• Naval Warfare

  Freedom completes Rough Water Trials

  28th May 2015

  The US Navy has reported that that the Littoral Combat Ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) completed its Rough Water Trials (RWT) in late March, also …

• Naval Warfare

  IMDEX Asia (video): Sagem highlights maritime optronic systems

  27th May 2015

  Sagem talked to Shephard at this year’s IMDEX Asia about the company’s current offering of optronic systems for both surface and sub-surface vessels. Pierre-Olivier Nougues, …

• Defence Notes

  China releases strategic White Paper

  27th May 2015

  China launched its defence White Paper this week, the ninth since 1998, with the focus on key strategic issues such as its relationship with the …

• Naval Warfare

  IMDEX Asia (video): Exhibition round-up

  26th May 2015

  Shephard Media editor-in-chief Tony Skinner discusses the most notable events at this year’s IMDEX Asia exhibition, which took place in Singapore between 19-21 May. Among …

• Naval Warfare

  IMDEX Asia: Microflown shows off 3D acoustic sensors

  26th May 2015

  First-time exhibitors Microflown Maritime displayed a range of 3D acoustic situational awareness systems suited for the defence and security market at this year’s IMDEX Asia. …

• Naval Warfare

  Australian Navy launches first AWD

  26th May 2015

  The Royal Australian Navy launched the first of three Air Warfare Destroyers (AWDs), Hobart, alongside the Port River wharf in Adelaide on 23 May. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Thales selected for UK's Merlin airborne surveillance helicopters

  26th May 2015

  The UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) and prime contractor Lockheed Martin have selected the Thales Searchwater radar and Cerberus mission system for the Royal Navy’s …

• Naval Warfare

  BAE delivers two AWD blocks in Australia

  26th May 2015

  BAE Systems has delivered two Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) blocks to Osborne, South Australia, it announced on 26 May. The blocks were manufactured at its …

• Military Logistics

  BAE Systems to upgrade UK Watchman radars

  22nd May 2015

  BAE Systems has been awarded a £7 million contract from the UK Ministry of Defence to upgrade four Watchman radars as part of the Marshall …

• Defence Helicopter

  US mulls MH-60R sale to Saudi Arabia

  22nd May 2015

  The US State Department has approved a possible foreign military sale of MH-60R multi-mission helicopters, associated equipment and support to Saudi Arabia, as announced by …

• Naval Warfare

  IMDEX Asia: Asia navies introduced to the ‘Tank Boat’

  22nd May 2015

  Indonesian shipyard PT Lundin and turret manufacturer CMI Defence are working on an innovative craft aimed at the riverine and amphibious assault market. Dubbed the …

• Naval Warfare

  IMDEX Asia: QinetiQ ViewFinder fuses sensor data

  22nd May 2015

  QinetiQ will unveil a new combat management system for naval vessels called ViewFinder at the IMDEX Asia 2015 exhibition. The system, developed as part of R&D …

• Naval Warfare

  IMDEX Asia: Hercules all at sea

  22nd May 2015

  Lockheed Martin is expecting that it will have its first customer for its Sea Herc concept in the near future. Speaking at IMDEX Asia, business …

• Naval Warfare

  FREMM Aquitaine continues verification test firings

  21st May 2015

  The frigate Aquitaine, a part of the multi-mission frigate program (FREMM), fired an Exocet MM40 surface-to-surface missile on 12 May and a naval cruise missile …

• Defence Helicopter

  IMDEX Asia: AgustaWestland pitches AW101 to Asian market

  21st May 2015

  AgustaWestland has launched a marketing drive of its AW101 medium multirole helicopter in Asia, with an eye on several opportunities in the region. In particular, …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  AR3 (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Background £270 Million investment On 15 September 2025, the UK MoD noted that, since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the UK ...

• Military UAS - small

  Intra-Theatre Lift [UK]

  Background  Relationship to the Heavy Lift Challenge The Royal Navy (RN) embarked on the Heavy Lift Challenge, now called the Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC), to explore cargo-carrying ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Intra-Theatre Lift [UK]

  On 27 June 2022, the MoD released a request for information (RFI) for a long-reach intra-theatre lift UAV. The RfI stated that the MOD had identified a ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Intra-Theatre Lift [UK]

  On 27 June 2022, the MoD released a request for information (RFI) for a long-reach intra-theatre lift UAV. The RfI stated that the MOD had identified a ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Land Autonomous Collaborative Platform (LACP) (Project NYX) [UK]

  Background Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) Strategy Reflecting on lessons from the cancellation of the Mosquito programme, the Royal Air Force (RAF) redefined the role of ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) (Project Vanquish) [UK]

  Background Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) Strategy Reflecting on lessons learned from the cancellation of the Mosquito programme, the Royal Air Force (RAF) redefined the role ...

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

  StormShroud: Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) [UK]

  Background Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) Strategy Reflecting on lessons learned from the cancellation of the Mosquito programme, the Royal Air Force (RAF) redefined the role ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Multi-Purpose Mission Ship (1) [Malaysia]

  Malaysia is procuring a Multi-Purpose Mission Ship (MPMS-1) designed to perform multiple maritime operations, including maritime law enforcement, EEZ protection, surveillance, and counter-trafficking. The Malaysian ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Multi-Purpose Mission Ship (1) [Malaysia]

  Malaysia is procuring a Multi-Purpose Mission Ship (MPMS-1) designed to perform multiple maritime operations, including maritime law enforcement, EEZ protection, surveillance, and counter-trafficking. The Malaysian ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Multi-Purpose Mission Ship (2) [Malaysia]

  Malaysia is procuring a second Multi-Purpose Mission Ship (MPMS-2) designed to perform multiple maritime operations, including maritime law enforcement, EEZ protection, surveillance, and counter-trafficking. The ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Multi-Purpose Mission Ship (2) [Malaysia]

  Malaysia is procuring a second Multi-Purpose Mission Ship (MPMS-2) designed to perform multiple maritime operations, including maritime law enforcement, EEZ protection, surveillance, and counter-trafficking. The ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

• Data links

  Data links | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | C295 MPAs [India]

  In February 2024, India's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) to purchase 15 maritime patrol aircraft for about $3.5 billion. The Indian ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

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

  AR5

  First announced in October 2012, the AR5 is a MALE UAS designed for SAR, surveillance and maritime patrol missions. The AR5 can be flown manually or commanded ...

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

  AR3

  The AR3, or AR3 Net Ray, is an autonomous small-UAS designed to support land-based and maritime missions.  In May 2025, the Royal Air Force announced ...

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

  AR3 EVO

  Unveiled at DSEI 2025, the AR3 EVO is a small fixed-wing UAV from Tekever. The system is highly modular and can be configured in a ...

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

  ARX

  Unveiled at Xponential 2024, the ARX is a fixed-wing drone developed by Tekever.  It features common electronics and software with other Tekever drones. Unlike those ...

• EO/IR systems

  PT-8DN

  The PT-8DN is a versatile day-night payload from Overwatch Imaging.  It has dual RGB sensors of different focal lengths and an HD LWIR sensor. It also ...

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

  AR2 Carcará

  The AR2 Carcará is a hand- or catapult-launched mini-UAV designed to support search and rescue, surveillance and patrol operations in amphibious and maritime environments. It is ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  AR4

  The AR4 is a hand-launched mini-UAS designed for rapid mobile deployment. Manufactured by Tekever, the UAS is suitable for both military and commercial ISTAR applications.  A ...

• EO/IR systems

  PT-8N

  The PT-8D is an IR system from Overwatch Imaging. It is fitted with multiple HD thermal cameras and has been designed to conduct missions at dusk ...

• EO/IR systems

  PT-8D

  Marketed as a cost-effective solution, the PT-8D is a wide-area search and ISR payload from Overwatch Imaging. It features an RGB colour camera and a ...

• Subsystems: hardware

  Maritime Console

  The Discovery Machine Maritime Console can create highly intelligent entities for use in simulated training events. It is designed to work with the USN Joint ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  FlyingFish Maritime

  The FlyingFish Maritime SIGINT system is one of several derivatives of the FlyingFish Airborne Satellite Monitoring System developed by Horizon Technologies. Designed to be mounted ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  SitaWare Maritime

  Developed by Systematic, SitaWare Maritime is a C4ISR system that emphasises interoperability, the ability to provide a recognised maritime picture, and data-led decision-making aids. According ...

• Maritime patrol

  Cessna Maritime Patrol

  The Cessna 'special mission' Maritime Patrol Aircraft is a variant of the Cessna Citation Longitude business jet developed by Textron aviation. Textron has stated the onboard systems, ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Torch-X Maritime

  Produced by Elbit Systems, the Torch-X Maritime is a combat management system which combines mature COTS components into an open-architecture C4I suite. Notably, the system ...

• Data links

  Maritime Tactical Data Link

  The Maritime Tactical Data Link (MTDL) is a developmental tactical data link by Hanwha Systems. Offered in 16 configurations, the system is based on the ...