• Training

  A rocky road ahead for Canada's future aircrew trainer

  30th May 2019

  Since starting discussions with industry in 2013 concerning its Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) requirement, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has now selected five companies …

• Training

  ITEC 2019: Finnish VR headset pushing resolution frontiers (video)

  20th May 2019

  Finnish company Varjo demonstrated its VR-1 headset at ITEC 2019. The system is a VR device with human-eye resolution. The VR-1 also features an advanced …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Leonardo to supply PicoSAR for Canada’s Skeldar

  3rd June 2019

  Leonardo has signed a multi-million euro contract with QinetiQ to provide a number of PicoSAR active electronically scanned array radars, the company announced on 29 …

• Digital Battlespace

  Comtech receives additional funding from US Army

  16th May 2019

  Comtech Telecommunications’ Command and Control Technologies will continue providing sustainment services for the US Army’s AN/TSC-198A SNAP and baseband equipment, the company announced on 13 …

• Military Logistics

  Honeywell signs agreement with AMMROC

  3rd June 2019

  Honeywell has signed a new maintenance agreement with the UAE’s Advanced Military Maintenance Repair Overhaul Center (AMMROC), it was announced on 29 May The contract …

• Defence Notes

  Paris Air Show: Warsaw's F-35 buy might hinder other modernisation efforts

  11th June 2019

  The Polish MoD has confirmed its intention of procuring 32 F-35A Lightning II multirole fighter jets, by sending an official Letter of Request to the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky HH-60W makes first flight

  22nd May 2019

  The Sikorsky HH-60W combat rescue helicopter achieved its first flight at Sikorsky's West Palm Beach, Florida site on 17 May. The test flight, which lasted …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop demos GPS SDR navigation solution

  29th May 2019

  Northrop Grumman, in partnership with the US Air Force Research Laboratory Sensors Directorate, demonstrated a software defined radio (SDR)-based, M-code enabled GPS receiver on production-capable …

• Land Warfare

  Singapore Army commissions Hunter AFV

  11th June 2019

  The Singapore Army commissioned the Hunter AFV on 11 June as part of the armour formation’s 50th anniversary. Previously known as the Next-Generation Armoured Fighting …

• Defence Helicopter

  Paris Air Show: Collins tool up for open architecture effort

  10th June 2019

  Collins Aerospace is developing software-based toolkits that allow third party applications to be rapidly integrated into open architecture environments, Shephard has learnt. The toolkits are capable …

• Digital Battlespace

  Philippines orders UAS jammers from TRD

  7th June 2019

  TRD, a Singapore-based company, has successfully won a public bid to supply nine man-portable directional counter-UAS systems to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). …

• Defence Notes

  Shangri-La Dialogue 2019: ASEAN mute on international rule breakers

  3rd June 2019

  In sharp contrast to China’s bellicose tone at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, the voices of most ASEAN and others’ defence ministers were particularly muted …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Army orders WASP Lite aerostat system

  13th May 2019

  Drone Aviation has received a contract for its new aerostat product, the Winch Aerostat Small Platform (WASP) Lite, from the US Army, the company announced …

• Defence Notes

  Raytheon and United Technologies announce merger

  10th June 2019

  Raytheon and United Technologies announced on 9 June that they will merge, creating a behemoth American aeronautics and defence company.  The new company, Raytheon Technologies …

• Naval Warfare

  ORP Orzel in service for the next decade

  7th June 2019

  The Polish Navy intends to keep its sole Kilo-class submarine, ORP Orzel, in service for at least another decade. The vessel entered the fleet in …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - HALE

  Long-Endurance UAV [US AFRICOM]

  Programme Background Ageing MQ-9A Reapers In November 2022, Shephard reported that GA-ASI would continue supporting contractor SMX with its MQ-9A after winning a $2.3 billion task ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 [Pakistan]

  Programme Background Requirement Following a 2019 skirmish with India, Pakistan placed newfound importance on EW and ISR, primarily due to the significant advantage gained during that ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Multidomian Micro Drones [USSOCOM]

  Background Special Notice On 14 November 2024, a Special Notice was released that informed the industry that the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) was looking for ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian [Denmark]

  Background Arctic Capability Package In February 2021, Denmark published the Arctic Capability package, a commitment to invest in new technologies, particularly uncrewed systems, to improve surveillance ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  Long-Range Drones [Norway]

  Background Andøya Ambition On 3 April 2023, the Norwegian MoD released a statement confirming its plans for Andøya, the northernmost island in its Vesterålen archipelago. In addition to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Long Range One-way Platforms [US]

  Solicitation In October 2024, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) released a solicitation for long-range, one-way platforms. The DIU noted recent conflicts highlighted the asymmetric impact of low-cost, ...

• Military UAS - small

  V-Bat 128 [Canada]

  Programme Background Requirement Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) was seeking a platform for the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) that would significantly expand its surveillance range ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Mini Intelligence Drone System (SMDR) [France]

  Background Requirement The French Army identified a need for a new tactical UAS to replace the Drac, which entered service in 2008. The Mini Reconnaissance ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  CH-4 (First Batch) [Pakistan]

  Programme Background First Batch According to the Pakistan Exim Trade Info website, five aircraft were delivered to the country on 15 January 2021. According to a ...

• Military UAS - small

  M Solar-X [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 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Medium-Range Loitering Munition with LEO Satellite Data Link [South Korea]

  Background New Project In April 2025, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) announced a new project titled “Development of Medium-Range ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Arctic Frigates Procurement/Thetis Class Replacement (4-5) [Denmark]

  In January 2025, Denmark announced the acquisition of "three new Arctic ships, additional long-range drones with advanced image acquisition capacity" and "satellite capacity" worth over ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Arctic Frigates Procurement/Thetis Class Replacement (4-5) [Denmark]

  In January 2025, Denmark announced the acquisition of "three new Arctic ships, additional long-range drones with advanced image acquisition capacity" and "satellite capacity" worth over ...

• ISR/special mission

  MC-27J [Algeria]

  Programme Background Algeria has a long standing ISR aircraft requirement to support its Beech 1900 fleet comprised of six aircraft. The new ISR fleet is ...

• OPVs

  Next-Generation Offshore Patrol Vessels (1-12) [Japan]

  Programme Background Requirements The primary role of the OPVs will be ISR and patrol. The armament will be limited. One of the key features is a reduced ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - HALE

  Caihong

  The Caihong (Rainbow), also known as the Cai Hong or CH, is a solar-powered HALE platform designed for near-space flight. It is suitable for military ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  Morning Star

  Aviation Industry Corporation of China’s Morning Star is a quasi-satellite, near-space, solar-powered platform. It is designed for both military and civilian applications, including reconnaissance, navigation ...

• ISR/special mission, Maritime patrol

  A320neo M3A

  Currently under development by Airbus, the A320 M3A is the Maritime Patrol version of the civilian A320neo aircraft. The aircraft can be fitted with a wide ...

• Space: radar systems

  ESA Sentinel-1

  Sentinel-1 is a planned constellation of four satellites with two already in orbit and two on order. They carry a payload of a C-band SAR ...

• Space: radar systems

  SARah

  SARah is the planned follow-on system for the SAR-Lupe radar satellite constellation operated by the German Armed Forces. In 2013, it was announced that OHB ...

• Major networking projects

  EAC

  The NATO Communications and Information Agency awarded ACTIA Sodielec a contract in June 2013 to provide NATO with an Extended Advanced SATCOM Network Monitoring and ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Vocality Pro Series

  The Pro Series includes the V25, V50, V150 and V20. These are designed to be used in a central communications hub or as part of ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  S-70UAS U-Hawk

  Unveiled at AUSA 2025, the S-70UAS U-Hawk is an uncrewed version of Sikorsky’s crewed UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter.  It will act as a delivery aircraft for medium-sized uncrewed ground vehicles ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  FlyingFish Maritime

  The FlyingFish Maritime SIGINT system is one of several derivatives of the FlyingFish Airborne Satellite Monitoring System developed by Horizon Technologies. Designed to be mounted ...

• Guided munitions

  GP155B

  The GP155B is a 155mm artillery round developed by Norinco. The GP155B integrates satellite-based guidance systems that are compatible with both the Chinese Beidou Navigation ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  FlyingFish

  FlyingFish is an Airborne Satellite Monitoring System designed to detect and intercept SATCOM from airborne ISR platforms. As a passive system, it cannot be detected ...

• Data links

  Space CDL

  The Space Common Data Link (CDL) system provides a wideband data link capability adaptable to a variety of space-based applications. It consists of separate transmitter ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  ULTRA

  The Unmanned Long-endurance Tactical Reconnaissance Aircraft (ULTRA) is a fixed-wing drone from DZYNE Technologies. It is described as a long-endurance, GPS-hardened intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platform with full global ...

• Data links

  MiMMC

  Microsat Man-Packable Mission Command (MiMMC) is a satellite-based BLoS communications system providing the ability to extend mission command applications including voice, video and data transfer ...

• Naval: COMINT and ELINT systems

  FlyingFish Naval

  The FlyingFish Naval SIGINT system is one of several derivatives of the FlyingFish Airborne Satellite Monitoring System (ASMS) developed by Horizon Technologies. Whereas the original ...