• Naval Warfare

  HMAS Sirius deploys to Southwest Pacific

  10th July 2019

  The Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Sirius has deployed to Fiji marking the beginning of a six-month programme of official activities throughout the region. Along with …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Fire Scout reaches IOC with US Navy

  10th July 2019

  The MQ-8C Fire Scout has reached initial operational capability with the US Navy, clearing the way for fleet operations and training to begin. The MQ-8 …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Thai navy fields new small UAV

  2nd July 2019

  Thailand’s Naval Research and Development Office (NRDO) has developed a small UAV called the Narai 3.0. So far, than 80 units have been produced for …

• Naval Warfare

  First F125 frigate commissioned

  19th June 2019

  The first F125 Baden-Württemberg frigate built by ARGE F125 and Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems was commissioned for the German Navy on 17 June. The newly designed …

• Naval Warfare

  Argentinian Navy OPV deliveries on the horizon

  27th June 2019

  Argentina’s naval forces should welcome the first of four OPVs from Naval Group in 2020, as work continues in the upgrade of L’Adroit in preparation …

• Defence Notes

  Philippine Air Force anticipates new assets

  4th July 2019

  The Philippine Air Force (PAF) celebrated its 72nd anniversary at the Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base on 2 July, and its commanding general Lt Gen …

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy stresses simplicity in unmanned vessel design

  25th June 2019

  The US Navy wants its future unmanned vessels to have simpler designs than manned ships to ensure they are relatively inexpensive and can therefore be …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Weaver selects UX11 UAV for surveying and mapping

  5th July 2019

  Weaver Consultants Group has selected Delair’s UX11 unmanned aerial vehicle to assist with its large-scale volumetric surveying and topographic mapping.  Commercial UAV manufacturer Delair along …

• Military Logistics

  DynCorp wins USAF C2 and maintenance services award

  5th July 2019

  DynCorp has been awarded a $308.6 million contract for aviation command and control operations and maintenance services for the US Air Force. Under the terms …

• Defence Notes

  Discover the capabilities of Shephard Plus

  12th June 2019

  Shephard Plus is a business insight tool for companies that incorporates major defence systems, subsystems and market forecasting in a single licence database.

• Defence Notes

  The power of co-branded marketing solutions

  12th June 2019

  Shephard Studio works closely with companies and event organisers across the aerospace and defence industry to provide bespoke co-branded solutions.

• Defence Notes

  Access all our Premium News

  12th June 2019

  Join Shephard's Premium News community and get access to the latest aerospace and defence news, insights and opinions written by our dedicated Air, Land and …

• Training

  Korean CAA certifies Entrol's AW109 sim

  3rd July 2019

  The Korean civil aviation authority has officially certified Entrol’s H19/AW109 flight training device (FTD) Level 5 simulator purchased by Helikorea.This FTD is the first Entrol …

• Naval Warfare

  Boeing receives P-8A equipment order

  10th June 2019

  Boeing has received a contract modification from the US Navy for P-8A related equipment. The $40 million modification covers ancillary equipment for P-8A maritime patrol …

• Naval Warfare

  Paris Air Show: Carry on Poseidon (video insight)

  20th June 2019

  Following AAR's recent overhaul completion of the US Navy's first P-8A Poseidon MPA, company officials are to push on with the seven-year ID/IQ contract and …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (28-68) [USN]

  Background Requirement The MQ-4C Triton programme, developed under the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) programme, required an uncrewed system to provide persistent, broad-area intelligence, surveillance ...

• Military UAS - MALE, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  MQ-8C Fire Scout (USA)

  Programme Background Timeline According to the Naval Air Systems Command, having first ordered the MQ-8B in 2009, the UAV has become a pillar of the ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (1-10) [USMC]

  Programme Background Development As part of the US Marine Corps' future force structure, it is developing a new platform under the Medium Lading Ship programme ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Medium Landing Ship (11-33) [USMC]

  Programme Background Requirements As part of the US Marine Corps' future force structure, it is developing a new platform under the Medium Lading Ship programme ...

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

  Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) (Increment 1) [USMC]

  Programme Background All-in-One UAV Since 2016, the USMC has wished to acquire a UAV that could be deployed from a vessel, be used for various missions, ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton (1-27) [USN]

  Background Requirement The MQ-4C Triton programme, developed under the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) programme, required an uncrewed system to provide persistent, broad-area intelligence, surveillance ...

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

  Medium Range/Medium Endurance (MR/ME) [USMC]

  Programme Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HH-60W - Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH)

  Background In 2010, the USAF announced the replacement of the HH-60G with a new Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH), and in 2012, the request for proposals ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  The Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  The Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The FVL-MS programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft utilised ...

• Military UAS - small

  Long Range/Long Endurance (LR/LE) [USMC]

  Background Force Design 2030 The USMC Force Design 2030 is a modernisation effort to create a lighter, more agile maritime force. The update to the ...

• Destroyers

  Next-Generation Large Surface Combatants (LSC) - DDG(X) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) is acknowledging a need to move away from the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer design, which is slowly outgrowing. Flight III ...

• Military UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USN)

  Programme Background Joint USN and USMC Procurment The RQ-21 Blackjack, or STUALSO, was a combined United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) programme ...

• Military - USVs

  MUSV [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements In March 2026, the US announced it would be replacing its Modular Attack Surface Craft (MASC) programme with a Medium Uncrewed Surface ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  SECAT

  In 2022, Textron Systems unveiled its new Surface Effect Cargo Amphibious Transport (SECAT) craft, designed to support logistics behind the US Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations and ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-53E Sea Dragon

  Sikorsky developed the MH-53E (S-80) Sea Dragon variant of its CH-53E to provide the USN with a dedicated airborne mine countermeasures helicopter. Equipped with enlarged ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Tactical Mission System for Helicopter Applications

  The Saab tactical mission system is a system for transport, utility, C2 and combat helicopters intended to operate in a net-centric environment. It is designed ...

• Major networking projects

  CANES

  The Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) programme is a USN-wide effort to rationalise shipboard computing assets. It is designed to create a common ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  MQ-9 MTD

  SDS’s ROVATTS-based MQ-9 Mission Training Device (MTD) was developed to provide high-fidelity simulation to support US Air National Guard operational Reaper crew training. The PC-based ...

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

  MQ-8C Fire Scout

  The MQ-8C is a newer version of the Fire Scout and is based on a Bell 407 commercial helicopter. It offers a greater range, endurance and ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - national programmes

  MERS

  The Marine Expeditionary Rifle Squad (MERS) takes a systems engineering approach to equipping the USMC’s fundamental fighting unit. The integration and configuration management of all ...

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

  MQ-8B Fire Scout

  The MQ-8B Fire Scout is a rotary-wing UAV that provides situational awareness and precision targeting support for the US Armed Forces. The MQ-8B Fire Scout, ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  AN/ZPY-1 STARLite

  The AN/ZPY-1 Small Tactical Radar-Lightweight (STARLite) is a synthetic aperture radar and GMTI sensor for UAVs, manufactured by Northrop Grumman. It offers strip and spot synthetic ...

• Fighter - multirole, Fighter - naval

  F-35C

  The F-35C Lightning II, also known as the F-35 carrier variant (CV), is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft in carrier configuration. It has larger wings and ...

• Military - UUVs

  Mission Specialist Defender

  The Mission Specialist Defender is a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) developed by VideoRay, now part of BlueHalo's unmanned maritime systems. The ROV is known ...

• Guided munitions

  AGM-154 JSOW

  The AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) is a joint United States Navy (USN)/United States Air Force (USAF) programme with the USN as the lead service. ...

• Air: mission management systems

  Air Operations Systems of Systems

  Air Operations System of Systems is designed to enable management of airspaces across large states and/or regions focusing on strategic planning. The system integration approach ...

• Trainer

  Saab 340 trainer

  The Saab 340 trainer aircraft is based on the Saab 340 regional airliner. It is used by the USN for pilot training. The aircraft replaced ...

• Subsystems: software

  LiteFlite II Simulators

  The LiteFlite II was designed to provide a high-fidelity, laptop-based system with white-force/man-in-the-loop capabilities for use with a variety of simulation systems. LiteFlite II represents ...