Weapons & Air Defence
Effectors headlined the show: MBDA’s Spear Glide, surface-launched ASRAAM and Akeron MBT 120; Leonardo’s Otomat Mk3 for blue-water strike; plus high-energy lasers such as Rafael’s Iron Beam Compact and IPG’s Crossbow Mini. Together, they point to layered, networked fires across land, air and sea.
EDR (Spear Glide) • Janes (SL-ASRAAM) • EDR (Akeron MBT 120) • Janes (Otomat Mk3) • Janes (Iron Beam) • Janes (Crossbow Mini)
Land Vehicles & Artillery
Modernisation spanned concepts and conversions: GDLS/Lockheed’s Ajax turreted evolution, FFG’s Leopard-1-based Condor IFV and KNDS’s Leopard 2A8 upgrades. Artillery focus continued with the RCH 155 update and digitalised fires to shorten sensor-to-shooter timelines.
EDR (Ajax) • Army Rec. (Condor) • Army Tech. (2A8) • Army Rec. (RCH 155)
Airpower & Teaming
Teaming and autonomy took centre stage: Airbus’s Wingman concept, Boeing’s Loyal Wingman updates and F-15EX virtual mission lab. GCAP’s electronics consortium (G2E) advanced sensing/communications, while Deutsche Aircraft’s D328MR targeted special missions with short-field economics.
Shephard (Wingman) • Army Tech. (Loyal Wingman) • Shephard (F-15EX Lab) • Shephard (GCAP G2E) • Shephard (D328MR)
Naval & Undersea
Thales’ Bluewatch sonar, BMT’s fast patrol concept and HII–Babcock’s UUV-from-submarine launch concept showed breadth from littoral ASW to covert seabed ops. Brazil signed to acquire HMS Bulwark, while Anduril’s Dive XL pushed long-endurance AUV ops.
Naval News (Bluewatch) • Naval News (FPV) • Naval News (UUV launch) • Naval News (Bulwark) • Army Rec. (Dive XL)
Sensors, C4ISR & Digital
From L3Harris’s cognitive EW to ICEYE’s deployable ISR cell and Navantia’s digital shipyard suite, exhibitors emphasised faster kill chains, on-site processing and lifecycle velocity. Orbit’s Ka-band terminal trials also hinted at resilient, high-throughput links for uncrewed fleets.
Janes (EW) • Janes (ISR Cell) • Shephard (Digital Shipyard) • Janes (Orbit MPT30Ka)
Counter-UAS & SHORAD
Ultra-short-range interceptors, lasers and agile vehicles dominated: Foxhound SHORAD with missile/cannon effects, Rheinmetall’s Mission Master CXT for mobile C-UAS, and Estonia’s Frankenburg missile for 2 km engagements. The trend: layered, attritable defence at unit level.
Army Rec. (Foxhound) • Army Rec. (Mission Master CXT) • Overt Defense (Frankenburg)
Training, Simulation & Readiness
QinetiQ’s Dreadnought-class training simulation accelerates SSBN crew readiness with high-fidelity mission environments and HIL evaluation. Industry messaging stressed digital twinning to compress schedules and de-risk integration from legacy to sixth-gen systems.
Policy, Industry & Production
London’s pledge for mass drone production and Project Octopus underlined urgency, while Eurodrone partners reported progress. Rheinmetall marked a UK Gun Hall milestone; GCAP G2E aligned sixth-gen electronics; and Canadian SMEs rallied under ACADA for exports.
Army Tech. (UK drones) • Shephard (Project Octopus) • Shephard (Eurodrone) • Janes (UK Gun Hall) • Gov’t of Canada (ACADA)
Continue on our DSEI tag page and see related analysis: Turkey’s defence sector in Europe’s rearmament.
- Coverage window: 9–12 September 2025 (ExCeL London).
- Layout: 8 themed boxes for quick scanning on desktop & mobile.
- Cross-cutting themes: mass & munitions, modularity, autonomy, sovereign production, digital twins.
