• Land Warfare

  Turkish Army makes rapid move to acquire new wheeled SP howitzer

  6th September 2023

  The Turkish Army will enhance its firepower with the Arpan Howitzer 155, a new wheeled sefl-propelled artillery system designed to complement the existing tracked Firtina.

• Defence Notes

  The Imperative of Collaborative Innovation in European Defence (Opinion)

  7th September 2023

  The dynamics of global defence are shifting, and isolated endeavours are increasingly giving way to collaborative innovation, joint ventures, and partnerships. Steve Griessel, CEO of Paramount, argues that as Europe navigates its defence priorities, the pressing question is not what we must create but with whom we must join hands.

• Naval Warfare

  New Babcock-PGZ JV offers export potential

  29th August 2023

  As construction on the first of three new frigates for the Polish Navy got underway, a new Joint Venture (JV) industrial arrangement between the frigate contractors, Babcock and PGZ, was announced.

• Training

  International forces collaborate in Exercise Ulchi to enhance Northeast Asia's security

  22nd August 2023

  Exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield 23 underscores international cooperation in strengthening defence capabilities, as US and South Korean military units and several UN Command member states engage in training.

• Air Warfare

  Insight: How will the US Navy keep its EA-18G Growler EW aircraft flying until 2046?

  14th September 2023

  The carrier-based EA-18G Growler entered service in 2010 and is intended to remain in service until 2046. Shephard Defence Insight analyses the key operational technologies on the aircraft and the upgrade path needed to keep it flying and effective for another two decades.

• Naval Warfare

  How serious a threat is North Korea's nuclear-armed navy?

  8th September 2023

  As well as splurging on ballistic weapons, North Korea has been developing submarines and surface combatants capable of firing nuclear-tipped missiles. Largely based on outdated designs, do they nonetheless pose a serious regional threat?

• Land Warfare

  Insight: Why the CV90 infantry fighting vehicle is making a clean sweep of Nordic markets

  19th September 2023

  Shephard Defence Insight explores the evolution of BAE Systems Hägglunds’ CV90 IFV from its inception in the late 1980s to the latest CV90 MkIV, detailing the order history and upgrade packages of its ten European customers.

• Training

  NATO, Latvia team up to test 5G for military comms solutions

  4th September 2023

  A Latvian-NATO operational technology exploration scheduled for October will involve trials with virtual and augmented realities, uncrewed vehicles, sensors and applications within a tactical 5G bubble.

• Naval Warfare

  Canada initiates new OPV project to replace Kingston-class Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels

  28th August 2023

  A new Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Project has been started by the Canadian Department of Defence (DND) with the ships to replace the Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN’s) existing 12 Kingston-class Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels (MCDVs) that are approaching 30 years of service.

• Digital Battlespace

  RTX demonstrates AI-enabled communications systems for battlefield networking at Northern Edge 2023

  3rd August 2023

  RTX showcased advanced AI-enabled communications systems during Northern Edge 2023 exercise, connecting coalition partners and enabling rapid data distribution for enhanced joint force capabilities on the battlefield.

• Naval Warfare

  Romania cancels Gowind corvette buy, but needs swift new solution for Black Sea security

  22nd August 2023

  The Romanian Ministry of National Defence (MoND) has confirmed that plans to acquire four Gowind 2500 corvettes from French shipbuilder Naval Group have been cancelled.

• Air Warfare

  Honeywell urges Pratt & Whitney to share F-35 engine data or risk costly maintenance and reduced reliability

  21st September 2023

  'We're getting into a zone where [the engine and the cooling] are going to be out of phase with each other... which means you're going to have to take the [F-35] jet down twice for overhaul and replacement of systems,' Honeywell official tells Shephard.

• Air Warfare

  Shield AI, Sentient Vision collaborate on AI-enabled wide-area imagery

  15th August 2023

  Shield AI and Sentient Vision Systems will jointly develop a wide area motion imagery (WAMI) solution, integrating Sentient's Visual Detection and Ranging (ViDAR) onto Shield AI's V-BAT UAS.

• Naval Warfare

  Anzac-class frigate to test-fire Sea Ceptor in New Zealand's first naval missile launch in seven years

  15th August 2023

  HMNZS Te Mana is conduct a five-month deployment to test all the new equipment it received during the recent Frigate Systems Upgrade (FSU) project, including a first missile firing since 2016.

• Training

  US Air Force's largest exercise bolsters combat readiness and joint force integration

  26th July 2023

  Amidst a complex threat environment, this year's Red Flag exercise prioritises joint force operations, agility and aerial refuelling capabilities while preparing for nation-state and non-state actor threats.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H-145M-Luxembourg

  With a MTOW of 3.7t, the H145M can be used for a wide range of tasks, including troop and passenger transport, surveillance, air rescue, reconnaissance ...

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

  RapidRanger [Portugal]

  Background In October 2024, Portugal signed a contract through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) for the supply of three Thales RapidRanger systems, part ...

• Military UAS - mini

  RQ-11 Raven B [Portugal]

  Methodology PGO The programme is completed; thereby, by default, it has a PGO of 100% Programme value and quanity required As noted above, the contract, ...

• AEW&C

  Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (1-10) [NATO]

  Background NATO’s E-3A AWACS fleet is set to retire in 2035, after 50 years of service. To plan for the required follow-on capability, NATO's Alliance ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Anafi UKR [Finland]

  Background Announcment On 18 December 2025, the Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command announced it would acquire the Parrot Anafi UKR under a EUR 15 million ($17.88 ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  MRZR D4 [Belgium]

  Background In September 2025, the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) awarded Polaris a framework agreement to supply vehicles across the alliance. This framework is intended to ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  CLRV [Luxembourg]

  Background Requirement The Luxembourg MoD wants to replace the Luxembourg Army's fleet of 42 AM General M1151 HMMWV Up-Armoured (UA) and 48 KMW Dingo 2 ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Patroller (Armed) [Greece]

  Background Unarmed purchase The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) announced in June 2023 that Greece had contracted four unarmed Patroller MALE UAVs from Safran ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Bayraktar TB2 [Poland]

  Programme Background Requirement Under the Gryf programme, the Polish MoD identified the need for an indigenously produced MALE UAV to provide ISTAR and strike capabilities at ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  Patroller (Unarmed) [Greece]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 20 June 2023, the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) announced at the Paris Air Show that Greece had signed a contract with ...

• Military UAS - mini

  Vector [Belgium]

  Background Contract award In December 2025, the Council of Ministers approved the purchase of new reconnaissance and surveillance drones to support troops in Romania and Lithuania ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT (1-9) [NATO]

  Programme Background Following operations in Libya and extensive analyses by the European Defence Agency (EDA), it was agreed at the NATO Summit in 2012 that ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A330 MRTT Follow-On [NATO]

  Programme Background Following operations in Libya and extensive analyses by the European Defence Agency (EDA), it was agreed at the NATO Summit in 2012 that ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VTLB [Portugal]

  Background The Portuguese Army planned to allocate funds for the procurement of 167 VTLBs during the Military Programming Law running from 2015 until 2026. These ...

• Military UAS - micro

  Nordic Micro-UAV [Finland]

  Background Nordic Micro Procurement The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) announced that Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden had signed two procurement agreements in October 2025. One of these ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Surface-to-air missiles

  MIM-104E PAC-2 Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical ballistic missile (GEM-T)

  An upgrade to the PAC-2 missile, the Guidance Enhanced Missile TBM (GEM-T) is designed to defeat tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles or enemy aircraft in ...

• Major networking projects

  JBMC2

  Formerly overseen by US Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM), Joint Battle Management Command and Control (JBMC2) brings together several different programmes and initiatives to support improved ...

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  Deployable Joint Fires Trainer (DJFT)

  MVRsimulation’s DJFT is a portable joint fires training solution designed to provide a quick deploy capability for Joint Terminal Attack Controllers and Forward Observers to train ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships, Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Joint Support Ship

  Navantia Australia's Joint Support Ship design was unveiled at Pacific 2019. The platform is intended to fulfil the Royal Australian Navy's requirements for new multirole ...

• Data links

  Joint Tactical Terminal

  Leonardo's Joint Tactical Terminal (JTT) family of products provides Integrated Broadcast Service (IBS) capability to air, land and naval platforms. According to the manufacturer, over 1,200 ...

• EO/IR systems

  Mantis i23

  AeroVironment's Mantis i23 EO/IR payload is designed to conduct ISR from the Raven UAV. The system features a laser illuminator in addition to its 5MP daylight ...

• Patrol boats

  Coastal Patrol Vessel

  In March 2024, Vera Navis unveiled a trimaran vessel design concept, which is being developed as a solution for the future class of Coastal Patrol Vessels ...

• ISR/special mission

  E-8C Joint STARS

  The E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (STARS) is an ISR aircraft based on the 707-300 airliner. It is fitted with an 8-meter-long, canoe-shaped radome ...

• Major networking projects

  ACT

  Allied Command Transformation (ACT) is leading at strategic command level the transformation of NATO’s military structure, forces, capabilities and doctrine. It is working to enhance ...

• Guided munitions

  AGM-154 JSOW

  The AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) is a joint United States Navy (USN)/United States Air Force (USAF) programme with the USN as the lead service. ...

• Land: fire support simulators

  IDF

  Development of the CFFT system in support of the US Army led to the Indirect Fires Training (IDF) line of products focusing on joint fires ...

• Tiltrotors

  V-22 Osprey

  The V-22 Osprey is a joint-service multirole combat aircraft manufactured by Bell and Boeing in a joint venture. The platform has tiltrotor technology to combine a helicopter's vertical performance with ...

• Major networking projects

  DIB

  The Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) Integration Backbone (DIB) is being established as common infrastructure for DCGS to provide a cost-effective, interoperable, net-centric enterprise solution ...

• Land: C2 simulators

  Joint Warfare Training Center

  This system provides multi-level simulation of joint forces operations (Air Force, Army and Navy) for training of tactical proficiency of divisions', brigades' and battalions' commanding ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Joint Battle Command - Platform

  Joint Battle Command - Platform (JBC-P) is a networked mission command information system designed for the US Army and USMC. It can provide real-time blue ...