• Land Warfare

  Germany expands Rheinmetall tank munitions agreement

  13th July 2023

  The German armed forces has expanded its framework agreement with Rheinmetall for tank ammunition, reflecting the military's commitment to rebuilding capabilities.

• Air Warfare

  Rheinmetall breaks ground on F-35 fuselage plant

  1st August 2023

  The Rheinmetall F-35A factory is set to produce at least 400 fighter jet fuselages for Germany and other NATO operators.

• Land Warfare

  Brazil refuses to sell Guarani APCs to Ukraine

  7th July 2023

  Despite Brasilia having been seeking ways to raise exports of defence systems and solutions, the National Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected Kyiv’s request.

• Digital Battlespace

  EOS to provide AS-65 gimbal for L3Harris's VAMPIRE weapon system

  21st July 2023

  EOS Defense Systems USA's AS-65 gimbal has been selected for L3Harris's VAMPIRE weapon system, empowering Ukraine's ground forces to counter hostile drones and ground threats using precision rockets.

• 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.

• Defence Notes

  Rheinmetall buys Expal Systems to expand ammunition production to meet booming orders

  1st August 2023

  Rheinmetall has finalised its acquisition of Expal Systems, significantly boosting its ammunition production capacity and strengthening Rheinmetall's position as a NATO supplier and enhancing its product portfolio.

• Land Warfare

  Germany increases armoured vehicle shipments supply as more Marders head for Ukraine and Greece

  23rd June 2023

  An additional 20 Marder IFVs will be shipped to Ukraine this summer under a new German government arrangement fulfilled by Rheinmetall.

• Air Warfare

  Insight: Is the Watchkeeper UAV providing value for money for the British Army?

  8th September 2023

  The Watchkeeper UAS has garnered interest from countries like Poland and Romania, despite a chequered operational history in the UK. Shephard analyses the aircraft's capabilities and the cost they come at.

• Land Warfare

  SAMP/T operational in Ukraine, Macron announces at Paris Air Show

  22nd June 2023

  The SAMP/T air defence system – made by Eurosam – is now operational in Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday.

• Naval Warfare

  Insight: How rising tensions have fuelled the Type 26 frigate's development

  12th September 2023

  Slated to enter service in the late 2020s, the Type 26 frigate addresses the pressing need for enhanced ASW capabilities, particularly in light of heightened tensions with Russia. Shephard Defence Insight analyses the design and its equipment fit.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Updated: Türkiye unveils Ulaq Kama, an armed expendable USV

  28th July 2023

  Ares Shipyard and Meteksan Defence showcase Ulaq Kama, an armed expendable USV featuring explosive payload and ISR capabilities. The vessel's swift production hints at its potential role in asymmetric warfare, with graphics resembling Ukrainian systems.

• Air Warfare

  Paris Air Show: GA-ASI remains committed to offer of Reapers to Ukraine

  19th June 2023

  US drone maker General Atomics remains committed to its offer of supplying Ukraine with two MQ-9 Reaper drones for the nominal cost of $1.

• Air Warfare

  Teal snags USAF deal for sUAS and sets sights on Ukraine and domestic market

  10th August 2023

  UAV manufacturer Teal Drones believes the market is opening up for its Teal 2 quadcopter sUAS in the US and in Europe as approved status is confirmed for the system in the former and strong interest from the latter, particularly in Ukraine where it expects to begin shipping the Teal 2s this year.

• Air Warfare

  How the US Air Force is improving C2 and connectivity in contested logistics scenarios

  9th August 2023

  Preparing multi-capable airmen to perform various tasks in multiple contexts is a main USAF goal to improve logistics efforts.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Turkish delight in Saudi drone deal

  20th July 2023

  The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has signed a deal to purchase Akinci UAVs from Turkey’s Baykar in a significant boon for Ankara.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47 Chinook [India]

  One role will be supporting army operations along India’s mountainous borders, with the Chinooks able to lift the M777 howitzers now being inducted. The last ...

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

  RQ-35 Heidrun (Ukraine Aid) [Germany]

  Programme Background Early 2024 On 28 March 2024, the German Federal Government provided an update on the military aid it had given to Ukraine. In ...

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

  Akinci [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Two Export Contracts In January 2022, the Daily Sabah reported that Baykar had "recently" signed its first export contract for the Akinci. Haluk Bayraktar ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 600 (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background $300 Million USAI (1 April 2022) On 1 April 2022, the US DoD announced a $300 million military aid package for Ukraine following ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Phoenix Ghost (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (21 April 2022) Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, on 21 April 2022, President Biden announced an $800 ...

• Patrol boats

  FPB 98 (Ukraine)

  Programme Background The international competition had been launched in the Spring of 2018 by the Ukrainian Ministry of Interior for the reinforcement of the State ...

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

  AR3 (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Background £270 Million investment On 15 September 2025, the UK MoD noted that, since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the UK ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 (Aid & Discounted Units) [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Pre Invasion Units The Ukrainian Army purchased 12 TB2 units in January 2019 for a reported $69 million. Deliveries began in June 2019, ...

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

  UX11 (Ukraine Aid) [France]

  Programme Background First Batch On 6 September 2023, Sébastien Lecornu, the French Minister of Defence, announced Delair was providing Ukraine with more than 150 drones. ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  T-150 (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Programme Background Virtual Address On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. On 3 May 2022, the UK's Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, virtually addressed the Ukrainian ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  CV90 [Ukraine - Forecast]

  Programme Background Announced at the NATO Defense Ministers’ Meeting in Brussels in June 2023, Ukraine formally signed a Joint Declaration on Cooperation in the Procurement and Operation ...

• 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 ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  FPV Drones (Ukraine Aid) [Lithuania]

  Programme Background 3000 FPV Drones On 5 April 2024, the Lithuanian MoD announced it would purchase around 3,000 Lithuanian-made FPV drones to give to Ukraine to ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Drones (Ukraine Aid) [Norway]

  Programme Background September 2024 On 3 September 2024, the Norwegian government announced that "Ukraine will get more drones donated to their frontline, and more air ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Bison & Coyote (Ukraine Aid) [Canada]

  Programme Background Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Canada has been one of several NATO countries to supply Ukraine with continuous support. ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Towed guns

  M777

  The Ultralightweight Field Howitzer (UFH), now designated the M777, was designed in 1987 in order to satisfy US Army requirements for a lightweight 155mm howitzer. ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Enigma

  Unveiled in 2015, the Enigma is an 8x8 armoured personnel carrier. The vehicle is 8.3m long and 2.8m wide. It has a height of 2.39m ...

• Towed guns

  M198

  The US Army developed the M198 155mm towed howitzer from 1969 to replace the M114 155mm howitzer. From 1978, 1,600 weapons were built by Rock ...

• Towed mortars

  M327 120mm EFSS Mortar

  General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems is the prime contractor for the USMC’s Expeditionary Fire Support System (EFFS), which consists of the M327 120mm towed ...

• Towed guns

  AH4

  In 2010, Norinco revealed that it was developing the AH4 155mm/39cal Lightweight Gun Howitzer to provide a lightweight alternative to its 12.5t AH1 155mm/45cal and ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Brutus

  AM General and Mandus produce the Brutus self-propelled howitzer. It is a truck-mounted system armed with the M776 155mm Howitzer.  Developed with hopes of securing a ...

• Towed guns

  105mm Light Gun

  The 105mm Light Gun was designed and manufactured by Royal Ordnance Nottingham (now BAE Systems), with the first guns introduced to the British Army in ...

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

  Vespa-15

  The Vespa-15 is a first-person view (FPV) rotary-wing UAV manufactured by a Ukrainian company.  In May 2025, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Ukraine announced it ...

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

  Shpak

  Shpak is a mini rotary wing, FPV style, UAV manufactured by RSI Europe. Primarily designed to carry explosives, the drone was developed to help Ukraine ...

• Main battle tanks

  T-80UD

  The 125mm-armed T-80UD MBT is a variant of the T-80 which was in production in Ukraine when the Soviet Union broke up in 1991. An ...

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

  Pro

  The Pro VTOL is a fixed-wing UAV from DeltaQuad. It is available in three models, the Map, View and Cargo variants, which primarily impact the attached payload. ...

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

  REX

  The REX is an in-development Ukrainian mini-attack drone. It can hold and subsequently drop various munitions weighing up to 10kg and can locate, fix, track, ...

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

  Observer-S

  The Observer-S is a UAV produced by Def C of the Intecracy Group in Ukraine. Its main purpose is aerial survey and reconnaissance. It is ...

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

  Astero

  Manufactured by Nordic Wing, the Astero is a fixed-wing mini UAV designed for ISR missions. The drone is equipped with a NightHawk 2 camera. In the ...

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

  Black Hornet 3

  The Black Hornet 3 is the next generation of the PD-100 Black Hornet, the world's smallest nano-UAS. This new model of the Black Hornet provides ...