• Naval Warfare

  Boeing and Airbus sign MoU for RAAF Poseidon through life support

  4th July 2019

  Boeing Defence Australia and Airbus Australia Pacific have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) extending their commitment to the sustainment of the P-8A Poseidon maritime …

• Defence Notes

  India set to purchase additional Su-30MKI fighters

  17th July 2019

  According to Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, the nation’s arms export control body, India is set to purchase 18 more Sukhoi Su-30MKI multirole fighters …

• Naval Warfare

  Admiral Nakhimov upgrade faces additional delay

  4th July 2019

  The protracted deep upgrade of Russian Navy’s nuclear-powered guided missile heavy cruiser Admiral Nakhimov is set to incur another delay. The vessel is the third …

• Training

  US Navy eyes new Arctic training exercise

  2nd July 2019

  The US Navy and Marine Corps plan to conduct a new, large-scale amphibious training exercise in Alaska this year to improve their ability to operate …

• Digital Battlespace

  UK's new weapon location system project becomes Serpens

  8th July 2019

  The new Next Generation Weapon Locating System (NGWLS) project, introduced by the UK MoD at DVD 2018, will now be known under a new name, …

• Naval Warfare

  Moscow orders new submarines

  2nd July 2019

  The Russian MoD has placed orders for two Project 885M (Yasen-M-class) nuclear-powered submarines and two Project 677 (Lada-class, pictured) diesel-electric submarines to boost its sub-surface …

• Naval Warfare

  Lockheed awarded contract for LRASM work

  5th July 2019

  Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract order worth some $175 million to update the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) for the US Navy. This order …

• Naval Warfare

  Insight: China prioritising modern sub fleet

  3rd July 2019

  If you enjoy this article sign up.for our Premium News service to continue accessing great defence stories like this. Click Here China is the Asia-Pacific country …

• Defence Notes

  Malaysian MPA and UAV programmes approved

  21st June 2019

  The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has confirmed to Shephard that the government has given approval for the service to prepare for the acquisition of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Aussie Bluebottles show signs of intelligence

  24th June 2019

  Ocius Technology announced on 17 June that two of its Bluebottle autonomous persistent USVs had begun running scenarios off the coast of New South Wales …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Insitu contracted for RQ-21A UAVs for US, Canada, Poland and Oman

  1st July 2019

  Insitu has been awarded a $390.3 million contract to provide RQ-21A Blackjack unmanned aerial vehicles to the US Navy, US Marine Corps and a number …

• Naval Warfare

  Waiting brief for second half of FFG(X) design process

  2nd July 2019

  The US Navy is another step closer to rectifying a gap in its fleet structure following the axing of the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates  as …

• Naval Warfare

  LCS 17 completes acceptance trials

  28th June 2019

  USS Indianapolis, the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 17, has completed acceptance trials at Lake Michigan, the final large milestone before it is delivered to the …

• Naval Warfare

  RFA Argus heads for ​Baltic Protector 2019

  11th June 2019

  RFA Argus has deployed for Baltic Protector 2019 with Royal Marine helicopter squadrons embarked as part of a Royal Navy amphibious task force.The deployment, led …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy stresses simplicity in unmanned vessel design

  25th June 2019

  The US Navy wants its future unmanned vessels to have simpler designs than manned ships to ensure they are relatively inexpensive and can therefore be …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munition (Royal Navy) [UK]

  Background Persistent Operational Deployment Systems (PODS) As the Royal Navy stated in 2022, Persistent Operational Deployment Systems (PODS) are “interchangeable modules that can be fitted to ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Project Dragonfire [UK]

  Background The UK Government's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has been working with MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ to develop a LASER Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) called ...

• Military UAS - small

  T-150 (Royal Navy) [UK]

  Background Deployment On 7 April 2025, the Royal Navy announced that, for the first time, nine T-150 drones would be operated from the HMS Prince ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Lanza 3D Radar [Thailand]

  Background Thailand is procuring the LANZA 3D radar to strengthen surveillance and protection of Sattahip Naval Base. The radar will be deployed by the Royal ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Flexible Tactical Uncrewed Air System (FTUAS) [UK]

  Background Tender notice and timeline On 25 May 2021, the MoD published a tender notice for the urgent acquisition of a UAS and ancillaries under ...

• Military UAS - small

  Puma 3 AE (UK)

  Programme Background Testing The Royal Navy announced in October 2020 that the Puma was undergoing its first operational testing on HMS Albion's autumn deployment to ...

• Frigates

  Hamilton Class Cutter [Bahrain]

  Background Very little has been said about the transfer of an ex-Hamilton-class cutter to Bahrain, but it is one of the final two to leave ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (1-6) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved' Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020. The contract ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (7-8) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Boraida Class replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Requirements The Royal Saudi Navy urges the replacement of three Boraida-class minehunters. Based on the Durance-class design, the ships entered service in the mid-1980s ...

• Minehunters

  Lat Ya Class Replacement Programme [Thailand]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) currently operates two Lat Ya-class minehunters, commissioned in the late 1990s. The units are based on the ...

• Frigates

  Air Defence Frigates Procurement [Denmark]

  Background Requirements After focusing on the procurement of new highly capable patrol ships and new Arctic frigates as a replacement for the Thetis-class, Shephard had initially estimated ...

• Frigates

  Karel Dorman Class (Chile)

  Programme Background  Chile currently operates two ex-Karel Doorman-class frigates which were sold in 2004. The Royal Netherlands Navy are in the process of replacing the ...

• Military UAS - small

  V-Bat [Netherlands]

  Background Contract award On 9 July 2025, Shield AI announced that the Netherlands MoD had acquired eight V-Bat aircraft, specifically the V-Bat 400, to enhance the maritime ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) (3) [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Malaysian Navy are in the process of a fleet transformation plan known as the 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, which ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Submarine-launched torpedoes

  Mk 48 Mod 7AT CBASS

  The MK 48 MOD 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) is the latest variant of the Mk 48 torpedo family manufactured by Lockheed Martin and ...

• Military - UUVs

  XV Excalibur

  XV Excalibur is an Extra Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (XLUUV) built by UK-based MSubs, in conjunction with the Royal Navy. It is an experimental vessel ...

• Frigates

  Hunter Class (Type 26)

  The Hunter-class frigates for the Royal Australian Navy are based on the Type 26 design. The ships are set to replace the Anzac-class under the ...

• Sea: naval fire control radar

  Ceros 200

  The Ceros 200 is a radar and optronic tracking system designed for use on naval vessels. When interfaced with modern missile or gun systems, it ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Royal Danish Navy MH-60R MOFT

  In January 2014, CAE was awarded an FMS contract by the USN to develop an MH-60R mission operational flight trainer (MOFT) for the Royal Danish ...

• Frigates

  Naresuan Class

  The Naresuan-class guided-missile frigates are a modified variant of the Chinese-built Type 053 frigate. The two ships-in-class were built by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation ...

• Destroyers

  River Class (Type 26)

  The Type 26 Anti-Submarine Warfare frigate has been designed for the UK Royal Navy, but with an emphasis on export. Both the Royal Canadian Navy ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  AN/SPY-7(V)1

  The AN/SPY-7(V)1 is a solid-state naval surveillance radar produced and manufactured by Lockheed Martin. The system is expected to be fully integrated into programmes for ...

• Frigates

  Jacob Van Heemskerck Class

  The Jacob van Heemskerck class frigates were ex-Royal Netherlands Navy frigates that also served under the Chilean Navy, also known as the Latorre-class. Two anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Walrus

  The Walrus is a mini rotary-wing UAV manufactured by the Royal Navy's 700X Naval Air Squadron.  As stressed during the December 2022 announcement, Walrus has been ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  RD-170BT

  The RD-170BT is a man-portable surveillance radar deployed ashore to protect moored patrol boats of the Royal Norwegian Navy. 

• Minehunters

  Sandown Class

  The Sandown class vessels are coastal minehunters and OPVs in service with the UK Royal Navy and Royal Saudi Naval Forces as the Al Jawf class. Additionally, ...

• Military - UUVs

  Mission Specialist Defender

  The Mission Specialist Defender is a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) developed by VideoRay, now part of BlueHalo's unmanned maritime systems. The ROV is known ...

• Frigates

  Type 22 (Batch 1)

  The Type 22 frigates were previously the Broadsword-class in service with the UK's Royal Navy. The vessels were built in three batches, with the first ...

• Sea: weapon training

  Inflatable Naval Gunnery Targets

  GeoData produces a range of Naval Gunnery Target Balloons (NavTGTs) for use by marine, navy, coast guard and army units to maintain target acquisition and ...