• Land Warfare

  “No single technology is enough”: why an integrated approach to uncrewed warfare is essential

  16th July 2026

  In Conversation… Ahmet Akyol, CEO of ASELSAN, talks to Shephard’s Gerrard Cowan about how the rapid evolution of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) is transforming the battlespace, with militaries focused on both deploying these platforms to maximum effect and developing the defensive systems needed to counter them.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy advances with the Harpoon Service Life Extension Programme

  16th December 2025

  The US Navy plans to improve Harpoon’s anti-ship and land attack capabilities by equipping the missiles with sensors and technologies required for succeeding in future battlespace.

• Naval Warfare

  Can the West keep up with China’s “XXL” uncrewed submarines?

  12th January 2026

  The UK, the US and Australia have all been working on “extra-large” uncrewed underwater vehicles, but China’s reported development of a significantly larger capability demonstrates the country’s rapid advancement in underwater warfare.

• Naval Warfare

  Subsea surveillance: why connecting military and civilian assets could be crucial

  25th May 2026

  As costs rise and threats multiply, maritime awareness is shifting from platforms to networks, and civilian infrastructure plays a central role.

• Air Warfare

  Singapore Airshow 2026: RSAF refreshes air transport capability as part of force modernisation

  2nd February 2026

  Singapore is understood to have received three of four ex-Spanish C-130Hs from Blue Aerospace in recent weeks.

• Air Warfare

  GA-ASI confirms selection to support US Navy’s CCA programme

  21st October 2025

  The company is working on conceptual designs for the US Navy’s CCA programme alongside Anduril, Northrop Grumman and Boeing.

• Naval Warfare

  First made-in-Finland US Coast Guard Arctic Security Cutter to be delivered in 2028

  7th January 2026

  The first Arctic Security Cutter will be built by Rauma Marine Constructions to be deployed in the US Arctic waters.

• Naval Warfare

  Iran and the future of amphibious operations: crewed and uncrewed solutions

  1st April 2026

  Amphibious operations are a very unique type of military operation, and global defence industries are developing new solutions to enhance capabilities and efficiency.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy approaches the award of a follow-on contract for Aegis production

  23rd October 2025

  Naval Sea Systems Command intends to grant a production agreement for the Aegis Weapon System covering the FY2026-FY2030 period.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy acquires additional Most Aggressive Features for Virginia-class submarines

  22nd October 2025

  A follow-on contract awarded to Collins covers the supply of up to eight MAFs to be delivered from 2027.

• Air Warfare

  Sophistication versus simplification: the divided future of air-to-air missiles

  12th October 2026

  As global air combat operations continue to evolve at a rate not seen for decades, what will the next generation of air-to-air weapons look like, and what missions will they need to fulfil?

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy extends the deadline for submitting proposals for the Next Generation Logistics Ship

  28th October 2025

  NAVSEA plans to select up to three suppliers for the concept design phase of the programme in Q2 FY2026.

• Air Warfare

  Viper Shield electronic warfare suite for F-16s enters low-rate initial production

  18th November 2025

  The L3Harris Viper Shield is seen as a key component in keeping the newest generation of F-16s up to date and providing a retrofit capability to earlier aircraft.

• Air Warfare

  “A dominant force”: empowering Europe’s airborne ISR in a new era

  1st May 2026

  European militaries face a new security landscape, with the proliferation of drones, theatre ballistic missiles and other threats boosting requirements for airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and related systems. For L3Harris, missionised business jets are central to meeting these needs, providing capability and flexibility in a cost-effective package.

• Air Warfare

  Northrop Grumman and Kratos team up to develop US Marine Corps CCA

  9th January 2026

  Northrop Grumman will provide the autonomy software for the USMC loyal wingman, which will be integrated into Kratos’ XQ-58 Valkyrie uncrewed aerial system.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Light attack, Trainer

  IAR-99 Replacement (Romania)

  On 29 August 2017, Leonardo announced that the IAR-99 trainer technology demonstrator (TD) will be fitted with company's Vixen 500E AESA radar. The Vixen 500E AESA ...

• Maritime patrol

  Maritime Patrol Aircraft Procurement [Italy]

  Background Requirement history In an appearance before the Italian parliament’s Foreign and Defence Affairs Committee on 14 July 2022, Italian Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey (Navy and Marine Corps) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement According to USN FY2023 Budget Estimate documentation, the V-22 programme provides an aircraft to meet the amphibious and vertical assault needs of ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-8C Fire Scout (USA)

  Programme Background Timeline According to the Naval Air Systems Command, having first ordered the MQ-8B in 2009, the UAV has become a pillar of the ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Mobile Short Range Radar [Austria]

  Background As part of its efforts to modernise its ground-based air defence (GBAD) network, Austria is seeking to acquire 14 mobile short-range radar systems. According ...

• Military UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USN)

  Programme Background Joint USN and USMC Procurment The RQ-21 Blackjack, or STUALSO, was a combined United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) programme ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AW101-Norway

  AgustaWestland is also providing initial support and training services, including spares at each of the operating bases and aircrew training. It will then provide performance ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Future Vertical Lift Maritime Strike (FVL-MS) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The FVL-MS programme seeks to develop and acquire a family of systems, including crewed and uncrewed aircraft, to replace rotary life aircraft utilised ...

• Military UAS - small

  RQ-21A Blackjack / STUASLO - Replacement Units (USMC)

  Programme Background Joint USN and USMC Procurment The RQ-21 Blackjack, or STUALSO, was a combined United States Navy (USN) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) programme ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (US Navy) (Batch 2) [US]

  Background According to the FY2021 budget request, the USN funded three JLTVs in FY2018, eight in FY2019, 19 in FY2020 and 25 in FY2021. In ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  LCAC 100 Class (SSC) [USN]

  Background Timeline The major role of the SSC will be deployment from landing ships in support of USN and USMC operations and the transport of ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  JLTV (US Navy) (Batch 1) [USA]

  Background As of November 2020, the US DoD had signed 14 contracts with Oshkosh Defense covering the delivery of approximately 17,731 JLTVs to all branches ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  AD(X) Destroyer Tenders [USN]

  Programme Background At Surface Navy 2026, General Dynamics NASSCO unveiled an internally developed concept, pitching a AD(X) Destroyer Tender to the USN. The destroyer tender ...

• Military helicopters - light/training

  TH-73 Advanced Helicopter Training System (AHTS) (TH-57 Replacement)

  Programme Background Contenders for the competition included the Leonardo single engine TH-119 – a military variant of the AW119Kx – and Bell’s newly upgraded single ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Blackwing (Second Batch) [USA]

  Programme BackgroundFirst Batch The Blackwing originated from a 2013 initiative to develop a low-cost submarine-launched UAS for the US Navy. Following successful tests with the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  AN/SPY-3

  The AN/SPY-3 is a multifunction naval radar developed and manufactured by Raytheon. Its intended uses include horizon and surface search, navigation, periscope detection, discrimination, and ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  MQ-8C Fire Scout

  The MQ-8C is a newer version of the Fire Scout and is based on a Bell 407 commercial helicopter. It offers a greater range, endurance ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-79

  The AN/APG-79 is an agile beam radar with a solid-state digital array that scans at nearly the speed of light, enabling detection and tracking of ...

• Fighter - multirole, Fighter - naval

  F-35C

  The F-35C Lightning II, also known as the F-35 carrier variant (CV), is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft in carrier configuration. It has larger wings and ...

• Fighter - electronic warfare

  EA-18G Growler

  The EA-18G Growler is a variant in the F/A-18 family of aircraft that combines the F/A-18F Super Hornet platform with a sophisticated electronic warfare suite. It ...

• Sea: naval surveillance radar

  AN/SPY-6(V)1 (AMDR)

  Raytheon's Air and Missile Defence Radar (AMDR), now officially designated as AN/SPY-6(V)1 is a three-dimensional AESA naval surveillance radar designed to simultaneously defend against ballistic missiles, hypersonic ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Raven ES-05

  The Raven ES-05 is an AESA fire-control radar developed by Leonardo in close collaboration with Saab for the Gripen E/F. It features a repositionable AESA ...

• 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 ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-63(V)2

  The AN/APG-63(V)2 is a significant radar upgrade for the U.S. Air Force F-15C aircraft. This upgrade replaces the mechanically-scanned antenna (MSA) with an AESA antenna,  ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Grifo E

  The Grifo-E is an advanced fire-control radar developed by Leonardo, featuring Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology for enhanced situational awareness. It employs Active Electronically Scanned ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  Vixen-1000E

  The Vixen 1000E is an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar designed for fighter and interceptor aircraft, incorporating a roll-repositionable antenna with a ±100º field ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  RBE2

  The AESA RBE2 is the first AESA radar produced in Europe for combat aircraft. The active phased array replaces the passive array in the RBE2 currently ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  MQ-8B Fire Scout

  The MQ-8B Fire Scout is a rotary-wing UAV that provides situational awareness and precision targeting support for the US Armed Forces. The MQ-8B Fire Scout, ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  IAR-99 TD

  IAR-99 TD is an advanced trainer and light attack aircraft based on the IAR-99. It is being developed jointly by the Romanian National Institute for ...

• EO/IR systems

  Wescam MX-20

  The Wescam MX-20 EO/IR is an imaging system from L3 Harris, designed for high-altitude, long-range persistent surveillance and reconnaissance missions from crewed and uncrewed aircraft. The MX-20HD was a ...