• Defence Notes

  US provides a further $325 million worth of arms and equipment to support Ukraine, taking total to $43.9 billion since invasion

  22nd September 2023

  The US on 21 September announced another $325 million in arms and equipment to Ukraine, including missiles, air defence systems, ammunition and vehicles in support of the Eastern European country’s operations against the Russian invasion.

• Defence Notes

  Ukraine and Taiwan? What the US will spend Biden's extra 40.1 billion defence dollars on

  23rd August 2023

  The additional budget proposal addresses critical needs for emergency funding for the Pentagon, partners and allies.

• Land Warfare

  US increases investments in mortar production capacities

  20th September 2023

  The US Army and companies of the defence industrial base have been expanding and upgrading their facilities as well as improving capabilities to produce mortar systems and rounds.

• Defence Notes

  Pentagon to strengthen cyber networks of US partners and allies

  18th September 2023

  The recently released 2023 Cyber Strategy states that the US will build the capacity and capability of allies and partners in cyberspace and expand avenues of potential cyber cooperation.

• Air Warfare

  Dubai Airshow 2023: How the MQ-9 Reaper UAS came to rule the skies

  10th November 2023

  Ahead of the 2023 edition of the Dubai Airshow, Shephard looks at the GA-ASI MQ-9A Reaper UAS, its role in shaping modern conflict dynamics, and its deployment for surveillance and precision strike throughout the Middle East.

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2023: US Army to double combined SOF, space, cyber experimentations in 2024

  13th October 2023

  The service conducted seven collective field exchanges this year but has now planned to hold more than 14 events next year.

• Digital Battlespace

  DSEI 2023: OneWeb plans for next-generation satellites as constellation nears global coverage

  11th September 2023

  Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite communications company OneWeb will provide a global system from early next year with all 634 first-generation satellites in orbit and plans are under way to put next-generation satellites into space in three or four years’ time.

• Air Warfare

  Australia reverses decision on Schiebel Camcopters for naval UAVs

  21st September 2023

  It turns out that Australia has made absolutely no progress in obtaining shipborne UAVs in the past 18 months or so.

• Land Warfare

  Russia unveils experimental ZAK-23E self-propelled anti-aircraft gun for counter-UAS role

  28th August 2023

  Russia’s JSC Tulamashzavod and JSC Research Center Elins presented a new ZAK-23E self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG) at the Army-2023 event near Moscow in mid-August. It is an experimental vehicle that is designed to combine robust and mass-produced components and is capable of firing programmable airburst rounds.

• Land Warfare

  DSEI 2023: Australian companies launch rockets from Funnel Web robot, point to Ukraine potential

  7th September 2023

  Australian companies Black Sky Aerospace and Funnel Web Systems showcased a demonstration of rocket-firing from a UGV at Poland's MSPO, specifically pointing to potential in the war in Ukraine as a scenario where they could be used.

• Land Warfare

  Ukraine to receive new type of counter drone system [UPDATED]

  30th August 2023

  Kongsberg is to deliver the Cortex Typhon CUAS through the International Fund for Ukraine (IFU). The systems will provide essential aerial threat protection capabilities, enhancing Ukraine's ability to combat UAVs such as Shahen 136.

• Land Warfare

  Threats and opportunities: NATO demand for game-changing connectivity

  12th September 2023

  On 4 April 2023, Finland joined NATO. What can be learned from the country’s ability to assure resilient tactical communications?

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  DSEI 2023: UMS Skeldar and Marshall unveil containerised deployment system for V-200 UAS

  11th September 2023

  UMS Skeldar and Marshall Land Systems are unveiling the Battlefield Deployable Uncrewed Aerial System (BDUAS) at DSEI, a complete package for transporting, maintaining and controlling a Skeldar V-200 UAV.

• Naval Warfare

  Japan accelerates procurement of Tomahawk missiles

  10th October 2023

  Faced by a rough neighbourhood, Japan is accelerating plans to obtain Tomahawk cruise missiles.

• Defence Notes

  Ireland outlines short-term defence equipment targets

  3rd October 2023

  Irish government introduces strategic plans for its Defence Forces to tackle aging equipment, personnel issues and continuing threats.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Deep-strike, low-cost, loitering munition [Ukraine]

  Background 30,000 On 2 December 2024, Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov told Reuters that Ukraine was targeting the production of 30,000 deep-strike loitering munitions in 2025. Three ...

• 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 - mini

  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

  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 - 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 helicopters - multirole

  Ka-226T - Army [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 - 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

  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 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 ...

• Main battle tanks

  Merkava Mk3 [Cyprus]

  Programme Background Following the announced donation of 41 T-80U/UK tanks to Ukraine, Cyprus is actively seeking a replacement MBT for its Armed Forces. Cyprus offered ...

• Long Range Missile Defence Systems: > 90km range

  S-400 [India]

  Background India is modernising its air defence by procuring  S-400 LRSAM systems (Triumf Missile System), which are planned to be used by the Air Force.  The fifth system ...

• Main battle tanks

  Leopard 2A8 [Germany]

  Background Germany has operated the domestically produced Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Leopard 2 since its inception in the 1970s. Spanning now eight versions, the Leopard 2A8 is the latest ...

• Corvettes

  Ada Class Corvettes (1-2) [Ukraine]

  Background Timeline In October 2020, the MoD of Ukraine and the President of the Turkish Defence Industries signed a memorandum of understanding. This outlined intentions ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Next Generation Fighter Aircraft (Vietnam)

  Programme Background Requirement The Vietnam People's Air Force (VPAF) operates an ageing fleet of Su-22 aircraft as well as Su-27s and Su-30s. According to expert commentary, ...

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

  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 ...

• 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.

• 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 ...

• 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 ...

• Loitering munitions

  FP-5 Flamingo

  The FP-5 Flamingo is a ground-launched UAV system/cruise missile developed and manufactured by Fire Point. The system is designed to engage ground targets and is ...

• 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 ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  Kh-59/Kh-59E

  The Kh-59, designated by NATO as the AS-13 "Kingbolt," is a TV command-guided air-launched cruise missile. It has been offered on the export market as Kh-59E.

• 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 ...

• Artillery rockets

  9M55

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

• Military UAS - mini

  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 ...

• 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 ...