• Air Warfare

  Sentient's ViDAR sensors successfully integrated on Edge Autonomy's VXE30 UAS

  30th August 2023

  Sentient Vision Systems has completed live demonstrations of its AI-enabled Visual Detection and Ranging (ViDAR) sensor on Edge Autonomy's VXE30 VTOL UAS.

• Defence Notes

  DSEI 2023 in review: Ukraine, AI and the real world

  20th September 2023

  DSEI 2023 took place in the shadow of the largest European land war in more than seven decades and a growth in conversations about artificial intelligence (AI) with limited UK immediate defence programme opportunities; many of the new products and exhibitors' announcements reflected this.

• Air Warfare

  Quantum-Systems’ clientele grows globally as company builds up family of sUAVs.

  29th June 2023

  The US subsidiary of Germany's Quantum-Systems has chalked up a number of new orders and customer demonstrations for its Vector UAS and plans to build up a family of different models.

• Naval Warfare

  Is the end in sight for Canada’s painful Joint Support Ship procurement journey?

  1st November 2023

  The launch of the second of two new Joint Support Ships for the Royal Canadian Navy has represented steps forward on a project that has suffered huge delays due to supply chain issues and the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Canada's DND.

• Naval Warfare

  Canada takes delivery of fourth Arctic patrol vessel ahead of schedule

  1st September 2023

  Irving Shipbuilding has delivered the fourth Harry DeWolf-class Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel (AOPV) to the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).

• Land Warfare

  Netherlands to proceed with their own All-Terrain Vehicle buy after plans for joint procurement fail

  9th October 2023

  The procurement of new amphibious tracked All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) for the Netherlands Marines under the Future Littoral All Terrain Mobility Band Vagn (FLATM BV) has been pushed back again.

• Training

  India completes Light Combat Aircraft NP5 trainer prototype test flight

  23rd August 2023

  In a stride towards bolstering India's indigenous naval aviation capabilities, the Aeronautical Development Agency has successfully completed the maiden flight of LCA Navy trainer prototype aircraft NP5.

• Air Warfare

  Insight: Is the Bayraktar TB2 UAV living up to expectations?

  15th September 2023

  Sold to well over 20 countries and combat-proven in Nagorno-Karabakh, Ukraine and elsewhere, the Bayraktar TB2 has been an export success for its Turkish manufacturer. Shephard Defence Insight analyses the aircraft's design and capabilities and reviews in depth who is buying it and why.

• Land Warfare

  German Army tests upgraded Puma IFV 'to the limit'

  25th September 2023

  The upgraded Puma IFV, fitted with a tactical, laser-based weapon training system and an increased-performance engine with modified turbocharger, has been put through 7,000km of testing.

• Air Warfare

  JetZero receives $235 million from the US Air Force to develop fuel-efficient blended-wing aircraft

  18th August 2023

  JetZero has won a $235 million award from USAF to accelerate the development of its blended-wing body aircraft which promises a 50% reduction in fuel burn and emissions.

• Naval Warfare

  Italian Navy overcomes delays in PPA ship deliveries

  29th September 2023

  Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri delivered the third of seven Pattugliatori Polivalenti d'Altura (PPA) Multipurpose Offshore Patrol Vessel to the Italian Navy during a ceremony on 27 September.

• Land Warfare

  Fibrotex develops mobile camouflage systems for US clients

  19th July 2023

  Fibrotex’s camouflage triad will be complete with the development of mobile camouflage systems.

• Air Warfare

  PLA shows off new UCAV, while CH-5 achieves sale to Iraq

  27th September 2023

  China's aerospace industry continues to develop and sell advanced UAVs both at home and on the international market and has displayed UCAVs at the China Helicopter Exhibition in Tianjin.

• Air Warfare

  Double Dutch as Netherlands adds four more Reapers to first order

  22nd August 2023

  The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) will increase its fleet of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) MQ-9A Block 5 Reapers UAS from four to eight under a deal announced on 21 August.

• Air Warfare

  Shield AI, Sentient Vision collaborate on AI-enabled wide-area imagery

  15th August 2023

  Shield AI and Sentient Vision Systems will jointly develop a wide area motion imagery (WAMI) solution, integrating Sentient's Visual Detection and Ranging (ViDAR) onto Shield AI's V-BAT UAS.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  DELI [Türkiye]

  Programme Background Speaking to Shephard at SAHA Expo 2022, a spokesperson stated that the platform was expected to enter into service with the Turkish Armed ...

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

  Akinci [Libya]

  Programme Background 2022 Reports In October 2022, various Libyan media outlets reported that the country was eyeing a possible procurement from Baykar, possibly the Akinici ...

• Transport

  C-130J [Vietnam]

  Programme Background Requirement Vietnam’s interest in acquiring the C-130J reflects a broader effort to modernise its air transport fleet, which was previously dominated by Russian ...

• Corvettes

  Steregushchy Class (Project 20380) (11-18)

  Programme BackgroundThe Steregushchiy class (Project 20380) corvettes are designed to operate in littoral combat zones and engage with enemy ships and submarines. The multi-role missions ...

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

  Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) (Tranche 2) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

  Programme Background The Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) Programme The RPUAS programme will provide the battalion and below-ground manoeuvre elements within the US Army with an ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Data links

  Data links | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | JF-17 [Azerbaijan]

  Azerbaijan has been known to be a potential buyer of JF-17 Thunder aircraft since 2015. The country is operating Su-24/25 and MiG-29 jets in service; ...

• Military helicopters - attack

  AH-64E Apache (Indian Army)

  It is a hybrid procurement, as was the 2015 Air Force one (see separate entry), employing both a direct commercial sale with Boeing and an ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Hangor Class Submarines [Pakistan]

  Programme Background Timeline Chinese media first reported that the Pakistan Navy had agreed to buy eight modified Type 039B submarines in April 2015. The contract ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  T-15 Armata (Contracted)

  Programme Background The first contract for 132 Armatas was signed by the Russian MoD in 2015. This will comprise sufficient T-14, T-15 heavy IFV and ...

• Tanks

  T-14 Armata (Contracted)

  Programme Background The first contract for 132 Armatas was signed by the Russian MoD in 2015. This will comprise sufficient T-14, T-15 heavy IFV and ...

• Submarines: conventional, attack

  Horizon 3 - Submarines Procurement Programme [Philippines]

  Programme Background Requirements The Philippines began its Future Submarine Acquisition back in 2015. The Philippines has no experience in operating submarines, but there is a ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• H160

  Airbus Helicopters unveiled a full-scale model of the H160 medium twin rotorcraft on 3 March 2015 at Heli-Expo. The utility helicopter, the first to be ...

• EO/IR systems

  Skybox

  The Skybox allows gimballed camera systems developed for small UAVs to be integrated on the nose of manned helicopters. It accommodates cameras such as DJI’s ...

• EO/IR systems

  OWLS

  Observation Wide-area Low-altitude Sensor (OWLS), demonstrated at Heli-Expo 2015, is a two-axis micro gimbal imager that combines a night vision sensor and an image-stabilised enclosure. ...

• Helicopter engines

  RR300

  The RR300 combines new design methodologies with the legacy of the M250 engine to produce a new engine family for the small rotorcraft market. Intended ...

• Air: mission management systems

  TM-100 Map and Video Management system

  Trakka Systems introduced a new TM-100 Map and Video Management system at HAI Heli-Expo 2017 in Dallas. The augmented reality mapping system with metadata video and audio ...

• EO/IR systems

  Geodetic photomapping and monitoring payload and blind zone cameras

  Heliatica unveiled a geodetic mapping and monitoring payload with Geoscan at Heli-Expo 2017. The system is designed to fit two Sony DSC-RX1 (24MP resolution) cameras ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  6XX

  Publicly unveiled at Heli-Expo in March 2017, the MD Helicopters 6XX is the next evolution in the MD 500 series and is a redesigned, single-engine ...

• Multipurpose missiles

  LAHAT

  The Laser Homing Attack (LAHAT) is an Israeli, semi-active, laser homing guided, low-weight, ATGM. It was designed to be fired from 105mm and 120mm tank guns.

• Tiltrotors

  AW609

  The Bell/Agusta BA609 became the first tiltrotor designed for the civilian market to fly in March 2003. In June 2011, Leonardo announced that it had ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  525 Relentless

  Bell Helicopter announced in February 2012 that it was developing the Model 525 Relentless. The Relentless features an ARC Horizon flight deck, including the Garmin ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Bars-8

  Following on from the 7t Bars-6 4x4 multipurpose armoured vehicle, Bogdan developed the 10t Bars-8 4x4 multipurpose armoured vehicle which was unveiled at the September ...

• Land: RWS

  AU-220M

  The AU-220M unmanned turret, developed by TsNII Burevestnik, a subsidiary of Uralvagonzavod (UVZ), mounts a dual-feed 57mm automatic cannon and a PKTM 7.62mm coaxial machine ...

• Military helicopters - maritime, Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  S-92/H-92

  The H-92 is the military version of the commercial S-92. It has a stand-up cabin, higher gross weight, more power and new composite rotor blades. ...

• Military vehicle engines

  TCD 2015

  The TCD 2015 is a modern water-cooled four stroke diesel V-engine that is currently integrated on the RG41 armoured vehicle.

• P1AR Virtual Hoist SAR simulator

  Priority 1 Air Rescue demonstrated an operational model of its Virtual Hoist SAR simulator for the first time at Heli-Expo 2017 with a small, transportable ...