• Digital Battlespace

  Thales' System 21 in demonstration

  6th December 2017

  Thales has demonstrated the ability of its System 21 modem to operate over Eutelsat commercial Ku-band satellites. The series of tests, carried out in October, …

• Digital Battlespace

  Philippines reflects on troposcatter comms for Mindanao

  21st November 2017

  Earlier this month the Philippines Department of National Defense (DND) invited two American companies to bid to meet a requirement for a tropospheric scatter (troposcatter) …

• Digital Battlespace

  NZDF fields networked elements during Southern Katipo

  1st December 2017

  The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) used the large-scale Exercise Southern Katipo in October-November to field elements of its Network Enabled Army (NEA) programme, ahead of …

• Digital Battlespace

  Laser communications the solution to SATCOM woes

  15th November 2017

  Laser communications technology is rapidly being developed as a means of enhancing the resilience of satellite communications and providing global, on-demand data to ever-more connected …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  MQ-9 shows off ASW capabilities

  15th November 2017

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has announced that its MQ-9 Predator B UAS has demonstrated the remote detection and tracking of submerged contacts, such as …

• Digital Battlespace

  MILCOM 2017: USAF looks to commercial SATCOM reform

  24th October 2017

  Momentum is building to reform the US military’s acquisition processes and help the US Air Force finally acquire long-term commercial satellite communication (SATCOM) capabilities. Reform …

• Digital Battlespace

  GATR SATCOM solutions for NZDF

  18th October 2017

  Cubic subsidiary GATR Technologies has received a foreign military sales contract to provide satellite communication (SATCOM) solutions for the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), Cubic …

• Digital Battlespace

  AUSA 2017: Resurgence of the HF radio

  2nd October 2017

  As military users look to High Frequency (HF) radio technology to support operations in SATCOM denied areas, radio manufacturer Harris will soon deliver its 1,000th …

• Digital Battlespace

  IAI Elta receives helicopter SATCOM order

  11th October 2017

  Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) Elta Systems has received a contract from an undisclosed customer to deliver an ELK-1891 satellite communications (SATCOM) network, the company announced …

• Defence Helicopter

  Singapore’s Apaches celebrate 15 years

  12th October 2017

  Fifteen years after their rollout in 2002, the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF) AH-64D Apache Longbows are still innovating and picking up new capabilities …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Australian navy explains UxV roadmap

  9th October 2017

  The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) laid out a roadmap for the future direction of unmanned technology at the Pacific International Maritime Exposition in Sydney on …

• Digital Battlespace

  Rockwell demos WBHF comms link

  21st September 2017

  Rockwell Collins has successfully demonstrated the resilience of next-generation high frequency (HF) communications using a wideband high frequency (WBHF) system over a 5,000 mile distance, …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales introduces COMTICS

  19th September 2017

  Thales has launched COMTICS, a resilient, high-availability shipboard information distribution system designed to provide operational services to naval personnel at sea. The advanced communication system …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Armed AV500W flies as new designs surprise

  18th September 2017

  Last month the AV500W rotary-winged UAV from the AVIC Helicopter Research and Development Institute in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province performed its maiden flight and conducted a …

• Digital Battlespace

  ViaLite’s RF links meet US WGS standard

  22nd August 2017

  ViaLite Communications’ RF over fibre links have been confirmed to be compliant with the US Army's Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) standards, the company announced on …

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 ...