• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Boeing PAV completes maiden flight

  28th January 2019

  Boeing’s autonomous passenger air vehicle (PAV) prototype, developed under the Boeing NeXt programme, has successfully completed its first test flight in Manassas, Virginia, the company …

• Special Operations

  Highnovate spotlights SOF rope access designs

  1st February 2019

  Israel-based Highnovate used its inaugural presence at the recent SHOT show in Las Vegas to highlight the company’s rope access products for military special operations …

• Land Warfare

  BAE Systems wins ammunition contract

  31st January 2019

  BAE Systems has received a contract to supply 155mm smoke and illuminating artillery rounds to the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), the company announced on …

• Defence Helicopter

  Japan’s UH-X achieves maiden flight

  7th January 2019

  A prototype of the UH-X medium multipurpose helicopter, slated to equip the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF), successfully completed its maiden flight in Japan in …

• Digital Battlespace

  DARPA’s advancements in hypersonic time travel

  7th February 2019

  The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is investigating advances in materials that could allow hypersonic vehicles to travel through Earth’s atmosphere for longer …

• Digital Battlespace

  Bittium receives Finland order

  31st January 2019

  Bittium has received a €3.4 million purchase order from the Finnish Defence Forces for the maintenance and further development of the Tactical Wireless IP Network …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  The economics of a drone response

  24th January 2019

  The UK government is poised as cross-governmental departments collaborate on effective national security measures in countering drone attacks. The UK defence secretary admitted, during a …

• Naval Warfare

  Polish OPV undergoes final sea trials as Bulgaria programme faces delay

  6th February 2019

  The latest OPV destined for the Polish Navy, ORP Slazak, recently began final sea trials ahead of a handover to the service, the final leg …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  GA-ASI forms Team SkyGuardian Belgium

  17th January 2019

  General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has teamed with five Belgium companies to form Team SkyGuardian Belgium, the company announced on 15 January. Shephard reported in …

• Land Warfare

  Rheinmetall, BAE Systems to form UK-based JV

  24th January 2019

  BAE Systems and Rheinmetall have signed an agreement to establish a UK-based joint venture (JV) for military vehicle design, manufacture and support activities, the company …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Delair opens UAS maintenance centres in US

  31st January 2019

  Delair has expanded its customer service operations with the qualification and opening of its first two UAS repair and maintenance centres in the US, the …

• Defence Notes

  Russia starts production of a new-generation strategic bomber

  17th January 2019

  The first production works on the Russian PAK-DA new-generation strategic bomber programme are set to be given a go-ahead this year. According to the Russian military …

• Digital Battlespace

  US Army to experiment with MUM-T radio for NGCV

  23rd January 2019

  Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) will be one of the focuses for the US Army’s Next Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV) programme during 2019 with an experiment for …

• Military Logistics

  Kellstrom Defense acquires WAM

  9th January 2019

  Kellstrom Defense Aerospace has acquired California-based Williams Aerospace and Manufacturing (WAM), the company announced on 7 January. WAM has developed a range of tooling for …

• Defence Notes

  China intimidates Philippine reconstruction on Thitu Island

  8th February 2019

  The Philippines has been constructing a new beaching ramp on Thitu Island in the South China Sea, a move that has drawn firm resistance from …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Medium UGVs

  Medium Modular Equipment Transport Trailer (M-METT) [USA]

  Background Whilst there are many medium UGV programmes developing concepts for last-mile resupply problems, the US Army's M-METT programme aims to provide an uncrewed logistics ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-2 [Japan]

  Programme Background The UH-2 is a Japanese militarised version of Bell’s civilian 412EPX, with the two OEMs cooperating on this particular programme. The Acquisition, Technology ...

• Trainer

  T-6C [Thailand]

  Programme Background The contract is for 12 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II advanced military training aircraft, ground-based training systems for pilots and maintenance professionals, a mission ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  Surion Marine Attack Helicopter [South Korea]

  Programme Background The ROKMC has planned to obtain 24 attack helicopters for the first time. When bidding opened in January 2019, there were five contenders: Bell ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  KUS-FT (South Korea)

  Programme Background Requirement The ROKA had identified a need for tactical UAVs that can be employed at the divisional level to carry out ISTAR missions ...

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

  FPV Drones [Israel]

  Background Reported Programme According to the Globes media outlet, reporting in March 2025, the Ministry of Defense Department of Production and Procurement was publishing the ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 [Croatia]

  Background Contract Award As reported by Shephard in November 2024, Croatia's government approved the purchase of six Bayraktar TB2 drones, a training package in Türkiye, a command-and-control centre, ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk [South Korea]

  Background Requirments Seoul required UAS assets to help monitor its neighbour to the north and, increasingly, Chinese activities in waters and in the air near ...

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

  KUS-FS [South Korea]

  Programme Background Inception The Aerospace Division of Korean Air (KAL-ASD) commenced developing the MUAV in 2008 in response to a ROKAF requirement for a MALE UAV ...

• Loitering munitions

  Long Range One-way Platforms [US]

  Solicitation In October 2024, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) released a solicitation for long-range, one-way platforms. The DIU noted recent conflicts highlighted the asymmetric impact of low-cost, ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk [Japan]

  Background Selection and contract award In 2015, Northrop Grumman’s RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft were selected by Japan ...

• Wheeled assault guns

  Type 16 Mobile Combat Vehicle [Japan]

  Programme Background The Type 16 Manoeuvre Combat Vehicle (MCV), formerly known as the Mobile Combat Vehicle, was developed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) to meet ...

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

  Eurodrone (Forecast) [Czechia]

  Programme Background Eurodrone Programme For context, the European MALE RPAS, or Eurodrone, is a quad-nation effort from some of Europe's most prominent defence manufacturers to ...

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

  Eurodrone (Forecast) [Japan]

  Programme Background Japan's Application The Letter of Approval (LOA) for observer status in the programme was presented to the Japanese Ambassador to Germany, Hidenao Yanagi, by Joachim ...

• ISR/special mission

  ISTAR Aircraft - India

  Programme Background New Delhi has a long standing requirement for ISTAR aircraft to increase the IAF's capability to track mobile ground targets, map natural disaster areas, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  GenCOM Defense Ground

  GenCOM Defense Ground provides an automatic multi-layered situational awareness picture to the decision-maker, based on external signal data (metadata) gathered in real time. Integrating with ...

• Major networking projects

  DCGS

  The Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) is the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office plan for the integrated architecture of all ground and surface computing and communications ...

• EO/IR systems

  CM262

  Manfuaucted by AVT Australia, the CM262 is a ground-based imaging system combining four sensor configurations into a compact and ruggedised system for C-UAS and ISR ...

• Land: air defence radar

  KRONOS Power Shield Land

  This system is an L-band digital AESA anti-TBM radar. It is the land-based version of the naval KRONOS Power Shield, also known as KRONOS Ground ...

• AEW&C

  P600 AEW&C

  In June 2019, Embraer and IAI/Elta signed a cooperation agreement aimed at developing an AEW&C; aircraft based on the business jet Praetor 600, namely the ...

• Land: battle management systems

  AMDWS

  AMDWS (Air and Missile Defense Work Station), is a collaborative battlespace awareness information management system developed by Northrop Grumman to meet the requirements of the ...

• Short Range Missile Defence Systems: 0 to 20 km range

  Initial Maneuver - SHORAD

  Unveiled at AUSA 2019, Initial Maneuver Short Range Air Defense (IM-SHORAD) is a multipurpose platform, based on the Stryker IFV, which moves and maneuvers in ...

• Land: battle management systems

  FAAD/C-RAM C2

  The Forward Area Air Defense (FAAD) Command and Control (C2) system was developed by Northrop Grumman to provide command and control (C2) for the US Army ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Airborne Launching and Attack System (AirLAS)

  The Airborne Launching and Attack System (AirLAS) is a system that pairs Diehl Defence's IRIS-T air-to-air missile with a reusable carrier UAV developed by POLARIS. The companies ...

• Data links

  Universal Link System

  Developed by Scytalys, the Universal Link System (ULS) is a modular, scalable multi data link processor. It supports all NATO and US standard data links ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  MIM-72 Chaparral

  The MIM-72 Chaparral is a short-range, low-altitude, surface-to-air missile produced for the M48 Chaparral fire unit. It was produced as a replacement for the cancelled MIM-46 Mauler ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-67

  The AN/APG-67 is a multi-mode, pulse-Doppler X-band radar designed for the Northrop F-20 Tigershark. It provides both air-to-air and air-to-surface capabilities, including look-up/look-down detection, tracking, ...

• Man-portable missile systems

  Dzhigit

  Dzhigit is a two-barrel, pedestal air defence missile launcher intended for single or salvo launches of Igla family surface-to-air missiles. Developed in the 1990s, the Dzhigit ...

• Cannons, Naval guns

  M230LF Chain Gun

  The M230LF is a 30mm chain-driven autocannon developed by Northrop Grumman. It is a more capable version of the M230 cannon used on the Apache ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Delta Situational Awareness System

  The Delta Situational Awareness System is a cloud-based ISTAR and battle management platform with planning, communication and fire control capabilities according to NATO standards. Developed ...