• Land Warfare

  UK and US militaries advance mobile directed energy weapon systems

  4th February 2025

  Recent tests have demonstrated how the UK and US armed forces have been scaling DEWs for mobile field-based operations.

• Land Warfare

  US Army to test droppable camera for perimeter security under the xTech programme

  12th May 2025

  Bounce Imaging’s Thermal Camera Spike is a rugged, deployable 360° surveillance tool.

• Naval Warfare

  Japanese navy bets on autonomous technology for the future

  28th May 2025

  Faced with persistent recruitment shortfalls, the JMSDF has turned to unmanned surface and underwater systems to maintain operational capability.

• Naval Warfare

  Can the West keep up with China’s “XXL” uncrewed submarines?

  12th January 2026

  The UK, the US and Australia have all been working on “extra-large” uncrewed underwater vehicles, but China’s reported development of a significantly larger capability demonstrates the country’s rapid advancement in underwater warfare.

• Air Warfare

  UK-built SkyShark and TigerShark answers domestic drone demand

  23rd July 2025

  MGI Engineering recently demonstrated two variants of its SkyShark, a UK-built one-way-effector (OWE), as both a gas turbine and electric-powered platform, with its larger OWE TigerShark to be showcased at DSEI in September.

• Air Warfare

  How the US Air Force plans to use data analytics to enhance the roles of airmen and assets

  27th November 2025

  The USAF has allocated nearly US$500 million to further the deployment of this type of technology in FY2026. It envisions using analytics to enhance sensors, weapons, missiles and human performance.

• Air Warfare

  Tactical UAS: mission-driven innovation for a new battlefield era

  26th August 2025

  As global conflicts evolve and the limitations of traditional UAS become clear, Aeronautics is redefining the tactical unmanned aerial systems space with platforms that prioritize survivability, flexibility, and mission effectiveness.

• Land Warfare

  Can Iranian air defence systems compete for exports?

  7th January 2026

  Iran’s defence industry is now producing a range of surface-to-air missile systems and has begun to market them internationally. Using what appears to be a mixture of original and reverse-engineered elements, how do they stack up compared to other countries’ offerings?​

• Air Warfare

  Estonia proposes Baltic Drone Wall to protect NATO’s eastern flank

  11th August 2025

  The project, which involves several allied nations including Finland, Norway and Poland, is envisioned to involve different layers of systems and capabilities that can work to deter any possible Russian drone attacks.

• Land Warfare

  NATO and Europe step up UGV efforts

  18th July 2025

  The effort to develop uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs) is heating up with research efforts and exercises improving the speed of the process and the war in Ukraine is working as a proving ground for rapid development and fielding.

• Air Warfare

  Proteus: forging the future of autonomous rotorcraft

  4th September 2025

  As the home of British helicopters, Leonardo has worked with the UK Ministry of Defence for over a decade to advance technologies underpinning uncrewed rotorcraft. Today, in partnership with DE&S Future Capabilities Innovation and the Royal Navy, Leonardo is spearheading the next step in that journey: from remotely piloted technologies to fully autonomous systems.

• Air Warfare

  October Drone Digest: Growing desire for CCAs and new VTOL technology unveiled

  30th October 2025

  During October 2025, several countries and organisations signalled their intention to acquire loyal wingman uncrewed aircraft systems — designated by the US Air Force as Collaborative Combat Aircraft — or to study the capability further, while various new uncrewed helicopters were showcased.

• Air Warfare

  Paris Air Show 2025: Embraer chalks up another win as Lithuania picks C-390

  18th June 2025

  Just this week Portugal signed for a sixth C-390 with the add-on of an option for 10 for other NATO countries. In April, Sweden signed for four and in December last year Slovakia agreed to buy three, while in the same month an undisclosed country agreed to buy two.

• Land Warfare

  2025 land market review: British Army woes, European heavy armour and US MBT progress

  18th December 2025

  The last year has seen several major procurements in the land market. Shephard’s Dr Peter Magill reviews the main trends and themes in land procurement of 2025.

• Naval Warfare

  Eureka Naval Craft and Strategic Marine make pitch to build next-gen Aircat Bengal MC craft

  29th August 2025

  A vessel currently used in the offshore oil and gas sector could act as an alternative to corvettes and frigates, claims US shipbuilder.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• 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, ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Multirole Underwater Seabed Surveillance Ship (MU3S) [Italy]

  In June 2024, during a presentation provided at the NATO Maritime Security Centre of Excellence (MARSEC COE), the Italian Navy detailed the new capabilities it ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Multirole Underwater Seabed Surveillance Ship (MU3S) [Italy]

  In June 2024, during a presentation provided at the NATO Maritime Security Centre of Excellence (MARSEC COE), the Italian Navy detailed the new capabilities it ...

• Maritime patrol

  C295 MPA [Angola]

  Programme Background Requirement Angola uses a mix of Dornier Do-28s, A-29s and EMB-312 Tucanos for maritime surveillance duties. The country's dedicated maritime patrol capability was ...

• Maritime patrol

  Dornier 228 MPA - India

  Programme Background In October 2014, the Defence Acquisition Council of India approved RS.1850 core ($302 million) for the purchase of 12 Dornier 288 maritime surveillance ...

• AEW&C

  E-2D - USA

  The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) is an all-weather, twin engine, carrier-based, Airborne Command, Control and Surveillance aircraft designed to extend task force defense perimeters. The ...

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

  Surveillance & Maritime Drones (Ukraine Aid) [UK]

  Programme Background 2024/2025 Military Aid Package On 12 January 2024, the UK government announced it would provide Ukraine with £2.5 billion ($3.2 billion) in military ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance (MROS) Ship [UK]

  Programme Background Requirements The 2021 Defence Command Paper, Defence in a competitive age, outlined the plan to develop a new Multi-Role Ocean Surveillance (MROS) vessel ...

• Maritime patrol

  AVSIMAR (France)

  Programme Background In November 2018, the French MoD announced that it awarded a contract for the detailed definition study of the future surveillance and maritime ...

• LRSS

  Programme Background The LRSS programme will meet the Canadian Army's need for a long-range on-the-move digital surveillance system mounted on the LAV 6.0 8x8 armoured ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  T-AGOS Surtass Ships (6-7) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The Auxiliary General Ocean Surveillance (T-AGOS) ships focus on gathering underwater acoustical data to support the mission of the Integrated Undersea Surveillance ...

• ISR/special mission, Maritime patrol

  C295 MPAs/MSAs [Spain]

  Programme Background Required to replace Spain's existing P-3M Orion fleet set to reach OSD in the mid-late 2020s, Airbus' C295W has been selected as the replacement ...

• Sealift/replenishment vessels

  Explorer Class / T-AGOS Surtass Ships (1-5) [USN]

  Programme Background Requirements The Auxiliary General Ocean Surveillance (T-AGOS) ships focus on gathering underwater acoustical data to support the mission of the Integrated Undersea Surveillance System ...

• Military UAS - tactical

  Nightwarden (Qatar)

  Programme Background The Qatar MoD has established the Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center to carry out ISR missions for the Qatar Armed Forces. Among its roles ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  H-145M-Luxembourg

  With a MTOW of 3.7t, the H145M can be used for a wide range of tasks, including troop and passenger transport, surveillance, air rescue, reconnaissance ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  Blighter B400 Series Radars

  Blighter B400-series radars are long-range movement detection sensors for fixed and mobile surveillance applications. Modular construction provides azimuth e-scan angles from 90° for a single ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  Blighter Explorer Nexus

  In February 2017, Blighter Surveillance Systems announced the development of the Blighter Explorer Nexus, an integrated, battery-operated, man-portable radar/camera surveillance system designed for rapid deployment. ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar, Land: coastal surveillance radars

  A400 Series Radars

  The A400 is a series of electronic scanning, modular air security radars manufactured by Blighter Surveillance Systems. It is designed to provide reliable, slow and small ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  Orbiter

  Orbiter is a Ku band ground surveillance radar developed by Blighter. The system employs 15.7 to 17.2 GHz  E-scan Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) Doppler Ground ...

• Land: coastal surveillance radars

  Blighter C400

  The C400-series radar is a coastal surveillance and security radar manufactured by Blighter. The system is based on the company's B400 ground surveillance systems.  It ...

• Counter-UAS systems

  AUDS

  The Anti-UAV Defence System (AUDS) is designed to disrupt and neutralise UAVs engaged in hostile airborne surveillance and potentially malicious activity. The AUDS combines directional ...

• Air: Integrated cockpit systems

  Surveillance Systems Integration

  HISS has designed and installed complete mission systems in 24 countries around the world. These include a range of rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft, rugged ground ...

• Sea: weapon training

  IS Coastal Surveillance Simulator

  Image Soft unveiled its new IS Coastal Surveillance Simulator (IS CSS) at UDT Europe in May 2017. The IS CSS features simulated distance measurement and ...

• Land: air defence radar

  3D Primary Surveillance Radar

  The Primary Surveillance Radar (PSR) 3D is part of the Lanza family of 3D radar systems. It has been designed especially for airport and air ...

• Land: vehicle surveillance/target acquisition systems

  Hawkeye Land Surveillance Systems

  Launched at DSEI 2015, the Chess Dynamics Hawkeye family of multi-sensor surveillance systems is designed to provide short- to extended-range optical surveillance and target acquisition ...

• EO/IR systems, Sea: ship surveillance and fire control systems

  Ship Surveillance and Fire Control

  L3 produces a range of IR systems with thermal sensitivity that meet naval specifications for surveillance, reconnaissance and target acquisition. They can be installed in ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  SR Hawk Ground Surveillance Radar

  The SR Hawk surveillance radar provides continuous 360° surveillance of the ground, ports and harbours and airspace. It detects personnel, land vehicles, marine vessels, avian ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar, Land: coastal surveillance radars

  Three-Dimensional Perimeter Surveillance Radars

  The Three-Dimensional Perimeter Surveillance radars are hemispheric surveillance radars manufactured by RADA in Israel. They provide border and perimeter surveillance through detection, classification and tracking ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  Retinar PTR Perimeter Surveillance Radar

  The Retinar PTR Perimeter Surveillance Radar is a medium-range radar system developed by the Turkish defence manufacturer Meteksan Savunma Sanayi. It is designed for the ...

• Land: battlefield and ground surveillance radar

  Retinar OPUS Perimeter Surveillance Radar

  The Retinar OPUS Perimeter Surveillance Radar is a multifunctional surveillance system developed by the Turkish defence manufacturer Meteksan Savunma Sanayi. It's design is based on ...