• Air Warfare

  European CCA programmes see progress as industry narrows in on key flight milestones

  17th March 2026

  European defence firms including Airbus, Helsing, General Atomics and Anduril are accelerating development and testing of collaborative combat aircraft to meet Germany’s loyal wingman requirement, targeting operational deployment by the end of the decade.

• Air Warfare

  Bundeswehr launches loitering munition spending spree with $2.16 billion unassigned

  24th April 2026

  After months of delays, Rheinmetall has inked a €300 million deal with Germany for its FV-014 drone this week as part of a wider framework contract worth €2.4 billion for loitering munition procurement. Shephard looks at how the as-yet-unawarded funds could be spent.

• Land Warfare

  First gun barrels for British Army howitzers due from Rheinmetall’s new UK factory in 2027

  13th January 2026

  The new Rheinmetall facility will supply barrels for UK RCH 155 howitzers and Challenger 3 tanks while also opening up potential export opportunities, providing a currently absent national capability.

• Land Warfare

  China goes for ground-launched attack weapons as it strengthens deterrence strategy

  26th November 2025

  China has been advancing its capabilities with a new generation of precision-guided artillery and loitering munitions, positioning ALIT’s WS-series as direct competitors with Western systems like the US’s M982 Excalibur.

• Land Warfare

  Team LionStrike polishes British Army vehicle offering for Land Mobility Programme

  14th November 2025

  Team LionStrike has demonstrated its offering for the British Army’s Land Mobility Programme with plans to bid the Chevrolet Silverado and two variants of the platform: the Infantry Squad Vehicle and General Support Utility Platform.

• Land Warfare

  Europe’s eastern flank moves on air defence radars with wider efforts also underway

  28th July 2026

  Air defence radars have become more important assets in the past year with incursions in NATO countries on Europe’s eastern flank highlighting the need.

• Air Warfare

  Could the next UAS market boom take place beyond the battlefield?

  14th September 2026

  While the headlines remain dominated by the use of drones for combat operations in Ukraine and other conflicts, there are emerging use cases where the technology could usefully feed back into areas and missions outside the war zone.

• Land Warfare

  More bidders move onto starting grid for British Army Land Rover replacement programme

  9th September 2026

  The Light Mobility Vehicle segment of the UK’s Land Mobility Programme for the British Army may actually be about to make progress, or at least likely bidders seem to think so. Shephard spoke with several contenders who revealed their views on how the army should replace the ageing fleet.

• Air Warfare

  Denmark air focus: $2.64 billion UAV market blends US imports with Nordic cooperation

  14th April 2026

  While Denmark appears to be more committed to UAVs than most of its Nordic neighbours, its procurement efforts are likely to be split between American-made systems for its larger requirements and Nordic partnerships for smaller platforms.

• Air Warfare

  March drone digest: Long-range, low-cost loitering munitions are changing warfare economics

  1st April 2026

  The effective use of the Shahed-136 in the Iran war has highlighted the need for countries to acquire a domestically produced, low-cost, long-range loitering munition, with the US, Turkey and European nations all at various stages of developing a similar capability.

• Land Warfare

  Malaysian Army vehicle renewal slowed by politics, scandal and economic strain

  6th May 2026

  Despite political and economic headwinds, companies are positioning themselves for current and upcoming Malaysian Army requirements. Shephard spoke with some of them at DSA 2026.

• Land Warfare

  Estonia drops CV90 plan as it shifts towards uncrewed systems and firepower

  13th April 2026

  The country is scaling back its reliance on heavy battlefield equipment in favour of upgrading existing platforms and investing in firepower, mobility, unmanned systems and situational awareness.

• Land Warfare

  Supply of new self-propelled guns is rising to meet looming demand

  5th January 2026

  As the need for self-propelled artillery continues to climb across Europe and NATO-allied nations, orders for existing capabilities continue to roll in while new and improved weapons are on the way.

• Land Warfare

  Germany increases Arrow missile defence deal to $6.1 billion as American interest grows

  12th January 2026

  Germany’s move to buy Israel Aerospace Industries’ Arrow missile defence system became public in mid-2023 with approval from the US government shortly after. The first operational system is expected to be in service before 2030.

• Land Warfare

  Land forces review: howitzers in the spotlight and Germany spends big to close the year

  5th January 2026

  December saw several milestones on the howitzer front with billions of dollars worth of orders placed and Germany committing to more 6×6 and 4×4 vehicles. Taiwan was also approved for equipment orders worth $11 billion even as the year came to an end with China encircling the country as part of an exercise.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Loitering munitions

  Launched Effects - Medium Range (LE-MR) [US]

  Background Air-launched effect (ALE) In 2022, the US sought a family of systems comprising an air vehicle, payload, mission systems applications and support equipment to ...

• Military UAS - mini

  SA2 & SA7 [New Zealand]

  Background Uncrewed Range As reported by Shephard, in February 2026, Syos Aerospace announced that it had been contracted by the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) to ...

• Submarines: nuclear/attack

  Second Hand SSNs [Australia]

  Programme background Timeline In September 2021, it was announced in a trilateral announcement between Australia, the US and the UK that Australia, in a shock ...

• Military helicopters - maritime, Military helicopters - multirole

  MH-60R [New Zealand]

  Programme Background In April 2025, New Zealand pledged to boost defence expenditure through its Defence Capability Plan. Building on that commitment, the government announced at ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  CH-47ER Chinook [UK]

  Background Formally known as the Chinook Capability Sustainment Program the UK is planning to replace its 14 oldest CH-47s with 14 new-build CH-47F (ER). The ...

• ISR/special mission

  E-6 TACAMO Recapitalisation Programme (E-130J) [USN]

  Programme Background The E-6 Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) Recapitalisation Programme (E-XX) provides for air vehicle replacement and mission systems modernization to augment and eventually ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-25 Stingray (10-15) [USN]

  Background Initial requirements The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four Preliminary Design Review (PDR) contracts to Boeing, General Atomics, Lockheed ...

• Military UAS - MALE

  MQ-25 Stingray (1-9) [USN]

  Background Initial requirements The programme looked different when it began. In 2013, the USN awarded four Preliminary Design Review (PDR) contracts to Boeing, General Atomics, ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  MD 530F -Kenya

  Crew transition training took place at the MD Helicopters headquarters in Mesa, Arizona, with field service support, armament, and gunnery training scheduled to occur at ...

• Transport

  C295 [Serbia]

  Programme Background Serbia has completed the acquisition of two Airbus C295MW (Modernised, Winglets) transport aircraft, receiving the second plane on 14 November at Milenko Pavlović ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) (MV-75 Cheyenne II) [USA]

  Programme Background US Army's Future Vertical Lift Programme The FLRAA is one of three strands of a broader army programme. The others are the Future ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Global Combat Air Programme [UK]

  Programme Background The next-generation platform concept is part of the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, which sought to deliver a Future Combat Air System ...

• CUAS - jammers

  Centauros [Greece]

  Background In February 2026, Hellenic Aerospace Industry and Israel Aerospace Industries completed the integration of Centauros with the BARAK MX air- and missile-defence system. The ...

• Fighter - air superiority, Fighter - multirole

  Kaan [Indonesia]

  Programme Background Witnessed by President Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia and Turkish Aerospace signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at InfoDefence 2025 in Jakarta for 48 Kaan fighters. ...

• Transport

  Large Transport Aircraft-II (LTA-II) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Requirements The aircraft are needed for peacetime, international peacekeeping, emergency and combat operations. They are especially required to ensure a strategic lift capacity ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: Head-up displays

  Collins Aerospace HUD

  The Head-up Display (HUD) developed by Collins Aerospace, USA lets pilots fly seamlessly under all conditions. Compatible with night vision goggles, it can be utilized ...

• Air: Displays

  Collins Aerospace AMLCDs

  Collins Aerospace's display system includes four 6''X8'' coloured  Active Matrix Liquid Crystal Displays (AMLCDs). These AMLCDs are fully compatible with Night Vision Goggles (NVG) and ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  CS-1218

  The CS-1218 is a small, high-performance,omni-directional antenna that operates over the 0.5-18GHz range. It is intended for use up to 40,000ft. The CS-1218 is radome-enclosed, ...

• EO/IR systems

  SYERS-2 (series)

  The Senior Year Electro-Optical Reconnaissance System (SYERS-2) is a multi-spectral, high-altitude ISR system. It has been installed on the US Army's fleet of U-2 Dragon Lady ...

• Loitering munitions

  Revenger

  The Revenger is a loitering munition developed by SRB Aerial Systems.  Not much is known about the platform; however, at IDEX 2023, two units were ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AR-1500

  Designed for export markets, the TruNet AR-1500 delivers high-speed communication between aircraft and ground forces. Notably, the transceiver supports modern waveforms as well as country-specific encryption ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  CS-1240

  The CS-1240 is a small, high-performance, omni-directional antenna that operates over the 18-40GHz frequency range. It is intended for use up to 25,000ft. The CS-1240 ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  Zero-G HMDS+

  The Zero-G HMDS+ is a developmental helmet-mounted display system being developed by Collins Aerospace and Elbit Systems for sixth-generation higher aircraft. According to the company, ...

• Military UAS - small

  Abqaiq M2DU

  The Abqaiq M2DU is a developmental fixed-wing UAV manufactured by SRB Aerial Systems. It is a highly modular platform powered by a COTS 2-strike piston engine.  ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  CS-3645

  The CS-3645 hybrid ELINT/electronic support measures (ESM) system provides simultaneous tactical threat warning, ESM and technical ELINT capabilities from 0.5-40GHz. The CS-3645 combines the characteristics ...

• Air: air combat simulators

  HITS-A

  Collins Aerospace is the prime contractor designing and developing the first integrated aircrew training systems for the E-2D, leading the Hawkeye Integrated Training System for ...

• Air: COMINT and ELINT systems

  CS-3240

  The CS-3240 automatic ELINT system detects, captures and identifies radar signals in the 2-18GHz range –options for higher- and lower-frequency coverage are available. The CS-3240 ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  F-35 Gen III HMDS

  The F-35 Gen III helmet-mounted display system (HMDS) is provided by a joint venture between Elbit Systems of America and Rockwell Collins, developed for the F-35 ...

• Air: Displays

  FDS-255

  Rockwell Collins' (now Collins Aerospace) FDS-255 Multifunction Flight Display System is a Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) display package developed as a stand-alone replacement for electromechanical indicators. It ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS)

  Developed by Collins Aerospace, the Common Avionics Architecture System (CAAS) is based on the Flight2 open system architecture design and includes an advanced hardware, software ...