RTX Wins up to $230.56m Deal for F135 Lot 20 Long-Lead Materials
RTX has been awarded a non‑competitive contract worth up to $230.56 million to procure long‑lead‑time materials and components for F135 Lot 20 propulsion systems. The deal supports the production of 138 engines destined for the U.S. Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, as well as foreign military sales customers. It is structured as a fixed‑price‑incentive and cost‑plus‑incentive‑fee contract, with work spread across more than a dozen U.S. facilities and a projected completion date of May 2031. Funding comes from Air Force, Navy, partner DoD and FMS sources, none of which expire this fiscal year.
Major Overhaul of NATO’s Force Commands
NATO is undergoing a major command reshuffle as the United States transfers leadership of its Joint Force Commands in Naples and Norfolk to European officers—an Italian and a British general, respectively. The U.S. will assume control of Allied Maritime Command...
GE Aerospace, MEPC Sign RSAF F110 Maintenance Contracts
GE Aerospace has signed three agreements with Saudi‑based Middle East Propulsion Company (MEPC) to supply ENSIP kits, and provide repair and overhaul services for the Royal Saudi Air Force’s F110‑129 engine fleet. The deals, announced at the World Defense Show...
Will Donroe Doctrine Really Cut China’s Western Hemisphere Clout?
The Trump administration’s new National Security Strategy introduces the “Donroe Doctrine,” a modernized Monroe Doctrine that seeks to bar non‑hemispheric powers, especially China, from controlling strategic assets in the Western Hemisphere. It pledges to push out foreign infrastructure firms and...
Naval Group, Astrolight to Test POLARIS Laser on Lithuanian Ships
Naval Group and Lithuanian space‑tech firm Astrolight have signed an MoU to trial Astrolight’s POLARIS laser communication terminal on Naval Group’s new offshore patrol vessel for Lithuania. The partnership was announced at the Lithuanian Maritime Defence Industry Days and follows...
US Navy and Raytheon Explore Additional Applications for Mk 58 CRAW Torpedo
Raytheon and the U.S. Navy are assessing broader uses for the Mk 58 Compact Rapid Attack Weapon (CRAW), a torpedo originally built for Virginia‑class submarines. The system is transitioning from prototype to an operationally ready weapon, praised for its affordability and...
NASA Chief: Artemis Moon Landing Is Litmus Test for ‘American Exceptionalism’
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman warned that the Artemis III moon landing is a litmus test for American exceptionalism, stressing that a U.S. miss before China’s 2030 landing would raise questions about national competence. The White House pushed the Artemis III...
U.S. Unveils “Parasitic” MMAUV That Hitchhikes Onto Ships & Submarines — Changing Rules Of Naval Warfare
Lockheed Martin has unveiled the Lamprey Multi‑Mission Autonomous Undersea Vehicle (MMAUV), a plug‑and‑play drone that latches onto ships or submarines and recharges via built‑in hydrogenerators. The modular vehicle can arrive at a theater fully charged and launch aerial drones, torpedoes,...
BAE Systems to Supply Allies with US Missile Warning System
BAE Systems secured $137 million in U.S. Army Foreign Military Sales contracts to supply its AN/AAR‑57 Common Missile Warning System to allied customers. The deal expands CMWS coverage to aircraft fleets in over 20 nations, adding to more than 3,000 units...
Sweden Will Build CV90 Prototypes for Its Fleet Renewal
Sweden’s Defence Materiel Administration awarded a $37.5 million contract to HB Utveckling AB to build prototypes for updated CV90 infantry fighting vehicles, extending the fleet’s service life to at least 2045. The programme includes the purchase of 50 new CV9035 MkIIIC variants equipped...
Germany and Sweden Choose PROTECTOR RS4 RWS for CAVS 6×6 Program
Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has signed a contract with Patria to supply several hundred PROTECTOR RS4 remote weapon stations for the German and Swedish Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) 6×6 programmes, valued at approximately €140 million. The RS4, a turret‑on‑turret solution...
Behind Putin’s $15 Billion Arms Revenue Claim
Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that arms exports generated roughly $15 billion in foreign‑exchange earnings in 2025 and that more than 340 cooperation projects are slated for 2026‑2028. Independent analysts caution that Russia’s defence‑sector data are opaque, making the figure difficult...
World Defense Show 2026: MARSS Displays New Nation Shield Air Defence C2 System
At the World Defense Show 2026, MARSS introduced Nation Shield, the latest version of its NiDAR command‑and‑control platform. The system extends C2 capabilities to dismounted troops and vehicle units, delivering a unified operating picture from the edge to mission command....
Challenges Overshadow Hope in Gaza
Major fighting in Gaza has ceased, yet the cease‑fire remains fragile and humanitarian conditions are only marginally improving. Over 92% of residential structures are destroyed, leaving half a hundred million metric tons of rubble and a crippled health system. The...
Europe Braces as US Returns to Munich Security Conference
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead a delegation to the Munich Security Conference, marking Washington’s most visible re‑engagement with Europe since a year of heightened unilateralism. The Munich Security Index now rates the United States as a greater geopolitical...
US Approves $1.7 Billion AEGIS Combat System Upgrade for Spain
The U.S. State Department approved a $1.7 billion Foreign Military Sale to Spain for a mid‑life upgrade of its five Álvaro de Bazán (F‑100) class Aegis‑equipped frigates. The package provides five new Aegis Weapon System shipsets, upgraded digital signal processors, modern MK‑41...
World Defense Show 2026: Middle East Remains Focused on US Equipment and Local Industry Involvement
The World Defense Show 2026 highlighted a $63.5 billion Middle East vehicle procurement market projected through 2036, with nearly half ($31.7 billion) tied to unawarded programmes. The unawarded segment covers almost 10,000 vehicles, dominated by main battle tank contracts for Bahrain, Turkey...
UK’s Type 83 Destroyer Stays in the Shadows with Program yet to Move Beyond Concept
The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed that the future Type 83 destroyer remains in the concept stage, with the outline business case expected by June 2026. The program is being evaluated against the Royal Navy’s Hybrid Navy Strategy and the broader Defence...
Wyoming Guard Partners with Wyoming Hoist Team for Search and Rescue Training
The Wyoming Army National Guard partnered with the volunteer Wyoming Hoist Team to conduct joint hoist training with the Big Horn County Search and Rescue and Wyoming Life Flight in the Greybull Mountains on Jan. 28, 2026. The exercise taught civilian rescuers...
Mining Corridors as Catalysts: Building on the Lobito Model
In December 2025 the United States and the Democratic Republic of Congo signed a strategic partnership that gives Washington preferential access to Congolese mineral deposits. The article argues that the next step is building logistics corridors, using the Lobito Corridor—linking...
World Defense Show 2026: ST Engineering Seeks Edge in Crowded 6x6 Market
Singapore’s ST Engineering unveiled the Vantrex, a new 6×6 infantry fighting vehicle at the World Defense Show 2026. The design merges the lower chassis of the Terrex s5 with a commercial‑truck‑derived upper structure, positioning it between the company’s Rhino 4×4...
Advisor to the Polish General Staff on Cooperation with the USA: We Have a Contingency Plan
Polish Strategic Advisor Lt. Gen. Piotr Błazeusz told TVP World that Poland has both a primary defence plan and contingency “branch” plans in case U.S. support wanes, but he remains confident Washington will not abandon its European allies. He questioned...
ADSB Floats Out Kuwait’s First Al-Dorra-Class Missile Boat
Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) has launched AL NOUKHITHA, the first 62‑meter Al‑Dorra‑class missile boat built for Kuwait’s Ministry of Defense. The vessel is the inaugural unit under a subcontracted contract with EDGE Group, representing the largest naval export deal...
Corporate Report: Ministry of Defence Votes A: 2026 to 2027
On 10 February 2026, the UK Ministry of Defence published its Votes A 2026‑2027 paper, seeking parliamentary authority to set the maximum number of personnel for the armed forces for the fiscal year ending 31 March 2027. The document outlines...
Global Foresight 2036
The Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center released Global Foresight 2036, its fifth strategic‑foresight report. Drawing on a survey of nearly 450 geostrategists and foresight practitioners, the paper outlines a ten‑year vision across geopolitics, the global economy, technology, and Earth systems. It highlights...
AI and the Future
Three years after ChatGPT's debut, Atlantic Council experts caution that current AI, built on large language models, excels at pattern‑based tasks but lacks true predictive power for complex geopolitical outcomes. They highlight AI's probabilistic nature, limited ability to generate new...
Welcome to 2036: What the World Could Look Like in Ten Years, According to Nearly 450 Experts
An Atlantic Council survey of 447 experts from 72 nations paints a bleak picture of the world in 2036. Most respondents expect China to become the top economic power, while the United States retains military superiority, creating a bipolar or...
Singapore Airshow 2026: Rafael Highlights Tailored Effector Solutions for Different Operational Needs
At Singapore Airshow 2026, Israeli defence firm Rafael unveiled two new Spike family effectors – the L‑Spike 1X, a section‑level ISR and loitering munition, and the L‑Spike 4X, a battalion‑scale loitering missile. CEO Yoav Turgeman stressed that customers now demand battle‑proven systems...
Manpower Analysis to Improve the Functional Alignment and Organizational Structure of Space Training and Readiness Command Headquarters
RAND researchers evaluated HQ STARCOM’s manpower, revealing pervasive staffing shortfalls across directorates and heavy reliance on civilians and contractors. The study identified fragmented roles, unclear functional‑mission links, and structural tension between STARCOM’s flat hierarchy and required command control. An optimization...
Invoking Article 5 for Ukraine Could Weaken NATO
NATO members, led by Finland, warn that invoking Article 5 for Ukraine could erode the clause’s deterrent power. They argue that extending collective defense to a non‑member engaged in an active war would blur the threshold for future attacks, especially hybrid...
Hanwha Ocean Links up with South Korean Firms to Pursue Submarine Projects in Middle East
Hanwha Ocean has inked an MOU with eleven South Korean submarine builders to jointly pursue contracts in Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East. The consortium will market the KSS‑III Batch‑II “Jang Yeongsil” submarine, emphasizing platform construction, combat systems, and long‑term...
Saudi Arabia Orders Lightweight Torpedoes From Fincantieri’s WASS
Fincantieri’s submarine arm, WASS, landed a €200 million contract with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence to supply MU90 lightweight torpedoes. The deal, announced at the 2026 World Defence Show in Riyadh, is the largest ever for WASS and the first direct...
The AI Divide
U.S. and China dominate the AI ecosystem, employing 70% of the world’s top machine‑learning researchers, controlling 90% of computing power, and securing the majority of AI investment. This concentration creates an “AI divide” that could lock most other countries into...
Why Pakistan Is Urgently Moving Toward Shipborne Laser Weapons
Pakistan’s Navy issued a formal tender for two 10 kW shipborne laser weapon systems, with scalability to 30 kW, to be installed on surface combatants for counter‑UAS and swarm defence. The systems must integrate AI/ML to achieve sub‑100 ms sensor‑to‑effector latency, 360‑degree coverage...
US Containerized Drone Swarms No Silver Bullet vs China
The Defense Innovation Unit has issued a solicitation for a Containerized Autonomous Drone Delivery System (CADDS) that can store, launch, recover and service large numbers of unmanned aerial systems from a single container on land or sea. CADDS is designed...
Indonesia, Australia Sign Security Treaty, Pledge Joint Consultations
Indonesia and Australia signed the Treaty on Common Security in Jakarta, committing both capitals to regular security consultations and coordinated responses to emerging threats. The pact builds on the 1996 Lombok Treaty and the 2024 Defence Cooperation Agreement, but stops...
National Guard Members Shot in DC Will Receive Purple Hearts
The Pentagon announced that Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe and the late Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, both members of the West Virginia National Guard, will receive the Purple Heart for injuries sustained in a November ambush near the White...
Fort Hood Soldiers to Get ‘Freedom Dollars’ with First Campus-Style Dining Facility
Fort Hood, Texas, will host the Army’s inaugural campus‑style dining facility, the 42 Bistro, opening Feb. 18. Soldiers enrolled in the Essential Station Messing program receive a daily $39 ‘freedom dollars’ credit to purchase meals, while others pay out‑of‑pocket. The venue,...
Kroenig on School of War Podcast on Nuclear Weapons
On February 9, Atlantic Council senior director Matthew Kroenig appeared on the School of War podcast to discuss China’s rapidly expanding nuclear arsenal. He highlighted recent Chinese test activities and the pace at which Beijing is increasing warhead counts and delivery...
Marine Earns Service’s Highest Non-Combat Award for Vehicle Rescue
Staff Sgt. Billy Scafidel, an armory chief with the 7th Engineer Support Battalion, received the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for rescuing a fellow Marine from a submerged truck on Sept. 1, 2024, near Camp Pendleton. After hearing a splash, Scafidel...
How 2025’s US Tariff Shocks Can Give Way to Constructive Reforms in 2026
The Trump administration’s 2025 trade strategy oscillated between aggressive, unpredictable tariff threats and a quieter push for long‑standing trade objectives. While high tariffs and threats destabilized markets, the administration began issuing exemptions and rolled back many threats, stabilizing tariff levels...
Navigating FedRAMP 20x and the Continuous Compliance Imperative
FedRAMP 20x seeks to modernize federal cloud compliance by replacing static checklists with continuous validation through Key Security Indicators (KSIs). The initiative promises faster, more flexible authorization for SaaS providers, but progress is hampered by funding cuts, staff shortages, and...
Takaichi’s Landslide Victory
Japan’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, called a snap election that delivered a historic super‑majority for the Liberal Democratic Party, winning 316 of 465 lower‑house seats. The result gives the LDP unprecedented legislative power to push Takaichi’s agenda without...
Wisconsin Signal Soldiers Train in Complex Communication Environments
More than 100 Wisconsin Army National Guard signal soldiers gathered at Camp Douglas on Jan. 31, 2026 for a combined signal exercise hosted by the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team S6. The two‑day drill emphasized complex communications, integrating trunked land‑mobile radios...
US and Italian Soldiers Earn German Military Badge in Joint Italy Training
Over 110 U.S. and Italian soldiers completed a four‑day proficiency test at an Italian base, meeting German Armed Forces standards to earn the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge. The event, overseen by Germany’s 10th Panzer Division, included ruck marches, weapons...
Gabbard’s Expanded Role in Election Security Draws Scrutiny
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has expanded her office’s involvement in election security, including participation in a recent FBI raid on a Georgia elections office and the seizure of voting machines in Puerto Rico that were found to have...
Chief of Naval Operations Unveils “Fighting Instructions” At U.S. Naval War College
Adm. Daryl Caudle, the Navy’s 34th Chief of Naval Operations, unveiled the United States Navy Fighting Instructions, a comprehensive doctrine guiding organization, training, equipment, and combat in a contested global environment. The guidance introduces a "Hedge Strategy" that balances high‑end...
CIA Announces New Acquisition Framework to Speed Tech Adoption
The CIA unveiled a new acquisition framework designed to accelerate the procurement of cutting‑edge technology from the private sector. The plan introduces a centralized vendor‑vetting system and a streamlined IT‑authorization process to shrink the gap between mission requirements and operational...
US Military Boards Sanctioned Oil Tanker in Indian Ocean
The U.S. military conducted a right‑of‑visit boarding of the Panama‑flagged tanker Aquila II in the Indian Ocean after tracking it from the Caribbean. The vessel, linked to sanctions on Venezuelan and illicit Russian oil, had been operating with its transponder off,...
IMOD, Elbit Systems Sign Deal for CH-53K Helicopter Upgrades
Israel's Ministry of Defense signed a contract exceeding NIS 400 million ($130 million) with Elbit Systems to outfit 12 new CH‑53K “Pereh” helicopters with indigenous command‑and‑control, avionics, electronic‑warfare and DIRCM anti‑missile suites. The upgrades aim to improve flight operations in adverse environments and...