The Shephard Defence Podcast

 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)EuropeNorway 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 forecastSenior 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 MayhewVP Content Tony Skinner talks with UK Royal Air Force Deputy Commander, OperationsAir 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 

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 showIndustry 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