• Land Warfare

  Europe looks to solve tank procurement challenges with upgraded and new platforms

  28th August 2025

  The UK government in 2019 reflected a common attitude towards main battle tanks (MBTs) across Western Europe as it moved to reduce its fleet from 227 Challenger 2 vehicles to 148, which would be upgraded under a plan that eventually produced the Challenger 3. Now, however, there is an increased interest in platforms new, upgraded and planned across the continent.

• Air Warfare

  What lessons could Europe learn from air power use in Ukraine?

  3rd July 2025

  The use of air power by both sides in the ongoing conflict has been extensively focused on, influencing policy and procurement around the world. But are the lessons from the front line universally applicable, or should other nations be planning for very different scenarios?

• Naval Warfare

  US Coast Guard enhances Arctic protection with a new fast response cutter

  3rd July 2025

  After commissioning, FRC Frederick Mann will operate in Alaska and perform multiple missions.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2025: Versatile 8×8 vehicles taste success as new versions rolled out

  8th September 2025

  From protected mobility, infantry fighting and reconnaissance to armoured personnel carrier, armoured vehicles and amphibious assault, the 8×8 vehicle is a jack-of-all-trades. In theory, it allows a single vehicle type to fulfil varied roles while providing commonality, and the European market and vehicle types are growing rapidly.

• Defence Notes

  Unfolding the Golden Dome for America: Seven things you should know about the programme

  3rd June 2025

  Shephard talked to multiple experts about the most pressing concerns and considerations regarding the air defence system advocated by President Trump.

• Land Warfare

  The power of partnership: GDMS–UK deepens cooperation with the British Army

  25th June 2025

  In Conversation: Shephard's Gerrard Cowan talks to General Dynamics Mission Systems–United Kingdom’s Chris Burrows about how the company's UK TacCIS business is reshaping battlefield communications through sustained customer engagement, accelerated innovation and ecosystem collaboration.

• Land Warfare

  Digital backbone: bringing new capabilities to the UK defence market

  29th August 2025

  In Conversation: Shephard’s Gerrard Cowan talks to Bittium’s newly appointed general manager for UK defence, Dean Aldridge, about how the company’s tactical communications technologies can empower the British armed forces, and its ambitions for the UK market.

• Air Warfare

  US services test Raytheon ASTARTE AI-enabled software system

  6th May 2025

  The solution was evaluated by the US Army and Air Force during the Project Convergence Capstone 5.

• Air Warfare

  Lockheed Martin unveils new scalable counter-UAS system

  27th February 2025

  The scalable system was flown during a company-funded exercise to demonstrate its ability to detect, track and mitigate a mix of small uncrewed aerial systems, including drone swarms.

• Naval Warfare

  US military to test new Red Cat unmanned surface vessel in August

  22nd May 2025

  Puerto Rico-based firm announces it expansion into the “fast-growing and urgently needed” maritime unmanned market.

• Defence Notes

  Why is the defence market “exploding exponentially” for autonomous targeting capabilities?

  5th May 2025

  Solutions that identify, engage and destroy targets with minimal or no human intervention are becoming critical on tomorrow’s battlefield.

• Land Warfare

  Lockheed Martin close to deploying JAGM in CUAS missions

  25th March 2025

  The company plans to conduct counter-drone demonstrations with JAGM this year.

• Land Warfare

  Slovakia adds Danish C2 software into its Barak MX air defence network

  19th February 2025

  A new deal between Slovakia and Denmark’s Terma is expected to improve the country’s air defence interoperability with NATO.

• Air Warfare

  US Air Force to test Northrop Grumman’s next-gen connectivity capabilities in the CJADC2

  7th April 2025

  NG InSight will be evaluated in support of the USAF Battle Network.

• Land Warfare

  Aselsan conducts first firing of Göktan ground attack system

  24th February 2025

  The Göktan ground-based precision strike system provides engagement through integrated command-and-control (C2) and fire control systems, enabling mission planning and optimised firing sequences.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• MPVs - 4x4

  VTMM 2 [Italy]

  Programme Background The Italian Army has a requirement for 633 VTMMs, known as Orso (Bear) in Italian service. These will be used to perform specialised ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  K808 Command Post Vehicles [South Korea - First Batch]

  Programme Background Hyundai Rotem began to develop the KW2 8x8 armoured vehicle in 2012 as a private venture to meet the requirements of the Republic ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Patria 6x6 CAVS (Batch 2) [Sweden]

  Programme Background The Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) programme was first conceived in December 2019 when Estonia, Finland, and Latvia signed an LoI to indicate ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  LMV2 [Czech Republic]

  Programme Background As with many countries in Europe following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Czech Republic is currently undergoing a significant expansion of ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BvS10 [Sweden]

  Programme Background The FMV announced that it had signed a contract with BAE Systems Hägglunds for 127 BvS10 MkIIBs in May 2021. These were to ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  ZAHA [Turkey]

  Background The Turkish Navy required a tracked amphibious assault vehicle to support ship-to-shore beach landings carried out from its TCG Anadolu-class Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD). ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  G-Wagon [Denmark]

  Programme Background The Danish military first acquired the G-Wagon in the 1980s, ultimately acquiring an estimated 3,300. As with multiple other militaries, the G-Wagon is ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  CV90 [Norway]

  Programme Background Seeking additional supplementary IFV, recce and C2 vehicles for the new 4th mechanized battalion and Finnmark Land Defence, Norway previously planned to allocate ...

• ISR/special mission

  Stand-off Jammer Aircraft (luWES) [Germany]

  Programme Background These large stand-off aircraft will be equipped with various EW systems capable of operating from a safe distance from the mission target. A400M ...

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

  Multidomian Micro Drones [USSOCOM]

  Background Special Notice On 14 November 2024, a Special Notice was released that informed the industry that the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) was looking for ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Land Mobility Programme (Heavy Protected Mobility) [UK]

  Background Requirement Serving in several iterations since 1963, the FV432 Mk3 'Bulldog' remains operational and deployed as command vehicles, ambulances, and recovery vehicles within the British Army. Although mostly ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  CV90 [Sweden]

  Programme Background As the domestic manufacturer and original operator of the CV90 IFV, Sweden has had a continuous fleet of CV90s in service since the ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  New Generation Light Armoured Vehicles - Wheeled (Future batches) [Turkey]

  Programme background The NGLAV is an umbrella programme that will be composed of three phases and 2962 units of tracked and wheeled vehicles. Phase I ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  VBMR-L Serval (Batch 2) [France]

  Background The French Army has launched several projects to modernise its equipment and C4I capabilities as part of its Scorpion modernisation programme. These projects include ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6, APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  New Generation Light Armoured Vehicles - Wheeled (Batch 1) [Turkey]

  Programme background The NGLAV is an umbrella programme that will be composed of three phases and 2962 units of tracked and wheeled vehicles. Phase I ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: mission management systems

  9Airborne C2

  The 9Airborne C2 provides situational awareness and decision-making/execution capacity on board rotary- or fixed-wing aircraft. It supports maritime surveillance, SAR over sea and land, anti-piracy, ...

• Major networking projects

  C2 ConstellationNet

  According to David Tillotson, director of C4ISR architecture AF/XI, in a report to Congress: 'The ConstellationNet is the communications network – air, space and terrestrial ...

• Land: C2 simulators

  C2 Training

  Saab provides doctrinal-based simulation that enables trainees to dynamically execute plans and orders from their own C2 system. Commander and staff can perceive and comprehend ...

• Main battle tanks

  C2 Ariete

  The C2 Ariete is an upgraded variant of the C1 Ariete, designed for the Italian Army in the 1990s. Work on the C2 began in ...

• Loitering munitions

  VU-C2

  Unveiled at the 2024 Vietnam International Defense Exhibition, the VU-C2 is a loitering munition developed by Viettel. The system reportedly has an EO sensor, warhead, ...

• Land: battle management systems

  A2C2S

  The Army Airborne Command and Control System (A2C2S) is a command post integrated into US Army UH-60 Black Hawks. The A2C2S can also operate as ...

• 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 ...

• 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: battle management systems

  Rheinmetall C2 Software

  Rheinmetall C2 Software support the air defence decision making process by filtering, correlating and processing data from all sensors, providing the operator with one comprehensive ...

• Land: battle management systems

  CDNS

  Command Data Network System (CDNS) battle management software is the core of a turnkey C2 system developed by GD. It provides near-real-time situation awareness and ...

• UAS: communication systems

  EL/K-1850 IDL Network

  The EL/K-1850 Integrated Data Link (IDL) Network is a wideband, integrated microwave communication network designed for a variety of ground-to-ground, ground-to-air, ship-to-air and air-to-air applications. ...

• Land: battle management systems

  FINDERS C2- Battle Management System

  The FINDERS C2 BMS is intended for combat units, connecting vehicles, weapon systems and infantry to the high-level C2 chain and providing continuity of mounted ...

• Ground control stations

  TCS

  Designed for controlling multi-service UAVs, the Tactical Control System (TCS) can be configured in racks for ship-based operations, shelterised as a land-based system or integrated ...

• Land: battle management systems

  BMC4I

  Battle Management C4I (BMC4I) enables management of missile defence, focusing on strategic and tactical planning, surveillance, air picture production and threat evaluation, as well as ...

• Data links

  Naval TDMA Data Link Management Unit

  The multiple-participant naval TDMA data link updates a ship’s C2 via existing radios (HF, VHF, UHF, L- and S-band) and INMARSAT. The Data Link Update ...