• Training

  First ARTEMIS F-5 arrives in US for training programme

  12th April 2024

  The Avionics Reconfiguration and Tactical Enhancement/Modernization for Inventory Standardization (ARTEMIS) programme has involved upgraded cockpit, avionics and supporting aircraft architecture. A total of 22 additional F-5s were procured from Switzerland to support ARTEMIS.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Replicator drone programme enters second year facing uncertainties and challenges

  20th August 2024

  To date, it is unclear to what extent the effort advanced. In order to progress, it also needs to address issues related to budget, doctrine and integration.

• Digital Battlespace

  Orbital Overwatch: The Crucial Role of Lasers in Space-Based Intelligence

  8th May 2024

  Amidst escalating global tensions, cutting-edge laser technology and expansive space domain awareness are vital for military operations. Orbital intelligence is transforming the landscape of global security, demonstrating its critical role in contemporary warfare.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2023: BAE Systems integrates Red 6 and PLEXSYS tech into single synthetic environment training solution

  28th November 2023

  BAE Systems has revealed plans to integrate Red 6's Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality Systems (ATARS) and PLEXSYS' Advanced Simulation Combat Operations Trainer into its Project OdySSEy single synthetic environment.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2023: CAE unveils US Air Force digital F-16 cockpit

  30th November 2023

  For the first time CAE exhibited a digital F-16 cockpit integrated with the Simulators Common Architecture Requirements and Standards (SCARS) marking a major step forward in training equipment virtualisation.

• Training

  Turkey completes Romania air policing mission

  16th April 2024

  Turkish F-16 experience was praised by Romanian fighter pilots as Turkey completes first participation in NATO southern mission.

• Land Warfare

  Adaptable Architecture: How Vehicle Communications are Evolving for the Modern Battlespace

  12th June 2024

  In Conversation... General Dynamics Mission Systems' Dr Emeka Egbogah talks to Shephard's Gerrard Cowan about the communications challenges facing armoured vehicle crews and the need for an open-architecture modular system to meet their constantly evolving needs.

• Land Warfare

  New German big cats circle Italian Leopard corpse (Opinion)

  27th June 2024

  The only thing missing from Rheinmetall’s display at Eurosatory this year was an Italian flag flown between its KF-51 Panther and KF41 Lynx. The smiles on the faces of its business development team, however, and the circling of Italian delegations told just as clear of a story.

• Training

  Radar training simulators for German Navy Engineering School pass FAT

  4th April 2024

  The German Navy has contracted UK information technology company OSI Maritime Systems to provide a navigation suite which has passed system testing for the F126 frigate.

• Training

  Announcement: Scott R Gourley takes over as new editor of Shephard’s Decisive Edge Training newsletter

  27th March 2024

  Following the successful launch of its Decisive Edge Training newsletter in 2023, Shephard is pleased to announce the appointment of Scott R Gourley as the next editor of this leading digital publication.

• Air Warfare

  BAE Systems “actively pursues” up to 200 Eurofighter Typhoon sales as fighter upgrade continues

  15th May 2024

  BAE Systems has been actively seeking potential buyers for Eurofighter Typhoon jets, with Germany and Italy among the countries considering additional purchases. The company remained aware, however, of the importance of enhancing the fighter’s capabilities to ensure relevance into the 2040s and beyond.

• Special Operations

  USSOCOM to deploy next-generation communications for sUAS in contested scenarios

  4th May 2024

  SOCOM will operate the PDW Blackwave system, which enables critical communications and the operation of small drones in highly congested environments.

• Naval Warfare

  BlueWhale - A True Submarine Force Multiplier

  26th March 2024

  The seventh annual REPMUS* and Dynamic Messenger naval exercises, organized and led by the Portuguese Navy and NATO, were held over a three-week period in September 2023.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2023: US Army switches training focus to cyber and EW

  28th November 2023

  The service will pay greater attention to the development of intelligence, cyber and electronic warfare training capabilities.

• Training

  Defender 24: US Army sets sails for largest US exercise in Europe

  5th April 2024

  The Defender 24 Exercise will happen from 4 April – 31 May and is linked to NATO’s Steadfast Defender 24 exercise.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  F-5E/F Adversary Trainer US Navy

  The F-5N is a single seat, dual engine supersonic land based fighter. It is designed to a service life of 9000 flight hours. The aircraft ...

• Trainer

  Basic Trainer Aircraft - Sweden

  Programme Background Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV) announced a request for tender for the procurement of basic trainer aircraft on the eAvrop online portal on ...

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

  Seeker 400 - First Batch (UAE)

  Programme Background The UAE has a long history of transactions with Denel Dynamics. The country has been purchasing various Seeker systems from as far back ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Land Autonomous Collaborative Platform (LACP) [UK]

  Background Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) Strategy Reflecting on lessons learned from the cancellation of the Mosquito programme, the Royal Air Force (RAF) redefined the role ...

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

  Seeker 400 - Second Batch (UAE)

  Programme Background The UAE has a long history of transactions with Denel Dynamics. The country has been purchasing various Seeker systems from as far back ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Bandit (US)

  Programme Background Goal As stated by Alyson Turri, the AFRL Bandit programme manager, the goal is to "develop an unmanned platform that looks like a fifth-generation ...

• Transport

  VC-25B - USAF

  The modifications to the 747-8 aircraft will include an electrical power upgrade with dual Auxiliary Power Units that are usable in flight, a mission communication ...

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

  Jump 20 [Denmark]

  Programme 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 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Project Brakestop [UK]

  Programme Background Information Notice On 25 September 2024, the UK MoD published a prior information notice on Project Brakestop, which informed the industry about the upcoming ...

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

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (South Korea)

  Programme Background Requirments Seoul required UAS assets to help monitor its neighbour to the north and, increasingly, Chinese activities in waters and in the air near ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Mi-28NE Night Hunter

  Algerian military's follow-up order suggests that the country is satisfied with the Mi-28NE Night Hunters' performance in operational conditions in the desert environment featuring sandstorms ...

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

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (Japan)

  Programme Background Selection & Contract AwardIn 2015, Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft were selected by Japan to ...

• Maritime patrol

  Challenger 650 ISR - UAE

  Programme Background In February 2019 at IDEX, the UAE announced that it will procure a new special mission aircraft with an option for the second ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  According to the FY2021 Base funding, the HH-60W helicopter unit cost is $43.2 million. The HH-60W will be capable of employment day or night, in ...

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

  Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) [Canada]

  Programme Background Programme Inception The Royal Canadian Air Force's (RCAF) Joint Unmanned Surveillance and Target Acquisition System (JUSTAS) project was established to procure a UAS for ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: air combat simulators

  German Air Force Tornado Simulators

  CAE has designed and manufactured all Tornado combat and aircraft flight simulators for the German Air Force and continues to provide upgrades and on-site training ...

• Subsystems: visual

  WholeEarth Synthetic Environment

  Rockwell Collins unveiled its enhanced synthetic training environment, WholeEarth, at I/ITSEC 2015 and the official release occurred in May 2016. The high-resolution complete Earth database ...

• Subsystems: software

  SE Core

  The US Army’s Synthetic Environment Core (SE Core) common virtual environment management (CVEM) program provides simulations with the ability to fully integrate and interoperate within ...

• Land: C2 simulators

  CATS Tactical Command Training

  CATS Tactical Command Training is a wargaming simulator supporting brigade, battalion and company staff. It provides commanders, staff and subordinate commanders with a safe and ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Eurofighter Typhoon ASTA

  CAE’s Medallion-6000 visual system is used for the Eurofighter Aircrew Synthetic Training Aids (ASTA) programme. In Germany, CAE was awarded a contract in 2014 to ...

• Subsystems: visual

  DSE

  CAE's Dynamic Synthetic Environment (DSE) aims to create and maintain a virtual synthetic environment that more accurately and realistically simulates the real world. Based on ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Brunei MPTC

  The CAE Brunei Multi-Purpose Training Centre (MPTC) is a JV established in 2012 between CAE and the Government of Brunei. Located in Rimba near the Brunei ...

• Subsystems: visual

  EP-8100

  At I/ITSEC 2015, Collins Aerospace (formerly Rockwell Collins) unveiled its EP-8100 image generation system, which is driven by real-time, simulation-specific graphics cards and software. It ...

• Land: UGV simulators

  XPT for Andros

  The XPT high-fidelity training system uses VR simulation with game-quality graphics. The full physics engine emulates complete motion and physical interaction of modelled robot, 3D ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  Predator Mission Trainer (PMT)

  The CAE Predator Mission Trainer (PMT) is an integrated platform that combines the features of CAE's UAS mission trainer with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' Predator-specific ...

• Land: C2 simulators

  CATT

  A Lockheed Martin programme since 1996, the Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (CATT) provides the British Army with a high-fidelity, realistic synthetic environment that supports collective ...

• Land: vehicle simulators

  RWS

  The Remote Weapon Station (RWS) Desktop Trainer simulates all functions of a live weapon station and provides for the practise and improvement of gunnery skills. ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  RN MTS

  The UK RN Merlin Training System (MTS) was designed and built by CAE under subcontract from Lockheed Martin. It is a network of five training ...

• Subsystems: software

  VR-Forces

  VR-Forces is a flexible computer-generated forces platform used to fill a customer’s synthetic environments with urban, battlefield, maritime and airspace activity. Uses include a threat ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  Tornado GR4 Synthetic Training Service

  Thales provides its Tornado GR4 Synthetic Training Service (TSTS) through its 100%-owned subsidiary, Ace. The service is a complete suite of synthetic training for Tornado ...