• Naval Warfare

  AUKUS Pillar 2 could narrow focus to “four key areas” says UK official

  2nd December 2025

  Few concrete ideas have emerged so far on which “advanced capabilities” will be brought forward under Pillar 2 of the AUKUS partnership, but the Pentagon’s review of the programme could bring more clarity.

• Air Warfare

  How the US Air Force plans to use data analytics to enhance the roles of airmen and assets

  27th November 2025

  The USAF has allocated nearly US$500 million to further the deployment of this type of technology in FY2026. It envisions using analytics to enhance sensors, weapons, missiles and human performance.

• Naval Warfare

  Australia’s A$12 billion Perth shipyard upgrade offers positive sign for AUKUS

  16th September 2025

  While the Australian government insists the investment is predominantly aimed at strengthening the country’s defence capabilities, the upgrade also bodes well for the AUKUS pact which Australia’s defence minister said “is going well”.

• Defence Notes

  Venezuela prepares personnel and equipment for a potential second US attack

  6th January 2026

  Defence Minister Gen Vladimir Padrino López has declared that the Venezuelan armed forces “will continue to employ all its available capabilities for military defence”.

• Defence Notes

  Australia’s Exercise Talisman Sabre concludes after a series of firsts

  14th August 2025

  More than 40,000 military personnel from 19 participating nations took part in the 11th iteration of the biennial Exercise Talisman Sabre multi-domain event which was held across Australia and in Papua New Guinea.

• Digital Battlespace

  Australia looks towards space with force restructure, investment and training

  15th July 2025

  Australia is looking to improve its presence in space with a focus on communications and creating a dedicated segment of its defence forces committed to the domain.

• Land Warfare

  Poland’s defence spending spree continues with $780 million US Javelin deal

  19th September 2025

  Interest in Javelin has been on the rise across Europe over the past two years, but Poland’s order marks one of the largest acquisitions of the anti-tank missile system.

• Defence Notes

  How Canada plans to “seize” the opportunity to increase investments in defence

  25th September 2025

  The Canadian Department of National Defence has been increasing efforts to accelerate the acquisition of new equipment and modernise its in-service inventory.

• Defence Notes

  UK Strategic Defence Review puts emphasis on autonomy, airpower and munitions

  2nd June 2025

  The UK’s Strategic Defence Review (SDR) was launched as one of the first acts of the UK’s new Labour Government in June last year. The review has recommended a major big-picture reform of the country’s forces.

• Air Warfare

  India readies private sector push as AMCA moves towards 2028 prototype

  17th July 2025

  India’s stealth fighter ambitions gain fresh momentum as HAL opens the door to private sector involvement in AMCA Mk1A structural assembly, with strategic support growing for next-gen propulsion and sensor technologies.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Canadian Navy advances with the construction of its first River-class destroyer

  17th June 2025

  Scheduled for delivery by 2033, HMCS Fraser will be a major surface component of the Canadian maritime combat power.

• Defence Notes

  Singapore plots a way forward with new technology and formation reform

  24th July 2025

  Singapore spends about 3.5% of GDP on defence and the section’s budget sits on high on the proportion of national spending. The country is investing in uncrewed technology, medium- and long-range fires and new submarines and ships with the hunt also on for new maritime patrol aircraft.

• Defence Notes

  Foreshadowing of UK defence review suggests it is light on programme details

  2nd June 2025

  The UK’s Strategic Defence Review (SDR) was designed to answer two questions: What is needed to fix UK defence and make it fit for the 2040s, and what do you get for a fixed financial profile? The SDR outlines that work still needs to be done on specifics.

• Digital Battlespace

  US Space Force’s next-generation missile warning system moves forward with $500 million in new contracts

  7th May 2025

  Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (Next-Gen OPIR) satellites are intended to provide early warning of missile launches from any location worldwide and new ground stations will result in expanded coverage of critical missile warning.

• Air Warfare

  Expanded focus – unleashing the potential of commercial SATCOM for defence

  17th June 2025

  In conversation... Intelsat's Ray Lindenmayer talks to Shephard's Gerrard Cowan about the new capabilities advanced commercial SATCOM technologies can provide for military customers, and how industry and government can best work together to achieve maximum effect in orbit.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

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

  Aerobo Wing AS-VT02A [Malaysia]

  Background Requirment As reported by Shephard, in June 2021, Malaysia issued a tender for fixed-wing, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capable UAVs. The tender stated that Malaysia ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) (Increment 2) [USAF]

  Background Increment 1 In January 2024, during the first increment of the USAF’s CCA effort, the USAF awarded contracts to Anduril, Boeing, General Atomics (GA-ASI), ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) [USA]

  Background Requirement Originally conceived as a replacement for the F-22, the PCA was designed to counter various air threats, including integrated air defence systems and ...

• Minehunters

  Project SEA 1905 - MMCMMS [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements Australia is looking to acquire up to eight new advanced mine countermeasures/hydrographic survey vessels under the Project SEA 1905 Maritime Mine Countermeasures ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) (Increment 1) [USAF]

  Background Requirements The programme’s requirements are based on the USAF’s belief that mass is necessary to compete effectively against an adversary in symmetrical warfare. However, ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle [USA]

  Background Requirement The OMFV programme is the latest of several attempts to develop a Bradley replacement.  Designed to be capable of operating with or without a ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Major networking projects

  CoMotion Cyber

  Based upon CoMotion technology used in the Command Post of the Future, CoMotion Cyber provides individualised visualisation of a cyber common operational picture from diverse ...

• Major networking projects

  Defending Against Cyberattacks

  NATO is developing measures to improve protection of its communication and information systems against attempts at disruption through attacks or illegal access. These efforts form ...

• Data links

  Ruggedcom RX1500 Series

  The Ruggedcom RX1500 series, which consists of the RX5100 and the RX1501, is a layer 2/3 router and switch. Its modular and field-replaceable design allows ...

• Data links

  Ruggedcom M969

  The Ruggedcom M969 is a hardened, managed Ethernet switch in a MIL-STD 901D rated package for protection against vibration and shock impacts. It is equipped ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  KG-255 X

  The NSA-certified ViaSat KG-255X combines Type 1 High Assurance Internet Protocol Encryptor (HAIPE) with the latest cyber defence technologies and visualisation software to allow secure ...

• Subsystems: software

  Network Defense Trainer

  The Scalable Network Defense Trainer is an LVC simulation system for delivering realistic hands-on cyber training. It enables students to experience cyber attacks launched against ...

• Data links

  Ruggedcom RX5000

  The Ruggedcom RX5000 multi-service platform integrated switch and router is designed for utility, industrial and military network applications. The RX5000 series has a high level ...

• Major networking projects

  MADSS

  The Mission Assurance Decision Support Service (MADSS) will provide combatant commanders with a joint globally available common operating picture of network status supporting operations during ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - micro

  eBee TAC

  The eBee TAC is a BlueUAS-approved micro fixed-wing UAV from EagleNXT.  Described by the manufacturer as a cyber-secure governmental and tactical mapping drone, the system ...

• Subsystems: software

  Simulation Engine II

  The Simulation Engine II (SE II) commercial game engine is the first PC-based game engine to be developed by Sonalysts as a commercial product and ...

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

  SpectroDrone

  At the HLS & Cyber Expo in Israel in November 2016, Laser Detect System (LDS) unveiled its SpectroDrone sensor. The system has been designed to ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems, Land: COMINT and ELINT systems, Naval: COMINT and ELINT systems

  LOKI

  The LOKI family is a cross-platform C2 system designed to integrate EW, SIGINT and Electro-Magnetic Spectrum Operations on many distributed platforms. The platform can operate ...

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

  E-UAV

  In October 2021, the Jordan Design and Development Bureau (JODDB) unveiled the E-UAV at the Artificial Intelligence Defense Technology and Cyber Security Exhibition and Conference (AIDTSEC). The UAV is ...

• Data links

  Ruggedcom RX1510 Series

  The Ruggedcom RX1510 series is a ruggedised layer 2/3 modular and field-replaceable routing/switching platform. Based on the embedded ROX II operating system, the RX1510 series ...

• Military - UUVs

  Mercury AUV

  The Mercury AUV is an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) developed by ST Engineering. Its applications include Mine Counter Measures (MCM), pipeline and cable inspections, debris ...