• Land Warfare

  Textron unveils a smaller, low-cost variant of the Ripsaw family of UGVs

  29th April 2026

  Ripsaw M1 has been designed to support the US Marine Corps’ littoral missions by carrying diverse types of payloads and performing multiple missions. Shephard spoke with Textron to find out more.

• Digital Battlespace

  World Defense Show 2026: Northrop Grumman to present improved C2 management system

  4th February 2026

  The Northrop Grumman Integrated Battle Command System is in service with Poland and the US Army with another 20 countries believed to have expressed an interest.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy bets on radio frequency to increase vessel protection against aerial threats

  10th April 2026

  A Northrop Grumman RF-based defensive capability will equip USN destroyers and aircraft carriers to enhance their survivability against missile and drone attacks.

• Land Warfare

  AUSA 2025: Honeywell debuts SAMURAI CUAS system after demonstrations and trials

  14th October 2025

  The system is designed to operate against uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) and has been demonstrated for the US Army and Department of Defense. It is designed to be agnostic and provide software and C2 systems in support of a range of sensors and effectors.

• Land Warfare

  AI-enhanced combat radios: how to turn comms networks into an EW advantage

  11th May 2026

  Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming defence communications, boosting situational awareness and electronic warfare (EW) capabilities across the battlespace. Bittium’s new partnership with MarshallAI will significantly enhance networked technology, turning radios into cutting-edge sensors with a range of applications.

• Naval Warfare

  US Navy and Raytheon explore additional applications for Mk 58 CRAW torpedo

  10th February 2026

  Designed as an anti-torpedo and anti-submarine capability, the USN and RTX foresee the Compact Rapid Attack Weapon’s potential for deployment from surface ships and aerial and uncrewed platforms.

• Land Warfare

  “A staggering rate of change”: how experience combating IEDs is being applied to the C-UAS arena

  10th June 2026

  The scale of the current escalation in drone attacks is fuelling demand for C-UAS technology that must address a rapidly evolving and expanding threat. Against this background, important lessons can be learned from the battle against IEDs, with networked responses and dispersed capabilities essential to deliver enduring protection.

• Air Warfare

  Dubai Airshow 2025: GA-ASI’s MQ-9B racks up new milestones with AEW demo planned

  20th November 2025

  The company announced its demonstration timeline while confirming the MQ-9B had completed the platform’s third lifetime test.

• Land Warfare

  Eurosatory 2026: KNDS Mobility outlines Celeris progress and work with Milrem Robotics

  16th June 2026

  KNDS Mobility’s Celeris system is the base for French Army Serval 4x4 lightweight multi-role armoured vehicle but has also been provided as a base for cooperation with other companies.

• Land Warfare

  Networked advantage: keeping unmanned systems in the loop with battlefield radio technology

  11th June 2026

  Unmanned systems are powerful intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) assets and communication tools, but are often isolated from wider networks, limiting their potential. Industry is now tackling this challenge, empowering UxVs to act as integrated nodes across domains.

• Air Warfare

  US Air Force to fast-track capability development for GPS-denied operations

  2nd June 2026

  Over the next 18 months, the air force's research facility intends to accelerate the progress of resilient, autonomous solutions to support aircraft and helicopter deployments in DDIL overland and over-the-water scenarios.

• Air Warfare

  US Air Force seeks capabilities to improve C3 for aircraft fleet and warfighters

  17th March 2026

  The USAF published RFIs for enhancing its C3 capabilities after losing, in Operation Epic Fury, four aircraft in non-confrontational, unclear situations that could have been related to command, control and communication failures.

• Land Warfare

  US DoD task force’s DroneHunter acquisition lays groundwork for Replicator 2 CUAS strategy

  2nd February 2026

  As the US Department of Defense looks to counter the growing threat of uncrewed aerial systems to improve homeland security, the DroneHunter acquisition could point to future commercial innovation.

• Air Warfare

  “A dominant force”: empowering Europe’s airborne ISR in a new era

  1st May 2026

  European militaries face a new security landscape, with the proliferation of drones, theatre ballistic missiles and other threats boosting requirements for airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) and related systems. For L3Harris, missionised business jets are central to meeting these needs, providing capability and flexibility in a cost-effective package.

• Naval Warfare

  Lessons shaping the next phase of Arleigh Burke production post-Flight IIA

  11th June 2026

  The accelerated delivery of the final Flight IIA destroyer, USS Patrick Gallagher, showcases the payoff of years of workforce investment and process reform at Bath Iron Works, with the lessons feeding into Flight III production.

Programme Results - Defence Insight

• Submarines: conventional/attack

  Next Generation Submarines [Japan]

  Programme Background Requirements Japan typically only keeps submarines in service for around 20 years, a relatively short time for modern warships. The Next Generation Submarine is, ...

• Military helicopters - scout/light attack

  Light Combat Helicopter (India - Army)

  Programme Background Requirement India's requirement for light attack helicopters capable of operating at high altitudes became apparent during the 1999 Kargil War. Originally planned to reach ...

• Military UAS - small

  Z1 [US Army]

  Methodology PGO The programme has been assigned a PGO of 75%, indicating that it is likely a contract will be awarded. A factor contributing to ...

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

  Akinci [UAE]

  Programme Background Surprise Delivery Baykar, in a statement of its 2024 achievements, stated that it had delivered two Akinci UAVs to the UAE, one in ...

• Fighter - multirole

  F-35A add-on [Belgium]

  Programme Background In order to fulfil pressing operational requirements, at the end of April 2025 Belgian leadership announced a new procurement of F-35A fighters; officials emphasised that ...

• Self-propelled rocket launchers

  K239 Chunmoo [Norway]

  Programme Background Norway previously operated a fleet of 12 M270 MLRS, which were put into storage in 2005 before being donated to Ukraine, via the ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M-Forecast [Indonesia]

  Programme Background The TNI-AU currently relies on 17 Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules and L-100-30 aircraft, including five C-130Hs transferred from Australia. Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) is ...

• Main battle tanks

  Leopard 2A4 [Czech Republic]

  Programme Background  The Czech Republic currently operates a small fleet of T-72s, which, while undergoing upgrades and life extension programmes, are increasingly obsolete. In October ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Buque de Acción Marítima - (7-8) [Spain]

  In May 2023, multiple Spanish media outlets reported that the Spanish Navy began the design studies for two new Buques de Acción Marítima (BAM) with ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Buque de Acción Marítima - (7-8) [Spain]

  In May 2023, multiple Spanish media outlets reported that the Spanish Navy began the design studies for two new Buques de Acción Marítima (BAM) with ...

• ISR/special mission

  E-6 TACAMO Recapitalisation Programme (E-130J) [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 ...

• Transport/tanker aircraft

  A400M [Indonesia]

  Programme Background The TNI-AU currently relies on 17 Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules and L-100-30 aircraft, including five C-130Hs transferred from Australia. Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) is ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Fast Attack Vessel 250 (1-10) [Egypt]

  At NAVDEX 2023, Shephard understood that DIV M.E.S. and NVL are discussing with Egypt to supply the Egyptian Navy with up to ten FAV 250). ...

• Naval: shipboard communication systems

  Naval: shipboard communication systems | Fast Attack Vessel 250 (1-10) [Egypt]

  At NAVDEX 2023, Shephard understood that DIV M.E.S. and NVL are discussing with Egypt to supply the Egyptian Navy with up to ten FAV 250). ...

• Naval: Combat Management Systems

  Naval: Combat Management Systems | Future Submarine Acquisition [Philippines]

  The Philippines is looking into acquiring at least two diesel-electric submarines to form a submarine arm for the country. They currently do not operate any ...

Equipment Results - Defence Insight

• Data links

  IRB

  The Impact Rugged Baseband Kits (IRBs) are standalone or stackable ruggedised communications terminals enabling rapid configuration and deployment options across fixed and mobile platforms. The ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  IPS-250X

  The IPS-250X is an inline network encryptor that creates secure IP connections with US warfighters and government agencies, without the deployment limitations, logistics and lifecycle ...

• Air: Head-up displays

  LiteHUD

  BAE Systems' LiteHUD is a low-profile head-up display compatible with various aircraft ranging from conventional turboprops to next-generation fighter jets. 

• UAS: communication systems

  Black ICE Medium

  A member of Inmarsat's Black ICE family of SDR modems, Black ICE Medium provides secure BLoS communications for uncrewed and crewed aerial platforms. Notably, it is ...

• UAS: communication systems

  ORION X630

  The ORION X630 is a very small form-factor, two-channel MIMO tactical radio ideally suited for Vertical Height Antennas (VHA), uncrewed platforms, or any other application ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  R&S M3xR

  The R&S; M3xR family of radios is a generation of digital radios that can be used in mobile (manpack and vehicular form factor), stationary/shipborne (19in ...

• Data links

  Voyager

  The Klas Telecom Voyager system of systems is a modular scalable baseband product designed to meet the requirements of military communicators. It consists of a ...

• Land: battle management systems

  RPCS

  The Remote Payload Control Station (RPCS) is a third-level remote video terminal. It is designed for receiving real-time images directly from unmanned platforms (UAV, USV, ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  Flat Panel Manpack SATCOM

  Produced by ST Engineering, the Flat Panel Manpack SATCOM terminal provides Ku-band communications in a compact form factor. 

• UAS: Integrated systems - uncrewed

  MILOR

  The Miniature Integrated eLORAN Receiver (MILOR) is claimed to offer the smallest eLORAN location, timing and tracking solution available. Utilising the eLORAN system to provide ...

• Core systems: cameras and IR detectors

  Ophir IR optics optimised for 10-12µm LWIR detectors

  Ophir, addressing the new market shift in the direction of 10-12μm detectors, is offering a wide collection of lenses, optimised to meet the needs of ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  Harris Airborne Multi-Channel Radio (HAMR)

  The Harris Airborne Multichannel Radio (HAMR) is a two-channel wideband radio designed to deliver voice, high-speed IP-networked data and full-motion video. It uses VHF/UHF networks ...

• Air: Radio and SATCOM

  AN/ARC-232

  The AN/ARC-232(V) Starblazer is a single-channel radio that supports fixed- and rotary-wing applications. Designed by Raytheon, it is available in panel and remote mount variants.

• Air: Electronic Attack - Pod, Air: chaff/flare/decoy systems

  BOH

  Saab's BOH is a countermeasures self-protection pod for use on any fixed wing aircraft. BOH is an implementation of the Saab BOL countermeasures dispenser system ...

• Land: Radio and SATCOM

  NEXIUM RuggSAT

  Thales' NEXIUM RuggSAT is a man-portable, on-the-pause SATCOM terminal that offers X- and Ka-band communications in a small form factor.