• Naval Warfare

  US Coast Guard announces $350 million investment in robotics and autonomous systems

  26th September 2025

  The USCG will use part of this funding to acquire SkyDio X10D short-range uncrewed aircraft systems, VideoRay Defender remotely operated vehicles and Qinetiq Squad Packable Utility and mini-SPUR robots.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal New Zealand Navy outlines modernisation goals

  2nd September 2025

  The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) has a crunch time coming up as it looks to refresh its fleet before 2040, and prepares to begin operating Sikorsky MH-60R helicopters, although it is at the back of a long ordering queue. A key part of any solution is looking at what neighbouring Australia is buying.

• Naval Warfare

  First Canadian modernised MK 46 Mod 5A torpedo to be delivered in Q1 2026

  23rd September 2025

  The upgrade of the MK 46 Mod 5A anti-submarine rounds to the MK 54 model will enable the Canadian Armed Forces to maintain the torpedoes in service for the next 25 years.

• Naval Warfare

  US continues to review AUKUS submarine deal as HII ticks off new Virginia-class sea trials

  8th October 2025

  The initial sea trials for Virginia-class SSN 798 conducted by Newport News Shipbuilding division and the US Navy marked an “important step”, but the ongoing AUKUS review casts a shadow over what the progress means for the partner nations.

• Defence Notes

  Rheinmetall sales up by almost a quarter on wave of German spending

  8th August 2025

  Germany’s Rheinmetall released its 1H 2025 results on 7 August, continuing the strong growth of recent years. A particular highlight of the result’s presentation was the Skyranger air defence system for which the company is predicting sales of about US$8.2 billion from the German Government before the end of the year.

• Air Warfare

  DSEI 2025: Saab unveils new CUAS missile solution to defeat UAS swarms

  28th August 2025

  The Nimbrix missile has been developed and tested over the last year and is Saab’s latest cost-effective answer to help armed forces counteract escalating numbers of uncrewed aerial threats on the battlefield.

• Naval Warfare

  US Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star’s 50-year service highlights capability gaps in Antarctica

  28th January 2026

  Delays in the construction of the Polar Security Cutter – the future substitute for the Polar Star – are likely to prolong the ageing icebreaker’s service time even more, putting the USCG in a risky position.

• Air Warfare

  How detection-led C-UAS solutions are transforming drone defense

  23rd March 2026

  Modern C-UAS solutions must detect threats early, integrate layered sensors, and deliver fast, scalable, adaptable defense against evolving drones.

• Naval Warfare

  Thinning Arctic ice reveals naval capability gaps and new opportunities

  23rd April 2026

  As sea ice extent hits a record low and geopolitical tensions increase in the High North, navies are contending to adopt the technologies needed to operate beneath an increasingly unpredictable Arctic Ocean.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Australian Navy’s plan for fleet refresh continues in the face of headwinds

  5th August 2025

  Australia has selected the Mogami-class frigate from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) to replace Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Anzac-class frigates. The decision has been made as the RAN pushes to introduce delayed offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), awaits criticised Hunter-class ships and lives in the shadow of threats to the Collins-class submarine replacement efforts.

• Air Warfare

  IDEX 2025: L3Harris Viper Shield “on timeline” as first upgrade customer launch targeted for mid-2025

  18th February 2025

  L3Harris’ Viper Shield, an all-digital, fully integrated electronic warfare system for the F-16, is aiming for deliveries by late-2025, as the company explores a variety of upgrade options to further futureproof the system.

• Naval Warfare

  Latest undersea cable damage incident investigated in Baltic Sea

  24th February 2025

  No determination has yet been made as to whether the new incident was deliberate, but an investigation by Swedish authorities is ongoing.

• Defence Notes

  France unveils new strategic review as Macron vows to accelerate defence spend

  15th July 2025

  The 2025 National Strategic Review highlights the importance of readiness against a growing Russian threat and was published days after a speech from the French President Macron who called for an increase in defence spending worth €6.5 billion by 2027.

• Air Warfare

  Portugal may snub F-35 fighter jets in the face of Trump administration “unpredictability”

  14th March 2025

  A change in the White House’s attitude towards NATO and its European allies may lead to Portugal opting for a non-US option to replace its ageing Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter fleet.

• Air Warfare

  US Air Force seeks capabilities to improve C3 for aircraft fleet and warfighters

  17th March 2026

  The USAF published RFIs for enhancing its C3 capabilities after losing, in Operation Epic Fury, four aircraft in non-confrontational, unclear situations that could have been related to command, control and communication failures.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | European Patrol Corvette (EPC)/Buques de Protección Marítima (BPM) [Spain]

  The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is being developed by a joint venture between Italy's Fincantieri, France's Naval Group (named Narviris), and Spain's Navantia. The corvette ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | European Patrol Corvette (EPC)/Buques de Protección Marítima (BPM) [Spain]

  The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is being developed by a joint venture between Italy's Fincantieri, France's Naval Group (named Narviris), and Spain's Navantia. The corvette ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [France]

  The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is being developed by a joint venture between Italy's Fincantieri and France's Naval Group (named Narviris) and Spain's Navantia. The corvette ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [France]

  The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is being developed by a joint venture between Italy's Fincantieri and France's Naval Group (named Narviris) and Spain's Navantia. The corvette ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [Italy]

  The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is being developed by a joint venture between Italy's Fincantieri, France's Naval Group (named Naviris), and Spain's Navantia. The patrol-type vessel ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [Spain]

  The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is being developed by a joint venture between Italy's Fincantieri and France's Naval Group (named Narviris) and Spain's Navantia. The corvette ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [Italy]

  The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is being developed by a joint venture between Italy's Fincantieri, France's Naval Group (named Naviris), and Spain's Navantia. The patrol-type vessel ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [Spain]

  The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is being developed by a joint venture between Italy's Fincantieri and France's Naval Group (named Narviris) and Spain's Navantia. The corvette ...

• Corvettes

  European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [France]

  Background Requirements The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is one of the new PESCO (Permanent Structured Cooperation on Defence and Security) projects. PESCO was established by ...

• Corvettes

  European Patrol Corvette (EPC)/Buques de Protección Marítima (BPM) [Spain]

  Background Requirements The European Patrol Corvette (EPC) is one of the new PESCO (Permanent Structured Cooperation on Defence and Security) projects. PESCO was established by ...

• Corvettes

  European Patrol Corvette (EPC) [Italy]

  Background Requirements The 2021-2023 Documento Programmatico Pluriennale (DPP) - a multi-year defence planning document from the Italian MoD - includes a plan to acquire eight "Patrol Ships", which ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) - (Greece)

  Programme Background EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) was announced in early 2022 and the project contract was awarded ...

• Self-propelled guns

  Caesar [Portugal]

  Background The Portuguese army currently operates the M109 Paladin, alongside a number of traditional towed platforms. As part of the wider European trend towards modernising ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  EU next generation rotorcraft technologies project (ENGRT) - [Italy]

  Background ENGRT phase I EU Next Generation Rotorcraft Technologies Project (ENGRT) was announced in early 2022 and the project contract was awarded in December 2022. Phase I ...

• OPVs

  Polish Coast Guard OPVs

  Programme Background The Polish Coast Guard is acquiring a new offshore patrol vessel (OPV) intended for the control of the external borders of the European Union. ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  ArmoURed Infantry Ground Assault (AURIGA)

  The ArmoURed Infantry Ground Assault (AURIGA) is an IFV being developed with funding from the European Defence Fund (EDF). It aims to develop a next-generation IFV ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  IRIS-T SLM

  The IRIS-T SLM (Surface Launched Medium-Range) is a surface-to-air missile system developed by Diehl Defence as part of the IRIS-T family of missile systems. Several countries ...

• Directed energy weapons

  Tryzub Laser

  Ukraine's Tryzub (Trident) laser was revealed during the European Defence Industry: Prospects for Cooperation with the Ukrainian Defence Industry conference in 2025. Video footage from ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  LOTUS

  The LOTUS, Low Observable Tactical Unnamed System, is a tactical UAV especially designed for border patrol ISR operations.  The development of the project is funded by ...

• Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  Sky Buzzer

  Hensoldt’s Sky Buzzer is a towed anti-radar decoy originally developed by the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS). The system is designed to protect ...

• Major networking projects

  Ballistic Missile Defence

  In early 2010, NATO acquired the first phase of an initial theatre ballistic missile defence capability to protect alliance forces. 

• Land: air defence radar

  APIS

  APIS is a passive high-resolution primary radar system developed by Indra. It is the first passive system in the world capable of offering images using ...

• Major networking projects

  IABMS

  Integrated Air Battlespace Management System (IABMS) is a modular real-time air defence and C4I system of systems that has been fielded and implemented at fixed, ...

• EO/IR systems

  NightHawk2-UZ

  The NightHawk2-UZ is a dual EO-IR stabilised camera turret from NextVision designed for long-range observation applications that demand low weight. The 350g sensor's IR camera has a 1280x720p ...

• Main battle tanks

  EMBT

  KNDS (KMW + NEXTER Defense Systems) presented its first joint product, the EMBT (European Main Battle Tank) demonstrator, at the June 2018 Eurosatory defence exhibition. The EMBT mounts ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  DRASS Combat Management System

  The Italian company DRASS is developing its proprietary combat management system for use in compact submarines. The development of this CMS suite was first unveiled in ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Linza 3.0

  The Linza 3.0 is a rotary-wing UAV from Quantum Frontline Industries (QFI), a German-Ukrainian joint venture from Quantum Systems and Frontline Robotics. The UAV was first delivered ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Talarion

  The Talarion is a next-generation MALE UAV for reconnaissance, detection, classification and tracking of targets (land and sea) as well as detection, recognition and identification ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Astero

  Manufactured by Nordic Wing, the Astero is a fixed-wing mini UAV designed for ISR missions. The drone is equipped with a NightHawk 2 camera. In the ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Skeldar V-200

  UMS Aero Group AG and Saab formed a joint venture, UMS SKELDAR, to produce the Skeldar V-200 UAV, which is used by various countries, including Belgium, Canada ...