• Naval Warfare

  Interview: DSTA collaborates with Leonardo, Thales and Safran for naval C-UAS

  25th April 2025

  In an exclusive interview with Shephard, DSTA chief Ng Chad-son outlines how the agency is reshaping defence tech development through deeper collaboration with industry partners, from AI-enhanced radar to smart naval munitions.

• Naval Warfare

  How powerful is the US fleet of nuclear submarines compared to Russian capabilities?

  7th August 2025

  Although both countries still operate Cold War-era platforms, they possess capable nuclear-powered and armed submarines and are investing in the development of new, advanced capabilities.

• Naval Warfare

  ST Engineering to supply the Republic of Singapore Navy with counter-mine systems

  8th May 2025

  Singapore Technologies Engineering (ST Engineering) will supply uncrewed naval systems and supporting command and control equipment to support counter-mine operations with deliveries expected to begin in 2027.

• Naval Warfare

  Thales to supply sonar systems for the Netherlands’ Orka submarines

  20th March 2025

  The company will deliver a comprehensive sensor suite when the Orka class comes into service in the early 2030s.

• Naval Warfare

  What capabilities has the US deployed in the Caribbean and South America to engage “drug boats”?

  7th November 2025

  The US arsenal includes amphibious assault and littoral combat ships, cutters, destroyers, landing platform docks, a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine, drones, ISR aircraft, helicopters and fighters.

• Naval Warfare

  Fincantieri and TKMS partner for Philippine submarine bid

  17th April 2025

  The companies have banded together to promote the Fincantieri U212 NFS offering, and hinted that the collaboration may not be a one-bid phenomenon.

• Naval Warfare

  EU SEACURE programme seeks autonomous solutions to evolving underwater threats

  13th March 2025

  The EU and leading defence firms are collaborating on improving autonomous seabed warfare capabilities.

• Defence Notes

  Why the NORAD inventory might be the US and Canada’s Achilles’ heel

  4th November 2025

  Both the US and Canada operate Cold War-era capabilities which cannot defeat today’s and tomorrow’s threats.

• Land Warfare

  “A new philosophy of defence”: ASELSAN sets out ambitions for the future

  14th November 2025

  In Conversation: Shephard’s Gerrard Cowan talks to ASELSAN CEO and President Ahmet Akyol about how the business has evolved and expanded over the past five decades, and its aim of becoming a top 30 global defence company by 2030.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Canadian Navy’s final Harry DeWolf-class vessel to be delivered this summer

  9th June 2025

  The sixth Canada’s Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship is currently at the final stages of construction within Irving Shipbuilding.

• Naval Warfare

  Kongsberg’s large uncrewed vehicle to join US Navy

  25th February 2025

  The company’s Hugin Superior system has passed its acceptance testing just a year into its contract with the Defense Innovation Unit.

• Naval Warfare

  HII delivers first two Lionfish SUUVs to US Navy

  22nd April 2025

  The SUUVs could be part of a programme that scales to 200 vehicles.

• Naval Warfare

  Quantum technology will revolutionise anti-submarine and anti-mine warfare, says Thales UK CTO

  10th February 2025

  Quantum technology could radically enhance underwater visibility of hostile vessels and mines – and deliver PNT in GNSS-deprived areas.

• Naval Warfare

  Aselsan completes Barbaros frigate mid-life upgrade project

  10th April 2025

  The upgrade has replaced a significant number of systems and elements with indigenous Turkish technology.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SOF Week 2025: Kraken Technology group debuts K3 Scout USV in North America

  6th May 2025

  High-performance maritime industry player Kraken Technology Group, based in the UK, has used the SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida this week to debut its K3 Scout uncrewed surface vessel (USV) to the North American market.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Multirole Underwater Seabed Surveillance Ship (MU3S) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirements According to the presentation provided by the Italian Navy, the MultiroleUnderwater Seabed Surveillance Ship (MU3S) will:operate a wide range of uncrewed systems, ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Multirole Underwater Seabed Surveillance Ship (MU3S) [Italy]

  In June 2024, during a presentation provided at the NATO Maritime Security Centre of Excellence (MARSEC COE), the Italian Navy detailed the new capabilities it ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Multirole Underwater Seabed Surveillance Ship (MU3S) [Italy]

  In June 2024, during a presentation provided at the NATO Maritime Security Centre of Excellence (MARSEC COE), the Italian Navy detailed the new capabilities it ...

• Military - UUVs

  Autonomous Ocean Drone [Sweden]

  Programme Background Requirements Saab is delivering a Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (LUUV) currently named the Autonomous Ocean Drone AOD) to the Swedish Navy. It is designed to employ underwater ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Buques de Acción Marítima de Intervención Subacuática (BAM-IS) [Spain]

  Programme Background Timeline On 5 November 2021, the Spanish MoD signed a contract for Navantia to build a new submarine rescue vessel at its Puerto ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Indonesian Interim Readiness Submarine Class (IRSC) Programme

  Following the sinking of KRI Nanggala in April 2021, the Indonesia Ministry of Finance (MoF) has granted approval to obtain up to $600 million in foreign loans ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Indonesian Interim Readiness Submarine Class (IRSC) Programme

  Following the sinking of KRI Nanggala in April 2021, the Indonesia Ministry of Finance (MoF) has granted approval to obtain up to $600 million in foreign loans ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | AUKUS-SSNs/SSN(R) Astute Replacement Programme [UK]

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has begun the planning process for the Astute class replacement programme referred to as SSN-Replacement (SSN(R)). In September 2021, it was announced ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | AUKUS-SSNs/SSN(R) Astute Replacement Programme [UK]

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has begun the planning process for the Astute class replacement programme referred to as SSN-Replacement (SSN(R)). In September 2021, it was announced ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Tripartite Class Replacement [Latvia]

  Latvia currently operates five Tripartite-class minehunter vessels, which were delivered second-hand to Latvia between 2007 and 2011. The vessels have been in operation since the early ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Tripartite Class Replacement [Latvia]

  Latvia currently operates five Tripartite-class minehunter vessels, which were delivered second-hand to Latvia between 2007 and 2011. The vessels have been in operation since the early ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Special & Diving Operations-Submarine Rescue Ship (SDO-SURS) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirements The programme aims to develop a new vessel capable of replacing the ageing Anteo that has reached the end of its life cycle with ...

• Minehunters

  Kormoran II Class MCM (4-6) [Poland]

  Programme Background Timeline As of March 2022, the Kormoran II-class consists of six minehunters for the Polish Navy. However, as of June 2022, only one vessel has been ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  T-AGOS Surtass Ships (6-7) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The Auxiliary General Ocean Surveillance (T-AGOS) ships focus on gathering underwater acoustical data to support the mission of the Integrated Undersea Surveillance ...

• Minehunters

  New Generation Minehunters/Coastal (NGM/C) (1-5) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirements Four vessels were planned to be NGM/A, a new ocean-going MCMV, while a further eight NGM/C minehunters, a new coastal MCMV. These will ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Military - UUVs

  Snakehead LDUUV

  The Snakehead Large Displacement Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (LDUUV) is a US Navy (USN) Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (UUV) designed to be launched from submarine Dry Dock Shelters ...

• Military - UUVs

  Uncrewed Combat Underwater Vehicle (UCUV)

  The Uncrewed Combat Underwater Vehicle (UCUV) is an uncrewed underwater vessel (UUV) being developed and built by France's Naval Group for the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA).

• Military - UUVs

  SG-1 Fathom

  The SG-1 Fathom is an uncrewed underwater vessel designed by German manufacturer Helsing. The UUV is intended for subsurface surveillance and can be deployed in ...

• Sea: tactical training

  DUNKER Helicopter Underwater Egress Training Facility

  The DUNKER Helicopter Underwater Egress Training (HUET) Facility has been developed by Turkish defence manufacturer Meteksan Savunma Sanayi for the local Naval Forces. It is ...

• Naval: Radio and SATCOM

  UT 3000 2G

  The UT 3000 2G is an underwater communications system designed and built by ELAC SONAR. Offered in both underwater and surface configurations, it is in ...

• Land: coastal surveillance radars

  SeaShield

  The SeaShield is a long-range underwater surveillance and warning system manufactured by DSIT Solutions in Israel. According to the manufacturer, it is an ASW system that provides ...

• Military - UUVs

  Autonomous Ocean Drone (AOD)

  The Autonomous Ocean Drone (AOD) is a Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle (LUUV) designed by Saab. It is intended to employ underwater sensors, long-range intelligence, surveillance and ...

• Military - UUVs

  V-Fides

  The V-Fides is an AUV developed by Leonardo that can be employed both in civilian and surveillance missions. The range of possible missions includes archaeological research, underwater ...

• UAS: communication systems

  GIB SAR

  The portable GIB SAR is an underwater GPS tracking system. By combining four buoys and a deck unit, which can be installed either on a ...

• Military - UUVs

  Manta Ray

  Manta Ray is an uncrewed underwater vessel (UUV) developed by Northrop Grumman.

• UAS: communication systems

  GIB FT

  The GIB FT portable torpedo and UUV tracking range is composed of a set of buoys that receives acoustic signals transmitted by the pingers mounted ...

• Swimmer delivery vehicles

  FWS-5 Barracuda

  The FWS-5 Barracuda represents the latest variant in a long line of SDV technology manufactured by Emirates Marine Technology. Capable of carrying two operators, the ...

• Military - UUVs

  A18-T

  The A18-T is a multirole configured AUV designed by Exail. The twin-hull platform is designed to perform missions such as mine countermeasures and harbour security, hydrographic littoral ...

• Sea: sonar systems

  AquaShield

  The AquaShield diver detection sonar (DDS) is a sonar system manufactured by DSIT. It provides long-range detection and the modular design allows tailoring of the system for ...

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

  Blackwing

  Manufactured by AeroVironment and based on the Switchblade loitering munition, the Blackwing is a tube-launched UAV designed to deliver rapid ISR capabilities through its EO/IR ...