• Air Warfare

  CH-47 Chinook: why the iconic helicopter design is still a heavy-lift contender (updated 2026)

  26th March 2026

  From its emergence as a ground-breaking design in the 1950s to its widespread deployment in diverse operations worldwide, the Chinook continues to leave an indelible mark on the aviation landscape. Shephard sums up the helicopter’s latest developments.

• Land Warfare

  EuroTrophy systems contracted for Leopard 2A8 tank buyers as demand rises

  20th January 2026

  Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the original designer and manufacturer of the system, states that more than 1,800 have been sold and, while not all customers are known, more than 1,000 of these have been bought by the US and Israel.

• Naval Warfare

  RTX Raytheon enhances SM-3 and SM-6 production capacity

  16th March 2026

  The expansion of the Redstone facility in Alabama will enable Raytheon to increase production of Standard Missiles in the location by 50% and support Washington in refilling stockpiles after recent operations have depleted the Pentagon’s reserves.

• Defence Notes

  UK faces cost of balancing defensive capabilities abroad as Iran conflict widens

  11th March 2026

  The UK has recently deployed a Type 45 destroyer to Cyprus and has bolstered its presence in the Middle East in recent weeks with supporting air power to protect neighbouring countries’ air defences.

• Naval Warfare

  Australia’s Mogami-class frigates to feature RTX SeaRAM defence system

  11th May 2026

  Under a contract with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Raytheon will provide SeaRAM launchers, blast test vehicles and technical services for the Royal Australian Navy’s Sea3000 General Purpose Frigate programme.

• Land Warfare

  First capability of Israel’s Iron Beam laser to be delivered by the end of December

  1st December 2025

  Iron Beam is a family of high-energy laser weapon systems currently in development by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and is designed to provide a low-cost kinetic effect against aerial threats at short distances.

• Air Warfare

  Why Embraer’s C-390 Millennium trajectory continues to climb (updated 2026)

  8th May 2026

  The medium airlift aircraft is swiftly becoming the top pick for an array of countries wishing to enhance their tactical transport capabilities.

• Naval Warfare

  A400M trial demonstrates airborne deployment of uncrewed surface vessel

  31st July 2026

  Kraken Technology Group’s A400M airdrop of a K3 Scout uncrewed surface vessel points to a new way for navies to insert USVs into contested waters, bypassing ports and motherships.

• Naval Warfare

  India’s mine countermeasure drive triggers rush of new partnerships

  17th July 2026

  Parallel procurement pathways for crewed mine countermeasure vessels and uncrewed systems underline a shift towards next-generation mine warfare for the Indian Navy.

• Land Warfare

  Netherlands to get step change in air defence capability with FFG ACSV selection

  21st January 2026

  FFG’s tracked Armoured Combat Support Vehicle will form the backbone of the Netherlands’ new low-level air defences, Shephard has learned, with scope for further fleet expansion beyond the initial order.

• Land Warfare

  Energy evolution: How laser defence systems are powering the next phase of air defence (Podcast)

  9th December 2025

  Laser-based air defence is moving from promise to deployment as global threats evolve. In this special podcast, we explore how high-energy laser systems are reshaping interception strategies.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy’s MUSV programme could lay the USV procurement blueprint for NATO allies

  2nd July 2026

  The programme’s structure as a marketplace will allow multiple companies to compete for ongoing procurements; an approach which could be replicated across the Atlantic.

• Air Warfare

  India reopens hunt for reconnaissance and surveillance helicopters

  19th November 2025

  The extended deadline for vendors highlights the complexity of the procurement for India, with numerous vendors positioning themselves for the programme.

• Air Warfare

  Singapore’s Hermes 900 buy to enhance multi-domain ISR capabilities

  20th November 2025

  Drawing on its endurance and substantial payload capacity, the Hermes 900 would provide a boost to Singapore’s ISR capabilities, particularly in the maritime domain.

• Air Warfare

  What could the realignment of China, Russia, India and Pakistan mean for defence aerospace markets?

  1st October 2025

  As traditional Western alliances crumble and the wider strategic and economic background shifts, what does the realignment of relationships between these four countries mean for air power and the defence aerospace market?

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Hermes 900 Replacement [Chile]

  The three Hermes 900 UAVs that the Chilean Air Force acquired from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in 2011 will reach their estimated out-of-service date in the ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Hermes 900 Replacement [Chile]

  The three Hermes 900 UAVs that the Chilean Air Force acquired from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in 2011 will reach their estimated out-of-service date in the ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Intra-Theatre Lift [UK]

  On 27 June 2022, the MoD released a request for information (RFI) for a long-reach intra-theatre lift UAV. The RfI stated that the MOD had identified a ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Intra-Theatre Lift [UK]

  On 27 June 2022, the MoD released a request for information (RFI) for a long-reach intra-theatre lift UAV. The RfI stated that the MOD had identified a ...

• Loitering munitions

  Harop [Morocco]

  Programme Background In November 2021, Haaretz reported that a $22 million drone sale between Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Morocco had occurred. That publication and ...

• UAS: communication systems

  UAS: communication systems | Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) (Project Vanquish) [UK]

  In October 2025, the Royal Navy (RN) issued a request for industry proposals for Project Vanquish, an initiative to develop and test a Tier 2 ...

• UAS: flight control systems

  UAS: flight control systems | Autonomous Collaboration Platform (ACP) (Project Vanquish) [UK]

  In October 2025, the Royal Navy (RN) issued a request for industry proposals for Project Vanquish, an initiative to develop and test a Tier 2 ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions (Longer-Range) [Estonia]

  Background Previous Loitering Munition purchase In February 2023, the Estonian MoD announced its intention to acquire loitering munitions to significantly increase its indirect fire capability ...

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

  Heron TP [India]

  Programme Background Emergency Procurement The Narendra Modi-led Indian government granted the Armed Forces Rs 500 crores to upgrade their warfighting capabilities due to the ongoing ...

• Loitering munitions

  Mini Harpy [Estonia]

  Programme Background Russia's Aggression In February 2023, Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur said the country was set to procure loitering munitions to enhance its indirect ...

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

  MALE UAV [Argentina]

  Background Requirement Argentina has an outstanding requirement for a MALE-class UAV to conduct ISR operations in its airspace and along its long coastline. The Argentine ...

• Loitering munitions

  Harop (Amphibious Transport Ships) [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Multifunctional Support Vessels In September 2024, the Dutch MoD announced that the Royal Netherlands Navy would receive two new Multifunctional support vessels from Dutch ...

• Loitering munitions

  Loitering Munitions (First Batch) [Japan]

  Background Appreciation of Loitering Munitions After years of not operating loitering munitions and armed UAVs, Japan’s position towards them has changed. Belatedly, the MoD realised the ...

• Loitering munitions

  Harop [Israeli Navy]

  Programme Background MADEX 2023 At MADEX 2023, IAI displayed the Mini-Harpy, dubbed the Green Dragon, loitering munition in a 12-system launcher mounted to an Israel ...

• Military UAS - small

  Intra-Theatre Lift [UK]

  Background  Relationship to the Heavy Lift Challenge The Royal Navy (RN) embarked on the Heavy Lift Challenge, now called the Heavy Lift Capability (UASHLC), to explore cargo-carrying ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  ELL-8385

  Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) ELL-8385 is an integrated electronic support measure designed to equip Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). Open source imagery intelligence indicates that the ...

• Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Rotem

  The Rotem, or Rotem L, is a loitering munition based on a multi-rotor UAV. Manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), the quadcopter features an EO/IR camera payload ...

• Loitering munitions

  ASN-301

  The ASN-301 is a Chinese anti-radiation loitering munition. Likely based on Israel's Harpy drone, the ASN-301 features a delta-wing configuration and a pusher propeller, and ...

• Heavy UGVs

  RobDozer

  The RobDozer, or Panda, is an uncrewed ground combat engineering system manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and ELTA Systems.  The UGV is designed for breaching tasks, ...

• Loitering munitions

  Kargi (Improved)

  At ADEX 2022, Lentatek unveiled a new, as-yet-unnamed version of the Kargi loitering munition.  Instead of Kargi's radio frequency (RF) seeker, this new version features an under-nose EO/IR ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  ELI-3120

  Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) ELI-3120 is a Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) system designed for use at the operational and tactical levels. The ELI-3120 architecture also includes ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  ELK-7071

  Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) EL/K-7071 is an integrated electronic support measure designed to equip UAVs. While not explicitly stated by the system’s manufacturer, it is ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM, Data links

  ELK-1891 SATCOM

  The ELK-1891 is a full duplex X- or Ku-band SATCOM network, intended for uninterrupted mid-rate OTH communications (eg voice, data, compressed video). Each subscriber port ...

• Heavy UGVs

  RobARC

  The RobARC, or Sahar, is a military UGV manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The UGV's payload comprises a variety of sensors, allowing the Sahar to detect above-ground, ...

• Heavy UGVs

  RoBattle

  The RoBattle, or LR3, is a six-wheeled military UGV developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).  Intended to assist troops engaged in mobile operations, it is a ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range

  ABISR

  The ABISR is a medium-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), introduced around 2017.  ABISR is a more compact and mobile counterpart ...

• Military - UUVs

  BlueWhale

  BlueWhale (ELI-3325) is an autonomous uncrewed underwater vessel (UUV) developed by Israel's Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). It is designed for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Mine Countermeasures (MCM) and ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - small

  Sky Saker FX80

  The Sky Saker FX80 is a VTOL-capable fixed-wing drone from Norinco. Designed explicitly for artillery spotting operations, the drone was unveiled at the 14th Chinese ...

• Short Range Missile Defence Systems: 0 to 20 km range

  SPYDER-SR

  Rafael Advanced Defense Systems developed the SPYDER-SR (Short-Range) air defence system with support from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to provide rapid-response, all-weather protection against various ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  ELI-3001 AISIS

  Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI) ELI-3001 Airborne Integrated Signals Intelligence System equips the Israeli Air Force’s (IAF) three Gulfstream G-550 Shavit SIGINT aircraft. IAI’s official literature ...