• Air Warfare

  Taurus KEPD 350E missile sees upgrade for German armed forces

  4th April 2025

  Taurus Systems, a joint venture between MBDA Germany and Saab, was awarded a $161 million 10-year contract in January 2025 to modernise the Taurus 350 missile.

• Land Warfare

  Armies turn to armour and self-defence as support vehicles near the frontline

  4th July 2025

  Combat losses of support and logistics vehicles in recent conflicts have highlighted the need for greater protection and even self-defence capabilities. What options are available to turn a basic truck into a survivor on the battlefield?

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2025: Likely spending boosts outlined this year turn spotlight on show

  4th September 2025

  A surge in budgeted and planned defence spending across European NATO countries in the past year has come in the face of the war in Ukraine and demands from the Trump administration that the countries take on more of the load. This is likely to be reflected in what can be expected from DSEI.

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems takes another step towards restarting M777 howitzer production

  16th April 2025

  The M777 155mm lightweight howitzer is in service with more than six countries and has been heavily used in Ukraine. The latest contract is part of an effort to restart the manufacture of M777 towed howitzers.

• Land Warfare

  What does the future hold for North Korean troops in Ukraine?

  3rd February 2025

  Various questions remain unanswered regarding the presence of North Korean troops in Ukraine.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2025: As more possible CV90 orders loom, BAE Systems confident on production rates

  12th September 2025

  The company is investing in increasing production while major subcontractors also push to keep up with demand, with Sweden’s recent Request for Information potentially adding another 500 to the order book.

• Air Warfare

  India fast-tracks indigenous MALE drones as US trade rift stalls big-ticket deals

  15th August 2025

  With US tariffs and stalled defence talks slowing imports, India has cleared a $3.4 billion plan for 87 tri‑service MALE UAVs with 60% indigenous content – accelerating self‑reliance as operational lessons from May’s four‑day conflict drive urgency.

• Land Warfare

  Bahrain approved for $500 million HIMARS order as production surges

  15th August 2025

  Lockheed Martin’s M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) is being widely ordered and deployed. The company has been working to ramp up production while continuing work to design and produce more potent missiles.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures

  6th March 2025

  The Russia-Ukraine conflict has driven another stage of evolution for drones and the counter measures to defend against them.

• Land Warfare

  War in Ukraine pushes innovation in electronic warfare

  30th December 2024

  Ukrainian innovation in electronic warfare has transformed its defensive capabilities and helping to turn the tide in a modern conflict where technology defines survival.

• Land Warfare

  Pearson Engineering remote mine-clearance system ploughs on

  10th April 2025

  The Weevil system is built around the Beacon remote control and a Pearson mine-plough. It is being evaluated on a British Army Warrior infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) but could be used for other platforms.

• Naval Warfare

  Taiwan entrusts USVs with task of deterring a PLA amphibious invasion

  23rd August 2025

  Drawing lessons from Ukraine’s Black Sea experience, Taiwan is investing heavily in unmanned surface vessels to strengthen its asymmetric defence strategy against potential PLA amphibious assaults.

• Land Warfare

  Scorpion light mortar completes tests with US Army and moves to next exercise

  29th October 2025

  Having completed five days of trials with the US Army, the two Scorpion Light mortar systems will stay in Hawaii to take part in planned Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center training exercises in early November.

• Land Warfare

  Europe’s air defence boosted by more IRIS-T SLM system orders

  4th August 2025

  The IRIS-T (InfraRed Imaging System - Tail/thrust vector-controlled) SLM (Surface Launched Medium-Range) is a surface-to-air missile system has been developed by Diehl Defence. The system is a key part of the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) and have been purchased by Sweden for this role.

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2025: Does this up-armoured T-90 tank mean Russia has learnt Ukraine war lessons?

  18th February 2025

  After significant losses of the T-90 main battle tank (MBT) in the Ukraine conflict, Russia's UralVagonZavod has developed and tested a series of upgrades to enhance the survivability of the platform, with the result on display in Abu Dhabi this week.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Akinci [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Two Export Contracts In January 2022, the Daily Sabah reported that Baykar had "recently" signed its first export contract for the Akinci. Haluk Bayraktar ...

• Main battle tanks

  T-90S (Saudi Arabia)

  Programme Background.  The status of the Saudi Arabian T-90 deal is unclear, it is possible that these tanks may be purchased to replace stocks of ...

• Loitering munitions

  ZT-180 [Russia]

  Background Claims On 23 February 2023, DER SPIEGEL reported that, according to information it had gathered, China and Russia were negotiating the purchase of 100 ZT-180 drones, ...

• Loitering munitions

  Shahed-136 [Russia]

  Programme Background Iran's Involvement On 11 July 2022, according to US intelligence, Jake Sullivan, US National Security Advisor, announced during a statement that the Iranian ...

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

  Vector / Scorpion (Selected) [Ukraine]

  Programme Background 500 Systems Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Quantum-Systems has provided many drones to Ukraine. Over 400 units have been provided as aid ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  SkyRanger R70 (Ukraine Aid) [Canada]

  Programme Background On 19 February 2024, the Canadian Defence Minister, Bill Blair, announced that the country would donate more than 800 SkyRanger R70 UAVs to ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Heavy Lift Helicopter [Philippines]

  Programme Background Procurement from Russia In November 2021, Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed that a contract had been signed to acquire 16 Mi-171 heavy ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Ka-226T [India]

  Programme Background India had operated a diverse and antiquated fleet of helicopters to support its high-altitude operations along contested borders with China and Pakistan. Reducing ...

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

  T-150 (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Programme Background Virtual Address On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. On 3 May 2022, the UK's Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, virtually addressed the Ukrainian ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Black Hornet 3 (Ukraine Aid) [UK & Norway]

  Programme Background Russo-Ukraine War Since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, UAVs have proved vital to the country's defence. Consequently, as in this programme, the ...

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

  Quantix Recon (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background April Meeting In mid-April, just shy of two months after Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, the Ambassador and the Defence Attaché at the Embassy of Ukraine met ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Spartan SUT [Russia]

  Programme Background Despite international sanctions following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Streit Group vehicles are believed to have continued to make their way into ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | E-7 Wedgetail - UK (Second Order)

  The UK MoD signed a £1.51 billion ($1.98 billion) deal to purchase five E-7 Wedgetail aircraft from Boeing for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in ...

• Data links

  Data links | E-7 Wedgetail - UK (Second Order)

  The UK MoD signed a £1.51 billion ($1.98 billion) deal to purchase five E-7 Wedgetail aircraft from Boeing for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | E-7 Wedgetail - UK (Second Order)

  The UK MoD signed a £1.51 billion ($1.98 billion) deal to purchase five E-7 Wedgetail aircraft from Boeing for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Main battle tanks

  T-80UD

  The 125mm-armed T-80UD MBT is a variant of the T-80 which was in production in Ukraine when the Soviet Union broke up in 1991. An ...

• Loitering munitions

  AQV 100 Scalpel

  The AQV 100 Scalpel, or AQV-100, is a low-cost loitering munition manufactured by One Way Aerospace.  The drone is operated using a first-person view and ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Mini 2

  The Mini 2 is a micro rotary-wing drone from DJI. It features a 3-axis gimbaled 12MP camera for photographs and 4k/30fps for video capture. Shephard believes ...

• Transport

  An-140

  The An-140 is a light turboprop military transport aircraft developed from the An-140 regional airliner, which first flew in September 1997. It is designed to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Shahed-236

  The Shahed-236, or MC 236, is a successor to the Shahed-126. It is a loitering munition designed in Iran. The drone was presented to Russia in ...

• Air: sonar systems

  VGS-3

  The VGS-3 is a dipping sonar for the Ka-27/Ka-28 helicopter developed by the State Enterprise Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Hydrodevices.

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

  Orlan-10/10E

  Developed by the Russia-based Special Technology Center, the Orlan-10 is a medium-range UAS with many variants, such as the 10E, an export version introduced in 2017. The ...

• Fighter - air superiority

  MiG-29

  The MiG-29 (NATO reporting name Fulcrum) is an air superiority fighter aircraft designed to engage air targets in any weather, day and night.  The production ...

• Fighter - ground attack

  Su-25

  The Su-25 (NATO reporting name Frogfoot) is a single-seat ground attack aircraft developed for close combat air support missions. Production of the Su-25 began in ...

• Land: coastal surveillance radars

  Predel-E

  The Predel-E is a coastal surveillance radar produced by Russian manufacturer Concern Morinformsystem-Agat JSC. The system is intended as an over-the-horizon surveillance system, designed to ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Matrice 300 RTK

  The Matrice 300 RTK is a rotary-wing UAV manufactured by DJI. Despite being primarily aimed at industrial applications, militaries utilise it for ISR tasks.  In ...

• Artillery rockets

  9M55

  9M55 is a family of 300 mm artillery rockets developed for the BM-30 Uragan MLRS developed by the USSR.

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  SURA HMTDS

  SURA is a helmet-mounted display system produced in Ukraine. Notably, it offers off-boresight acquisition capability to pilots and can cue the aircraft's sensor systems using ...

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

  Orion / Orion-E

  The Orion, sometimes called the Inokhodets, is the first Russian-manufactured MALE UAV that has been designed to carry out a wide variety of military surveillance applications. Russia has ...

• Transport

  An-22

  The largest transport aircraft of the time, the An-22 Antei (NATO reporting name Cock) is a heavy military transport aircraft developed by Antonov in the ...