• Naval Warfare

  Lockheed Martin confirms 2029 target date for US Navy’s Aegis/PAC-3 MSE integration

  23rd April 2026

  Enabling Aegis-equipped vessels to launch PAC-3 MSE interceptors will give the USN more options to engage highly manoeuvrable hypersonic missiles – including the ones China has been developing.

• Digital Battlespace

  SOF Week 2026: How SOF Operators Are Driving the Future of Battlefield Communications (video)

  21st May 2026

  At SOF Week 2026, Austin Farnham, President of Octane Wireless, discusses how direct feedback from special operations forces is helping shape the next generation of battlefield communications technology.

• Land Warfare

  Raytheon unveils land version of the Next Generation Jammer

  20th April 2026

  The ground-based NGJ is designed to work as an “invisible shield” to protect land structures and assets. Shephard spoke with Raytheon to find out more.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy begins SPY-6(V)4 radar testing ahead of first Arleigh Burke destroyer backfit

  3rd August 2026

  Wallops Island trials will validate the next-generation radar's combat system integration before its installation aboard USS Pinckney, the first Flight IIA destroyer to receive the SPY-6(V)4 upgrade.

• Naval Warfare

  Canada boosts Arctic presence as CCGS Donjek prepares for sea trials this year

  6th May 2026

  CCGS Donjek is currently being prepared to start testing and be handed over to the Canadian Coast Guard in the second half of 2026.

• Land Warfare

  Active vehicle protection comes to the forefront as Trophy and Iron Fist secure contracts

  16th February 2026

  Experience on the battlefield is accelerating the adoption of active protection systems as technologies continue to evolve to reflect shifting global defence needs.

• Naval Warfare

  How Canada is preparing the future River-class destroyers to endure uncrewed threats

  15th April 2026

  Designed in 2019, Canada's new River-class destroyers are planned to be handed over by the 2050s. The long procurement timeline has cast doubt on whether the platforms will be obsolete for tomorrow’s warfare.

• Air Warfare

  L3Harris selected for South Korea’s airborne early warning programme

  1st October 2025

  L3Harris’ offer of its “Phoenix” aircraft won over Saab’s GlobalEye AEW&C aircraft for the second phase of South Korea’s early warning requirement.

• Land Warfare

  ARX Robotics expands in UK following British Army backing for uncrewed platforms

  30th April 2026

  Following an order from the British Army, ARX Robotics has begun manufacturing autonomous ground platforms in the UK. Christopher Foss examines the company's growing range of systems.

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2026: Updated S-KAPS ready to neutralise drone threat

  12th June 2026

  Launched at Eurosatory 2026, the revamped Soft-Kill Advanced Protection System (S-KAPS) counter-UAS package has been developed by three French SMEs, Lacroix, Bertin Technologies and MC2 Technologies as a private venture.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy SPY-6 approaches FRP with Raytheon already having “a hot production line”

  2nd March 2026

  Jen Gauthier, Raytheon’s VP of Naval Systems and Sustainment, told Shephard that the company is awaiting the US Navy’s green light to move “fully into full-rate production”.

• Naval Warfare

  Eurosatory 2026: Schiebel’s frigate-first strategy indicates a shift in UAV competition

  19th June 2026

  Schiebel is pursuing opportunities in the UK and France while leveraging its integration with Naval Group’s FDI frigate programme to create new naval business across Europe.

• Air Warfare

  Saab eyes fresh market opportunities for its GlobalEye AEW&C aircraft

  8th January 2026

  As the E-7 Wedgetail faces prolonged production and technical delays as well as a recently abandoned contract from NATO, its competitor, the GlobalEye, may find new avenues for market growth.

• Air Warfare

  How the UK’s New Medium Helicopter award strengthens AW149’s European prospects

  17th July 2026

  The UK advanced its long-delayed New Medium Helicopter programme in March with a £1 billion order for 23 Leonardo AW149s. While the deal could provide a foundation for further UK and European export orders, funding pressures and previous delays continue to cloud the programme’s future.

• Land Warfare

  Are counter-drone systems for dismounted troops emerging as the next procurement battle?

  20th May 2026

  As uncrewed aerial systems and loitering munitions evolve, it is increasingly necessary for counter-uncrewed solutions to keep pace in order to protect not only military facilities and platforms but also dismounted troops.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Military helicopters - attack

  Ka-52M Alligator-Russia

  Programme Background The loss of 66 Ka-52s and 8 Mi-24s damaged and/or destroyed leaves the Russian Military with an acute need of replacements.  The Ka-52M will ...

• AEW&C

  GlobalEye (1-3) [UAE]

  Programme Background The GlobalEye is a modification of Bombardier's Global 6000 jet aircraft fitted with the S-band Erieye Extended Range (ER) radar and mission system ...

• OPVs

  OPVs Procurement (1-2) [Greece]

  Programme Background Requirements According to the RFI issued in late 2022, the Hellenic Coast Guard is seeking to procure two new OPVs. The vessels are ...

• ISR/special mission

  MC-27J [Algeria]

  Programme Background Algeria has a long standing ISR aircraft requirement to support its Beech 1900 fleet comprised of six aircraft. The new ISR fleet is ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Landing Platform Docks [India]

  Programme Background Requirements The LPD tender, although more akin to an LHD, specifies that the quartet of ships must be built within India, although collaboration ...

• Landing platform docks/dock landing ships

  Landing Platform Dock [Qatar]

  Programme Background Close to a €4 billion ($4.67 billion) contract was awarded to Fincantieri in June 2016 for the construction of seven surface vessels, including the four ...

• Submarines: conventional/attack

  Submarines Procurement (1-2) [Greece]

  Programme Background Requirements As of 2025, the Hellenic Navy (HN) submarine force consists of four Type 214, four Type 209/1200 and two Type 209/1100. With ...

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

  Anka-S (First Batch) [Turkey]

  Programme Background Orders In February 2018, TAI announced that it had delivered the first Anka-S UAVs to the Turkish Air Force. In late 2018, Savunmasanay ...

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

  Anka-S [Chad]

  Programme Background Hurkus Trainer Aircraft On 10 July 2023, President General Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno visited an air base to inspect the country's new Hurkus trainer ...

• Submarines: conventional/attack

  Isaac Peral Class (S-80A Plus) [Spain]

  Background The S-80A SSK design for the Spanish Navy is based on the Franco-Spanish S-80 Scorpene design that both countries decided to cooperate on during ...

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

  Anka-S (Saudi Arabia)

  Programme Background Desired Procurement Saudi Arabia has reportedly been in negotiations to procure six Anka UAVs since 2013. It has not been disclosed which Anka ...

• Military helicopters - multirole

  S-70i (Philippines)

  The Black Hawk is believed to have been the most expensive of the aircraft that had been shortlisted for the PAF project, others being the ...

• Landing craft and hovercraft

  EDA-S [France]

  Programme Background Following the announcement of the 14-ship contract, the DGA approved the design of the first two standard amphibious landing craft (EDA-S) in October 2019, ...

• Military UAS - rotary-wing, Military UAS - tactical

  Camcopter S-100 [Greece]

  Background Trials On 2 August 2021, Schiebel's press release announced that the company had demonstrated the Camcopter S-100's capabilities to the Hellenic Navy. The UAV was ...

• Destroyers

  KDDX-S [South Korea]

  Programme Background Requirements During MADEX 2023, Naval News reported that there is an upcoming competition for new destroyers, namely the KDDX-S programme. According to the ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Sea: commercial shipping radar

  FAR-21x7

  FAR-21x7 is a series of S-band and X-band radars with a 19in LCD display unit. The family consists of FAR-2117 and FAR-2127 X-band radars and ...

• Data links

  S-band TDMA Airborne Data Link

  Multiple-participant airborne S-band TDMA data link with up to 400 slots/s. Transmission rate is up to 625Kb/s. As an example, a data link built for ...

• Air: UAS radar

  Anka SATCOM Radome

  The Anka SATCOM Radome is a structural component specifically designed for the Anka-S UAV to protect satellite communication (SATCOM) antennas. Produced by Meteksan Defence, it ...

• Data links

  CMDL

  The Compact Multi-band Data Link (CMDL) operates in the Ku-, C-, L- or S-band, using both analogue and digital waveforms. It is interoperable with military ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  THPR1055

  Triad THPR1055 is a four-channel, S-Band radio system designed for long-distance uncrewed C2 and data link applications in particular.

• Land: weather radar

  Defender S-band Series

  Magnetron- and Klystron-powered Defender S-band series weather radars are designed and engineered with an output of 850kW to 1,000kW, which the company claims is the ...

• Major networking projects

  TST 111/X

  The TST 111/X X-band transportable satellite terminal provides voice and data communications through FDMA PAMA channels at 256kb/s (2Mb/s as an option) maximum. The outdoor ...

• 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 ...

• Data links

  TIGDL-II

  Tactical Interoperable Ground Data Link (TIGDL)-II is described as a transportable TDL surface terminal that supports military operations by providing a full duplex ground capability ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Giraffe 4A

  The Giraffe 4A is a multi-function S-band AESA radar system combining air surveillance, ground-based air defence, and weapon locating capabilities in a single platform.

• Land: weather radar

  Defender X200

  EEC’s shorter wavelength X-band weather radar is designed to be able to detect smaller particles such as high-altitude water droplets or light snow. The size ...

• Data links

  Naval TDMA Data Link Management Unit

  The multiple-participant naval TDMA data link updates a ship’s C2 via existing radios (HF, VHF, UHF, L- and S-band) and INMARSAT. The Data Link Update ...

• Naval: COMINT and ELINT systems

  C-Pearl-DV (S)

  The C-Pearl-DV (S) is a variant of the C-Pearl system adapted for submarines by integrating an antenna array with the submarine’s ESM mast, search periscope ...

• Land: air defence radar

  Series 320

  The Series 320 is a family of S-band air defence radars designed by ITT Gilfillan (now L3Harris) in the late 1970s.  It was used by ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  ULV MicroVSAT

  Ultra I&C;'s ULV MicroVSAT is a tri-band, lightweight SATCOM terminal that emphasises portability. First introduced in 2022, the modem-agnostic system supports WGS, Intelsat Flex, Inmarsat GX ...