• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Lockheed and USAF carry out ATHENA C-UAV testing

  8th November 2019

  Lockheed Martin has demonstrated alongside the US Air Force the ability of its Advanced Test High Energy Asset (ATHENA) laser weapon system to engage and …

• Digital Battlespace

  AOC 2019: USAF in a jam

  23rd October 2019

  It is 30 years since the US Air Force (USAF) retired its General Dynamics EF-111A Raven electronic warfare aircraft. Is it time that the air …

• Special Operations

  Hundreds of night vision devices headed to German Special Forces

  1st November 2019

  German special operations forces are due to receive an additional order of Image Intensification (I2) Ground Panoramic Night Vision Goggles (GPNVGs), Shephard has been informed. …

• Defence Notes

  Japan set to make its F-15 fleet more lethal

  30th October 2019

  Japan is moving forward an ambition to modernise its Boeing F-15J fighter fleet, with the US State Department approving, on 29 October, the major upgrade …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  FireFly causes infantryman’s capabilities to glow

  31st October 2019

  Rafael has successfully sold the Spike NLOS missile (used from a ground-launched platform) to South Korea, and at Seoul ADEX 2019 the Israeli company was …

• Defence Notes

  Lockheed Martin awarded Mk21A contract

  23rd October 2019

  Lockheed Martin will carry out Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction (TMRR) for the US Air Force Mark21A Reentry Vehicle (Mk21A) under a $108 million contract …

• Digital Battlespace

  Germany continues pursuit of Tactical Edge Networking

  1st November 2019

  The German Army continues to consider requirements to support its next-generation tactical communications programme with industry sources suggesting the effort remains a ‘very fluent process’.  …

• Training

  JF Taylor contracted to support USN training

  8th November 2019

  JF Taylor has been awarded $109.4 million to develop simulation systems and software to support training for the US Navy’s Integrated Battlespace Simulation and Test …

• Defence Notes

  D&S 2019: Indonesia eyes US and Russian fighters

  13th November 2019

  The Indonesian Air Force is ogling new Lockheed Martin F-16V Block 72 fighters from the US to boost its aerial capability as part of the …

• Naval Warfare

  GDMS awarded LCS combat management system support

  1st November 2019

  General Dynamics Mission Systems has been awarded a contract for sustainment of the Littoral Combat Ship Integrated Combat Management System, the US Department of Defense …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Schiebel's EMSA contract extended

  11th November 2019

  Schiebel’s contract with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has been extended to the end of 2019, the company announced on 11 November.Under the EMSA …

• Land Warfare

  FLIR develops Fido X4 explosives trace detector

  6th November 2019

  FLIR Systems has developed a new version of its handheld explosives trace detector called the Fido X4. The Fido X4 uses FLIR Systems’ TrueTrace detection …

• Digital Battlespace

  Rice University signs agreement with US Army

  5th November 2019

  Rice University is to carry out research to enable advanced materials and next-generation military communications networks under a five-year, $30 million cooperative agreement with the …

• Training

  UK on path to fulfil fast jet training gap

  21st November 2019

  One of the issues of buying training systems is that stove-piped procurements can lead to an inability to network devices to fulfil a common, overarching …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AeroVironment announces new Raven order

  5th November 2019

  AeroVironment has received a contract from an unnamed existing Southeast Asian military customer for additional Raven UAS, the company announced on 4 November. The $6.4 …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Medium UGVs

  Medium Modular Equipment Transport Trailer (M-METT) [USA]

  Background Whilst there are many medium UGV programmes developing concepts for last-mile resupply problems, the US Army's M-METT programme aims to provide an uncrewed logistics ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-2 [Japan]

  Programme Background The UH-2 is a Japanese militarised version of Bell’s civilian 412EPX, with the two OEMs cooperating on this particular programme. The Acquisition, Technology ...

• Trainer

  T-6C [Thailand]

  Programme Background The contract is for 12 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II advanced military training aircraft, ground-based training systems for pilots and maintenance professionals, a mission ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Surion Marine Attack Helicopter [South Korea]

  Programme Background The ROKMC has planned to obtain 24 attack helicopters for the first time. When bidding opened in January 2019, there were five contenders: Bell ...

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

  KUS-FT (South Korea)

  Programme Background Requirement The ROKA had identified a need for tactical UAVs that can be employed at the divisional level to carry out ISTAR missions ...

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

  FPV Drones [Israel]

  Background Reported Programme According to the Globes media outlet, reporting in March 2025, the Ministry of Defense Department of Production and Procurement was publishing the ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 [Croatia]

  Background Contract Award As reported by Shephard in November 2024, Croatia's government approved the purchase of six Bayraktar TB2 drones, a training package in Türkiye, a command-and-control centre, ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk [South Korea]

  Background Requirments Seoul required UAS assets to help monitor its neighbour to the north and, increasingly, Chinese activities in waters and in the air near ...

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

  KUS-FS [South Korea]

  Programme Background Inception The Aerospace Division of Korean Air (KAL-ASD) commenced developing the MUAV in 2008 in response to a ROKAF requirement for a MALE UAV ...

• 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 - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk [Japan]

  Background Selection and contract award In 2015, Northrop Grumman’s RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft were selected by Japan ...

• Wheeled assault guns

  Type 16 Mobile Combat Vehicle [Japan]

  Programme Background The Type 16 Manoeuvre Combat Vehicle (MCV), formerly known as the Mobile Combat Vehicle, was developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) to meet ...

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

  Eurodrone (Forecast) [Czechia]

  Programme Background Eurodrone Programme For context, the European MALE RPAS, or Eurodrone, is a quad-nation effort from some of Europe's most prominent defence manufacturers to ...

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

  Eurodrone (Forecast) [Japan]

  Programme Background Japan's Application The Letter of Approval (LOA) for observer status in the programme was presented to the Japanese Ambassador to Germany, Hidenao Yanagi, by Joachim ...

• ISR/special mission

  ISTAR Aircraft - India

  Programme Background New Delhi has a long standing requirement for ISTAR aircraft to increase the IAF's capability to track mobile ground targets, map natural disaster areas, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  GenCOM Defense Ground

  GenCOM Defense Ground provides an automatic multi-layered situational awareness picture to the decision-maker, based on external signal data (metadata) gathered in real time. Integrating with ...

• Major networking projects

  DCGS

  The Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) is the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office plan for the integrated architecture of all ground and surface computing and communications ...

• EO/IR systems

  CM262

  Manfuaucted by AVT Australia, the CM262 is a ground-based imaging system combining four sensor configurations into a compact and ruggedised system for C-UAS and ISR ...

• Land: air defence radar

  KRONOS Power Shield Land

  This system is an L-band digital AESA anti-TBM radar. It is the land-based version of the naval KRONOS Power Shield, also known as KRONOS Ground ...

• AEW&C

  P600 AEW&C

  In June 2019, Embraer and IAI/Elta signed a cooperation agreement aimed at developing an AEW&C; aircraft based on the business jet Praetor 600, namely the ...

• Land: battle management systems

  AMDWS

  AMDWS (Air and Missile Defense Work Station), is a collaborative battlespace awareness information management system developed by Northrop Grumman to meet the requirements of the ...

• Short Range Missile Defence Systems: 0 to 20 km range

  Initial Maneuver - SHORAD

  Unveiled at AUSA 2019, Initial Maneuver Short Range Air Defense (IM-SHORAD) is a multipurpose platform, based on the Stryker IFV, which moves and maneuvers in ...

• Land: battle management systems

  FAAD/C-RAM C2

  The Forward Area Air Defense (FAAD) Command and Control (C2) system was developed by Northrop Grumman to provide command and control (C2) for the US Army ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Airborne Launching and Attack System (AirLAS)

  The Airborne Launching and Attack System (AirLAS) is a system that pairs Diehl Defence's IRIS-T air-to-air missile with a reusable carrier UAV developed by POLARIS. The companies ...

• Data links

  Universal Link System

  Developed by Scytalys, the Universal Link System (ULS) is a modular, scalable multi data link processor. It supports all NATO and US standard data links ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  MIM-72 Chaparral

  The MIM-72 Chaparral is a short-range, low-altitude, surface-to-air missile produced for the M48 Chaparral fire unit. It was produced as a replacement for the cancelled MIM-46 Mauler ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-67

  The AN/APG-67 is a multi-mode, pulse-Doppler X-band radar designed for the Northrop F-20 Tigershark. It provides both air-to-air and air-to-surface capabilities, including look-up/look-down detection, tracking, ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  Dzhigit

  Dzhigit is a two-barrel, pedestal air defence missile launcher intended for single or salvo launches of Igla family surface-to-air missiles. Developed in the 1990s, the Dzhigit ...

• Cannons, Naval guns

  M230LF Chain Gun

  The M230LF is a 30mm chain-driven autocannon developed by Northrop Grumman. It is a more capable version of the M230 cannon used on the Apache ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Delta Situational Awareness System

  The Delta Situational Awareness System is a cloud-based ISTAR and battle management platform with planning, communication and fire control capabilities according to NATO standards. Developed ...