• Defence Notes

  D&S 2017: Thailand's top five defence programmes (video)

  2nd November 2017

  Ahead of Defense and Security 2017, hosted in Bangkok Thailand, Shephard takes a look at some of the host nation's top five ongoing defence programmes. 

• 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 …

• Military Logistics

  USMC orders additional P-19R ARFFs

  7th November 2017

  Oshkosh Defense will supply an additional 31 P-19R Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) vehicles to the US Marine Corps under a $19 million delivery order …

• Naval Warfare

  Pirate attacks persist in West Africa

  27th October 2017

  As 2017 draws to a close, the threat of pirate attacks in the waters of West Africa continues to affect civil and commercial operators. Just …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Under-fire DJI introduces new security countermeasures

  3rd November 2017

  DJI, the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial UAS, has been in the headlines over recent months regarding bans of its products by Western militaries. Rather …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ADEX 2017: A Sea Sword to slay the enemy

  20th October 2017

  The Sea Sword is a USV being developed by LIG Nex1 in South Korea. A scale model of the second-generation type was exhibited at Seoul …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ​ADEX 2017: IAI/Hankuk announce joint UAV venture

  18th October 2017

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Korea-based Hankuk Carbon signed an agreement establishing a new joint venture company, Korea Aviation Technologies (KAT), to be based in …

• Land Warfare

  Germany orders 120mm MBT practice ammo

  7th November 2017

  Rheinmetall has received a contract worth $28.6 million from the German Bundeswehr to supply new 120mm DM98 practice ammunition for main battle tanks, the company …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Russia boosts UAS flight training

  1st November 2017

  The Russian armed forces’ Western Military District has received more than 30 Orlan-10 and Eleron-3 short-range UAS throughout 2017, the Russian Ministry of Defence announced …

• Land Warfare

  D&S 2017: Black Widow gives birth to water baby

  7th November 2017

  Two years ago the Defence Technology Institute (DTI), a division of the Thai Ministry of Defence, displayed a prototype of its Black Widow Spider 8x8 …

• Digital Battlespace

  CAE looks to miniaturise sub detection tech

  3rd November 2017

  The Royal Canadian Navy will assess a new miniaturised magnetic anomaly detection (MAD) system from CAE, following approval from the government. Testing of the new …

• Naval Warfare

  D&S 2017: Chinese floats whole submarine family for export

  6th November 2017

  Chinese companies were out in force at Defense & Security 2017 in Bangkok, including the China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Company (CSOC). Most prominent on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ADEX 2017: Uconsystem and Firstec expand ranges

  19th October 2017

  Uconsystem, a South Korean manufacturer of UAVs, demonstrated a strong move into the commercial market at Seoul ADEX 2017 as it builds upon military sales …

• Naval Warfare

  New phase of Greek P-3B upgrade

  7th November 2017

  Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract to continue the modernisation and upgrade of Greece’s P-3B Orion aircraft. The contract modification for the mid-life upgrade …

• Naval Warfare

  D&S 2017: US continues building maritime capability for SE Asian friends

  2nd November 2017

  Southeast Asian countries are expected to receive continued US military assistance in the near term as China continues to wrangle with regional neighbours over territorial …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  DELI [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Speaking to Shephard at SAHA Expo 2022, a spokesperson stated that the platform was expected to enter into service with the Turkish Armed ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 [UK]

  Background Rumours In mid-October 2022, Mustafa Varank, Turkey’s minister of industry, revealed to CNN Turk that the UK was interested in Turkish armed drones. The ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) (Tranche 2) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an organic, ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Micro UAV [Argentina]

  Background Tender The EA and MoD in April 2021 announced Public Tender 0090/2021 (UOC: 84/135), which saw the General Directorate of Material begin the process of ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache (Indian Air Force)

  Programme Background The Indian Army was originally granted co-ownership of the 22 Apaches by the Indian MoD. However, the IAF refused to cede them to ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Ground Master 403 Radar [Egypt]

  Background In 2020, Egypt ordered four of France-based Thales Ground Master 403 radars, the mobile member of their GM400 radar family.  At least one of the ...

• Military UAS - small

  ScanEagle [Czechia]

  Programme Background Earmarked The ACR took delivery of ten ScanEagle systems (100 UAVs), which were received as a donation from the US in 2015. In ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Sovereign UAS Challenge [Australia]

  Background Chinese Drones Banned As reported by Shephard in August 2023, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) previously used commercial UAS from companies such as DJI ...

• Military UAS - small

  Domestically developed UAV [Mexican Army]

  Background Domestic development In 2025, President Claudia Sheinbaum announced initiatives for the Army and Navy to independently develop UAV prototypes, as part of a broader ...

• Military UAS - small

  HUSAR (2023 Order) [Germany]

  Programme Background First Order In 2015, the German Army launched the HUSAR programme to identify a replacement for its Airbus Defence & Space KZO and ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Akinci [Libya]

  Programme Background 2022 Reports In October 2022, various Libyan media outlets reported that the country was eyeing a possible procurement from Baykar, possibly the Akinici ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  TUAS [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Tender & Requirments The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) issued a tender in May 2020 to provide a new Tactical Uncrewed Aerial System (TUAS). ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Wizjer [Poland]

  Programme Background Requirements In its Technical Modernisation Programme 2013-2022, the Polish Ministry of National Defense (MND) identified the need for several new types of UAVs ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) [USMC]

  Background US Marine ULS-A programmes The US Marines are seeking a family of Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A) that will provide logistics and ground units with their ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  OC-135B Replacement [USA]

  Programme Background The modification and Treaty Certification works include Digital Visual Imaging System kits, design and development for mission system integration (structural design, interphone communications systems, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - small

  Skylark 3

  The Skylark 3 is a small UAS manufactured by Elbit Systems. It is designed for both dismounted and vehicle-based operations.  It can perform a range of ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  M12 Monitor

  The Saxon Remote Systems M12 Monitor UAV is a commercial and military system designed to perform a range of roles such as surveillance, pipeline inspection ...

• Military UAS - small, Military UAS - tactical

  Resolute Eagle

  The Resolute Eagle is a tactical Group 3 UAS with fuselage and underwing payload bays, which is able to carry multiple sensors. The UAS has been ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  SICX-10E

  The SICX-10E is a rotary-wing UAV suitable for a range of military and civil roles, including tactical ISR, bomb damage assessment, homeland security, aerial surveillance, ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  SICX-25

  The SICX-25 is a rotary-wing UAV suitable for a range of military, commercial and civil missions, including tactical ISTAR, bomb damage assessment, civil air surveillance, ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  30 June

  Developed by the Egyptian Ministry of Military Production, the 30 June is a MALE fixed-wing UAV designed for reconnaissance missions.  Additionally, it features an electromagnetic system and ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Wulung

  The Wulung is an Indonesian tactical UAV. First displayed at the Indo Defence Expo and Forum in November 2014, the aircraft entered mass production in May ...

• EO/IR systems

  Skybox

  The Skybox allows gimballed camera systems developed for small UAVs to be integrated on the nose of manned helicopters. It accommodates cameras such as DJI’s ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Yagu

  Plasan unveiled the Yagu 4x4 at the March 2018 Expo Seguridad event. It is based on the Arctic Cat Wildcat 4 1000 commercial all-terrain vehicle. The ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  StratoAirNet

  The StratoAirNet is a lightweight MALE UAV that is solar-powered and designed for commercial and military applications. It can accommodate multiple payloads weighing up to ...

• Air: mission management systems

  TM-100 Map and Video Management system

  Trakka Systems introduced a new TM-100 Map and Video Management system at HAI Heli-Expo 2017 in Dallas. The augmented reality mapping system with metadata video and audio ...

• EO/IR systems

  Geodetic photomapping and monitoring payload and blind zone cameras

  Heliatica unveiled a geodetic mapping and monitoring payload with Geoscan at Heli-Expo 2017. The system is designed to fit two Sony DSC-RX1 (24MP resolution) cameras ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  EJ-30

  Produced by Industrial Complex Engineering Robots in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Military Production, the EJ-30 is a MALE UAV with visual similarity to the ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Dragonfish (Series)

  The Dragonfish is a series of mini fixed-wing tiltrotor UAVs from Autel Robotics. The series consists of the Lite, Standard and Pro dragonfish, with the ...

• OPVs

  Shachi Class (Project 21)

  Project 21 (P-21) Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels (NOPVs)  was intended to enhance the maritime surveillance and patrol capabilities of the Indian Navy. The design of ...