• Air Warfare

  Spain makes order for 25 Eurofighter Typhoons

  20th December 2024

  Known as the Halcon II programme, the order covers 21 single-seat and four twin-seat aircraft, set to be delivered between 2030 and 2035.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  SOF Week 2025: PDW unveils attritable FPV drone for SOF operations at scale

  7th May 2025

  PDW has revealed its Attritable Multirotor First Person View drone at SOF Week 2025, offering special operations forces a low-cost, rapidly deployable platform for strike and ISR missions, inspired by battlefield lessons from Ukraine.

• Land Warfare

  Australia launches hunt for counter-drone systems

  16th January 2025

  Australia is looking for a counter-drone system and is turning to its substantial local companies in the field such as Drone Shield, EOS and Codarra.

• Land Warfare

  First Czech CV90 MkIV rolled out as part of multi-billion-dollar programme

  29th August 2025

  The Czech Republic CV9030 MkIV has a more powerful 1,000HP engine than the previous variant and an upgraded X300 heavy-duty transmission.

• Land Warfare

  IDEX 2025: IAI pushes ahead with new systems as international interest is roused in Iron Dome

  18th February 2025

  Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) CEO Boaz Levy spoke to Shephard about the company’s decades-long development of it missile portfolio, at a time when countries around the world have been demonstrating a growing appetite in procuring national missile defence systems.

• Naval Warfare

  How will the Canadian Coast Guard’s transfer to the DND umbrella affect its capabilities?

  4th December 2025

  By joining the defence department, the coast guard will need to acquire new solutions and adapt its in-service capabilities to ensure interoperability with the Canadian Armed Forces.

• Air Warfare

  US Navy’s next-generation sensor for Super Hornets achieves Initial Operating Capability

  5th February 2025

  The full rate production decision is scheduled for first-half 2025 and this will authorise the US Navy (USN) to fully outfit its carrier-based F/A-18E/F Super Hornet squadrons with InfraRed Search-and-Track (IRST) Block II.

• Air Warfare

  US Army UH-60M Black Hawk fitted with T901 engine approaches first flight

  10th February 2025

  The service recently started ground run testing to verify the full integration of the T901-GE-900 engine.

• Land Warfare

  “Adversaries have adapted”: how counter-UAS and space control will decide future conflicts

  18th March 2025

  In conversation... EOS's Andreas Schwer talks to Shephard's Ben Watts about how the Australian company is shifting its strategic focus to two technologies it sees as essential for success on the modern battlefield - C-UAS and space control.

• Air Warfare

  Paris Air Show 2025: Embraer chalks up another win as Lithuania picks C-390

  18th June 2025

  Just this week Portugal signed for a sixth C-390 with the add-on of an option for 10 for other NATO countries. In April, Sweden signed for four and in December last year Slovakia agreed to buy three, while in the same month an undisclosed country agreed to buy two.

• Training

  Three A-29 Super Tucanos find new home at US Air Force Test Pilot School

  14th October 2024

  Embraer’s light attack aircraft were selected by Edwards Air Force Base to join its test pilot school, following their abandonment by US Air Force Special Operations Command.

• Defence Notes

  EU commits to increased defence spending and boosting capability

  4th February 2025

  There has been increased pressure from the second-term Trump administration in the US, as there was in the first term, for increased defence spending from non-US NATO countries, a move which is noted by Europe as already occurring.

• Naval Warfare

  Fincantieri’s Vulcano Class: a new era of versatility and innovation in naval operations

  20th May 2025

  Logistic support ships (LSS) are essential for sustained naval operations, especially during extended deployments far from home ports.

• Land Warfare

  Spira’s Ilgar loitering munition in service

  22nd September 2025

  Armed forces are now procuring large numbers of loitering munitions with many developers having evolved their own designs to meet this burgeoning demand. Turkey’s Spira is one such company and is fulfilling contracts and developing new missiles.

• Air Warfare

  Italy orders up to 24 Eurofighter Typhoon jets

  30th December 2024

  The Tranche 4 deliveries will be expected to continue until 2030.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) [USA]

  The United States Air Force (USAF) is working on the F-47 Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft, which is intended to replace F-22s in service and ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) [USA]

  The United States Air Force (USAF) is working on the F-47 Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft, which is intended to replace F-22s in service and ...

• Data links

  Data links | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) [USA]

  The United States Air Force (USAF) is working on the F-47 Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft, which is intended to replace F-22s in service and ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) [USA]

  The United States Air Force (USAF) is working on the F-47 Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft, which is intended to replace F-22s in service and ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) [USA]

  The United States Air Force (USAF) is working on the F-47 Penetrating Counter Air (PCA) aircraft, which is intended to replace F-22s in service and ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-60M Black Hawk [Latvia]

  Programme Background In August 2018, the Latvian government approved the acquisition of four UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters. The UH-60Ms are intended for both military and ...

• Transport

  King Air 360 [Nigeria]

  Programme Background On 7 October 2021, Nigeria’s Budget Office published its proposed budget details. The Nigerian Air Force requested 10.86 billion Nigerian Naira (US$26.4 million) ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  Light Attack/Trainer Aircraft - Ghana

  In 2013, the Chief of Ghana Air Force stated that A-29 is their preferred platform and this position was also submitted to the Government. In ...

• Transport

  C-130J - USAF

  Programme Background The C-130J Super Hercules is a four-engine turboprop transport aircraft developed by Lockheed Martin to replace aging C-130 variants. The US and FMS ...

• Trainer

  PC-21 [France]

  Programme  Background The French Air and Space Force has chosen Dassault Aviation and Babcock to provide between nine and 13 Pilatus PC-21 aircraft for Phase ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  T-2E Replacement - Greece

  The average unit cost is estimated to be around $12 million based on the Czech Republic's $48.5 million deal for the purchase of four L-39NG ...

• Bomber

  B-21 Raider [USA]

  Programme Background Development The US DoD is developing a new long-range bomber called the B-21 Raider, previously known as LRS-B. At least 100 units are ...

• Trainer

  Trainer Aircraft (1-12) [Vietnam]

  Programme Background After years of operating Russian-built military equipment, Vietnam is more willing to procure US-supplied equipment following the lifting of the arms embargo in ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | KC-130J [Saudi Arabia]

  Royal Saudi Air Force is seeking to purchase three KC-130J tanker aircraft in addition to two units acquired under foreign military sale (FMS) programme. On 9 ...

• Data links

  Data links | KC-130J [Saudi Arabia]

  Royal Saudi Air Force is seeking to purchase three KC-130J tanker aircraft in addition to two units acquired under foreign military sale (FMS) programme. On 9 ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: EO/IR – Jamming Systems

  AN/AAQ-45

  Leonardo’s AN/AAQ-45 Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasures is designed to equip rotorcraft. The system is being installed on Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk medium-lift utility helicopters used ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  J/ALQ-8

  Like Israel, Japan elected to outfit its McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F-15J/DJ combat aircraft with an indigenous self-protection system. This takes the form of Mitsubishi Electric’s J/ALQ-8 ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  FAB-T Force Element Terminal

  The Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals - Force Element Terminal (FAB-T FET) is a nuclear-hardened SATCOM solution designed for airborne applications. Produced by Raytheon, ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  25mm PGU-48/B

  The 25mm PGU-48/B is a medium-calibre armour-penetrating round manufactured by American Rheinmetall. The US Air Force uses the PGU-48/B with its F-35 aircraft.

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  25mm PGU-23/U

  The 25mm PGU-23/U is a medium-calibre training round manufactured by General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems. The US Air Force utilises it with its AC-130 and ...

• Land: soldier modernisation systems - industry programmes

  Warrior Systems

  General Dynamics Mission Systems is prime contractor and system integrator for the US Army’s Warrior soldier systems, which include Air Warrior, Future Force Warrior, Land Warrior ...

• Fighter - air superiority

  F-5E/F Tiger II

  The F-5E (single-seat)/F (twin-seat) Tiger II is an air superiority fighter developed by Northrop Grumman based on the original F-5 Freedom Fighter. Production of the ...

• Air: mission management systems

  TBMCS

  Theater Battle Management Core Systems (TBMCS) is a US joint C2 integrated BMS used to plan and execute air campaigns in theatres of operations worldwide. ...

• Trainer

  King Air trainer

  Textron / Beechcraft King Air trainers are a family twin-engine aircraft based on King Air 90, 100, 200 and 350 utility aircraft. The King Air ...

• Unguided Medium Calibre Ammunition

  30mm PGU-13B High Explosive Incendiary

  The 30mm 30mm PGU-13B High Explosive Incendiary (HEI) is a medium-calibre munition manufactured by Northrop Grumman. The US Air Force uses the PGU-13B HEI with ...

• Trainer

  T-6A/B Texan II

  The T-6 Texan II is a single-engine trainer aircraft, which was developed from the Pilatus PC-9 to meet the training requirements of USAF and USN ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-4 Phantom II family

  The F-4 Phantom II is a two-seat multirole fighter developed originally by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) to meet USN interceptor requirements. It soon became a unified ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  CLS-200

  The CLS-200 is part of the Yates Electrospace Corporation Silent Arrow family. It is a powered cargo-carrying one-use UAV, based on the company's GD-2000 glider.  In ...

• Air: surveillance and maritime patrol radar, Air: UAS radar

  Lynx

  The Lynx (AN/APY-8) is a synthetic aperture radar manufactured by General Atomics. It is designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance for manned and unmanned aircraft. According to ...

• Light attack, Trainer

  EMB-312 Tucano

  The EMB-312 Tucano (Brazilian designation T-27) is a trainer and light attack aircraft developed by Embraer to meet the training requirements of the Brazilian Air ...