• Land Warfare

  UK plays host to inaugural AUKUS Pillar 2 AI and autonomy trial

  26th May 2023

  While for most part AUKUS is about submarines, under its Advanced Capabilities Pillar, known as Pillar 2, the UK, US and Australia are collaborating on other leading-edge technologies.

• Defence Notes

  What's new in the updated version of the US Marines Force Design 2030

  9th June 2023

  The most recent Force Design 2030 document introduces adjustments in terms of capabilities, doctrine, structure and training focusing on improving readiness.

• Land Warfare

  EDA begins study into adaptive materials for armoured vehicle camouflage

  28th June 2023

  Six European Defence Agency member states are joining efforts under the ASCALS project to develop new solutions and application processes to better conceal combat vehicles on the battlefield.

• Digital Battlespace

  L3Harris, Amazon team up to advance battlespace networking

  1st June 2023

  L3Harris Technologies has announced an agreement with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to demonstrate networking and sensor fusion capabilities across a distributed battlespace. The two companies …

• Land Warfare

  Leonardo launches new turrets for land and naval platforms

  7th June 2023

  At SeaFuture 2023 in La Spezia, Italy, Leonardo launched two new turrets for land and naval applications.

• Air Warfare

  Indonesia orders GM400α radars to enhance its patchy air surveillance

  23rd June 2023

  Indonesia has inked a long-awaited deal for multiple air surveillance radars that will close gaps in the military's ability to monitor aircraft movements.

• Air Warfare

  Insight: Is the Bayraktar TB2 UAV living up to expectations?

  15th September 2023

  Sold to well over 20 countries and combat-proven in Nagorno-Karabakh, Ukraine and elsewhere, the Bayraktar TB2 has been an export success for its Turkish manufacturer. Shephard Defence Insight analyses the aircraft's design and capabilities and reviews in depth who is buying it and why.

• Defence Notes

  How the UK is approaching the use of AI in weapon systems

  4th May 2023

  British lawmakers have been analysing how to safely and reliably deploy AI technology as well as their impact on the nature of armed conflicts.

• Defence Notes

  How commercial technologies are helping the Pentagon combat cyber threats

  1st June 2023

  The DoD is focused on the use of AI, ML and trusted commercial autonomy as well as cyber and telecom solutions to be combined with the government’s assets.

• Air Warfare

  Trillium imaging payloads selected for British Army's Stalker VXE30 drone fleet

  24th May 2023

  Trillium Engineering's HD55 series payloads will equip the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works Stalker VXE30 ISR UAS supplied to the British Army under the UK MoD's Project Tiquila effort.

• Defence Notes

  What will future military drones look like?

  22nd June 2023

  Industry and armed forces have been working on the development of faster, more lethal, sophisticated and mass-producible UAVs.

• Digital Battlespace

  Controp showcases electro-optical and artificial intelligence tech at IMDEX

  3rd May 2023

  At IMDEX Asia 2023, Controp showcased advanced electro-optical (EO) and artificial intelligence (AI) technology for maritime, coastal surveillance and counter-UAS applications.

• Air Warfare

  Hensoldt boosts performance of Kalaetron airborne electronic attack system

  16th May 2023

  Hensoldt has increased the effective range of its Kalaetron Attack EW jamming pod following flight trials and next plans to integrate the system with a SIGINT package.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Trillium brings artificial intelligence capability to UAV imaging sensors

  1st May 2023

  Trillium Engineering has announced a partnership with AI developer SightX to bring the latter's processing capabilities into the company's range of ISR payloads for UAS.

• Training

  Bohemia unveils latest VBS features and announces Blackshark.ai partnership at IT2EC 2023

  24th April 2023

  Bohemia Interactive Simulations has begun working with Blackshark.ai in the geospatial area and added two additional features to VBS.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  IA-63 Pampa III (Follow-On) [Argentina]

  Programme Background After the previous procurement of six AI-63 Pampa III aircraft from 2018 and 2019 agreements, Argentina was left with a further need for 34 aircraft. ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  X-Bat [Poland]

  Background Polish involvement Speaking in June 2026, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated that Shield AI offered Poland a role in the X-Bat programme, with the ...

• Military UAS - small

  V-Bat [India]

  Background Make In India The ‘Make In India’ is an initiative by the Indian government to grow the domestic manufacturing industry. In the defence context, ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Group Unmanned Isr DronE (GUIDE) [Netherlands]

  Background Competition On 14 March 2025, the Netherlands announced a competition on the EU tendering website for the future procurement of 514 UAVs for intelligence, surveillance, ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) services [USN]

  In April 2026, AeroVironment (AV) and Shield AI announced that they had been selected to compete for a US$800 million task order to provide Contractor-Owned, ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) services [USN]

  In April 2026, AeroVironment (AV) and Shield AI announced that they had been selected to compete for a US$800 million task order to provide Contractor-Owned, ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | X-Bat [Poland]

  Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated in June 2026 that Shield AI offered Poland a role in the X-Bat programme. Defence Insight forecasts that Poland could acquire the ...

• Military UAS - small

  Shield AI UAVs [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Reported Talks Reporting from the World Defence Show (WDS) 2026, the Middle East Eye (MEE) noted that, according to two sources, Saudi Arabia was ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | V-Bat [Poland]

  On 23 June 2026, Poland announced a US$16 million deal with Shield AI to procure a V-Bat system. The platforms will be used by the ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | V-Bat [Poland]

  On 23 June 2026, Poland announced a US$16 million deal with Shield AI to procure a V-Bat system. The platforms will be used by the ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Ship-Bourne VTOL UAV [Singapore]

  Background Multi-Role Combat Vessel  The Republic of Singapore Navy will retire its six Victory-class corvettes and replace them with a new platform, the Multi-Role Combat ...

• Military UAS - small

  Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) services [USN]

  Background ISR services In April 2026, several companies announced that the USN had selected them to provide Contractor-Owned, Contractor-Operated (COCO) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | V-Bat [Netherlands]

  Shield AI announced in July 2025 that the Netherlands had acquired eight V-Bat UAVs to enhance the maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations of the ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | V-Bat [Netherlands]

  Shield AI announced in July 2025 that the Netherlands had acquired eight V-Bat UAVs to enhance the maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations of the ...

• AEW&C

  GlobalEye [Canada]

  Background Canada and Sweden have been strengthening ties, particularly in defence, as middle powers continue to diversify their relationships due to increasingly strained relations with ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: vehicle surveillance/target acquisition systems

  TKN-AI

  TKN-AI is a commander’s periscope intended for guiding a vehicle, and battlefield observation and target acquisition by day and night. It is compatible with T-62, ...

• Fixed wing aircraft engines

  AI-20M

  The Ivchenko AI-20 is a Soviet turboprop engine developed in the 1950s. Although the engines were originally designed for civil cargo aircraft servicing medium- and ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  AI-450

  The AI-450 is a Ukrainian engine developed by Ivachenko-Progress, with Motor Sich acting as the production partner to supply parts and components. The turboprop engine ...

• Fixed wing aircraft engines

  АI-24

  The Ivchenko AI-24 turboprop aircraft engine was initially designed and manufactured in the late-1950s. Manufacturing was later moved to Motor Sich, a Ukraine based manufacturer ...

• Fixed wing aircraft engines

  AI-222-25

  Manufactured by Ukraine’s Motor Sich, the AI-222 is a high thrust-to-weight ratio turbofan engine family developed to power Russian Air Force advanced trainers and light ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  X-Bat

  The X-Bat is an AI-piloted, vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) autonomous combat aircraft designed for expeditionary and maritime operations in contested environments. Unveiled by Shield ...

• Loitering munitions

  Mizrak

  Mizrak, manufactured by Baykar, is an artificial intelligence (AI) powered loitering munition with AI-powered target detection and visual diving. The UAV was unveiled at SAHA 2026 ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  Hivemind

  Developed by Shield AI, Hivemind is an ecosystem of tightly integrated AI software tools and interfaces that leverages several factors to deliver  intelligent and resilient autonomy ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - mini

  GA-10FPV-AI

  The GA-10FPV-AI is a Lithuanian FPV quadcopter drone manufactured by Granta Autonomy. The drone can carry a 3kg payload and operate in GNSS-denied environments. In September 2024, Granta Autonomy ...

• Transport

  An-32

  The An-32 (NATO reporting name Cline) is a light military transport aircraft that can be operated in hot temperatures (up to 50°C) and from mountain ...

• Subsystems: software

  DI-Guy

  DI-Guy is an AI, scenario and SDK for real-time human visualisation, simulation and artificial intelligence. DI-Guy has thousands of realistic ready-to-use characters and motions. It ...

• Loitering munitions

  Viper 10

  The Viper 10 is a rotary-wing first-person view (FPV) drone from Baltic Viper. The loitering munition quadcopter has a 4kg payload, a reinforced communication system, and ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Scorpio 1000

  Described as an outdoor precision striker, the Scorpio 1000 is a rotary-wing quadcopter from XTEND.  It has advanced AI auto-targeting that enables precise flight without ...

• Military UAS - small

  Gogol-M

  The Gogol-M is a Ukrainian fixed-wing drone carrier, or mothership, from Strategy Force Solutions. The system can deliver two first-person view (FPV)-type attack drones to hit precision ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Sonora

  Sonora, or Delco, is a micro rotary-wing UAV manufactured by Harmattan AI. It is a cost-effective, training-focused UAV built to simulate ISR operations. In June 2025, France acquired 1,000 ...