• Defence Notes

  Airshow China: FC-31 fighter makes debut

  11th November 2014

  The FC-31 fighter, a developmental platform from the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC), is participating in flying displays at Airshow China 2014 in Zhuhai.  Widely known …

• Defence Helicopter

  First EC725 accepted by Indonesian MoD

  10th November 2014

  The first combat search and rescue (CSAR) EC725 helicopter has been accepted by the Indonesian Ministry of Defence from Airbus Helicopters. Following the installation of …

• Naval Warfare

  Egyptian Navy selects Swiftships’ patrol boats

  10th November 2014

  Swiftships will build six new patrol boats for the Egyptian Navy under a new agreement announced on 5 November. Contract negotiations are being finalised and …

• Naval Warfare

  Terma announces Asian Scanter radar order

  7th November 2014

  Terma will deliver 114 Scanter 2202 and 2001 radar systems to an unnamed customer in Asia under a new contract announced on 6 November. The …

• Naval Warfare

  Swiftships launches private security fleet

  6th November 2014

  Swiftships LLC has announced the launch of a new subsidiary known as Swift Maritime Security (SMS), which is creating a private fleet to provide maritime …

• Naval Warfare

  IAI highlights maritime security solution (video)

  6th November 2014

  Elta Systems, part of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), used the Euronaval exhibition to highlight an integrated maritime security solution for oil rigs, ports and other …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Indo Defence: Bonefish captures attention

  6th November 2014

  PT Lundin and Saab have unveiled a new USV technology demonstrator at Indo Defence 2014. The Bonefish USV combines Saab’s mission systems integration capabilities with …

• Naval Warfare

  Blighter enhances radar coastal security effectiveness

  6th November 2014

  Blighter Surveillance Systems has introduced a number of new features to its Blighter e-scan radar to improve its effectiveness for coastal and harbour security, the …

• Defence Helicopter

  Apache radar updated with maritime mode

  6th November 2014

  Longbow LLC, the joint venture that manufactures the AN/APG-78 Longbow fire control radar, is to upgrade the radars equipping the US Army’s new AH-64E helicopters …

• Digital Battlespace

  Thales unveils Searchmaster ‘5-in-1’ (video)

  5th November 2014

  Thales launched its new Searchmaster multirole surveillance radar with active electronic scanning antenna (AESA) technology at the Euronaval exhibition in Paris. Speaking to Shephard Media, …

• Naval Warfare

  Mediterranean SAR downsized under EU Triton

  5th November 2014

  The lives of thousands of migrants seeking to reach Europe from Africa by crossing the Mediterranean are at risk after the Italian Mare Nostrum programme …

• Naval Warfare

  AEUK wins underwater countermeasures research contract

  5th November 2014

  Atlas Elektronik UK (AEUK) will conduct underwater defensive aids research under a new three-year £3.5 million contract with UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) agency, Defence …

• Digital Battlespace

  Singapore employs aerostat as radar cover

  3rd November 2014

  A helium-filled aerostat will be tethered inside an undisclosed military base in Singapore to provide high-resolution radar coverage of sea-space and airspace out to a …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Saab announces UHDT underwater IED contract

  3rd November 2014

  Saab has announced that it will deliver a Water Borne Improvised Explosive Device Remotely Operated Vehicle (WBIEDROV) to the US Underwater Hazardous Device Team’s (UHDT) …

• Naval Warfare

  IMB warns of complacency over piracy

  3rd November 2014

  Attacks on small tankers in SE Asia remain a major area of concern despite falling numbers of global piracy attacks. According to figures from the …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Seeker 400 - First Batch (UAE)

  Programme Background The UAE has a long history of transactions with Denel Dynamics. The country has been purchasing various Seeker systems from as far back ...

• Maritime patrol

  Challenger 650 ISR - UAE

  Programme Background In February 2019 at IDEX, the UAE announced that it will procure a new special mission aircraft with an option for the second ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (Japan)

  Programme Background Selection & 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 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Chinese UAVs [Bangladesh]

  Background Request for Proposals (RFP) In 2023, as reported by Shephard at the time, the Bangladesh Army released a 106-page tender document to gather information ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Seeker 400 - Second Batch (UAE)

  Programme Background The UAE has a long history of transactions with Denel Dynamics. The country has been purchasing various Seeker systems from as far back ...

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

  Jump 20 [Denmark]

  Background 2020 Tender In January 2018, Denmark's three main political parties signed the Danish Defence Agreement, a cross-party defence white paper covering the period between ...

• ISR/special mission

  ISTAR Aircraft [South Korea]

  Programme Background 2018 - Issue of RfI The South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) stated that Seoul planned to procure additional aircraft to minimise potential surveillance ...

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

  MQ-9A Reaper (First Batch) [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Acquisition Decision The Netherlands cancelled a project to procure a MALE UAV in 2007. Six years later, in 2013, it was revealed the Dutch ...

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

  MQ-9A Reaper Block 5 [Italy]

  Programme Background Initial Procurement Italy submitted a $330 million FMS request through the Defence Security Cooperation Agency for four MQ-9A aircraft, four GCS and five ...

• 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 - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (South Korea)

  Programme 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 - small

  Gladius [Poland]

  Programme Background Contract Signing On 6 May 2022, the Minister of National Defense, Mariusz Błaszczak, the president of the WB GROUP, Piotr Wojciechowski and the head ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Tactical UCAV [Czechia]

  Programme Background Inception In November 2017, the Chief of Staff of the Army of the Czech Republic (ACR) announced that the service had earmarked CZK1 billion ...

• Military UAS - small

  Intra-Theatre Lift [UK]

  Background  Relationship to the Heavy Lift Challenge The Royal Navy (RN) embarked on the Heavy Lift Challenge, now called the Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC), to explore cargo-carrying ...

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

  MQ-9A Reaper (Second Batch) [Netherlands]

  Programme Background First Batch Following a cancelled MALE UAV project in 2007, the Dutch MOD revealed its intention to acquire four MQ-9A Reapers from General ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  AR5

  First announced in October 2012, the AR5 is a MALE UAS designed for SAR, surveillance and maritime patrol missions. The AR5 can be flown manually or commanded ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  AN/APY-10

  The AN/APY-10 is an airborne maritime surveillance radar manufactured by Raytheon. It is designed to equip the USN'S Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and has ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  AN/ZPY-1 STARLite

  The AN/ZPY-1 Small Tactical Radar-Lightweight (STARLite) is a synthetic aperture radar and GMTI sensor for UAVs, manufactured by Northrop Grumman. It offers strip and spot synthetic ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: surveillance radar

  AN/APS-137B(V)5

  The AN/APS-137B(V)5 is a maritime patrol radar manufactured by Raytheon. It provides both multi-resolution synthetic aperture radar and inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR), allowing performance over the ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  TriSAR

  The Tri-mode Synthetic Aperture Radar (TriSAR) is a real-time, high-resolution land and maritime surveillance radar designed by Array Systems Computing in Canada. It is suited ...

• Air: helicopter radar

  AN/DPY-1 Lynx Block 30

  The multi-mode AN/DPY-1 Lynx Block 30 is a reduced weight, power and volume variant of the AN/APY-8. It is a high-resolution, wide-area surveillance, Ku-band synthetic ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  TacSAR

  The Tactical Synthetic Aperture Radar (TacSAR) is an airborne reconnaissance system designed by Collins Aerospace (now part of Raytheon). It is intended for land and ...

• Air: surveillance radar

  AN/APY-3

  The AN/APY-3 is a large, phased-array, ground surveillance, side-looking airborne radar with synthetic aperture radar/moving target indication (MTI) capability. It is the primary sensor of ...

• Subsystems: software

  Radar Simulation Systems

  The Digital Radar Landmass Simulator (DRLMS) model accurately simulates real-world terrain and cultural feature returns, as well as weather patterns and targets. Configurable parameters allow ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  Seaspray 7500E V2

  The Seaspray 7500E V2 is a long-range, maritime-focused multi-mode surveillance radar produced by Leonardo and manufactured in the UK. The system can rapidly interleave radar modes ...

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

  AR3

  The AR3, or AR3 Net Ray, is an autonomous small-UAS designed to support land-based and maritime missions.  In May 2025, the Royal Air Force announced ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  MOSAIC

  The MOSAIC is a three-dimensional, AESA-based, multi-mode surveillance radar manufactured by Telephonics. It is designed for maritime, littoral and overland surveillance missions for rotary- and fixed-wing ...

• Air: surveillance radar

  ASTOR

  The Airborne Stand-Off Radar (ASTOR) is abattlefield surveillance synthetic aperture radar/moving target indication (MTI) system installed in the UK RAF's Raytheon SentinelR1 aircraft, a version ...

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

  Black Swan

  The Black Swan is a cargo-carrying drone manufactured by Dronamic.  In February 2026, the company released the Detect & Defend version, a military variant of the platform ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar

  Seaspray 7300E V2

  The Seaspray 7300E V2 radar is an airborne, maritime, multi-mode surveillance radar manufactured by Leonardo. It is designed for the detection of small maritime targets in ...