• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2025: Likely spending boosts outlined this year turn spotlight on show

  4th September 2025

  A surge in budgeted and planned defence spending across European NATO countries in the past year has come in the face of the war in Ukraine and demands from the Trump administration that the countries take on more of the load. This is likely to be reflected in what can be expected from DSEI.

• Land Warfare

  Scorpion light mortar completes tests with US Army and moves to next exercise

  29th October 2025

  Having completed five days of trials with the US Army, the two Scorpion Light mortar systems will stay in Hawaii to take part in planned Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center training exercises in early November.

• Land Warfare

  First gun barrels for British Army howitzers due from Rheinmetall’s new UK factory in 2027

  13th January 2026

  The new Rheinmetall facility will supply barrels for UK RCH 155 howitzers and Challenger 3 tanks while also opening up potential export opportunities, providing a currently absent national capability.

• Naval Warfare

  NATO naval exercises map out future USV requirements but raise questions on acquisition

  8th December 2025

  Uncrewed surface vessels have shifted from a desirable capability to a critical one for navies. But should these systems be bought outright, rented as a service or rapidly built using commercial off-the-shelf components?

• Air Warfare

  2025 air market review: European defence independence, next-gen tech and export concerns dominate

  23rd December 2025

  This year’s (geo)political turmoil has challenged many long-prevailing assumptions, leading to far-reaching consequences for air forces and their supplier bases in industry worldwide – with five key trends in review for 2025.

• Land Warfare

  What do Russia or Ukraine need to win the war?

  28th February 2025

  Shephard looks at both the doctrine and equipment perspective and considers what both countries would require in order to ensure victory.

• 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.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2025: As more possible CV90 orders loom, BAE Systems confident on production rates

  12th September 2025

  The company is investing in increasing production while major subcontractors also push to keep up with demand, with Sweden’s recent Request for Information potentially adding another 500 to the order book.

• Air Warfare

  Denmark to bolster maritime defences as P-8A FMS deal approved by US

  6th January 2026

  The NATO country continues to focus on building up its maritime surveillance and enforcement capabilities as part of a major investment in its Arctic defences.

• Air Warfare

  India finally powers up engine production as it prepares to talk platforms with Putin

  3rd December 2025

  Engine technology has been thrust into the spotlight ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India this week, with the Su-57, S-400 and Kamov-226 expected to be high on the agenda.

• Air Warfare

  What might next-generation military aircrew training look like?

  26th December 2025

  Changing roles for combat aircraft fleets, the rise of simulation and LVC technologies, and the increasing cost of flight hours could all be leading to a paradigm shift in military pilot training.

• Land Warfare

  Estonia builds Asia-Pacific links as it looks to scale defence industry capabilities

  12th February 2026

  Collaboration between Estonian defence companies and well-aligned firms in Asia-Pacific will form a key part of Tallinn’s ambitions to significantly grow its defence industrial base.

• Air Warfare

  US Air Force DASH 2 experiment compares AI and human judgement for battle accuracy and speed

  6th October 2025

  The trials aimed to discover how AI can help operators make faster and sharper decisions in challenging battlespaces.

• Land Warfare

  Unlocking the potential of Light Forces in modern warfare (Studio)

  4th December 2025

  The Ukraine conflict has highlighted the strategic importance of “Light Forces” – rapidly deployable dispersed units, able to conduct an expanding range of mission sets. What technologies and equipment are needed to ensure their success in combat?

• Air Warfare

  India fast-tracks indigenous MALE drones as US trade rift stalls big-ticket deals

  15th August 2025

  With US tariffs and stalled defence talks slowing imports, India has cleared a $3.4 billion plan for 87 tri‑service MALE UAVs with 60% indigenous content – accelerating self‑reliance as operational lessons from May’s four‑day conflict drive urgency.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Akinci [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Two Export Contracts In January 2022, the Daily Sabah reported that Baykar had "recently" signed its first export contract for the Akinci. Haluk Bayraktar ...

• Main battle tanks

  T-90S (Saudi Arabia)

  Programme Background.  The status of the Saudi Arabian T-90 deal is unclear, it is possible that these tanks may be purchased to replace stocks of ...

• Loitering munitions

  ZT-180 [Russia]

  Background Claims On 23 February 2023, DER SPIEGEL reported that, according to information it had gathered, China and Russia were negotiating the purchase of 100 ZT-180 drones, ...

• Loitering munitions

  Shahed-136 [Russia]

  Programme Background Iran's Involvement On 11 July 2022, according to US intelligence, Jake Sullivan, US National Security Advisor, announced during a statement that the Iranian ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Russian Aircraft Carrier Programme

  Russia currently has one aircraft which is nonoperational which the need for a new aircraft carrier at the heart of the Russian naval modernisation programme. ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Russian Aircraft Carrier Programme

  Russia currently has one aircraft which is nonoperational which the need for a new aircraft carrier at the heart of the Russian naval modernisation programme. ...

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

  Vector / Scorpion (Selected) [Ukraine]

  Programme Background 500 Systems Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Quantum-Systems has provided many drones to Ukraine. Over 400 units have been provided as aid ...

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

  SkyRanger R70 (Ukraine Aid) [Canada]

  Programme Background On 19 February 2024, the Canadian Defence Minister, Bill Blair, announced that the country would donate more than 800 SkyRanger R70 UAVs to ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  Heavy Lift Helicopter [Philippines]

  Programme Background Procurement from Russia In November 2021, Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed that a contract had been signed to acquire 16 Mi-171 heavy ...

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

  T-150 (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Programme Background Virtual Address On 24 February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. On 3 May 2022, the UK's Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, virtually addressed the Ukrainian ...

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

  Black Hornet 3 (Ukraine Aid) [UK & Norway]

  Programme Background Russo-Ukraine War Since Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, UAVs have proved vital to the country's defence. Consequently, as in this programme, the ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Ka-226T- Air Force [India]

  Programme Background India had operated a diverse and antiquated fleet of helicopters to support its high-altitude operations along contested borders with China and Pakistan. Reducing ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - mini

  Quantix Recon (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background April Meeting In mid-April, just shy of two months after Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, the Ambassador and the Defence Attaché at the Embassy of Ukraine met ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Spartan SUT [Russia]

  Programme Background Despite international sanctions following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, Streit Group vehicles are believed to have continued to make their way into ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | E-7 Wedgetail - UK (Second Order)

  The UK MoD signed a £1.51 billion ($1.98 billion) deal to purchase five E-7 Wedgetail aircraft from Boeing for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Main battle tanks

  T-80UD

  The 125mm-armed T-80UD MBT is a variant of the T-80 which was in production in Ukraine when the Soviet Union broke up in 1991. An ...

• Loitering munitions

  AQV 100 Scalpel

  The AQV 100 Scalpel, or AQV-100, is a low-cost loitering munition manufactured by One Way Aerospace.  The drone is operated using a first-person view and ...

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

  Mini 2

  The Mini 2 is a micro rotary-wing drone from DJI. It features a 3-axis gimbaled 12MP camera for photographs and 4k/30fps for video capture. Shephard believes ...

• Transport

  An-140

  The An-140 is a light turboprop military transport aircraft developed from the An-140 regional airliner, which first flew in September 1997. It is designed to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Shahed-236

  The Shahed-236, or MC 236, is a successor to the Shahed-126. It is a loitering munition designed in Iran. The drone was presented to Russia in ...

• Air: sonar systems

  VGS-3

  The VGS-3 is a dipping sonar for the Ka-27/Ka-28 helicopter developed by the State Enterprise Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Hydrodevices.

• Fighter - air superiority

  MiG-29

  The MiG-29 (NATO reporting name Fulcrum) is an air superiority fighter aircraft designed to engage air targets in any weather, day and night.  The production ...

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

  Orlan-10/10E

  Developed by the Russia-based Special Technology Center, the Orlan-10 is a medium-range UAS with many variants, such as the 10E, an export version introduced in 2017. The ...

• Fighter - ground attack

  Su-25

  The Su-25 (NATO reporting name Frogfoot) is a single-seat ground attack aircraft developed for close combat air support missions. Production of the Su-25 began in ...

• Land: coastal surveillance radars

  Predel-E

  The Predel-E is a coastal surveillance radar produced by Russian manufacturer Concern Morinformsystem-Agat JSC. The system is intended as an over-the-horizon surveillance system, designed to ...

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

  Matrice 300 RTK

  The Matrice 300 RTK is a rotary-wing UAV manufactured by DJI. Despite being primarily aimed at industrial applications, militaries utilise it for ISR tasks.  In ...

• Artillery rockets

  9M55

  9M55 is a family of 300 mm artillery rockets developed for the BM-30 Uragan MLRS developed by the USSR.

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  SURA HMTDS

  SURA is a helmet-mounted display system produced in Ukraine. Notably, it offers off-boresight acquisition capability to pilots and can cue the aircraft's sensor systems using ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

  Orion / Orion-E

  The Orion, sometimes called the Inokhodets, is the first Russian-manufactured MALE UAV that has been designed to carry out a wide variety of military surveillance applications. Russia has ...

• Guided munitions

  Kvitnyk/Kvitnik-E 152mm

  The development of the Kvitni 152mm guided artillery shell traces back to the early 2000s, with its first public revelation occurring in 2001. This high-precision ...