• Naval Warfare

  Thales to maintain France, Italy and UK’s long-range radars

  24th January 2023

  A new OCCAR contract will support the three countries' Smart-L naval surveillance radars installed on destroyers for up to five years.

• Air Warfare

  Air dominance vital as US and allies face evolving threat environment (Studio)

  17th January 2023

  Advanced munitions industry positions for a changing threat landscape, underscored by the conflict in Ukraine.

• Land Warfare

  Europe rallies to replenish ammunition stockpiles as Ukraine war nears anniversary

  13th January 2023

  Europe is looking to increase ammunition production in an effort to bolster national stockpiles while retaining the ability to aid Ukraine.

• Air Warfare

  F-16 fighter jet backlog will increase before production rate can improve

  30th January 2023

  Lockheed Martin is facing a backlog of F-16 aircraft that is set to increase as the list of countries that want the jet grows. However, the company is convinced it can increase production rates significantly throughout 2023.

• Land Warfare

  How the US Army plans to accelerate replenishment of stockpiles

  2nd February 2023

  The service is betting on multi-year contracts, reducing procurement process bureaucracy and partnering with industry to speed up production.

• Defence Notes

  Despite sanctions, India's dependence on Russian military equipment likely to persist for decades to come

  23rd January 2023

  Despite boosting indigenous production and diversifying its sources of military equipment, India is in no position to give up its long-time dependence on Russia.

• Naval Warfare

  Pakistan Navy continues renewal of submarine fleet

  26th January 2023

  While it awaits new Chinese-designed diesel-electric submarines, the Pakistan Navy continues its modernisation of older Agosta 90B boats.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Lithuania acquires Switchblade 600

  27th December 2022

  The country announced a €45 million ($48 million) agreement with the US Government for the purchase of Switchblade 600 unmanned weapon systems.

• Air Warfare

  GCAP programme 'well positioned' to develop 6th-generation fighter by 2035

  12th January 2023

  The Global Combat Air Programme partners are confident a sixth-generation combat jet will fly by the middle of the 2030s. Other nations may be able to join the partnership in the future but the 'core club' window is closing soon.

• Land Warfare

  How Ukraine Leopard tank breakthrough opens new offensive options for Kyiv

  27th January 2023

  With donations of Leopard 2, Challenger 2 and M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine all now confirmed, Shephard Defence Insight analyses the implications for the conflict and the NATO nations supplying Kyiv with MBTs.

• Land Warfare

  Czech Republic receives the first Leopard 2A4

  26th December 2022

  The vehicle was delivered by the German MoD to replace armoured platforms the Czech Government donated to Ukraine.

• Air Warfare

  US finalises $30 billion F-35 deal for nearly 400 jets

  5th January 2023

  The new contract includes aircraft for the US and a number of allies with the first jets to feature the latest hardware that powers Block 4 capabilities.

• Air Warfare

  Australia says ‘goodbye Taipans, hello Black Hawks’

  18th January 2023

  After considerable dithering over the fate of the MRH90 helicopter fleet, Australia has made a decision to replace the European-designed type.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Pentagon to focus on acquisition and development of UAV and missile capabilities

  17th January 2023

  Information and communication systems for ground troops are also likely to receive the DoD's attention in the coming years.

• Defence Notes

  India takes a step towards hypersonic capability

  16th December 2022

  India's latest test of its HAVA hypersonic vehicle takes the country a step further towards fielding a functional weapon system.

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 ...

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

  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 ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  CLRV [Luxembourg]

  Programme 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 ...

• AEW&C

  Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (1-6) [NATO]

  Programme 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 ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, 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 - fixed-wing, 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 - fixed-wing, 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 ...

• 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

  Portugal VTLB

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

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  NRE+ (Navio Reabastecedor de Esquadra e Logístico) (1-2) [Portugal]

  Programme Background Requirements Portugal urges to replace NRP Bérrio, a fleet support tanker which was decommissioned in 2020. Since Bérrio was decommissioned, the Portuguese Navy has ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Joint Maritime Multi-Mission System (J3MS)/SIGINT Ship [Italy]

  The Italian Navy is now conducting de-risk studies to replace Elettra with a new Joint Maritime Multi-Mission System (J3MS) ship. The vessel will feature a ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Joint Maritime Multi-Mission System (J3MS)/SIGINT Ship [Italy]

  The Italian Navy is now conducting de-risk studies to replace Elettra with a new Joint Maritime Multi-Mission System (J3MS) ship. The vessel will feature a ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Joint Maritime Multi-Mission System (J3MS)/SIGINT Ship (1) [Italy]

  The Italian Navy is now conducting de-risk studies to replace Elettra with a new Joint Maritime Multi-Mission System (J3MS) ship. The vessel will feature a ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Joint Maritime Multi-Mission System (J3MS)/SIGINT Ship (1) [Italy]

  The Italian Navy is now conducting de-risk studies to replace Elettra with a new Joint Maritime Multi-Mission System (J3MS) ship. The vessel will feature a ...

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 ...

• 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 ...

• Logistic Support Bridge

  The Mabey Logistic Support Bridge (LSB) is the lighter, stronger, modern successor of the original Bailey bridge used in World War II, says the company. ...

• 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: long-range observation/surveillance/targeting systems

  Joint Fires Support System

  Safran Electronics and Defence unveiled the Joint Fires Support System at DSEI 2017 in London. Against the backdrop of an increasingly digital battlefield, the ISTAR ...