• Air Warfare

  US Army cancels FTUAS and the MQ-1 Gray Eagle as part of the Army Transformation Initiative

  13th May 2025

  Last week, it was revealed that the US Army intended to cancel the long-running Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS). The revelation, no doubt part of the Army Transformation Initiative (ATI), came a week after the force highlighted that it would cancel the procurement of Gray Eagle aircraft.

• Air Warfare

  Why the F-16 fighter jet remains a force to be reckoned with (updated 2025)

  10th February 2025

  The Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jet remains in the limelight more than 40 years after its first flight. Shephard sums up the latest developments and details everything you need to know about the aircraft in 2025.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2025: Versatile 8×8 vehicles taste success as new versions rolled out

  8th September 2025

  From protected mobility, infantry fighting and reconnaissance to armoured personnel carrier, armoured vehicles and amphibious assault, the 8×8 vehicle is a jack-of-all-trades. In theory, it allows a single vehicle type to fulfil varied roles while providing commonality, and the European market and vehicle types are growing rapidly.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2025: Likely spending boosts outlined this year turn spotlight on show

  4th September 2025

  A surge in budgeted and planned defence spending across European NATO countries in the past year has come in the face of the war in Ukraine and demands from the Trump administration that the countries take on more of the load. This is likely to be reflected in what can be expected from DSEI.

• Naval Warfare

  Taiwan multiplies mine-layer vessel and UAV inventories to deter PLA

  25th April 2025

  Taiwan is strengthening its deterrence against the PLA through an asymmetric arsenal that includes fast mine-laying vessels and domestically developed UAVs.

• Air Warfare

  US to deploy F-35As to Japan base by early 2026

  2nd December 2024

  The 48 F-35A aircraft are set to replace the 36 F-16s as part of the US Department of Defense’s plans to upgrade its aircraft across Japan.

• Air Warfare

  How unconventional warfare demands are changing the CUAS and drone development landscape

  14th August 2025

  The use of drones in unconventional ways is accelerating technological advances and countermeasures as military planners try to stay ahead of the drone revolution in military affairs.

• Naval Warfare

  Indra proposes “Internet of Underwater Things” as possible next step in naval warfare

  11th March 2025

  A new concept of underwater warfare could be needed to take naval defence to its next evolution.

• Land Warfare

  Sustain capabilities and secure advantage with advanced Digital Engineering

  28th January 2025

  CDS Defence & Security optimises defence systems with Digital Engineering and MBPS for peak performance. Learn more today!

• Air Warfare

  Should the Ukrainian model for UAS technology development be copied?

  2nd October 2025

  The country’s industrial defence transformation since 2022 has ramped up rapidly, offering Europe and NATO lessons in agility, innovation and rapid procurement. But how easily can, or should, such wartime innovation be copied?

• Land Warfare

  US Marines to receive first GDLS Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle 30mm in October

  28th February 2025

  The platform is currently being built and will undergo testing by the company before delivery.

• 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.

• Naval Warfare

  Fincantieri signs R&D and training agreement with Pakistan Navy

  22nd November 2024

  A Memorandum of Understanding signed during an event in Karachi between the Italian shipbuilder and the Pakistan Navy covered naval training, research and development, and project-based collaboration.

• Air Warfare

  Why SCAF and GCAP should seek common ground

  23rd April 2025

  Can international industrial collaboration to develop common technologies applicable to different future aircraft programmes – like GCAP or SCAF – prevail in the face of politics?

• Land Warfare

  Cutting the weight while keeping the protection: NP Aerospace looks for an answer

  31st December 2024

  Vehicles in the Mine Resistant Ambush-Protected (MRAP) class have done the job so far this century in protecting crews but this has meant additional weight and reduced mobility. One recent upgrade approach is looking to redress that balance.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Korsak Reconnaissance Vehicle [Germany]

  Programme Background According to the BAAINBw, the Korsak must at a minimum meet these criteria: - Platform: Piranha V 6×6 with improved off-road capability and amphibious ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  D-Eyes 04 [Thailand]

  Programme Background Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) According to a 29 June 2021 announcement, the RTA signed an MoU with Thailand's DTI to develop a MALE ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions [Thailand]

  Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events such ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Next Generation Submarines [Japan]

  Japan is undertaking development studies for its Next Generation Submarine design. The project aims to develop a new platform that is expected to start replacing ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Next Generation Submarines [Japan]

  Japan is undertaking development studies for its Next Generation Submarine design. The project aims to develop a new platform that is expected to start replacing ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  MUM-T Drone [Thailand]

  Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [Türkiye]

  Turkey has become the second country to receive the new-generation A400M airlifter, with the first of ten aircraft handed over by Airbus Defence and Space ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-390 [Hungary]

  Programme Background The aircraft for Hungary will be specially configured for tactical transport operations, air-to-air refuelling of the service's Saab Gripen C/D fighters, and medical ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  DP18A [Thailand]

  Background 2023 According to Aero Technology Industry Company Limited (ATIL) officials, speaking to Janes at Defence & Security (D&S;) 2023 in Bangkok, at the time of ...

• Minehunters

  Mine Sweeping Hunter II (MSH-II) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Requirements Under the Mine Sweeping Hunter II (MSH-II) programme, South Korea is seeking a replacement for the Ganggyeong-class minehunters, which are due to leave service ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F/A-18C/D (Secondhand) [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirement Malaysia has required new multirole aircraft since the early 2010s, for which the country's Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) programme was launched in ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | F/A-18C/D (Secondhand) [Malaysia]

  Seeking to complement its existing F-18 fleet with secondhand aircraft, Malaysia is set to acquire Kuwait’s retiring F/A-18C/D Hornets. Negotiations began around 2020, with plans to buy ...

• Data links

  Data links | F/A-18C/D (Secondhand) [Malaysia]

  Seeking to complement its existing F-18 fleet with secondhand aircraft, Malaysia is set to acquire Kuwait’s retiring F/A-18C/D Hornets. Negotiations began around 2020, with plans to buy ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | F/A-18C/D (Secondhand) [Malaysia]

  Seeking to complement its existing F-18 fleet with secondhand aircraft, Malaysia is set to acquire Kuwait’s retiring F/A-18C/D Hornets. Negotiations began around 2020, with plans to buy ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | F/A-18C/D (Secondhand) [Malaysia]

  Seeking to complement its existing F-18 fleet with secondhand aircraft, Malaysia is set to acquire Kuwait’s retiring F/A-18C/D Hornets. Negotiations began around 2020, with plans to buy ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Sea: naval fire control radar

  AKR-D

  The AKR-D family comprises fire control radar systems designed by Aselsan for naval platforms. They include the Ku-band AKR-D Block-A1 with an instrumented range of ...

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

  AVE-C/D

  The AVE-C/D is a flight control system UAV demonstrator (AVE-C) and stealth UAV demonstrator (AVE-D), forming part of the R&D; programme initiated by the French ...

• Towed guns

  D-30

  Developed for the Soviet Army the D-30 (military designation 2A18) 122mm towed howitzer entered Soviet service in 1963. Artillery Plant 9 estimates that there are ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  FN Airborne Digital Suite

  The FN Airborne Digital Suite is an integrated weapons system designed to provide high levels of operational capability to airborne platforms and reduce pilot workload. ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers

  SG200-D

  Leonardo's SG200-D radar warning receiver is a UK-specific variant of the Leonardo SEER family. SG200-D is self-protection equipmentwhich detects and identifies emitters in high-density and ...

• Land: long-range observation/surveillance/targeting systems

  Long View CR-D

  Launched at Eurosatory 2014, the Long View CR-D (LVCR-D) is based on the combat-proven LVCR. The upgraded LVCR-D adds a diode-pumped laser designator to the ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  D-Tiger

  Thai Defense Industry (TDI) unveiled its D-Tiger 4x4 armoured tactical vehicle at Defense & Security 2022 in Bangkok. The D-Tiger is aimed at export sales, with ...

• Land: RWS

  D-RWS

  The Dual-RWS (D-RWS) is designed to be installed on the Republic of Korea Marine Corps' Korean Amphibious Assault Vehicle fleet. Weighing approximately 350kg, it is ...

• Helicopter guns

  FN D-HMP 250

  The FN D-HMP (Digital Heavy Machine Gun Pod) 250 is a self-contained airborne weapon system armed with a .50 cal FN M3P heavy machine gun, ...

• Helicopter guns

  FN D-HMP 400 LCC

  The FN D-HMP (Digital Heavy Machine Gun Pod) is a self-contained airborne weapon system armed with a .50 cal FN M3P heavy machine gun, compatible ...

• Helicopter engines

  D-136/D-136 Series 1

  The D-136 and D-136 series 1 turboshaft engines are used to power the Mi-26 and Mi-26T Halo twin-engine transport helicopters, the world’s largest rotorcraft. The engine's main ...

• Data links

  MIDS LVT-3 FDL

  For the MIDS LVT-3 Fighter Data Link (FDL) the USAF sought lower volume and cost than Class 1 and 2 JTIDS. The contract was awarded ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  FN D-HUD

  The FN Digital Head-Up Display (D-HUD) is a sighting system designed to improve the accuracy of axial-mounted rockets and machine guns on rotary-wing aircraft. It incorporates ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16C/D Block 25, 30/32, 40/42

  The F-16C/D ('C' one-seat, 'D' two-seat designation) is the second generation of the F-16 Fighting Falcon family. The production of the F-16C/D began in 1983 with ...

• Self-propelled guns

  SOKO SP RR 122mm

  Yugoimport unveiled the prototype of the SOKO SP RR (Self-Propelled Rapid Response) 122mm SPH in 2010. It mounts the D-30J, a locally built version of ...