Naval Warfare

VARD and Fincantieri launch Resilience ship family to target Norway’s standardised vessel needs

25th April 2024

VARD and Fincantieri’s announcement to launch the VARD Resilience series came only weeks after Norway’s new long-term 2025–36 defence plan.

Naval Warfare

Austal completes autonomy trials with former Royal Australian Navy patrol boat

24th April 2024

The work took place under the Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial (PBAT), which has been a collaboration between Austal, Greenroom Robotics, the Trusted Autonomous Systems Defence Cooperative Research Centre and the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Warfare Innovation Navy Branch.

Digital Battlespace

Norway to receive maritime surveillance satellite data from Kongsberg

10th April 2024

Norway's Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace has announced that its subsidiary Kongsberg NanoAvionics will produce three satellites and launch them in 2025.

Naval Warfare

New medium-class hopper dredge for US Department of Defense

3rd April 2024

The medium-class hopper dredge (MCHD) will be constructed in Eastern Shipbuilding Group’s Florida facilities and delivered by 2027.

Naval Warfare

Brazil’s Navy launches third Riachuelo attack submarine

28th March 2024

The ceremony was attended by Brazil’s President Lula da Silva and French President Emmanuel Macron.

Training

Announcement: Scott R Gourley takes over as new editor of Shephard’s Decisive Edge Training newsletter

27th March 2024

Following the successful launch of its Decisive Edge Training newsletter in 2023, Shephard is pleased to announce the appointment of Scott R Gourley as the next editor of this leading digital publication.

Land Warfare

Sweden orders $508 million worth of 6x6 vehicles

25th March 2024

Patria developed the Patria 6x6 APC, unveiled at Eurosatory 2018, as a successor to the XA-series Pasi APC and to complement Patria’s 8x8 Armoured Modular Vehicle family.

Military helicopters - scout/light attack

AH-6i (Thailand)

Programme Background The US State Department has made a determination approving the possible $400 million sale on 24 September 2019. The eight AH-6i light attack ...

Military helicopters - scout/light attack

MD 530G Lebanon

The Armed MD 530G Scout Attack Helicopter features next-generation all-glass cockpit that includes: two Genesys Aerosystems IDU-680 6” x 9” LCD primary displays, Tek Fusion ...

Military helicopters - scout/light attack

Bell 407GX

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency noted that the proposed sale of five Bell 407GX helicopters will help compensate for the combat loss of seven IA407 helicopters ...

ISR/special mission

King Air 350ER -Canada

Programme Background Canadian Special Forces was looking to procure ISR aircraft to support their missions both overseas and domestically.  There were few Canadian suppliers to sell ...

ISR/special mission

King Air 350ER ISR - Kuwait

Feb 2018: The US State Department has approved an estimated $259m potential foreign military sale of King Air 350ER intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft ...

APCs/IFVs - tracked

Viper MIFV

Programme BackgroundDue to its focus on conducting counterinsurgency operations against the Tehrik-e Taliban (TTP), the Pakistan Army has eschewed the substantial investment needed to develop ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

Orlik [Poland]

Programme Background Inception & Cancellation The Orlik programme was launched in early 2015 to procure a tactical UAV to carry out short-range ISTAR missions for the Polish ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - tactical

Orlik (Options) [Poland]

Programme Background Inception & Cancellation The Orlik programme was launched in early 2015 with the aim of procuring a tactical UAV that can carry out ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

Bayraktar TB2 - Second Batch (Morocco)

Programme Background Morocco's military modernisation In 2017, Morocco established a five-year plan to modernise the military equipment of its navy, army and airforce to bring ...

Frigates

Plataforma Estratégica de Superficie (PES)-Frigate Acquisition Programme

Programme Background The replacement of the existing ageing Almirante Padilla-class frigates was first initiated in 2015. The predecessors, built by Germany's Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) have been in service ...

Maritime patrol

P-8 Poseidon (South Korea)

Programme Background South Korea is facing an imminent submarine threat from North Korea. The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) is operating an aging fleet of P-3C ...

Military UAS - fixed-wing, Military UAS - MALE

Bayraktar TB2 - First Batch (Morocco)

Programme Background Morocco's military modernisation In 2017, Morocco established a five-year plan to modernise the military equipment of its navy, army and airforce to bring ...

Fighter - naval

Tejas LCA (Naval variant) - India

The average unit cost is estimated to be around $63 million per aircraft based on the $5.2 billion deal for the procurement of 83 LCAs ...

Special operations vehicles

VLFS

Programme Background The VLFS platform is derived from the Arquus Dagger PVP platform, but has been specifically designed to meet the requirements of French Special ...

APCs/IFVs - 4x4

Secure Personnel Transport Vehicle (Colombia - Forecast)

Programme Background Colombia is understood to have a requirement for as many as 100 APCs capable of carrying up to 20 troops and protecting their ...

Light mortars

60MX Mortar Series

Expal's 60mm 60MX1 and 60MX2 mortars are designed to be used with a bipod or in handheld mode using a commando kit, which consists of ...

Subsystems: visual

L3 Wescam MX - Sim

Partnering with L3 Wescam, INSYEN has developed the MX - Sim, a training product which simulates the operations of the L3 Wescam MX-series of EO/IR ...

Medium mortars

81mm MX Mortar Series

The 81mm MX mortar series includes two different barrels for different operational scenarios: 1.15m (81MX1) and 1.45m (81MX2). Both can be transported in three backpack ...

EO/IR systems

MX-15

The MX-15 is an HD multi-sensor, multispectral imaging system suitable for medium-altitude, covert ISR, armed reconnaissance and SAR missions. Up to six sensors can be ...

Subsystems: visual

L3 Wescam MX - Emulator

INSYEN has partnered with L3 Wescam to develop the MX -Emulator, a product which emulates the operations of L3 Wescam's MX series of EO/IR turrets, ...

EO/IR systems

MX-20

The MX-20 is a long-range, multi-sensor, multispectral imaging system suitable for high-altitude, long-range maritime patrol aircraft and persistent surveillance. It supports up to seven sensors, ...

EO/IR systems

MX-20D

The MX-20D is a long-range, multi-sensor, multispectral imaging system. It is suitable for high-altitude, covert intelligence, SAR, armed reconnaissance, CSAR and target designation. It supports ...

EO/IR systems

MX-10D

The MX-10D is a multi-sensor, multispectral targeting system in a single-line replaceable unit configuration. It is designed to be mounted on fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, ...

EO/IR systems

MX-8

The MX-8 is a compact, multi-sensor and multi-spectral imaging system in a single LRU configuration. It is the smallest of Wescam's MX-Series, and is suitable ...

Towed mortars

120mm MX Mortar Series

The 120mm MX Mortar Series consists of two models with different barrel lengths: the 1.6m 120MX1 and 1.8m 120MX2. The design has numerous improvements based ...

Core systems: image intensifiers

MX-10160

F9800 series Gen III MX-10160 18mm I2 tubes are used in the AN/AVS-6 ANVIS and AN/AVS-9 (F4949) aviator NVG, as well as ground systems including ...

Land: vehicle surveillance/target acquisition systems

MX-10GS

The MX-10GS is a mast-mounted small multi-sensor, multi-spectral imaging system in single-LRU configuration. It is designed for installation in ground combat vehicles and for force ...

Deployable/static missile systems

Barak MX

Barak MX, developed by IAI based on the Barak family, is an integrated air and missile defence system with flexible configuration for the naval and ...

Core systems: image intensifiers

MX-11769

The F9815 series MX-11769 Gen III 18mm I2 tubes are designed for use in the AN/PVS-14 monocular NVD. Harris offers a selection of tubes, providing ...

Land: vehicle surveillance/target acquisition systems

MX-GCS

The MX-GCS is an above-armour gunner or commander sight that enables armoured vehicles to detect, identify, track and engage targets when either stationary or on ...