• Air Warfare

  GA-ASI gears up to trial Mojave UAV from a Royal Navy aircraft carrier

  29th June 2023

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) is working towards trial flights of its Mojave short take-off and landing (STOL) UAS from a British aircraft carrier later this year.

• Air Warfare

  Fourth Triton UAS delivery for US Navy sees completion of first operational orbit

  23rd June 2023

  Delivery of the fourth aircraft to Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19 completes the first of three planned operational orbits to provide worldwide maritime surveillance.

• Defence Notes

  Over half of NATO members to miss the mark on defence spending

  20th July 2023

  Although the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine has been driving military expenditure upward worldwide, only 11 out of 30 NATO countries are expected to meet or exceed the 2% mark in 2023.

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems tests rocket laser guidance kits for anti-drone role

  31st March 2023

  BAE Systems' APKWS laser guidance kits have successfully undergone testing in a counter-UAS mission led by the US Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office.

• Air Warfare

  Aeronautics launches Orbiter 5 UAV at Paris Air Show touting MALE-like capabilities

  21st June 2023

  At Paris Air Show, Israeli-drone maker Aeronautics launched its latest drone, the Orbiter 5, which blends a tactical platform with MALE-like capabilities.

• Air Warfare

  MQ-28 Ghost Bat ‘could fit the bill’ for UK's Loyal Wingman capability needs, says Boeing

  26th May 2023

  The affordability of the MQ-28A Ghost Bat will play a crucial role in determining its suitability for the UK's defence needs. With studies under way to determine the affordability threshold, discussions also focus on the contribution this capability could make to the domestic industrial base.

• Air Warfare

  Trillium imaging payloads selected for British Army's Stalker VXE30 drone fleet

  24th May 2023

  Trillium Engineering's HD55 series payloads will equip the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works Stalker VXE30 ISR UAS supplied to the British Army under the UK MoD's Project Tiquila effort.

• Training

  Self-help or off-the-shelf – when does developing your own simulator make sense?

  1st August 2023

  Buy simulators commercially or build your own? That is the dilemma facing some countries when it comes to expanding their training capability.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  General Atomics delivers first new build extended range MQ-9A to US Marine Corps

  17th May 2023

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) has delivered the first new build MQ-9 Extended Range (ER) to the US Marine Corps (USMC).

• Air Warfare

  BAE Systems FalconWorks air R&D division takes flight

  11th July 2023

  BAE Systems FalconWorks division's ambitious mission is to shape the future of aviation by pushing boundaries and delivering groundbreaking solutions for the UK and international customers.

• Land Warfare

  KMW rolls out new 120mm mortar and drone recon modules for Boxer armoured vehicle

  2nd June 2023

  KMW has displayed two new mission modules for the 8x8 Boxer armoured vehicle, one housing a Patria NEMO 120mm mortar turret, and the other equipped for launch and recovery of multiple UAVs for short- and long-range reconnaissance.

• Digital Battlespace

  SOF Week 2023: How Collaborative Autonomy can revolutionise multi-domain missions

  10th May 2023

  USSOCOM is betting on meshed networking technology to enable a single operator to control multiple swarming uncrewed systems across air, land and sea.

• Air Warfare

  Paris Air Show: MBDA open to commonality across European future fighter weapons

  22nd June 2023

  European missile-maker MBDA said it was open to commonality at the weapons layer between Europe’s two competing sixth-generation fighter projects.

• Naval Warfare

  SeaFuture 2023 puts spotlight on Italian naval programmes

  20th June 2023

  The recent SeaFuture event highlighted some of Italy's most important submarine, surface ship and naval aviation procurements. Shephard Defence Insight puts these latest programme developments in detailed context.

• Land Warfare

  Brazilian Army outlines next steps for Guarani armoured vehicle update

  15th May 2023

  With the aim of fielding a vehicle that can overcome current and future threats, the Guarani 2.0 project is intended to improve the capabilities of the VBTP 6x6 fleet.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker (Sergeant Stout) [USA]

  Programme Background As part of the Army Transformation Initiative the US DoD is fundamentally reorganising the structure of the US Army. As part of this all Infantry ...

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

  MQ-9B [UAE]

  Programme Background Requirement The programme is required to meet current and future threats faced by the UAE by proving ISR, target acquisition, locating submarines and counter-land and ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  A-29 Super Tucano Afghanistan

  Media reports suggest that with the hourly cost of $1000, the A-29 is a successful platform for counter-insurgency missions. Its operational capability from unprepared airstrips, ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-16 Block 52 Pakistan

  The proposed sale is aimed at improving Pakistan's capability to meet current and future security threats. These additional F-16 aircraft will facilitate operations in all-weather, ...

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

  DEF129 (Nano UAS) [Australia]

  Programme Background DEF129 The Australian Ground Service has combined various army procurement efforts under the DEF129 programme to increase the abundance and proliferation of UAVs ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Aeromobila A Pilotaggio Remoto (Mini) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirement Released on 5 August 2021, the Italian MoD's Multi-Year Defence Programme Document for 2021-2023 announced a programme aimed at acquiring a mini-UAS capable ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Aeromobila A Pilotaggio Remoto (Micro) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirement Released on 5 August 2021, the Italian MoD's Multi-Year Defence Programme Document for 2021-2023 announced a programme aimed at acquiring a micro-UAS capable ...

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

  RQ-20 Puma [Belgium]

  Programme  Requirement The Belgian MoD outlined plans to procure more mini and tactical UAS in its Strategic Vision for Defence published in 2016. According to ...

• Military UAS - small

  Bug Nano UAS (UK)

  Programme Background The British Army previously took delivery of 160 first-generation Black Hornet PD-100 nano UAS in 2013 to support operations in Afghanistan. After these ...

• Military UAS - small

  Puma 2 AE [Germany]

  Programme Background The Germany navy had an urgent requirement for three UAS required for reconnaissance and identification in maritime operations. A platform was required that ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  A-29 [Nigeria]

  Earlier on 3 August 2017, the US State Department announced that it has approved a possible FMS of 12 A-29 Super Tucanos to Nigeria for ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-1Z

  In issuing the Force Design 2030 report into the future direction of the USMC, the corps is attempting to steer the course of its development, ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA)

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA)

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

• Data links

  Data links | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA)

  USAF is working on Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft concept which may replace F-15C/Ds and F-22s in service and complement F-35s. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Counter-UAS systems

  MAUI

  The Mobile Application for UAS Identification (MAUI) is an acoustic sensor that operates on smartphones using the microphone to detect Group 1 (small, lightweight) UAS, ...

• Counter-UAS systems, Land: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  EJDERHA HPEM System

  The EJDERHA is a high power electromagnetic system manufactured by Aselsan. It generates high-amplitude electromagnetic fields and directs them to potential targets such as IEDs ...

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

  Coyote

  The Coyote is a tube-launched mini-UAV designed to perform ISR, strike, and, when equipped with  KuRFS radar, counter-UAS operations.  The US Army has selected the Coyote ...

• Land: air defence radar, Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar, Land: indirect fire location radar

  TMMR

  The Tactical Multi-Mission Radar (TMMR) is Leonardo’s C-band AESA radar designed for detecting, classifying, and tracking small, high-maneuvering targets. It’s designed for various applications, including counter-UAS, ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  HPEM

  The High-Power Electro-Magnetics (HPEM) is a C-UAS system developed by Diehl Defence. It is intended to protect both military installations and public events against threats ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Cobham C-UAS

  Unveiled at the AUVSI 2017 trade show in Dallas, Texas, the Cobham C-UAS primarily consists of wideband omnidirectional, directional helix (single- or dual-band), directional flat ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Dronekiller

  The IXI Dronekiller is a handheld C-UAS device that employs software-defined radio technology to detect and affect Class 1 and Class 2 UAS devices without ...

• EO/IR systems, Land: unattended sensor/surveillance systems, Land: vehicle surveillance/target acquisition systems

  T-SIGHT

  The T-SIGHT is a rapid deployment and vehicle-mounted medium-range surveillance system. It hosts the SIGHT-25HD EO/IR system. It is designed for remote tactical surveillance, ISR observation, force protection, route ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems, UAS: communication systems

  JCREW/DRAKE

  The JCREW/DRAKE 2.0, manufactured by Northrop Grumman, is a command and control system that utilises electronic countermeasure technologies to provide forces 'from ship-to-shore' with greater visibility ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Silent Archer

  The Silent Archer C-UAS product combines TRL-8/9 radar and EW systems, a camera and a 3D user display to defeat hostile UAVs, whether it is a ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  DroneSentryX

  DroneSentry-X is a cross-vehicle compatible, automated 360° detect and defeat device. It provides 360° awareness and protection using integrated sensors to detect and disrupt UAS. ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  Multi-Mission Hemispheric Radar

  RADA’s Multi-Mission Hemispheric Radars (MHR) are S-band, software-defined, pulse-Doppler AESA radars. The radars have beam-forming capabilities and advanced signal processing, which can provide for various ...

• Air: UAS radar

  RASAR

  The real-time, autonomous, synthetic aperture radar (RASAR) is a self-contained radar designed for installation under the wing of UAS for counter-IED and FOPEN (Foliage Penetration) missions. It is ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Ancile

  At DSEI 2017, Allen-Vanguard unveiled the Ancile, a new electronic shield designed to defeat the threat of commercial unmanned systems. The Ancile electronic shield prevents ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  NADIR

  NADIR (Networked Anti Drone Interception Recognition) is a counter-UAS system manufactured by ELT Group. It is designed to counter commercial drones for Homeland Security applications. Its ...