• Training

  AUSA 2018: Lockheed Martin to upgrade US Army simulators

  2nd October 2018

  Lockheed Martin has been selected by the US Army to upgrade around 500 simulators for the army’s tactical vehicle fleet at several locations worldwide, the …

• Defence Notes

  US-South Korea military readiness hurt by drill pause

  25th September 2018

  The suspension of US-South Korean drills in summer 2018 hurt the readiness of the two militaries, the nominee to head US and UN forces in …

• Defence Notes

  Harris, L3 merging to form a defence-technology giant

  15th October 2018

  Harris and L3 Technologies, two American companies specialising in military communications and technology, announced their merger on Sunday, giving birth to a giant in the …

• Digital Battlespace

  Euronaval 2018: Sea Giraffe stretches capability to include hypersonic threat detection

  23rd October 2018

  As western navies come face to face with the threats posed by next-generation anti-ship missile technologies, Saab has chosen Euronaval 2018 to launch a new …

• Digital Battlespace

  Deployable forensics lab for Australian Army

  15th October 2018

  Indra Australia has been selected by the Australian government to design and manufacture a Level 2 deployable forensic laboratory capability for IED analysis, the company …

• Digital Battlespace

  AN/TPQ-53 radar gets GaN technology

  11th October 2018

  Lockheed Martin has received a contract modification from the US Army to insert Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology into the AN/TPQ-53 (Q-53) radar as part of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  e2E launches comms terminal for UAS

  10th October 2018

  e2E has launched a low-cost, low power, compact and lightweight satellite communication terminal, e2Eaccess UAS-I, to enhance communications connectivity for small UAS. The e2Eaccess UAS-I …

• Digital Battlespace

  Azure to provide RF transceivers to US Navy

  10th October 2018

  Azure Summit Technology has received a second delivery order to provide software-definable, radio frequency (RF) transceivers to the US Navy. The order is a part …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DARPA seeks proposals for third swarm sprint

  18th October 2018

  DARPA is seeking proposals for its third swarm sprint, which will focus on the topics of human-swarm teaming and swarm tactics, the agency announced on …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUSA 2018: New Dronekiller on target for production

  8th October 2018

  The redesigned Dronekiller handheld counter-UAS device is expected to move into production in the first quarter of 2019, after racking up hundreds of pre-orders from international …

• Naval Warfare

  Nine becomes four as Brazilian Navy makes Tamandaré corvette selections

  17th October 2018

  The Brazilian Navy has selected four out of a possible nine contenders for the Tamandaré class corvette project, the service announced on 15 October. All …

• Military Logistics

  UK decides on naval maintenance programmes

  7th October 2018

  A new £1 billion ($1.3 billion) deal to support the UK’s naval maintenance programmes was announced on 7 October, covering the Royal Navy’s survey and …

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2018: Show round up

  10th October 2018

  As the curtain closes on AUSA 2018, Shephard's land editor Grant Turnbull discusses the main news from across the show, including the US Army's continued …

• Digital Battlespace

  Leonardo steps up Miysis DIRCM testing, eyes more exports

  15th October 2018

  Leonardo’s Miysis directional infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) system has undergone testing by the UK Ministry of Defence in collaboration with Thales UK, demonstrating that a capability …

• Digital Battlespace

  RUAG to upgrade Swiss armed forces’ BTS

  11th October 2018

  RUAG Defence has received a contract to upgrade the broadband transmission system (BTS) of the routing network for the Swiss armed forces in Switzerland. Under …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - micro

  eBee Vision [US]

  Background Multiple orders In November 2025, the US Army acquired three eBee Vision systems to enhance training operations at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Germany. A ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Invincible Class (Type 218SG) (5-6) [Singapore]

  In March 2025, the Singapore Ministry of Defence (Mindef) announced it would acquire two more submarines to complement its four Type 218SG Invincible-class submarines. Speaking to ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Invincible Class (Type 218SG) (5-6) [Singapore]

  In March 2025, the Singapore Ministry of Defence (Mindef) announced it would acquire two more submarines to complement its four Type 218SG Invincible-class submarines. Speaking to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Small-Sized Suicide Drones [South Korea]

  Programme Background Drone Ambition As reported by Shephard, South Korea has ambitions to possess a large arsenal of drones. In May 2024, the presidential office ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  Next-Generation Air-Refueling System (NGAS) [USA]

  Background The U.S. Air Force originally planned the KC-Y programme as a follow-on acquisition of an estimated 179 tankers to bridge the gap between the delayed ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Switch V2 [India]

  Background June 2025 In June 2025, India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced the signing of 13 contracts under the Emergency Procurement (EP) mechanism. The procurements, ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Wolf 2 (Batch 1) [Germany]

  Background The Wolf 2 was designed by Mercedes-Benz to replace the German Bundeswehr's ageing fleet of Wolf utility vehicles. The Bundeswehr is currently replacing its Wolf ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Type 707 (1-2) [Germany]

  Programme Background Requirements The German Navy approved an acquisition to start replacing the two ageing Rhön-class (Type 704) class single-hulled tankers, which were constructed in the ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Wolf 2 (Batch 2) [Germany]

  Background The Wolf 2 was designed by Mercedes-Benz to replace the German Bundeswehr's ageing fleet of Wolf utility vehicles. The Bundeswehr is currently replacing its Wolf ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Indonesian Interim Readiness Submarine Class (IRSC) Programme

  Following the sinking of KRI Nanggala in April 2021, the Indonesia Ministry of Finance (MoF) has granted approval to obtain up to $600 million in foreign loans ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Indonesian Interim Readiness Submarine Class (IRSC) Programme

  Following the sinking of KRI Nanggala in April 2021, the Indonesia Ministry of Finance (MoF) has granted approval to obtain up to $600 million in foreign loans ...

• AEW&C

  GlobalEye [Canada]

  Background Canada and Sweden have been strengthening ties, particularly in defence, as middle powers continue to diversify their relationships due to increasingly strained relations with ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Puma IFV (Batch 1) [Germany]

  Background The Puma tracked IFV was developed by PSM, a joint venture between KMW and Rheinmetall, to replace the German Army's legacy Marder IFVs. In ...

• AEW&C

  E-7 Wedgetail (737) [UK]

  Programme Background Seeking to replace its six ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry AEW&C;, the British Royal Air Force awarded Boeing a £1.89 billion contract in 2019 covering the ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  KC-46A (USA)

  Programme Background The first five Low Rate Initial Production lots were contracted for a total of 67 aircraft for $10.94 billion. The initial contract signed ...