• 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

  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 …

• 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

  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 …

• 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

  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 …

• 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, …

• 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

  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), …

• Defence Helicopter

  China’s ‘Black Hawk’ set to enter PLA service

  23rd February 2018

  After a small flurry of helicopter images appeared on the Chinese internet this week, the Z-20 medium helicopter is thought to be approaching low-rate initial …

• Defence Notes

  India publishes ambitious defence roadmap

  28th February 2018

  India released its ‘Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmap - 2018’ (TPCR-2018) document in late February, outlining the equipment and technology that the country’s armed forces …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  China improves cueing for Cloud Shadow UAV

  23rd February 2018

  China’s UAVs will reach farther, faster and hit the enemy harder, if current trends continue. Evidence of this was visible at the recent 2018 Singapore …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

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

  MALE Combat Drones [Thailand]

  Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - small

  Mini RPAS (High Altitude)

  Programme Background The Indian Army has initiated several tenders aiming to procure micro UAVs, but there has been little progress in following through with these ...

• 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 - small

  AdvaNced airCraft Infrastructure-Less Launch And RecoverY (ANCILLARY) [US]

  Programme Background Aims & Timeline As stated by DARPA, the ANCILLARY programme aims to develop and fly an X-plane that will provide a "leap-ahead" in long-endurance, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  Tactical-Level Armed Drone [Thailand]

  Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events ...

• 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 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  DTIF GUARD (Ireland)

  Programme Background The Problem As stated by the project's website, Ireland is the "softest target in EU for smugglers" due to its 3171km of coastline, ...

• 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 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer MIV [UK]

  Programme Background History The UK MoD announced in March 2018 that it would re-join the Boxer programme and pursue a sole-source acquisition of the 8x8 ...

• 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

• UAS: communication systems

  Aviator UAV 200

  Cobham’s UAV 200 is a satcom solution designed to enhance a tactical UAV’s performance, range and payload flexibility in a number of applications.This including SAR, ...

• USV-450

  The SeaRobotics USV-450 is a lightweight USV designed for survey/surveillance, hydrographic data-gathering and general-purpose sensor transport. 

• Military - USVs

  USV-11000

  The SeaRobotics USV-11000 is a long-endurance USV that can be used for military and civil missions. This includes coastal and offshore surveys, hydrographic data-gathering, harbour security ...

• UAS: communication systems

  BlackRay 1000

  The BlackRay 1000 is a ruggedised two-way SATCOM terminal for the UAV market with built-in modem and ACU. It is customisable to meet most UAS ...

• Military - USVs

  USV-550

  The SeaRobotics USV-550 can be used for shallow-water survey and surveillance, hydrographic data-gathering, general-purpose sensor transport and small ROV deployment. 

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Shadow M2

  The Shadow M2 builds on the Shadow 200, but has greater endurance and payload capability, quieter and more reliable propulsion and an optional SATCOM capability ...

• UAS: communication systems

  LAISR ULW

  Developed by Inmarsat Government, the Lightweight Airborne ISR System - Ultra Lightweight (LAISR ULW) is an L-Band SATCOM terminal providing beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) connectivity for SWaP-constrained ...

• Maritime patrol, Trainer

  DA42 MPP Pandion

  The DA42 MultiPurpose Platform (MPP) Pandion is a lightweight MPA, designed to carry out various missions, including coastal surveillance, training, anti-piracy, oil spill detection and ...

• UAS: communication systems

  Airborne Broadband SATCOM

  ViaSat’s airborne SATCOM services offer worldwide access and a range of service levels, providing connectivity and performance options tailored to meet a variety of needs. ...

• Military - USVs

  USV-Collapsible

  The USV-Collapsible can be used for surveying, hydrographic data-gathering, harbour security/surveillance and general-purpose sensor transport. It can also be collapsed into a small shipping crate ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  ELK-1882T NC2

  Produced by Elta Systems (a subsidiary of IAI), ELK-1882T NC2 SATCOM terminals provide secure BLOS communications for fighter and special mission aircraft. The terminals utilise software-defined ...

• Land: battle management systems

  SCC Titan

  The server-based Situational Command and Control (SCC) Titan system is broken down into an HQ and a field-ready tactical satellite package, both designed to offer ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  RF-7800B-VU104

  This land mobile broadband global area network (BGAN) SATCOM terminal provides a tactical radio network capability within the Falcon III multi-band radio family. The RF-7800B-VU104 ...

• Data links

  VDC-550/-555/-850

  ViaSat Data Controllers (VDCs) work with combat net radios to deliver networking, including over severely degraded channels. Using a tactical radio, computer and VDC, notes ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  F100 Karma

  The F100 Karma is a fixed-wing UAV from WEDRONES. It is designed to detect, track, and mitigate the threats posed by other drones. The drone is ...