• Training

  UK MoD extends CAE helicopter training

  26th October 2017

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is investing more than £90 million in helicopter training for Royal Air Force and Royal Navy pilots, the MoD …

• Military Logistics

  Royal Navy faces cannibalisation risks

  1st November 2017

  The Royal Navy could face further equipment cannibalisation despite the introduction of a Common Support Model (CMS) for the maintenance of its vessels this year. Findings …

• Defence Helicopter

  Cobham Helicopter Academy has first customer

  25th October 2017

  Cobham is set to launch its new helicopter academy by the end of the year, and already has an undisclosed launch customer. Based at Newquay …

• Military Logistics

  KBR receives FMSO contract from UK MoD

  11th October 2017

  KBR has received a Facilities Management Services Operations (FMSO) contract from the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), the company announced on 9 October. The initial …

• Defence Helicopter

  AUSA 2017: Next-generation sensors ordered for Apache

  9th October 2017

  Lockheed Martin has a secured a $337 million deal to supply Apache modernised target acquisition designation sight/pilot night vision (M-TADS/PNVS) sensor systems to the US, …

• Military Logistics

  Support for Royal Navy as cuts beckon

  6th October 2017

  The unveiling of a fleet-wide £1 billion common support model (CSM) for the UK Royal Navy this week has come at a time when questions …

• Military Logistics

  RFA Tiderace arrives for customisation

  29th September 2017

  The second of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s new Tide-class support ships, RFA Tiderace, has arrived in Cornwall, UK, where it will undergo customisation, the UK …

• Land Warfare

  Latvia receives first Austrian howitzers

  2nd October 2017

  Latvia has received its first examples of second-hand M109 self-propelled howitzers from Austria, as part of an agreement signed between the two countries in April. …

• Digital Battlespace

  DSEI 2017: UK Dragonfire aims to the future (video)

  12th September 2017

  Earlier this year, the UK MoD awarded a contract to an industrial consortium of companies to develop laser technology for directed energy weapons. Shephard talks through …

• Training

  KNO seeks to plug training gaps

  21st September 2017

  The UK continues to retire its C-130J Super Hercules MoD and is looking to sell the older aircraft to nations which could now be left …

• Land Warfare

  Clarity emerges on UK's Warrior 2 upgrade

  21st September 2017

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is likely to green light the manufacturing phase of the Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme (WCSP) by next year, senior …

• Defence Helicopter

  DSEI 2017: Vector modernises for government fleets

  15th September 2017

  First-time DSEI exhibitor Vector Aerospace is seeing multiple military opportunities as governments from around the world seek to extend the service life of their aircraft …

• Digital Battlespace

  DSEI 2017: Raytheon to improve Shadow capability

  15th September 2017

  A new collaboration between the Royal Air Force and Raytheon UK will improve aspects of the Shadow surveillance aircraft, including an incremental upgrade of the …

• Digital Battlespace

  DSEI 2017: Thales to bring new detection product using IR

  13th September 2017

  UV threat detection systems have been extremely useful, but the next generation of systems will incorporate infrared, which outperforms UV in multiple ways, according to …

• Training

  DSEI 2017: Leonardo discovers new path forward for ASDOT

  12th September 2017

  Despite Leonardo initially indicating to Shephard it would push its M-346 (pictured) training aircraft for the UK Air Support to Defence Operational Training (ASDOT) programme, it could …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 - mini

  30,000 FPV Drones (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Programme Background IDCC On 9 January 2025, the UK MoD announced that 30,000 FPV drones would be sent to Ukraine after the awarding of £45 million ...

• Loitering munitions

  Nyan OWE [UK]

  Background Transparency notice On 13 February 2026, the UK MoD published a transparency notice concerning OWE Nyan, specifically, the procurement of OWE drones for operational ...

• Loitering munitions

  Dart 250 [UK]

  Background Purchase In 2023, the UK MoD tasked Modini with supplying Ukraine with drones, with the first Dart units reportedly delivered in autumn 2023. On ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Tactical Multirotor ISR UAV (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Programme Background Invitation To Tender (ITT) On 17 February 2025, the UK MoD released an Invitation to Tender (ITT) seeking Tactical Multirotor ISR UAVs. The effort is valued ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [UK]

  Background RAF base at Brize Norton built a new training facility for A400M pilots and crew. The aircraft will look to reach full operation capability by 2022 ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Multi-Role Vehicle (Protected) (MRV-P) Package 1 (UK)

  Programme Background Requirement The MRV-P programme was intended to procure replacements for a diverse fleet of 4x4 and 6x6 vehicles purchased during the wars in Iraq ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  New Medium Helicopter (NMH) [UK]

  Background NMH Market Interest Day On 11 November 2021, the MoD communicated the requirements of the £1 billion ($1.34 billion) New Medium Helicopter (NMH) programme ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  AR5 [Portugal]

  Methodology PGO The PGO has been set to 100% because the programme has been contracted, with deliveries due very shortly. Units required No details were ...

• Loitering munitions

  FPV & Attack Drones (Ukraine Aid) [UK & Norway]

  Background £450 million On 11 April 2025, the UK MoD announced a £450 million package for Ukraine, which included £350 million from the UK from this ...

• Loitering munitions

  Long Range Area Effect Project: Air Launched Effect (ALE) [UK]

  Background Acquisition pipeline First published on 13 June 2022, the Acquisition Pipeline was a forward-looking view of potential procurement activity undertaken by the UK MoD.  ALE ...

• Military UAS - mini

  ISR Drones (First Batch) (Ukraine Aid) [Netherlands]

  Programme Background First Batch On 20 March 2024, Kajsa Ollongren, Minister of Defence of the Netherlands, announced that, following a 19 March Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) meeting, ...

• Transport

  Command Support Air Transport Recapitalisation [UK]

  Programme Background The tender, originally released on 28 October 2021, required industry bidders to put forward aircraft that can achieve a minimum unrefuelled range of ...

• Loitering munitions

  Altius 600M & Altius 700M (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Programme Background Anduril On 6 March 2025, the UK MoD and John Healey, the Secretary of State for Defence, announced a package to help counter Russia's aggression against ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance (MROS) Ship [UK]

  Background Requirements The 2021 Defence Command Paper, Defence in a competitive age, outlined the plan to develop a new Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance (MROS) vessel to ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Light UGVs

  T7

  The T7 is a multi-mission robotic system designed for military, police and hazardous missions. At DSEI 2017, the UK MoD awarded the Harris Corporation a ...

• Major networking projects

  Skynet 5 SATCOM

  Airbus is the service provider for the UK MoD Skynet 5 private finance initiative contract, signed in October 2003 and now worth $5.6 billion. Airbus ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Warthog

  The Warthog is based on the ST Kinetics Bronco all terrain tracked carrier (ATTC) and was developed to meet a UK MoD urgent operational requirement ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Buster

  The Buster is a small UAS that is designed for carrying out close-range surveillance in all weather conditions. It can carry several different payloads and ...

• Data links

  NMS

  The Network Management System (NMS) provides the ability to monitor and manage tactical data links (Link 11A, Link 11B, MIDS/JTIDS Link 16 and legacy links) ...

• Land: vehicle surveillance/target acquisition systems

  DNGS-T3

  DNGS-T3 is a single or dual-axis stabilised Day/Night Gunner Sight. It entered service with the UK MoD in 2004 on tracked AFVs. There are more ...

• Directed energy weapons

  DragonFire

  DragonFire is a laser weapon system built for the UK MoD and manufactured by a consortium of manufacturers. The primary manufacturer is MBDA, though they ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  AW159 Wildcat

  The AW159 is a twin-engine, multirole maritime and utility aircraft that was developed as a replacement for the Lynx family of helicopters. Designated 'Wildcat' by ...

• Trucks and utility vehicles - 6x6, Trucks and utility vehicles - 8x8

  SLDT(P)

  Following the success of the Trakker 6x6 in the engineer support role, the UK MoD identified a UOR for a fleet of protected self-loading dump ...

• Major networking projects

  ARRC C2IS

  In August 2006, the UK MoD appointed Thales as prime contractor for the delivery of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC) – Command Control and ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  TTF

  BAE Systems manages the Typhoon Training Facility (TTF) for the UK MoD at RAF Coningsby, England. The facility supports the operational conversion unit and squadron ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  SA-200

  Manufactured by Syos Aerospace, the SA-200, or SA200, is a rotary-wing tactical drone. Marketed as a utilitarian drone, its primary purpose is as a cargo-carrying platform with ...

• EO/IR systems

  NightHawk2-UZ

  The NightHawk2-UZ is a dual EO-IR stabilised camera turret from NextVision designed for long-range observation applications that demand low weight. The 350g sensor's IR camera has a 1280x720p ...

• Medium UGVs

  MACE 3 Sherpa

  Based on the in-service 4x4 off-road Land Rover Defender platform, the MIRA MACE 3 Sherpa provides dismounted close combat infantry with logistical support, allowing soldiers ...

• Land: range systems and targets

  Inflatable Targets

  Airborne Industries has produced Inflatable Targets for use by the UK MoD for many years and supports and replenishes the systems in service. The targets ...