• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2026: Pearson Engineering to send AI mine detecting systems into Ukraine

  22nd June 2026

  Pearson Engineering’s Threat-Sense system is designed to use imaging from drones to geolocate scattered mines and support uncrewed systems in defeating the threats.

• Naval Warfare

  Eurosatory 2026: Red Cat eyes South American market for USV-led EEZ surveillance

  18th June 2026

  Success with the US Army’s Black Widow programme may have strengthened Red Cat’s international position, but executives believe the next growth opportunity lies in uncrewed surface vessels.

• Defence Notes

  “Capital follows confidence” as defence courts private money

  24th September 2026

  Outside investment and the direction in which venture money flows may reveal what defence will buy years before formal programmes begin.

• Naval Warfare

  China’s mineral processing dominance exposes naval supply chain vulnerabilities

  22nd September 2026

  Competition for critical minerals, and China’s dominance of their processing, is emerging as a decisive factor in future naval procurement programmes.

• Land Warfare

  How and why Europe is replenishing tube artillery in the drone warfare era

  21st April 2026

  Modern conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war have exposed gaps in Western artillery, with European militaries increasingly looking to invest in longer-range systems with a focus on logistics and resilience.

• Air Warfare

  FIA 2026: Interest grows in C-390 transport as Czech Republic takes first delivery

  21st July 2026

  The Czech Air Force took delivery of its first of two Embraer KC-390 transport aircraft ahead of Farnborough 2026, becoming the fourth operator of the type.

• Air Warfare

  Eastern European helicopter modernisation could open doors for Western manufacturers

  19th March 2026

  With some Eastern European countries already upgrading their helicopter fleets to incorporate Western technology, the region presents potential future opportunities for defence companies.

• 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.

• Defence Notes

  Nuclear costs crowd out key defence priorities in UK investment plan, say SDR authors

  8th July 2026

  The UK government’s Defence Investment Plan has been criticised by the authors of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) 2025 which formed the basis of the plan. The SDR’s external reviewers told the country’s defence committee how the plan misses the mark.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy’s MUSV programme could lay the USV procurement blueprint for NATO allies

  2nd July 2026

  The programme’s structure as a marketplace will allow multiple companies to compete for ongoing procurements; an approach which could be replicated across the Atlantic.

• Defence Notes

  Delays, departures and drama cloud UK defence programmes ahead of absent DIP

  12th June 2026

  The UK defence secretary’s departure suggests that the long-delayed Defence Investment Plan is unlikely to meet the funding demands of the armed forces, with consequences for procurement and the UK’s standing at a NATO summit weeks away.

• Land Warfare

  The overlooked ally: Canadian support for Ukraine surpasses some European partners

  27th March 2026

  Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Canada has committed more military assistance than France in terms of GDP.

• Naval Warfare

  Critical infrastructure protection fuels growth in maritime counter-drone market

  9th July 2026

  Operational lessons are pushing navies towards counter-uncrewed aerial systems at sea, creating a fast-emerging industrial opportunity for radar and effector makers.

• Naval Warfare

  Rheinmetall’s GMF 140: Ambitious frigate or market misfit?

  6th August 2026

  Rheinmetall has unveiled its first next-generation frigate design, showing ambitions to compete as a surface combatant prime contractor. While the company is targeting North America, analysts believe the concept may be better positioned for future European programmes.

• Land Warfare

  DroneShield signs agreements and US contract in the face of surging demand

  30th June 2026

  DroneShield has been at the forefront of CUAS capability despite being founded only 12 years ago. The company’s early move into the counter-drone arena has put it on the crest of the rapidly expanding technology field.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• AEW&C

  Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (1-10) [NATO]

  Background NATO’s E-3A AWACS fleet is set to retire in 2035, after 50 years of service. To plan for the required follow-on capability, NATO's Alliance ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton [NATO]

  Background NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum During the July 2026 NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in Ankara, Türkiye, NATO announced that Denmark, Finland, Germany and Norway ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) [NATO]

  Background Purchase While NATO doesn’t have its own forces and depends on its allies, the alliance does have some of its own assets and equipment. In ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-390 Options [Portugal]

  Programme Background Leadership from Embraer and the Portuguese Air Force formalised a contract that includes 10 aircraft options that can be utilised by any NATO ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) - (Greece)

  Programme Background EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) was announced in early 2022 and the project contract was awarded ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  EU next generation rotorcraft technologies project (ENGRT) - [Italy]

  Background ENGRT phase I EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) was announced in early 2022 and the project contract was awarded in December 2022. Phase I ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-390 [Portugal]

  Programme Background Leadership from the Portuguese Air Force and Embraer signed a contract for a sixth C-390, with the option for ten additional aircraft for ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [NATO]

  Background 2026 announcement At the July 2026 NATO Summit Defence Forum, government officials from Belgium, Croatia, France, Poland, Spain, Turkey, and the UK launched an ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  MRZR D4 [Belgium]

  Background In September 2025, the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) awarded Polaris a framework agreement to supply vehicles across the alliance. This framework is intended to ...

• ISR/special mission

  EC-37B Compass Call (1-10) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The retirement of the EF-111A in 1990 left the USAF largely out of the operational and tactical level radar jamming business. Lockheed Martin ...

• Military UAS - small

  Jump 20 [Denmark]

  Background 2020 Tender In January 2018, Denmark's three main political parties signed the Danish Defence Agreement, a cross-party defence white paper covering the period between ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT Follow-On [NATO]

  Programme Background Following operations in Libya and extensive analyses by the European Defence Agency (EDA), it was agreed at the NATO Summit in 2012 that ...

• Hybrid effector systems

  Skyranger 30 [Germany]

  Background The SPD-led approach Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany has been under consistent pressure to increase its defence spending. In the immediate ...

• Main battle tanks

  Leopard 2A8 [Germany]

  Background The SPD-led approach Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany has been under consistent pressure to increase its defence spending. In the immediate ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Luchs 2 Reconnaissance Vehicle [Germany]

  Background The SPD-led approach Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Germany has been under consistent pressure to increase its defence spending. In the immediate ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Major networking projects

  ARRC C2IS

  In August 2006, the UK MoD appointed Thales as prime contractor for the delivery of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) – Command Control and ...

• Major networking projects

  NATO SATCOM

  Leonardo has been awarded a turnkey contract to rationalise and upgrade NATO’s SATCOM systems and associated infrastructure. The company will design, build, test, commission and ...

• Major networking projects

  NATO DCIS

  Airbus is delivering the NATO Deployable Communication and Information System (DCIS). The project represents a major upgrade in the capability of NATO Response Forces (NRF) ...

• Land: RWS

  Qimek NATO

  Rheinmetall's RWS family includes the Qimek single-weapon RWS and the Nanuk dual-weapon RWS. The Qimek NATO combines full stabilisation, long-range day/night all-weather sights and a ...

• Land: RWS

  Nanuk NATO

  Rheinmetall's RWS family includes the Qimek single-weapon RWS and the Nanuk dual-weapon RWS, which was introduced in 2008. The Nanuk NATO combines full stabilisation, long-range ...

• Major networking projects

  EAC

  The NATO Communications and Information Agency awarded ACTIA Sodielec a contract in June 2013 to provide NATO with an Extended Advanced SATCOM Network Monitoring and ...

• Air: mission management systems

  LC2IS

  The contract to supply Land Command and Control Information Services (LC2IS) for the NATO Command Structure was awarded to Thales by NATO NC3A and achieved ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  NATO E-3A Training Devices

  CAE designed the original NATO E-3A Sentry full-flight simulator as well as an E-3A cockpit procedures trainer and flight training device. The company continues to ...

• Major networking projects

  Air Policing

  Air Policing is a collective peacetime mission that requires NATO to take action against all violations and infringements of its airspace using agreed procedures. Supreme ...

• Major networking projects

  NCIRC

  Leonardo, together with Northrop Grumman, has undertaken a contract for the NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency to develop, implement and support the NATO Computer ...

• Land: handheld day observation/surveillance and targeting systems

  LRM 1500M/1800S/2200SI

  Laser rangefinder monoculars combine laser measurement, optics and controls. The LRM 1500M is for users requiring basic functionality. It has a measurement range of 1,500m ...

• Crew-served assault/anti-tank weapons, Multipurpose missiles

  9M117 Bastion

  The 9M117 Bastion is an antitank missile used in a number of separate weapon systems, such as the 9K116-1 Bastion (NATO reporting name: AT-10 Stabber) and the 9K118 ...

• Major networking projects

  Ballistic Missile Defence

  In early 2010, NATO acquired the first phase of an initial theatre ballistic missile defence capability to protect alliance forces. 

• Data links

  Link Y Mk2

  Thales Link Y Mk2 is used to securely exchange tactical data and orders via a self-managing, adaptive radio network between multiple military platforms. Designed for ...

• Major networking projects

  Air and Missile Defence

  NATO Air and Missile Defence comprises all measures aimed at monitoring and reacting to potential air threats in NATO airspace, as well as countering hostile ...