• Land Warfare

  ATHENA defeats airborne targets

  25th September 2017

  Lockheed Martin has demonstrated its prototype Advanced Test High Energy Asset (ATHENA) laser weapon system at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. During testing with …

• Training

  KNO seeks to plug training gaps

  21st September 2017

  The UK continues to retire its C-130J Super Hercules MoD and is looking to sell the older aircraft to nations which could now be left …

• Land Warfare

  Clarity emerges on UK's Warrior 2 upgrade

  21st September 2017

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is likely to green light the manufacturing phase of the Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme (WCSP) by next year, senior …

• Digital Battlespace

  AUSA 2017: WIN-T fiasco presents opportunities

  2nd October 2017

  The US Army’s decision to all but end the Warfighter Information Network–Tactical (WIN-T) programme could now see other industry players, including relative newcomers, position their …

• Special Operations

  Germany special forces acquire​ Black Hornet nano UAS

  27th September 2017

  The German Army’s Special Forces Command, also known as Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK), is set to benefit from additional ISR assets following the procurement of nano …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Armed AV500W flies as new designs surprise

  18th September 2017

  Last month the AV500W rotary-winged UAV from the AVIC Helicopter Research and Development Institute in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province performed its maiden flight and conducted a …

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2017: MKU highlights soldier modernisation system (video)

  18th September 2017

  Indian company, MKU, displayed its range for body armour, helmets and optics equipment at DSEI 2017 in London.  Shephard spoke with Neeraj Gupta, managing director at …

• Naval Warfare

  HMS Argyll fires Sea Ceptor

  6th September 2017

  The Royal Navy's new Sea Ceptor air missile defence system has been fired from Type 23 frigate HMS Argyll for the first time in successful …

• Special Operations

  Navy SEALs to use UAVs for training

  11th September 2017

  The Navy Special Warfare Basic Training Command (NSWBTC) SEAL Qualification Training (SQT) Land Warfare Team has released plans to use vertical take-off/landing (VTOL) UAVs to …

• Military Logistics

  SEA, TTP to develop battlefield supply technology

  22nd September 2017

  SEA and TTP have been selected to develop technology to improve the efficiency of the delivery of supplies to frontline battlefield assets, it was announced …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Aptima receives Agile Teams programme contract

  21st September 2017

  Aptima has received a multi-year contract worth $3.5 million from DARPA for the Agile Teams (A-Teams) programme, the company announced on 18 September. The programme …

• Military Logistics

  Cobham pilot breathing sensors complete

  21st September 2017

  Cobham has completed internal development of an Exhalation Gas Sensor for the US Air Force (USAF) School of Aerospace Medicine, the company announced on 18 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Kelvin Hughes INBS for RNZN

  20th September 2017

  Kelvin Hughes has received a contract from Hyundai Heavy Industries to supply an Integrated Navigation Bridge System (INBS) for the Maritime Sustainment Capability (MSC) vessel …

• Naval Warfare

  HII launches USS Delbert D Black

  14th September 2017

  Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has launched the future US Navy destroyer USS Delbert D Black at its shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi.The ship is being configured …

• Defence Notes

  MDM 2017: Commandant highlights new fighting concept

  21st September 2017

  The Commandant of the US Marine Corps, Gen Robert Neller, used the venue of Modern Day Marine 2017 to highlight the service’s new Littoral Operations …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Launched Effects - Short Range (LE-SR) [US]

  Background Air-launched effect (ALE) In 2022, the US sought a family of systems comprising an air vehicle, payload, mission systems applications and support equipment to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Launched Effects - Medium Range (LE-MR) [US]

  Background Air-launched effect (ALE) In 2022, the US sought a family of systems comprising an air vehicle, payload, mission systems applications and support equipment to ...

• Military UAS - small

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 1) [USA]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  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) that will provide logistics and ground units with their ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R Seahawk [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Requirement The FMS is aimed at improving Saudi Arabia’s capability to meet current and future threats from enemy weapon systems, provide the capability to identify, ...

• Military UAS - small

  VTOL UAV [New Zealand]

  Background Defence Capability Plan (DCP) In April 2025, the New Zealand government published the DCP, a document that is essentially a blueprint for what procurements ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  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 ...

• Military UAS - small

  Shipborne Small UAV [Portugal]

  Background Shipborne UAV trials In August 2026, during the Iniciativa Mar Aberto 2026 mission, the Portuguese Navy conducted shipborne flight trials of uncrewed aircraft from ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Japanese Future Amphibious Vehicle

  Programme Background The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's (JGSDF) Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade currently operates a fleet of 58 BAE Systems Armored Amphibious Assault Vehicle 7A1s (AAV7A1s) ...

• Military UAS - small

  Light Tactical Support Intelligence Drone Systems (SDLRAT) (1-30) [France]

  Background Aftermath of SDT To fill the capability void left by the cancellation of the second section of the Tactical Drone System (SDT) programme, the French ...

• Military UAS - small

  Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) (Increment 2) [US Army]

  Programme Background Programme Objective The Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) was to provide a tactical ISTAR capability for US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs). It was intended to ...

• Military UAS - small

  ALTIUS (US)

  Programme Background Testing The US Army has tested the platform since March 2020. It was launched from a US Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that ...

• Military UAS - small

  Light Tactical Support Intelligence Drone Systems (SDLRAT) (31-140) [France]

  Background Aftermath of SDT To fill the capability void left by the cancellation of the second section of the Tactical Drone System (SDT) programme, the French ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Shipborne MALE UAV [Portugal]

  Background Shipborne UAV trials In August 2026, during the Iniciativa Mar Aberto 2026 mission, the Portuguese Navy conducted shipborne flight trials of uncrewed aircraft from the Gama-class frigate NRP Álvares ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - MALE

  V-247 Vigilant

  The V-247 Vigilant is a tiltrotor UAV from Bell. Officially introduced in 2016, it features an open modular architecture and can host several payloads. These include ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  SB-1 Defiant

  The SB-1 Defiant is a Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator (JMR-TD) aircraft. Sikorsky and Boeing announced in February 2013 that they would submit a joint proposal ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Korean Future Vertical Lift (KFVL)

  Unveiled at KADEX 2024, the Korean Future Vertical Lift (KFVL) is a family of uncrewed helicopters from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). Despite being in the ...

• Air: Displays

  F-15 Replacement Vertical Situation Display

  BAE Systems Replacement Vertical Situation Display (RVSD) replaces the legacy VSD units on F-15E aircraft. The AMLCD display offers a larger display size and is compatible ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Aerosonde Mk 4.8 HQ FTUAS

  From the Texton family of Aerosonde UAS, the Aerosonde Mk 4.8 Hybrid Quad (HQ) FTUAS is a tactical drone purpose-built to meet the US Army's Future Vertical Lift ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  S-97 Raider

  The S-97 Raider helicopter is based on the five-year, company-funded X2 Technology Demonstrator project. Like the X2, the S-97 Raider will feature twin coaxial, counter-rotating ...

• Surface-to-air missiles, Surface-to-surface missiles

  RIM-174 Standard ERAM SM-6 Block I/IA

  The SM-6 (RIM-174 Standard ERAM) is a surface-to-air supersonic missile launched from cruisers and destroyers, capable of successfully engaging crewed and uncrewed, fixed- or rotary-wing ...

• Helicopter engines

  T901

  The Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP) is the US Army's effort to build a 50% more powerful and 25% more fuel-efficient engine for its Black ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  AVX JMR

  AVX Aircraft proposed a compound helicopter with coaxial rotors, small wings and dual ducted-fan propulsors for the US Army’s JMR-TD FVL programme. In April 2015, ...

• Helicopter engines

  T900

  The Improved Turbine Engine Program is the US Army's effort to build a 50% more powerful and 25% more fuel-efficient engine for its Black Hawk ...

• EO/IR systems

  Pan-Tilt-Zoom Camera with Laser Rangefinder

  Pan-Tilt-Zoom Camera with Laser Rangefinder is a surveillance system with a laser rangefinder. Performance includes 1/3in charge-coupled device colour sensor, NTSC or PAL format. Resolution ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Super Komar

  The Super Komar is an upgraded version of the Komar, featuring digital signal processing. Air-to-air modes include boresight, head-up display search, look-up/down, range-while-search, track-while-scan (TWS) and vertical manoeuvre. ...

• Military - UUVs

  Roving Bat

  The Roving Bat is a multipurpose, hybrid ROV and crawler built by Exail. It is designed for close inspection and cleaning operations of immersed vertical structures ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  Sylver A-50

  The SYstème de Lancement VERtical (Sylver) A-50 is a vertical launching system (VLS) developed by DCNS (now Naval Group) to deploy medium- to long-range surface-to-air ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  Sylver A-70

  The SYstème de Lancement VERtical (Sylver) A-70 is a vertical launching system (VLS) developed by DCNS (now Naval Group) to deploy medium- to long-range surface-to-air ...