• Defence Notes

  TKMS mulls bid for insolvent German shipyard to boost capacity

  23rd March 2022

  TKMS did not mention the MV Werften Wismar shipyard by name but told Shephard the company was considering expansion in Germany.

• Naval Warfare

  Saab signs contract for MLU of third Gotland-class submarine

  18th March 2022

  HSwMS Halland is the third and last Gotland-class submarine to go through a MLU.

• Digital Battlespace

  Pakistan moves ahead with domestic AESA radar development

  23rd March 2022

  Pakistan is quietly developing AESA radars for potential applications in ground-based and airborne roles.

• Defence Helicopter

  Latest version of Apache Guardian makes overseas US Army debut

  17th March 2022

  Upgraded AH-64E v6 Apache Guardian attack helicopters have arrived at Camp Humphreys in South Korea.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  WDS 2022: AI software enhances Tekever maritime patrol UAS

  7th March 2022

  The Tekever AR5 UAS now includes a passive image-based radar system that uses AI software.

• Defence Notes

  France offers low-key support for Ukrainian cause

  1st April 2022

  France has been less vocal than other European countries in providing military aid to embattled Ukraine, although it has reacted swiftly to deploy ground, air and sea assets to protect NATO allies.

• Air Warfare

  Mwari design evolves to combat MALE UAVs

  9th March 2022

  Paramount claims a new configuration of its Mwari light combat aircraft is capable of intercepting drones flying at up to 30,000ft.

• Naval Warfare

  DSA 2022: STM positions itself for Malaysian naval programmes

  29th March 2022

  Turkish shipbuilder STM has put forward designs to meet Royal Malaysian Navy's Littoral Mission Ship Batch 2 and Malaysian coast guard requirements.

• Air Warfare

  Ghostrider gunships receive upgraded EW countermeasure

  3rd March 2022

  ALQ-251 RFCM systems aboard AC-130J Ghostrider aircraft are designed to protect against EW systems and radar-guided weapons in contested environments.

• Defence Notes

  Russia has ‘reasonable sufficiency’ to ride out Western sanctions on military components, says expert

  17th March 2022

  Dr Richard Connelly, director of the Eastern Advisory Group and RUSI Associate Fellow, suggests that sanctions placed on Russia's defence industry and a ban on the transfer of critical components for equipment production, imposed following Moscow's decision to invade Ukraine, are less impactful than the US might expect.

• Land Warfare

  Poland receives the last batch of RPP EOD/IED tracked UGV

  28th December 2021

  The 17 UGVs will equip engineering units of the Polish Armed Forces and will support EOD/IED missions of removing dangerous materials.

• Air Warfare

  Australia axes its Reapers in surprise cancellation

  1st April 2022

  Reigniting emotions from the cancellation of its submarine programme last year, Australia has now done much the same with its planned Reaper buy from the US.

• Land Warfare

  WDS 2022: Ukraine conflict casts shadow over Russian presence

  6th March 2022

  Russian companies exhibited at the World Defense Show despite the invasion of Ukraine and a chillier business environment.

• Defence Notes

  Will time and politics dilute NATO spending pledges? (Opinion)

  25th April 2022

  For all the assertive rhetoric by NATO member states about increasing defence spending in the face of Russian aggression against Ukraine, it will not, in the short term at least, translate into a meaningful uplift in capability on the ground.

• Air Warfare

  Construction begins of New Zealand’s first P-8A maritime aircraft

  18th March 2022

  Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems lay the keel of New Zealand’s first P-8A aircraft.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - mini

  Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Sensor Integration on Robotic Platforms (CSIRP) [US Army]

  Background  Requirements The purpose of the CSIRP is to repackage and integrate modular CBRN sensors onto uncrewed systems to provide increased situational awareness on the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  M1135 Stryker NBC Reconnaissance Vehicle

  Programme Background According to the DSCA's notification to Congress, the acquisition of 50 M1135 Strykers was intended to allow the Iraqi government to identify harmful ...

• Military UAS - small

  Black Hornet 3 PRS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army operated approximately 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS between 2013 and 2017, when the decision was made to retire ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  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 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Organic Precision Fire - Light (OPF-L) (Uncontracted) [USMC]

  Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. In May 2022, an annual update ...

• Loitering munitions

  Organic Precision Fire - Light (OPF-L) (Contracted) [USMC]

  Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. In May 2022, an ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Black Hornet 4 [Switzerland]

  Background Announcment Teledyne FLIR Defense announced on 2 February 2026 that it had received a $17.5 million contract from armasuisse, the Swiss Federal Office of ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) (Phase II) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The Soldier Borne Sensor (SBS) provides short-range day and night ISR to US Army units at the squad, platoon and other small ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Black Hornet 3 (First Order) [Norway]

  Programme Background First Batch The Norwegian Home Guard has procured the Black Hornet 3 to provide each of its districts with a nano UAS that ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Black Hornet 4 [Germany]

  Programme Background BAAINBw In February 2025, Shephard reported that Teledyne FLIR had been awarded a $15 million contract from Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Black Hornet 3 (Second Order) [Norway]

  Programme Background First Order The Norwegian Home Guard has procured the Black Hornet 3 to provide each of its districts with a nano UAS that ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  DEF129 (Nano UAS) [Australia]

  Programme Background DEF129 The Australian Ground Service has combined various army procurement efforts under the DEF129 programme to increase the abundance and proliferation of UAVs ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Anka-B [Türkiye]

  Programme Background TAI announced in November 2019 that it had delivered a total of 22 Anka-B UAVs to the Turkish Navy. Two large contracts contributing ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Black Hornet 3 (Ukraine Aid) [UK & Norway]

  Programme Background Russo-Ukraine War Since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, UAVs have proved vital to the country's defence. Consequently, as in this programme, the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - mini

  R80D SkyRaider

  The military-grade R80D SkyRaider VTOL small UAS is an open-architecture, multi-mission aircraft. Manufactured by Teledyne FLIR System exclusively for US DoD and Federal Agencies, the ...

• Light UGVs

  PackBot

  PackBot, previously designated 510 PackBot, is a tracked, tactical, mobile UGV with forward-articulated flippers that can perform multiple missions. PackBot is being delivered to customers ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, 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, ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  Reveal D&I

  Reveal D&I; is a real-time gas detection and identification chemical imaging software for hyperspectral data. This software allows the real-time detection of a large portfolio ...

• EO/IR systems

  FLIR 111

  The FLIR 111 is a field-proven, high-performance, compact, and lightweight Forward Looking InfraRed (FLIR) system designed for utility and attack helicopters.  It is jointly produced ...

• EO/IR systems

  KUH FLIR

  The KUH FLIR is an IR system from Hanwha Systems for the Korean Utility Helicopter (KUH). Hanwha says it provides stable infrared images at night and/or under limited ...

• Land: infantry weapon simulators

  Less Than Lethal Weapon Simulators

  Meggitt produces wireless simulators for the X26 Taser and chemical spray less-lethal weapons. These accessories are supported with specialised courseware.

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  Hyper-Cam

  The Hyper-Cam is a passive IR hyperspectral imaging system that combines high spatial and spectral resolution. It provides real-time radiometrically calibrated data for gas and ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  PD-100 Black Hornet

  The PD-100 Black Hornet personal reconnaissance system (PRS) is designed for dismounted close-combat soldiers, providing them with an immediate reconnaissance capability with minimal increase in ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  HD-IR

  HD-IR high-resolution cameras have high sensitivity for surveillance and airborne mapping applications. The camera features a four-position filter wheel, 1.3MP spatial resolution and an IP67-certified ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  SWIR Components – FPAs and Sensor Assemblies

  FLIR Systems produces COTS staring focal plane arrays (FPAs) and sensor assemblies based on the company’s InGaAs detectors and integrated circuit technology. FLIR FPAs and ...

• EO/IR systems

  StormCaster-DX

  Unveiled at Modern Day Marine 2022, the Teledyne FLIR StormCaster-DX is a multi-role, low-SWaP laser target designator (LTD) payload designed to affect the STANAG-compliant terminal ...

• EO/IR systems

  Star SAFIRE III

  The Star SAFIRE III was a military-qualified COTS multipurpose and gyro-stabilised airborne platform carrying seven payloads. Manufactured by Teledyne FLIR, the now out-of-production system featured internal navigation, ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Rogue 1

  Unveiled in May 2024, the Rogue 1 is a rotary-wing quadcopter UAV from Teledyne FLIR. The drone can be equipped with an explosively formed penetrator (EFP), ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Black Hornet 3

  The Black Hornet 3 is the next generation of the PD-100 Black Hornet, the world’s smallest nano-UAS. This new model of the Black Hornet provides ...