• Land Warfare

  IVAS 1.2 receives ‘very positive’ feedback in initial trials, says US Army

  28th September 2023

  Delivered in July, the newest version of the system was tested at Fort Drum (New York).

• Training

  Thailand inducts a dozen T-6C Texan II trainer aircraft

  26th September 2023

  Thailand's air force can now train pilots on a dozen T-6C Texan II trainers, most of which underwent final assembly in the country.

• Air Warfare

  KAI ramps up LAH production even as it develops new Surion variants

  18th October 2023

  KAI has continued to invest heavily in helicopters, including in its ability to deploy and operate with uncrewed systems.

• Land Warfare

  New Zealand issues RfI for new fleet of multipurpose vehicles

  9th October 2023

  New Zealand's military is looking for new multipurpose vehicles for road and off-road use.

• Naval Warfare

  Can a new operational profile fix Canada's submarine problem?

  20th September 2023

  The four Victoria-class diesel-electric attack submarines (SSKs) of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) are in the midst of an evolution into a new operations and maintenance regime. Shephard investigates whether this will solve the navy's recurring issues with having only one boat (or even none) operational for long periods.

• Training

  DSEI 2023: BAE Systems and Hadean continue to collaborate on military training

  12th September 2023

  Under a new enterprise licence, BAE Systems will be able to exploit modern AI and Large Language Model integrations of the Hadean Platform for Defence.

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2023: GMS demos AI-powered X9 Spider manpack

  19th October 2023

  General Micro Systems' solution merges battlefield processing of video, sensors, data and comms with mobile artificial intelligence capabilities.

• Naval Warfare

  Tender expected for new Dutch auxiliary ships

  5th October 2023

  The Royal Netherlands Navy has announced plans to replace its ageing auxiliary ships with a fleet of new vessels.

• Naval Warfare

  Norwegian navy ready to make decision on frigate life support contract

  22nd September 2023

  The future maintenance and modification of the Royal Norwegian Navy’s (RNoN’s) four remaining Fridjtof Nansen-class frigates is to be decided by the end of the year.

• Land Warfare

  Insight: Why the CV90 infantry fighting vehicle is making a clean sweep of Nordic markets

  19th September 2023

  Shephard Defence Insight explores the evolution of BAE Systems Hägglunds’ CV90 IFV from its inception in the late 1980s to the latest CV90 MkIV, detailing the order history and upgrade packages of its ten European customers.

• Land Warfare

  South Korea displays L-SAM at Seoul ADEX for first time

  17th October 2023

  Worried by the proliferation of new North Korean missile types, South Korea is going all out to improve its Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system.

• Air Warfare

  Insight: How the P-8 Poseidon has conquered the maritime patrol aircraft market

  6th September 2023

  Shephard Defence Insight analyses the success story of the Boeing P-8 Poseidon, a multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft that has captured international interest, detailing its variants, operators and unit cost.

• Naval Warfare

  French Navy frigate gap closes as La Fayette-class upgrade programme nears completion

  17th October 2023

  The modernisation programme for three of the French Navy’s five La Fayette-class frigates will ensure the service maintains a minimum force of 15 frigates and destroyers ahead of the introduction of the new new Admiral Ronarc’h-class (FDI) frigates.

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2023: Systel unveils ultra-compact edge AI compute solution for next-generation uncrewed and robotic vehicles

  9th October 2023

  Sparrow-Strike USFF Edge Processor has been engineered to withstand austere and challenging environments. It features a modular chassis and architecture design, as well as COTS technologies.

• Training

  Elbit UK’s Joint Fires Synthetic Trainer delivers nearly 5,000 training hours

  21st September 2023

  Elbit Systems UK’s Joint Fires Synthetic Trainer (JFST) has officially achieved Initial Operating Capability (IOC).

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Rosomak [Poland - Third Batch]

  Programme Background The Polish Army selected the Rosomak 8x8 armoured vehicle (a version of Patria's Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV) 8x8 produced under licence by Rosomak) ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Rosomak [Poland - Fourth Batch]

  Programme Background The Polish Army selected the Rosomak 8x8 armoured vehicle (a version of Patria's Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV) 8x8 produced under licence by Rosomak) ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Rosomak [Poland - Sixth Batch]

  Programme Background The Polish Army selected the Rosomak 8x8 armoured vehicle (a version of Patria's Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV) 8x8 produced under licence by Rosomak) ...

• Frigates

  Frigates Procurement Programme [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Saudi Navy urges to enhance its combat capabilities and to replace older vessels. Riyadh has recently embarked on major naval ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Rosomak [Poland - Fifth Batch]

  Programme Background The Polish Army selected the Rosomak 8x8 armoured vehicle (a version of Patria's Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV) 8x8 produced under licence by Rosomak) ...

• Submarines: conventional/attack

  Submarines Procurement Programme [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) is in the process of a fleet transformation plan which, so far, has seen the procurement ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Al Jawf Class Replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  The Royal Saudi Navy urges the replacement of three Al Jawf-class minehunters, which Shephard forecasts will leave service by the end of the decade. At WDS ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Al Jawf Class Replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  The Royal Saudi Navy urges the replacement of three Al Jawf-class minehunters, which Shephard forecasts will leave service by the end of the decade. At WDS ...

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

  Shield AI UAVs [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Reported Talks Reporting from the World Defence Show (WDS) 2026, the Middle East Eye (MEE) noted that, according to two sources, Saudi Arabia was ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Boraida Class Replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Saudi Navy urges the replacement of three Boraida-class minehunters. Based on the Durance-class design, the ships entered service in the ...

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

  Akinci [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Erdogan Visit On 17 July 2023,  President Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Jeddah for the first stop of his Gulf tour. The following day, ...

• Minehunters

  Al Jawf Class Replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Saudi Navy urges the replacement of three Al Jawf-class minehunters. Based on the Sandown-class design, the ships entered service in the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Rosomak [Poland - Second Batch]

  Programme Background Requirement The Polish Army selected Patria's XC-360 Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV) to meet its requirement for a new 8x8 armoured vehicle to replace ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Delta [Nigeria]

  Programme Background 2022 Defence Here, a Turkish-based defence website, reported that a Nigerian Air Force delegation visited Fly BVLOS's facilities in July 2022. Since then, ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 300 (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (16 March 2022 & 13 April 2022) On 16 March 2022, President Biden announced $800 million in security assistance to Ukraine through ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• MPVs - 4x4

  Rhino

  The Rhino is a 4x4 MPV designed by ST Engineering and debuted globally at WDS 2026 in Riyadh.

• EO/IR systems

  PT-8N

  The PT-8D is an IR system from Overwatch Imaging. It is fitted with multiple HD thermal cameras and has been designed to conduct missions at dusk ...

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

  Samoom

  Unveiled at the World Defence Show 2022, the Samoon is a Saudi Arabian UCAV manufactured by Intra Defence Technologies.  It is powered by Belgian ULPower Aero ...

• EO/IR systems

  PT-8D

  Marketed as a cost-effective solution, the PT-8D is a wide-area search and ISR payload from Overwatch Imaging. It features an RGB colour camera and a ...

• EO/IR systems

  PT-8DN

  The PT-8DN is a versatile day-night payload from Overwatch Imaging.  It has dual RGB sensors of different focal lengths and an HD LWIR sensor. It also ...

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

  Autonomous Collaborative Platform (ACP)

  In July 2022, BAE Systems revealed two UAV concepts, one later being branded Concept 2, or the Autonomous Collaborative Platform (ACP), at DSEI 2023.  Signage near ...

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

  Milkor 380

  The Milkor 380 is a MALE UCAV with extensive mission payloads for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR) and precision strike missions. This range of payloads can be attached ...

• Air: helicopter radar, Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: UAS radar

  ELM-2022

  The ELM-2022, developed by IAI ELTA, is a maritime patrol radar family operating in the X-band designed for manned and unmanned, fixed- or rotary-wing airborne platforms. It is engineered for ...

• Guided munitions

  Sabir

  The Sabir 155mm artillery guided ammunition, presented by KNDS France at WDS 2024, is a locally-produced precision munition aimed at aligning with Saudi Arabia's Vision ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  BTR-22

  The BTR-22 is the latest member of Russia’s BTR family, first unveiled at WDS 2026. Developed by Rostec it is intended to draw upon combat ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Milkor Commander

  At WDS 2024, Milkor UAE unveiled a new 16m patrol craft named Commander. Milkor revealed that more of the Commander’s capabilities will be showcased during ...

• Air: aerial targets, Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  SRC 100 Razor

  Unveiled at the World Defence Show 2026, the SRC 100 Razor is a fixed-wing UAV designed for ISR and aerial target missions.  It is fully autonomous, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Pars Alpha 8x8

  Unveiled at the World Defense Show 2024 in Riyadh, the Pars Alpha is the latest 8x8 Armoured Vehicle from Turkish manufacturer FNSS. Featuring improvements on ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VBMR-L Serval

  In February 2018, France's DGA defence procurement agency selected Nexter, in partnership with Texelis, to develop and produce the 4x4 Lightweight Multi-Role Armoured Vehicle (VBMR-L) lightweight ...

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

  Karayel

  Karayel is a fixed-wing UAV designed for ISTAR and attack applications. It provides users with autonomous end-to-end surveillance, reconnaissance, and tactical and combat capabilities.  Initially developed by ...