• Defence Notes

  US tests Minuteman III as Sentinel successor ICBM programme struggles

  7th June 2024

  In service for nearly 60 years, the Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile is due to be replaced by the Sentinel, but cost overruns and delays continue to plague this successor programme.

• Naval Warfare

  Norway to massively increase defence budget by 2036

  5th April 2024

  Strengthening the Norwegian Navy has been laid out as the main investment in the new long-term plan, which will increase defence spending by almost US$60 billion (NOK600 billion) in the coming 12 years.

• Naval Warfare

  Australia’s new frigate options: No easy choices as pressure mounts on DoD

  16th April 2024

  A new class of General Purpose ‘Tier 2’ frigate will replace the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN’s) Anzac-class frigates, but the selected design options appear to have major issues in terms of compatibility and availability for the future fleet.

• Air Warfare

  Can Russian industry maintain a viable air force?

  12th July 2024

  While sanctions have not crippled Russia’s military-industrial complex as some predicted, its ability to produce modern combat aircraft at a sustainable rate remains uncertain.

• Training

  Singapore Army introduces technologies for realistic urban warfare training

  4th March 2024

  Smart technology will bring realistic battle reactions to simulated targets at major new Singapore military training facility.

• Air Warfare

  US Army continues pivot to large-scale combat operations from counter-insurgency in the shadow of world events

  27th February 2024

  US Army Aviation has been pivoting to face a different kind of war. On the platform front that has meant investing in proven systems and improving platforms already in service.

• Air Warfare

  AN/APR-39E(V)2 radar warning receivers contracted for initial production

  13th March 2024

  Northrop Grumman’s AN/APR-39(V) series of Radar Warning Receivers (RWRs) have been designed to equip a wide array of aircraft. Specifications regarding the waveband have not been revealed but the equipment will likely be able to detect emissions from radars transmitting in wavebands of two gigahertz/GHz to 18GHz.

• Air Warfare

  Bell Textron opens new laboratory to support bid for US Army’s FLRAA

  14th March 2024

  In December 2022, the US Army awarded an initial $1.3 billion contract to Bell Textron for US Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA), choosing to proceed with its V-280 Valor bid, and the new site will support this programme.

• Defence Notes

  Budgetary uncertainty threatens Argentinian modernisation plans

  29th January 2024

  The new Argentina government has reduced the defence budget request for 2024 and enabled the use of FONDEF for expenses not related to equipment improvement.

• Land Warfare

  Logos fire detector ordered for US Army

  1st March 2024

  Serenity, a hostile fire detection (HFD) system, combines EO and acoustic sensors to pinpoint the origin of heavy weapons and explosive detonations up to 10km away in any direction.

• Land Warfare

  The Philippines looks to Israel for military equipment amid South China Sea tensions

  23rd April 2024

  The southeast Asian country has been enhancing its military readiness by procuring advanced Israeli defence platforms and systems.

• Air Warfare

  Israel bets big on India to enhance defence procurement

  4th April 2024

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has enhanced its defence collaboration with India, focusing on joint development and support for the Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MR-SAM) system, alongside the establishment of a dedicated local subsidiary for maintenance and upgrades.

• Training

  Announcement: Scott R Gourley takes over as new editor of Shephard’s Decisive Edge Training newsletter

  27th March 2024

  Following the successful launch of its Decisive Edge Training newsletter in 2023, Shephard is pleased to announce the appointment of Scott R Gourley as the next editor of this leading digital publication.

• Air Warfare

  Singapore’s H225M and CH-47F helicopters attain full operational capability

  17th April 2024

  Both helicopter types will provide a step change in Singapore’s helicopter lift capability.

• Air Warfare

  USAF's F-16 to fly pilotless for first time in 2025

  14th May 2024

  F-16 Fighting Falcon is currently passing through the developmental and operational testing phase under the VENOM-AFT programme.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• VMOE

  Programme Background The Spanish Army's SOF units are procuring the VMOE to meet their requirements for an SOV with sufficient firepower, mobility and mine-protection to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions [Spain]

  Programme Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational organisations, ...

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

  Micro UAS [Spain]

  Programme Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational ...

• Military UAS - small

  Small UAS [Spain]

  Programme Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR (Batch 1) [Spain]

  Programme Background Purpose The VCR programme is to replace several legacy wheeled and tracked vehicles currently in service with the Spanish Army including the BMR-600 6x6, ...

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

  Mini UAS [Spain]

  Programme Background Fuerza 35 Project This project is a Spanish Army initiative to create and maintain an effective force by forming flexible and cohesive operational ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR (Batch 2) [Spain]

  Programme Background Purpose The VCR programme is to replace several legacy wheeled and tracked vehicles currently in service with the Spanish Army including the BMR-600 6x6, ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VCR (Third Batch) [Spain]

  Programme Background Purpose The VCR programme is to replace several legacy wheeled and tracked vehicles currently in service with the Spanish Army including the BMR-600 ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VAMTAC ST5 (Batch 3) [Spain]

  Programme Background The decision to acquire these vehicles comes within the wider context of the Spanish government announcing a significant increase in defence spending in ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VAMTAC ST5 (Batch 2) [Spain]

  Programme Background The decision to acquire these vehicles comes within the wider context of the Spanish government announcing a significant increase in defence spending in ...

• Neton VLOE

  Programme Background The VLOE will replace several variants of the VLOE Lathar (a SOF vehicles based on the Nissan Patrol ML-6 COTS chassis) currently in ...

• Neton VLOE - (Spain - Navy)

  Programme Background Information regarding the Spanish Navy's procurement of the Einsa Neton remains limited, however, it is likely that decisions to procure the platform arose from ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Spain HT-29 Caiman (NH90 TTH) - Air Force Second Batch

  The HT-29 Caiman will replace AS332 Super Puma fleet in service with the Spanish Air Force. The Spanish version of the NH90 TTHs can perform ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  B1 Centauro Replacement [Spain]

  Programme Background The Spanish Army entered the B1 Centauro into service between 2000 and 2006. Manufactured by the Italian Iveco and Oto Melara consortium CIO, the ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Spain HT-29 Caiman (NH90 TTH) - Air Force First Batch

  The HT-29 Caiman will replace AS332 Super Puma fleet in service with the Spanish Air Force. The Spanish version of the NH90 TTHs can perform ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Heavy UGVs

  Valkyrie

  The Valkyrie is a 6x6 UGV developed by the Spanish company SASCorp. It was unveiled for the first time at FINDEF 2021. The platform has reportedly ...

• Towed guns

  SIAC 155mm/52cal

  The SIAC 155mm/52cal towed howitzer is the latest derivative of the 155mm/52cal APU SBT howitzer originally developed by GDELS-SBS in the 1990s to meet a ...

• Land: RWS

  Guardian 2.0

  The Guardian 2.0 RWS is an upgraded version of Escribano's Guardian RWS in service with the Spanish Army, which offers improved sensors and better stabilisation. ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  ASCOD Common Base Platform

  GDELS unveiled a new variant of its tracked ASCOD (Austrian Spanish Cooperative Development) IFV based on the new Common Base Platform (CBP) at the June ...

• Land: vehicle simulators

  Leopard 2E Simulators

  Indra was prime contractor for the Spanish Army Leopard 2E Tank Simulation Programme, which involved 23 devices across driving, turret and platoon simulators with networking ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Neton

  The 4x4 Neton Ultrafast Tactical Vehicle is manufactured by Spanish firm Einsa. It is an all-terrain, highly mobile and air-transportable SF platform. Following an evaluation ...

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

  Alcotán

  The Alcotán is a lightweight, hand-launched platform. Designed by USOL, the system features an aerial platform, autopilot and GCS. It is suitable for both civil ...

• Loitering munitions

  QLM-40

  The QLM-40, or Q-SLAM-40, is a multi-purpose loitering munition manufactured by Arquimea. It is launched from a pneumatic launcher, powered by an electric motor and contains an ISR payload ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  BMR-600

  The BMR-600 "Pegaso"  is a wheeled fully-amphibious 6x6 APC which began development in 1972. It was originally designed by Santa Barbara Sistemas which is now ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Piranha V

  The Piranha V, the latest member of the Piranha family of wheeled armoured fighting vehicles, introduced a vehicle in the upper weight class. Unveiled in ...

• Individual assault/anti-tank weapons

  Alcotan-100

  The Alcotan-100 is a recoilless, shoulder-launched, antitank rocket launcher developed to meet a Spanish Army requirement, entering service in 2008. In 2014, the Peruvian Army ...

• Light machine guns

  MG4

  The 5.56mm MG4 has been in German Army service since 2005 and sold to at least five export customers, including the Spanish Army. The MG4 ...

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

  Fulmar X

  The Fulmar X is a Thales UAV designed to carry out high-quality ISTAR missions for civil and military applications. A complete system comprises two UAVs, launch and recovery ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  RF-7800H-MP

  The L3Harris RF-7800H-MP is a manpack HF radio with expanded data capabilities for long-range communications. First delivered in 2012, it remains in service with several militaries ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  ASCOD

  The Austrian Spanish Cooperative Development (ASCOD) I/CFV was developed to meet the joint requirements of the Austrian and Spanish armies for a medium-weight armoured vehicle ...