• Defence Notes

  Fourth Astute class boat named

  20th December 2016

  The fourth submarine of the Royal Navy’s Astute class has been officially named Audacious during a ceremony at BAE Systems’ Submarines site in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  China seizes, returns USN glider

  20th December 2016

  On 20 December China quietly returned the US Navy's UUV that it had brazenly seized five days earlier in the South China Sea. The platform …

• Digital Battlespace

  DTC introduces Maritime Mesh

  19th December 2016

  Domo Tactical Communications (DTC) has introduced a new high capacity wireless IP mesh communications solution for the maritime environment called Maritime Mesh, the company announced …

• Land Warfare

  Ukraine’s tank revival

  19th December 2016

  Ukraine’s tank industry reports a significant growth in business in 2016 based on work in both the domestic and export markets. This includes upgrade work …

• Defence Helicopter

  Thai Army puts faith in Leonardo

  18th December 2016

  In December Leonardo Helicopters delivered six AW139s to the Royal Thai Army (RTA), giving it a total of ten units in service. Additionally, the RTA …

• Naval Warfare

  Second AWD launched in Adelaide

  16th December 2016

  Australia's Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) programme has reached a new milestone, with the second destroyer named and launched in Adelaide. The vessel has been named …

• Naval Warfare

  Italian Air Force receives first P-72As

  16th December 2016

  Leonardo-Finmeccanica has delivered the first two of four ATR 72MPs to the Italian Air Force.  The aircraft, designated P-72A in Italian service, will replace the …

• Land Warfare

  Ajax firing testing begins

  15th December 2016

  The first live firing tests have been carried out for the Ajax armoured fighting vehicle programme, General Dynamics Land Systems–UK announced on 14 December. The …

• Land Warfare

  Germany delivers Marder AIFVs to Jordan

  15th December 2016

  Germany is delivering 50 Marder armoured infantry fighting vehicles (AIFVs) to Jordan to help secure its borders with Syria and Iraq. During the handover of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Next phase of civil airspace UAS integration trials begin

  15th December 2016

  A new phase of trials for the integration of UAS into UK airspace has begun using a BAE Systems Jetstream 31 flying testbed, the company …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AirMap, DigiCert unveil Drone ID

  15th December 2016

  A new system that provides instant authentication of an unmanned aircraft’s identity certificate has been introduced by AirMap for UAS operations.  The publicly-trusted SSL/TLS certificate, …

• Digital Battlespace

  Boeing delivers upgraded E-3A to NATO

  15th December 2016

  Delivery to NATO of E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft with cockpit upgrades has now begun with the first of 14 aircraft now …

• Defence Notes

  Saudi and UAE driving GCC defence

  14th December 2016

  The two military heavyweights of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are driving defence procurement in the region with recent increases …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Enhanced Epsilon 140 introduced

  14th December 2016

  Octopus ISR Systems Europe has introduced an enhanced version of the Epsilon 140 UAV gimbal with dual sensor payload, the company announced on 13 December. …

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall to upgrade Fuchs/Fox vehicles

  14th December 2016

  Rheinmetall will modernise the German armed forces’ Fuchs/Fox armoured transport vehicles under a €135 million contract announced on 12 December. The company will upgrade 90 …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  DELI [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Speaking to Shephard at SAHA Expo 2022, a spokesperson stated that the platform was expected to enter into service with the Turkish Armed ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) (Tranche 2) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Micro UAV [Argentina]

  Programme Background Tender The EA and MoD in April 2021 announced Public Tender 0090/2021 (UOC: 84/135), which saw the General Directorate of Material begin the process ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache (Indian Air Force)

  Programme Background The Indian Army was originally granted co-ownership of the 22 Apaches by the Indian MoD. However, the IAF refused to cede them to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  ISR Civilian-Made UAVs [Taiwan]

  Background Civilian-made, Military-specification As reported by Shephard in April 2025, to accelerate the acquisition process and urgently build a larger UAV inventory, Taipei is enlisting the private ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Containerized Autonomous Drone Delivery System (CADDS) [US]

  Background CADDS Concept In early February 2026, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) stated that it required the ability to rapidly deploy large quantities of UAS ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Sovereign UAS Challenge [Australia]

  Background Chinese Drones Banned As reported by Shephard in August 2023, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) previously used commercial UAS from companies such as DJI ...

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

  Akinci [Libya]

  Programme Background 2022 Reports In October 2022, various Libyan media outlets reported that the country was eyeing a possible procurement from Baykar, possibly the Akinici ...

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

  ScanEagle [Czechia]

  Programme Background Earmarked The ACR took delivery of ten ScanEagle systems (100 UAVs), which were received as a donation from the US in 2015. In ...

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

  TUAS [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Tender & Requirments The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) issued a tender in May 2020 to provide a new Tactical Uncrewed Aerial System (TUAS). ...

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

  Large ULS-A / Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) [USMC]

  Background US Marine ULS-A programmes The US Marines are seeking a family of Unmanned Logistics Systems-Air (ULS-A), which will provide logistics and ground units with their ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-37A - USAF

  Programme Background The USAF was using C-20B transport aircraft, variant of civilian Gulfstream III, to provide worldwide airlift for DoD and government officials. With the ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  OC-135B Replacement (USAF- Cancelled)

  Programme Background The modification and Treaty Certification works include Digital Visual Imaging System kits, design and development for mission system integration (structural design, interphone communications systems, ...

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

  HUSAR (2023 Order) [Germany]

  Programme Background First Order In 2015, the German Army launched the HUSAR programme to identify a replacement for its Airbus Defence & Space KZO and ...

• Loitering munitions

  ZT-180 [Russia]

  Background Claims On 23 February 2023, DER SPIEGEL reported that, according to information it had gathered, China and Russia were negotiating the purchase of 100 ZT-180 drones, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• md4-3000

  The md4-3000 is a small VTOL quadcopter UAV with a maximum take-off weight of 15kg, one-third of which can be payload. It can fly by remote ...

• Neo V2

  Flycam UAV displayed the Neo V2 at the Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas in November 2016. Developed in 2014, the UAV has a twin-boom ...

• Falcon 8+

  Intel unveiled the Falcon 8+ for the first time at the Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas in November 2016. The V-Form octocopter, which will ...

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

  Skylark 3

  The Skylark 3 is a small UAS manufactured by Elbit Systems. It is designed for both dismounted and vehicle-based operations.  It can perform a range of ...

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

  M12 Monitor

  The Saxon Remote Systems M12 Monitor UAV is a commercial and military system designed to perform a range of roles such as surveillance, pipeline inspection ...

• H520

  The H520 is a hexarotor VTOL UAV designed for the commercial and industrial markets by Yuneec International. The system was unveiled in January 2017. It ...

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

  Resolute Eagle

  The Resolute Eagle is a tactical Group 3 UAS with fuselage and underwing payload bays, which is able to carry multiple sensors. The UAS has been ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  SICX-10E

  The SICX-10E is a rotary-wing UAV suitable for a range of military and civil roles, including tactical ISR, bomb damage assessment, homeland security, aerial surveillance, ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  SICX-25

  The SICX-25 is a rotary-wing UAV suitable for a range of military, commercial and civil missions, including tactical ISTAR, bomb damage assessment, civil air surveillance, ...

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

  30 June

  Developed by the Egyptian Ministry of Military Production, the 30 June is a MALE fixed-wing UAV designed for reconnaissance missions.  Additionally, it features an electromagnetic system and ...

• EO/IR systems

  Skybox

  The Skybox allows gimballed camera systems developed for small UAVs to be integrated on the nose of manned helicopters. It accommodates cameras such as DJI’s ...

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

  Wulung

  The Wulung is an Indonesian tactical UAV. First displayed at the Indo Defence Expo and Forum in November 2014, the aircraft entered mass production in May ...

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

  StratoAirNet

  The StratoAirNet is a lightweight MALE UAV that is solar-powered and designed for commercial and military applications. It can accommodate multiple payloads weighing up to ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Yagu

  Plasan unveiled the Yagu 4x4 at the March 2018 Expo Seguridad event. It is based on the Arctic Cat Wildcat 4 1000 commercial all-terrain vehicle. The ...

• EO/IR systems

  Geodetic photomapping and monitoring payload and blind zone cameras

  Heliatica unveiled a geodetic mapping and monitoring payload with Geoscan at Heli-Expo 2017. The system is designed to fit two Sony DSC-RX1 (24MP resolution) cameras ...