Daily briefing
November 5, 2026
Executive summary
Drones led today's 55-item feed with 15 stories, followed by industry with 13 and air with eight, while Europe generated 24 items against 19 for North America and eight for the Indo-Pacific, with the Euronaval exhibition hosting several of the day's announcements. Counter-drone capability was the connective thread across domains, as Shield agreed to acquire radar maker Echodyne in a deal valued at up to $5.3 billion, the Pentagon reported delivering more than 24,000 counter-drone systems to CENTCOM forces in 2026 through Joint Interagency Task Force 401, the NATO Communications and Information Agency selected France's Alta Ares for six of 16 lots in its counter-UAS framework, and Naval Group, Valhalla Turrets and Israel Weapon Industries respectively advanced the shipborne Rampart launcher, the ASGARD Gatling turret in Slovenia and the Arbel computerised trigger now being fielded by Thailand. Uncrewed maritime systems formed a parallel signal, with the Finnish Navy demonstrating a Patria sea-air drone swarm ahead of forming an Unmanned Systems Company in early 2027, Saronic launching its second Marauder medium USV with 8% fewer build hours under a ten-vessel US Navy production agreement, Saildrone contracting Norway's Umoe Mandal to build the Surveyor USV, and France extending its SLAM-F mine countermeasures drones offshore aboard chartered Protée vessels. Strategic deterrent modernisation advanced on three national tracks, as Lockheed Martin flight-tested the unarmed Mk21A reentry vehicle for the W87-1 warhead on the LGM-35A Sentinel ahead of a critical design review due by March 2027, France's DGA flew a SyLEx sounding rocket carrying payload experiments for the future M51.4 SLBM, and the US Navy awarded Lockheed Martin up to $122.4 million for Trident II D5 navigation work linked in earlier notices to the Columbia and Dreadnought classes. Shipborne air and missile defence moved in parallel as the US Navy awarded Lockheed Martin a second-phase contract to integrate PAC-3 MSE with Aegis and the Mk 41 VLS for fielding in 2029, France doubled Aster capacity on its FDI frigates from 16 to 32 missiles and announced an Exocet MM40 Block 3C framework with MBDA, and Lockheed Martin and Navantia completed the first live SPY-7(V)2 tracking exercise for Spain's F-110 frigates. Signals to watch include regulatory clearance of the Shield-Echodyne transaction expected to close in early 2027, the US Navy's Undergraduate Jet Training System decision now that the Textron-Leonardo M-346N is the only known major bid after Sierra Nevada's withdrawal, pending White House decisions on a successor Starshield contract and F-16 upgrades for Ukraine, the Marine Corps' 40-ship amphibious requirement going to Congress, and final-stage India-Philippines talks on a $700 million to $800 million BrahMos follow-on.
◆ Articles covered
- DronesDefense WarRoomFinnish Navy Tests Patria Multi-Domain Swarm of Sea and Air Drones Ahead of New Unmanned Company
The Finnish Navy demonstrated a Patria-developed swarm of unmanned surface vessels and aerial drones at Upinniemi on November 5 and announced plans to form an Unmanned Systems Company in the Coastal Brigade in early 2027. Patria’s mission management system linked a surface vessel fitted with its autonomy kit, a lightweight fixed-wing drone and a Patria ONE quadcopter in a common network. According to Patria, the swarm completed an assigned mission under remote control from two locations in Finland. The Patria ONE launched from the aft deck of a Finnish Jehu-class landing craft.
- Airasianmilitaryreview.comMalaysia receives first pair of FA-50 light combat aircraft
The Royal Malaysian Air Force received its first two Korea Aerospace Industries FA-50M light combat aircraft at Kuantan Air Base on November 1. The aircraft are the first of 18 ordered under a $920 million contract signed in February 2023 for fighter lead-in training and light combat, replacing capabilities previously provided by Hawk and MB-339CM aircraft. Malaysia’s Block 20 configuration includes a Raytheon PhantomStrike active electronically scanned array radar, an aerial refueling probe and upgraded avionics. Malaysia expects to receive six aircraft by April 2027 and the balance by early 2028.
- DronesDefense WarRoomMBDA Taps UAE Firm SIRBAI for AI Targeting and Swarming on Diamond Shaped Loitering Munition
MBDA and Abu Dhabi-based SIRBAI signed a memorandum of understanding at Euronaval on November 3 to study automatic target recognition and coordinated swarm flight for the Diamond Shaped loitering munition. The two-year effort covers feasibility testing, demonstrations and integration of the onboard processing hardware needed for those functions. MBDA is developing the tube-launched weapon with France’s FLY-R in the United Arab Emirates and lists a weight of 8 kilograms, a range of up to 50 kilometers and 45 minutes of endurance. The UAE Navy is the identified customer for the underlying development program.
- Dronesmilitarytimes.comVector introduces ready-to-go one-way attack drone
Utah-based Vector unveiled its Warfighter’s Stack on November 2, pairing the Mace one-way attack quadcopter with the Hilt hand controller and a high-voltage electronic safe-and-arm device. Vector says the Mace has low-light and thermal cameras, can be controlled over fiber optic cable and includes an altitude-hold mode to reduce operator workload. The modular arming device is designed to work across different aircraft and munitions. In a separate Drone Dominance competition, Vector placed fourth in the close-quarters battle category and received a government order for 5,000 drones, according to Military Times.
- DronesDefense WarRoomUS Shipbuilder Saronic Launches Second Navy-Picked Marauder Drone Ship and Cuts Build Hours by 8%
Saronic Technologies launched its second Marauder medium unmanned surface vessel at its Franklin, Louisiana, yard and reported on November 3 that the hull was operating under its own power. The company said the second vessel took 8% fewer labor hours to build than the first and is targeting an annual rate of 20 Marauders once the yard reaches full production. The milestone follows a U.S. Navy fixed-price production agreement for ten Marauders under the Medium Unmanned Surface Vessel Marketplace, part of a planned 30-vessel purchase with initial deliveries expected before the end of fiscal 2027.
- IndustryDefense WarRoomFrance Awards Babcock Eight-Year Red Air Training Contract to Simulate Enemy Jets for Rafale Crews
France’s Armed Forces Commissariat Service awarded Babcock France an eight-year contract to provide adversary air training for French air, naval and army units, with up to 400 sorties and more than 1,000 flying hours annually. Babcock will operate upgraded L-39 Albatros jets, while Secapem Defence Training Solutions will operate A-4N Skyhawks and Alpha Jets supplied by Top Aces France. The A-4Ns carry an aggressor mission system that can simulate threat sensors and weapons. The flights will support Rafale and Mirage 2000 training from military and civilian airfields across France.
- IndustryDefense WarRoomUS Marine Corps Orders Ripsaw M3 Robotic Vehicles With 5,000-lb Payload for Warfighting Lab Tests
The U.S. Marine Corps awarded Textron Systems and Howe & Howe an order for two Ripsaw M3 robotic ground vehicles for the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory at Quantico, Virginia. The tracked hybrid-electric vehicles will serve as testbeds for sensor and payload integration, mission demonstrations and the development of future robotics requirements. Textron rates the open payload deck for more than 5,000 pounds and lists a top speed above 30 miles per hour. The prototyping award was placed through the National Advanced Mobility Consortium, with the price and delivery schedule undisclosed.
- AirDefense WarRoomTextron's M-346N Is Now the Last Major Contender in the Navy Jet Trainer Race After SNC Exits
Sierra Nevada Corporation withdrew from the U.S. Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Training System competition, declining to submit its Freedom Jet by the October 30 deadline because of the current contract structure. The withdrawal leaves the Beechcraft M-346N proposed by Textron Aviation Defense and Leonardo as the only known bid from a major contender, after earlier exits by Lockheed Martin and Boeing. The Navy seeks up to 216 advanced trainers and an associated simulator package to replace its T-45C Goshawks. Textron confirmed that it submitted a proposal, and the Navy has yet to announce a selection.
- DronesDefense WarRoomPentagon Drone Dominance Effort Delivers 25,000 Drones and Counter-Drone Systems to CENTCOM Troops
The Pentagon said on November 4 that frontline forces in U.S. Central Command had received more than 25,000 drones and counter-drone systems in 2026 under its Drone Dominance effort. The unmanned systems portfolio office reported fielding more than 1,300 one-way attack aircraft and over 100 unmanned surface and underwater vessels following an investment of approximately $782 million, while Joint Interagency Task Force 401 delivered more than 24,000 counter-drone systems. The Pentagon described the defensive equipment as a layered system for protecting deployed forces, with quantities by equipment type and specific platform designations undisclosed.
- Dronesasianmilitaryreview.comChinese stealth drone operates from Type 076 ship for the first time
China’s GJ-21 reconnaissance and strike drone completed its first reported takeoff and landing aboard Sichuan, the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s first Type 076 amphibious assault ship. The GJ-21 is a naval derivative of Hongdu’s GJ-11 Sharp Sword flying wing and incorporates folding wings, an arresting hook and a launch bar on its twin-wheel nose gear. Sichuan, hull 51, has an electromagnetic catapult and two side-mounted aircraft elevators, as well as a stern well deck for amphibious operations. The trial demonstrated shipboard launch and recovery of the aircraft on the new platform.
- NavalDefense WarRoomFrance Launches SyLEx Sounding Rocket Carrying Experiments for Its Next M51.4 Nuclear Missile
France’s defense procurement agency launched an ArianeGroup SyLEx sounding rocket from Biscarrosse overnight on November 3–4, carrying experiments for the payload of the future M51.4 submarine-launched ballistic missile. The single-stage, solid-propellant Block 1 rocket followed a trajectory outside the atmosphere and is designed to carry up to 300 kilograms of experiments. The mission was the second SyLEx flight and the first to carry a French government payload, following ArianeGroup’s November 2025 demonstration. The November flight followed a separate October 2026 acceptance firing of an unarmed M51.3 missile from the submarine Le Vigilant.
- IndustryDefense WarRoomUS Navy Awards Lockheed Martin $122M Trident II Navigation Subsystem Deal for US and UK Submarines
The U.S. Navy awarded Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems a sole-source contract worth up to $122.4 million to support the Trident II D5 shipboard navigation subsystem, including development under Shipboard Integration Increment 8. The navigation subsystem supplies submarine position, velocity and heading to fire control for initialization of missile guidance before launch. The award includes work for the United Kingdom through Foreign Military Sales, and earlier Navy notices linked Increment 8 to navigation hardware and software for the Columbia and Dreadnought classes. The Navy obligated $29.2 million at award, with work scheduled through October 31, 2030.
- CyberDefense WarRoomAustralia Buys $9.9M ALQ-251 Mission Data Lab So RAAF C-130J Jammers Can Counter New Enemy Radars
The U.S. Air Force awarded Georgia Tech Applied Research Corp. a $9.9 million task order to develop a mission data test station for the AN/ALQ-251 electronic warfare suite on Australian C-130J airlifters. The station will support the validation of threat libraries and jamming techniques used by the Northrop Grumman system as radar emitters and waveforms change. The sole-source order covers development, documentation, delivery and initial maintenance, with work in Atlanta and at Robins Air Force Base through November 4, 2028. Australian Foreign Military Sales funds cover the full order value.
- IndustryDefense WarRoomUS Navy Orders P-8A Increment 3 Block 2 Upgrade Kits for US and Australian Poseidon Sub-Hunters
The U.S. Navy awarded Boeing a $119.7 million modification for nine more P-8A Poseidon Increment 3 Block 2 retrofit A-kits, allocating seven to the Navy and two to the Royal Australian Air Force. It also funds four Navy aircraft installations using government-furnished B-kits alongside the airframe provisions, which include racks, antennas and wiring. The upgrade introduces revised combat-system processing, wideband satellite communications and an anti-submarine warfare signals intelligence capability. The modification raises the combined order to 18 A-kits and seven Navy installations, with Boeing expected to complete work by May 2030.
- Dronesbairdmaritime.comNew counter-drone launcher completes shipboard firings on French Navy vessels
Naval Group conducted shipboard trials of its Rampart counter-drone launcher during Exercise Wildfire, held from September 28 to October 2 aboard the French frigates Chevalier Paul and Lorraine and the helicopter carrier Tonnerre. The first at-sea firings took place from Tonnerre off Toulon using guided and unguided Thales 68 mm rockets, with a containerized counter-drone system controlling the launcher. Rampart uses four interchangeable ammunition modules that can also accommodate 70 mm rockets or lightweight missiles. Naval Group expects the self-funded system, which can operate independently or integrate with a ship’s combat system, to be ready for series production by early 2027.
- LandJanesNorth Korea tests ‘newly designed' air-defence missile system
North Korea’s Missile Administration tested a newly designed air-defense missile system on November 4, according to the Korean Central News Agency. State media said the test examined missile guidance, target identification and tracking, and the processing of detection data, while published imagery showed a vertical launch from a 10×10 truck. The system’s designation and the test location remain undisclosed. North Korea separately reported that an eastern unit conducted a long-range strategic cruise missile drill against a simulated airfield on the same day, with imagery showing runway markings and impacts in the target area.
- DronesJanesOcius to test Bluebottle USV for Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Australia’s Ocius Technology and Japan’s Seisgadget will conduct in-water performance verification of the Bluebottle unmanned surface vessel for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. Under a contract that began in August, the companies will build the test craft in Sydney and carry out acceptance activities in Australian waters to assess persistent maritime surveillance. Bluebottle uses solar, wind and wave energy for long-endurance operations and can monitor surface and underwater environments. The evaluation follows Japan’s participation as an observer in the 2024 Maritime Big Play trials, in which the Royal Australian Navy deployed a sensor-equipped Bluebottle.
- NavalDefence Industry EuropeLockheed Martin says PAC-3 MSE shipboard tests are planned for 2028 with fielding aimed for 2029
The U.S. Navy awarded Lockheed Martin a second-phase contract to integrate the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement interceptor with the Aegis Weapon System and Mk 41 Vertical Launching System. The work covers a ship-compatible launch canister, revised launch-timing and fire-control software, and a data link operating in the S and X bands. A 2024 flight demonstration used a Mk 70 launcher with a virtual Aegis configuration, while a separate ground test checked passage through a Mk 41 canister. The Navy plans a land-based flight test in 2027 and shipboard trials in 2028, targeting fielding in 2029.
- NavalDefence Industry EuropeLockheed Martin and Navantia to integrate SPY-7(V)2 radar with Aegis on Spain’s F-110 frigates
Lockheed Martin and Navantia have completed the first live tracking exercise with the AN/SPY-7(V)2 radar for Spain’s F-110 frigates and are preparing to integrate it with the International Aegis Fire Control Loop. Integration work is planned on several ships and at a shore-based test facility, with the radar’s modular architecture allowing changes in capacity through additional modules. Navantia recently launched Roger de Lauria, the second F-110, and is working toward launching one frigate per year. Lockheed Martin has separately outlined a potential Flight II variant with enhanced air and missile defense capabilities.
- DronesDefense WarRoomFrench Navy's SLAM-F Mine Warfare Drones Can Tell a Mine From a Rock 300 Meters Deep
France’s defense procurement agency has ordered chartered Protée support vessels to extend the French Navy’s SLAM-F unmanned mine countermeasures system into offshore waters. Each planned module pairs two unmanned surface vessels with two underwater vehicles, using a Thales multi-view sonar to help distinguish mines, legacy ordnance and rocks at depths of up to 300 meters. Once operators flag a contact, a surface vessel can deploy a remotely operated vehicle for identification and, if authorized, mine disposal. France ordered about a dozen additional surface and underwater drones alongside the charter in July 2026.
- Industrybairdmaritime.comPhilippines nears $800m deal for more Indian BrahMos missiles
India and the Philippines are in final-stage talks over a possible $700 million to $800 million follow-on purchase of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, according to people familiar with the negotiations. The proposed package could include about five systems and nearly 60 missiles, exceeding the value of Manila’s $375 million order in 2022, for which deliveries are nearing completion. Developed jointly by India and Russia, BrahMos is available in land-launched, ship-launched and air-launched configurations. Philippine officials have confirmed interest in acquiring more missiles and have asked India to tailor the system to local requirements.
- DronesThe War ZoneThis Is The Army’s New MALET Kit That Turns Mortars Into Drone-Dropped Weapons
The U.S. Army unveiled the Munitions Air-dropped Lethal Effects Tool, or MALET, a kit that lets unmanned aircraft carry and release existing 60 mm and 81 mm mortar rounds. Developed within the Picatinny Common Lethality Integration Kit effort, the removable adapter adds an air-drop fuzing function and stabilizes the round during descent while allowing unused ammunition to return to conventional mortar service. The Army said a recent test dropped live 60 mm rounds from a moving drone and recorded detonations in the designated target area. The kit remains in testing.
- NavalDefence Industry EuropeHanwha Ocean develops submarine torpedo launcher after decade of work with South Korean defence agency
Hanwha Ocean developed a horizontal submarine launcher that uses pressurized water to eject torpedoes and other weapons, following a decade of cooperation with South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development. The domestically developed water-ram system uses hydraulics to generate ejection pressure, while its controls regulate the force applied so each weapon leaves the tube at the required speed. The launcher is designed to withstand shock and the external water pressure encountered when firing at depth. The program also produced analytical tools for evaluating launch behavior and adapting the launcher to different submarine designs.
- AirDefense WarRoomSwedish Air Force Pilots Complete Gripen E Conversion to Bring the Jet to Northern Sweden in 2027
Two Swedish Air Force pilots from Norrbotten Wing completed conversion to Saab’s JAS 39 Gripen E at Skaraborg Wing in Såtenäs and will train other pilots on the fighter at Luleå. Both are assigned to the 212th Squadron, which is scheduled to receive its first Gripen E aircraft in early 2027. They are building flight experience with Skaraborg’s 72nd Squadron, which leads the type’s introduction and received Sweden’s first operational Gripen E in October 2025. The arrangement gives Norrbotten Wing instructors for its own conversion training as the aircraft arrive.
- Industrybairdmaritime.comFlorida yard to build structural modules for US Navy amphibious transport dock
HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding selected Eastern Shipbuilding Group to fabricate six structural modules for the future USS Philadelphia, a San Antonio-class Flight II amphibious transport dock. Eastern will build the modules at its Florida Gulf Coast facilities and deliver them to Ingalls in Pascagoula, Mississippi, in the third and fourth quarters of 2027 for final assembly. Fabrication of the ship began in January 2025, and Ingalls authenticated its keel in March 2026. The subcontract is part of Ingalls’ distributed construction effort, which lets partner yards fabricate selected sections in parallel with shipyard work.
- AirThe War ZoneNASA Announces X-70 “Fractal” Experimental Aircraft (Updated)
NASA unveiled the X-70 Fractal at Kennedy Space Center as a crewed research aircraft for testing advanced flight controls and maneuverability. Its design calls for rapidly reconfigurable controls and accommodation for up to 2,000 pounds of experimental payloads in internal and external positions. Published design figures include a 10,000-pound takeoff weight, a 45,000-foot ceiling, a cruise speed of Mach 0.75 and a range of about 1,500 nautical miles. NASA expects the aircraft’s first flight under its program within two years of the announcement and intends to use the testbed for multiple research configurations.
- DronesDefence BlogSlovenia tests ASGARD anti-drone turret with M134D Gatling gun
Slovenia’s armed forces organized several days of live-fire trials of Valhalla Turrets’ ASGARD remote-controlled counter-drone turret, equipped with a Dillon Aero M134D 7.62 mm Gatling gun. The company said it fired thousands of rounds during the tests, which support development funded by Slovenia’s Ministry of Defense. Valhalla has shown the turret paired with a Hensoldt SPEXER radar and electro-optical sensors for target detection and tracking, with provision for additional missile launchers. ASGARD is being developed to provide close protection for military convoys and critical infrastructure and remains a development system.
- Dronesbairdmaritime.comFrench builder unveils 9.3m multi-mission USV with modular construction
Zodiac Milpro unveiled the Equinox 930, a 9.3-meter aluminum unmanned surface vessel with interchangeable payloads of up to 800 kilograms. The company rates the 5.5-tonne craft for more than 40 knots and more than 600 nautical miles of range, depending on operating conditions. Its configurable mission bay can carry radar, electro-optical sensors or sonar, with provisions for deploying underwater vehicles and other equipment. The boat is designed for surveillance, force protection, hydrography and mine countermeasures, and operators can supervise it remotely through a ground control station using multiple communications links.
- Navalbairdmaritime.comNew consortium formed to design second phase of European patrol corvette programme
Fincantieri, Navantia and Naval Group signed an agreement on November 4 to form a consortium for the second phase of the European Patrol Corvette program. The estimated €288.3 million, 48-month development effort will complete preliminary and detailed design work and develop a common modular platform that participating navies can adapt to their needs. The project calls for one prototype each of the Full Combat Multipurpose and Long Range Multipurpose variants, with harbor testing and shore-based qualification of components. Planned missions include offshore patrol, escort, maritime security and protection of sea lines of communication.
- LandArmy RecognitionBulgaria accepts first five US M1126 Stryker ICV armored vehicles under $1.4 billion Army modernization
Bulgaria’s army accepted its first five Stryker armored vehicles on November 3 following final assembly, equipment installation and testing at the TEREM-Ivaylo plant in Veliko Tarnovo. The vehicles are going to the 61st Mechanized Brigade in Karlovo under a U.S. Foreign Military Sales procurement valued at about $1.4 billion. The order covers 183 Strykers in six configurations, including M1126 infantry carriers and M1296 Dragoon vehicles with 30 mm cannon. Bulgaria plans to build a regional maintenance capability at TEREM-Ivaylo as it completes local assembly and integration of the fleet.
- Navalukdefencejournal.org.ukBritish warship ‘shoots down’ waves of attack drones
Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dauntless trained against simulated attacks from the air and sea during the week-long Exercise Sharpshooter in Cardigan Bay, Wales. The serial used dummy drones and simulated missiles to test how the crew detected, tracked and responded to threats by day and night. Run from the Ministry of Defence’s Aberporth range, Sharpshooter combines live and synthetic threats and includes aerial targets and unmanned surface craft. Dauntless previously took part in a 2025 serial that employed the ship’s Phalanx and guns as well as Martlet missiles from its Wildcat helicopter.
- LandArmy TechnologyNorway takes delivery of first M3 amphibious bridge from GDELS
General Dynamics European Land Systems delivered Norway’s first M3 amphibious bridge and ferry system to the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency less than a year after the contract award in November 2025. The wheeled rig can enter the water directly and operate as a ferry or connect with other units to form a floating bridge. It can carry heavy main battle tanks and other military vehicles across water obstacles. Norway is the sixth NATO country and the third Nordic Defence Cooperation member to procure the M3, which can operate with systems fielded by other users.
- Airaviationweek.comSNC Teams With BAE, Collins, GE For KC-135 Modernization
Sierra Nevada Corporation announced on November 5 that it had teamed with BAE Systems, Collins Aerospace and GE Aerospace to compete for a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker modernization program. The tanker’s Center Console Refresh solicitation calls for replacing obsolete fuel-system equipment, flight displays and the flight computer, and adding autothrottle capability. The Air Force is seeking a design that supports future upgrades and can be sustained over the aircraft’s remaining service life. The companies announced a bidding team, while the solicitation sets out separate engineering development and production and deployment phases.
- DronesDefense DailySaildrone Signs Production Agreement To Build USVs In Norway
Saildrone signed an agreement with Norway’s Umoe Mandal at Euronaval on November 4 for the shipbuilder to manufacture the next-generation Surveyor unmanned surface vessel. The production agreement formalizes an earlier partnership and combines Saildrone’s autonomous systems with Umoe Mandal’s composite shipbuilding capabilities. The Surveyor is designed for long-endurance monitoring of large maritime areas, including shipping routes and waters around critical undersea infrastructure. The partners are targeting Northern European navies with a locally built system for maritime surveillance and have also agreed to explore further manufacturing, integration and support opportunities in Europe.
- AirDefense WarRoomMarine CH-53K King Stallion Recovers Downed Navy MH-60S Seahawk From 10,000 Feet Without Damage
A U.S. Marine Corps CH-53K King Stallion recovered a Navy MH-60S Seahawk stranded at an elevation of 10,000 feet in California’s Sierra Nevada in late September. Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 1 carried the nearly 16,000-pound aircraft on a 70-foot external line to Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. The Seahawk had made a hard landing and could not take off because of the slope, so recovery planners used its built-in lift points and a rigging configuration developed with naval engineers. The Marine Corps reported that the lift caused no additional damage.
- CyberDefence BlogU.S. Air Force studies new tool to manage battlefield spectrum
The U.S. Air Force issued a sources-sought notice on November 4 for DAF-MAMBA, a proposed electromagnetic battle management capability within the Advanced Battle Management System. It is seeking technologies and methods that could provide spectrum situational awareness, decision support, and command and control at both tactical and operational levels. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Hanscom Air Force Base set a November 11 response deadline. The market research will inform an analysis of alternatives for managing systems that rely on the electromagnetic spectrum, and the Air Force said it would not award a contract based on responses.
- Industryaviationweek.comHensoldt Pegasus Top-Up Contract Likely Slipping Into 2027
Hensoldt says Germany is more likely to sign a follow-on order for three additional PEGASUS signals intelligence aircraft in 2027 than in 2026. The proposed purchase would add to three Bombardier Global 6000 business jets covered by the original contract, which calls for integration of Hensoldt’s Kalaetron Integral suite for communications and electronic intelligence. Lufthansa Technik Defense is carrying out mission-system integration on the initial aircraft, with completion targeted by the end of 2026. Hensoldt discussed the likely timing of the additional order in its third-quarter earnings update.
- DronesDefense NewsIsraeli defense company says this trigger is programmed to shoot drones
Thailand began fielding Israel Weapon Industries’ Arbel Anti-Drone System, a computerized rifle trigger intended to help soldiers engage small drones, according to the manufacturer. IWI integrates the electronics into the lower receiver of an AR-15-pattern rifle and says the operator fires the first shot mechanically before the system regulates subsequent shots while the trigger remains depressed. The counter-drone setting applies a programmed firing cadence, leaving target tracking and aiming to the operator. IWI described a representative target as a small drone flying at about 60 kilometers per hour at a distance of 150 to 200 meters.
- LandDefense WarRoomWhat Is the VBCI Infantry Fighting Vehicle? Specs, Variants and France's 2027 Upgrade Plan
France’s draft 2027 budget proposes €260 million to launch the first phase of a midlife upgrade for the French Army’s VBCI 8×8 infantry fighting vehicle. Developed by the companies now known as KNDS France and Arquus, the VBCI entered service in 2008, and France received 520 infantry fighting vehicles and 110 command vehicles. The infantry variant carries a 25 mm M811 cannon in a one-person Dragar turret and transports a nine-soldier infantry group. The proposed renovation is a standalone program, with the number of vehicles to be upgraded and the detailed technical scope still to be defined.
- CyberJanesJuno Industries reveals Guardian sensor mesh system, Logan software platform
Canada’s Juno Industries unveiled Guardian, an edge sensor mesh for threat detection and situational awareness, and Logan, the data fusion software that supports it. Guardian combines distributed sensors with local computing and is designed to operate without GPS and respond automatically to communications faults in remote locations. Logan combines inputs from sensors, effectors and other sources into a common operating picture and can integrate with existing command-and-control systems as standalone software. Juno says both products have completed foundational development and beta field testing and are now in the pre-commercial stage.
- IndustryJanesSupra awarded DLA contract to advance its scandium recovery technology
The U.S. Defense Logistics Agency awarded Supra Elemental Recovery a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research contract to assess the company’s scandium recovery technology. The work will test whether Supra’s separation platform, which uses a 3D-printed sorbent in a hydrometallurgical process, can recover scandium from relevant feedstocks and support future scale-up. Scandium has applications in aerospace and energy technology, and the company is seeking industrial partners to test recovery from real materials. Supra announced the feasibility award on September 30 and is working toward a demonstration of the process at commercial scale.
- InstitutionalDefense DailyExecutive Branch Decisions on Ukraine Loom, Including New Starshield Contract and F-16 Upgrades
Ukraine is seeking U.S. executive-branch decisions on a new contract for SpaceX’s Starshield military satellite communications service and potential Lockheed Martin upgrades for its older F-16 fighters. Ukrainian officials met with the White House on November 5, and Kyiv’s chargé d’affaires said the existing Starshield arrangement expires around mid-2027. Ukraine is pursuing renewal talks following October service restrictions that disrupted military operations. The F-16 proposal concerns aircraft already used for air defense and strikes, with the upgrade package and a successor Starshield contract still pending decisions by Washington.
- IndustryDefense DailyDoD Signs $250 Million Conditional Loan Commitment With U.S. Battery Materials Company
The U.S. Department of Defense’s Office of Strategic Capital signed a conditional loan commitment of up to $250 million with 6K to support a battery cathode materials facility in Jackson, Tennessee. The facility would use 6K’s UniMelt microwave plasma process to produce metal oxide cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries, including nickel-manganese-cobalt formulations. The project is intended to expand domestic production for applications including drones, vehicles and energy storage. Final financing and disbursement depend on matching investment from 6K, government approvals, available appropriations, due diligence and other closing conditions.
- InstitutionalThe War ZoneUSMC Says It Needs Nine More Amphibious Warships To Carry Out Its Missions
U.S. Navy and Marine Corps leaders concluded that they need 40 amphibious warships to keep three Marine Expeditionary Units deployed simultaneously, nine more than the current fleet of 31. Their analysis calls for 13 large-deck amphibious assault ships and 27 amphibious transport docks to support persistent deployments from the U.S. East and West coasts and Japan. A typical Amphibious Ready Group carries roughly 2,200 Marines across three ships, with the large deck supporting aircraft such as the F-35B and MV-22. The 40-ship figure is a force requirement that the services are taking to Congress.
- IndustryDefense WarRoomGeneral Atomics to Build Common Hypersonic Glide Body Parts for Army and Navy Hypersonic Missiles
General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems will manufacture components for the Common Hypersonic Glide Body under a multiyear subcontract from Leidos extending through 2031. The work includes precision-machined metal parts and substructures, as well as cable assemblies for the glide body and its elevon control module, which operates the control surfaces used during glide. The same vehicle supports the U.S. Army’s Dark Eagle Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon and the Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike program. The subcontract falls under Leidos’s $2.7 billion production contract, while the value and quantities of the General Atomics work remain undisclosed.
- LandDefense WarRoomNorway Receives NASAMS IV Battery Firing AMRAAM and Sidewinder Missiles After Ukraine Donations
Norway’s Defence Materiel Agency handed over a new NASAMS IV air-defense battery to the Royal Norwegian Air Force at Ørland Air Station, announcing the delivery on November 3. The battery uses updated fire distribution centers and multi-missile launchers that can employ AMRAAM, AMRAAM-ER and AIM-9X Sidewinder interceptors. It is part of a four-battery acquisition with a combined cost framework of nearly NOK 7 billion in 2026 prices. Two batteries replace equipment donated to Ukraine, while the other two are funded from Norway’s military investment budget to expand its ground-based air-defense capacity.
- IndustryArmy TechnologyHanwha-WB venture breaks ground on Polish CGR080 missile plant
Hanwha WB Advanced System broke ground on November 4 in Gorzów Wielkopolski, Poland, for a factory that will produce CGR080 guided missiles for the Polish Army’s Homar-K rocket artillery system. The joint venture is owned by Hanwha Aerospace and WB Electronics, and a license agreement with Hanwha supports Polish production of the 80-kilometer-range missile. A consortium led by the joint venture signed a supply agreement with Poland’s Armament Agency in December 2025. The plant is scheduled for completion in 2028, with initial production planned for late 2029 following equipment installation, technology transfer and testing.
- LandDefense WarRoomLockheed Martin Completes Flight Test of Mk21A Reentry Vehicle for Sentinel ICBM Nuclear Warheads
Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Air Force completed a developmental flight test of the unarmed Mk21A reentry vehicle from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, over the Pacific. The vehicle is designed to carry the National Nuclear Security Administration’s W87-1 warhead on the LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile and combines thermal protection with arming, fuzing and warhead interface hardware. Lockheed Martin announced the result on November 4 and said flight data would inform design refinements ahead of the system-level critical design review, which the Air Force has scheduled by March 2027.
- DronesJanesIFC 2026: Airbus pauses Wingman CCA in favour of Ravenstorm
Airbus Defence and Space has paused its Wingman collaborative combat aircraft project and is prioritizing the U760 Ravenstorm, with a target service entry in 2032. The company said at the International Fighter Conference in Munich that potential customers wanted the capability sooner than the Wingman development schedule could accommodate. The Ravenstorm draws on Airbus’s earlier Barracuda demonstrator and is designed for high-subsonic flight with a payload of more than 500 kilograms. Airbus indicated that potential customers did not require the supersonic performance envisaged for the original Wingman design.