• Land Warfare

  Russia's UVZ makes new push to convert outdated T-72 tanks to BMPT 'Terminators'

  1st September 2023

  Russia's UralVagonZavod (UVZ) is offering the conversion of older T-72 main battle tanks (MBTs) into BMPT-72 'Terminator'-style fire support vehicles. According to UVZ, this offering is primarily intended for international customers who possess ageing fleets of the tank.

• Air Warfare

  Double Dutch as Netherlands adds four more Reapers to first order

  22nd August 2023

  The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) will increase its fleet of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) MQ-9A Block 5 Reapers UAS from four to eight under a deal announced on 21 August.

• Digital Battlespace

  SitaWare C2 software chosen for German Navy

  1st August 2023

  The German defence procurement office (BAAINBw) has signed a contract with Danish C2 software company Systematic for new C4ISR solutions for the German Navy.

• Air Warfare

  Leonardo AW249 prototype performs tests in Spain

  8th August 2023

  The aircraft carrying out hot weather tests in Spain represents the second iteration of the AW249 NEES Fenice attack helicopter.

• Land Warfare

  Japan refines armoured vehicle needs as Patria signs agreement for AMVxp production

  6th September 2023

  The Japan Ground Self-Defense Force is moving ahead with production of the AMV 8x8 armoured vehicle from Patria, as well as lining up new Type 16 MCV 8x8 variants from Mitsubishi.

• Naval Warfare

  Japan is developing a new small sea mine

  16th August 2023

  Japan is developing a new kind of small sea mine that can be laid from such platforms as its new Mogami-class frigates.

• Naval Warfare

  Insight: Gowind 2500 corvette enjoys strong export business despite Romanian rejection

  5th September 2023

  France's Naval Group's Gowind 2500 corvette, designed for multiple naval missions, has gained popularity worldwide. Shephard Defence Insight provides detailed analysis of its export contracts, armament and technical specifications.

• Land Warfare

  Israel-Hamas War: Israel’s fleet of armoured vehicles set to get their metal tested

  20th October 2023

  Israel appears to be set for a ground war in northern Gaza in what the Israeli government argues is an effort to destroy the capability of Hamas to attack Israel. It is an environment the IDF has fought in before and the army’s vehicles will likely have a key role.

• Land Warfare

  FNSS show latest Pars IV 6x6 vehicle at IDEF

  26th July 2023

  At IDEF 2023, FNSS Suvunma Sistemleri is showcasing the Pars IV (6x6) Special Operational Vehicle (SOV), which is now being deployed by the Türkiye’s Army Special Forces Command.

• Land Warfare

  Indian Army relaunches search for self-propelled air defence systems

  12th July 2023

  The war in Ukraine has underlined the need for mobile air defence. Unfortunately, India is making little progress in its own efforts so far.

• 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

  France and Italy's Horizon-class destroyers to receive mid-life upgrade

  1st August 2023

  The Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) has awarded Naviris and Eurosam a €1.5 billion ($1.65 billion) contract for the mid-life upgrade (MLU) of the French Navy’s Forbin-class destroyers and Italian Navy’s Orrizonte-class destroyers.

• Land Warfare

  Otokar shows large armed UGV for first time at IDEF

  27th July 2023

  Turkey's Otokar has rolled out a new large UGV which can be fitted with a range of weapons including anti-tank missiles as well as carrying smaller UGVs and UAS.

• 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.

• Digital Battlespace

  Australia confirms SitaWare for critical C2 elements of Land 200 Phase 3 project

  28th July 2023

  The Australian Defence Force has chosen Systematic's SitaWare software for the C2 functions of the Land 200 Phase 3 project, enhancing situational awareness and battlefield management.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  H-X Fighter Programme [Finland]

  Programme Background In June 2020, Finnish MoD announced that the Hornet fleet life extension programme is neither cost-effective solution nor sufficient in terms of Finland’s ...

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

  H10 Poseidon [Ukraine]

  Background 2022 According to Army Recognition in 2022, citing VK, a Russian social network, Ukrainian sources had reportedly stated that the 26th Artillery Brigade and ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | PAK-DA - Procurement - Russia

  Russian MoD is planning to procure PAK-DA strategic bomber aircraft to replace the existing Tu-95MS Bear-H fleet, about 65 examples of which are in service with ...

• Data links

  Data links | PAK-DA - Procurement - Russia

  Russian MoD is planning to procure PAK-DA strategic bomber aircraft to replace the existing Tu-95MS Bear-H fleet, about 65 examples of which are in service with ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | PAK-DA - Procurement - Russia

  Russian MoD is planning to procure PAK-DA strategic bomber aircraft to replace the existing Tu-95MS Bear-H fleet, about 65 examples of which are in service with ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | PAK-DA - Procurement - Russia

  Russian MoD is planning to procure PAK-DA strategic bomber aircraft to replace the existing Tu-95MS Bear-H fleet, about 65 examples of which are in service with ...

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

  AR100-H [Germany]

  Programme Background In May 2022, it was announced that 145 AR100-H drones would be supplied to the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). At the time of ...

• Loitering munitions

  Project Brakestop [UK]

  Background Information Notice On 25 September 2024, the UK MoD published a prior information notice for Project Brakestop, informing industry of the upcoming competition. Requirements ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  Ka-52K Katran [Russia]

  Programme Background The Ka-52K Katran is a navalised version of the Ka-52 Alligator reconnaissance and attack helicopter.  The history of the Ka-52K is aligned with ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  WH AFV [R&Sp]

  Programme Background The RfI for this requirement stipulated several technical requirements that a prospective platform must meet in order to provide 'high mobility, adequate armour ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Mi-17 [Sri Lanka]

  Programme Background Sri Lanka currently operates 28 Mi-17 Hip H and Mi-171Sh and Mi-8s; the latest variants were three Mi-171Es delivered in 2013. Sri Lanka's military is ...

• Bomber

  PAK-DA - Procurement - Russia

  Programme Background The full-scale design works on the new-generation strategic bomber developed under the PAK-DA initiative were launched by Tupolev in 2013, on order placed ...

• Destroyers

  Arleigh Burke Flight III (DDG 125 - DDG 139) [USN]

  Programme Background Timeline Flight III is the last of the four flights being built for the USN, with the first ship beginning construction in 2018 ...

• Light Bullet-Proof Vehicles (Army) [India]

  Programme Background An RfP for 375 light bullet-proof vehicles (LBPV) is expected to be announced by the end of 2023 following the approval of the Indian Army's ...

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

  VTOL-Capable Group 2 UAV [USA]

  Background Request for Information (RFI) In March 2026, the USAF issued an RFI seeking a VTOL-capable UAV capable of operating in austere environments to support ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  H-1 Family of Avionics

  Northrop Grumman produces a family of avionics for Bell H-1-series helicopters.

• Magline Cruiser

  First displayed at the DefExpo exhibition in 2014, the Magline Cruiser was developed as three variants: Cruiser 1, Cruiser 2 and Mini Cruiser. The two larger ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  UH-1Y/AH-1Z Training Devices

  Together with the prime contractor for the USMC’s new H-1 helicopters, FlightSafety produced the Viper (aka Super Cobra) and the Venom (Huey) flight simulator devices. ...

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

  Aybars-1

  The Aybars-1, alternatively known as the Aybars-I or Aerogard V3800-H, is a fixed-wing, VTOL-capable UAV from BMS Defence Technologies.  It is powered by a 100cc EFI engine and ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARC-186

  The Collins Aerospace AN/ARC-186 is a low-Cost multi-band VHF/AM/FM transceiver designed to fulfill the demanding multirole missions flown in complex tactical and international environments. Aircraft installations ...

• EO/IR systems

  HD25-XV

  The HD25--XV is a lightweight, compact UAV EO camera gimbal from Trillium Engineering. Sometimes called the Orion HD25, the system is designed to operate from ...

• Land: air defence radar

  H-200

  CEIEC's H-200 is the basis of the KS-1 air defence missile which is thought to have developed from reverse engineering a Patriot air defence system. ...

• Bomber

  H-6

  The People's Liberation Army Air Force has eight regiments of bombers and they operate an estimated 160 H-6 variants that have been in service since ...

• Subsystems: visual

  SpectraView Front Projection Display System

  Designed to support a variety of training requirements, SpectraView systems provide cost-effective, scalable and flexible options for single, tandem and side-by-side seating configurations. Standard and ...

• Naval guns

  H/PJ-45A

  H/PJ-45A is a Chinese 130mm naval gun deployed on the Type 052D destroyers. Reportedly, its design is based on the Soviet AK-130 gun. During the ...

• Self-propelled mortars

  2S34 Chosta

  The 2S34 Chosta is an upgraded version of the 122mm 2S1 tracked SPH that replaces the original 2A31 ordnance with the 120mm 2A80-1 mortar-gun, an ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  Trident 140TD2

  The Trident 140TD2 is a compression-ignition engine designed for MALE platforms. Based on the Trident 100TD2, it is a lightweight, four-cylinder design that is intended ...

• Uncrewed aerial systems engines

  Trident 180TD2

  The Trident 180TD2 is a compression-ignition engine designed for heavier UAVs up to the 2t class. The design is intended to improve efficiency, while being ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  118 Mk 3 Type 1

  The Chemring CM118 Mk.3 Type-1 is a spectral flare intended to defeat infrared-guided, surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles. The flare is designed to equip rotorcraft and ...

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

  FL-1

  The FL-1, sometimes called the Feilong-1 or Flying Dragon-1, is an unmanned, long-endurance platform under development for civilian and military use. Its design is aimed towards ...