In this episode of Defence Insight Briefs, Senior Naval Analyst Giovani Rasio discusses all things naval. With Europe rearming, where is the money being spent and how are current affairs changing the calculus for NATO? 

IMDEX Asia is right around the corner. Do you want the best industry information for you and your team? Listen to the full podcast and be sure to visit Shephard's Defence Insight to view equipment entries on all the systems discussed. 

See you at IMDEX! 

In this episode of Defence Insight Briefs, Senior Land Analyst Sam Hart dives into the Middle East market on the first day of IDEX. With a mix of aligned and non-aligned countries, competitors and new technologies, IDEX is poised to dominate industry conversation at a time of regional change. 

Sam discusses who we will see, what they will be exhibiting and how the changing face of global conflict will be represented at the show. Who are the regional powers and how are they flexing their soft and hard power muscles? Listen to find out!

Tune in to hear insights into the latest technological innovations and get an idea of who is selling and who is buying in this episode of Defence Insight Briefs.

IDEX land brief: 

https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/66e15ce30983fda45218dcca/67adfa7771c85a19c58cb3e7_DI%20Market%20Overview%20-%20IDEX%20Land.pdf

Free equipment entries:

https://plus.shephardmedia.com/programmes/detail/new-generation-light-armoured-vehicles-tracked/?utm_source=di-ftv

https://plus.shephardmedia.com/programmes/detail/8x8-ifv-qatar/?utm_source=di-ftv

Professor Colin Williams, an expert in the history of cybernetics, explores the birth of the machine, its infancy in modern society and path towards maturation.

Prof Williams is an honorary visiting professor at the Cyber Technology Institute at De Montfort University Leicester (DMU), an honorary Fellow at the Cyber Security Centre at the University of Warwick, and a PhD researcher at the University of Oxford researching the early history of cybernetics.

This conversation was recorded as part of a Shephard Studio project sponsored by Fujitsu Defence and National Security.

To learn more about the themes discussed, head over to www.digitalreadiness.tech

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast we tackle the tracked versus wheeled armoured vehicles debate and we examine the equipment on display at Moscow’s Red Square during the Victory Day Parade. 

Newsround: (00:32)

Cross-party political talks in Sweden addressing future defence funding have collapsed, following disagreement over whether additional money should be approved. 

In Singapore the government insists it will not compromise on the acquisition of strategic capabilities, despite some disruptions.

A new report by the UK’s National Audit Office points towards new delays in developing the F-35B Lightning jet and Crowsnest AEW capability programmes.

News Focus:

Senior Editor Naval Richard Thomas and Air Editor Tim Martin take a closer look at what the Royal Navy can expect following the NAO report release. 

Several questions were raised over future funding for the Royal Navy in a post COVID-19 scenario. It seems that the initial goal set by the MoD for the carrier strike group to reach full capability by 2023 could be beyond budget.

Tim Martin also reports on the parliamentary hearing on the fate of the UK’s 5G network held in Westminster on the 30 June. The UK MoD has clearly stated that the Chinese telecommunications provider Huawei will have no future role to play in domestic defence communications and cyber networks.

In the land domain, Land Reporter Flavia Camargos Pereira talks about the Spanish Army decision to enhance its NBC capabilities. Amid COVID-19 struggles, the country’s armed forces have laid out their NBC equipment priorities in a programme that aims to deliver new systems and technologies by 2035. 

Deep Dive: Track vs Wheels debate (22:28)

Richard Thomas chats to Defence Insight Senior Analyst Land Sonny Butterworth to find out more about the long-running track versus wheel debate. 

Analysis: Russia’s Victory Day parade (42:34) 

Shephard’s contributor Leonid Nersisyan is on the line with News Editor Ben Vogel to report on the new kit on display in Moscow’s Red Square during the Victory Day parade. 

New features included the TOS-2 Tosochka thermobaric MRLS, the Pantsir-SM self-propelled anti-aircraft system and new anti-UAV missiles.

Music and sound mixing by Fred Prest

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we speak to the commander of the recently-formed International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) in the Saudi Arabian Peninsula and we hear from L3Harris Technologies about the first year of operations for the newly-merged company.

Newsround: (00:22)

Armoured vehicle programmes in central and eastern Europe are in jeopardy due to the economic effects of COVID-19, Shephard Defence Insight indicates. 

Due to the rise of new tensions in the Sino-Indian border, the Indian Defence Minister is pushing Russia for faster deliveries of additional Su-30 and MiG-29 fighters.

Australia is seeking to improve its training capabilities as the army prepares to upgrade its existing M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks. 

The German MoD announced the procurement of four MKS 180 multipurpose combat ships to ultimately replace the F123 Brandenburg-class frigates.

News Focus:

As more tensions escalate in South East Asia between Taiwan and China over the export of Dagaie Mk2 countermeasures launchers from France for installation on Taiwanese Kang Ding frigates, News Editor Ben Vogel looks at some of China’s actions and reactions.

Land Reporter Flavia Camargos Pereira discusses the Brazilian Ministry of Defence’s decision to reassess a revoked presidential order that would have been beneficial for the armed forces. Why was it cancelled and what does it mean for the country’s armed forces?

Deep Dive - IMSC missions in the Middle Eastern waters (10:28)

Senior Editor Naval Richard Thomas is on the line with Royal Navy Commodore Robert Bellfield, Commander of the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC), to find out about the consortium’s current security missions in the Saudi Arabian Peninsula.
How many countries are involved in these operations and how do these differ from other missions in the region?

Interview – L3Harris Technologies (25:44)

Shephard Media’s regular contributor Andrew White interviews Dana Mehnert, President of the Communication Systems segment for L3Harris Technologies, to discuss the status of the company, and current and future programmes four months after the COVID-19 outbreak.

Music and sound mixing by Fred Prest

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast we look at the new range of frigates that European navies are looking at to replace their current fleets, and we talk to Boeing about developments on the F/A-18 programmes.

News Round (00:35)

The Royal Australian Air Force is seeking a replacement for its fleet of Hawk 127 trainer jets. 

The US Senate Armed Services Committee has approved its mark-up of the Pentagon’s Fiscal Year defence policy bill, authorising $740 billion for national defence spending.

The Danish Armed Forces are planning to acquire a new UAS capability. 

More developments on Operation Irini: the EU maritime mission in the Mediterranean to enforce the UN arms and oil embargo on Libya. 

News Focus 

News Editor Ben Vogel discusses the European Defence Agency’s CROWN initiative following the announcement of new leadership for the Spanish company Indra. 

The new programme aims to develop scalable and single architecture for airborne radar, EW and communication applications. 

Air Editor Tim Martin catches up on the latest development on the Future Vertical Lift programme as Sikorsky records a new test for the FLRAA candidate - the SB>1 Defiant.

The Defiant has hit a new milestone recording a speed of 205kt using less than 50% of the helicopter's pusher propeller.

As the French MoD releases its Annual Report on Arms Exports, Land Reporter Flavia Camargos Pereira takes a look at the figures of both European and international exports. What are the possible side-effects of COVID-19 on this year’s trades?

Deep Dive – European frigate programmes (14:27)

Senior Editor Naval Richard Thomas is in a conversation with Defence Insight Naval Analyst Harriet Haywood to talk about future investments for new warships in the UK and Europe. 

Following years of falling naval budgets, a steady increase has emerged in response to emering threats. Harriet looks at how the market shape will change in the next five years. 

Interview – Boeing on the F/A-18 (25:44)

Air Editor Tim Martin speaks to Jen Tebo, director of F/A-18 development programmes at Boeing, to discuss changes in the programme with a focus on recent efforts on the Super Hornet Block-2 and 3 front.

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we talk to Elbit Systems UK about the development of unmanned anti-submarine warfare capabilities, and we have the second part of our conversation about the challenges facing the special forces community.

News round (00:35)

The RAF is close to signing a deal with BAE Systems for the deployment of new Eurofighter Typhoon simulators.

As the impact of the COVID pandemic continues, the Canadian Department of National Defence is procuring a new isolation system to transport highly infectious patients by air in Globemaster or Hercules aircraft.

The Russian Army has received the first batch of ten 2S35 Koalitsiya-SV self-propelled howitzers, but the MoD is still to decide whether to buy the wheeled variant for its combined arms brigades.

The ongoing development of Saab’s Lightweight Torpedo (SLWT) has moved a step closer to serial production, with the first test firings from the Gotland-class submarine HSwMS Gotland and Visby-class corvette HSwMS Karlstad in February and March this year.

News Focus

Air Editor Tim Martin discusses the French government’s pledge to buy new military heavy-lift helicopters, naval drones, ISTAR and tanker aircraft programmes as a part of a new economic package worth €15 billion.

News Editor Ben Vogel and Land Reporter Flavia Camargos Pereira report on a change of plans for the Mexican Navy, which was due to receive additional POLA long-range oceanic patrol vessels, but deliveries are now on hold. What are the politics behind this?

Flavia also discusses recent news for the Portuguese Army with delivery of new small arms as the Soldier Combat Systems (SCS) programme passed a milestone in early June.

Interview – Elbit System UK (16:23)

Senior Editor, Naval Richard Thomas is on the line with Martin Fausset, CEO at Elbit System UK, to discuss the status of the company’s trials under work by DSTL exploring the future of unmanned ASW operations.

Panel discussion - Special forces Operations (30:10)

VP Content Tony Skinner hosts the second part of our conversation looking at SOF challenges and equipment requirements. Tony was speaking to Defence Insight’s Senior Land Analyst Sonny Butterworth and regular contributors Scott Gourley and Andrew White.

Music and sound mixing by Fred Prest

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast we focus on China’s defence budget as well as other defence developments from across the Asia-Pacific while our team of experts look at the latest special forces news following the vSOFIC event.

News-round (00:35)

Three UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary support ships could be mothballed for longer than originally planned in order to reduce defence expenditure in 2020.

Spain has released operational, technical and logistics requirements for its Light Vehicle for Special Operations, to replace variants of the Nissan ML6. 

In Brazil, these are difficult times for Embraer. Despite making progress on key military programmes, the Brazilian company has suffered a 17% year-on-year drop in sales in the first quarter of this year for its defence and security business. 

In Britain, a US senator weighed into the Huawei 5G debate earlier this week, warning that American personnel could be put at risk on British territory. 

News Focus:

Air Editor Tim Martin discusses details about Bell’s first delivery of its 505 Jet Ranger X to Montenegro. The news comes after the Montenegro Air Force placed a €3.3 million order for two helicopters.

Land Reporter Flavia Camargos Pereira catches up on Canada’s attempts to enhance the protection of its ground troops. The Canadian Department of National Defence has confirmed initial delivery of the Armoured Combat Support Vehicle (ACSV) for this year. 

Deep Dive – News from the Asia Pacific (14:20)

Gordon Arthur is on the line for the monthly brief on developments in defence procurement in South-East Asia.

Tensions are escalating along the Sino-Indian border as Chinese troops intruded up to 3km across what Indian views as its side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in May, setting up tents and digging in.

On the naval front, the Indian Navy is looking at new multirole/ASW helicopters, and the procurement of MH-60R aircraft has now progressed to an FMS contract being awarded to Sikorsky parent company Lockheed Martin.

China has released its yearly defence budget, revealing an increase of its expenditure by 6.6%. 

The new upcoming budget of $179 billion has been defined necessary to prepare for future combat, by the country’s general secretary.

Panel discussion - Special Forces Operations (36:49)

VP content Tony Skinner hosts a conversation among SOF experts to get an insight on the virtual SOFIC event where US Special Operations Command leadership explained current challenges and requirements for the Special Forces.

Music and sound mixing by Fred Prest

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast we discuss the rocket systems currently in service in Russia and we talk to our Defence Insight team about the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme.

Newsround: (00:35)

Delivery of the first Sa’ar 6 corvette for the Israeli Navy has been delayed by the industrial impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus. 

In the United States, Textron subsidiary ATAC has been awarded a contract modification to aid the US Navy and Marine Corps, by providing so-called “red air” adversary aircraft for training. 

In Asia, the Taiwanese navy plans to order Harpoon Block II surface-to-surface missiles next year. 

In the naval domain, the Royal Swedish Navy is looking to two mid-life upgrade programmes that are key to the acquisition of its near-future surface and sub-surface capabilities.

And the Royal Netherlands Navy is looking to tackle the impact of the pandemic on its operations asking vessels to remain within 24 hours transit from the nearest hospital for the first week of deployment.

News Focus:

Senior Editor Naval Richard Thomas talks about the Royal Swedish Navy upgrades programme to the  the Visby-class corvettes and Gotland-class submarines and considers whether the new deliveries will help to counter of deter the Russian threat.

Air Editor Tim Martin discusses the reveal of a lucrative helicopter deal between Italy and Egypt. The Italian manufacturer Leonardo will provide AW149 multirole and AW189 super medium class to Cairo for a cost of over $870 million.

Land Reporter Flavia Camargos Pereira reports on French company Arquus boosting the production of 6x6 VAB Mk 3 medium weight armoured vehicles. Customers include Tunisia, Lebanon and the French Army.

Deep Dive – F-35 programme update (13:40)

Richard Thomas speaks to Senior Air Analyst Ilker Aktaşoğlu to find out the latest on the F-35 programme. Ilker takes a look at the programme background and at the latest reports recently released by both Lockheed Martin and the US Congressional Research Service. 

Interview – Grad rocket systems (27:32)

As the second stage of tests involving the 122mm 9M221F Taifun-1 rocket recently took place in Ukraine, News Editor Ben Vogel is on the line with freelance contributor Leonid Nersisyan to find out more about grad rocket systems now in service in Russia and  in other countries of the former Soviet Union.

Music and sound mixing by Fred Prest

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we talk to BAE Systems about their programme to develop machine learning analytics and how this can benefit the military, and we consider the current and future effects of COVID-19 on US military spending.

Newsround: (00:32)

The Taiwanese Air Force will order four US-made MQ-9 Reapers in Fiscal Year 2021, in a $166 million deal. 

The Extenda Mk 2 version of the expeditionary High Mobility Transporter has been demonstrated as a possible solution for the Next Generation Fighting Vehicle programme for Canadian Special Forces.

In Europe, the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation is preparing to award a contract to develop a new air-to-surface weapon for the Tiger Mk3 attack helicopter. 

The French Navy has been equipped with four new BRF ships in a ceremony at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard. 

The International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) confirmed that it had monitored an incident on 17 May that saw two fast boats approach a UK-flagged ship transiting the IRTC, about 100 miles off the coast of Yemen.

News Focus:

Air editor Tim Martin discusses a report from the Russian news agency TASS that revealed Egypt’s deal for 26 Su-35 fighter. According to the report a deal was signed, but there is no official confirmation by Egypt or Russia. The US has made clear that should the deal go through Egypt is at risk of sanctions.

Tim also talks about one curious development on the UK’s E7 Wedgetail acquisition.

Land Reporter Flavia Camargos Pereira reports on Australia’s new investment in passive radar technology as the country announced a contract with Silentium Defence to develop and deliver a prototype of the Maverick M-series.

Deep Dive: COVID-19 threat to US military budget (14:52)

News Editor Ben Vogel is on the line with Jason Sherman, a New York- based defence journalist, to take a look at the impact of coronavirus on the US and the country’s military budget as the US DoD braces for a potential three-month delay to its deliveries.

Interview: BAE Systems on machine learning (33:40)

Tim Martin speaks to John Hogan, Product Line Director, Sensor Processing and Exploitation at BAE Systems FAST Labs, to understand about the company’s DARPA contract. The Geospatial Cloud Analytics programme aims to develop machine learning analytics that could provide constant global situational awareness.

Music and sound mixing by Fred Prest

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast we dive in the world of tanks and examine the market forecast of these key components of modern armies; and we talk to Northrop Grumman about how their new MEV is able to extend the life of satellites.

Newsround: (00:30)

In the news this week, the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force has halved the number of tanks and artillery pieces in its inventory, but it is still investing in replacement capabilities.

US Special Operations Command is seeking an industry partner to help it develop a new counter-UAS family of systems.

Boeing and Lockheed Martin are to upgrade 43 Apache AH-64D attack helicopters for Egypt to the AH-64E standard, in an Foreign Military Sales deal worth an estimated $2.3 billion.

In Australia, the army has selected a winning platform for its Small UAS Plus project, and it has also narrowed down the shortlist for its replacement Tactical UAV programme to four contenders. 

The European Union wants to reach an agreement with Malta regarding Operation Irini - its new maritime security mission to the Mediterranean.

News Focus:

Senior Editor Naval Richard Thomas reports on the friendly fire incident on 10 May that involved two Iranian Navy vessels in the Gulf of Oman. The incident left at least 19 sailors dead and 15 injured, according to state-run Iranian news agency IRNA.

Air Editor Tim Martin reports on Boeing deliveries of the AH-64E V6 Apaches to the UK. While the US manufacturer had reached an agreement to deliver the first of 50 Apaches in June 2020, the target deadline now seems to be pushed back.

Land reporter Flavia Camargos Pereira gives us an update on the Brazilian anti-vehicle missile programme that seems to be finally approaching the end of tests since it first began in the 1980s.

Deep dive – The future of the main battle tank (15:30)

Senior Analyst - Land Sonny Butterworth is on the show this week to talk about the future of main battle tanks.

MBTs have evolved over the decades in how they support ground forces against lethal threats, but the necessity for their ongoing implementation is now facing tighter budgets. What does the future hold for MBTs in Europe and around the world?  

Interview - Northrop Grumman (36:05)

VP Content Tony Skinner is on the line with Joe Anderson, VP of operations and business development for SpaceLogistics LLC, a subsidiary of Northrop Grumman, to talk about the company’s new achievement in on-demand satellite servicing with the docking of a Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV-1) to client satellite Intelsat 901 (IS-901).

Music and sound mixing by Fred Prest

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we take a look at the European defence industrial landscape and how to foster innovation and agility, hear about defence developments from across the Asia Pacific and consider the response to times of global uncertainty.

News-round (00:37)
News editor Ben Vogel talks about the militarisation of space with the news that Russia has conducted another direct-ascent anti-satellite (DA-ASAT) missile test.

According to a USPACECOM statement,the Russian system is capable of destroying satellites in low Earth orbit, and the latest tests may be related to movements of Cosmos 2542 and Cosmos 2543 satellites in February, when they carried out manoeuvres near a US government satellite.

Land Reporter Flavia Camargos Pereira discusses France and Germany announcement of a cooperation to develop the Main Ground Combat System.

Deep Dive – News from the Asia Pacific (11:41)
Asia Pacific Editor Gordon Arthur discusses all the latest defence news from this key region, including:

Philippines
The Philippine Air Force’s search to obtain new helicopters made a step forward as the US State Department announced a potential FMS of either the Bell AH-1Z Viper or Boeing AH-64E Apache.

China
The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) commissioned two new Type 094 Jin-class nuclear-powered ballistic-missile submarines (SSBN), according to Chinese media reports. This brings to six the number of Type 094s in the PLAN.

South Korea
Kia Motors in South Korea had been awarded a $1.36 billion contract to provide thousands of new 2.5t and 5t tactical trucks for the nation’s military.

Interview: Innovation of the defence ecosystem (30:00)

Ben Vogel is on the line with Lorenz Lemhaus, a defence innovation consultant for SMEs in Germany, who considers how the defence industry has evolved over the years from sourcing funds nationally to be open to international partnerships.  Lorenz also explains what needs to change to pave the way for SMEs to be closely aligned with defence bodies. 

Industry voice: Nammo (51:53)
VP content Tony Skinner speaks to Senior VP Communications at Nammo Endre Lunde about new requirements for the defence industry in a time of global tensions, how industry is dealing with uncertainty, and the importance of international cooperation.

Music and sound mixing by Fred Prest

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we discuss the suitability of unmanned platforms for the anti-submarine warfare mission, look at Germany’s long -running attempts to find a replacement of its ageing Tornado fleet and hear how the US Army is using video demonstrations to assess equipment.

Newsround (00:39)

In the news this week, Germany plans to extend procurement within the future soldier programme beyond the end of this year, when deliveries were scheduled to finish.  

There’s plenty of life left in the Cold War-era B-1 Lancer bomber, as the US Air Force aims to upgrade a squadron to carry some of the most advanced long-range munitions in the US inventory.

Saab has conducted a landmark flight trial of its X-band AESA radar, which is planned as an upgrade on Gripen C/D aircraft in service with five air forces worldwide. 

In the Middle East, Iran claims to have developed two new 3D, long-range, phased-array radars for air defence. 

News focus:

News Editor Ben Vogel reports on the Libyan National Army finding a dismantled fuselage from a Polish-made Warmate loitering munition in the northwest of the country. 

He considers how these incidents reflect a broader failure of export controls and how that the UN arms embargo on both sides in the Libyan civil war appears porous and almost non-existent. 

Air Editor Tim Martin dives into another side-effect of the current pandemic, as the US Army has approved for the Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) competitors to video test flights of their systems as an alternative to in-person review. 

Deep Dive – Germany’s Tornado fleet replacement (12:34)

Tim Martin is on the line with Torben Schütz, Research Fellow for Armament Policy at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) Security and Defence Programme, to understand more about the politics involved in the replacement of Germany’s Tornado fleet. 

Interview: SEA (24:02)

Senior Editor - Naval Richard Thomas speaks to business development director at SEA Peter Hodgkinson about how the proliferation of submarines in the world’s oceans calls for a rapid response in the development of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities and the role that unmanned platforms can play.

Music and sound mixing by Fred Prest

This week on the Shephard Defence Podcast, senior naval reporter Harry Lye and military training & simulation reporter Norbert Neumann chat about the big news stories from I/ITSEC,  the world's largest modeling, simulation and training event.

Harry is also joined by Chris Lade, Defence Sales Manager at Saab Sea Eye, about the trends and challenges of seabed warfare.

Each month on the Shephard Defence Podcast, our team of international journalists and analysts take deep dives into defence issues, focusing on niche market sectors and looking at where the trends are heading.

We also feature regular content developed by Shephard Studio in cooperation with our partners.

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast we examine America’s counterterrorism wars and its record of drone strikes across a number of conflicts, cast a spotlight on the external contractors in defence procurement and discuss the ongoing effects of COVID-19 on the defence industry. 

Newsround (00:39)

The US Army aims to develop its Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle to fuel a five-way competition for the replacement of the Bradley IFV by 2027. The latest OMFV announcement outlines steps the US Army is taking to reduce barriers to foreign competition.

On the naval domain, the COVID-19 outbreak has hit the annual budget of the Royal Thai Navy. With the government ordering a reduction in spending by 10%, the military is suffering cuts which will inevitably impact ongoing contracts.

Azerbaijan has signalled its intent to order M-346 Master advanced jet trainer aircraft from Leonardo, while long-running negotiations continue with Pakistan on potential procurement of the JF-17 fighter. But before Azerbaijan signs a firm contract with Leonardo, Russia may try to promote its Yak-130 trainer aircraft instead.

News focus:

Air Editor Tim Martin looks at the latest on the Finnish HX Fighter Programme for the replacement of its F/A- 18C/D fleet.  A select number of former high-ranking military and political officials have been excluded from making direct contact, or acting in a negotiating capacity, with Finland’s MoD for the remainder of the HX Fighter tender.

Land Reporter Flavia Camargos Pereira discusses the latest from Scandinavia where the Norwegian government has announced a new long-term strategic development plan for its armed forces across land, air and naval domains. The country will increase defence spending by $1.57 billion by 2028 compared with its current budget of around $6 billion.

On the naval front, Norway will procure three new coast guard vessels and receive new Type 212CD submarines between from the end of the 2020s. For the Royal Norwegian Air Force, the government intends to upgrade the NASAMS II air defence system in the short term. 

Deep Dive – America’s counterterrorism Wars (18:24)

Air editor Tim Martin speaks with Melissa Salyk-Virk, co-author of America’s Counterterrorism Wars, about the proliferation of armed UAVs and the US counterterrorism strikes in countries such as Yemen, Pakistan and Libya. 

Industry Voice: Nammo (46:23)

VP content Tony Skinner is on the line with Endre Lunde, SVP of Communications at Nammo, for an analysis of the long-term effects of the pandemic as the industry and the world face questions on how long this is going to last and adjustments industry needs to make.

Music and sound mixing by Fred Prest.

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast we dive into the current status of Australia’s submarine procurement programme, talk about how the COVID-19 pandemic is challenging the Russian armed forces and discuss all the news from the week.

•  Newsround (00:37)

In the UK, several vendors have confirmed they will participate in the programme to replace the Royal Navy’s Harpoon 1C anti-ship missile system.

The German Army has plans to enhance its indirect-fire capability by upgrading its legacy PzH 2000 155 mm/52 calibre self-propelled (SP) howitzer, procuring new systems and enhancing its key target acquisition capability.

The Polish Armament Inspectorate is preparing to buy new lightweight disposable anti-tank missiles systems for the country’s armed forces.  New requirements call for up to 150,000 anti-tank missile systems to replace the Soviet-era RPG-7 currently in service and the Saab AT4.

In the Middle East, the Israel Navy has terminated a programme to use unarmed and armed USVs for maritime patrol missions. While unmanned underwater systems remain under evaluation, there is currently no alternative plan for Israel to deploy unmanned surface assets.n the US, a statement this week revealed that the US Coast Guard’s Offshore Patrol Cutter programme is ‘back on track’ and the service envisages introducing newer ships into the fleet as Easter Shipbuilding work to deliver the first-in-class USCGC Argus in 2022. 

News focus:
As the French Army deploys the MBDA MMP fifth generation man-portable anti-tank guided missile in Mali, news editor Ben Vogel discusses what the new systems is going to replace and what it means for the French forces in West Africa. 

Land Reporter Flavia Camargos Pereira discusses the Czech MoD’s intention to procure more than 39,000 assault rifles and small arms for its armed forces. With an investment of $94 million, the purpose is to equip Czech units deployed on overseas missions. 

· Deep Dive – Australia’s submarine programme (11:50)

Senior Editor Richard Thomas is on the line with Shephard’s special correspondent Tim Fish to discuss the latest development on Australia’s Attack-class submarine programme. They talk delays, budgets and a possible discrepancy between Australian defence expectations and anticipated deliveries. 

· Interview: Impact of COVID-19 on the Russian Army (28:08)

As the COVID- 19 pandemic continues to strike around the globe, News Editor Ben Vogel speaks to freelance contributor Leonid Nersisyan on the impact of the crisis on the Russian armed forces. What is the Kremlin doing, or not doing, to tackle the current issues that are affecting the military? 

In view of the Victory Day Parade that should take place in Moscow next month, Leonid discusses possible delays or cancellations. 

Music and sound mixing by Fred Prest

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast we bring you the latest defence news from Asia Pacific and around the world, we talk situational awareness on the modern battlefield and we consider the outlook for defence events in 2020.

Newsround (00:40)
In the air domain, Air Editor Tim Martin discusses the US Army’s delay of a first recoverable flight for the X-61-A Gremlins Air Vehicle following Dynetics’ reveal of an ongoing reshaping of flight test activities at the US Army’s Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. 

In naval news, Senior Editor-Naval Richard Thomas discusses the resignation of the Acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Modly on 7 April. The decision came after Modly removed the captain of the coronavirus-hit USS Theodore Roosevelt from command for writing a letter raising concerns on the safety of sailors onboard. 

In the land domain, Land Reporter Flavia Camargos Pereira talks us through the challenges of the Brazilian Army‘s new procurement programme which includes the acquisition of four new types of vehicles and upgrade to its Leopard MBTs.

Deep Dive – News from the Asia- Pacific (20:33)
Asia Pacific editor Gordon Arthur is on the podcast this week to discuss the major news from the region over the past few weeks.

Australia
Leidos Australia announced on 7 April the UAV platform that it is offering for the Australian Army's Project Land 129 Phase 3 requirement for a new tactical UAV to replace the in-service Shadow 200.

Japan
On 19 March, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) commissioned the first of two Maya-class destroyers in Yokohama. With a budget of over 1.3 billion US dollars for its construction, JS Maya (DDG-179) is a guided missile destroyer capable of ballistic missile defence (BMD).

News from Japan also include news plans for the country’s air forces to develop a new air superiority fighter as its fleet of F-2A and F-2B fighter ages.

China
Despite the COVID-19 outbreak China announced on 25 March that the country begun its first export deliveries of the man-portable HJ-12E ATGM to an undisclosed customer.The HJ-12E is an export version of the regular Red Arrow 12 (HJ-12) missile system.

Interview: Roke (34:53)
VP content Tony Skinner speaks to Tom Eskriett, the campaign lead for information advantage at Roke, about the cruciality of situational awareness on the modern battlefield.

Industry Voice: Nammo (54:08)
As defence industry events continue to suffer the impact of the pandemic with ongoing cancellation affecting major tradeshows around the globe, Tony grabs a chat with Endre Lunde, senior vice president communications at Nammo, to consider the long-term implications.

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast we bring you the latest news from the air, land and naval domains: we explore how the industry continues to respond to COVID-19 in the UK and around the world, and dive into military technologies and latest developments from Europe, Middle East and Australia. We also include an interview about UK air power and key RAF acquisitions.

Newsround (00:18)
Europe
Norway has become the first country in the world to receive the Vehicle Reconnaissance System (VRS) variant of the Black Hornet nano-UAV. The VRS is designed to equip armoured vehicles with a self- contained  surveillance system and is currently being tested by the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment.   

Despite the ongoing coronavirus crisis, the annual Victory Day parade in Moscow is expected to go ahead on 9 May, with the TOS-2 Tosochka MLRS to be displayed for the first time. The MLRS includes an improved fire control system with AI, as well as an increased maximum firing range. 

The German MoD has not concluded discussions on its Tornado replacement acquisition as the COVID-19 crisis continues. This is despite indications that a mixed fleet buy of 90 Eurofighter Typhoon, 30 F/A-18 Super Hornet and 15 EA-18G Growler combat aircraft will be approved.

The EU on 31 March announced the launch of a new Common Security and Defence Policy operation in the Mediterranean. Operation Irini replaces Operation Sophia, as the effort continues to enforce the 2011 UN Security Council arms embargo on Libya.  

Middle East
In Israel, technology originally developed by SafeShoot to prevent friendly fire incidents among ground troops has been modified and extended to include helicopter pilots and UCAV operators. Green Shield uses sensor fusion to measure the position and weapon direction of all connected devices. 

Focus:
Four US Navy Littoral Combat Ships  – two each from the Freedom and Independence classes – will be taken out of service by the end of March 2021. Senior Editor - Naval Richard Thomas and News Editor Ben Vogel discuss the factors behind this decision and the implications for the USN, which also faces broader questions over sustainment costs for key programmes.

-Land Reporter Flavia Camargos Pereira talks about recent developments in Australia, where the Robotic and Autonomous Systems Implementation Coordination Office (RICO) has allocated A$5 million ($3.6 million) to accelerate the adoption of disruptive technologies.

Established within the Future Land Warfare Branch of Land Capability Division, RICO will work to advance knowledge in AI/machine learning, autonomous leader-follower trucks and optionally crewed combat vehicles.

Deep Dive (17:18)
In an exclusive interview, Air Editor Tim Martin speaks to Brian Burridge, CEO of the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) about UK air power and key RAF acquisitions like the E-7 Wedgetail AEW&C platform and Protector UAV. They also discuss the role of the RAeS and its members on the next-generation Tempest fighter programme. 

Music and sound mixing by  Fred Prest 

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we focus on how some countries such as Germany continue to run their domestic procurements as scheduled despite the COVID-19 crisis; we take a deep dive into China’s military modernisation; and we consider the challenges for the defence media industry due to defence exhibitions being postponed or cancelled. 

Newsround (00:22)

In the news this week…

The US DoD has established five new ethical principles to operate in a future where AI technologies are fielded at scale. A group within the DoD will provide procurement guidance, test and evaluation capabilities, training strategies and a range of other measures.

DARPA’s Collaborative Operations in Denied Environments (CODE) has reached a new stage with its transition to NAVAIR’s supervision. The software, which will allow UAVs to retain their mission data, could ultimately be installed on existing and new unmanned air vehicles in the next five years.

The Czech Army is improving the mobility and situational awareness of its ground forces as the Czech MoD announced the delivery of four new command-staff and communication variants of the 8x8 Pandur II to provide better communication on the battlefield. The vehicles were procured under a $650 million contract awarded to Tatra Defence Vehicle in 2017.

On the naval side, we hear how senior former UK defence officials have called for the country to renew its MCM fleet once the current Hunt and Sandown classes leave service, given the importance of their role in the Arabian Gulf and the key capability its US ally relies heavily upon.

Focus: Air Editor Tim Martin focuses on the latest news on the air domain coming from Germany this week. The German MoD’s has announced that their domestic procurements schedule is coping with the COVID-19 pandemic with just a few hints of running behind schedule.  

Deep Dive – Interview IISS (17:09) 

Senior Editor - Naval Richard Thomas interviews Meia Nouwens, IISS Research Fellow for the Chinese Defence Policy and Military Modernisation, to discuss China’s military modernisation efforts, how its doctrine supports its aims and the strategic intentions over key infrastructure programmes such as the Belt and Road and String of Pearls initiatives.  

Interview – Shepard Media CEO (35:35)

VP content Tony Skinner talks to Shepard Media CEO Darren Lake about the implications of defence exhibitions around the world being cancelled or postponed due to coronavirus.

Industry Voice: Nammo (45:05)

Tony grabs a chat with Endre Lunde, senior vice president communications at Nammo, about some tips on working from home and how to approach this extended period of remote working as smoothly as possible.

Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest 

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we focus on how the defence industry has been affected by COVID-19 at an operational level, as we begin to see consistent evidence that business fortunes are swaying faster than last week; and we bring you the latest on the air, naval and land domains across the world.

Newsround (00:31)

Japan continues to look for an indigenous next-generation fighter to enter service by the mid-2030s, as a replacement for the ageing F-2A/B fleet.

The Japanese MoD has confirmed that it will not pursue a derivative of an existing fighter, thus cementing the pathway for a brand new design with overseas assistance. 

We look at the 14 March attack by suspected Iranian groups on Camp Taji and the US and UK response following the deaths of three service personnel.

The US Navy will maintain a two-carrier fleet in the Central  Command area of operations for an indeterminate period of time, following increased tensions between the US and Iran. 

This month, the Brazilian Army began testing the indigenously developed Proteus-SGP system for centralised management of subsystems on its 6x6 Guarani platforms.

Focus: Air Editor Tim Martin discusses the impact of COVID-19 on major aerospace companies.  Airbus, for example, has introduced a companywide four-day pause on production and assembly activities across all of its Spanish and French sites. 

Elsewhere other manufacturers are not taking just as drastic action – Saab told Shephard that its Gripen facility in Linkoping is ‘working as normal’.

Land Reporter Flavia Camargos Pereira gives us a general overview of the situation in South America - troop deployments, border restrictions and the impact on the region’s defence industry. 

Senior Editor - Naval Richard Thomas looks at how naval shipbuilders in the UK and mainland Europe are taking steps to protect their businesses from the effects of COVID-19.  

Deep Dive – Interview with Swedish Defence Minister (14:57)

Air Editor Tim Martin sits down for an exclusive interview with Swedish Minister of Defence Peter Hulqtvist to discuss the urgent matter of how the spread of COVID-19 will affect the Swedish defence industry or cause potential complications for future equipment acquisitions of Gripen E fighters and A26-class submarines.  

Interview – ST Engineering (29:51)

VP Content Tony Skinner grabs a chat with ST Engineering to discuss the latest developments and capabilities of Singapore’s primary defence company.


This episode was produced by Noemi Distefano with music and sound mixing by Fred Prest. 

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we consider how COVID-19 is impacting the defence sector, and look at what to expect next. We also focus on the latest SIPRI report on international arms sales; Turkish electronic warfare operations in northern Syria; capability and technology developments in the Spanish Army; and the continuing US budget debate. 

·        News Round (00:45)  

Land Reporter Flavia Camargos Pereira reports on developments in Spain with the plan to introduce the Light Vehicle for Special Operations (VLOE). This vehicle is expected to replace variants of the Nissan ML-6 currently in service, with the ability to operate off-road.  Deliveries are to be concluded by 2024. 

The Spanish Army is also looking to improve its military training as it has recently been awarded a contract by MASA Group to provide its Sword software. 

Air Editor Tim Martin delves into a new report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) on arms exports. SIPRI describes a surge in arms sales between the US and the Middle East over the last five years, whereas Russia experienced a noticeable slump in exports.

News Editor Ben Vogel talks about electronic warfare after Turkey deployed its truck-mounted KORAL radar system to support its operations in northern Syria. KORAL can potentially adversely affect the performance of radars onboard Russian aircraft.

Senior Editor - Naval Richard Thomas gives us more details from ongoing US budget debates and its effect on the naval domain. One of the main points of the FY2021 Presidential Budget Request was to divert funding from DoD programmes to support construction of the US-Mexico border wall. If the budget is approved, the US Navy and the other armed forces will receive fewer platforms to strengthen their military capabilities. 

• Deep Dive - Boats of the Future (17:15)

Freelance journalist and author Gerrard Cowan discusses the latest developments in the sub-surface domain. Submarine fleets are undergoing new mission sets as navies around the world prepare for high-intensity conflicts. How far is the “silent service” from replacing manned vessels with underwater unmanned vehicles? 

• Interview - Raytheon (32:16)

VP Content Tony Skinner grabs a chat with Bryan Rosselli, vice president of mission systems and sensors at Raytheon, about counter unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS).

• Industry Voice - Nammo (46:36)

Tony also talks to Endre Lunde, senior vice president communications at Nammo, about an intriguing recent development in the defence media.

Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest 

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we bring you the latest from the land, air and naval domains in the UK and provide you with an insight of the most relevant defence stories of the last month in the Asia-Pacific region.

• News Round (00:42)  

This week our domain journalists focus on the UK after the MoD released its latest Defence Equipment Plan, covering the period 2019-2029. The plan, which was rated ‘unaffordable’ by the National Audit Office (NAO), reveals a fiscal black hole that threatens future investments in procurement of new equipment across the land, sea and air domains.

In depth:

Land Reporter Flavia Camargos Pereira touches on the potential implications for the British Army as it attempts to implement a challenging modernisation programme. Officially, £32 billion is set aside for army equipment projects in 2019-2029, but the NAO report raises questions over the fate of programmes such as Ajax, Boxer, the Challenger 2 replacement, MRV-P (JLTV) and Warrior. 

Editor – Air Tim Martin highlights some potential impacts on UK air programmes. A lack of funding is likely to result in significantly delayed deliveries of the MQ-9B Protector UAV, for example. RAF procurement of E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and P-8 Poseidon MRA1 maritime patrol aircraft could also be affected, which in the first case could translate into a serious capability gap. Tim also delves into the Sea Venom design: the Defence Equipment Plan mentioned design problems with the anti-ship missile, resulting in a 15-month in-service delay.  

Senior Editor - Naval Richard Thomas updates our listeners on how the senior service fares under the Defence Equipment Plan. Naval Command expects to spend around £30.9 billion over the next ten years. This includes the completion of build and trials activity of the carrier HMS Prince of Wales and work-up of HMS Queen Elizabeth for its first operational deployment in 2021. However, costly problems on the construction of HMS Audacious (boat four in the seven-boat Astute class of submarines) are having a knock-on effect for the delivery of the next boat, HMS Anson.

• Deep Dive – The latest from Asia-Pacific (18:23)

Asia-Pacific Editor Gordon Arthur brings our listeners the latest news from the region, looking at some of the biggest stories of the last month following shows in India and Singapore.

Gordon talks about Singapore’s plan to increase its naval capacity by investing in more littoral vessels and upgraded patrol boats. He also mentions the prospects for Indian procurement of MH-60R helicopters, in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s recent visit. Elsewhere, in China the PLA is placing a major order for body armour; and in Australia the RAAF faces a problem after the USN suspended acquisition of the MQ-4C Triton for two years. 

• Interview- Schiebel (31:35)

Gordon Arthur talks to Hans Schiebel, chairman of the eponymous Austrian company, about a recent contract from the Royal Thai Navy to supply its Camcopter S-100 VTOL UAS. Gordon also asks about future plans and investments from Schiebel in South East Asia. 

 Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest 

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we bring you the latest from the land, air and naval domains. We talk about the LTAMDS milestone, the SB>1 Defiant test flight and coronavirus concerns. 

• News Round (01:03)  

Land Reporter Flavia Camargos Pereira talks through a landmark for Raytheon in the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) programme, with completion of the first radar antenna array.  LTAMDS will ultimately replace Patriot in the US Army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense network, and the new array is expected to perform twice as efficiently as its predecessor. The army expects that LTAMDS will bring enhanced protection to defeat advanced air and missile threats such as hypersonic weapons.   

Air Editor Tim Martin looks back on his visit last week to West Palm Beach, where three experimental test aircraft performed at a Sikorsky flight test demonstration event. One of these was the SB>1 Defiant that has been jointly developed by Sikorsky and Boeing as a candidate solution for the US Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) requirement. Defiant is moving towards increased speed flight tests, having overcome a gearbox joint issue that affected it last year. 

Turning to the UK, Tim discusses news from an RAF briefing in London this week, where senior officers raised concerns that the quest for accelerated data transfer techniques could lead to the loss of important information.

News Editor Ben Vogel looks back on the resignation of Pentagon policy chief John Rood, effective from 28 February. No official reason has been given for this development, but some analysts regard Rood’s ejection as the latest example of retribution being meted out to executive branch officials linked to the recent unsuccessful impeachment proceedings. 

• Deep Dive - Sirkorsky defiant test flight (18:07)

Tim Martin grabs a chat with Sikorsky test pilot Bill Fell who flew the SB>1 Defiant coaxial demonstrator.

• Interview - Talks on submarine rescue systems with JFD (30:10)

Richard Thomas, Senior Editor – Naval, speaks with Richard Devlin, Head of Global Sales at submarine rescue system provider JFD, on the technological and environmental complexities encountered in the sector, and time constraints that dictate the conduct of subsurface rescue operations. 

• Industry Voice - Nammo (40:00)

VP Content Tony Skinner is on the phone with Endre Lunde, Senior Vice President Communications at Nammo, to talk about the ongoing coronavirus crisis and its potential long-term effects on the defence industry.

This episode was produced by Noemi Distefano with music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest 

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we bring you the latest from land, air and naval domains. 

We discuss the armoured vehicle sector, especially in Asia and Europe where ageing vehicle fleets have implications for procurement, and Air Marshal Gerry Mayhew gives us his insight into new-generation capabilities and aircraft.

• News Round (00:50)  

Land Reporter Flavia Camargos Pereira describes Finnish and Latvian cooperation to produce an armoured wheeled vehicle system. After the two countries signed a technical agreement, a new high-performance vehicle will be supplied that is based on Patria’s 6x6 platform. This is an armoured wheeled vehicle chassis that Finland and Latvia hope will provide mobility to a low cost. Deliveries will begin next year, after completion of the research phase.

Flavia also discusses a programme milestone in Canada, where the Department of National Defence announced completion of their Medium Support Vehicle System programme. This replaces a 30 year-old fleet of medium logistic vehicles. 

News Editor Ben Vogel looks into problems in Kuwait, after the strange decision of the MoD to announce via social media that it is halting acceptance of Airbus H225M Caracal helicopters. Based on the latest reports, technical faults were found on two Caracals and a technical committee has been set up to examine the issues – but Airbus say it is still awaiting official notification.

Senior Editor- Naval, Richard Thomas, describes how Germany and Norway’s different use cases and operating environments for their jointly developed Type 212CD submarine programme remain obstacles, as the two countries continue to debate how to apply the Naval Submarine Code. The code is designed to ensure safety and best practices for industry and operators. Discussions between Germany and Norway on how best to utilise the submarine code have been in progress for up to two years, although the two parties are yet to find common ground and finalise an agreement.

• Deep Dive – Armoured Vehicle market forecast

Senior Analyst at Shephard, Sonny Butterworth sits down for a chat with our news editor to talk about the latest market forecast based on our Defence Insight research. Specifically, Sonny focuses on the armoured vehicle market both in Europe and Asia-Pacific regions. With the 2019 being a notable year for the global AV market, the procurement spending for ground forces is expect to increase by 9.5% with over $26 billion expected to be spent in 2020. 

• Interview with Air Marshal Gerry Mayhew

VP Content Tony Skinner talks with UK Royal Air Force Deputy Commander, Operations
Air Marshal Gerry Mayhew, for insight on progress and status of the new generation of aircraft and new capabilities that are being introduced in the air domain. 

Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest 

Innovation is a crucial topic in national security circles. For organisations to seize the advantage, it is vital to approach innovation not simply as a technological phenomenon but as a cultural and organisational priority.

Part of the challenge is interpreting current advances and determining the future impact they will have in terms of both technology and organisational culture.

August Cole is an author and futurist who explores the future of conflict through FICINT – fictional intelligence storytelling.

His work focuses on the evolution of warfare and the role that robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) will play in the not-too-distant future.

In this special episode of the podcast, Dr. Keith Dear – who is Managing Director, Centre for Cognitive and Advanced Technologies at Fujitsu UK – and August Cole discuss how new technologies are radically altering the national security landscape.

The conversation was recorded as part of a Shephard Studio project sponsored by Fujitsu Defence and National Security.

To learn more about the themes discussed, head over to www.digitalreadiness.tech

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we delve into US budget proposals across the air, land and naval domains; we are in Singapore with insights from the floor of the biggest Asian aerospace and defence event of the year; and we discuss EW capabilities, the threats from China and what the West can do to cushion the blow. 

• News Round (00:50)  

Air Editor Tim Martin discusses USAF funding in the US DoD defence budget proposal.

The US DoD has decided to play safe on its investments on aircraft procurement, with figures dropping $800 million compared to last year. The new budget predicts over $56 billion for new aircraft procurement and design, and an additional $11 billion to be allocated for the F-35 programme. 

Land Reporter Flavia Camargos Pereira talks about the new US Army budget on land warfare and the renewal of the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle programme to replace the Bradley. A previous OMFV attempt attracted only one bid, so the US Army issued a market survey to restart the project. The purpose of the survey is to understand what went wrong during the previous solicitation process.

In terms of new equipment, the Army budget for FY2021 focuses on enhancing readiness and lethality, with both the Army and the USMC likely to receive around 4,500 vehicles in 2021.

News Editor Ben Vogel looks into the US Navy budget for FY2021. The budget proposal calls for $19.3 billion to procure a total of ten new ship funding to recapitalise the SSBN fleet with the new Columbia-class; and efforts to prioritise investment for programmes that deliver warfighting advantages against China and Russia.

• Show coverage - Singapore Airshow 2020 (15:51)

VP content Tony Skinner, Asia Pacific editor Gordon Arthur and Senior Analyst Ilker Aktasoglu report from the Singapore Airshow 2020. The show this year has suffered from the heavy impact of coronavirus on South East Asia registering over 8% lower attendance than expected, with exhibitors being unable to attend due to worldwide governments issued travel restrictions. However, they report on the newest developments of aircraft and platforms on display.

• Deep Dive – EW capabilities and threats from China (32:00)

Senior Editor - Naval Richard Thomas talks to our regular contributor Thomas Withington about EW global capabilities and artificial intelligence. Thomas, who is a specialist in electronic warfare and radar technologies, analyses new EW developments in China, what they mean for the West, and what are the possible countermeasures. 

• Industry Voice - Nammo (44:33)

VP Content Tony Skinner speaks to Endre Lunde, SVP Communication at Nammo, who brings us the latest from the Air Power Seminar 2020 in Norway. 

This episode was produced by Noemi Distefano with music and sound mixing provide by Fred Prest 

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we talk all things electronic warfare and speak to contributor Tom Withington about Russia’s EW capabilities and how that is determining NATO’s response; we speak to Shephard Media’s CEO Darren Lake about the new face of defence publishing and discuss how the future is digital; and we look at all the news from the week.

• News Round (00:41)  

Land reporter Flavia Camargos Pereira focuses on the German Army, which is currently conducting a pilot course for the G22A2 sniper rifle. The G22A2 is an upgraded version of the AW model and it includes a more powerful target optic as well as the ability to determine precise distances and shot corrections. The manufacturer, Accuracy International, will retrofit 780 rifles.

Our director of analysis Matt Smith talks about the current markets in Asia Pacific as we look forward to next week’s Singapore Airshow. Matt explains how the Asian fighter aircraft market in particular is currently active.

Meanwhile, the US Air Force (USAF) is adapting its air and cyber operations in the Asia-Pacific region to a more distributed approach given that the location of its main military facilities is well-known by potential rivals, with China again proving the focus of attention for planners.

• Shephard Media is going digital (12:30)

VP content Tony Skinner sits down for a chat with Shephard Media's CEO Darren Lake to discuss how the publishing world is undergoing an irreversible process of digitalization and how this is leading companies to change the way they deliver news to the readers. 

As for Shephard, we have embraced a digital model for our magazine issues to adapt to the way the audience consumes content and stores data.

You can now consume the latest quality content from Shephard’s Air Warfare, Land Warfare, Naval Warfare and Military Training digitally. Magazines are available to read for free on our Shephard Media App on Apple Store and Play Store.

If you download the App you can enjoy three months of a Premium News subscription for free. A desktop version is also available here.

• Deep Dive: Electronic Warfare with Thomas Withington (26:00) 

VP content Tony Skinner is on the line with Shephard’s regular contributor Thomas Withington who is a specialist in electronic warfare and radar technologies. Tom discusses new concerns related to Russia’s electronic warfare (EW) capabilities and how these improvements create new opportunities for NATO EW practitioners at the operational and tactical levels.

For more on this subject, read the next issue of Land Warfare, which is out soon.

Music and sound mixing provide by Fred Prest 

In this episode of the Weekly Defence podcast, we turn our attention east and consider the latest defence news from Asia-Pacific, we are on the floor of SHOT show in Las Vegas and we bring you all the news of the week. And our sponsor Nammo provides this week’s Industry Voice segment.

• News Round (01:50)  

 The team discuss the news that Chinese company Huawei will be allowed to contribute to the UK’s 5G network and any impact this will have on the UK’s information sharing and future in the Five Eyes network. Experts from the cyber community have deemed the risk posed by Huawei hardware ‘manageable’.

VP Content Tony Skinner also highlights the recent decision of the Czech MoD to boosting its defence budget in new or modernized military equipment. The budget allocation of $3.2 billion is the biggest ever in defence procurement for the country and aims to significantly strengthen the Czech Army.

Reporter - Land Flavia Camargos Pereira speaks about the US Army’s effort to replace the Vietnam War-era M113 armoured vehicle, with the commission of 150 Armoured Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) following the 21 January contract modification revealed by the Pentagon worth $400 million. 

Flavia also gives an insight on the latest developments on the Scorpion programme as France moves forward and the French Army announced it will field the Thales’ 120-mm Rifled Recoiled Mounted Mortar systems. 

• Asia Pacific update (17:54)

Asia Pacific Editor Gordon Arthur brings us the latest from the Asia-Pacific region, including India’s announcement it has elevated its response to China’s threat deploying seven to eight submarines in the Indian Ocean last week. The Indian MoD is making slow, though significant, advances on both submarine and fighter fronts as part of their Project 75(I) submarine programme.

Moving onto China, Gordon talks about the recently revealed Chinese production of aircraft jet engines. The announcement and the jet exhibitions of the jet engines in Hebei last month, marks a new era on Chines plans for military aircraft production.  

• Show coverage – SHOT Show (31:50)

Senior Editor - Naval Richard Thomas talks to our regular contributor, Scott Gourley, about the Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show he attended in Las Vegas last week. We find out what SHOT is, how it went from being a sporting show to attracting ballistic technology experts from all over the world and the latest industry news from exhibitors on the floor.

 Turkish counter-UAV ammunition and multi-calibre rifles on show

• Industry Voice - Nammo (42:55)

VP Content Tony Skinner speaks to SVP Communication at Nammo Endre Lunde about the company’s focus for 2020, including the specific needs of troops in the new operating environment. 

Music and sound mixing provide by Fred Prest 

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast we bring you the latest from the 32nd annual Surface Navy symposium in Washington DC; we talk about air defence systems and how they work; we discuss the US Army’s decision to cancel OMFV solicitation, and, looking forward to India hosting its biennial DefExpo next month, consider whether the country is ready to tackle its huge list of not-too-competently managed procurements. 

• News Round-up (00:45)

VP Content Tony Skinner discusses an interesting opinion piece by The Geobukseon on India’s procurement practices. With the DefExpo 2020 exhibition being held in Uttar Pradesh early next month, The Geobukseon considers whether and how India will be able to manage its morass of defence procurements, which have negatively affected the armed forces in past decades. 

Reporter, Land Flavia Camargos Pereira gives an insight into the US Army’s decision to terminate the current acquisition process for the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV). This followed the receipt of only a single bid in the competition to replace the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. 

• Deep dive – Air Defence Systems (16:25)  

Following the catastrophic events of 6 January, which confirmed that a Russian-made, Iranian- operated Tor-M1 system was responsible for the Ukrainian airliner crash near Teheran, Director of Analysis Matthew Smith and Senior Analyst Ilker Aktasoglu discuss how air defence systems are operated, what are challenges the industry is currently facing, the pressures operators are under, and what fail-safes are in place. 

• Surface Navy Symposium and interview with Lockheed Martin (30:00) 

VP Content Tony Skinner chats to Senior Editor, Naval Richard Thomas who was on the floor of the 32nd annual Surface Navy Symposium in Washington DC last week.

The biggest stories from the naval domain include the Maritime Strike Tomahawk, which is no longer expected to achieve its milestone this year following a delay in achieving initial operational capability; and the UK RN which will see its fleet escort numbers dropping in the next years as the build schedule for the Type 26 and Type 31 frigates struggles to keep pace with the planned out-of-service dates of the ageing Type 23 class.

Richard also speaks to VP of Naval Combat and Missile Defence systems at Lockheed Martin, Jim Sheridan, about ship self-defence systems.

This episode was produced and recorded by Noemi Distefano with music and sound mixing by Fred Prest.

       News Round (00:38) 

Reporter- Land Flavia Camargos Pereira gives us an insight on Brazilian defence priorities, including the Brazilian Air Force procurement of the KC-390, the army’s purchase of the VBTP-MR Guarani and, on the naval domain, the PROSUB submarine programme, which delivered the first submarine to the Brazilian Navy in 2018 and is set to deliver the next three by 2022.

Air Editor Tim Martin discusses the biggest story of the week as Leonardo has overcome competition from Airbus, Bell and two other contenders to win the US Navy’s (USN) TH-73A trainer helicopter programme, securing a four-year production run for 130 TH-119 aircraft.

·        Deep dive – the role of the frigate (18:00) 

Tony Skinner talks to our Special Correspondent Tim Fish about how the role of frigates is changing. Cold war ships are retiring to meet new requirements and strategic maritime challenges while new technologies in the maritime domain will soon dominate the industry, making large expensive surface platforms potentially vulnerable and not cost-effective in delivering capability. 

·        Interview – L3Harris (35:40) 

Tony Skinner speaks to Dr Paul Brittan, chief scientific officer at L3Harris about artificial intelligence and machine learning, and how the modern battlefield constraints impact the architecture and performance of contemporary machine learning techniques. Keeping in mind the role of the human operator, what are the benefits AI can provide in the battlespace and how effective can it be? 

·        Industry Voice - Nammo (48:10) 

VP Content Tony Skinners talks speaks to Senior Vice Presidents Communication at Nammo, Endre Lunde about design and branding in the defence industry discussing where we are at and what can be improved. 

 Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest

On the podcast this week...

Interview: (01.13) 

Senior Editor – Naval Richard Thomas sits down with Paul Mcloughlin, news editor at the Middle East focused and London-based TheNewArab to talk about how Iran has cultivated and supported proxy forces in the region, and how the Quds Force operates as intelligence gatherers, trainers and convert operators in aid of Tehran’s ambitions.

News Roundup: (09:00) 

Editor – Air Tim Martin talks from an air domain perspective about how air defence networks and fighter fleets could see more regular action if the conflict between Iran and US continues to escalate. He also focuses on how Iran prioritises its defence spending and what offensive and defensive capability the country possesses. In this episode we also introduce our new Reporter – Land Flavia Camargos Pereira. 

She approaches the crisis from a different angle, analysing the radically different political reactions of South American countries such as Argentina, Brazil and Colombia. 

While Brazil supports the US action with President Jair Bolsonaro saying the country rejects all forms of terrorism, Argentina is more concerned about boosting security, with defence minister Agustín Rossi warning that the country must be alert. In Colombia meanwhile, the FARC political party organised a ceremony to pay tribute to the Iranian general, whereas other Latin American countries are concerned about how the crisis will impact the oil price.

Interview: (21.53)

Sophia Bellas, Middle East analyst at Dryad Global, speaks about where recent events leave the US’s influence in the region.

Recorded and produced by Noemi Distefano  with music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest
 

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, as we welcome in the new year, we take the chance to look back at some of our best coverage of the past few months, including coverage from DSEI, an examination of the fixed-wing market, an interview with L3Harris and discussing defence export controls.

• Show coverage: DSEI

The team report from DSEI in London, where among the announcements was news that Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 has won the £1.25 billion ($1.54 billion) programme for the five-ship Type 31e light frigate programme.

Sea editor Richard Thomas and deputy air editor Tim Martin run through the machinations of the long-running Type 31e saga.

Tim also looks at the decision by the UK and Italy to partner on the Tempest future fighter programme. A statement of intent has also been agreed at an industrial level between Rome and London, further evidence that engineering and design efforts will involve a formidable and diverse mix of suppliers including BAE, Leonardo, Rolls-Royce and MBDA.

Meanwhile, land domain editor Beth Maundrill outlines the progress of the UK’s flagship land programmes, including the Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme (WCSP) upgrade and the Challenger 2 Life Extension Programme (CR2 LEP).

• Deep Dive – Fixed Wing Aircraft Analysis

Land Editor Beth Maundrill sits down with Shephard’s Director of Analysis, Matt Smith, to talk about the latest in the series of Defence Insight’s analysis. This time the team looks into military fixed-wing aircraft and the upward tick in investment over the next decade.

• Interview – The AVX-L3Harris Compound Coaxial Helicopter

Tim Martin speaks to Luke Savoie, the President of Aviation Services for L3Harris, about its proposal for the US Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft that it is developing in partnership with AVX.

AVX and L3T show FARA hand
Insight: What next for the FARA five?

• Industry Voice

Beth Maundrill speaks to Nammo’s SVP of Communications Endre Lunde, who provides his insights into the area of defence export controls.

Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest

As a bonus episode for listeners of The Weekly Defence Podcast, here's episode four of our new Revolutions in Vertical Flight podcast series.

The full series can be found here

The Revolutions in Vertical Flight podcast tells the little-known story of the history of rotorcraft, from the autogiro and helicopter, to the tiltrotor and eVTOL platforms in development today.

Revolutions in Vertical Flight reveals the stories of a small group of pioneers, the visions and beliefs that drove them, and their approach to invention and innovation

And the Shephard Studio podcast series looks at the vertical flight innovation underway today, revealing how it will transform military operations and revolutionise urban mobility.

In this episode, we turn to the future and hear how the US Army’s plan to replace its current fleet of helicopters is set to introduce entirely new configurations of rotorcraft. We hear how the US Army believes we are at an “inflection point” and how the new rotorcraft designs are set to change the face of modern warfare.

And we speak to the industry teams vying to bid for two key helicopter programmes and learn how innovation is being brought to bear across their development programmes

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, as we say goodbye to 2019, we take the chance to look back at some of our best coverage of the past few months, including coverage from MSPO in Poland, China's military parade and NATO Engages in London.

• Show coverage - MSPO

Editor in chief Richard Thomas and deputy air editor Tim Martin report from MSPO in Poland.

Among the news to emerge from the show was the confirmation that the Pentagon's decision to remove Turkey from the F-35 programme has since left production made aircraft readied for Ankara without an owner.

Meanwhile, among the new products on display was a technology demonstrator of an mobile air defence combat system (ASBOP–PERKUN) the Lukasiewicz – PIAP Institute has developed in partnership with the Telesystem-Mesko company.

• Deep Dive – People’s Liberation Army (PLA) armaments

On 1 October China put on its largest-ever parade through Tiananmen Square in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the modern-day People’s Republic of China. Dominating the spectacle were missiles, unmanned systems and electronic warfare (EW) capabilities.

Asia Pacific editor Gordon Arthur was there and outlines what he learned from the parade, which saw some 40% of the equipment shown to the public for the first time.

Chinese missiles dominate world’s largest military parade

• Interview – Justin Bronk of RUSI

Deputy Editor, Air Tim Martin talks to Justin Bronk, Research Fellow specialising in combat airpower and technology in the Military Science team at RUSI, at the NATO Engages event in London.

• Industry Voice - Nammo

Nammo SVP of Communications Endre Lunde outlines the challenges the defence industry faces planning for 2020 and beyond given the current global instablility.

Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest

As a bonus episode for listeners of The Weekly Defence Podcast, here's episode three of our new Revolutions in Vertical Flight podcast series.

The full series can be found here:

The Revolutions in Vertical Flight podcast tells the little-known story of the history of rotorcraft, from the autogiro and helicopter, to the tiltrotor and eVTOL platforms in development today. 

Revolutions in Vertical Flight reveals the stories of a small group of pioneers, the visions and beliefs that drove them, and their approach to invention and innovation.

And the Shephard Studio podcast series looks at the vertical flight innovation underway today, revealing how it will transform military operations and revolutionise urban mobility.

In this episode, we look at a persisting dream of the early rotorcraft pioneers – how to build a machine that combined the vertical takeoff and landing attributes of a helicopter with the speed and range advantages of a fixed-wing aircraft.

We hear how a failed military mission in the Iranian desert ultimately led to the creation of the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor. And how Leonardo plans to bring the tiltrotor design to the civil market with its AW609. 

These are uncertain and changing times for UK politics and defence strategy.

So much has changed — domestically and in the world at large — since the UK government released the Integrated Review and MoD Command Paper in early 2021.

Shephard Media's news editor Ben Vogel sits down with General Sir Richard Barrons, former commander of the UK's  Joint Forces Command, to discuss whether the Integrated Review’s assumptions remain valid in today’s changed security and defence climate.

The discussion forms part of a wider package of content delivered by the Shephard Media editorial team.

Land: Year in Review

Senior Editor, Naval Richard Thomas and Land Analyst Sonny Butterworth consider how 2019 has proven to be an eventful year for the armoured vehicles market with several major contracts finalised such as the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle for the US Army and Marine Corps and the Boxer contract for the British Army. 

Also, the trade shows this year marked the debut of several new 8x8 platforms which aim to increase their operational utility. Some of these platforms are coming from manufacturers based in countries not typically associated with the production of armoured vehicles such as UAE and Thailand. 

Asia-Pacific Editor Gordon Arthur highlights the biggest news in the land domain of the year for the Asia-Pacific region taking a closer look at Australia, South Korea, Japan and India. As Vietnam received 64 T-90S and T-90SK tanks from Russia, and India approved the acquisition of 464 T-90MS tanks, we discuss exports and how Asia’s interest in importing armoured vehicles from different places is growing.

Sea:  Year in Review 

Director of Analysis Matthew Smith and Senior Editor, Naval Richard Thomas discuss how navies across the globe face a dilemma of modernisation of hugely capable ships which yet come with a considerable price tag. Where is the right balance? 

And going through this year’s major stories in the naval sector we highlight fleet modernisation among countries such as UK and Italy, and in the US we saw the largest-ever shipbuilding contract in the sea domain awarded earlier this year to General Dynamic Electric Boat for the construction for nine Block V Virginia class submarines. 

Air: Year in Review 

Air Analyst Ilker Aktasoglu and Editor, Air Tim Martin take a look at the air domain talking how  Lockheed Martin’s F-35 has been the main subject of this year’s top stories. The US cancelled Turkish participation in the programme over Ankara’s procurement of Russian weapon systems while Singapore Greece and Poland all confirmed plans to procure the F-35. We go back to Paris Air Show which witnessed two next generation combat aircraft mock-ups: Dassault and Airbus’ sixth-generation Future Combat Air System and Turkish Aerospace’s fifth generation TF- X fighter. And in the UK we discuss the MoD’s choice to procure five new E-7 Wedgetails for $1.98 billion to replace E-3D Sentrys which will retire by 2025. 

Director of Analysis Matthew Smith talks about how the October incident caused by missiles fired by Saudi Arabia will continue to have a huge impact in the air defence domain. This could lead to a substantial growth in investments from countries in the air defence sector - especially in the Middle East. 

 

Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, after heads of state, government and military leaders descended on London for the NATO Leaders’ Meeting, we review the issues facing the alliance, and get the perspective of two key analysts.

• News Roundup (00:36)

 On the news this week…

Senior Editor, Naval Richard Thomas and Deputy Editor, Air Tim Martin, take a look at the atmosphere at this year’s NATO meeting in occasion of the 70th anniversary of the alliance. They discuss why the positive speech delivered from the NATO Secretary, Jens Stoltenberg, was contrasted by scepticism by some world leaders, with particular attention to French President Emmanuel Macron’s speech.

Director of Analysis Matthew Smith shares data following the NATO release of its most recent set of budgets, which saw a significant increase in procurement expenses compared to last year with Turkey on top of the list with an estimate $5.3billion for procurement expenses. 

Senior Editor, Naval Richard Thomas talks about the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier commissioning ceremony in Portsmouth, 78 years after the sinking of the first HMS Prince of Wales.

• Interview – Justin Bronk of RUSI (21:14)

Deputy Editor, Air Tim Martin talks to Justin Bronk, Research Fellow specialising in combat airpower and technology in the Military Science team at RUSI .

• Interview – Robert Vass President of GLOBSEC (36:26)

We discuss with Robert Vass some the most prominent issues amid countries part of the NATO alliance following the world’s leaders’ speeches at this year’s event in London.

• Industry Voice: Nammo (51:24)

 Shephard Media’s VP Content Tony Skinner and Nammo SVP of Communications Endre Lunde discuss the EU’s possible prohibition of lead ammunition for sport and hunting purposes, and the effect this would have on the defence supply chain.

Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest

·       News Roundup (00:40)

In the news this week…

We hear from VP content Tony Skinner about companies developing new training solutions and when those systems are likely to be ready for deployment. 

 We also learn about Epic Games and its software engine and Cruden’s fast boat simulator, both on the show floor at this year’s I/ITSEC.

Military Training & Simulation News Editor Trevor Nash considers whether lower-cost military training technologies are a panacea for companies, and if these devices will be ready to replace larger full-flight simulators and weapon system trainers.

·        Deep Dive – I/ITSEC 2019 (14:44)

Senior Editor – Naval Richard Thomas talks to Booz Allen Hamilton about why immersive training environments are gaining popularity, and the challenges of using VR and AR for militaries . 

·        Interview – Richard Whittle  (31:04)

With the V-22 tiltrotor having recently passed the 500,000 flight hour milestone, VP Content Tony Skinner talks to author Richard Whittle, who goes back in time, explaining some of the challenges that the original proponents of the Osprey programme had to overcome.

Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest

 ·        News Roundup (00:35) 

On the news this week…

We hear from Deputy Editor – Air Tim Martin about the contenders for the US Navy’s (USN) TH-73A trainer helicopter contract.

 Land Analyst Sonny Butterworth looks at the sale of 500 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles to Lithuania.

 Meanwhile, Senior Editor – Naval Richard Thomas explains that Iran has announced that it is installing a VLS onboard the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) destroyer Dena, ahead of stated plans to introduce the technology more widely across its surface fleet.

·        Deep Dive – D&S 2019 (14:55)

 Senior Editor – Naval Richard Thomas and Asia Pacific Editor Gordon Arthur discuss all the news from the recent D&S exhibition in Bangkok.

·        Interview – General Electric (38:48)

 We speak to General Electric about its solution for the Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP) that will replace the engine on the UH-60 Black Hawk and AH-64 Apache helicopters. Tom Champion, ITEP Program Manager and Mike Sousa, Director of Turboshaft Business Development, provide an update.

·        Industry Voice – Nammo (53:00)

VP Content Tony Skinner and Nammo SVP of Communications Endre Lunde discuss technology management – the challenges related to managing technological developments and progress.

Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, Tim Martin, Deputy Air Editor, reflects on the news from this week’s Dubai Air Show and we speak with Mark Bauman, VP of Global Gorwth at Insitu, about its unmanned platforms.

News Roundup (00:35)

On the news this week…

Land Editor Beth Maundrill chats with Richard Thomas, Sea Editor, about the UK’s investment into various modernisation programmes in the Middle East, including Jordan and Lebanon, and the team talk about the finalisation of the contract for the UK Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigates. 

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/defence-notes/uk-details-security-support-jordan-and-lebanon-ano/

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/imps-news/deal-done-uks-future-type-31-frigates/

Meanwhile, on land the team looks at the latest from Mercedes-Benz special trucks including its presence at Defence and Security Bangkok. And in the unmanned domain, the latest Common Robotic System contract has been awarded by the US Army to Flir’s Endevor Robotics. 

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/mil-log/ds-2019-unimog-relaunches-itself-asia/

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/uv-online/endeavor-robitics-awarded-us-army-crs-h-contract/

Deep Dive – Dubai Air Show (17:00)

With Dubai Air Show coming to a close this week, Tim Martin speaks about some of the highlights from the event including the UAE’s decision to acquire more GlobalEye Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft and how Leonardo’s AW609 may be delayed regarding certification because of changes to FAA requirements. 

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/defence-notes/dubai-airshow-uae-enters-final-stages-air-power-do/

https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/defence-helicopter/dubai-airshow-2019-stress-tells-uae-aw609-deal/

Interview – Insitu (25:41)

Mark Bauman from Insitu and Shephard’s Tim Martin speak about the long-standing ScanEagle UAV programme and its evolution over the past 15 years to today’s latest variant of the unmanned aircraft. 

Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest.

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we speak with Airbus Helicopters about the US helicopter training market and its business growth path and Raytheon provides insight into the space domain and its importance to the military. 

• News Roundup (00:45)

On the news this week…

Land Editor Beth Maundrill chats with Richard Thomas, Sea Editor, about Egypt’s growing naval ambitions and how neighbours in the region are keeping a close eye on those developments. The team also discusses the findings from the Accident Investigation Board Norway following its review of the November 2018 sinking of frigate HNoMS Helge Ingstad. 

Meanwhile, on land the team looks at the latest in mortar technology from Spain and the operational use of the Alakran by two of its first customers. 

With Defence and Security Bangkok to begin on 18 November the team touch on the 2020 defence budget approval from the Thai government and what demands the Thai Armed Forces have. 

• Deep Dive – Airbus Helicopters (16:13)

Airbus Helicopters recently hosted media at its site in Manching, Germany, Deputy Air Editor Tim Martin speaks with Matthieu Louvot, Executive Vice President of Airbus Helicopters Programmes during the visit about the company’s key military programmes. 

• Interview – Raytheon (25:48)

As discussed on previous podcasts, the space domain is an important frontier for armed forces around the world. We speak to Wallis Laughrey, VP Space Systems at Raytheon about how this area. 

• Industry Voice (44:20)

Beth Maundrill speaks to Nammo’s SVP of Communications Endre Lunde, who provides his insights into the area of defence export controls.

Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest.

https://twitter.com/fprestmusic

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we speak to Raytheon and Saab about the Guided Carl-Gustaf Munition and take a deep-dive with Defence Insight’s Matt Smith into military fixed-wing aircraft and the upward tick in investment over the next decade.

• News Roundup (00:00:35)

On the news this week…

On the vehicle front, Land Market Analyst Sonny Butterworth outlines the recently announced contract that will see the British Army provided with more than 500 Boxer armoured vehicles at a cost of some £2.8 billion.

Boxer contract announced for British Army

While at sea, Naval Editor Richard Thomas provides insight and analysis into the suspension of the UK’s Fleet Solid Support Ship programme, as calls grow to ensure the country maintains a sovereign shipbuilding capability.

FSS suspension indicative of wider push for sovereign naval industry

Air Editor Tim Martin details on the news from his recent Airbus visit and developments on key rotorcraft, unmanned and fast jet programmes the company is involved with.

Airbus reveals classified ‘untrackable’ low observable UAV
​Spanish shares increase non-starter for Airbus

• Deep Dive – Fixed Wing Aircraft Analysis (21:00)

Land Editor Beth Maundrill sits down with Shephard’s Director of Analysis, Matt Smith, to talk about the latest in the series of Defence Insight’s analysis. This time the team looks into military fixed wing aircraft and the upward tick in investment over the next decade.

• Interview – Guided Carl-Gustaf Munition (32:38)

Beth Maundrill speaks with Michael Höglund, head of business unit ground combat for Saab and Ty Blanchard, Guided Carl-Gustaf Munition business development manager for Raytheon about the latest live firing demonstration of the Guided Carl-Gustaf Munition which have been carried out in both Sweden and the US.

Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest.
https://twitter.com/fprestmusic 

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, the team discusses the electronic warfare landscape and UK moves into manned-unmanned teaming, we speak to MetaVR about visualisation technologies as well as defence supplier Inzpire. And our sponsor Nammo provides this week’s Industry Voice segment.

• News Roundup (00:35)

On the news this week…

With Editor-in-Chief Richard Thomas away covering the AOC 2019 conference in Washington DC, the team consider the electronic warfare landscape and how the US is scrambling to respond to the expanding threat.

Director of Analysis Matthew Smith outlines the projections for the fighter aircraft market over the next ten years and what a lower-cost F-35 could mean for future procurement programmes.

Deputy Air Editor Tim Martin explains how the British Army wants to prioritise manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) for its incoming fleet of AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters, but first intends on making sure that such developments can take place without overburdening soldiers.

Land Editor Beth Maundrill outlines why the Latvian Ministry of Defence (MoD) is making another attempt to procure a fleet of tactical vehicles. This comes after the previous competition, which saw the selection of Sisu's GTP 4x4, had to be terminated due to the discovery of a number of irregularities in the evaluation process.

•  Deep Dive – Military simulation technologies (13:55)

Our Training and Simulation Editor Trevor Nash talks to Garth Smith, President of MetaVR as we take a deep dive into the simulation and training market, and consider the underlying visualisation technologies that enable next-generation training.

• Interview – Alan Whittle, Director of Strategy and Plans at Inzpire (30:36)

Our VP Content Tony Skinner sits down with Alan Whittle, Director of Strategy and Plans at Inzpire, to talk about how the defence supplier has positioned itself to leverage recent wins from the UK Ministry of Defence.

• Industry Voice – Nammo (40:17)

Nammo’s SVP of Communications Endre Lunde provides essential tips and strategies for those listeners that find themselves frequently away on business travel.

Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest

https://twitter.com/fprestmusic

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we are on the floor of AUSA talking lasers, synthetic training and QinetiQ’s expansion into the US, and look at enhancements to the Apache attack helicopter.

• News Roundup (00:37)

On the news this week…

Editor-in-Chief Richard Thomas chats to Director of Analysis Matthew Smith about the military fixed-wing aircraft market, following Shephard’s Defence Insight’s team recent study into the sector.

Meanwhile, Deputy Air Editor Tim Martin provides an update to the US Army’s replacement of its RQ-7 Shadow under the Future Tactical UAS (FTUAS) programme, including an interesting development surrounding hybrid flight kit licensing authority arrangements.

AUSA 2019: US Army unconcerned by FTUAS hybrid flight kit permutations

• Deep Dive – AUSA walkaround (11:09)

With AUSA 2019 such a major fixture on the annual defence calendar, Shephard Media’s Land Editor Beth Maundrill provides coverage from the show floor.

QinetiQ – With QinetiQ announcing that it has agreed to acquire Manufacturing Techniques (MTEQ), more than doubling the size of its US operations, Beth speaks to Steve Wadey, CEO of QinetiQ; Jeff Yorsz, President of QinetiQ North America; and Mary Williams, President at Manufacturing Techniques (MTEQ) about the implications of the deal.

Cubic – The US Army is developing a new Synthetic Training Environment to enhance LVC training. Robert Kalebaugh, Vice President Business Development at Cubic Global Defense, explains the company’s role.

Northrop Grumman – Mark Skinner, Vice President of Directed Energy, and Michael O'Hara, Manager of M-SHORAD Programs, outline the company’s directed energy efforts on M-SHORAD with the US Army.

• Interview – Lockheed Martin (28:33)

The US Army recently awarded Lockheed Martin a $40.6 million contract to produce Modernized Turrets (M-TUR) for the AH-64E Apache helicopter, an upgrade to the current M-TADS/PNVS system.

Deputy Air Editor Tim Martin speaks to Tom Eldredge, director of Apache Fire Control programs at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, about the enhancements.

Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we report from the floor of AUSA and look at the status of the US Army’s key aviation and land vehicle programmes, including the AVX/L3Harris contender for FARA, and we speak to Raytheon about its Naval Strike Missile, while sponsor Nammo provides its insight into industry developments.

• News Roundup (00:50)

On the news this week…

The team provide coverage of all the news at AUSA 2019 in Washington DC this week.

Deputy Air Editor Tim Martin outlines how the main contenders were positioning themselves for the US Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) programme, with several using the show to reveal aspects of their designs.

Raider X takes to the stage
Bell fired up for FARA with 360 Invictus
Boeing sticks to FARA vow of silence
Defiant delays return to haunt SB>1

On the vehicle front, Land Editor Beth Maundrill explains how while the US Army remains tight-lipped on the status of the OMFV programme, Rheinmetall is still pushing for its Lynx KF41 to be a part of the effort which will see the replacement of the Bradley IFV.

Rheinmetall disappointed but not beaten on OMFV

Long Range Precision Fires (LRFP) continues to be a top priority for the US Army’s modernisation plan. Part of the tactical level of that effort, BAE Systems, in partnership with the army, debuted the ERCA howitzer test bed at AUSA 2019.

US Army gunning for extended range prototype success

A number of companies showcased new capabilities integrated on the Stryker armoured vehicle, including General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) with its Initial Maneuver Short-Range Air Defence (IM-SHORAD) Stryker solution.

IM-SHORAD paves the way for rapid prototyping efforts

• Deep Dive – The AVX-L3Harris Compound Coaxial Helicopter  (14:40)

Tim Martin speaks to Luke Savoie, the President of Aviation Services for L3Harris, about its proposal for the US Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft that it is developing in partnership with AVX.

AVX and L3T show FARA hand
Insight: What next for the FARA five?

• Interview – Raytheon's Naval Strike Missile (27:29)

VP Content Tony Skinner caught up with Randy Kempton, Raytheon's Naval Strike Missile programme director, to discuss the latest developments and prospects of the weapon.

USMC to get Naval Strike Missile

• Industry Voice – Nammo (35:32)

Tim Martin speaks to Endre Lunde, Nammo’s SVP Communications, about the news and developments revealed during at AUSA.

Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest

So much has changed — domestically and in the world at large — since the UK government released the Integrated Review and MoD Command Paper in early 2021.

In this special podcast episode, Shephard Media's team of subject-matter experts looks into the key points in these documents, and ask if the assumptions behind them remain valid in the changed security and defence climate today.

The discussion forms part of a wider package of content delivered by the Shephard Media editorial team.

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we take a more detailed look at what was revealed during the PLA’s recent parade through Tiananmen Square, speak to Leonardo about the capabilities of the AW149 and the rotorcraft opportunities the company is pursuing, and assess the current Somali pirate threat for ships transiting the Red and Arabian seas.

• News Roundup (00:42)

On the news this week…

In advance of AUSA 2019, Land Editor Beth Maundrill outlines the questions surrounding the US Army’s contest to develop an Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV), which was launched in earnest at the beginning of October but drew only a single industry participant. 

This casts a long shadow over the adequacy of competition in the high-priority, fast-track, project that is estimated to cost tens of billions of dollars to replace the venerable Bradley IFV fleet.

Questions raised as Bradley replacement becomes one-horse race

On the aviation front, the German MoD has strongly hinted that ‘mutually consented’ issues have prevented an anticipated FCAS demonstrator contract being issued to Airbus and Dassault, following pressure on decision-makers from the manufacturers to deal with the matter urgently, as Deputy Air Editor Tim Martin explains.

Germany claims mutual consent forced FCAS demonstrator impasse

On the sea side, Editor-in-Chief Richard Thomas takes a deep dive into the current Somali pirate threat for ships transiting the Red and Arabian seas. The latest reduction in the size of the industry-created High-Risk Area (HRA) in May 2019 that stretched from the Red Sea through to the Gulf of Oman could indicate a reduced risk of hijacking, although maritime security observers point to a depleted but still present threat of pirate attack.

Investigative report: Industry waits on the ebb and flow of Somali piracy

• Deep Dive – People’s Liberation Army (PLA) armaments (14:40)

On 1 October China put on its largest-ever parade through Tiananmen Square in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the modern-day People’s Republic of China. Dominating the spectacle were missiles, unmanned systems and electronic warfare (EW) capabilities.

Asia Pacific editor Gordon Arthur was there and outlines what he learned from the parade, which saw some 40% of the equipment shown to the public for the first time.

Chinese missiles dominate world’s largest military parade

• Interview – Tony Duthie, Leonardo (32:42)

With the AW149 pride of place of the Leonardo exhibit at the recent DSEI exhibition, Shephard Media’s VP Content Tony Skinner talks to Tony Duthie, Leonardo’s Head of Land and Maritime Marketing, about the capabilities of the aircraft and the rotorcraft opportunities the company is pursuing.

Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we head to Brussels to learn about the development of European special forces capabilities, take a look at the Chinese military equipment on display at the PLA's recent parade and find out about Bell’s future attack helicopter contender.

• News Roundup (00:34)

On the news this week…

The team outline how on 1 October China put on its largest-ever parade through Tiananmen Square in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the modern-day People’s Republic of China. Dominating the spectacle were missiles, unmanned systems and electronic warfare (EW) capabilities.

On the aviation front, manufacturer Bell has unveiled its Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft Competitive Prototype contender – the 360 Invictus – distinguished by a lift-sharing fixed-wing, tandem cockpit, single-engine and integrated with new rotor technology for high-speed flight. Deputy air editor Tim Martin outlines more.

On the land front, land editor Beth Maundrill paid a visit to Israel Weapons Industries (IWI), which alongside detailing elements of its future business roadmap, said that configuring its own weapon systems to a new 6.8mm, or even 6.5mm, calibre would be an ‘easy change’ to make.

Sea editor Richard Thomas explains how the UK's HMS Queen Elizabeth Carrier Strike Group has formed for the first time on the Westlant 19 deployment. Meanwhile, Newport News Shipbuilding has completed the dry dock portion of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington’s (CVN 73) refuelling and complex overhaul (RCOH).

• Deep Dive – Belgium’s Special Operations (17:30)

We speak with Colonel Tom Bilo commander of Belgium’s Special Operations Regiment, which was established in July 2018, about the country’s heritage in parachute and commando units and how the regiment is now enhancing its SOF capabilities.

• Interview – General Claudio Graziano, the permanent Chairman of the EUMC (33:37)

The European Union Military Committee (EUMC) is composed of the chiefs of defence of the EU member states and provides the Political and Security Committee with advice and recommendations on all military matters within the EU. General Claudio Graziano, the permanent Chairman of the CEUMC, outlines the role the committee plays within EU defence matters.

• Industry Voice – Nammo (44:52)

Nammo SVP of Communications Endre Lunde outlines the challenges the defence industry faces planning for 2020 and beyond given the current global instablility.

Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we speak to our Asia Pacific editor about all the defence rumblings across the region, talk innovation with QinetiQ and look at all the news from across the defence sector.

• News Roundup

On the news this week…

Deputy air editor Tim Martin outlines how helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky has held meetings and CH-53K King Stallion flight demonstrations with German and Israeli delegations as it looks to encourage both that the aircraft fits their individual heavy-lift helicopter requirements.

Meanwhile, despite the Philippines turning efforts to introduce 16 new combat utility helicopters for the Philippine Air Force (PAF) into a drawn-out saga, Shephard has confirmed that a deal was signed earlier this year for the Sikorsky S-70i.

Confirmation of a direct commercial sale came at the MSPO exhibition in Poland earlier this month, with the S-70i aircraft to be assembled at Sikorsky’s PZL Mielec unit in Poland.

 Editor-in-chief Richard Thomas outlines reports from our roving editor Beth Maundrill in Haifa who has revealed that just four months after the launch of its new OPV design, the OPV-45, Israel Shipyards has secured its first order for the new vessel type.

• Deep Dive – Developments in Asia Pacific defence 

Our Asia Pacific editor Gordon Arthur runs through all the major defence developments from the region from recent weeks.

Front and centre is the news that China has launched its first landing helicopter dock (LHD) at the Huangpu-Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai, greatly furthering the future expeditionary capabilities of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).

Two other neighbouring Southeast Asian countries are adding LPDs to their naval fleets and both are procuring them from Asian shipbuilders in different countries.

Meanwhile, in Australia Rheinmetall Defence Australia has handed over the first Boxer 8x8 armoured vehicle acquired under Project Land 400 Phase 2 to the Australian Army.

• Interview – QinetiQ

VP Content Tony Skinner speaks to with Mike Sewart, QinetiQ’s Director of Research and Innovation about the company’s innovation activities, including directed energy weapons and the development of lasers, among other technologies.

• New content teaser – Five Eyes Connectivity podcast (37:06)

We preview Shephard Media’s special series on Five Eyes Connectivity, sponsored by our partner Viasat.

Over three episodes, we will look at the changing face of modern warfare across the land, sea and air domains through the prism of three key technology areas: Satellite communications, line-of-sight datalinks and cyber security

Episode one is available here

Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest