• Air Warfare

  Baykar completes Piaggio Aerospace takeover with plans to boost drone production

  1st July 2025

  The takeover of the Italian firm by Baykar solidifies the company’s efforts to forge closer ties with Italian industry, bolsters its partnership with Leonardo to produce UAVs and secures its foothold in Europe.

• Land Warfare

  Cockerill concludes purchase of Arquus

  2nd July 2024

  The purchase brings together the firepower of Cockerill, which includes a range of turrets and guns, and the vehicle line of Arquus, which includes light terrain, reconnaissance and armoured vehicles.

• Defence Notes

  Singapore plots a way forward with new technology and formation reform

  24th July 2025

  Singapore spends about 3.5% of GDP on defence and the section’s budget sits on high on the proportion of national spending. The country is investing in uncrewed technology, medium- and long-range fires and new submarines and ships with the hunt also on for new maritime patrol aircraft.

• Defence Notes

  Taiwan approved for purchase of $11 billion in weapons from US

  19th December 2025

  The US State Department’s approval of a multi-billion-dollar sale of weapons to Taiwan includes tactical mission networks equipment, uncrewed aerial systems, artillery rocket systems and self-propelled howitzers as well as anti-tank guided missiles.

• Land Warfare

  CV90 upgrade programme helps BAE meet growing demand for IFV

  3rd June 2024

  The CV90 IFV has seen demand rockets leading its manufacturer to increase investments in production facilities. Tarkan Turkcan, CV90 platform director for BAE Systems Hägglunds, outlined the latest CV90 updates for Shephard.

• Naval Warfare

  Future of the US Navy’s Arleigh Burke programme remains unclear

  1st July 2025

  The US Navy does not have a precise date for the award of the procurement contract for the third Arleigh Burke-class destroyer despite having the funds to advance with the programme in FY2025.

• Land Warfare

  Pearson Pioneer remote minefield breaching system set for trials with NATO countries

  17th June 2024

  Robotic Combat Vehicle-Pioneer (RCV-Pioneer) minefield breaching payload has been shown for the first time at Eurosatory 2024 and will follow the debut of the RCV-Pioneer urban obstacle clearance payload at DSEI 2023.

• Air Warfare

  GCAP industry partners officially launch joint company Edgewing

  23rd June 2025

  The joint venture company, alongside developing the next-generation combat aircraft, will also remain the design authority for the platform.

• Air Warfare

  Eurofighter eyes mid-life upgrade for Typhoon jets, with production increase underway

  26th June 2025

  With roughly 80% of combat missions flown by Typhoons in Europe, the Eurofighter consortium is emphasising the continued relevance of its jet and wants to ramp up production to continue to deliver combat mass in light of a shifting geo-political world order.

• Naval Warfare

  Red Cat expands its manufacturing capacities to surge production of UAVs and USVs

  13th August 2025

  The company has invested $80 million to enhance its facilities and establish a new maritime division.

• Air Warfare

  Sikorsky emphasises localised Black Hawk conversion for uncrewed U-Hawk

  25th November 2025

  The platform was first unveiled in September 2025, with efforts now focusing on flight tests in the next year.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy seeks suppliers to upgrade the MK 41 VLS

  30th July 2025

  The US Navy has been preparing to award a contract for the refurbishment of MK 41 VLS on board USN vessels and other military type ships.

• Land Warfare

  Brazil orders 420 Iveco Light Multirole Vehicles

  10th July 2024

  Iveco Defence Vehicles (IDV) introduced the 4x4 Light Multirole Vehicle (LMV) in 2001 and more than 4,000 LMV1s have been sold to 15 different countries, including Italy, which ordered more than 2,000 under the local designation Lince.

• Naval Warfare

  Construction of Canadian Coast Guard OOSV Naalak Nappaaluk is “nearly complete”

  3rd June 2025

  The Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel has entered the final stages of building and should be delivered in August.

• Air Warfare

  Anduril and Rheinmetall to bring capabilities to Europe with domestic production “on the table”

  24th June 2025

  Anduril’s partnership with German defence firm Rheinmetall will see the two companies co-develop and deliver a European range of Anduril’s air systems, including Fury and Barracuda, and work on solid rocket motors.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  J-10 [Pakistan]

  Programme Background A video clip released by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) disclosed that a deal to acquire the J-10 from China was signed on 25 ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  CV90 [Czech Republic]

  Programme Background The Czech Republic has been working on modernising its mechanised units at least since 2017, when the country launched its "Tracked IFV" programme ...

• AEW&C

  AEW&C Aircraft [India]

  Programme Background India is planning to increase its AEW&C; capabilities with indigenous radar systems.  A330 Bid In 2015, the IAF has requested to procure six ...

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

  MALE Combat Drones [Thailand]

  Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events ...

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

  Anka-S (Second Batch) [Turkey]

  Programme Background First Batch Based on comments by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Turkish media in 2018, Shephard believes that Türkiye acquired 26 Anka-S drones ...

• Main battle tanks

  Viatura Blindada de Combate-Carro de Combate (VBC-CC) [Brazil]

  Programme Background Several key technical requirements have been outlined by the Brazilian MoD. Among the most important are that the platform should weigh less than ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer (MIV) [UK]

  Programme Background History The UK MoD announced in March 2018 that it would re-join the Boxer programme and pursue a sole-source acquisition of the 8x8 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Medium Range Precision Strike (MRPS) [UK]

  Programme Background Prior Information Notice (PIN) On 21 October 2024, the MoD published a PIN in collaboration with the Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S;). The notice ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV [Slovenia - 2nd Batch]

  Programme Background  Slovenia began its procurement of Oshkosh Defence's JLTV 4x4 armoured vehicle in 2018, although a US government FMS contract was not signed until ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  NH90 Special Forces [France]

  Programme Background In French service, advanced H225M Caracals with aerial refuelling capabilities are used by SOF units of the French Air Force (FAF) and French ...

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

  MQ-9A Reaper [Spain]

  Programme Background First Contract The US State Department approved a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of MQ-9 Block 5 aircraft and associated parts, equipment, and logistical ...

• Loitering munitions

  Echelon 1: Ground Organic Precision Strike Systems (GOPSS) [USSOCOM]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has made loitering capabilities a priority in its efforts to support counter-violent extremist organization (C-VEO) operations ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  L-39NG Senegal

  The aircraft will feature five hard-points, two external fuel tanks with 350 lt capacity, Mk 81 and Mk 82 bombs, guided and unguided rockets, single ...

• LRSS

  Programme Background The LRSS programme will meet the Canadian Army's need for a long-range on-the-move digital surveillance system mounted on the LAV 6.0 8x8 armoured ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  MH-60R Seahawk (Saudi Arabia)

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

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  CRATOS

  The Clip-On Ruggedized Advanced Thermal Optical Sight (CRATOS) is a miniaturised all-in-one thermal weapon sight designed for handheld, clip-on or stand-alone use. 

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  HuntIR Mk 2

  The HuntIR Mk 2 thermal weapon and reconnaissance sight is designed for clip-on use on mid- and long-range small arms. The standalone weapon sight has ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  XACT th family

  The XACT thermal weapon sight product family includes: the XACT th64 short/medium-range weapon-mounted or handheld sight; the XACT th65 clip-on marksman sight; and the XACT ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  CNVD-T

  The Clip-On Night Vision Device-Thermal (CNVD-T) is a handheld or weapon-mounted thermal sight based on the military SU-232/PAS. 

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  UTCx

  The UTCx (Universal Thermal Clip-on) sight is a universal thermal clip-on to existing weapon sights, currently fielded by the US military and supporting long-range sniper ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  AN/PAS-13G(V)1 LWTS

  The AN/PAS-13G(V)1 Light Weapon Thermal Sight (LWTS) is a handheld or weapon-mounted thermal sight. The TI capability of the LWTS allows for longwave infrared observation ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  TISI-M

  Designed for assault and sharpshooter rifles, SMGs and machine guns, the TISI-M is a lightweight uncooled thermal day and night weapon sight which can be ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  AN/PVS-30

  The AN/PVS-30 is a long-range thermal clip-on sniper night sight. The sight is able to extend the range of engagement by up to 1,000m and ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  Lily-L

  The Lily-L clip-on thermal sight for long-range sniper weapons can be mounted on a Picatinny rail in front of a day scope. It is designed for ...

• Weapon sights for night use (image intensifiers)

  MilSight S135 MUNS

  The MilSight S135 Magnum Universal Night Sight (MUNS) AN/PVS-27 is a high-resolution clip-on weapon sight that mounts forward of an existing scope, adding NV capabilities ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  ThermoSight HISS-XLR

  The HISS extended long-range (XLR) clip-on thermal weapon sight allows snipers to detect and recognise man-sized targets at up to 2,000m, offering a 25% increase ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  MUNSTI

  The MUNSTI uncooled thermal imaging clip-on sight is compact and lightweight, designed for use in front of a day optical sight. It is suitable for ...

• Individual grenade launchers

  UBGL

  The single-shot 40mm Under-Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) can be attached to most modern assault weapons using a MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rail system. The breech is swung ...

• Sniper rifles

  Dan.338

  IWI launched the Dan.338, the first of a new family of bolt-action sniper rifles, at the Eurosatory 2014 exhibition. Chambered for .338 Lapua Mag ammunition, ...

• Weapon sights for night use (thermal imaging)

  TVC 60

  The TVC 60 is a clip-on thermal weapon sight designed to be used in conjunction with a magnified day optic. The shooter relies on the ...