• Land Warfare

  Israel turns to advanced situational awareness systems to enhance Merkava and Eitan commanders’ field of vision

  16th August 2024

  Fighting in urban areas has revealed to Israeli forces the vulnerability of their armoured vehicles to anti-tank weapons.

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2024 preview: Vehicles to take centre stage as competitions heat up

  3rd October 2024

  The Association of the US Army’s flagship conference and exhibition, the largest defence trade show in the US, returns on 14 October presenting one of the few chances for companies to publicly put their platforms to an audience of US decision-makers. Shephard takes a look at what’s in store for 2024.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Competition opens to supply thousands of UAS to Ukraine

  4th June 2024

  On 15 February it was announced that the UK and Latvia would jointly lead a capability coalition, which will see thousands of UAS supplied to Ukraine, including first-person view (FPV) UAS.

• Naval Warfare

  Saab wins combat boat order from Sweden

  28th June 2024

  Based on the CB90 NG, the 10 vessels will be built at Docksta shipyard and will be used for a range of missions.

• Air Warfare

  FIA 2024: Looking to sixth-generation fighters and the New Medium Helicopter programme

  18th July 2024

  Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) 2024 is the even-year event where the biggest and the best present their efforts, and while the possibility of a roll-out or surprise curtain reveal remain slim, there are big programmes still being competed for.

• Training

  Sogitec combines Sword, Genius and HORUS for virtual/constructive demonstrator

  2nd July 2024

  The French company has integrated its Genius UAS and HORUS helicopter simulators with MASA’s Sword constructive simulation as it aims to achieve operational orders by the end of 2025.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UAVs in multiple classes proliferate in South Korea

  6th September 2024

  South Korea is rapidly advancing its UAV programmes and counter-drone capabilities in response to increasing threats from North Korea’s unmanned aerial systems.

• Land Warfare

  Paramount develops new Mbombe 6 infantry combat vehicle

  27th June 2024

  The Mbombe 6, the 6x6 version of the Mbombe family of armoured vehicles developed by South Africa’s Paramount Group, has been built around commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment. The vehicle’s low silhouette offers a reduced target, while its armoured hull protects against ballistic attack up to STANAG 4569 Level 4.

• Land Warfare

  Israeli Defence Forces aims to make remote-controlled ground systems autonomous

  8th July 2024

  The IDF has turned some of its unmanned M113 APCs into remotely controlled vehicles but it has also been exploring moves towards making the vehicles completely autonomous.

• Air Warfare

  Boeing “bets big” on future combat aircraft contracts

  26th June 2024

  The new facility will double Boeing’s footprint at its St Louis site beside Lambert air field but what will roll out the doors is not yet known.

• Land Warfare

  BAE Tridon MK2 fitted with Chess Dynamics fire control system

  22nd July 2024

  The collaboration between the defence giant and the gunfire control specialist will help deliver a modular anti-drone solution.

• Air Warfare

  Greece joins the F-35 Lightning II world alliance

  30th July 2024

  Greece has signed an offer for 20 F-35 aircraft with an option on 20 more platforms.

• Land Warfare

  European MBT programmes make tracks and try to find a path forward

  8th July 2024

  European MBT programmes over the next decade or two could result in orders up to US$10 billion with orders occurring and plans for purchases predicted to refresh ageing fleets.

• Air Warfare

  Hanwha Aerospace to reveal new KF-21 engine prototype at Farnborough

  19th July 2024

  South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace will launch its new engine at the Farnborough International Airshow 2024 as it aims to sell it to international customers.

• Air Warfare

  US Air Force divestment plans could create capability gaps in the Air National Guard

  24th June 2024

  The retirement of A-10s would reduce the guard fleet and its squadron structure making it more difficult for the service to accomplish its tasks worldwide.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Warmate (2017) [Poland]

  Background Order In November 2017, Poland ordered 100 sets of Warmate loitering munitions, each consisting of ten platforms, for a reported 100 million Polish Zloty ($26.49 ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Stryker (Sergeant Stout) [USA]

  Background As part of the Army Transformation Initiative, the US DoD is fundamentally reorganising the structure of the US Army. As part of this all Infantry Brigade ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  Combat General Purpose Vehicle [Netherlands]

  Programme Background The Dutch military is currently modernising its armoured vehicle fleet. The Combat General Purpose Vehicle (CGPV) programme is one of several procurement programmes currently ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BvS10 [Austria]

  Background As part of a government-to-government arrangement with Sweden, Austria signed an EUR 85 million ($94.59 million) contract with BAE Systems Hägglunds for the delivery ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  M2A4/M7A4 Bradley (December 2024) [USA]

  Background The US began upgrading its Bradley fleet to the A4 standard in June 2018, with the first upgraded platform being delivered in June 2020. ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  M2A4/M7A4 Bradley (November 2025) [USA]

  Background The US began upgrading its Bradley fleet to the A4 standard in June 2018, with the first upgraded platform being delivered in June 2020. ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  M2A4/M7A4 Bradley (September 2024) [USA]

  Background The US began upgrading its Bradley fleet to the A4 standard in June 2018, with the first upgraded platform being delivered in June 2020. ...

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

  Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Project [UK]

  Programme Background Robotics and Autonomous Systems (RAS) Project The British Army launched the RAS project to provide the "direction required to exploit emerging technologies to ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  M2A4/M7A4 Bradley (September 2025) [USA]

  Background The US began upgrading its Bradley fleet to the A4 standard in June 2018, with the first upgraded platform being delivered in June 2020. ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  6x6 APC [Philippines]

  Programme Background Programme Background The Philippine Army has identified an urgent need for new wheeled APCs, after the Battle of Marawi exposed shortcomings in its ...

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

  Mini-UAVs [Czech Republic]

  Background Tactical UCAV Halted The effort to acquire mini-UAVs is directly linked to the Czech MoD's now-delayed procurement programme for tactical or MALE drones, such as the ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  CV90 (Batch 1) [Slovakia]

  Background Requirements The Slovakian Armed Forces are currently lumbered with an ageing inventory of legacy platforms that are not interoperable with its allies and do ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  CV90 (Batch 2) [Slovakia]

  Background Requirements The Slovakian Armed Forces are currently lumbered with an ageing inventory of legacy platforms that are not interoperable with its allies and do ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Boxer [Portugal]

  Background The Portuguese Army currently operates a medium mechanised brigade equipped with the M113 as its primary APC. However, they are increasingly outdated and are ...

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

  5,000 Latvian UAVs (Ukraine Aid) [Latvia]

  Background Ukrainian Defence Contact Group (UDCG) In January 2024, the Ukrainian Defence Contact Group (UDCG), a multi-nation organisation that coordinates military aid for Ukraine, established a drone ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Major networking projects

  Army BCT Modernisation Program Increment 1

  The US Army brigade combat team (BCT) modernisation strategy will build a mix of mobile, networked BCTs that can gain leverage from mobility, protection, information ...

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

  Aerosonde Mk 4.8 HQ FTUAS

  From the Texton family of Aerosonde UAS, the Aerosonde Mk 4.8 Hybrid Quad (HQ) FTUAS is a tactical drone purpose-built to meet the US Army's Future Vertical Lift ...

• 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: tactical engagement simulators

  CATS CTC

  The CATS Combat Training Centre (CTC) trains armed forces in simulated opposition. Features: direct-fire weapon effect simulation with laser engagement systems; area weapon effect simulation ...

• Construction vehicles

  HMEE

  The JCB High Mobility Engineer Excavator (HMEE) was originally designed to support the US Army’s Stryker brigade combat teams and has been proven on operations ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  M1150 ABV

  The M1150 Assault Breacher Vehicle (ABV) project, launched by the USMC in 2002, is a joint programme to meet the requirements of both the US ...

• Armoured engineer vehicles

  JAB

  The US Army is leading the Joint Assault Bridge (JAB) project to replace legacy M60A1-based bridge launchers in service with itself and USMC with an M1-based ...

• Land: C2 simulators

  Collective Combat Training

  Thales offers a global simulation and training approach that links together various simulators to perform the full spectrum of military operations (offence, defence, stability and ...

• Land: battle management systems

  FüInfoSys Heer

  FüInfoSys Heer (Army Command and Control Information System) is the first common, integrated and mobile system of its kind in the German Army. It is ...

• Land: tactical engagement simulators

  GAMER Deployable CTC

  Saab’s GAMER Deployable Combat Training Center (CTC) is an instrumented training system, enabling a military to train on home bases and deploy worldwide for training ...

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

  RQ-7 Shadow 200

  The Shadow 200, designated RQ-7B by the US Army, is flown by the army brigade combat teams and combat aviation brigades along with the UAV ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  M3 Bradley Cavalry Fighting Vehicle

  The tracked M3 Bradley Cavalry Fighting Vehicle (CFV), developed in parallel with the M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV), equips reconnaissance units within the US ...

• Subsystems: software

  Simulation-based Embedded Training Software Package

  This software package is installed in the Stryker Interim Armoured Vehicle (IAV), supporting US Army brigade combat team training requirements. It has been in service ...

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  EWPMT

  Raytheon’s Electronic Warfare Planning and Management Tool (EWPMT) is a US Army programme which began in 2014, designed to support electronic warfare officers and provide ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Combat-NG

  Combat-NG is an artillery fire control and C4I system designed for deployment from platform to brigade level, managing various aspects of operation. The system is ...