Guard announces $350 million investment in robotics and autonomous systems

  26th September 2025

  The USCG will use part of this funding to acquire SkyDio X10D short-range uncrewed aircraft systems, VideoRay Defender remotely operated vehicles and Qinetiq Squad Packable Utility and mini-SPUR robots.

• Land Warfare

  February land forces roundup: ST Engineering and Russia lift the lid on new platforms

  27th February 2026

  This month we saw a major presence from Turkish, Russian and Chinese companies at the World Defense Show with new vehicles from major suppliers, while elsewhere there were evolving mortar programmes and artillery modernisation efforts.

• Air Warfare

  Dubai Airshow 2025: Anduril and Edge joint venture unveils Omen tailsitter UAV

  13th November 2025

  The Group 3 UAV has also netted its first order from the UAE for 50 platforms, with full-scale production scheduled for 2028.

• Naval Warfare

  Japan’s first warship sale opens door to future exports but comes with strings attached

  24th April 2026

  Australia’s selection of an upgraded Mogami-class frigate marks Japan’s first-ever export of a major surface combatant. With an ambitious 2029 delivery target, the deal could open the door to further naval exports – but inexperience and geopolitical friction with China loom large.

• Air Warfare

  Helsing targets European market with new CA-1 combat drone

  26th September 2025

  The UCAV, designed by Helsing’s subsidiary Grob Aircraft, will start ground tests in the coming months and is aiming to have a production-ready version by 2029.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMPT Terminator

  Despite having earlier rejected the BMPT vehicle, the Russian MoD tested BMPT prototypes in Syria, where the vehicles performed well in combat conditions. This culminated ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | E-2D Advanced Hawkeye [Taiwan]

  According to a Taiwanese national newspaper, the Central News Agency, the Republic of China is planning to purchase six E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft to replace ...

• Data links

  Data links | E-2D Advanced Hawkeye [Taiwan]

  According to a Taiwanese national newspaper, the Central News Agency, the Republic of China is planning to purchase six E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft to replace ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | E-2D Advanced Hawkeye [Taiwan]

  According to a Taiwanese national newspaper, the Central News Agency, the Republic of China is planning to purchase six E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft to replace ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | E-2D Advanced Hawkeye [Taiwan]

  According to a Taiwanese national newspaper, the Central News Agency, the Republic of China is planning to purchase six E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft to replace ...

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

  Aksungur [Kyrgyzstan]

  Programme Background In January 2023, Daiyrbek Orunbekov, the Central Asian country's Presidential Press Service head, stated that Kyrgyzstan had bought "modern military equipment such as ...

• Main battle tanks

  T-14 Armata [Russia]

  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 ...

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

  Eurodrone (Forecast) [Japan]

  Programme Background Japan's Application The Letter of Approval (LOA) for observer status in the programme was presented to the Japanese Ambassador to Germany, Hidenao Yanagi, by Joachim ...

• Main battle 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  T-15 Armata [Russia]

  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 ...

• Main battle tanks

  T-90M Proryv (New-Build)

  The first contract for the T-90M was disclosed in August 2017. Comprising 30 tanks in total, it covered the upgrade of 20 T-90As to T-90M ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  SA2 & SA7 [New Zealand]

  Background Uncrewed Range As reported by Shephard, in February 2026, Syos Aerospace announced that it had been contracted by the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) to ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - mini

  X10D (Base defence) [USAF]

  Background Contract award On 8 April 2026, Skydio announced that it had been awarded a $9 million contract by the US Air Forces Central (USAFCENT), the air component ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VBMR-L Serval [Luxembourg]

  Programme Background Luxembourg currently operates a small military of just over 1,000 personnel. Despite its small size, Luxembourg has contributed troops to both NATO and EU ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Main battle tanks

  BMPT

  UVZ developed the BMPT Fire Support Combat Vehicle, nicknamed Terminator by the company, after studying the Russian Army's performance during the Chechen War. Designed to ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Protivnik-GE

  The Protivnik-GE is a mobile 3D surveillance radar distributed by Russian supplier Rosoboronexport and is currently used by the Russian Armed Forces and the Egyptian ...

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  Borisoglebsk-2

  The vehicle-mounted Borisoglebsk-2 EW system performs frequency scanning for hostile RF emissions. Produced by JSC Sozvezdie, it can perform both electronic surveillance and RF suppression. ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  İhtar

  The İhtar is an anti-drone system manufactured by Aselsan. It is designed to counter mini and micro-UAS threats in urban and rural environments. It detects and tracks ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  TOS-2 Tosochka

  Russia unveiled the TOS-2 Tosochka MLRS at the 2020 Victory Day Parade. Like its TOS-1A predecessor, it is intended to neutralise and suppress enemy positions ...

• Self-propelled guns

  PLC-161

  The PLC-161 (also known as PLC161) is a 4x4 truck-mounted 122 mm self-propelled howitzer that was first identified in July 2020. Few specific details concerning ...

• Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  Palantin

  The Russian Army’s United Instrument Manufacturing Corporation Palantin is a truck-mounted COMINT and communications jamming (COMJAM) system. Official information released by Russia’s MoD states that ...

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

  Gnat

  The Gnat is a medium-altitude, long-endurance, multi-mission UAS that has been produced in several different variants. Although originally intended for export customers, the platform was ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range, Self-propelled missile systems

  S-400 Triumf (SA-21 Growler)

  The S-400 Triumf (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) long-range air defence system, previously known as the S-300PMU-3, was developed by the Almaz Central Design Bureau ...

• Major networking projects

  SITCEN

  The Situation Centre (SITCEN) is the central agency for providing situational awareness within NATO HQ. It is responsible for receiving, exchanging and disseminating political, economic ...

• Land: battle management systems

  ASOC

  Under a contract awarded to Lockheed Martin by the USAF Electronic Systems Center in May 1997, the company is providing Air Sovereignty Operations Centers (ASOCs) ...

• Land: manned turrets

  B05Ya01 Berezhok

  KBP Tula developed the B05Ya01 Berezhok turret (also referred to as a 'combat module') to provide an upgrade option for the legacy Soviet BMP-1 and BMP-2 ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Kamaz-53949 Taifun-K

  The Kamaz-53949 Taifun-K (Typhoon-K) is a 4x4 MRAP vehicle manufactured in Russia by Remdiesel, a subsidiary of Kamaz.  Originally developed in 2010 as a private ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Command View C4I

  In operation with many of the world’s military forces, Command View is designed to access and integrate different sources of data and present it to ...

• Surface-to-surface missiles

  Iskander-M/E/K

  The Iskander-M (NATO reporting name: SS-26 'Stone') is a short-range ballistic missile. It was the second attempt by Russia to replace the Skud after its ...