• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Patroller to replace French Army Sperwer

  5th April 2016

  The Patroller UAV has finally been confirmed as the replacement for the Sperwer UAS currently deployed with the French Army’s 61st Artillery Regiment from 2018. …

• Digital Battlespace

  F-35I C4 system enters production

  5th April 2016

  The Command, Control, Communications and Computing (C4) system developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for the Israeli variant of the F-35 aircraft has completed testing …

• Defence Notes

  US Navy delivers new APKWS variant

  4th April 2016

  The US Navy has delivered the first fixed-wing aircraft variant of the Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System (APKWS) to the marine attack squadron (VMA) 233 …

• Digital Battlespace

  DefExpo 2016: OIS-AT promotes four radars

  4th April 2016

  OIS Advanced Technology (OIS-AT), a private Indian company, showed four new radar types at DefExpo 2016 in Goa. In a briefing with Shephard, Sanjay Bhandari, …

• Digital Battlespace

  UK tests Finmeccanica’s BriteCloud decoy

  4th April 2016

  The UK Air Force has successfully conducted an initial evaluation of Finmeccanica’s BriteCloud anti-missile countermeasure decoy, the company announced at the end of March. The …

• Digital Battlespace

  DIMDEX 2016: Qatar orders satellite data receiving station

  3rd April 2016

  Airbus Defence and Space has received a contract from the Qatar Armed Forces (QAF) to provide a multi-mission direct satellite data receiving station and image …

• Land Warfare

  FIDAE 2016: Chilean Army to upgrade SIG rifles

  1st April 2016

  The Chilean Army (Ejercito de Chile) is planning a comprehensive upgrade of its 5.56mm SIG SG 540 and 7.62mm SIG SG 542-1 rifles, with a …

• Digital Battlespace

  Senses heightened for Apache

  1st April 2016

  The US Army’s AH-64 Apache helicopters are to get the new sensors that will provide them with new capabilities. It has finally been decided that …

• Training

  CAS closes in on UK augmented success

  1st April 2016

  Close Air Solutions (CAS), in partnership with Cursive Simulation, has submitted a second bid as part of the UK’s defence growth partnership (DGP) innovation challenge and …

• Land Warfare

  DefExpo 2016: Indian Army homes in on SAMs

  1st April 2016

  An earlier survey of Indian Amy air defence requirements discussed antiaircraft artillery and VSHORADS. A third area of need is for short-range surface-to-air missiles (SR-SAM). …

• Digital Battlespace

  DefExpo 2016: Thales, BTSL to develop fire control radar

  1st April 2016

  Thales and BEL-Thales Systems (BTSL) have entered into an agreement for the development of the Pharos fire control radar for both gun and missile systems, Thales …

• Training

  Project Cerbére gathers pace

  1st April 2016

  The French Army has launched a major upgrade of its main line training sites under a project known as Cerbére (Cerberus). The service currently operates …

• Land Warfare

  DefExpo 2016: ‘Danger close!’ for Indian artillery

  1st April 2016

  The situation for Indian artillery is extremely dire, with no new howitzers inducted over the past three decades. However, programmes are under way to procure …

• Defence Notes

  FIDAE 2016: RAF eyes role in LATAM exercises

  31st March 2016

  Despite the Royal Air Force’s A400M Atlas missing this year’s FIDAE airshow due to operational commitments, the service’s deputy commander of operations still sees a …

• Training

  FIDAE 2016: Argentina unveils new trainer

  31st March 2016

  Argentina’s state-owned aircraft manufacturer Fábrica Argentina de Aviones (FAdeA) has unveiled a new training aircraft at this year’s FIDAE airshow in Chile, which is aimed …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Long-Endurance UAV [US AFRICOM]

  Programme Background Ageing MQ-9A Reapers In November 2022, Shephard reported that GA-ASI would continue supporting contractor SMX with its MQ-9A after winning a $2.3 billion task ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 [Pakistan]

  Programme Background Requirement Following a 2019 skirmish with India, Pakistan placed newfound importance on EW and ISR, primarily due to the significant advantage gained during that ...

• 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 ...

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

  MQ-9B SkyGuardian [Denmark]

  Background Arctic Capability Package In February 2021, Denmark published the Arctic Capability package, a commitment to invest in new technologies, particularly uncrewed systems, to improve surveillance ...

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

  Long-Range Drones [Norway]

  Background Andøya Ambition On 3 April 2023, the Norwegian MoD released a statement confirming its plans for Andøya, the northernmost island in its Vesterålen archipelago. In addition to ...

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

  Seeker 400 - First Batch (UAE)

  Programme Background The UAE has a long history of transactions with Denel Dynamics. The country has been purchasing various Seeker systems from as far back ...

• Loitering munitions

  Long Range One-way Platforms [US]

  Solicitation In October 2024, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) released a solicitation for long-range, one-way platforms. The DIU noted recent conflicts highlighted the asymmetric impact of low-cost, ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  V-Bat 128 [Canada]

  Programme Background Requirement Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) was seeking a platform for the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) that would significantly expand its surveillance range ...

• Military helicopters - maritime

  NH90 NFH-Italy

  Programme Background  The Italian Navy has taken delivery of its first NH90 NFH helicopter in Full Operational Capability (or Step B) configuration in November 2013. ...

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

  CH-4 (First Batch) [Pakistan]

  Programme Background First Batch According to the Pakistan Exim Trade Info website, five aircraft were delivered to the country on 15 January 2021. According to a ...

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

  Mini Intelligence Drone System (SMDR) [France]

  Background Requirement The French Army identified a need for a new tactical UAS to replace the Drac, which entered service in 2008. The Mini Reconnaissance ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

  M Solar-X [Thailand]

  Programme Background Roadmap In February 2024, the RTAF unveiled its White Paper 2024. Incorporating lessons from the Russo-Ukrainian War, the Israel-Hamas War, and other events ...

• Loitering munitions

  Medium-Range Loitering Munition with LEO Satellite Data Link [South Korea]

  Background New Project In April 2025, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) announced a new project titled “Development of Medium-Range ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Arctic Frigates Procurement/Thetis Class Replacement (4-5) [Denmark]

  In January 2025, Denmark announced the acquisition of "three new Arctic ships, additional long-range drones with advanced image acquisition capacity" and "satellite capacity" worth over ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Arctic Frigates Procurement/Thetis Class Replacement (4-5) [Denmark]

  In January 2025, Denmark announced the acquisition of "three new Arctic ships, additional long-range drones with advanced image acquisition capacity" and "satellite capacity" worth over ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

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

  Caihong

  The Caihong (Rainbow), also known as the Cai Hong or CH, is a solar-powered HALE platform designed for near-space flight. It is suitable for military ...

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

  Morning Star

  Aviation Industry Corporation of China’s Morning Star is a quasi-satellite, near-space, solar-powered platform. It is designed for both military and civilian applications, including reconnaissance, navigation ...

• ISR/special mission, Maritime patrol

  A320neo M3A

  Currently under development by Airbus, the A320 M3A is the Maritime Patrol version of the civilian A320neo aircraft. The aircraft can be fitted with a wide ...

• Space: radar systems

  ESA Sentinel-1

  Sentinel-1 is a planned constellation of four satellites with two already in orbit and two on order. They carry a payload of a C-band SAR ...

• Space: radar systems

  SARah

  SARah is the planned follow-on system for the SAR-Lupe radar satellite constellation operated by the German Armed Forces. In 2013, it was announced that OHB ...

• Major networking projects

  EAC

  The NATO Communications and Information Agency awarded ACTIA Sodielec a contract in June 2013 to provide NATO with an Extended Advanced SATCOM Network Monitoring and ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Vocality Pro Series

  The Pro Series includes the V25, V50, V150 and V20. These are designed to be used in a central communications hub or as part of ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing

  S-70UAS U-Hawk

  Unveiled at AUSA 2025, the S-70UAS U-Hawk is an uncrewed version of Sikorsky’s crewed UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter.  It will act as a delivery aircraft for medium-sized uncrewed ground vehicles ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  FlyingFish Maritime

  The FlyingFish Maritime SIGINT system is one of several derivatives of the FlyingFish Airborne Satellite Monitoring System developed by Horizon Technologies. Designed to be mounted ...

• Guided munitions

  GP155B

  The GP155B is a 155mm artillery round developed by Norinco. The GP155B integrates satellite-based guidance systems that are compatible with both the Chinese Beidou Navigation ...

• Data links

  Space CDL

  The Space Common Data Link (CDL) system provides a wideband data link capability adaptable to a variety of space-based applications. It consists of separate transmitter ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  FlyingFish

  FlyingFish is an Airborne Satellite Monitoring System designed to detect and intercept SATCOM from airborne ISR platforms. As a passive system, it cannot be detected ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  ULTRA

  The Unmanned Long-endurance Tactical Reconnaissance Aircraft (ULTRA) is a fixed-wing drone from DZYNE Technologies. It is described as a long-endurance, GPS-hardened intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platform with full global ...

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

  Pelican / Rumrunner

  The Pelican Cargo is an electric cargo-carrying drone from Pyka. Powered by four electric motors, the Pelican can carry 400lb of cargo in its 70 ...

• Data links

  MiMMC

  Microsat Man-Packable Mission Command (MiMMC) is a satellite-based BLoS communications system providing the ability to extend mission command applications including voice, video and data transfer ...