• Land Warfare

  Oshkosh to build heavy vehicles for US Army under a $1.5 billion deal

  21st August 2024

  The Oshkosh FHTV fleet includes the Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT A4), Palletized Load System (PLS A1), PLS Trailer, and Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET A1).

• Naval Warfare

  Canada completes first forward rearmament of a navy ship

  27th September 2024

  Since HMCS Vancouver’s deployment in June 2024, the ship has participated in three different multinational maritime exercises and expended munitions, including two vertically launched missiles at Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024.

• Air Warfare

  UAE accepts first batch of F4 Rafale fighter jets

  3rd February 2025

  The aircraft were accepted during a ceremony on the 29 January and will stay at Dassault’s Flight Test Centre, with deliveries scheduled for the end of 2026.

• Land Warfare

  British Army receives first 20 of 500 Rheinmetall HX trucks as part of $356 million order

  16th December 2024

  The vehicles were delivered to 7 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps based in Dalton Barracks and all 500 will be fielded before the end of September 2025.

• Land Warfare

  AM General could send another Hawkeye to Ukraine

  17th October 2024

  Following a year on the front lines, another 2-CT Haweye MHS could be sent to Ukraine to join ongoing trials.

• Land Warfare

  Lithuania turns to Saab and Kongsberg to improve air defences

  4th October 2024

  Lithuania has placed a second order for Mobile Short-Range Air Defence (MSHORAD) systems and expects to begin receiving systems from its first order next year.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2024: Babcock Immersive Training Experience debuts in US

  5th December 2024

  Named BITE, the system simulates the battlefield environment with multiple sensorial stimuli.

• Training

  Southern Fenix rises in the Atacama Desert as militaries train together

  30th August 2024

  The exercise aimed to foster hemispheric collaboration and was the first deployment of the M142 HIMARS system in such training.

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2024 preview: Vehicles to take centre stage as competitions heat up

  3rd October 2024

  The Association of the US Army’s flagship conference and exhibition, the largest defence trade show in the US, returns on 14 October presenting one of the few chances for companies to publicly put their platforms to an audience of US decision-makers. Shephard takes a look at what’s in store for 2024.

• Land Warfare

  Moog rolls out offering for UK GBAD requirement

  19th September 2024

  The Reconfigurable Integrated-weapons Platform (RIwP) is a modular remote weapons station designed to counter a wide spectrum of threats ranging from enemy infantry and armoured vehicles, to helicopters and UAS. Manufacturer Moog is promoting it for the UK’s GBAD requirement.

• Air Warfare

  L3Harris develops Viper Shield EW system and makes strides on DiSCO development

  3rd January 2025

  The US tech company and defence contractor showcased its Viper Shield EW Suite and provided further details on its DiSCO platform in Washington, DC last month.

• Naval Warfare

  What is happening with the Greek corvette competition?

  26th March 2024

  The Hellenic Navy has been in the process of replacing its nine remaining Elli-class (Kortaener/S-type) frigates with two new acquisition programmes for frigates and corvettes. The US offer of second-hand US Navy (USN) Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) as potential corvette replacement, however, has given the Greek government pause for thought.

• Land Warfare

  FNSS wins Turkish vehicle order which could be worth more than $7.5 billion

  25th February 2025

  The initial order is for 25 Pars Alpha armoured vehicles in 8x8 configuration but the Turkish Land Forces (TLF) is planning to acquire more than 2,000 vehicles and additional orders are expected.

• Training

  New army training facility for NATO soldiers opens at Virginia navy base

  28th August 2024

  The facility will make training for the ACFT significantly more comfortable and will aim to boost morale among troops.

• Land Warfare

  The challenge of making the inflatable illusion and training centre

  21st April 2025

  Faking aircraft, yanks and vehicles has a storied history through the previous century but there are others uses for inflatable systems such as more detailed and classified military equipment and training structures.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Puma 3 AE (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Military Aid - $300 Million On 1 April 2022, the US DoD announced a $300 million military aid package for Ukraine to "bolster Urkaine's capacity ...

• MPVs - 4x4, Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  JLTV Oshkosh Contract (US Navy) [US]

  As of November 2020, the US DoD had signed 14 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches of ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 300 (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (16 March 2022 & 13 April 2022) On 16 March 2022, President Biden announced $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine through ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A Joint Strike Fighter - USAF

  According to the US FY2021 budget document, Turkey's removal from the JSF program and transition to the alternate supply chain sources may challenge to achieve ...

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

  Puma LE (Kosovo)

  Programme Background On 21 January 2022, the US Department of Defence (DoD) announced that AeroVironment had been awarded an $11.01 million firm-fixed contract for Puma LE. ...

• Fighter - naval

  F-35B STOVL - US Navy

  The JSF programme will develop and field a family of aircraft that meets the needs of the US DoD and US allies with the F-35A ...

• MPVs - 4x4, Reconnaissance/patrol vehicles

  JLTV Oshkosh Contract [US Air Force]

  As of November 2020, the US DoD had signed 14 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches of ...

• Loitering munitions

  Point Blank [US]

  Programme Background As IAI stated in a 19 January 2023 press release, it had been awarded a multi-million-dollar contract by the Irregular Warfare Technical Support ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  BQM-177A [US Navy]

  Background Previous Purchases The BQM-177A was designed for the USN and has been in service with the USN for many years. Indeed, in August 2022, Shephard reported ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 600 (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background $300 Million USAI (1 April 2022) On 1 April 2022, the US DoD announced a $300 million military aid package for Ukraine following ...

• Loitering munitions

  Lethal Unmanned Systems (LUS) [US Army]

  Programme Background DoD Contract On 27 August 2024, the US DoD announced that AeroVironment had been awarded a $990 million hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price) contract to provide "an ...

• Fighter - naval

  F-35C Carrier Variant

  The US Navy is planning to order 130 F-35Cs between FY2026 and FY2030 under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. The purchase is estimated be ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Phoenix Ghost (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (21 April 2022) Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, on 21 April 2022, President Biden announced an $800 ...

• Loitering munitions

  ALTIUS-600M (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background On 24 February 2023, the US DoD announced that the Biden Administration had released an additional aid package under the Ukraine Security Assistance ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R Seahawk (India)

  Programme Background On 25 February 2020, a letter of acceptance for 24 MH-60Rs, worth approximately $2.12 billion, was signed by India and the US in Delhi. ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Pistols

  M9

  M9 is the US DoD designation for the military-specification 9mm Beretta 92FS, selected in 1985 to replace the 45cal M1911A1 in US service. Sales to ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  Igla/SA-18

  The 9K38 Igla (US DoD designation SA-18, NATO reporting name Grouse ) IR-homing MANPADS was developed by KBM and entered service in 1983 to meet the requirements ...

• Loitering munitions

  Point Blank

  Point Blank Weapon System is a hand-launched electro-optical VTOL-capable loitering munition developed by Isreal Aerospace Industries (IAI). IAI has been awarded a contract by the US ...

• Air: aerial targets, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  BQM-177A/i

  The BQM-177A subsonic aerial target (SSAT) was designed for the USN, and the BQM-177i is the export variant. The BQM-177 provides realistic threat emulation for ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  BAT-850

  Pathfinder's BAT-850 VSAT is a carbon fibre, tri-band terminal with auto-acquisition capability. Suitable for flyaway (case-based) and vehicle-mounted applications, it is in service with the ...

• Autonomous GPADS

  Airborne Systems has developed a family of smart systems ranging in payload capacity from 90-4,536kg. Utilising the technology developed and used in ram-air canopies, Guided ...

• Crew-served grenade launchers

  Striker 40/MK47

  General Dynamics is systems integrator for the Striker 40 (MK47 AGL in US service). The complete system comprises the weapon, AN/PWG-1 Lightweight Video Sight and ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  URC-300

  The URC-300 is a software-defined radio designed for line-of-sight, ground-to-air communications in particular. Introduced in 2020, it adheres to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) standards as well ...

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

  ScanEagle 3

  Insitu unveiled the ScanEagle 3 at the Xponential exhibition in Denver in May 2018. The platform has twice the payload capacity of its ScanEagle predecessor ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Banshee Tactical Radio

  Developed by Fenix Group, the Banshee Tactical Radio (BTR) is a communications system that uses 4G/LTE connectivity to provide secure mesh networking capability on the ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARC-231 Skyfire

  The AN/ARC-231 Skyfire is an airborne VHF/UHF/LOS and DAMA SATCOM system. This system supports US DoD requirements for airborne, multi-band, multi-mission, secure anti-jam voice, data ...

• Air-to-air missiles

  9M39 Igla-V

  The 9M39 Igla-V (‘needle’) is a Russian IR homing SAM adapted for helicopter use. It is an air-launched version of the Igla MANPADS, which the ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  Global Observer

  The AeroVironment Global Observer HALE UAV was a developmental HALE UAV designed for various civil, commercial and government applications.  Development of the platform began in 2007 ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  CLWS

  Developed by Boeing, Compact Laser Weapon System (CLWS or CLaWS) is a medium-range, low-power laser C-UAS system. According to the reports, the CLWS prototype has ...

• Data links, Land: Radio and SATCOM, UAS: communication systems

  QNT-200

  The Collins QNT-200 is a dual-channel software-defined radio (SDR) designed for size, weight and power-constrained platforms. Using IP-based mesh networks, it offers high-bandwidth mobile networking ...