• Defence Helicopter

  Leonardo offers up four-point AW149 survivability plan to sweeten NMH bid

  2nd September 2022

  Leonardo hopes to persuade the UK MoD that a range of AW149 survivability-related items makes the helicopter the best fit for the New Medium Helicopter programme.

• Land Warfare

  Echoshield 4D radar addresses C-UAS demands

  18th May 2022

  Several DoD and overseas customers have already pre-purchased the EchoShield 4D C-UAS radar ahead of testing, according to manufacturer Echodyne.

• Air Warfare

  Reduced fleet size and weapons integration issues put squeeze on future RAF air combat missions

  22nd September 2022

  As the RAF manages NATO missions and faces increased pressure from Russia, defence experts argue that additional fighter jet deployments to the Asia-Pacific to maintain leading strategic ambitions signposted by the UK's Integrated Review looks to be out of the question.

• Training

  Canada to train Ukrainian soldiers in UK

  8th August 2022

  The Canadian Armed Forces will send more than 200 personnel to the UK to train a variety of skills for Ukrainian recruits.

• Defence Notes

  Australia onshores Super Hornet and Growler maintenance elements

  27th July 2022

  New MRO contract between Boeing Defence Australia and RUAG Australia replaces work previously done in the US.

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Proteus contract puts Leonardo on course to develop UK uncrewed VTOL hub

  29th July 2022

  Leonardo has outlined ambitious plans for its Yeovil site as it looks to advance VTOL UAS manufacturing.

• Defence Notes

  Farnborough 2022: UK solidifies hypersonics team plan

  21st July 2022

  The RAF Rapid Capabilities Office is sponsoring the HVX initiative to develop a UK hypersonic platform — with a cold test of a full-scale engine expected by late 2022.

• Defence Notes

  UK economic emergency sets stage for strong words and hollow actions on defence

  29th September 2022

  Much as UK Prime Minister Liz Truss wants to project strong British power on the global stage, investment in much-needed capabilities is jeopardised by the fragile economic situation.

• Digital Battlespace

  Eurosatory 2022: MKS introduces UAV lenses

  16th June 2022

  MKS Instruments' new reduced-sized 18-255mm Ophir LightIR image can be fitted on tactical UAV IR cameras.

• Air Warfare

  Italy puts extra €1.8 billion toward Tempest/FCAS funding

  26th July 2022

  Italy is to invest heavily in the multinational Tempest/FCAS programme.

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2022: Lockheed Martin progresses Skykeeper efforts

  17th June 2022

  Lockheed Martin believes its Skykeeper B4CMI solution could help fill aspects of the UK’s GBAD requirements.

• Air Warfare

  India desperately needs more transport aircraft

  30th June 2022

  How can the Indian Air Force fill major gaps in its airlift fleet, since few new transport aircraft types are available?

• Defence Notes

  US Special Operations Command sets out tech priorities

  1st June 2022

  Senior USSOCOM leaders highlight counter-UAS, tactical mobility and the need for a sophisticated common operating picture as priorities for US special forces.

• Naval Warfare

  Royal Navy negotiating Naval Strike Missile purchase

  11th July 2022

  Shephard understands the UK Royal Navy is negotiating a purchase of the Naval Strike Missile to fill a surface lethality gap created by the imminent retirement of the Harpoon Block 1C missile in 2023.

• Naval Warfare

  Russian submarine activity triggers Italian interest in new ASW assets

  26th July 2022

  With increased Russian submarine activity in the Mediterranean, Italy’s defence chief said the country would invest in new air and naval ASW assets.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Medium Range Reconnaissance (MRR) / Rucksack Portable UAS (RPUAS) [USA]

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

• Transport

  C-27J [Azerbaijan]

  Programme Background The Azerbaijani Air Force signed a contract with Leonardo in June 2023 to procure the C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft. This move is ...

• Tanks

  NGCV: DLP

  Programme Background Requirement The DLP is one of five vehicle families being developed for the US Army's NGCV programme. Expanded to include five programmes in ...

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

  General-Purpose UAS [Australia]

  Programme Background Banned As reported by Shephard in August 2023, in the past, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) used commercial UAS from companies such as DJI for ...

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

  Mini Reconnaissance Drones [Lithuania]

  Programme Background Planned Purchases On 14 September 2022, the Lithuanian MoD announced in a short statement on Twitter, now X, that it had begun organising ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  ISTAR UAS project [Canada]

  Programme Background Objective The Royal Canadian Navy's (RCN) main significant UAV project is the RCN Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Unmanned Aircraft System (RCN ...

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

  Small Reconnaissance Drones [Lithuania]

  Programme Background Planned Purchases On 14 September 2022, the Lithuanian MoD announced in a short statement on Twitter, now X, that it had begun organising ...

• Destroyers

  Next-Generation Large Surface Combatants (LSC) - DDG(X) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The US Navy (USN) is acknowledging a need to move away from the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer design, which is slowly outgrowing. Flight III ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Data links

  Data links | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  Air: Head-up displays | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  In February 2025, Simon Harris, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste, emphasised the importance of acquiring a new combat fighter jet to address aerial ...

• OPVs

  Harry DeWolf Class (AOPS) Coast Guard (7-8) [Canada]

  Programme Background Requirements The new vessels will replace the CCGS Leonard J Cowley, an ice-strengthened fisheries patrol vessel that entered service in 1984 and CCGS Cygnus, ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Multirole Underwater Seabed Surveillance Ship (MU3S) [Italy]

  Programme Background Requirements According to the presentation provided by the Italian Navy, the MultiroleUnderwater Seabed Surveillance Ship (MU3S) will:operate a wide range of uncrewed systems, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Counter-UAS systems

  MEHEL 2.0

  The Mobile Expeditionary High-Energy Laser (MEHEL) is a C-UAS-capable vehicle that employs directed energy to neutralise targets. MEHEL 2.0 was first seen at AUSA 2016, ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  DroneDefender

  DroneDefender is a directed-energy UAS countermeasure that disrupts the adversary's control of the aircraft, neutralising it so that no remote action (including detonation) can occur, ...

• OPVs

  PPA/MultiPurpose Combat Ship (MPCS) EVO

  The PPA/MultiPurpose Combat Ship (MPCS) EVO is an enhanced version of the Thaon di Revel-class PPAs unveiled at Euronaval 2024. The PPA/MPCS EVO retains the core platform ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Howler C-UAS

  Developed by Raytheon, the Howler is a counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS), which includes a Ku-band Radio Frequency Sensor (KuRFS), a command-and-control system, and a Coyote ...

• Naval guns, Land: RWS

  DragonFire

  Dragonfire is a new laser weapon system built for the UK MoD, receiving £30 million of funding in early 2017. The design of the gun ...

• Military - USVs

  C-Enduro

  C-Enduro is a long-endurance platform used to safely and cost-effectively collect data at sea. Built to operate in all marine environments, C-Enduro uses energy-harvesting technology ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Drone Dome

  Drone Dome is made up of three main components: RADA Electronic Industries' RPS-42 radar; Controp's MEOS observation; and Netline's C-Guard RD and NetSense subsystems for ...

• Destroyers

  Flight III Destroyer

  During Indo Pacific 2023, Navantia Australia unveiled a 10200t destroyer design. Dubbed as Flight III Destroyer, the Spanish shipbuilder is pitching the ship for the ...

• Medium Range Missile Defence Systems: 20-90km range, Self-propelled missile systems

  Multi-Mission Launcher

  The Multi-Mission Launcher (MML) was developed by the U.S. Army's Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) as part of the Indirect Fire ...

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

  MK4-RX

  Manufactured by Chartis Federal, the MK4-RX is a small cargo-carrying UAV that can autonomously deliver up to 45lbs of cargo over a range of 17.5k. The quadcopter ...

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

  Silent Falcon

  The Silent Falcon is a solar-electric sUAS with long-endurance capabilities for extended-range missions. The UAS can be used for commercial and military applications. The entire ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  C-UAS Solution

  The C-UAS Solution uses goniometry, radar technologies and various sensors to detect and remove UAS from the air. So far, the solution has been proven effective against ...

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

  ADM-141A/B/C TALD/ITALD

  Israel Military Industries’ ADM-141A/B/C Tactical Air Launched Decoy (TALD) and Improved TALD is in service with the US Navy, and possibly with the Israeli Air ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Airfence 5.0

  Airfence 5.0 is a C-UAS RF technology released by Sensofusion. It is designed to protect airports, personnel, prisons and private companies from rogue UAS in ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Cobham C-UAS

  Unveiled at the AUVSI 2017 trade show in Dallas, Texas, the Cobham C-UAS primarily consists of wideband omnidirectional, directional helix (single- or dual-band), directional flat ...