• Training

  US awards helicopter training contracts for domestic and international programmes

  4th November 2022

  The US Navy has awarded contracts for training equipment to support the USMC's CH-53K programme and the Czech Republic's UH-1Y and AH-1Z fleets.

• Defence Helicopter

  US joins NATO allies in European helicopter air assault exercise

  22nd November 2022

  American, Dutch and Polish rotary-wing assets were involved in large-scale operations practising cargo and personnel transport and drops, and other operations.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2022: Red Hawk jet trainer to be digital platform from day one

  7th December 2022

  Boeing's T-7A Red Hawk simulator and maintenance training system will allow pilots and ground crew to train in novel ways as soon as the platforms are delivered.

• Training

  I/ITSEC 2022: Presagis joins with Airbus for geospatial data modelling

  29th November 2022

  Presagis will use Airbus satellite images to enhance geospatial digital twin modelling offering.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DARPA/Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter goes pilotless for logistics and rescue missions

  7th November 2022

  Without pilots on board, the autonomous Black Hawk helicopter performed long-endurance medical resupply while navigating between mountain ranges.

• Digital Battlespace

  Australia looks to Thales for next-generation naval comms

  14th December 2022

  Thales has supported the Australian Navy with the MTWAN network for the past 12 years.

• Land Warfare

  Ukraine left waiting for German consent to Leopard tank deliveries

  20th January 2023

  The newly appointed German Minister of Defence was unable to provide details on whether the country would approve the donation of Polish Leopard 2A4s to Kyiv or when this decision would be taken.

• Digital Battlespace

  How fiction can prepare us for a disruptive digital future – a conversation (podcast)

  5th December 2022

  In this special episode of the Shephard Defence Podcast, Dr. Keith Dear and August Cole discuss how new technologies are radically altering the national security landscape.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Navy uncrewed systems task force launches UAV from Coast Guard ship

  12th December 2022

  The USN’s Task Force 59 has launched a UAV from a US Coast Guard ship in the Arabian Gulf.

• Digital Battlespace

  How an IT giant is powering the digital transformation of global military organisations (Studio)

  8th December 2022

  While rapidly evolving technological trends promise to transform military operations, close collaboration with a trusted partner remains essential.

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon BBN to work on US Air Force Research Lab programme

  7th December 2022

  The US Air Force's Fight Tonight effort supported by a team lead by Raytheon BBN will enable military leaders to rapidly determine the most effective way to achieve objectives during complex air attack scenarios.

• Land Warfare

  Australia delays armoured vehicle replacement decision till 2023

  28th November 2022

  The chances of Land 400 Phase 3 retaining its original look for 450 new IFVs grow more and more strained.

• Training

  Top trends in military training and simulation for 2023

  17th January 2023

  The training and simulation sector had a stimulating 2022, but this year may hold even more exciting technological developments for the industry. Bohemia Interactive Simulations' CPO Pete Morrison gave Shephard some hot topics to watch for 2023.

• Air Warfare

  Northrop Grumman and US Air Force unveil B-21 stealth bomber

  5th December 2022

  The B-21 Raider sixth-generation stealth bomber will form the backbone of future USAF air power, and it is set to deliver capability and flexibility through advanced integration of data, sensors and weapons.

• Land Warfare

  The five most significant land stories of 2022

  2nd January 2023

  The war in Ukraine has been showing how land capabilities will remain crucial on the current and future battlefield. The conflict boomed the defence market in 2022 resulting in advancements in development and acquisition programmes. At the same time, it brought serious concerns.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk-USA

  The UH-60M Black Hawk is a digitally networked platform with greater range and lift to support maneuver commanders through air assault, general support, command and ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-2 (Japan)

  Programme Background The UH-2 is a Japanese militarised version of Bell’s civilian 412EPX, with the two OEMs cooperating on this particular programme. The Acquisition, Technology ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-2 Forecast (Japan)

  Programme Background The UH-2 is a Japanese militarised version of Bell’s civilian 412EPX, with the two OEMs cooperating on this particular programme. The Acquisition, Technology ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-1Y Venom (Czechia)

  Programme Background Czech Armed Forces intended to use the UH-1Y Venom helicopters in various missions including utility, search and rescue, aerial reconnaissance, air-to-ground support and ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawks [Greece]

  Programme Background In October 2023, Greece submitted a formal request to acquire 49 Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters as replacements for the Army's Bell UH-1s after launching ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-72 Follow On

  Programme Background In March 2019, Airbus stated that it expected orders from the US Army for between 12 and 15 UH-72A helicopters. In March 2020, ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Bell 412 Replacement (1-9) [Norway]

  Programme Background Although Norway has a long-stated ambition of reducing its helicopter fleet to a single type in order to reduce costs and simplify support ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60A [Portugal]

  Programme Background At the end of February 2025, the Portuguese Minister of National Defence said that as part of the Portuguese Army's Support, Protection & ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Additional UH-60M Procurement [Sweden]

  Programme Background Requirement In November 2022, General Micael Byden of the Swedish Armed Forces announced that the country would replace its NH90 fleet. At the ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk [Latvia]

  Programme Background In August 2018, the Latvian government approved the acquisition of four UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters. The UH-60Ms are intended for both military and ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M [Australia]

  Programme Background Australian Defence Minister Peter Dutton said, 'The Black Hawk makes perfect sense, and they are much cheaper to fly than what the Taipans ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  HM-3 Cougar & HM-2 Black Hawk Replacement [Brazil]

  Programme Background As reported by Janes in August 2023, Army Commander General Tomás Miguel Miné Ribeiro Paiva stated on 20 July that the Army was aiming ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  MH-139 (UH-1N Huey Replacement)

  Other bidders included Sikorsky with HH-60U offer and Sierra Nevada with upgrading offer of UH-60As to UH-60L configuration.In February 2018, Leonardo filed a protest to ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk [Taiwan]

  Programme Background The Black Hawks are intended to defend against potential threats from China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), as they possess rapid response capability in ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1Z Viper [Czech Republic]

  Programme Background On 3 May 2019, it was announced that the US State Department had approved a possible FMS of four AH-1Z Vipers to the Czech ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Integrated Avionics Suite

  Northrup Grumman's Integrated Avionics Suite is an open architecture mission equipment package, which can be deployed on a number of rotorcraft platforms. It consists of ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60L/M Black Hawk

  The Sikorsky UH-60/S-70 is a medium transport/utility helicopter that entered US Army service in 1979 as the UH-60A Black Hawk. It was succeeded in 1987 by ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Argus Digital Modems

  Commtact’s line of digital transmitters is designed for UAV applications. Using the technology of its Argus family of digital modems the company can tailor wireless ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-169D Light Utility Helicopter (LUH)

  The UH-169D Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) was created as a result of cooperation between Leonardo Helicopters, the Directorate for Air Armaments and Airworthiness, and the Italian ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  S-70i Black Hawk

  The S-70i is an international variant of Sikorsky's UH-60/S-70. It is produced by Sikorsky subsidiary PZL Mielec in Poland and by Turkish Aerospace Industries. The aircraft’s ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1 Cobra

  The single-engine, tandem-seat Bell 209/AH-1 Cobra, which first flew in September 1965, was the first attack helicopter to be developed and the first to be ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Bell 212/UH-1N Twin Huey

  The UH-1N Twin Huey is a twin-engine, medium utility helicopter developed in 1968-69 from the single-engine Bell 205/UH-1H by Bell and Pratt & Whitney Canada. ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  H-1 Family of Avionics

  Northrop Grumman produces a family of avionics for Bell H-1-series helicopters.

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  IDM

  The Improved Data Modem (IDM) is described as a flight-proven, off-the-shelf system that provides an open-architecture, multipath approach to situation awareness in the cockpit. The ...

• Military helicopters - maritime, Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-1Y Venom

  Originally planned as a UH-1N Twin Huey upgrade for the USMC, all but the first ten UH-1Ys now use new-build airframes. This new build prevents ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Bell 412EPI

  Introduced in 2013, the Bell 412EPI is the latest production standard for Bell's venerable 412 family of utility helicopters. The 412EPI has a fully integrated ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Bell 205/UH-1 Iroquois

  The Bell 205/UH-1 Iroquois is a single-engine, medium utility helicopter developed from the Bell 204/UH-1 for the US Army. The platform first flew in August ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS)

  Developed by Collins Aerospace, the Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS) is based on the Flight2 open system architecture design and includes an advanced hardware, software ...

• Military helicopters - multirole, Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  UH-2

  The UH-2 (formerly known as UH-X) is a utility helicopter developed by Subaru (formerly Fuji Heavy Industries) in cooperation with Bell to meet the Japan Ground ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60J/JA

  The UH-60J is a license-built version of Sikorsky's S-70, built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Japan for transport and search and rescue missions.