• Air Warfare

  Baykar’s Kizilelma drone makes progress with first air-to-air kill

  1st December 2025

  This test is the latest milestone achieved by the indigenous drone, destroying a target using a beyond-visual-range missile.

• Land Warfare

  Ireland targets improved anti-drone capability before mid-year ahead of EU presidency

  22nd April 2026

  With Ireland's EU presidency set to commence from July this year, the ramped-up efforts to procure a counter-uncrewed aerial system and radar capability under its Military Radar Programme are on track to meet targeted roll-out dates.

• Air Warfare

  US Army command’s Picatinny CLIK common lethal drone interface makes progress

  10th December 2025

  The Picatinny Common Lethality Integration Kit is designed to overcome the issue of unique integration methods between lethal payloads and drones as well as avoiding problematic acquisition conditions created by vendor lock.

• Land Warfare

  April land forces roundup: Munitions and long-range fires drive procurement momentum

  1st May 2026

  The demand for long-range fires continues alongside the drive to increase artillery shell manufacture and the procurement of new artillery weapons.

• Naval Warfare

  Thales wins DE&S contract for portable autonomous command centres

  29th December 2025

  The agreement to provide portable autonomous command centres to the UK Royal Navy will enhance the service’s Mine Counter Measure operations and further integrate autonomous and uncrewed systems into its fleet.

• Air Warfare

  Bayraktar TB2: The $4.11 billion market success of a cost-effective MALE UAV

  22nd January 2026

  The success of the Bayraktar TB2 stems from it fulfilling a niche of providing reasonable capabilities at a low cost, leading to its acquisition by more than 30 countries including many in Africa; but there are reasons to be cautious about its potential future prospects.

• Air Warfare

  Australia’s revised defence investment plan: what it means for air warfare

  17th April 2026

  The Australian government’s 2026 National Defence Strategy has unveiled a major spending uplift planned for the Royal Australian Air Force, focused on upgrading its air combat and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, as well as upping investment in uncrewed aerial systems.

• Air Warfare

  July air forces review: Farnborough steals the headlines as programmes develop

  30th July 2026

  The biannual Farnborough International Airshow 2026 was the backdrop in July for scores of deals, partnerships and announcements, including developments in the multinational next-generation Global Combat Air Programme and the UK’s $486 million trainer aircraft requirement.

• Air Warfare

  Northrop Grumman and Kratos team up to develop US Marine Corps CCA

  9th January 2026

  Northrop Grumman will provide the autonomy software for the USMC loyal wingman, which will be integrated into Kratos’ XQ-58 Valkyrie uncrewed aerial system.

• Air Warfare

  Dubai Airshow 2025: Middle Eastern nations chart a broader course for defence procurement

  10th November 2025

  Several key defence contracts are still waiting to be confirmed in the air domain as global players including the US, some European countries and Turkey look to seize market opportunities.

• Air Warfare

  2025 UAV market review: $7.8 billion in new contracts signed as US leads spending

  17th December 2025

  Qatar and Indonesia followed the US’s high spending on new uncrewed aerial vehicle contracts across 2025, while MALE and micro drones and loitering munitions were particularly popular subcategories this year.

• Land Warfare

  Netherlands to get step change in air defence capability with FFG ACSV selection

  21st January 2026

  FFG’s tracked Armoured Combat Support Vehicle will form the backbone of the Netherlands’ new low-level air defences, Shephard has learned, with scope for further fleet expansion beyond the initial order.

• Defence Notes

  High tension in the High North – a wake-up call for NATO’s future Arctic defence efforts?

  20th January 2026

  Any potential ‘Arctic Sentry’ mission would be months in the planning, but with tensions high in the region given the US’s push for Greenland, NATO countries will need to continue to emphasise their commitment to the region, analysts have said.

• Air Warfare

  GKN Aerospace to fly new UAV demonstrator by 2027

  26th November 2025

  The company plans to develop a cost-effective jet-engine drone, going from concept to a flight-tested demonstrator in 18 months.

• Air Warfare

  Norway revitalises effort to acquire a tactical-class UAV with $103 million competition

  2nd April 2026

  Norway first scoped the requirement in 2022, and included it in a defence strategy document in 2023. The announcement of a new framework agreement appears to have breathed fresh life into the effort.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  Tactical Drone System (SDT) (15-28) [France]

  Background Tactical Drone System (SDT) programme The French Army launched the SDT programme to replace the Sagem (now Safran) Sperwer Intermediate Tactical Drone System (SDTI) ...

• Military UAS - micro

  French Operational Pocket Drone / DrOP (France)

  Programme Background French UAV Procurment / DrOP Under its 2019-2025 Military Programming Law (LPM), France aims to introduce 1,200 new UAVs into service with the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VBMR Griffon [France]

  Background Development of the Griffon commenced in 2014 when the consortium of Arquus, Nexter and Thales was awarded a development contract to design the VBMR ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Future UAVs: Navy Aerial Drone System (SDAM) [France]

  Background Requirement The requirement for the SDAM programme was a rotary-wing VTOL-capable UAV with a modular configuration that can host a range of payloads. France ...

• CUAS - hybrid effector systems

  C-UAS [Portugal]

  Background Portugal's Military Programming Law 2023–2034 includes $8.8724 million (€8.2 million) to acquire counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) by 2034. It is assumed that this acquisition requires ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Land Mobility Programme (Light Protected Mobility) [UK]

  This programme briefly introduces the wider Land Mobility Programme and then focuses on the Light Protected Mobility (LPM) programme. Information on the LMV and HPM can ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  ASTER / VL MICA Multi-layer [France]

  Background The Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation, acting on behalf of France, awarded EUROSAM a contract on April 30th, 2026, for the development of the ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  Medium Range Air Defence [Portugal]

  Background Portugal's Military Programming Law 2023-2034 includes a requirement for medium-range air defence. In order to facilitate this, Portugal has joined the European Sky Shield Initiative ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Navio Polivalente Logistico (NAVPOL) (Portugal)

  Programme Background Requirements The NAVPOL is expected to feature a flexible and modular LPD design capable of amphibious operations and HADR tasks. Timeline The plans for ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  ASTER / VL MICA Multi-layer (additional) [France]

  Background In October 2026, France ordered four additional firing units of the SAMP/T NG air and missile defence system. With this order, the total number of SAMP/T ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Eurodrone [France]

  Background Inception (Stage One) The European MALE RPAS programme was launched in September 2016. Germany, Spain, France and Italy had negotiated and agreed, in collaboration ...

• ISR/special mission

  Strategic Intelligence Aircraft [France]

  Background In February 2018, the Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, announced that the strategic intelligence aircraft program CUGE Universal EW Capability began to ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [France]

  Background Airbus formally delivered the first production A400M to the French Air Force in August 2013. The French Air Force took delivery of its 15th ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Land Mobility Programme (Medium Protected Mobility) [UK]

  This programme briefly introduces the wider Land Mobility Programme and then focuses on the Medium Protected Mobility (MPM) programme. Information on the LMV and MPM can ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Serval LAD [France]

  Background France's Military Planning Law 2025-2030 committed it to purchasing 12 variants of the Serval MPVS specialised for counter-drone operations. Following Senate criticism, this figure was ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Medium UGVs

  Centurio

  At Eurosatory 2024, KNDS unveiled the Centurio family of 4x4 UGVs. Based on the Phobos UGV by SOGECLAIR, Centurio has been developed in the 2024-30 ...

• Land: handheld NV devices

  O-NYX

  The Thales O-NYX is a Ultra-Compact Night Vision Goggle used by the French armed forces. They have an enlarged field of vision to 51° compared ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Patroller

  The Patroller is a long-endurance, multi-mission UAS manufactured by Safran Electronics & Defence. Designed for ISR operations, the platform hosts a Euroflir 410 EO/IR pod and can accommodate ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  Urban Ranges

  Cubic Range Design Solutions has provided facilities around the world for military and law enforcement training in urban terrain. It uses its previous experience, as ...

• Sniper rifles

  Model 95

  The Model 95 is a bolt-action 50cal sniper rifle in a bullpup configuration, which entered production in 1995. Its buttplate, magazine well and trigger housing ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  SandCat

  The 4x4 SandCat family of vehicles was designed by Israeli armour specialist Plasan Sasa in 2005 for a range of military, special operations, homeland security, ...

• Pistols

  P30

  The P30 is available in 9x19mm and .40 S&W; calibres with six variants of each. The grip of the P30 has exchangeable backstrap and grip ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  EK 001 Blue Whale

  The EK 001 Blue Whale is a large, rotary-wing UAV capable of carrying a payload of 23kg. It is in the early stages of development. ...

• Suppressors

  FA556-212

  The Fast Attach 5.56mm (FA556)-212 sound suppressor is designed for use on the AR-15, C8 SFW, HK416, M4, M16 and SA-80. Firearms with 266.7mm barrels ...

• Pistols

  Jericho Steel

  Designed for military and law enforcement users, the Jericho pistol in steel frame configuration is available in 9x19mm and .45 ACP calibres and in standard ...

• Pistols

  P Series

  The S120 pistol series has been used globally in law enforcement and military organisations, with the weapons initially designed as tactical and task force pistols ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  IA-12A Stark

  The IA-12A Stark is a small, rotary-wing UAV that features a dual propulsion system, swappable payload bay, retractable landing gear, single operator control, ground mission planning, ...

• Pistols

  Jericho Polymer

  Jericho pistols have been used for over three decades by military and police units, including law-enforcement entities in Israel and around the world. Designed for ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Tiger LPV

  The MDT Armor 4x4 Tiger Light Protected Vehicle (LPV) is designed to meet the requirements of military and law enforcement customers for a survivable, light ...

• Sniper rifles

  ALIAS CS5

  The ALIAS Concealable Subsonic/Supersonic Suppressed Sniper System (CS5) is designed for concealment in urban settings. With the buttstock and suppressor detached, the CS5 is 597mm ...