• Land Warfare

  SOFIC 2015: SOF commanders list force requirements

  5th June 2015

  Land, air and maritime SOF commanders have outlined their requirements at the SOFIC exhibition in Tampa Bay. Speaking at the conference, Lt Gen Charles Cleveland, …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Sanborn UAS ops approved

  4th June 2015

  The Sanborn Map Company has been granted approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to commercially operate unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in civil airspace under …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  CybAero tests China Customs UAV

  4th June 2015

  CybAero has completed factory acceptance tests and trials for the first of three VTOL UAS to be delivered to China Customs, the company announced on …

• Land Warfare

  SOFIC 2015: GD-OTS delivers nine GMVs

  3rd June 2015

  Under the Production Qualification Testing phase of the Ground Mobility Vehicle 1.1 programme, nine GMV 1.1 vehicles are being delivered by GD-OTS. Sean Ridley, programme …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SOFIC 2015: UAS potential for Hatchet

  3rd June 2015

  Orbital ATK is exploring UAS applications for its Hatchet miniature precision strike weapon. Hatchet’s compact stowage design allows for compressed carriage on all sizes of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  China advances UAV tech

  3rd June 2015

  China's UAV industry is emerging in both military and civilian sectors, employing 3D-printed UAVs and a new military UAV. A Chinese Antarctic Expedition Team has …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Heron to fly in Aussie civil airspace

  2nd June 2015

  The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Airservices Australia signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on 29 May for the operation of the Heron UAS …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Textron Systems joins UAS Denmark

  27th May 2015

  Textron Systems announced on 26 May that it will become part of the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Denmark industry network, where it will participate in …

• Digital Battlespace

  Exelis, UrsaNav, USCG research eLORAN

  27th May 2015

  Exelis, UrsaNav, the US Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate have entered into an agreement to test and demonstrate …

• 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 …

• Land Warfare

  HELLADS set for live fire testing against military targets

  25th May 2015

  The High-Energy Liquid Laser (HELLADS) has completed the US government acceptance test procedure, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) announced on 21 May. It will now …

• 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: 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 …

• Digital Battlespace

  UK stalls on AWACS upgrades

  22nd May 2015

  The UK is falling behind with Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) upgrades due to budgetary constraints, according to officials at the Boeing San Antonio …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Medium Range Reconnaissance (MRR) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  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, on-demand ...

• Transport

  C-27J [Azerbaijan]

  Programme Background The Azerbaijani Air Force signed a contract with Leonardo in June 2023 to procure the C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft. This move is ...

• Main battle tanks

  NGCV: DLP

  Programme Background Requirement The DLP is one of five vehicle families being developed for the US Army's NGCV programme. Expanded to include five programmes in ...

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

  Mini Reconnaissance Drones [Lithuania]

  Programme Background Planned Purchases On 14 September 2022, the Lithuanian MoD announced in a short statement on Twitter, now X, that it had begun organising ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  ISTAR UAS project [Canada]

  Programme Background Objective The Royal Canadian Navy's (RCN) main significant UAV project is the RCN Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Unmanned Aircraft System (RCN ...

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

  Small Reconnaissance Drones [Lithuania]

  Programme Background Planned Purchases On 14 September 2022, the Lithuanian MoD announced in a short statement on Twitter, now X, that it had begun organising ...

• Frigates

  European Combat Vessel [Spain]

  Programme Background Requirements The European Combat Vessel (ECV) is currently a conceptual project that seeks to design a European collaborative multi-mission, modular warship. As of ...

• OPVs

  Harry DeWolf Class (AOPS) Coast Guard (7-8) [Canada]

  Programme Background Requirements The new vessels will replace the CCGS Leonard J Cowley, an ice-strengthened fisheries patrol vessel that entered service in 1984 and CCGS Cygnus, ...

• Destroyers

  Next-Generation Large Surface Combatants (LSC) - DDG(X) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) is acknowledging a need to move away from the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer design, which is slowly outgrowing. Flight III ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Data links

  Data links | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Multirole Underwater Seabed Surveillance Ship (MU3S) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirements According to the presentation provided by the Italian Navy, the MultiroleUnderwater Seabed Surveillance Ship (MU3S) will:operate a wide range of uncrewed systems, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Counter-UAS systems

  MEHEL 2.0

  The Mobile Expeditionary High-Energy Laser (MEHEL) is a C-UAS-capable vehicle that employs directed energy to neutralise targets. MEHEL 2.0 was first seen at AUSA 2016, ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Fractl:2

  Fractl:2, developed and manufactured by AIM Defence, is an Australian laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). The high-powered portable system is Australia's first acquisition of a directed ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  DroneDefender

  DroneDefender is a directed-energy UAS countermeasure that disrupts the adversary's control of the aircraft, neutralising it so that no remote action (including detonation) can occur, ...

• Counter-UAS systems, Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  EJDERHA HPEM System

  The EJDERHA is a high power electromagnetic system manufactured by Aselsan. It generates high-amplitude electromagnetic fields and directs them to potential targets such as IEDs ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Apollo

  Apollo is a High-Energy Laser Weapon System manufactured by Electro Optic Systems (EOS). Apollo's laser utilises directed energy to disable or destroy aerial targets without ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Locust

  BlueHalo's Locust is a laser weapon system. The system delivers a complete kill chain, providing a layered and broadband detection capability that is coupled with electronic ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Minotaur

  Minotaur, developed by Soukos Robots, is a Greek laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). Minotaur is an anti-drone platform with the ability to shoot down unmanned ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons, Self-propelled guns, Self-propelled missile systems

  SkyRanger 30

  SkyRanger 30 is a mobile ground-based air defence (GBAD) laser directed energy weapon (LDEW) system designed by Rheinmetall. The system comprises automatic cannons, guided missiles, and a ...

• OPVs

  PPA/MultiPurpose Combat Ship (MPCS) EVO

  The PPA/MultiPurpose Combat Ship (MPCS) EVO is an enhanced version of the Thaon di Revel-class PPAs unveiled at Euronaval 2024. The PPA/MPCS EVO retains the core platform ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  CROSSBOW MINI

  CROSSBOW MINI, developed by IPG Photonics, is a laser-directed energy weapon (LDEW). The LDEW has multiple deployable configurations and is a part of the manufacturers ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  DIAL

  The Laser Weapon Instrumental Demonstrator (DIAL), in joint development with Indra and Escribano Mechanical Engineering, is a Spanish laser directed energy weapon (LDEW). The system ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Archimedes

  Archimedes, developed by Aurelius Systems, is a laser-directed energy weapon designed to stop drones at scale. The system is still in development, though Aurelius received ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  ALKA-KAPLAN

  ALKA-KAPLAN is a collaborative effort between Turkish manufacturers ROKETSAN and FNSS. The system is a mobile armoured anti-drone system, which integrates the ALKA directed energy-weapon ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Italian LDEW (Leonardo/MBDA)

  As announced in December 2024, Leonardo and MBDA are collaborating to produce a Fire Unit Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) for the Italian Navy. The ...

• Laser-directed energy weapons

  Guorong-1 Anti Drone System

  Guorong-1 is an anti-drone system developed by China. The system is jointly developed by the Chinese Electronics Technology Group (CETG), Guorong Technology, and the Chinese public ...