Digital Battlespace

Thales and Dassault Aviation to strengthen France's SIGINT capabilities

15th January 2020

Thales and Dassault Aviation have been awarded a contract by the French Armament General Directorate (DGA) to equip the French Army's future strategic intelligence aircraft …

Defence Notes

Podcast: Revolutions in Vertical Flight S1 E5 - The Dream of Urban Air Mobility

20th December 2019

Welcome to Shephard Studio’s podcast series on Revolutions in Vertical Flight, sponsored by our partner Bell. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more. The Revolutions in Vertical Flight …

Defence Notes

Podcast: Revolutions in Vertical Flight S1 E6 - the Future of VTOL Innovation

20th December 2019

Welcome to Shephard Studio’s podcast series on Revolutions in Vertical Flight, sponsored by our partner Bell. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more. The Revolutions in Vertical Flight …

Training

I/ITSEC 2019: Military training tech on display (video)

3rd December 2019

Virtual reality, augmented reality and deep AI/machine learning are prominent themes at I/ITSEC 2019, as industry continues to innovate and deliver more immersive virtual solutions …

Naval Warfare

RAAF looks at AI for low-cost SAR

1st November 2019

The Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF’s) Plan Jericho initiative has introduced an artificial intelligence (AI) prototype called Ai-Search to improve airborne search and rescue (SAR) …

Land Warfare

Artificial Intelligence for the Army’s Big Six Modernisation Priorities

8th October 2019

The US Army’s modernisation priorities will fuel a massive expansion in the data generated by soldiers, units and military platforms. It has become clear that …

Digital Battlespace

Podcast: Five Eyes Connectivity - Cyber

26th September 2019

Welcome to Shephard Studio’s special series on Five Eyes Connectivity, sponsored by our partner Viasat.  Listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more. In the Five Eyes Connectivity podcast …

Uncrewed Vehicles

Boeing Australia teams with DCRC for AI

25th September 2019

Boeing has announced that it will partner with Australia’s Trusted Autonomous Systems Defence Cooperative Research Centre (DCRC) to develop advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to …

Digital Battlespace

BAE Systems announces SMC support team

23rd September 2019

BAE Systems has announced its team for its US Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center’s Launch Enterprise – Systems and Engineering and Integration programme …

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

V-Bat 128 (Brazil)

Programme Background On 7 February 2022, Sheild AI announced on its website that it had signed a contract with VSK Tactical which included the 'purchase of [the] V-Bat ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

Skyborg [USA]

Programme Background Programme Intention Skyborg is one of three USAF Vanguard programs outlined in the Air Force Science and Technology 2030 initiative. The program intends ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - rotary-wing

Replicator [US]

Programme Background Announcement & Requirement In late August 2023, Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks announced the Replicator programme, an effort to galvanise an industry which the Pentagon believes ...

OPVs

Next Generation OPVs (NGOPVs) Procurement [India]

Programme Background Timeline On 20 December 2023, the Indian Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Mazagon Dockyard Shipbuilders (MDL) to construct six Next Generation Offshore ...

Loitering munitions

Hunter Family [UAE]

Programme Background IDEX Contract Announcement On 21 February 2023, EDGE announced that its subsidiary, HALCON, had been awarded an AED 1.1 billion ($272.29 million) contract to supply ...

ISR/special mission

Strategic Intelligence Aircraft [France]

Programme Background In February 2018, the Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, announced that the strategic intelligence aircraft program CUGE Universal EW Capability began ...

Minehunters

Pulau Rengat Class MCMV Replacement [Indonesia]

Programme Background Requirements The Indonesian Navy (TNI-AI) currently operate two ageing Dutch-built Pulau Rengat-class MCMVs, which entered service in March 1988. These are now fast approaching ...

Military UAS - tactical

Mi2 Challenge (USN)

Programme Background Requirements The USN wants a UAV to be flown in austere environments without dedicated launch or recovery equipment; since it would be launched ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

Bayraktar TB2 (Pre-War) [Ukraine Navy]

Programme Background Ukrainian Army The Ukraine Army purchased 12 TB2 units in January 2019 for a reported $69 million.  Contract According to Ukrainian Navy Commander ...

Military UAS - rotary-wing

Grenade Launching UAS (South Korea)

Programme Background South Korea's Total UAS Budget The government of South Korea wants to grow its domestic UAS industry. To do this, it was reported in ...

APCs/IFVs - tracked

Project K31 (South Korea)

Programme Background The ROKA currently fields approximately 466 K21 IFVs delivered between 2009 and 2016, as well as more than 1,000 K200 legacy Korean Infantry ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

V-Bat 128 (Canada)

Programme Background Requirement Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) is seeking a platform for the CCG that will significantly expand its surveillance range during search ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - rotary-wing

Indigenous UAS (South Korea)

Programme Background South Korea's Total UAS Budget The government of South Korea wants to grow its domestic UAS industry. To do this, it was reported in ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

Akinci [Ukraine]

Programme Background Two Export Contracts In January 2022, the Daily Sabah reported that Baykar had "recently" signed its first export contract for the Akinci. Haluk Bayraktar ...

OPVs

Next Generation OPVs [South Korea]

Programme Background Requirements The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) has not traditionally operated OPVs, preferring larger warships such as corvettes, frigates and destroyers. However, the ...

Fixed wing aircraft engines

АI-24

The Ivchenko AI-24 turboprop aircraft engine was initially designed and manufactured in the late-1950s. Manufacturing was later moved to Motor Sich, a Ukraine based manufacturer ...

Fixed wing aircraft engines

AI-222-25

Manufactured by Ukraine’s Motor Sich, the AI-222 is a high thrust-to-weight ratio turbofan engine family developed to power Russian Air Force advanced trainers and light ...

Land: vehicle surveillance/target acquisition systems

TKN-AI

TKN-AI is a commander’s periscope intended for guiding a vehicle, and battlefield observation and target acquisition by day and night. It is compatible with T-62, ...

Fixed wing aircraft engines

AI-20M

The Ivchenko AI-20 is a Soviet turboprop engine developed in the 1950s. Although the engines were originally designed for civil cargo aircraft servicing medium- and ...

UAS: flight control systems

Hivemind

Developed by Shield AI, Hivemind is an ecosystem of tightly integrated AI software tools and interfaces that leverages several factors to deliver  intelligent and resilient autonomy ...

Transport

An-32

The An-32 (NATO reporting name Cline) is a light military transport aircraft that can be operated in hot temperatures (up to 50°C) and from mountain ...

Subsystems: software

DI-Guy

DI-Guy is an AI, scenario and SDK for real-time human visualisation, simulation and artificial intelligence. DI-Guy has thousands of realistic ready-to-use characters and motions. It ...

Subsystems: software

Cyborg

Cyborg represents the latest migration of SDS’ simulation products to more highly realistic, physics-based applications applicable for most gaming, entertainment or simulation training applications.  Cyborg ...

Land: tactical engagement simulators

Dauntless

Dauntless is an immersive VR simulator. The successor to the company's VIRTSIM system (see separate entry), Dauntless leverages CryEngine game technology to provide high-resolution graphics ...

Naval: Combat Management Systems

INTeACT

Developed by BAE Systems, INTeACT is a next-generation combat management system for surface vessels with a dedicated software development kit (SDK). Notably, it includes AI-powered ...

Naval: Combat Management Systems

Torch-X Maritime

Produced by Elbit Systems, the Torch-X Maritime is a combat management system which combines mature COTS components into an open-architecture C4I suite. Notably, the system ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - small

P550

Designed by AeroVironment, the P550 is a fixed-wing UAV purpose-built for long-range reconnaissance missions. It was developed in collaboration with Parry Labs and features Modular Open Systems ...

Military UAS - mini, Military UAS - rotary-wing

Sakar Scout

The Sakar Scout is a rotary-wing platform with AI capabilities for autonomous missions.  The Ukrainian drone was approved for combat by the Ukrainian MoD, according to ...

Land: tactical engagement simulators

VIRTSIM

Motion Reality's VIRTSIM system was first developed for military use during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The integrated system includes full-body sensor kits for participants, ...

Subsystems: software

AAcuity ‘Life’-based CDT/RA

SDS’ AAcuity LIFE-based Content Development Tool (CDT)/Runtime Application (RA) was designed to provide realistic AI content (vehicles, humans, animals and special effects) required to support ...