• Land Warfare

  British Army fires Javelin from Boxer as Australia set for lightweight launchers

  20th August 2025

  Australia has received approval to buy Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Units (LwCLU) on the same day as the British Army announced the first firing from a Boxer armoured vehicle, a sign of the continuing interest in the weapon. Billons-of-dollars of Javelin missiles and systems have been ordered in the past two years.

• 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.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy prepares the next phase of the Arleigh Burke-class modernisation

  23rd July 2025

  The NAVSEA is carrying out market research and will conduct industry days in August to identify potential providers for the DDG MOD 2.0 stage.

• Air Warfare

  Paris Air Show 2025: Teaming success for E-7 and MQ-28 as Ghost Bat targets Europe

  17th June 2025

  Boeing has announced the successful flight trial of a MQ-28 Ghost Bat uncrewed aerial system (UAS) teaming with an E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft against an airborne target.

• Air Warfare

  GA-ASI nets MQ-9B order from Denmark, with Belgium poised for additional buy

  23rd July 2025

  The acquisition of the MQ-9B UAVs will work to strengthen both Denmark's and Belgium’s defences as well as boost the countries’ contribution to NATO, with Norway also a potential country on the list to buy the aircraft.

• Land Warfare

  Latvian ASCOD IFVs to enter service next year as country’s land programmes surge

  1st June 2025

  Latvia is buying Austrian Spanish Cooperative Development (ASCOD) infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs). The country is investing widely including in the purchase of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), Patria 6×6 vehicles, TRML-4D air defence radars and air defence systems and UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters.

• Naval Warfare

  HII acquires new manufacturing capacity for AUKUS work

  4th December 2024

  An existing facility in South Carolina will be turned over to work on AUKUS elements, as well as other US Navy projects.

• Air Warfare

  Italy looks to advance development of airborne electronic warfare initiatives

  14th October 2024

  Italy’s ELT Group involvement in airborne electronic warfare initiatives, including developing systems for the Eurofighter Typhoon and future sixth-generation combat aircraft, has been focused on integrated sensing, non-kinetic effects and communications.

• Land Warfare

  Malaysia signs for two additional GM400α air surveillance radars

  8th July 2025

  The order is in addition to two systems ordered in 2023. It forms part of a family of systems which is becoming widely used and part of a growing demand for the capability, both in deliveries and requirements.

• Land Warfare

  Babcock delivers first sample under new manufacturing process analysis

  29th November 2024

  The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) gave several companies a contract to establish the usefulness of additive manufacturing for defence equipment.

• Naval Warfare

  UK demonstration shows how sensors and C2 can protect ports from multi-domain threats

  26th June 2025

  Naval vessels are at high risk when in harbour, port or dockside and the threat from asymmetric attacks has been shown in the Ukraine war against Russian ships. A demonstration of combined systems in the UK hoped to show a potential solution to defence, government and commercial delegates.

• Air Warfare

  Enhancing education: How CAE is embracing new technology to boost military training

  12th June 2025

  In Conversation... Shephard's Gerrard Cowan talks to CAE's Marc-Olivier Sabourin about how the training and simulation industry can help militaries achieve essential levels of readiness by leveraging new technology, innovative procurement methods and a truly collaborative approach.

• Defence Notes

  Is the US magazine of air defence interceptors deep enough to sustain a long campaign against Iran?

  4th March 2026

  The Pentagon spent a considerable number of THAAD and SM-3 rounds to defend against Iranian missiles in 2025 and has not fully replenished its reserves.

• Naval Warfare

  Japan’s first warship sale opens door to future exports but comes with strings attached

  24th April 2026

  Australia’s selection of an upgraded Mogami-class frigate marks Japan’s first-ever export of a major surface combatant. With an ambitious 2029 delivery target, the deal could open the door to further naval exports – but inexperience and geopolitical friction with China loom large.

• Land Warfare

  Tests almost completed on German Army Wolf vehicles with deliveries soon

  12th August 2025

  The Germany Army (Bundeswehr) signed for 1,500 Mercedes-Benz Defence Vehicles Wolf 2 all-purpose 4×4 light utility vehicle in July last year, a deal which ultimately be for 5,800 units. Testing is ongoing and first production vehicles are expected to be delivered in November.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  XQ-58A Valkyrie [USMC]

  Programme Background Contract Award On 30 December 2022, the US DoD announced that it had awarded Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems a $15.52 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) [Japan]

  Programme Background Shephard notes that GCAP's Japanese, British and Italian components are tracked in separate entries. Programme Timeline 2020: The Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency of Japan issued ...

• Fighter - multirole

  JAS-39C/D Gripen Replacement [Czech Republic]

  Programme Background Requirements The Czech Republic Air Force operates 14 Gripens (12 JAS 39C and two JAS 39D variants) under a lease agreement that runs ...

• Fighter - electronic warfare

  Jamming and Escort Electronic Attack Aircraft (luWES) [Germany]

  Programme Background According to earlier reports, Berlin had earlier decided to procure 15 EA-18G Growlers over the Eurofighter Typhoon ECR concept, which is expected to be ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Multirole Fighter [Turkiye]

  Programme Background Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that Turkey had already paid $1.4 billion into the programme, while its defence industry has ploughed significant ...

• Fighter - multirole

  TF-X Kaan Next Generation Fighter [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Requirement Geopolitical factors have spurred aircraft development in Türkiye. With its removal from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter project following the Russian S-400 ...

• Trainer

  Hawk 127 Replacement (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System- Project Air 6002 PH1) [Australia]

  Programme Background Requirements The RAAF is seeking a future solution that provides a ‘relevant, adaptable, affordable and safe LIFTS out to 2050’ for training pilots ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Eurofighter Typhoon First-Batch [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Requirement The Turkish Air Force has operated two main fighter platforms, the F-16 and F-4, for several decades. As older F-16 airframes and ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Data links

  Data links | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Typhoon Tranche 3A [Saudi Arabia]

  In June 2018, Saudi Arabia agreed to procure 48 Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighter aircraft from BAE. The total procurement cost for 48 aircraft is estimated at ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A [Denmark]

  Programme Background  Denmark joined the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program in 2002 during the System Development and Demonstration phase and has influenced technical elements ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A (1-60) [Italy]

  The 2019 and 2020 budget contained significant funding for the F-35 programme: €690 million ($775 million) in 2019 and €859 million ($962 million) in 2020, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

  F-35 Training System

  BAE Systems is involved in F-35 Lightning II Training System design and sustainment, working with prime contractor Lockheed Martin. BAE Systems leads the instructional systems ...

• Air: Defensive Systems - Radar Warning Receivers, EW test systems

  Model 527

  The Model 527 radar signal simulator is used for end-of-runway and walk-around radiated RWR testing to verify the operational status of the aircraft and its ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming, Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  AN/ALE-55 FOTD

  The ALE-55 Fibre Optic Towed Decoy (FOTD) is a high-powered electronic off-board countermeasure that works with an aircraft’s onboard EW equipment to defeat radiofrequency (RF) threats. It ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  SPEAR-EW

  The SPEAR-EW missile, developed by MBDA in collaboration with Leonardo, is an air-to-surface weapon designed to perform Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) missions. This ...

• EW test systems

  A2PATS

  Advanced Architecture Phase Amplitude and Time Simulator (A2PATS) is a real-time EM test environment simulator for military platforms and installed systems, designed to deliver mission ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  HAPS / PHASA-35

  The High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite (HAPS) is a solar-electric Persistent High Altitude Solar Aircraft (PHASA-35).  Produced by BAE Systems and Prismatic, the platform is designed to provide a persistent, ...

• Air: AEW/fire control radar

  AN/APG-81

  AN/APG-81 is operating in the X-band active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire control radar designed by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems for the F-35 “Lightning” all-weather ...

• Fighter - multirole

  MiG-35

  The MiG-35 (NATO reporting name Fulcrum F) is a multirole fighter, the latest variant of the MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter family.  The production of the MiG-35 ...

• EO/IR systems

  F-35 Lightning II Advanced EOTS

  The F-35 Lightning II Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) is a sensor that combines targeting forward-looking IR (FLIR) and IR search and track (IRST) capabilities for ...

• Fighter - multirole, Fighter - naval

  F-35B

  The F-35B Lightning II is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft with short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) capability. The USMC is the main customer for the F-35B, ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  F-35 Gen III HMDS

  The F-35 Gen III helmet-mounted display system (HMDS) is provided by a joint venture between Elbit Systems of America and Rockwell Collins, developed for the F-35 ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35I Adir

  The F-35I Adir is an F-35A Lightning II variant customised to meet the requirements of the Israel Defense Forces to replace the F-16 fleet in ...

• Air: Integrated Defensive Systems

  AN/ALQ-178V(5)+

  The AN/ALQ-178(5)+ is an internally mounted self-protection system designed and developed by Aselsan and BAE Systems for the Turkish F-16C fighter aircraft. The system comprises ...

• Air-to-surface missiles, Anti-ship missiles

  JSM

  The Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is a multi-role version of the Naval Strike Missile. Norway funded the programme to develop and produce the JSM for the ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A

  The F-35A Lightning II is a fifth-generation multirole combat aircraft with CTOL capabilities. It is a multinational programme led by the US DoD, bringing together ...