• 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.

• Air Warfare

  What impact will the massive drone attack on Russian territory have on the future of the war in Ukraine?

  2nd June 2025

  The large-scale Ukrainian UAV offensive against airbases in Russia is likely to affect the conflict in multiple ways in addition to impacting the warfare of tomorrow.

• Air Warfare

  UAVs for Ukraine: Europe is willing to spend

  4th March 2025

  Despite President Donald Trump’s suspension of military aid to Ukraine, Shephard Defence Insight data suggests that in relation to UAVs, Europe and its non-US NATO allies are more than willing to fill any spending vacuum and are already contributing more than twice as much as the US.

• Land Warfare

  Europe’s air defence boosted by more IRIS-T SLM system orders

  4th August 2025

  The IRIS-T (InfraRed Imaging System - Tail/thrust vector-controlled) SLM (Surface Launched Medium-Range) is a surface-to-air missile system has been developed by Diehl Defence. The system is a key part of the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) and have been purchased by Sweden for this role.

• Air Warfare

  South Korea considers cancellation of second AH-64E Apache helicopter purchase

  8th July 2025

  The likely scrapping of Boeing’s Apache helicopter comes after a huge budget cut approved by the South Korean National Assembly. The helicopter procurement had already been reconsidered by the country’s Joint Chiefs of Staff earlier in the year.

• Naval Warfare

  Taiwan multiplies mine-layer vessel and UAV inventories to deter PLA

  25th April 2025

  Taiwan is strengthening its deterrence against the PLA through an asymmetric arsenal that includes fast mine-laying vessels and domestically developed UAVs.

• Air Warfare

  Final Dutch F-16 bound for Ukraine, as Sweden and Latvia commit further military aid

  27th May 2025

  Drones also remain a core focus for military aid funding from various allied countries, as the uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) remain a pivotal part of Ukraine’s defence strategy.

• Land Warfare

  What do Russia or Ukraine need to win the war?

  28th February 2025

  Shephard looks at both the doctrine and equipment perspective and considers what both countries would require in order to ensure victory.

• Land Warfare

  How Ukraine’s wartime innovators are redefining tactical communication

  9th May 2025

  A Ukrainian company in a race against Russian jammers has been demonstrating how the country’s innovative start-ups have been beating the West at its own game.

• Air Warfare

  Polish Armed Forces agrees deal to acquire 10,000 Warmate loitering munitions

  16th May 2025

  Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister vows that the country “will not be left behind” as the Ministry of Defense (MoD) announces its intention to acquire 10,000 Warmate loitering munitions for the Polish army.

• Land Warfare

  Norway and Sweden invest in further military support for Ukraine

  26th August 2025

  Both Sweden and Norway have committed further financial aid to the country in a bid to help boost their air defences and airborne early warning capabilities, which included commitments to replace donated Patriot Air Defence systems.

• Naval Warfare

  How powerful is the US fleet of nuclear submarines compared to Russian capabilities?

  7th August 2025

  Although both countries still operate Cold War-era platforms, they possess capable nuclear-powered and armed submarines and are investing in the development of new, advanced capabilities.

• Air Warfare

  What lessons could Europe learn from air power use in Ukraine?

  3rd July 2025

  The use of air power by both sides in the ongoing conflict has been extensively focused on, influencing policy and procurement around the world. But are the lessons from the front line universally applicable, or should other nations be planning for very different scenarios?

• Air Warfare

  Will drone motherships form part of tomorrow’s warfare?

  26th August 2025

  While motherships offer multiple operational advantages, the changes in the character of warfare may bring new tactics to the battlefield, reducing their role.

• Air Warfare

  Anduril to supply loitering munitions to Ukraine with UK funding

  7th March 2025

  Since July 2024, the UK Government has provided more than £5.26 billion in support to Ukraine, including £3 billion in annual military aid and a £2.26 billion loan for defence spending. The latest deal will see Anduril supply Altius-600M and Altius-700M loitering munitions.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Golden Eagle (Ukraine Aid) [NATO Member]

  Programme Background 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, the usage and effectiveness of micro and mini UAV platforms ...

• Loitering munitions

  Switchblade 600 (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background $300 Million USAI (1 April 2022) On 1 April 2022, the US DoD announced a $300 million military aid package for Ukraine following ...

• APCs/IFVs - 6x6

  Patria 6x6 (Ukraine Aid) [Latvia]

  Programme Background Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Latvia has been part of the allied coalition providing Ukraine with military support. Previous Latvian ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  CV90 (Ukraine Aid) [Denmark & Sweden]

  Programme Background Following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukraine was the recipient of a number of Western systems, many of which ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  KF41 Lynx [Ukraine]

  Programme Background Following the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022, Ukraine has sought to acquire a range of different Western platforms to replace its older Soviet ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Drones (Ukraine Aid) [Norway]

  Programme Background September 2024 On 3 September 2024, the Norwegian government announced that "Ukraine will get more drones donated to their frontline, and more air ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Bison & Coyote (Ukraine Aid) [Canada]

  Programme Background Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Canada has been one of several NATO countries to supply Ukraine with continuous support. ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Phoenix Ghost (Ukraine Aid) [US]

  Programme Background Presidential Drawdown (21 April 2022) Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, on 21 April 2022, President Biden announced an $800 ...

• Tanks

  M1A1 Abrams (Ukraine Aid) [Australia]

  Programme Background Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Australia has been amongst the various Western allies providing Ukraine with military aid. Prior ...

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

  RQ-35 Heidrun (Ukraine Aid) [Germany]

  Programme Background Early 2024 On 28 March 2024, the German Federal Government provided an update on the military aid it had given to Ukraine. In ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  Volat V2 [Belarus]

  Programme Background The MZKT-690003 Volat V2 is an amphibious 8x8 IFV designed by the Belarusian Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant. The Volat V2 is intended to ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Drone40 (Ukraine Aid) [Australia]

  Programme Background In August 2022, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), a think tank, held a podcast with Ukraine's ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, in which ...

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

  SkyRanger R70 (Ukraine Aid) [Canada]

  Programme Background On 19 February 2024, the Canadian Defence Minister, Bill Blair, announced that the country would donate more than 800 SkyRanger R70 UAVs to ...

• LTVs - 4x4

  Ermine (Ukraine Aid) [Netherlands]

  Programme Background Since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Western governments have sought to provide as much assistance as possible to the Ukrainian ...

• Tanks

  Leopard 2A8 [Croatia]

  Programme Background Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Croatia becomes the latest in a string of Eastern/Central European countries to bolster its ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  Il-78M

  Based on the Il-76 transport, the Il-78 convertible tanker/transport aircraft first entered service in 1974 and was followed three years later by the improved Il-78M ...

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

  Shark

  The Shark is a fixed-wing catapult launched ISR UAV developed by Ukrspecsystems. The Shark-D is the original variant; an improved Shark-M variant was unveiled in early ...

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

  Bayraktar TB2

  The Bayraktar TB2, or Bayraktar-2, is a medium-altitude long-endurance UAV developed and manufactured by Baykar. The platform can conduct ISR and armed attack missions and has a ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Forpost / Forpost-R

  The Forpost was a variant of the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Searcher Mk II produced under license in Russia until 2016. Following US pressure, Israel refused to ...

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

  SNAR-10M1

  The SNAR-10M1 is a mobile, armoured, self-propelled radar system manufactured by Almaz-Antey. It is designed with an automatic coordinate readout for locating moving ground and ...

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

  Orion / Orion-E

  The Orion, sometimes called the Inokhodets, is the first Russian-manufactured MALE UAV that has been designed to carry out a wide variety of military surveillance applications. Russia has ...

• APCs/IFVs - tracked

  BMP-1

  The BMP-1 (Bronevaya Maschina Piekhota-1) is a tracked amphibious IFV that was developed in the Soviet Union during the 1960s.  Entering service with the Soviet ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Nebo-SVU

  The Nebo-SVU is an air defence radar distributed by Rosoboronexport in Russia and is currently used by the Russian Army and the Iranian Army. It ...

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

  Eleron-3 (Series)

  The Eleron series comprises several variants, including Eleron-3 (T23E), Eleron-3SV, Eleron-B, Eleron-10 (T10D and 10E) and Eleron-10SV (T10). The Russian Armed Forces use Eleron-3 aircraft ...

• Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Orlan-10/10E

  Developed by the Russia-based Special Technology Center, the Orlan-10 is a medium-range UAS with many variants, such as the 10E, an export version introduced in 2017. The ...

• MPVs - 4x4

  KamAZ-43269 Vystrel

  The KamAZ-43269 Vystrel (originally known as the BPM-97) is a 4x4 armoured vehicle based on the proven KamAZ-4326 4x4 military truck chassis. Although development started in ...

• Military UAS - micro, Military UAS - rotary-wing

  Mavic 3 (Series)

  The Mavic 3 is a rotary-wing UAV manufactured by DJI, designed for commercial aerial photography and video capture. It has a Hasselblad L2D-20c two-camera payload, omnidirectional obstacle sensing, and ...

• Loitering munitions, Military UAS - fixed-wing

  Gerbera

  The Gerbera is a rudimentary Russian UAV manufactured by the Gastello Design Bureau.  The drone's body is made of radar-absorbent foam, and the platform is ...

• Tanks

  BMPT

  UVZ developed the BMPT Fire Support Combat Vehicle, nicknamed Terminator by the company, after studying the Russian Army's performance during the Chechen War. Designed to ...

• APCs/IFVs - 8x8

  BTR-70

  The BTR-70 is an amphibious 8x8 armoured personnel carrier originally developed for the Soviet Union's armed forces. Produced in the Soviet Union from 1972 until ...