• Defence Notes

  USA and Japan revise ‘defence guidelines’

  3rd May 2015

  In a long-awaited move, the US and Japan updated their ‘Guidelines for US-Japan Defense Cooperation’ during bilateral 2+2 talks in New York on 27 April. …

• Digital Battlespace

  BEL exports three sonars to Myanmar

  1st May 2015

  Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has exported three hull-mounted sonars to Myanmar, as announced by the Indian Ministry of Defence on 28 April. The sonars were …

• Defence Helicopter

  First Bell 407GX delivered to Mexican Air Force

  1st May 2015

  The Mexican Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Mexicana - FAM) has received its first Bell Helicopter 407GX aircraft, a company spokesperson confirmed to Shephard. It is …

• Naval Warfare

  MDA to continue supporting Canadian RADARSAT-2 systems

  1st May 2015

  MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) will continue to provide operation support for Canada's RADARSAT-2 ground systems, the company announced on 28 April. The agreement is …

• Digital Battlespace

  Airbus delivers Comcept satellite network to France

  1st May 2015

  Airbus Defence and Space has delivered the Comcept satellite network to the French defense procurement agency, it announced on 28 April. The French Ministry of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  K-MAX conducts first collaborative CASEVAC mission

  30th April 2015

  An unmanned variant of the Kaman Aerospace K-MAX cargo helicopter has demonstrated for the first time its ability to conduct a collaborative casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) …

• Naval Warfare

  US Coast Guard selects Sagem BlueNaute system

  30th April 2015

  Sagem’s BlueNaute heading reference system has been selected by the US Coast Guard to upgrade 12 of its Juniper WLB class vessels, the company announced …

• Military Logistics

  US mulls possible C-130J support to India

  30th April 2015

  The US State Department has approved a possible foreign military sale of follow-on support for C-130J Super Hercules aircraft to India, the Defense Security Cooperation …

• Land Warfare

  US Army working on standardised weapon fire control

  29th April 2015

  The US Army's Armament Research, Development and Engineering Command (ARDEC) is working to build a common fire control system across weapons platforms, it was announced …

• Digital Battlespace

  Northrop navigation systems for Canadian coastal vessels

  29th April 2015

  Northrop Grumman has received a contract to design and provide gyrocompass navigation systems for 12 Royal Canadian Navy Kingston-class maritime coastal defence vessels (MCDVs), as …

• Military Logistics

  US Navy tests MAGIC CARPET software

  29th April 2015

  The US Navy's aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush has field-tested its new Maritime Augmented Guidance with Integrated Controls for Carrier Approach and Recovery Precision …

• Military Logistics

  Lockheed Martin advances C-130 training capabilities

  29th April 2015

  Under newly awarded contract awards from the US Air Force (USAF), Lockheed Martin will continue to advance the training capabilities of C-130 operators worldwide. The …

• Defence Helicopter

  Rheinmetall upgrades NH90 trainer for Germany

  29th April 2015

  Rheinmetall is currently upgrading the German armed forces' NH90 Cockpit Trainer with updated simulation technology, the company announced on 27 April. The company won the …

• Naval Warfare

  MDA to upgrade Canadian CP-140 radar surveillance systems

  29th April 2015

  MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) has received two contract amendments to provide software upgrades to the radar surveillance systems on Canada's CP-140 Aurora aircraft fleet. …

• Defence Notes

  ITEC 2015: Close Air Solutions and Omnifinity join forces

  28th April 2015

  Omnifinity has again proven to be a trade show highlight with its immersive training environment, shown to the public in concert with Close Air Solutions …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-2 (Japan)

  Programme Background The UH-2 is a Japanese militarised version of Bell’s civilian 412EPX, with the two OEMs cooperating on this particular programme. The Acquisition, Technology ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  UH-2 Forecast (Japan)

  Programme Background The UH-2 is a Japanese militarised version of Bell’s civilian 412EPX, with the two OEMs cooperating on this particular programme. The Acquisition, Technology ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2 [Croatia]

  Programme Background Contract Award As reported by Shephard in November 2024, Croatia's government approved the purchase of six Bayraktar TB2 drones, a training package in Türkiye, a command-and-control centre, ...

• Trainer

  T-6C [Thailand]

  Programme Background The contract is for 12 Beechcraft T-6C Texan II advanced military training aircraft, ground-based training systems for pilots and maintenance professionals, a mission ...

• ISR/special mission

  ISTAR Aircraft (South Korea)

  Programme Background South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration stated that Seoul is planning to procure additional aircraft to minimize potential surveillance gaps amid growing security ...

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

  KUS-FT (South Korea)

  Programme Background Requirement The ROKA had identified a need for tactical UAVs that can be employed at the divisional level to carry out ISTAR missions ...

• Loitering munitions

  ALTIUS-600M [Taiwan]

  Programme Background China's Aggression Taiwan's national defence policy revolves around defending itself from a possible invasion by China. In Early 2025, the Taipei Times elaborated ...

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

  KUS-FS (ROKA) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Inception The Aerospace Division of Korean Air (KAL-ASD) commenced developing the MUAV in 2008 in response to a ROKAF requirement for a MALE ...

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

  KUS-FS (ROKAF) [South Korea]

  Programme Background Inception The Aerospace Division of Korean Air (KAL-ASD) commenced developing the MUAV in 2008 in response to a ROKAF requirement for a MALE UAV ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (South Korea)

  Programme Background Requirments Seoul required UAS assets to help monitor its neighbour to the north and, increasingly, Chinese activities in waters and in the air near ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - HALE

  RQ-4 Global Hawk (Japan)

  Programme Background Selection & Contract AwardIn 2015, Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk UAS and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft were selected by Japan to ...

• Loitering munitions

  Long Range One-way Platforms [US]

  Solicitation In October 2024, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) released a solicitation for long-range, one-way platforms. The DIU noted recent conflicts highlighted the asymmetric impact of low-cost, ...

• Fighter - multirole

  Swiss Air 2030 - Combat Aircraft

  Programme Background Switzerland began the latest phase of flight and ground tests on 8 April 2019. In June 2019, Saab announced that the company’s in-development ...

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

  Eurodrone (Forecast) [Czechia]

  Programme Background Eurodrone Programme For context, the European MALE RPAS, or Eurodrone, is a quad-nation effort from some of Europe's most prominent defence manufacturers to ...

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

  Eurodrone (Forecast) [Japan]

  Programme Background Japan's Application The Letter of Approval (LOA) for observer status in the programme was presented to the Japanese Ambassador to Germany, Hidenao Yanagi, by Joachim ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Land: COMINT and ELINT systems

  GenCOM Defense Ground

  GenCOM Defense Ground provides an automatic multi-layered situational awareness picture to the decision-maker, based on external signal data (metadata) gathered in real time. Integrating with ...

• Major networking projects

  DCGS

  The Distributed Common Ground System (DCGS) is the Defense Airborne Reconnaissance Office plan for the integrated architecture of all ground and surface computing and communications ...

• EO/IR systems

  CM262

  Manfuaucted by AVT Australia, the CM262 is a ground-based imaging system combining four sensor configurations into a compact and ruggedised system for C-UAS and ISR ...

• Land: air defence radar

  KRONOS Power Shield Land

  This system is an L-band digital AESA anti-TBM radar. It is the land-based version of the naval KRONOS Power Shield, also known as KRONOS Ground ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  AMRAAM-ER

  The AIM-120 AMRAAM-ER is essentially an upgraded version of the AIM-120 AMRAAM tailored for extended range and enhanced performance in ground-based air defense systems like ...

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

  Initial Maneuver - SHORAD

  Unveiled at AUSA 2019, Initial Maneuver Short Range Air Defense (IM-SHORAD) is a multipurpose platform, based on the Stryker IFV, which moves and maneuvers in ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Type 87

  The Type 87 is a 6x6 armoured reconnaissance vehicle developed by the now defunct Defense Division of Komatsu to meet the specific requirements of the ...

• Parvus DuraCOR 312

  The Parvus DuraCOR 312 is an Ultra-Small Form Factor (USFF) modular mission computer unveiled by Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions in November 2016. The DuraCOR 312 is ...

• Land: battle management systems

  AMDWS

  AMDWS (Air and Missile Defense Work Station), is a collaborative battlespace awareness information management system developed by Northrop Grumman to meet the requirements of the ...

• AEW&C

  P600 AEW&C

  In June 2019, Embraer and IAI/Elta signed a cooperation agreement aimed at developing an AEW&C; aircraft based on the business jet Praetor 600, namely the ...

• Long-range Video and Data Downlinks

  BMS airborne and ground-based equipment enables long-range, real-time HD video and broadband data links. Products include cockpit control panels, airborne antennas, real-time encoders, compact high-power ...

• Land: battle management systems

  FAAD/C-RAM C2

  The Forward Area Air Defense (FAAD) Command and Control (C2) system was developed by Northrop Grumman to provide command and control (C2) for the US Army ...

• Data links

  Universal Link System

  Developed by Scytalys, the Universal Link System (ULS) is a modular, scalable multi data link processor. It supports all NATO and US standard data links ...

• Surface-to-air missiles

  MIM-72 Chaparral

  The MIM-72 Chaparral is a short-range, low-altitude, surface-to-air missile produced for the M48 Chaparral fire unit. It was produced as a replacement for the cancelled MIM-46 Mauler ...

• Land: battle management systems

  Delta Situational Awareness System

  The Delta Situational Awareness System is a cloud-based ISTAR and battle management platform with planning, communication and fire control capabilities according to NATO standards. Developed ...