• Land Warfare

  Insight: Why the CV90 infantry fighting vehicle is making a clean sweep of Nordic markets

  19th September 2023

  Shephard Defence Insight explores the evolution of BAE Systems Hägglunds’ CV90 IFV from its inception in the late 1980s to the latest CV90 MkIV, detailing the order history and upgrade packages of its ten European customers.

• Training

  Augmented reality integration on trainer aircraft progresses despite no official requirement

  27th June 2023

  Companies such as BAE Systems, Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Korea Aerospace Industries are pushing forward with implementing the Red 6 augmented reality system onto jet trainers, despite the absence of formal interest from customer air forces so far.

• Air Warfare

  Malaysia signs contracts for light combat aircraft and MALE UAVs

  29th May 2023

  Malaysia announced several important aircraft contracts at LIMA 2023, including UAVs and light combat aircraft.

• Training

  Red 6 secures funding for augmented reality system for trainer jets

  15th June 2023

  Trainer jets that will receive Red 6's Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS) include the TF-50, the BAE Hawk T2 and T-7 Red Hawk.

• Land Warfare

  Rafael ready to counter Iran’s hypersonic threats, says company at Paris Air Show

  20th June 2023

  Planning of flight tests and interception trials for the Sky Sonic counter-hypersonic missile system are under way, while Rafael hopes to start full-scale development in the coming months.

• 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.

• Training

  IBM joins Babcock-Leonardo bid team for Canada’s largest training contract

  1st June 2023

  The 25-year, $3.75 billion contract is currently in the evaluation phase and is expected to be awarded in the autumn of this year with only two remaining contenders.

• Training

  Exosonic begins trials of UAS testbed for supersonic aerial target programme

  26th May 2023

  Exosonic has commenced trials of its EX-3M Trident UAV, a quarter-scale testbed for the EX-3 Revenant supersonic aerial target drone it is developing for the US Air Force.

• Training

  US Air Force jet trainer upgrade prevents obsolescence and improves availability

  24th March 2023

  Contractor Field Aerospace has completed work on the Avionics Modification Program for the USAF's T-1 Jayhawk fleet to address obsolescence issues, increase aircraft availability and decrease sustainment costs.

• Defence Helicopter

  Updated: UK New Medium Helicopter bidders ready to move as soon as MoD confirms timeline

  23rd June 2023

  The lack of clearly defined acquisition targets for the UK New Medium Helicopter programme continues to pose challenges to the timeline of introducing the new rotorcraft into service by 2025.

• Defence Helicopter

  Canada to upgrade AW101 rescue helicopters in-country under Leonardo-IMP deal

  3rd May 2023

  Canada's IMP Aerospace will carry out upgrades on 13 of the 16 AW101 aircraft covered by the CMLU programme under a sub-contract from Leonardo Helicopters UK.

• Land Warfare

  Demand for AFVs and artillery keeps South Korean firms busy

  28th June 2023

  Worldwide demand for military equipment is playing into South Korea's hands, as the country's defence industry makes deeper inroads into foreign markets.

• Naval Warfare

  Hanwha Group’s acquisition of shipbuilder DSME is approved

  1st May 2023

  South Korea's naval shipbuilding industry has received a shakeup, with regulatory authorities green-lighting Hanwha's acquisition of debt-ridden DSME.

• Defence Notes

  Malaysia’s military acquisition mayhem and malfeasance (Opinion)

  15th June 2023

  Malaysia has succeeded in producing some prime examples of unsuccessful military procurements and corruption. Unfortunately, it is the Malaysian Armed Forces that bears the consequences.

• Air Warfare

  Raytheon upgrades KAI FA-50 combat aircraft with PhantomStrike radar

  16th May 2023

  Raytheon is to integrate its PhantomStrike fire control radar on the KAI FA-50 light attack aircraft.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Submarines: nuclear, attack

  Second Hand SSNs [Australia]

  Programme Background Timeline In September 2021, it was announced in a trilateral announcement between Australia, the US and the UK that Australia, in a shock ...

• Military helicopters - maritime, Military helicopters - multirole

  MH-60R [New Zealand]

  Programme Background In April 2025, New Zealand pledged to boost defence expenditure through its Defence Capability Plan. Building on that commitment, the government announced at ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47ER Chinook [UK]

  Programme Background Formally known as the Chinook Capability Sustainment Program the UK is planning to replace its 14 oldest CH-47s with 14 new-build CH-47F (ER). ...

• ISR/special mission

  E-6 TACAMO Recapitalisation Programme (E-130J) [USN]

  Programme Background The E-6 Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) Recapitalisation Programme (E-XX) provides for air vehicle replacement and mission systems modernization to augment and eventually ...

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

  MQ-25 Stingray (13-76) [USN]

  Background Initial Requirements - Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F -Kenya

  Crew transition training took place at the MD Helicopters headquarters in Mesa, Arizona, with field service support, armament, and gunnery training scheduled to occur at ...

• Transport

  C295 [Serbia]

  Programme Background Serbia has completed the acquisition of two Airbus C295MW (Modernised, Winglets) transport aircraft, receiving the second plane on 14 November at Milenko Pavlović ...

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

  MQ-25 Stingray (10-12) [USN]

  Background Initial Requirements -  Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four Preliminary ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme [UK]

  Programme Background The next-generation platform concept is part of the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, which sought to deliver a Future Combat Air System ...

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

  MQ-25 Stingray (1-9) [USN]

  Background Initial Requirements - Unmanned Carrier Launch Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) [USA]

  Programme Background US Army's Future Vertical Lift Programme The FLRAA is one of three strands of a broader army programme. The others are the Future ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Kaan [Indonesia]

  At IndoDefence 2025, Turkish Aerospace formalised a Memorandum of Understanding with Indonesia for the procurement of 48 Kaan fighters with a contract value of $10 billion. ...

• Data links

  Data links | Kaan [Indonesia]

  At IndoDefence 2025, Turkish Aerospace formalised a Memorandum of Understanding with Indonesia for the procurement of 48 Kaan fighters with a contract value of $10 billion. ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Kaan [Indonesia]

  At IndoDefence 2025, Turkish Aerospace formalised a Memorandum of Understanding with Indonesia for the procurement of 48 Kaan fighters with a contract value of $10 billion. ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Kaan [Indonesia]

  At IndoDefence 2025, Turkish Aerospace formalised a Memorandum of Understanding with Indonesia for the procurement of 48 Kaan fighters with a contract value of $10 billion. ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Head-up displays

  Collins Aerospace HUD

  The Head-up Display (HUD) developed by Collins Aerospace, USA lets pilots fly seamlessly under all conditions. Compatible with night vision goggles, it can be utilized ...

• Air: Displays

  Collins Aerospace AMLCDs

  Collins Aerospace's display system includes four 6''X8'' coloured  Active Matrix Liquid Crystal Displays (AMLCDs). These AMLCDs are fully compatible with Night Vision Goggles (NVG) and ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  CS-1218

  The CS-1218 is a small, high-performance,omni-directional antenna that operates over the 0.5-18GHz range. It is intended for use up to 40,000ft. The CS-1218 is radome-enclosed, ...

• EO/IR systems

  SYERS-2 (series)

  The Senior Year Electro-Optical Reconnaissance System (SYERS-2) is a multi-spectral, high-altitude ISR system. It has been installed on the US Army's fleet of U-2 Dragon Lady ...

• Loitering munitions

  Revenger

  The Revenger is a loitering munition developed by SRB Aerial Systems.  Not much is known about the platform; however, at IDEX 2023, two units were ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AR-1500

  Designed for export markets, the TruNet AR-1500 delivers high-speed communication between aircraft and ground forces. Notably, the transceiver supports modern waveforms as well as country-specific encryption ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  CS-1240

  The CS-1240 is a small, high-performance, omni-directional antenna that operates over the 18-40GHz frequency range. It is intended for use up to 25,000ft. The CS-1240 ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Zero-G HMDS+

  The Zero-G HMDS+ is a developmental helmet-mounted display system being developed by Collins Aerospace and Elbit Systems for sixth-generation higher aircraft. According to the company, ...

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

  Abqaiq M2DU

  The Abqaiq M2DU is a developmental fixed-wing UAV manufactured by SRB Aerial Systems. It is a highly modular platform powered by a COTS 2-strike piston engine.  ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  CS-3645

  The CS-3645 hybrid ELINT/electronic support measures (ESM) system provides simultaneous tactical threat warning, ESM and technical ELINT capabilities from 0.5-40GHz. The CS-3645 combines the characteristics ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  HITS-A

  Collins Aerospace is the prime contractor designing and developing the first integrated aircrew training systems for the E-2D, leading the Hawkeye Integrated Training System for ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  CS-3240

  The CS-3240 automatic ELINT system detects, captures and identifies radar signals in the 2-18GHz range –options for higher- and lower-frequency coverage are available. The CS-3240 ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  F-35 Gen III HMDS

  The F-35 Gen III helmet-mounted display system (HMDS) is provided by a joint venture between Elbit Systems of America and Rockwell Collins, developed for the F-35 ...

• Air: Displays

  FDS-255

  Rockwell Collins' (now Collins Aerospace) FDS-255 Multifunction Flight Display System is a Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) display package developed as a stand-alone replacement for electromechanical indicators. It ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS)

  Developed by Collins Aerospace, the Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS) is based on the Flight2 open system architecture design and includes an advanced hardware, software ...