• Special Operations

  Orbit develops MPT 30 SATCOM terminal

  21st May 2018

  Orbit Communications Systems has developed a 12-inch Multi-Purpose Terminal (MPT 30) for airborne satellite communications, the company announced on 17 May. The MPT 30 terminal …

• Special Operations

  SOFIC 2018: SOCOM looks to next gen communications

  26th May 2018

  The US Special Operations Command’s (USSOCOM’s) Program Executive Office for Command and Control, Communications and Computers (C4) has confirmed to Shephard it is still interested …

• Digital Battlespace

  Hughes to prototype FMI for US DoD

  10th May 2018

  Hughes Network Systems has received a follow-on contract to continue the second phase of a pilot study programme to assess the feasibility of interoperability across …

• Digital Battlespace

  Say ta-ta to communication and surveillance problems

  17th May 2018

  At last month’s DefExpo 2018 exhibition in Chennai, Tata Aerospace & Defence showed a 4x4 SUV-type solution offering mobile communications for both military and disaster …

• Digital Battlespace

  Space clean-up efforts intensify

  27th April 2018

  A wide range of experimental technologies and regulations aimed at tackling the increasing threat posed to critical satellites by thousands of pieces of debris orbiting …

• Digital Battlespace

  Canada advances vehicle communications modernisation

  1st May 2018

  The Canadian Army is moving steadily forward with a C4I modernisation effort that will see it replace increasingly obsolete systems fitted to its armoured fighting …

• Land Warfare

  DSA 2018: Rapid Ranger rides into Malaysia

  20th April 2018

  Thales, in conjunction with local partner Global Komited (a Weststar subsidiary), exhibited a Starstreak very short-range air defence system mounted on a URO Vamtac 4x4 vehicle at …

• Digital Battlespace

  AUSA Global: Harris unveils its US Army Leader Radio

  26th March 2018

  Harris Corporation has unveiled the latest member of its software defined radio (SDR) family, specifically designed for the US Army’s Leader Radio programme. Described as …

• Digital Battlespace

  ViaSat-2 SATCOM launched

  15th March 2018

  Viasat has launched its new ViaSat-2 satellite communications (SATCOM) service for government, defence and military applications, the company announced on 12 March. The communications satellite, …

• Digital Battlespace

  Turkey’s classified SIGINT UAV breaks cover

  24th March 2018

  Photos have emerged online appearing to show a classified signals intelligence (SIGINT) variant of Turkey’s indigenously-built Anka (Phoenix) UAV. The photos of the intelligence-gathering UAV …

• Special Operations

  US Army equips first unit with T2C2

  14th March 2018

  The US Army has equipped its first unit – the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division - with the new Transportable Tactical Command Communications …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  South Korea confirmed to be flying MALE UAV platform

  20th March 2018

  A new image of a South Korean MALE UAV in flight has recently surfaced. Significantly, the light-coloured aircraft was adorned in Republic of Korea Air Force …

• Training

  DSET 2018: Dutch army to deliver air defence training solution

  8th March 2018

  The Royal Netherlands Army (RNLA) Simulation Centre is shortly to deliver a prototype training system to the Dutch School for Air Defence in De Peel. …

• Digital Battlespace

  RAF launches advanced video imaging satellite

  1st March 2018

  The UK Air Force has significantly advanced its satellite intelligence capabilities with the successful launch of the Carbonite-2 satellite terminal.  Providing the service with detailed …

• Digital Battlespace

  Rockwell’s ARC-210 passes DNH testing for MUOS

  16th February 2018

  Rockwell Collins' airborne V/UHF radio has passed military security requirements for operation with the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) new Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Medium-Range Loitering Munition with LEO Satellite Data Link [South Korea]

  Background New Project In April 2025, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) announced a new project titled “Development of Medium-Range ...

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

  Dominator XP [Thailand]

  Programme Background Purchase As reported by Shephard, in September 2023, the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) inducted three Dominator XPs. The RTAF purchased the trio ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47F Chinook (Singapore)

  Programme Background In July 2020, photos have emerged on the internet of the first Boeing CH-47F Chinook destined for the Republic of Singapore Air Force ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions (Special Mission Brigade) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Drone Ambition As reported by Shephard, South Korea has ambitions to possess a large arsenal of drones. In May 2024, the presidential office ...

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

  Anka-S (Second Batch) [Turkey]

  Programme Background First Batch Based on comments by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Turkish media in 2018, Shephard believes that Türkiye acquired 26 Anka-S drones ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  New Water Jet Fast Attack Craft (NWJFAC) (1-31) [India]

  Programme Background Requirements The Indian Navy is seeking replacements for a large proportion of its 19 46-49m-long waterjet-powered fast attack craft, several of which are approaching ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Portugal VTLB

  Programme Background The Portuguese Army planned to allocate funds for the procurement of 167 VTLBs during the Military Programming Law running from 2015 until 2026. ...

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

  Akinci [Turkey]

  Programme Background Unveiling & Testing Unveiled at TEKOFEST Istanbul Aviation, Space and Technology Festival in September 2019, the Akinci completed its first flight in December 2019. In June 2021, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (Japan)

  Programme Background Selection & Contract AwardIn 2015, Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft were selected by Japan to ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Submarines Procurement (1-2) [Greece]

  Programme Background Requirements As of 2025, the Hellenic Navy (HN) submarine force consists of four Type 214, four Type 209/1200 and two Type 209/1100. With ...

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

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian [Belgium]

  Programme Background FMS Contract On 26 March 2019, the US State Department announced that it had approved a possible FMS of four MQ-9B SkyGuardians for an estimated ...

• Military UAS - small

  Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC) [UK]

  Programme Background Requirement & Objective The RN identified a requirement to acquire an RPAS to transport cargo and supplies between ships and personnel. When mature, it ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Greenerwave LEO/GEO Terminal

  Greenerweave's LEO/GEO Terminal is a Ku-band SATCOM solution which benefits from the manufacturer's proprietary technology to reduce manufacturing costs and power requirements. Unveiled in March ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  MONDO Satellite Terminal

  The Multi Orbit Network, Dual Operation (MONDO) Satellite Terminal is a developmental SATCOM solution that provides continuous communication links on GEO, LEO and MEO networks. ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Revolution 450mp

  Introduced in 2023, the 450mp is a small form factor SATCOM modem which supports multiple orbits and waveforms. Notably, the man-portable modem supports the manufacturer's Evolution ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  FoldSat LEo Ku OW Mil

  The FoldSat LEo Ku OW Mil is a ruggedised SATCOM terminal developed by OneWeb. Launched in September 2023, it provides person-portable communications with a foldable ...

• Naval: Radio and SATCOM

  King Cobra

  The Fleet 394 'King Cobra' is a 2m-class Naval SATCOM terminal designed by EM Solutions. It provides simultaneous Ka-Band and X-Band coverage. According to the manufacturer, it ...

• Towed guns

  105mm LEO

  Denel Land Systems began development of the 105mm Light Experimental Ordnance (LEO) in 1995 to meet a South African Army technical requirement for a 105mm ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Osprey u8 HGL

  Launched in 2023, Kymeta Osprey u8 HGL is a hybrid Geostationary/Low-Earth Orbit terminal that provides satellite communications on the move. Notably, it can be mounted ...

• EO/IR systems

  LEO-II

  The LEO-II airborne observation system was a COTS, gyro-stabilised platform containing a multi-sensor payload and a laser pointer, which is available simultaneously in the turret. ...

• Space: radar systems

  TecSAR

  TecSAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar Technonology Demonstrator) is designed for LEO IMINT and carries an X-band radar payload with multi-beam electronic steering. The system is also ...

• EO/IR systems

  LEO-III

  The LEO-III, or LEO-III HD, was an airborne observation system with HD sensors and video outputs. It was a COTS, gyro-stabilised platform containing a multi-sensor HD ...

• Air: mission management systems

  LEO-III-HD

  The LEO-III-HD is an airborne observation system with HD sensors and video outputs. It is a COTS, gyro-stabilised platform containing a multi-sensor HD payload that ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  Leo MW

  Leo MW is a compact detector designed for optimised SWaP mediumwave IR (3-5µm) applications. It features a digital output camera link.

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Multi-Orbit Tactical Terminal

  Intelsat Multi-Orbit Tactical Terminal (MOTT) is a ruggedised terminal with a low-profile design. The vehicle-mountable terminal features an electronically steered array antenna, edge computing capabilities ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Vireo

  Produced by CesiumAstro, Vireo is a Ka-band, multi-beam payload communication system designed for commercial and military applications. The system enables uplink and downlink operations from ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  RESA L Ka

  Requtech's RESA L Ka is an integrated, electronically scanned array antenna terminal for Ka-Band LEO, MEO or GEO constellations for on-the-move and on-the-pause applications. Unveiled ...