• Defence Notes

  Australia gives defence budget a moderate lift

  10th May 2018

  Australia announced its defence budget for FY2018/19 on 8 May, with the total amounting to A$36.4 billion ($27.2 billion). This figure is in line with …

• Training

  Top Aces reaches training milestone

  2nd May 2018

  Top Aces has achieved 70,000 hours of air combat training for its customers worldwide. The milestone was reached during a training mission for the Canadian …

• Training

  Australia receives F-35A training equipment

  4th May 2018

  The Royal Australian Air Force has received F-35A training equipment for the F-35A Integrated Training Centre. This was the first delivery of Australia’s training equipment …

• Digital Battlespace

  USAF baseline SBIRS constellation complete

  4th May 2018

  The US Air Force's (USAF's) fourth Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) satellite has transmitted its first images back to Earth, Lockheed …

• Defence Notes

  Baltic states to ask for greater protection from Russia

  3rd April 2018

  Baltic state leaders will ask the US to send more troops and bolster air defences on NATO's eastern flank to deter Russia when they meet …

• Digital Battlespace

  AN/ALR-69A (V) receivers ordered by USAF

  2nd May 2018

  Raytheon has received an IDIQ contract from the US Air Force (USAF) to deliver the AN/ALR-69A (V) all-digital radar warning receiver, the company announced on …

• Land Warfare

  Russia, Turkey agree to speed up delivery of S-400s

  3rd April 2018

  Russian President Vladimir Putin said on 3 March he had agreed with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to speed up the delivery of S-400 air …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  UMS Skeldar acquires Hirth Motors

  3rd May 2018

  UMS Skeldar has acquired the assets of Germany's Hirthmotoren (Hirth Motors), engine manufacturer for air, water and land applications, the company announced on 1 May. …

• Digital Battlespace

  Zenoss to support USAF's DCGS

  30th April 2018

  Zenoss will provide software and services for the US Air Force’s Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) programme under a five-year contract announced on 25 April. …

• Special Operations

  SOFEX 2018: Hawkeye catches militaries attention

  11th May 2018

  AM General displayed its HMMWV Hawkeye 105mm mobile weapons solution at SOFEX 2018, a solution which has gathered both domestic US and international interest. In …

• Training

  AFGSC undertakes Kratos training

  3rd May 2018

  Kratos Defense and Security Solutions’ Kratos Aircrew Training Center (KATC) in Orlando, Florida, has conducted aerial gunnery training (AGT) for US Air Force Global Strike …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Insitu and partners progress payload offerings

  15th May 2018

  Alongside its recently launched ScanEagle 3, Insitu is evolving its payload capabilities for its family of unmanned solutions with new technologies on the horizon. At its …

• Defence Helicopter

  BAE to demonstrate optical seeker for DARPA

  9th May 2018

  BAE Systems has received a $13.1 million contract from DARPA to demonstrate a new optical seeker for precision-guided munitions, the company announced on 7 May. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Lockheed upgrades Indago 3 with IR payload

  7th May 2018

  Lockheed Martin has upgraded its Indago 3 small quadrotor UAS with high resolution infrared (IR) sensors capable of performing day or night operations, the company …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  AUVSI 2018: Show talking points (video)

  3rd May 2018

  Shephard editors Richard Thomas and Helen Haxell talk through the news at AUVSI's Xponential this week in Denver. The team share their thoughts on the narrative …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Fighter - multirole

  Combat Fighter Jet [Ireland]

  Programme Background  In February 2025, the Irish Minister for Defence and Tánaiste Simon Harris highlighted Irelands need to procure a new combat fighter jet to combat ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-390 Options [Portugal]

  Programme Background Leadership from Embraer and the Portuguese Air Force formalised a contract that includes 10 aircraft options that can be utilised by any NATO ...

• AEW&C

  Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (1-6) [NATO]

  Programme Background NATO’s E-3A AWACS fleet is set to retire in 2035, after 50 years of service. To plan for the required follow-on capability, NATO's ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  C-390 [Portugal]

  Programme Background Leadership from the Portuguese Air Force and Embraer signed a contract for a sixth C-390, with the option for ten additional aircraft for ...

• OPVs

  Samarth Class (Batch 2)

  Programme Background The Samarth class Advanced Offshore Patrol Vessels (AOPVs) are a class of six in service with the Indian Coast Guard with a further five vessels ...

• Military UAS - HALE

  MQ-4C Triton [NATO]

  Background NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum During the July 2026 NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in Ankara, Türkiye, NATO announced that Denmark, Finland, Germany and Norway ...

• Fighter - multirole

  MiG-35 (Russia)

  The MiG-35 is a new-generation derivative of the twin-engine MiG-29 (NATO code-name ‘Fulcrum’) featuring multi-role combat capabilities, significantly reworked airframe and a vastly expanded arsenal ...

• OPVs

  Vikram Class

  Programme Background The Vikram class Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) for the Indian Coast Guard are being built at the Kattupalli shipyard by Larsen and Toubro (L&T;)  Shipbuilding. ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | C-390 [Portugal]

  During the Paris Air Show 2025, Embraer and the Portuguese Air Force formalised the procurement of Portugal's sixth C-390 aircraft with the option for ten ...

• Data links

  Data links | C-390 [Portugal]

  During the Paris Air Show 2025, Embraer and the Portuguese Air Force formalised the procurement of Portugal's sixth C-390 aircraft with the option for ten ...

• Transponders and IFF

  Transponders and IFF | C-390 [Portugal]

  During the Paris Air Show 2025, Embraer and the Portuguese Air Force formalised the procurement of Portugal's sixth C-390 aircraft with the option for ten ...

• ISR/special mission

  EC-37B Compass Call (1-10) [USA]

  Programme Background Requirement The retirement of the EF-111A in 1990 left the USAF largely out of the operational and tactical level radar jamming business. Lockheed Martin ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Air: Radio and SATCOM | Jamming and Escort Electronic Attack Aircraft (luWES) [Germany]

  Under the Luftgestützte Wirkung im Elektromagnetischen Spektrum (luWES) programme, Germany is committed to NATO to provide 15 electronic warfare escort aircraft to support its aerial jamming capability, ...

• Data links

  Data links | Jamming and Escort Electronic Attack Aircraft (luWES) [Germany]

  Under the Luftgestützte Wirkung im Elektromagnetischen Spektrum (luWES) programme, Germany is committed to NATO to provide 15 electronic warfare escort aircraft to support its aerial jamming capability, ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Air: Helmet-mounted displays | Jamming and Escort Electronic Attack Aircraft (luWES) [Germany]

  Under the Luftgestützte Wirkung im Elektromagnetischen Spektrum (luWES) programme, Germany is committed to NATO to provide 15 electronic warfare escort aircraft to support its aerial jamming capability, ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Major networking projects

  Air Policing

  Air Policing is a collective peacetime mission that requires NATO to take action against all violations and infringements of its airspace using agreed procedures. Supreme ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  O-PEN Wall Penetration Radar

  SRC’s O-PEN sense-through-the-wall radar system, previously known as SOMISR II, was developed to address urban warfare requirements under a US Army Technology Objective programme. The ...

• Major networking projects

  Air and Missile Defence

  NATO Air and Missile Defence comprises all measures aimed at monitoring and reacting to potential air threats in NATO airspace, as well as countering hostile ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  Blackbird

  The Blackbird UAV detection and geolocation system detects and locates both the UAV and its controller, using signal processing technology. It can be deployed interactively ...

• Major networking projects

  NATO SATCOM

  Leonardo has been awarded a turnkey contract to rationalise and upgrade NATO’s SATCOM systems and associated infrastructure. The company will design, build, test, commission and ...

• Major networking projects

  NATO DCIS

  Airbus is delivering the NATO Deployable Communication and Information System (DCIS). The project represents a major upgrade in the capability of NATO Response Forces (NRF) ...

• Land: RWS

  Qimek NATO

  Rheinmetall's RWS family includes the Qimek single-weapon RWS and the Nanuk dual-weapon RWS. The Qimek NATO combines full stabilisation, long-range day/night all-weather sights and a ...

• Land: RWS

  Nanuk NATO

  Rheinmetall's RWS family includes the Qimek single-weapon RWS and the Nanuk dual-weapon RWS, which was introduced in 2008. The Nanuk NATO combines full stabilisation, long-range ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  V-RAPTOR

  Unveiled at LAAD 2023 in Rio de Janeiro, the V-RAPTOR is a tactical police armoured vehicle from domestic manufacturer Combat Armor Defense do Brasil.

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  SDR-H Special Role Radio

  In February 2018, Domo Tactical Communications (DTC) announced the development of the SDR-H Special Role Radio (SRR), designed for tactical and special operations. The SRR ...

• Fast attack/patrol craft and interceptors

  Interceptor DV15

  The Interceptor DV15 is a sea-proven ultra-high-speed boat designed by CMN. According to the manufacturer, the vessel is capable to perform maritime policing, anti-smuggling patrols ...

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

  Phoenix

  The Phoenix UAV is a delta-wing platform designed largely for civilian applications such as policing, border patrol, coast guard, fire-fighting and surveillance, as well as ...

• Air-to-air missiles

  Vympel R-27

  The Vympel R-27 (NATO reporting name AA-10 Alamo) is a Soviet air-to-air missile. It remains in service with the Russian Air Force and is also ...

• Destroyers

  Tepe Class (TF-2000)

  The Tepe-class (TF-2000 class) Air Defence Warfare (ADW) destroyers are part of Turkeys Milgem project to revitalise the fleet. The ships are intended to be NATO compatible ...

• Naval guns

  Seahawk DS

  The Seahawk DS naval gun is available in two variants- the DS A1 and the DS A2. The Seahawk DS A1 can be integrated onto minor ...