Daily briefing
September 19, 2026
Executive summary
The institutional, air, and naval domains dominated today's reporting, with a heavy European concentration driven by an expanding British nuclear-enterprise cluster and continued Russia-Ukraine industrial signals. The single most significant development was Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's disclosure that a Saronic Corsair autonomous surface vessel conducted the first American combat use of a sea drone, striking Iran's Bandar Abbas Naval Base and earlier recovering two downed Army aviators off Oman under Task Force 59 and Fifth Fleet. Equally consequential, President Trump announced a US-Denmark-Greenland security agreement he characterized as granting Washington permanent control of Greenland's security, expanding the American footprint at Pituffik Space Base while barring non-NATO adversaries. A Defense Department inspector general report separately quantified Operation Epic Fury against Iran at roughly 13,500 targets across 36,000 combat sorties for a reported $33.4 billion, though much of the data remains unaudited. The connective thread across the day is the maturation and industrialization of unmanned systems set against intensifying counter-drone hardening, from the Corsair strike and the US Army's Ukrainian Raybird buy to Cape Canaveral's counter-UAS build-up and a Spanish F-18 downing a drone over Romania, alongside a persistent European sovereignty tension visible in the F127 frigate debate and Britain's move toward domestic naval reactor fuel. Watch the British nuclear cluster, the AUKUS and France cooperation signals, and the accelerating drone-versus-counter-drone cost exchange as the dominant vectors.
◆ Articles covered
- DronesDefence Industry EuropeHegseth says Saronic sea drone rescued U.S. pilots and struck Iranian naval facility in first American combat deployment
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said a Saronic Corsair autonomous surface vessel supported two U.S. combat missions in the Middle East. In June, the craft recovered two Army aviators off Oman after their AH-64 was downed, carrying them to a point where a helicopter could hoist them aboard. In July, it struck a submarine and ship-maintenance facility at Iran's Bandar Abbas Naval Base. Hegseth described the attack as the first American combat use of a sea drone, while the Corsair was operated by the Navy's Task Force 59 and Fifth Fleet.
- AirDefence Industry EuropeGeneral Atomics says autonomous CCA is ready for production after passive-sensor target engagement with manned F-5 fighter
General Atomics tested an autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft alongside a manned F-5 Advanced Tiger during a large-force exercise on July 21. Both aircraft carried passive infrared search-and-track sensors and the company's TacACE autonomy software, allowing them to fuse observations without using active radar. Targeting data from the F-5 was relayed over a beyond-line-of-sight link so the unmanned aircraft could support the engagement. General Atomics says the demonstration shows its CCA design is ready for production, although the flight remains part of an ongoing test campaign rather than an operational deployment.
- InstitutionalDefence Industry EuropeU.S. lawmakers investigate F-35 parts, including stealth canopy, diverted to Hong Kong during shipment from Australia to United States
U.S. lawmakers are investigating how unserviceable F-35 components sent from Australia for repair were diverted to Hong Kong while en route to the United States. The shipment included a canopy with a transparent radar-absorbing coating, raising supply-chain and export-control concerns even though the parts were being moved for maintenance. The Pentagon is working to recover the items and determine why an intermediary rerouted them, while congressional staff have received briefings since June. The components belong to the Defense Department's global common pool, but their current location and the reason for the diversion remain unclear.
- AirDefence Industry EuropeOperation Epic Fury: U.S. struck 13,500 targets in 36,000 combat sorties during major military campaign against Iran, report says
A Defense Department inspector general report says U.S. forces struck about 13,500 targets during Operation Epic Fury, supported by roughly 36,000 combat sorties and more than 1,800 fire missions. The main campaign against Iran ran from February 28 to an April 7 ceasefire and involved over 50,000 American personnel across the Middle East. Reported targets included missile units, air defenses, command sites, naval assets, storage facilities, and defense-industrial infrastructure. The report placed costs at $33.4 billion through June 29, while noting that much of the operational and financial information had not been independently verified or audited.
- AirDefence Industry EuropeAustralia expands P-8A Poseidon strike role with long-range LRASM capability for maritime deterrence in the Indo-Pacific
Australia demonstrated the AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile from a Royal Australian Air Force P-8A Poseidon during Exercise Medusa Fury in Hawaii. The July event expanded the patrol aircraft's role from surveillance and anti-submarine work to long-range precision attacks against surface ships. LRASM has a stated range exceeding 370 kilometers and uses semi-autonomous guidance to find targets in contested maritime environments. The test followed an earlier launch from an Australian F/A-18F Super Hornet and supports a broader effort to distribute anti-ship strike capacity across the country's 13 P-8As, although no operational fielding date was announced.
- DronesDefence BlogU.S. Army buys Ukrainian Raybird unmanned aircraft
The U.S. Army awarded Skyeton's American subsidiary a $10.6 million firm-fixed-price contract for Raybird unmanned-aircraft hardware and services. Only one bid was received, and the Army expects work to be completed by December 15, 2026, with locations and funding assigned through individual orders. Raybird is a Ukrainian-designed long-endurance reconnaissance aircraft advertised with approximately 28 hours of endurance, a range above 2,500 kilometers, and payload capacity of 5 to 10 kilograms. The contract notice did not disclose how many systems are being purchased or which Army units will operate them.
- IndustryDefence BlogLockheed gets $76.6M for next-gen of Trident II nuclear missile
The U.S. Navy added $76.6 million to Lockheed Martin's contract for advanced design and development of the Trident II D5 Life Extension 2 missile. The modification is fully funded with fiscal 2026 weapons-procurement money and runs through September 2030, with most work performed in Denver and other U.S. locations. D5LE2 is intended to keep the submarine-launched ballistic missile viable until about 2084 and equip future Columbia-class and British Dreadnought-class submarines. This award continues engineering work rather than buying completed missiles, building on earlier development modifications and the current D5 life-extension program.
- IndustryDefence BlogLockheed's F-35 support deal grows by $871 million
The U.S. Navy increased an F-35 support contract with Lockheed Martin by $871.2 million to provide equipment for new operating sites worldwide. The modification raises the ceiling of a broader $2.29 billion agreement covering site activation, temporary contractor support, fleet management, and reliability work. It funds items such as spare parts, specialized maintenance tools, ground equipment, and logistics-network connections rather than additional aircraft. Work is scheduled through February 2031, primarily in El Segundo and Fort Worth, but the higher ceiling becomes available through future orders and has not been allocated publicly to specific U.S. bases or partner countries.
- IndustryJanesDVD 2026: UK announces first Recce Strike contracts
The United Kingdom announced its first acquisition steps for the British Army's Recce Strike concept at DVD 2026. Three British small businesses received contracts worth a combined £16 million for more than 1,000 small reconnaissance drones, while Tekever was selected to bring 24 longer-endurance AR5 aircraft into service by 2029. Separate contracts went to MBDA and Thales to study a beyond-line-of-sight anti-armor weapon. The layered sensor-and-strike approach will be connected through Project Asgard, backed by £370 million, but the exploratory weapon contracts do not yet commit the Army to a production system.
- Institutionalukdefencejournal.org.ukFirst new British warhead since the early nineties advances
Britain's Astraea nuclear-warhead program passed its System Design Review in August 2025, a milestone covering the proposed design and its safety case. Astraea will become the United Kingdom's first new warhead since the early 1990s and is being developed without explosive nuclear testing under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. It is intended eventually to replace the Mk4A warhead carried on Trident missiles, with work led through the Defence Nuclear Enterprise and long-standing U.S. cooperation. The government plans £15 billion of warhead-program spending from 2025-26 through 2029-30, but operational dates and detailed specifications remain classified.
- AirDefence Industry EuropeU.S. Air Force ends five-decade A-10 era at Davis-Monthan with inactivation of final Thunderbolt II operational and training units
The U.S. Air Force inactivated four A-10 organizations at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base on September 18, ending the aircraft's nearly five-decade presence there. The affected units included the 355th Operations Group, 357th Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Generation Squadron, and 355th Training Squadron. Their closure ends local A-10 operations and formal pilot training as the service continues retiring the Thunderbolt II fleet. The action does not mean every A-10 has left Air Force service immediately, because aircraft and units at other installations remain subject to their own drawdown schedules.
- AirDefence Industry EuropeBritain to replace ageing Hawk jets under £360 million military training overhaul, with new aircraft planned for Red Arrows
Britain plans to spend £360 million between 2026-27 and 2029-30 to recapitalize military jet training and begin replacing the Hawk fleet. The future British Jet Training System is expected to enter service during 2030-35 and will include an aircraft suitable for the Red Arrows. Officials have not selected a platform, supplier, fleet size, or acquisition route, so the funding starts the replacement effort rather than awarding an aircraft contract. A separate £860 million allocation will support existing Hawk T1 and T2 operations over the next four years while the new training system is developed.
- DronesDefense OneCape Canaveral is building up its counter-drone defenses, Space Force says
Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is scheduled to receive additional defenses against small drones within weeks through Joint Interagency Task Force 401. The specific sensors and interceptors were not identified, but the effort addresses a gap because traditional air-surveillance radars are optimized for aircraft rather than quadcopters and similar low-altitude threats. Protection is increasingly important as the installation supports a record launch tempo, including 109 launches in the preceding year. The deployment is a defensive upgrade for critical launch infrastructure, not evidence of a confirmed attack, and officials have not disclosed its cost or permanent force structure.
- DronesDefence BlogNorth Korea reveals new drone production lines
North Korean state media showed Kim Jong Un inspecting production lines for at least three domestically built drone types during visits from September 16 to 18. The facilities displayed a one-way attack design resembling Israel's Harop, plus partially assembled Saetbyol-4 and Saetbyol-9 reconnaissance or combat aircraft. Earlier imagery had shown a launcher for the attack drone with six containers on each of four trucks. The disclosure indicates that several designs have moved beyond public prototypes, but Pyongyang did not identify factory locations, production rates, inventories, or the operational status of the aircraft.
- LandDefence BlogNorth Korea's HIMARS-style launcher moves into production
North Korean state media showed a wheeled multiple-rocket launcher resembling the U.S. HIMARS on a production line during Kim Jong Un's September factory tour. The system first appeared publicly in a 2023 parade and was tested in May 2026 alongside an upgraded 240 mm guided rocket and an artificial-intelligence-assisted cruise missile. South Korea tracked the May launch for roughly 80 kilometers toward the Yellow Sea. Factory imagery suggests the launcher has entered manufacturing, but North Korea has not disclosed quantities, delivery units, rocket range, guidance performance, or a production schedule.
- Institutionalukdefencejournal.org.ukBritain exploring return to making its own reactor fuel
Britain is examining whether to restore domestic production of uranium fuel for naval reactors through a new Nuclear Fuels Programme. The United Kingdom previously enriched defense uranium at Capenhurst but has relied on existing stocks since that activity ended. A sovereign supply could support the Royal Navy's all-nuclear submarine force and reduce long-term dependence as demand grows for Dreadnought, Astute, and future SSN-AUKUS boats. The review accompanies about £6 billion of investment in submarine infrastructure at Raynesway and Barrow, but no final decision, site selection, budget, or production date for new fuel has been announced.
- NavalNaval NewsF127: Over-Reliance on U.S. Technology Is No Longer Appropriate
A Naval News analysis argues that Germany's planned F127 air-defense frigate should not rely as heavily on U.S. combat-system technology as currently envisioned. The program is considering Aegis, SPY-6 radar, and American weapons to provide area air defense and ballistic-missile defense from the mid-2030s. The author warns that dependence on foreign software, sensors, and effectors could constrain sovereignty, availability, and future upgrades on ships expected to cost several billion euros each. Proposed alternatives include more German or European systems, or a split fleet combining U.S.-oriented ballistic-missile-defense ships with more sovereign European variants; no procurement decision has been made.
- LandArmy RecognitionU.S. Marines Expand Amphibious Combat Vehicle Role Beyond Ship-to-Shore Operations
U.S. Marines used Amphibious Combat Vehicles during a September 16 raid rehearsal at Camp Lejeune as Battalion Landing Team 1/8 prepared for deployment with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The ACVs carried infantry from the amphibious force into the objective area and then provided protected mobility ashore, illustrating a role beyond the initial ship-to-shore movement. That employment supports the Marine Corps' shift toward distributed littoral operations in which vehicles continue contributing after landing. Separate training has explored additional payloads and fires, but this rehearsal specifically demonstrated transport and protected maneuver rather than announcing a new ACV variant or procurement.
- IndustryDefence BlogU.S. Army orders new infrared sensors for its Avenger
The Defense Logistics Agency awarded L3Harris subsidiary Cincinnati Electronics a contract worth up to $25.2 million for Avenger infrared sensors. The five-year, sole-source agreement runs through September 2031 and supplies forward-looking infrared units used to detect and track targets at night or in poor visibility. Avenger combines eight Stinger missiles and a machine gun on a stabilized Humvee-mounted turret, with the thermal sensor supporting acquisition and lock confirmation against low-flying aircraft, drones, and cruise missiles. Because the award is an indefinite-delivery arrangement, the Army has not committed publicly to a fixed number of sensors.
- IndustryDefence BlogLeidos joins Anduril in U.S. Air Force design deal
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory awarded Leidos an indefinite-delivery contract with an $85 million ceiling under the VOLARE digital-design program. The company joins Anduril in a multi-award competition to develop software for aircraft-level modeling and methods for designing thermal-management systems. Work will occur in Dayton through September 2036, while individual task orders determine actual funding and scope. No money was obligated on the base agreement, although a first task order used $75,000 in fiscal 2026 research funds, so the ceiling should not be read as an immediate $85 million payment.
- NavalDefence BlogU.S. Navy secures long-term support for EMALS catapult system
The U.S. Navy awarded Kato Engineering a $49.3 million indefinite-delivery contract to sustain the Energy Storage Subsystem used by Ford-class carrier catapults. The agreement covers engineering support, repairs, and difficult-to-source parts through September 2031, with most work performed in Minnesota. Each carrier uses 12 motor-generator units to store and release the electrical energy required by the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System. No funds were obligated at award because task orders will be issued as needs arise; the contract supports fielded equipment and does not itself redesign EMALS or guarantee expenditure of the full ceiling.
- Institutionalukdefencejournal.org.ukBritain deepens nuclear ties with France and Australia
Britain's annual nuclear-enterprise update describes deeper cooperation with the United States, France, and Australia. The 2025 Northwood Declaration with France states that an extreme threat to Europe would prompt a response from both nuclear powers, while HMS Anson's 2026 visit to HMAS Stirling advanced practical AUKUS cooperation. The United States remains Britain's closest nuclear partner through policy, technology, and the shared Trident missile pool established under the amended Polaris Sales Agreement. Britain nevertheless retains sovereign control of its warheads and operates its deterrent independently, with the current Mk4A maintained by AWE and Astraea under development.
- AirDefence Industry EuropeU.S. and Canada to conduct joint Bering Sea maritime strike drills with F-35s, E-3 aircraft and naval forces near Alaska
The United States and Canada scheduled Operation TUNDRA MERLIN in the Bering Sea from September 18 to 22, about 100 nautical miles north of Dutch Harbor. The exercise combines Alaska-based F-35s and E-3 airborne-warning aircraft with U.S. Coast Guard, Royal Canadian Navy, and Canadian patrol assets. Participants will rehearse simulated maritime strikes, pass targeting information across services, and test command-and-control procedures for defending both homelands. U.S. Northern Command and Alaskan Command are directing the event, which is an Arctic readiness drill against notional targets rather than a response to a publicly identified real-world incident.
- InstitutionalThe New York TimesU.S. and Denmark Reach Security Deal on Greenland, Trump Says
President Donald Trump announced an agreement with Denmark and Greenland that he said gives the United States permanent control over Greenland's security. Danish and Greenlandic leaders said the pact expands the American military presence while preserving the island's sovereignty, self-determination, and status within the Kingdom of Denmark. Reported terms would bar non-NATO adversaries from military bases or sensitive investments and build on the existing U.S. presence at Pituffik Space Base. Detailed provisions have not been released, and the agreement is expected to require formal signing and parliamentary approval in Denmark and Greenland before taking effect.
- LandDefence BlogRussia's next-gen Armata tank remains stuck a decade after debut
New footage showed a T-14 Armata traveling toward a Russian firing range, but it provided no evidence that the tank has moved beyond limited testing. Russia unveiled the design in 2015 and once planned more than 2,300 vehicles, yet estimates place production at roughly 20 prototypes or pre-production examples. High unit cost, technical delays, and wartime demand have favored cheaper T-90M production and T-72 refurbishment instead. Russian sources have claimed limited use in Ukraine, but no independently verified combat deployment has emerged, leaving the Armata's future as a mass-produced operational tank uncertain more than a decade after its debut.
- Navalukdefencejournal.org.ukNew naval shipbuilding plan due later this year
The British government plans to publish a Shipbuilding and Maritime Technology Action Plan later in 2026. The document will address long-term workforce, infrastructure, industrial capacity, and growth beyond current frigate, support-ship, and autonomous-vessel programs. It comes as Type 23 frigates retire and Type 26 and Type 31 replacements enter service, creating concern about sustaining escort numbers and continuous work at British yards. Ministers have cited investment in autonomous vessels, a Netherlands-linked amphibious fleet, future Common Combat Vessels, five Type 31s, and a combined British-Norwegian total of 13 Type 26s, but have not released individual retirement or entry dates.
- Navalukdefencejournal.org.ukNavy yet to settle on guns for support ships
The Royal Navy has not selected the gun fit for its three Fleet Solid Support ships, which will carry ammunition and stores for carrier groups and other vessels. A previous automatic small-caliber gun requirement was removed from Navantia UK's manufacturing contract, recording a £1.704 million constructive loss because it no longer matched the fleet's likely future solution. Officials say a rationalization program aims to reduce gun variants and improve commonality across the service. The ships will be designed to accept multiple future weapons, but the ministry has not named a preferred caliber, mount, supplier, selection date, or installation schedule.
- Spaceukdefencejournal.org.ukEuropean commercial rocket reaches orbit from Norway
German company Isar Aerospace placed satellites into orbit from Norway's Andøya Spaceport on the second flight of its Spectrum rocket. The September 5 mission, named Onward and Upward, crossed the Kármán line, completed stage separation and second-stage ignition, and deployed its payloads after reaching orbit. NATO Allied Air Command described the flight as the first successful orbital satellite delivery by a European commercial space company. It was a civilian mission rather than a NATO launch, but the alliance highlighted how diverse commercial providers and launch sites improve access to communications, navigation, surveillance, and other space-enabled services.
- Airukdefencejournal.org.ukSpanish F-18s scramble 15 times over Romania
Spanish F-18s conducted 15 Alpha Scrambles during their first 30 days of NATO Quick Reaction Alert duty at Romania's Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base. The Paznic detachment has maintained round-the-clock readiness since August 7, supported by NATO sensors, command-and-control networks, and a Spanish A400M tanker. During an August 16 alert, the fighters identified an unidentified drone at night and, after authorization and a ground-risk assessment, one aircraft destroyed it. Operational and training sorties exceeded 200 flight hours, demonstrating a broader integrated air-defense role rather than traditional interception-only air policing.
- NavalDefence Industry EuropeUSS Abraham Lincoln returns to Indo-Pacific after seven-month Middle East deployment, making logistics stop in Guam
USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in Guam on September 19 for a logistics stop after nearly seven months of operations in the U.S. Central Command area. The Nimitz-class carrier returned with Carrier Air Wing 9, Destroyer Squadron 21, and the destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. as Carrier Strike Group 3 resumed activity under the Seventh Fleet. The visit marked the group's first return to American territory in nine months and provided sailors limited on-base liberty. Guam's command, replenishment, and maintenance infrastructure supports the strike group's renewed routine operations with allies and partners across the western Pacific.
- InstitutionalReutersTurkey says it could help meet Saudi military needs under defence pact
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Ankara is ready to meet Saudi Arabia's technical military needs after intensified Houthi attacks on Saudi territory and infrastructure. The offer rests on the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, signed by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, which treats an armed attack on one member as an attack on all three. Fidan did not identify requested equipment, deployments, or a timetable, and Pakistan said no joint military response had been discussed. Turkey also presented proposals aimed at ending the fighting and emphasized that the trilateral pact does not replace members' existing alliances.
- DronesDefence BlogRussia reportedly buries its drone factory underground
A Ukrainian open-source analyst reported that Russia has built about 42,000 square meters of underground space for Shahed and Geran attack-drone production at Alabuga in Tatarstan. The claim follows documented expansion of the industrial zone, including new halls, a larger construction footprint, worker housing, and protective lattice towers around key buildings. Moving production underground would make future Ukrainian strikes more difficult and expensive while protecting Russia's principal Geran-2 manufacturing site. However, the underground-area estimate comes from a single analyst and has not been independently confirmed through a separate satellite-imagery assessment.
- Airukdefencejournal.org.ukUK reviews NATO flying schools for flight training
Britain is regularly comparing NATO and international flying schools as it evaluates fast-jet training quality, safety, cost, and pilot output. The Ministry of Defence participates in NATO Flying Training Europe, the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program, and the International Flying Training School. Results from those arrangements are assessed against the combat-air force's requirement for new pilots rather than treated as an announced replacement for the UK Military Flying Training System. The parliamentary answer identified ongoing analysis and benchmarking, but it did not announce a transfer of training abroad, a selected school, new student numbers, or a procurement decision.
- Institutionalukdefencejournal.org.ukNew Commons committee to scrutinise nuclear spending
The British government plans a new House of Commons committee, appointed by the prime minister, to scrutinize Defence Nuclear Enterprise programs and expenditure. The body is intended to strengthen public confidence as the enterprise operates with a ring-fenced budget and greater delegated authority. Nuclear spending reached £12 billion in 2025-26, with more than £100 billion expected to flow through British suppliers over the next decade and an additional £20 billion planned through 2029-30. The announcement establishes the oversight intention, but membership, powers, reporting arrangements, and a start date have not yet been published.
- Institutionalukdefencejournal.org.ukNuclear workforce passes a hundred thousand across sectors
Early findings from Britain's Nuclear Workforce Assessment show combined civil and defense employment rising from 83,000 people in 2023 to more than 100,000 in 2025. The Defence Nuclear Enterprise accounts for over 47,000 workers and expects demand to reach about 65,000 by 2030. In its first two years, the Nuclear Skills Plan recruited more than 2,000 graduates and 4,000 apprentices, including about 4,400 people for defense-nuclear roles. Government investment will also fund over 500 doctoral positions across eight years, while industry, universities, and regional programs address mid-career transfers and growth at Barrow.
- NavalDefence BlogNew U.S. Navy destroyer honors a D-Day Coast Guard hero
The future USS Quentin Walsh, DDG-132, has reached the Land Level erection stage at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Maine. At this point, large prefabricated sections of the Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyer are joined into the ship's hull before launch. The vessel is named for Coast Guard Captain Quentin R. Walsh, who received the Navy Cross for actions at Cherbourg after the D-Day landings. Walsh helped secure the port by persuading German forces that he commanded a much larger unit, contributing to the surrender of 350 troops and the release of 53 Allied prisoners.
- Spaceforbes.comThis Startup Is Building Octopus-Inspired Tow Trucks For Space
Michigan-based KMI Space is developing REACCH, an orbital-servicing spacecraft with flexible appendages and gecko-inspired gripping pads for capturing unprepared objects. The company describes the vehicle as a space tow truck able to reposition active satellites or drive debris into the atmosphere for disposal. A smaller REACCH system reached the International Space Station in 2024 and completed hundreds of microgravity capture tests over roughly 200 days in 2025, validating the company's simulation tools. KMI has raised more than $10 million and targets a full-scale launch in early 2028, followed by in-orbit capture demonstrations later that year.
- NavalDefence Industry EuropeRoyal IHC secures first Orka-class submarine order from Naval Group, opening Dutch role in module design, production and installation
Royal IHC received its first Naval Group order under the Netherlands' Orka-class submarine program, beginning with design work for the onboard accommodation module. The module covers crew living spaces and is expected to progress from engineering into Dutch production and installation as the program advances. The award implements the Team Orka industrial-cooperation framework and gives a domestic shipbuilder a defined role alongside the French prime contractor. Naval Group and Royal IHC did not disclose the order's value, detailed schedule, or the timing of follow-on manufacturing work, so the immediate commitment is narrower than a complete submarine-module production contract.
- LandDefence Industry EuropeOtokar and Leonardo validate TULPAR medium tank's 120 mm firepower in static and moving live-fire trials for international customers
Otokar and Leonardo completed live-fire trials of a TULPAR tracked armored vehicle fitted with Leonardo's HITFACT MkII 120 mm turret. The vehicle engaged targets while stationary and moving, and the companies said the tests met their integration objectives in front of potential international customers. TULPAR supports gross vehicle weights from roughly 28 to 45 tonnes, while the turret can accept either a 105 mm rifled gun or a low-recoil 120 mm smoothbore weapon. The demonstrated configuration also includes panoramic electro-optical sights and can add a remote weapon station, but no customer order or procurement timetable was announced.
- NavalDefence BlogLeonardo DRS to power South Korea's newest destroyer
Leonardo DRS will provide the full electric propulsion system for South Korea's KDDX next-generation destroyer under an agreement with Doosan Enerbility. The integrated system will generate and distribute power for propulsion and shipboard loads, supporting quieter operation, efficiency, and future high-demand sensors or weapons. KDDX is planned as a roughly 6,000-ton class of at least six domestically designed destroyers for the Republic of Korea Navy. The selection gives Leonardo DRS a role in the program's machinery architecture, but the companies did not disclose the contract value, equipment quantities, delivery milestones, or the destroyer's final construction schedule.