• Air Warfare

  US Navy to start the next phase of E-2D Block II modernisation in FY2028

  21st July 2026

  NAVAIR plans to award a five-year retrofit contract to a broader transition of the carrier-based airborne early warning fleet to the AHE configuration.

• Land Warfare

  Norway opts for Hanwha’s Chunmoo for long-range fires under $2 billion deal

  29th January 2026

  The selection of Hanwha’s K239 Chunmoo long-range precision fires system, with a contract expected to be signed on 30 January, makes Norway the second European country to choose the system. It is expected an operational system will be in service within four years.

• Air Warfare

  AIM-260 JATM deal puts Australia’s missile-industrial ambitions in focus

  17th August 2026

  While a potentially accelerated acquisition timeline could strengthen the RAAF’s long-range air combat capability, Canberra’s continued reliance on US missile production is also put under the spotlight in parallel to its push to build a sovereign industry.

• Naval Warfare

  Canada assesses security equipment changes for Polar Icebreaker Imnaryuaq

  23rd October 2026

  The Canadian Department of National Defence is evaluating communications and reconnaissance changes for CCGS Imnaryuaq’s expanded maritime security role, while retaining its 2032 acceptance target.

• Air Warfare

  Why the F-16 fighter jet remains a force to be reckoned with (updated 2026)

  28th January 2026

  The Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jet remains in the limelight more than 40 years after its first flight. Shephard sums up the latest developments and details everything you need to know about the aircraft in 2026.

• Naval Warfare

  Quantum Systems enters maritime domain with Baltic-focused USV and UUV

  23rd September 2026

  Quantum Systems has launched into the maritime domain with Seavex and Subvex, aiming to close a Baltic Sea ISR gap opened by infrastructure sabotage.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy begins SPY-6(V)4 radar testing ahead of first Arleigh Burke destroyer backfit

  3rd August 2026

  Wallops Island trials will validate the next-generation radar's combat system integration before its installation aboard USS Pinckney, the first Flight IIA destroyer to receive the SPY-6(V)4 upgrade.

• Air Warfare

  SOF Week 2026: DroneShield moves to double its production capacity in the US

  16th May 2026

  The DroneShield US subsidiary is rapidly expanding its manufacturing footprint in the country and has expedited the process to double its domestic production capacity in at least four months.

• Land Warfare

  More details revealed on Kosovo’s Humvee Hawkeye 105mm order

  1st July 2026

  The agreement points to growing international interest in mobile and survivable artillery systems, with further orders and export opportunities already emerging.

• Naval Warfare

  Melting ice is rewriting Arctic naval requirements

  2nd September 2026

  As the High North opens to shipping, navies face rising demand for icebreakers, ASW vessels, uncrewed systems and surveillance assets far beyond the submarine fleet.

• Defence Notes

  US, Canada advance with over-the-horizon radar programmes to close NORAD surveillance gaps

  25th June 2026

  Washington and Ottawa’s Arctic and homeland radar initiatives aim to strengthen early warning against cruise missiles, hypersonic weapons and long-range aerospace threats approaching North America.

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2026: MARSS and parent company EOS expand air defence capability

  24th June 2026

  MARSS became part of EOS Defence earlier this year, bringing together the former’s C2 NiDAR and Nation Shield air defence products with the latter’s suite of effectors and sensors.

• Air Warfare

  “Fifth-gen capability without the cost”: how autonomous strike can change the face of air warfare

  13th July 2026

  In Conversation… Armor Harris, Senior Vice President for Aircraft at Shield AI, talks to Shephard’s Gerrard Cowan about why cost-effective autonomous aircraft are a game-changer for air forces worldwide, and the key roles played by VTOL and AI as enabling technologies.

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2026: Recovery, reconnaissance, autonomy and air defence shape land systems developments

  17th June 2026

  New recovery vehicles, reconnaissance platforms, autonomous fire-support systems and short-range air-defence capabilities on display at Eurosatory 2026 highlighted how land forces are adapting to evolving battlefield requirements.

• Naval Warfare

  How Canada plans to use the River-class programme to revitalise its defence industry

  17th June 2026

  The Canadian DND estimates that the construction of destroyers will annually inject C$720 million (US$515 million) into the country’s GDP.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - light/training

  Future Aircrew Training Program [Canada]

  Background The FAcT requires to graduate 120 pilots, 40 combat systems officers and 36 airborne electronic sensor operators per year with 15% fluctuation. Training services are ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  PC-21 (Project Air 5428) [Australia]

  The new PTS, including aircraft, flight training simulators and learning environments is being acquired from a single capability contractor, Team 21, which consists of Lockheed ...

• Military UAS - small

  ScanEagle [Bahrain]

  Background Training According to US State Department Foreign Military Training data, in 2018, eight Royal Bahrain Air Force (RBAF) personnel took part in training courses to operate ...

• Trainer

  Basic Trainer Aircraft - Sweden

  Programme Background Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV) announced a request for tender for the procurement of basic trainer aircraft on the eAvrop online portal on ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  T-2E Replacement - Greece

  The average unit cost is estimated to be around $12 million based on the Czech Republic's $48.5 million deal for the purchase of four L-39NG ...

• Trainer

  T-54A Multi-Engine Training System (METS) [USA]

  Programme Background Multi-Engine Training System is a USN programme to replace the ageing T-44C Pegasus fleet and modernize multi-engine aircraft training. Multi-Engine Training System provides ...

• Trainer

  Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements The RAAF is seeking a future solution that provides a ‘relevant, adaptable, affordable and safe LIFTS out to 2050’ for training pilots ...

• Military UAS - micro

  FPV Drones [USSOCOM]

  Background Single-Source Notice In March 2025, the US Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT) released a single-source contract to acquire an unspecified quantity of first-person view (FPV) drones ...

• 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 ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  T-6C (Tunisia)

  Programme Background Requirement The Tunisian Air Force has a requirement for light aircraft in order to replace its ageing SF-206 and L-59T trainers. The country ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 [Kenya]

  Programme Background Training On 23 August 2024, Baykar posted on social media that trainees from Kenya had completed their Bayraktar TB2 training at the Baykar Flight ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Next Generation Trainer/Light Combat Aircraft [Austria]

  Background Requirements Austria is replacing the Saab 105 training fleet, which was retired from service in 2020. Austria's 2019 White paper calls for replacing it with a ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  Barak MX [Slovakia]

  Background In 2023, the Slovak Ministry of Defence recommended negotiating with Israel for BARAK MX under the first stage of Slovakia’s air-defence-capability programme. The final ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Virus SW 80 [India]

  The contract also included training of a large number of technicians and engineers from all three branches of Indian MoD. Training was conducted by the ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F -Kenya

  Crew transition training took place at the MD Helicopters headquarters in Mesa, Arizona, with field service support, armament, and gunnery training scheduled to occur at ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: air combat simulators

  Collective Training

  Boeing has delivered and operates three USAF F-15C Mission Training Centers (MTCs), three F-15E MTCs and three F-16 MTCs. The F-22 platform was added into ...

• Land: vehicle simulators

  Virtual Training

  RUAG’s virtual simulation units provide training for commanders, gunners and/or vehicle drivers. The configuration of the units is flexible. They allow individual as well as ...

• Land: vehicle simulators

  AFV Training

  Thales provides armoured vehicle, gunnery and driving simulators to a number of armies. For example, the French Army has been supplied with 33 Leclerc MBT ...

• Subsystems: software

  Training Software

  Courseware is the basis of Meggitt Training Systems’ military simulation training systems and is provided in CGI, marksmanship and judgemental video formats. Standard packages are ...

• Air: transport/tanker simulators

  A400M Training

  Thales is the principal training provider for the Airbus A400M with a contract to provide FFSs and flat-panel trainers. Four A400M FFS and two flat-panel ...

• Air: UAV simulators

  UAV Training

  Resource UAS offers a range of UAV training, from foundation courses to live flying on a range of aircraft. Each can be tailored to suit ...

• Land: C2 simulators

  BCTM Training

  To meet the need for more realistic embedded training within the US Army’s Brigade Combat Team Modernization (BCTM) programme, DRC (now Engility) developed training support ...

• Land: C2 simulators

  C2 Training

  Saab provides doctrinal-based simulation that enables trainees to dynamically execute plans and orders from their own C2 system. Commander and staff can perceive and comprehend ...

• Land: vehicle simulators

  Embedded Training

  BAE Systems uses embedded training technology in its Bradley A3 Virtual Range Demonstrator. Operators and commanders can train while in the vehicle using an onboard ...

• Subsystems: software

  Global Teach

  Global Teach training management systems provide support for educational processes. Inovex’s military-adapted training management system oversees training processes from planning to controlling, independently from the ...

• Land: infantry weapon simulators

  Small Arms Trainer

  Meggitt manufactures the FATS line of simulators used by the US Army, USMC, USAF, USN, USCG, British Army, Australian Army and other military and government ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  T-1 Jayhawk

  FlightSafety operates and maintains T-1 training devices as part of its CLS contract. Air Education and Training Command uses these high-fidelity simulators and part-task trainers ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  Flight Training for Pilots

  Saab is able to support an organisation with services and training media for all stages of flight training, including ab-initio and medical G-force training, as ...

• Air: helicopter flight simulators

  British Army Apache Training Facilities

  Aviation Training International (ATIL) – a Leonardo Helicopters/Boeing joint venture formed in 1998 - was selected to provide the attack helicopter training service to the ...

• Land: fire support simulators

  Forward Observer Training Simulator

  The Forward Observer Training Simulator programme is designed to be used as a standalone system or as part of a Howitzer Crew Training Simulator with ...