Air Warfare

Insight: What does the future hold for the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft?

11th September 2023

The Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 3A has been adopted by Middle Eastern air forces as well as the European partner nations. Shephard Defence Insight analyses its next-generation radar, cockpit technology and future upgrade plans.

Land Warfare

Patria MUSCL – Enabling covert airspace surveillance

7th September 2023

Airspace surveillance is like playing hide and seek. Except you are both hiding and seeking at the same time, and you are doing it in multiple domains – on land, in the air, and in the electromagnetic spectrum.

Land Warfare

How to assure secure & resilient tactical communications in the new era

6th September 2023

Bittium’s handheld and vehicle-mounted Tough SDR radios support game-changing connectivity for real-time situational awareness

Digital Battlespace

Elbit awarded $200 million for artillery C4I and counter-fire solutions

5th September 2023

Elbit Systems has been awarded two contracts by an undisclosed European country, worth a combined $200 million, to supply a C4I solution to artillery battalions and a Hostile Fire Counter Attack (HFCA) system.

Defence Helicopter

Industry awarded new contracts for Australian and US Apache attack helicopter work

1st September 2023

Longbow LLC and Lockheed Martin have received new contracts to supply Longbow fire control radars to Australia, and refurbish US Army Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (TADS/PNVS) equipment. Both systems equip the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.

Air Warfare

Germany adds AI backbone to FCAS next-generation fighter jet

1st September 2023

A consortium of Helsing and Rohde & Schwarz has been selected by the German BAAINBw defence procurement agency to deliver an artificial intelligence (AI) backbone for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) sixth-generation fighter jet.

Air Warfare

RTX awarded $7 million DoD funding for GhostEye MR radar development

31st August 2023

Raytheon has been awarded $7 million to advance the development and assessment of the GhostEye medium-range (MR) radar, enhancing air defence capabilities with its 360° surveillance and fire control sensor.

AEW&C

E-7 Wedgetail - UK (Second Order)

Programme Background Seeking to replace its six ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry AEW&C;, the British Royal Air Force awarded Boeing a £1.89 billion contract in 2019 ...

AEW&C

E-7 Wedgetail (737) - UK

Programme Background Seeking to replace its six ageing Boeing E-3 Sentry AEW&C;, the British Royal Air Force awarded Boeing a £1.89 billion contract in 2019 covering the ...

AEW&C

E-7A Wedgetail (USA - Forecast)

Programme Background Speaking on 21 September 2021 during the annual Air Force Association (AFA) Meeting in Washington DC, USAF Chief of Staff Gen Charles Brown ...

AEW&C

E-7A Wedgetail (USA)

Programme Background Speaking on 21 September 2021 during the annual Air Force Association (AFA) Meeting in Washington DC, USAF Chief of Staff Gen Charles Brown ...

Fighter - multirole

JAS 39E/F Gripen (Brazil)

In 2016, Gripen’s Project and Development Center was opened in Sao Paulo to allow Sweedish and Brazillian engineers to work together in the Gripen development ...

Sealift/replenishment vessels

Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB)

Programme Background The Lewis B Puller-class Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) vessels are also known as being part of the Montford Point-class as they were originally ...

AEW&C

E-2D - Japan

Programme Background Quantity Required The JASDF is taking delivery of 13 E-2D aircraft. Programme Value The total procurement cost for 13 E-2D aircraft is calculated ...

ISR/special mission

E-6 TACAMO Recapitalisation Programme (E-XX) [USN]

Programme Background The E-6 Take Charge and Move Out (TACAMO) Recapitalisation Programme (E-XX) provides for air vehicle replacement and mission systems modernization to augment and eventually ...

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 ...

Frigates

30FFM Multi-Mission Frigates [Japan]

Programme Background Timeline The Japanese Ministry of Defense (MoD) was expected to place orders for all eight multirole frigates by fiscal year (FY) 2021, with ...

AEW&C

E-2D (France)

Programme Background In July 2020, France revealed its intention of buying a fleet of three E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Aircraft with a $2 billion potential FMS deal, ...

Military helicopters - maritime, Military helicopters - transport/heavy lift

CH-53K - US Navy

Programme Background The Marine Corps is replacing its aging CH-53E helicopters with the CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter. Designed as an evolution of the CH-53E, the CH-53K ...

Fighter - multirole

H-X Fighter Programme (Finland)

Programme Background In June 2020, Finnish MoD announced that the Hornet fleet life extension programme is neither cost-effective solution nor sufficient in terms of Finland’s ...

Minehunters

Mine Countermeasure Vessel [India]

Programme Background Requirements In August 2023, the Indian MoD issued a new Request for Information (RfI) for the procurement of 12 Mine Countermeasures (MCM) Vessels. The ...

AEW&C

Alliance Future Surveillance and Control (NATO)

Programme Background NATO’s E-3A AWACS fleet is set to retire in 2035, after 50 years of service. To plan for the required follow-on capability, NATO's ...

Fixed wing aircraft engines

T56-A-15

The T56-A-15, a member of the T56 family of engines, powers C-130B/E/H and E-2 military aircraft. Other military versions of engines from the T56 family ...

Air: AEW/fire control radar, Air: surveillance radar

AN/APS-138

The AN/APS-138 can perform airborne and surface surveillance. The UHF radars use pulse compression to enhance resolution and suppress clutter. With a range of more ...

Air: fixed-wing flight simulators

E-7 Wedgetail Mission Simulator

E-7 Wedgetail Mission Simulator was developed by Havelsan to meet the requirements of Turkey's Peace Eagle Airborne Early Warning and Control programme. The Mission Simulator ...

ISR/special mission

E-4B Nightwatch

Developed by Boeing based on the 747-200 airliner, the E-4B Nightwatch is a special mission aircraft used as the US National Airborne Operations Centre and is ...

AEW&C

737 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C)

The Boeing 737 AEW&C; is based on Boeing’s 737-700 commercial aeroplane. It is used for airspace surveillance and battle management. It is operated by three ...

Land: vehicle surveillance/target acquisition systems

Savan 15

Savan 15 is an FCS for tanks and other AFVs designed to provide fire-on-the-move capability. The system includes a day/night gunner’s sight; fire-control computer; gun ...

ISR/special mission

E-8C Joint STARS

The E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (STARS) is an ISR aircraft based on the 707-300 airliner. It is fitted with an 8-meter-long, canoe-shaped radome ...

AEW&C

E-3 Sentry

The E-3 Sentry, also known as AWACS, is an AEW&C; aircraft developed by Boeing based on the 707-320B airliner. It is powered by four Pratt & ...

Air: Defensive Systems - MLDS

Elix-IR

Thales’ Elix-IR is a Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS). It uses infrared sensors to detect the hot exhaust plumes of incoming air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles. ...

Ship-launched torpedoes, Submarine-launched torpedoes

VA-111/Shkval

Shkval is a a supercaptivation torpedo launched originally in 1977 by the Soviet Union. Today, it is deployed by the Russian Navy and produced by ...

Land: handheld NV devices

Sophie LITE

The Sophie LITE is a handheld, integrated multifunction system that allows the user to detect, recognise, identify and locate targets. It can be used standalone ...

Air: AEW/fire control radar, Air: surveillance radar

AN/APY-1/2

The S-band AN/APY-1 radar is installed in a large rotodome above the fuselage of the Boeing KE-3A/E-3A/B Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft ...

OPVs

Cape Roger Class

The Cape Roger class features two offshore patrol vessels (OPV) in service with the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG). Built by Ferguson Industries Ltd. the first ship ...

Air: chaff, flare and decoy systems

AN/ALE-47A(V)

The ALE-47A(V) incorporates new technology to update the standard ALE-47 family. It uses information from EW sensors such as RWR and MWS to determine the ...

Fighter - ground attack

Su-22

The Su-22 (NATO designation Fitter) is a swing-wing ground-attack aircraft developed by Sukhoi as the export variant of Su-17 designed to meet the Soviet military ...