• Naval Warfare

  Upgraded Spearfish torpedo can be ‘directed’ after launch

  18th December 2014

  OPERATORS firing a Spearfish torpedo from a Royal Navy submarine in the future will be able to direct it to its target. While the Spearfish …

• Naval Warfare

  UK MoD contracts Babcock for Phalanx work

  17th December 2014

  Babcock has been awarded a contract by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to deliver four Phalanx 1B kits and convert four land Phalanx Weapons …

• Land Warfare

  Saab eyes future ATGM after Roquette success

  17th December 2014

  Saab is looking to provide its new extended-range (ER) and high explosive (HE) capabilities to current users of the AT4 anti-tank guided missile as well …

• Naval Warfare

  Lockheed Martin to continue building MK41 VLS

  16th December 2014

  LOCKHEED Martin will continue building MK 41 Vertical Launch Systems (VLS) for the US Navy under a $235 million contract award announced on 15 December. …

• Digital Battlespace

  MUOS radio terminal support facility opens

  15th December 2014

  A new radio terminal development and certification facility has been opened by Lockheed Martin to support the US military in maximising utilisation of the Mobile …

• Naval Warfare

  Indian Navy now has 46 coastal radars

  15th December 2014

  THE Indian Navy is strengthening the country’s coastal security by installing 46 coastal radar stations and 51 automatic identification centres.  It has also set up …

• Land Warfare

  UK re-starts long-range jungle recce course

  12th December 2014

  The British Army has completed a four-week long pilot long range reconnaissance patrol course (LRRPC) in the jungles of Brunei after a hiatus of more …

• Digital Battlespace

  Raytheon awaits NGJ design reviews

  11th December 2014

  Raytheon is looking ahead to the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) and Critical Design Review (CDR) for the company’s Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) airborne electronic warfare …

• Digital Battlespace

  OSI Maritime Systems announces ECPINS-W contracts

  10th December 2014

  OSI Maritime Systems (OSI) has announced contracts to deliver warship navigation systems to the US Navy and Irish Naval Service, with both agreements including the …

• Land Warfare

  Dutch reverse MBT decision

  9th December 2014

  The Royal Netherlands Army (RNLA) is planning to reinstate a limited tank capability, it has emerged. Shephard has learned that the Dutch military has commenced …

• Digital Battlespace

  Rockwell Collins to upgrade US Navy E-2D Advanced HITS

  8th December 2014

  Rockwell Collins will upgrade the US Navy’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Integrated Training System (HITS) under an initial contract valued at $26 million that could rise …

• Defence Helicopter

  Sikorsky's S-70B Seahawk selected for Indian Navy MRH programme

  5th December 2014

  Sikorsky’s S-70B Seahawk helicopter has been selected by the Indian Navy to fulfil its Multi-Role Helicopter requirement. Negotiations for the procurement of 16 aircraft, with …

• Military Logistics

  PNGDF commissions HMPNGS Lakekamu

  5th December 2014

  The Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) commissioned its new Landing Craft Heavy HMPNGS Lakekamu into service on 4 December in Port Moresby, Papua New …

• Defence Helicopter

  Airborne Services and NHI sign deal for repair services

  5th December 2014

  During the NIDV Defence and Security exhibition in Rotterdam last month, Dutch company Airborne Services signed an agreement for the maintenance of NH90 rotor blades …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  US Navy receives first operational MQ-8C Fire Scout

  4th December 2014

  The first operational MQ-8C Fire Scout has been delivered to the US Navy by Northrop Grumman, the company announced on 3 December. The MQ-8C is …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munition (Royal Navy) [UK]

  Background Persistent Operational Deployment Systems (PODS) As the Royal Navy stated in 2022, Persistent Operational Deployment Systems (PODS) are “interchangeable modules that can be fitted to ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Project Dragonfire [UK]

  Background The UK Government's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has been working with MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ to develop a LASER Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) called ...

• Military UAS - small

  T-150 (Royal Navy) [UK]

  Background Deployment On 7 April 2025, the Royal Navy announced that, for the first time, nine T-150 drones would be operated from the HMS Prince ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Lanza 3D Radar [Thailand]

  Background Thailand is procuring the LANZA 3D radar to strengthen surveillance and protection of Sattahip Naval Base. The radar will be deployed by the Royal ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Flexible Tactical Uncrewed Air System (FTUAS) [UK]

  Background Tender notice and timeline On 25 May 2021, the MoD published a tender notice for the urgent acquisition of a UAS and ancillaries under ...

• Military UAS - small

  Puma 3 AE (UK)

  Programme Background Testing The Royal Navy announced in October 2020 that the Puma was undergoing its first operational testing on HMS Albion's autumn deployment to ...

• Frigates

  Hamilton Class Cutter [Bahrain]

  Background Very little has been said about the transfer of an ex-Hamilton-class cutter to Bahrain, but it is one of the final two to leave ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (1-6) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved' Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020. The contract ...

• Patrol boats

  Evolved Cape Class (7-8) [Australia]

  Programme Background Austal was awarded a contract to build six 'Evolved'Cape-class patrol boats for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 1 May 2020 (see separate ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Boraida Class replacement [Saudi Arabia]

  Background Requirements The Royal Saudi Navy urges the replacement of three Boraida-class minehunters. Based on the Durance-class design, the ships entered service in the mid-1980s ...

• Minehunters

  Lat Ya Class Replacement Programme [Thailand]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) currently operates two Lat Ya-class minehunters, commissioned in the late 1990s. The units are based on the ...

• Frigates

  Air Defence Frigates Procurement [Denmark]

  Background Requirements After focusing on the procurement of new highly capable patrol ships and new Arctic frigates as a replacement for the Thetis-class, Shephard had initially estimated ...

• Frigates

  Karel Dorman Class (Chile)

  Programme Background  Chile currently operates two ex-Karel Doorman-class frigates which were sold in 2004. The Royal Netherlands Navy are in the process of replacing the ...

• Military UAS - small

  V-Bat [Netherlands]

  Background Contract award On 9 July 2025, Shield AI announced that the Netherlands MoD had acquired eight V-Bat aircraft, specifically the V-Bat 400, to enhance the maritime ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) (3) [Malaysia]

  Programme Background Requirements The Royal Malaysian Navy are in the process of a fleet transformation plan known as the 15 to 5 Transformation Plan, which ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Submarine-launched torpedoes

  Mk 48 Mod 7AT CBASS

  The MK 48 MOD 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS) is the latest variant of the Mk 48 torpedo family manufactured by Lockheed Martin and ...

• Military - UUVs

  XV Excalibur

  XV Excalibur is an Extra Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (XLUUV) built by UK-based MSubs, in conjunction with the Royal Navy. It is an experimental vessel ...

• Frigates

  Hunter Class (Type 26)

  The Hunter-class frigates for the Royal Australian Navy are based on the Type 26 design. The ships are set to replace the Anzac-class under the ...

• Sea: naval fire control radar

  Ceros 200

  The Ceros 200 is a radar and optronic tracking system designed for use on naval vessels. When interfaced with modern missile or gun systems, it ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  Royal Danish Navy MH-60R MOFT

  In January 2014, CAE was awarded an FMS contract by the USN to develop an MH-60R mission operational flight trainer (MOFT) for the Royal Danish ...

• Frigates

  Naresuan Class

  The Naresuan-class guided-missile frigates are a modified variant of the Chinese-built Type 053 frigate. The two ships-in-class were built by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation ...

• Destroyers

  River Class (Type 26)

  The Type 26 Anti-Submarine Warfare frigate has been designed for the UK Royal Navy, but with an emphasis on export. Both the Royal Canadian Navy ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  AN/SPY-7(V)1

  The AN/SPY-7(V)1 is a solid-state naval surveillance radar produced and manufactured by Lockheed Martin. The system is expected to be fully integrated into programmes for ...

• Frigates

  Jacob Van Heemskerck Class

  The Jacob van Heemskerck class frigates were ex-Royal Netherlands Navy frigates that also served under the Chilean Navy, also known as the Latorre-class. Two anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Walrus

  The Walrus is a mini rotary-wing UAV manufactured by the Royal Navy's 700X Naval Air Squadron.  As stressed during the December 2022 announcement, Walrus has been ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  RD-170BT

  The RD-170BT is a man-portable surveillance radar deployed ashore to protect moored patrol boats of the Royal Norwegian Navy. 

• Minehunters

  Sandown Class

  The Sandown class vessels are coastal minehunters and OPVs in service with the UK Royal Navy and Royal Saudi Naval Forces as the Al Jawf class. Additionally, ...

• Military - UUVs

  Mission Specialist Defender

  The Mission Specialist Defender is a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) developed by VideoRay, now part of BlueHalo's unmanned maritime systems. The ROV is known ...

• Frigates

  Type 22 (Batch 1)

  The Type 22 frigates were previously the Broadsword-class in service with the UK's Royal Navy. The vessels were built in three batches, with the first ...

• Sea: weapon training

  Inflatable Naval Gunnery Targets

  GeoData produces a range of Naval Gunnery Target Balloons (NavTGTs) for use by marine, navy, coast guard and army units to maintain target acquisition and ...