World Defense Show 2026: Turkish and European Industries Will Cooperate, Says Aselsan Boss
At the World Defense Show 2026, Aselsan announced plans to cooperate with European defence firms, marking a strategic shift for Turkey’s defense sector. The company, which designs the Steel Dome air‑defence system, also supplies the Akkor active‑protection system and the Stabilised Advanced Remote Weapon Platform. President Ahmet Akyol said the partnership is feasible despite recent sanctions that forced Turkey to develop indigenous alternatives. Government backing reflects Aselsan’s deep technological expertise and its new leadership role in national procurement.
The Feds Closed Air Space Around El Paso on Wednesday to Address "Cartel" Drones
The FAA abruptly shut down airspace around El Paso International Airport, imposing a 10‑day restriction and warning that violators could be shot down. Within ten hours the ban was lifted without explanation, and Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy later said the...
Naval Group Plots Plan to Offer FDI Frigates to Sweden, Teams up with Local Shipyard
Naval Group announced plans to market its next‑generation Defence and Intervention (FDI) frigates to Sweden, signing a cooperation pact with local shipyard Oresund Drydocks on 2 February 2026 during the Amiral Ronarc’h visit. The agreement covers delivery of the first FDI unit...
KBR Secures $103m USSF Analysis Task Orders Under HQ Contract
KBR has been awarded two firm‑fixed‑price task orders totaling $103 million under the U.S. Space Force (USSF) Decision Support for Headquarters Analysis contract. The three‑year effort, based in Chantilly, Virginia, will deliver data analysis, AI‑driven analytics, workforce design and interactive dashboards...
Parsons Wins $125m US Army Contract for Research Services
Parsons has secured a five‑year, $125 million single‑award Task Order from the U.S. Army to support the Combat Capabilities Development Command’s research laboratory, the High Performance Computing Modernization Program, and the Defense Research and Engineering Network. The contract covers research, development,...
Fort Benning Hosts Army Robotic Systems Tactics Course
The U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence launched the inaugural Robotic Autonomous Systems Leader Tactics Course (RASLT) at Fort Benning, a three‑week pilot aimed at integrating unmanned ground vehicles, small drones, and other autonomous platforms into maneuver operations. The program...
DARPA Launches CLARA High-Assurance AI Program
DARPA’s Defense Sciences Office has launched the CLARA (Compositional Learning‑And‑Reasoning for AI Complex Systems Engineering) program, seeking proposals to create high‑assurance AI that tightly integrates machine learning with automated reasoning. Awards can reach $2 million per project and cover a 24‑month...
U.S. Army Seeks Counter-Drone Systems for Red Sands Trials
The U.S. Army issued a Request for Information to support the 2026 Red Sands Hard Kill Challenge, targeting hard‑kill counter‑drone systems against Group 1‑3 small unmanned aerial systems. Led by USARCENT and the Army Armaments Center, the effort will field‑test technologies...
U.S. Air Force Buys Chimera FPV Drones for Special Unit
The U.S. Air Force has awarded a sole‑source, firm‑fixed‑price contract to Oak Grove Technologies for its Chimera small unmanned aerial systems, fulfilling an urgent requirement of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field. The procurement includes Chimera FPV drones...
How the Hedge Strategy Will Impact the US Navy’s Future Capabilities
The U.S. Navy’s newly announced Hedge Strategy seeks to rebuild its surface fleet around lethal, modular and affordable platforms. By emphasizing flexibility and cost‑effectiveness, the plan aims to halt the chronic schedule slips and budget overruns that have plagued recent...
Exposed Training Open the Door for Crypto-Mining in Fortune 500 Cloud Environments
Pentera Labs identified nearly 2,000 publicly exposed training applications across cloud platforms, with about 60% hosted on AWS, Azure or GCP. Roughly one‑fifth of these instances contained crypto‑mining scripts, web‑shells or persistence tools, indicating active exploitation. The vulnerable apps were...
Moldova. EU – Yes; CIS – No; Unirea – Not This Time
Moldova announced its formal exit from the Commonwealth of Independent States, signaling a decisive break from a key Russian‑linked institution. At the same time, Chişinău is accelerating its integration with the European Union under President Maia Sandu’s pro‑Western agenda. Public...
David’s Sling Air Defense System Validates Combat Lessons in a Recent Test Campaign
Israel’s David’s Sling medium‑to‑long‑range interceptor completed a rigorous test campaign that incorporated real‑time combat lessons from Operation Rising Lion. The trials, run by the Israeli Missile Defense Organization with U.S. MDA support, validated a suite of upgrades that improve interception of missiles, rockets,...
Japan Hands Philippines Radars to Keep Closer Eye on China
Japan officially handed over five coastal radar systems to the Philippines under its 2023 Official Security Assistance program. The equipment, which includes surveillance, communications and support components, is designed to enhance the Philippine Navy’s maritime domain awareness and support ISR,...
AI, Defence and Energy Transition to Drive India’s Next Capex Wave: Chetan Ahya
Morgan Stanley’s Chetan Ahya says India is entering a new capex wave driven by a global industrial cycle revival, stronger non‑tech exports, and three structural trends: AI‑related infrastructure, higher defence spending, and the energy‑transition push. He notes that the Indian...
ING Groep NV Sells 64,648 Shares of GE Aerospace $GE
ING Groep NV trimmed its GE Aerospace holding by 38.3%, selling 64,648 shares and leaving a 104,299‑share position worth roughly $31.4 million. The reduction came as other institutions, notably Norges Bank, Jennison Associates, Vanguard, Lazard and Geode Capital, expanded their stakes,...
Guidance: Military Low Flying: MOD Sponsored Air Exercises
The UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) has been continuously publishing and updating a detailed schedule of military low‑flying air exercises from early 2021 through early 2026. Each entry lists a specific week‑long window during which training flights are authorised, reflecting...
Cold War Battlescruiser, Modern Price: Russia’s Costly Admiral Nakhimov Upgrade
Russia has completed a costly, decade‑long modernization of the Kirov‑class battlecruiser Admiral Nakhimov, with estimates of up to $5 billion invested. The refit equips the 28,000‑ton nuclear‑powered ship with a new vertical launch system capable of firing up to 80 Kalibr or...
Maritime Divide: Why the Philippines Is Failing Its Seas
Philippines’ maritime governance remains fragmented, leading to severe fisheries losses, safety failures, and costly logistics. Overfishing and weak enforcement cause an annual loss of about 45 million kilograms of fish, while ferry disasters like the MV Trisha Kerstin 3 highlight systemic safety...
South Korean Shipyard Joins U.S. Navy Ship Repair Program
South Korean shipbuilder SK Oceanplant signed a Master Ship Repair Agreement with the U.S. Navy. The agreement, granted after passing a NAVSUP port security assessment, authorizes the yard to compete for maintenance, repair and overhaul contracts on U.S. warships. SK...
Future-Ready Navigation for Naval Operations: SYNAPSIS Delivers a Unified and Integrated Platform for Modern Naval Missions
Anschütz unveiled SYNAPSIS, a unified, sensor‑agnostic navigation and tactical platform for modern warships. The system consolidates chart, sensor, and combat data into a single maritime picture via its Consistent Common Reference System, enhancing situational awareness and decision speed. SYNAPSIS WECDIS NX...
South Korea Moves Closer to KDDX Stealth Destroyer Deal
South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) held a pre‑bid briefing on Feb 11 to launch the contractor‑selection phase for the Korean Next‑Generation Destroyer (KDDX). The program targets an 8,000‑ton stealth destroyer equipped with the Korean Vertical Launching System (KVLS) for...
Developing a Risk-Scoring Tool for Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Biological Design
Researchers at RAND released a risk‑scoring framework to evaluate AI‑enabled biological design threats. The tool separates biological modification impact across five functions—host range, replication, immune evasion, environmental stability, and transmission—and an actor capability dimension that gauges technical skill and AI...
World Defense Show 2026: Russia Reveals Details of New Loitering Munition
At the World Defense Show 2026 in Riyadh, Kalashnikov unveiled the RUS‑PE loitering munition, a cannister‑launched, man‑portable system with an approximate 40 km range. The company said the weapon is already in service and entering low‑rate initial production, while development continues...
Chinese J-35 Face Engine Restrictions on Fujian Carrier
China’s carrier‑based J‑35 stealth fighters on the new Type 003 carrier Fujian are reported to suffer severe engine performance limits, restricting them to roughly seven minutes of flight at a 900 km radius. Analysts say the aircraft still rely on the older...
DARPA Picks Saronic for Semi-Autonomous Vessel Protection Program
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has chosen Saronic to lead the Pulling Guard program’s Focus Area 2, developing a semi‑autonomous, modular escort vessel for unarmed logistics ships. The platform will feature standardized physical and digital interfaces, allowing rapid integration...
Defense Tech Startup Occam Raises €3M Following Brave1 Integration Approval in Ukraine
London‑based Occam Industries announced a €3 million pre‑seed round, led by Czech investor Presto Tech Horizons and backed by Antler, Freedom Fund, TYR.vc and angels. The financing follows the company’s approval for integration testing with Ukraine’s Brave1 defense tech cluster, validating...
Growing Cracks in the BRICS+ Wall
The 2026 Davos forum highlighted a widening rift between President Trump’s hyper‑transactional Board of Peace (BoP) and the consensus‑driven BRICS+ alliance. While the BoP can mobilise billion‑dollar initiatives within weeks, BRICS+ remains mired in slow multilateralism, hampered by its recent...
America the Fearful
In early January 2026, U.S. special‑operations forces conducted a raid on Caracas and seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller defended the operation as a demonstration of American strength in a chaotic world. The move marks...
F-16 Pilot Becomes First Air Guardsman to Win Prestigious Shine Award
Lt. Col. Eric R. Emerson, an Air National Guard F‑16 pilot, became the first Guard member to receive the Anthony C. Shine Award, which honors fighter pilots who embody character, professionalism, and tactical skill. In 2024 he commanded a 24/7...
JBER Debuts a PACAF-First Mission Ready Airman Program
Joint Base Elmendorf‑Richardson launched the Pacific Air Forces’ first Mission Ready Airman program, targeting Security Forces. Thirty‑four noncommissioned officers completed the inaugural course, which blends tactical skills with mission‑focused instruction. A core component was land‑navigation training designed for GPS‑denied scenarios,...
Asia Fumbles With Throttling Back Telnet Traffic in Region
Telnet remains a major security weakness in the Asia‑Pacific, accounting for roughly half of the world’s exposed Telnet endpoints. Global throttling on Jan. 14 cut Telnet sessions by 83 % but Asian providers applied inconsistent filters, leaving the region’s traffic relatively high....
Navy Names Surface Warfare Officers of the Year
The U.S. Navy honored Lt. Cmdr. Carolyn Bystrom and Lt. Cmdr. Brian Van Metre as the Pacific and Atlantic Fleet Surface Warfare Officers of the Year, respectively. Bystrom earned the Pacific award for her tactics leadership aboard the destroyer USS Spruance, including...
Experts Argue Marine Pullback in Okinawa Should Be Halted as China Threat Rises
Experts warn that the Defense Policy Review Initiative, which aims to move roughly 10,000 U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam, Hawaii, Australia and the continental United States, could erode deterrence as China accelerates its push toward Taiwan. The plan, in...
UK Steps up Defence of Arctic and High North From Rising Russian Threats
The United Kingdom will double its troop presence in Norway from 1,000 to 2,000 over the next three years, reinforcing NATO’s Arctic Sentry mission. A major Joint Expeditionary Force exercise, Lion Protector, is slated for September 2026 across Iceland, the...
UK to Lead Multinational Cyber Defence Exercise From Singapore.
Britain will lead the Defence Cyber Marvel 2026 exercise, bringing together more than 2,500 personnel from 29 nations in Singapore. The week‑long drill simulates real‑world cyber attacks, pitting blue and red teams against each other while integrating military, government and...
SpaceX's Next-Gen Super Heavy Booster Aces Four Days of "Cryoproof" Testing
SpaceX announced that its upgraded Super Heavy V3 booster successfully completed a four‑day cryogenic proof‑test campaign at Texas’ Massey Test Site. The test involved multiple liquid‑nitrogen fills and pressure cycles that mimic the ultra‑cold methane and liquid‑oxygen loads planned for...
Female Sailors Can Now Purchase New Dress Overblouse, Navy Announces
The U.S. Navy announced the second phase of its female uniform modernization, making the optional white, long‑sleeved service‑dress overblouse available at select Navy Exchange locations in Norfolk, Arlington and San Diego, as well as online. The overblouse, part of the...
Cyber Command, NSA Nominee Rudd Advances to Senate Floor
The Senate Intelligence Committee voted 14‑3 to advance Army Lt. Gen. Joshua Rudd’s nomination as head of U.S. Cyber Command and the National Security Agency. Rudd, currently deputy chief of U.S. Indo‑Pacific Command, has no prior cyber warfare or intelligence...
L3Harris Pitches Cruise Missiles for SOCOM’s Air Tractor
U.S. Special Operations Command and the Air Force are testing L3Harris’s Red Wolf missile on the OA-1K Skyraider II, a modified Air Tractor crop-duster. Red Wolf can loiter or fly up to 200 nautical miles as a precision cruise missile...
ICE Director Refuses to Commit to Pausing Operations for 2026 World Cup
Acting ICE director Todd Lyons told a House Homeland Security committee that ICE will remain fully operational during the 2026 World Cup, refusing to pledge a pause around match venues. The tournament will draw up to 10 million visitors to 11...
Inside Seoul’s Bid for Canada Submarine Contract
Canada is preparing to replace its aging Victoria‑class submarines, launching its largest defence procurement to date. South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean, backed by Hyundai Heavy Industries, is vying against Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems for the contract. Both governments are pitching comprehensive...
Palladyne AI Receives U.S. Air Force Contract to Advance Swarming Capabilities for Integrated Cross-Domain Operations
Palladyne AI secured a U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory contract, dubbed HANGTIME, to fuse its patented SwarmOS platform across satellite, aerial, maritime and ground systems. The effort targets the longstanding challenge of making autonomous assets operate as a coordinated team...
In the Bloody, Urban Combat to Liberate Manila, This Airborne ‘Angel’ Sacrificed All
PFC Manuel Pérez Jr., a 22‑year‑old paratrooper with the 511th Parachute Infantry Regiment, performed a daring solo assault on a Japanese pillbox during the February 1945 liberation of Manila. His aggressive close‑quarters attack killed 18 enemy combatants and cleared the...
Beer and Wine at Chow Halls of the Future? Commanders Will Decide.
The Army is piloting a campus‑style dining concept at Fort Hood’s 42 Bistro, launching on Feb. 18, with an optional beer and wine service. Senior commanders, including Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan and Fort Hood’s commander, will decide whether alcohol is...
Beyond Blocs
The article argues that the world is moving beyond bloc politics toward issue‑based cooperation, with Europe seeking strategic autonomy while engaging China on a case‑by‑case basis. Recent high‑level visits to Beijing by European and other leaders underscore this shift. Trade...
China’s US Treasurys Exit Could Limit Japan’s Military Spending
China is directing state‑owned banks to cut U.S. Treasury holdings to roughly $750 billion by 2025, halving its 2010 peak. The reduction removes a major buyer from the market, shifting the financing burden toward Japan, the world’s largest foreign‑reserve holder. Japan’s...
Is a Dollar Vibe Shift Under Way?
The Atlantic Council’s GeoEconomics Center podcast explores whether a sustained dollar depreciation is emerging. Host Dan McDowell explains how a weaker greenback could reshape U.S. trade balances, investment flows, and national‑security calculations. The discussion highlights potential benefits for exporters alongside higher...
Michigan Facility Designated as DOW National Test Site for Drones
The U.S. Department of Defense has named Michigan’s National All‑Domain Warfighting Center (NADWC) a national test site for uncrewed aerial systems. The range offers roughly 200,000 acres of maneuver space and over 17,000 square miles of dedicated airspace, enabling realistic...
Boeing to Modernise USAF C-17A Globemaster III Flight Deck
Boeing has been awarded a contract exceeding $400 million to modernise the flight deck of the USAF C‑17A Globemaster III. The programme will replace legacy avionics with a modular open systems architecture (MOSA), allowing rapid integration of new capabilities. Curtiss‑Wright will supply...