• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory: Guided 155mm shell for UK?

  8th June 2016

  The UK government could put out requirements for a guided 155mm artillery munition to supplement its stock of ‘dumb’ shells early next year, industry figures have …

• Defence Notes

  EDA launches material research project

  8th June 2016

  The Netherlands, Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden and Norway have agreed to a joint research project to enhance the energetic materials capabilities of Europe, the European …

• Defence Notes

  Dutch C-IED workshop completes

  7th June 2016

  A workshop on Counter Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED) involving 25 experts was successfully held in Soesterberg, the Netherlands, on 24-26 May 2016, the details of …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  nEUROn UAV demos in France

  7th June 2016

  The nEUROn unmanned combat air vehicle demonstrator successfully flew at an air demonstration organised by the French Air Force at Istres, France, Dassault Aviation announced …

• Military Logistics

  Egypt gets first LHD

  6th June 2016

  DCNS has delivered the first of two helicopter carriers to Egypt, the Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) Gamal Abdel Nasser, the company announced on 2 June …

• Training

  French simulation JV forms

  1st June 2016

  France-based CMI Defence SAS and simulation firm SILKAN have formed a joint venture (JV) for land forces simulation and training, called AGUERIS, the two companies …

• Defence Helicopter

  Ukraine advances Mi-24PU2 upgrade

  31st May 2016

  Ukraine's Mi-24PU2 helicopter upgrade has entered into flight testing phase, according to Ukoboronprom, the holding company that controls a vast majority of the country's arms …

• Training

  EAATTC 16-2 commences in France

  31st May 2016

  The second 2016 European Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Course (EAATTC 16-2), sponsored by the European Air Transport Fleet (EATF) Partnership, has begun in France, the …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  ECA demonstrates IT180 UAV

  20th May 2016

  ECA Group has disclosed details of a demonstration held in late April of its IT180 tethered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for military and civilian applications. …

• Uncrewed Vehicles

  Airbus Defence offers SkyGhost ER

  19th May 2016

  Airbus Defence and Space (Airbus DS) and UAV subsidiary Survey Copter have unveilled the SkyGhost ER extended-range mini tactical UAV the latest in its family …

• Digital Battlespace

  Australian Skynet ground station opens

  17th May 2016

  A new ground station has opened in Australia to land Airbus Defence and Space’s Skynet secure military satellite communications network, the company announced on 16 …

• Defence Helicopter

  Tough talk on European attack helicopter programmes

  13th May 2016

  Bell Helicopter’s commitments to eastern European attack helicopter programmes in the Czech Republic and Poland are strong in the light of the signing of a …

• Training

  ITEC 2016: Singapore invests in Aussie training areas

  9th May 2016

  Singapore is investing heavily in training Down Under, with the announcement on 6 May that it will spend AU$2.25 billion (US$1.66 billion) on defence infrastructure. …

• Training

  ITEC 2016: Latest VBS3 version launched by BISim

  9th May 2016

  Serious games technologies have been a key component of military virtual simulation for more than a decade now and Bohemia Interactive Simulations’ (BISim) VBS3 forms …

• Land Warfare

  Bhutan acquires Puma for UN missions

  28th April 2016

  Bhutan has ordered, Shephard has learned, around 20 Puma M36 Mk5 4x4 protected mobility vehicles for use in United Nations stabilisation missions. The vehicles should …

Programme Results - Defence Insight

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

  Bayraktar TB2 [Mali]

  Programme Background Six Drones On 22 December 2022, Joseph Dempsey, a research associate at IISS, tweeted photographs showing a Baytraktar TB2 adorned with the Malian ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VBMR-L Serval [Luxembourg]

  Programme Background Luxembourg currently operates a small military of just over 1,000 personnel. Despite its small size, Luxembourg has contributed troops to both NATO and EU ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  EBRC Jaguar [Luxembourg]

  Programme Background Luxembourg currently operates a small military of just over 1,000 personnel. Despite its small size, Luxembourg has contributed troops to both NATO and EU ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  VBMR Griffon [Luxembourg]

  Programme Background Luxembourg currently operates a small military of just over 1,000 personnel. Despite its small size, Luxembourg has contributed troops to both NATO and EU ...

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

  Akinci [Mali]

  Background Presentation In December 2024, Akinci drones were presented to the Malian Armed Forces by transitional President General Assimi Goita during a ceremony in Bamako, confirming ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-171Sh

  While the Burkinabe Armed Forces declined to discuss the deal when contacted by Shephard, a Burkinabe military source did acknowledge that the aircraft were being ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Surplus Maxxpro [Bangladesh - Batch 1]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires MRAPs to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the Central African ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Surplus Maxxpro [Bangladesh - Batch 2]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires MRAPs to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the Central African ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  UN Peacekeeping Vehicles [Bangladesh]

  Programme Background The Bangladesh Army requires 4x4 armoured vehicles to provide protected mobility to its troops deployed on UN peacekeeping missions in Mali and the ...

• Medium UGVs

  THeMIS [Netherlands and Estonia]

  Programme Background The Estonian Armed Forces had already been operating the THeMIS UGV in Mali for a year at the time the programme was announced ...

• Medium UGVs

  THeMIS [Sweden]

  Programme Background Many countries have been acquiring small numbers of Milrem's THeMIS UGV since its success in the hands of Estonian Forces in Mali. The ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VBCI Replacement [France]

  Programme Background The VBCI is currently France's primary IFV. As an 8x8 wheel vehicle, it fits within a French force structure that favours agile, manoeuvrable ...

• Minehunters

  Mine Warfare Vessels [France]

  Programme Background Requirements France’s Mine Warfare Vessels programme is aimed at replacing the ageing Eridan-class minehunters. The programme will follow the Future Naval Mine Action System ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  Long-Range Ground Strike (FLP-T) [France]

  Background The French Army currently operates the M270 as its only MLRS. France previously procured a total of 55, though this number had reduced to ...

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

  MQ-9 Reaper [France]

  Programme Background 2013 (Block 1) The then-French Defence Minister, Kean-Yves Le Drian, confirmed on 31 May 2013 that France had ordered its first two MQ-9 platforms. The ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Air: mission management systems

  FINDSAT - BFT System

  Using geo-satellite positioning, Nexter’s BFT system (FINDSAT) is capable of identifying and locating friendly personnel who are not equipped with networked information or radio systems. ...

• Medium UGVs

  THeMIS

  Milrem's Tracked Hybrid Modular Infantry System (THeMIS) is a modular, hybrid UGV.  The vehicle's modular design and open architecture allow it to be reconfigured to ...

• Land: indirect fire location radar

  GA10

  The Ground Alerter 10 (GA10), developed by Thales, is a portable Counter-Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) early warning system. It provides 360° azimuth coverage with ...

• Air-to-surface missiles

  HOT 3

  Designed to destroy reactive armour, the HOT (Haut subsonique Optiquement Téléguidé Tiré d'un Tube, or High Subsonic, Optical, Remote-Guided, Tube-Launched) family has demonstrated its multipurpose capability. Tens ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  Mi-8/Mi-17

  The Mil Mi-8 (NATO reporting name Hip) is a twin-engine, multirole, medium helicopter developed from 1960 to meet Soviet military requirements. More than 18,000 examples of the ...

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

  Heron Mk 1

  The Heron, now called the Heron Mk I, is a MALE UAS manufactured by Isreal Aerospace Industries' (IAI) Malat Division. Designed for various missions, including ISTAR and artillery fire ...

• Light UGVs

  Probot

  The 4x4 Professional Robot (Probot) is suitable for various applications, both indoor and outdoor, and is designed to carry a payload of up to 700kg. ...

• Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

  AS532

  The AS532 is a development of the SA 330 Puma, with a long fuselage and marketed for tactical transport and logistical support missions. It has ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  Puma M36 Mk 5

  OTT developed the Puma M36 Mk 5 to meet the needs of African customers for a lower-cost vehicle that offers a greater payload than its ...

• Air: Helmet-mounted displays

  TopOwl

  The TopOwl binocular helmet-mounted sight and display has been chosen by 16 countries for their army, navy and/or air force attack and transport helicopters. It ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  VBCI

  Nexter developed the VBCI to meet a French Army requirement for an infantry fighting vehicle to replace the tracked AMX-10P. The 8x8 design was specified ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Protivnik-GE

  The Protivnik-GE is a mobile 3D surveillance radar distributed by Russian supplier Rosoboronexport and is currently used by the Russian Armed Forces and the Egyptian ...

• Air: Electronic Attack - Jamming

  SPREOS

  Bird Aerosystems’ SPREO is a Directional Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) designed to protect rotary and fixed-wing aircraft against incoming infrared (IR) guided surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles. ...

• Frigates

  La Fayette/Kang Ding Class

  The La Fayette-class frigates have a stealthy design and are in service with France and Taiwan, with some variance between the ships on length and ...

• Air-to-air missiles

  9M39 Igla-V

  The 9M39 Igla-V (‘needle’) is a Russian IR homing SAM adapted for helicopter use. It is an air-launched version of the Igla MANPADS, which the ...