Daily briefing
November 6, 2026
Executive summary
Drones led today's 53-item feed with 16 stories, ahead of air with 12 and industry with 10, while Europe generated 22 items, several of them tied to Euronaval 2026, against 19 for North America and 11 for the Indo-Pacific. Counter-drone capability was the connective thread across theatres, as Shield AI agreed to acquire radar maker Echodyne in a deal valued at up to $5.3 billion, NATO opened a counter-drone marketplace allowing allies to buy 16 systems without a national tender as the first procurement mechanism under its Drone Edge initiative, the US Army tested the lower-cost FD-1 interceptor in Poland against massed drone attacks, JIATF 401 trained Air Force and Secret Service personnel on the Bumblebee V2 and Paladin interceptors, and Hanwha Systems downed all three targets with its 20 kW Cheongwang and a vehicle-mounted 30 kW laser at the Korean Army's TIGER+ exercise. US readiness and industrial strain formed a second signal, with the Army awarding 11 firms a $4.17 billion contract to expand ammunition plant capacity after an inspector general found 155 mm output at about 36,000 rounds a month in March 2026 against a 100,000 target, the Air Force requesting $4.25 billion for spares after only eight of 24 fleets met its parts-readiness standard, and Amentum receiving $609 million to supplement depot labour after Red River and Anniston lost roughly 18 percent of their government workforce. Undersea and seabed warfare dominated the naval agenda, as France's DGA signed a letter of intent for a second 6,000-metre ROV-DeepSea, HII and Thales demonstrated end-to-end autonomous mine countermeasures, Naval Group partnered with Abu Dhabi's Technology Innovation Institute on uncrewed underwater vehicles, Lithuania and Denmark ordered Finland's BLOCKER seabed mine, and MBDA presented the 1,000 km-plus MdCN Mk2 ahead of a French contract. European combat aviation also moved, with Saab targeting Gripen E deliveries to Ukraine from 2029 while lifting annual output from about 15 to 25–30 aircraft, BAE Systems starting assembly of Türkiye's first new-build Typhoon under a £5.4 billion deal, an F-35B making the first internal-bay Meteor release, and Spain extending its Hornets into 2035–2040 amid uncertainty over FCAS. Signals to watch include Ukrainian intelligence's estimate that Russia holds more than 700 ballistic missiles and builds about 110 a month while pausing Kinzhal production over accuracy problems, unconfirmed reports of a PLA Rocket Force inland missile test and possible midcourse interception coinciding with Dongfeng anniversary displays, India's imminent induction of the Pralay quasi-ballistic missile, Slovenia's pending 106-vehicle AMV XP decision, and the US Army's goal of fielding launched effects across 12 divisions and three Multi-Domain Task Forces by the end of 2026.
◆ Articles covered
- SpaceDefense WarRoomDARPA Otter Program Awards Redwire $20M to Test-Fly a Scaled SabreSat in Very Low Earth Orbit
DARPA awarded Redwire $20 million under the Otter programme to test and fly a scaled SabreSat spacecraft on a precursor mission in very low Earth orbit. The flight will gather data on spacecraft performance in a regime where residual atmospheric drag is difficult to reproduce in ground tests, reducing risk ahead of the full Otter demonstration. Otter is intended to demonstrate electric propulsion that uses residual atmosphere as propellant, and the new award follows a $44 million Phase 2 contract for the full mission, bringing the two awards to $64 million.
- Dronesbairdmaritime.comLetter of intent signed for second French Navy deep-sea ROV
LD Armateurs and France’s defence procurement agency signed a letter of intent at Euronaval on November 3, 2026, for a second ROV-DeepSea remotely operated vehicle for the French Navy. Developed by LD TravOcean, the system is rated to 6,000 metres and equipped for deep-sea exploration, surveillance and intervention under France’s seabed-control programme. The proposed acquisition follows qualification trials of the first vehicle, which operated at depths of up to 2,500 metres off Toulon in July and exceeded 5,000 metres off Greece in September during tests with the French Navy.
- AirDefense WarRoomF-35B Stealth Fighter Releases Meteor Long-Range Missile From Its Internal Bay for the First Time
An F-35B Lightning II released an inert MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile from its internal weapons bay for the first time on October 7, 2026, at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland. A Royal Navy test pilot flew the sortie, and the round cleared the bay with its motor and control surfaces inactive, allowing engineers to assess aerodynamic separation and refine their predictive models. The release opens a series of separation trials leading to live firings as the United Kingdom and Italy work to integrate Meteor on their F-35 fleets.
- DronesJanesEuronaval 2026: UK launches Nyan one-way effector from aircraft carrier
The Royal Navy launched Callen-Lenz’s Nyan one-way effector from HMS Queen Elizabeth for the first time during Exercise Neptune Reach B in the North Atlantic. BAE Systems, the parent company of Callen-Lenz, announced the results on 5 November 2026 and said four aircraft took part in the carrier trials. The event followed an earlier launch from the experimental vessel XV Patrick Blackett during Neptune Reach A. The Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force conducted the exercises under Project Vantage, a joint effort to evaluate uncrewed aircraft for maritime operations.
- DronesDefense DailyHII and Thales Demonstrate Autonomous Mine Countermeasure Capability
HII and Thales announced an end-to-end autonomous mine-countermeasures demonstration on November 3, 2026, using Thales’ Expeditionary PathMaster architecture and HII’s REMUS 620 uncrewed underwater vehicle. HII’s Sea Launcher handled automated launch and recovery of the REMUS, which used a Thales SAMDIS 600 multi-aspect synthetic aperture sonar to find potential mines. A portable Thales operations centre coordinated the survey, AI-assisted sonar analysis and classification, and the ANGLER neutralisation system, demonstrating how equipment from different providers could carry out successive stages of a mine-clearance mission under common control.
- DronesJanesShield AI finalises agreement to acquire Echodyne
Shield AI announced a definitive agreement on November 5, 2026, to acquire Echodyne in a transaction valued at up to $5.3 billion, including $4.8 billion payable at closing and up to $500 million tied to performance targets. Echodyne’s software-defined, metamaterials-based radars are used in counter-drone and security systems and would join Shield AI’s Mission Systems business. Shield AI said it was raising $2.5 billion to support the deal through $1 billion in Series H funding, $1 billion in structured equity from Blackstone-managed funds and $500 million in debt.
- IndustryDefense WarRoomNew NATO Counter-Drone Marketplace Lets Allies Buy 16 Systems Without a Tender
NATO opened a counter-drone marketplace on November 5, 2026, giving allies access to 16 solutions that they can buy directly through its catalogue without running a separate national tender. The NATO Communications and Information Agency selected offerings from Alta Ares, Axon Enterprise, Northrop Grumman, OSL UK and Quantum Systems through a competitive process covering fixed, transportable and on-the-move systems. The marketplace is the first procurement mechanism under NATO’s Drone Edge initiative, and the alliance has allocated €3.1 million for additional testing by participating nations or NATO commands.
- IndustryDefense WarRoomUS Army Awards $4.17 Billion Contract to Upgrade Its Ammunition Plants as 155mm Shell Output Lags
The US Army awarded 11 companies a multiple-award task-order contract with a shared ceiling of $4.17 billion to design, build and commission production capacity at government-owned, contractor-operated ammunition plants. Funding will be determined for each order. The five-year contract covers seven sites, with individual task orders available for explosives and propellant lines, projectile metal parts, cartridge cases, and facilities that load, assemble and pack ammunition. The award comes as an inspector general evaluation found monthly 155 mm production at about 36,000 rounds in March 2026 against a target of 100,000, after delays in bringing new metal-parts capacity into production.
- AirDefense WarRoomAirbus A320 With a Eurofighter Nose Starts Flight Operations to Test the New ECRS Mk1 Radar
Airbus Defence and Space completed commissioning flights of the German Aerospace Center’s modified A320 Advanced Technology Research Aircraft at Manching, clearing it to serve as the flying testbed for the Eurofighter Common Radar System Mk1. The airliner carries a Eurofighter nose, a dedicated cooling system and cabin workstations that let engineers monitor the active electronically scanned array and evaluate software during flight. The Hensoldt and Indra radar is intended for Germany’s Quadriga and Tranche 5 Eurofighters and Spain’s Halcón aircraft, with initial deliveries of the radar targeted for 2027.
- LandDefense WarRoomIndia Flight-Tests Quasi-Ballistic Pralay Missile in User Trials Ahead of Induction
India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation flight-tested the Pralay quasi-ballistic missile from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha on November 5, 2026, as part of user evaluation trials. Instruments at the Integrated Test Range in Chandipur confirmed that the flight met all test objectives, and representatives of the armed forces and industry observed the launch. Pralay is a canisterised, road-mobile, solid-propellant surface-to-surface weapon for conventional precision strikes, and India’s Ministry of Defence described its induction as imminent following the trial without announcing a service-entry date.
- IndustryNaval NewsSaab receives order to equip Sweden’s new frigates
Saab signed a contract worth about SEK 2 billion with France’s Naval Group to supply and integrate weapon-control systems and sensors for Sweden’s four FDI frigates. The package includes RBS15 anti-ship missiles, Saab Lightweight Torpedoes, the Sea Giraffe 1X surveillance radar, Ceros and EOS 500 fire-control directors and the Trackfire remote weapon station. Saab is scheduled to deliver the equipment to Naval Group between 2027 and 2034, adding Swedish systems for surface engagement, anti-submarine warfare and surveillance to the French-designed frigates being built for the Swedish Navy.
- DronesDefense DailyOfficial: Army On Track To Meet Goal For Fielding Launched Effects Across The Force By End Of 2026
A US Army programme official said the service remained on track to field launched effects by the end of 2026 under a plan covering 12 divisions and three Multi-Domain Task Forces. The effort follows an April 2025 Pentagon directive to accelerate fielding of uncrewed capabilities, including systems released from ground and airborne platforms. The Army selected AEVEX Aerospace’s Atlas for initial short-range fielding after soldier trials, giving units a system with modular payload options for reconnaissance and precision strike as the service builds experience operating launched effects within its formations.
- AirThe War ZoneOperational F-15EXs Have Started Flying With Conformal Fuel Tanks
Two operational F-15EX Eagle II fighters of the Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Wing have begun flying with conformal fuel tanks from Portland, using equipment supplied by Air Combat Command. The configuration adds fuel and provides additional stores stations, allowing the aircraft to carry more air-to-ground weapons while preserving underwing space. F-15EX test aircraft had already flown with conformal tanks, but the Air Force initially planned to operate its combat-coded jets without them for air-to-air and homeland-defence missions, and the wing confirmed the configuration on two aircraft.
- IndustryDefense WarRoomUS Navy Awards $11.3M to Develop AI That Reads the Ocean's Acoustic Soundscape for Undersea Warfare
The US Office of Naval Research exercised an $11.3 million contract option with Integer Technologies to continue work on using passive acoustic soundscape data for undersea, seabed and subsea warfare. The research combines physics-based and machine-learning models to interpret ocean acoustics aboard crewed and uncrewed platforms, giving operators and autonomous systems information they can use to adapt missions without manually analysing raw recordings. The Navy obligated approximately $7.6 million at award for the incrementally funded work, which is expected to run through October 2029 in Durham, New Hampshire.
- Cyberaviationweek.comSingapore Advancing Indigenous GaN Technology For Radar, EW Systems
Singapore’s DSO National Laboratories is developing indigenous gallium nitride transistor technology for the radio-frequency transmitters used in military radar and electronic warfare systems. Gallium nitride can support high power density in radio-frequency electronics, making it relevant to transmitters that must deliver substantial power from compact modules. Singapore’s Ministry of Defence highlighted DSO’s wider work on field-proven transmitters for synthetic aperture radar and electronic warfare in its 2026 Defence Technology Prize materials, while the transistor development addresses the components that underpin such transmitters and the country’s capacity to design them domestically.
- AirThe War ZoneRussian Mi-28 Attack Helicopters Are Now Firing Cruise Missiles
Russia’s Defence Ministry released footage of a Mi-28NM Havoc attack helicopter firing a small cruise missile from a pylon beneath its left stub wing and returning with a second missile still mounted on the right. The ministry presented the launch as part of combat operations in Ukraine but gave no date, precise location or target. The missile resembles both the S8000 Banderol and the visually similar Dan-T, and the footage establishes that the helicopter can launch a weapon of this type while leaving its exact designation and combat results uncertain.
- DronesDefence Industry EuropeU.S. Army tests FD-1 interceptor as a lower-cost option against massed drone attacks
The US Army tested the FD-1 interceptor in Poland under Operation Audacious Fury to assess how air-defence units could use it against massed uncrewed aircraft without relying solely on higher-cost missiles. The Tactics, Integration and Employment Battery of the 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment used the trials to develop engagement procedures and a certification syllabus for soldiers with no first-person-view drone experience. The Army intends to have personnel from the battery train and certify operators in other US Army Europe and Africa units as the effort progresses.
- Dronesasianmilitaryreview.comHanwha Systems perfects laser weapons for counter-drone role
Hanwha Systems demonstrated its containerised Cheongwang counter-drone laser and a vehicle-mounted 30 kW laser at the Republic of Korea Army’s TIGER+ exercise on October 14, 2026, where all three drone targets were downed. The 20 kW Cheongwang, designated Laser Air Defense Weapon Block I, was developed with South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development and entered service in December 2024 to protect key installations. The October exercise followed a separate September demonstration in which six drones were neutralised in succession, and the Block I design now uses a South Korean laser oscillator.
- NavalNaval NewsKONGSBERG expands Aegir SSA sonar family alongside virtual operator for maritime security and navigation
Kongsberg introduced the Aegir17 and Aegir57N at Euronaval 2026, bringing its Subsea Situational Awareness sonar range to three models alongside the existing Aegir57. The lower-frequency Aegir17 provides long-range, 360-degree coverage for larger platforms, while the Aegir57N is intended for uncrewed surface vessels, fixed sites and installations with limited space. Kongsberg also expanded its partnership with Viam to develop a virtual sonar operator using artificial intelligence to help interpret underwater data for navigation and infrastructure protection, and scheduled its first commercial Aegir delivery for November 2026.
- DronesDefense WarRoomPentagon's JIATF 401 Trains Secret Service and Air Force on Bumblebee V2 and Paladin Drone Interceptors
Joint Interagency Task Force 401 trained personnel from the US Air Force’s 6th Security Forces Squadron and the Secret Service on the Bumblebee V2 and Paladin counter-drone interceptors at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, in October 2026. Perennial Autonomy’s Bumblebee V2 is a first-person-view multirotor designed to defeat a drone by colliding with it, while the Paladin uses a net-based interception system. The joint training gave personnel from a military installation and a federal protective agency practice with two different interception methods for defending critical facilities and infrastructure.
- DronesDefense WarRoomUS 70-Knot Squire Seaglider Drone Sends New Orders to a Submerged Underwater Drone in AUKUS Exercise
REGENT and NSI used the Squire Seaglider to send updated mission orders to NSI’s submerged Arowana vehicle during the AUKUS Maritime Big Play Pacific exercise off San Clemente Island, California. Squire, an uncrewed wing-in-ground-effect craft designed for speeds up to 70 knots, acted as a mobile communications gateway while Arowana travelled toward a simulated high-value target. The demonstration also exercised transfers of control across uncrewed systems and showed that operators could redirect Arowana without surfacing it, although the companies did not disclose the communications method used for the underwater link.
- IndustryDefense WarRoomUS Air Force Expands Joby Autonomous Flight Contracts to Nearly $37 Million for Pacific Cargo Tests
The US Air Force increased its commitments to Joby Aviation’s autonomous-flight work from $20 million to nearly $37 million through AFWERX and raised the operational-testing contract ceiling to $50 million. The funding supports software development and follow-on Pacific military exercises using Joby’s J208, a converted Cessna Caravan turboprop fitted with autonomous controls. During a 2026 cross-country demonstration, the system performed taxi, takeoff, navigation and landing without control inputs from the onboard safety pilot on the eastbound leg, providing a test basis for remotely supervised cargo and resupply missions.
- IndustryDefense WarRoomCanadian Kraken Robotics Books C$102M in Orders With Record Navy Sonar Deal for Underwater Drones
Kraken Robotics reported C$102 million in new orders since August 27, 2026, including its largest single synthetic aperture sonar order from a naval customer. The bookings include more than C$55 million for Covelya Group businesses, C$25 million for subsea batteries and C$22 million for Kraken sonar systems, with the record order covering sensors for man-portable uncrewed underwater vehicles. Kraken did not identify the navy or the number of sonar systems ordered and said it expected the vast majority of the new bookings to convert to revenue within 12 months.
- AirDefence Industry EuropeSaab to deliver Gripen E fighters to Ukraine from 2029 and expand aircraft production capacity
Saab expects deliveries of new Gripen E fighters for Ukraine to begin in 2029 and is working to raise annual aircraft production capacity from about 15 to between 25 and 30. The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration ordered 16 Gripen E aircraft, spares and associated equipment under a contract worth approximately SEK 24.6 billion, with deliveries to the agency scheduled for 2029–2030. Separately, Sweden plans to donate 16 Gripen C/D fighters, which Ukraine expects to begin receiving in early 2027, ahead of the new-build aircraft and as part of its transition to the type.
- IndustryDefense WarRoomLithuania and Denmark Buy Finnish BLOCKER Naval Mines With Over 1,000 kg TNT-Equivalent Warheads
Lithuania and Denmark signed agreements to buy FORCIT’s Finnish BLOCKER seabed influence mine under the Finland-led Naval Mines Cooperation procurement. The weapon, designated PM16 in Finnish service, combines acoustic, magnetic, pressure and inertial sensing with programmable target-detection logic, and FORCIT rates its main charge at more than 1,000 kilograms of TNT equivalent. The procurement uses a common hardware configuration to support interchangeability while allowing participating navies to define their own detection algorithms, and neither Lithuania nor Denmark disclosed how many mines it would receive under its agreement.
- SpaceDefence Industry EuropeU.S. Space Force says it will work with Golden Dome to integrate satellite networks at a new operations center
The US Space Force plans to link satellite networks from multiple providers through a new Mission Operations Center that will support the planned Golden Dome missile-defence architecture. The centre will act as the ground hub for the Space Data Network Backbone, allowing operators to route data between constellations in real time and combine information from different sensors. Space Systems Command awarded Viasat a $115 million initial task order under a contract with a $450 million ceiling to integrate and deploy the centre, building on earlier orders involving five satellite network suppliers.
- Cyberasianmilitaryreview.comHAVELSAN Brings More Than 40 Platforms into a Common Operational Picture at TURNAs-2026
HAVELSAN connected more than 40 surface, aerial, ground and underwater platforms to its ADVENT Common Operational Picture during Türkiye’s TURNAs-2026 unmanned maritime systems exercise. The system presented platform positions, status and telemetry to exercise controllers, supported scenario-based tasking and shared live feeds from more than 30 vehicles through HAVELSAN’s video-management system. The SANCAR armed uncrewed surface vessel used its ADVENT ROTA mission system to carry out reconnaissance and report targets, and its integration with the ADVENT combat management system demonstrated how it could operate as an asset of a host ship.
- Cyberscmp.comUS beefs up Pacific cyber defences as concerns grow over risk to undersea cables
The US military expanded its cyber defence presence in Hawaii and established a regional network operations and security centre to detect disruptions across Pacific communications networks. The Defense Information Systems Agency’s centre is intended to help distinguish problems such as damaged undersea cables, electromagnetic spectrum interference and service outages originating on the US mainland. Separately, US Pacific Command reinforced its network defence through Cyber Defense Forces Pacific, which was piloted during Exercise Keen Edge, amid US concerns over Chinese cyber activity targeting critical infrastructure, including systems on Guam.
- NavalJanesPhilippine opts for enhanced crew, combat capabilities on new frigates
HD Hyundai Heavy Industries said the Philippine Navy’s second pair of Miguel Malvar-class frigates will feature enhanced combat capability, operational performance and crew accommodation while retaining the basic design of the two ships commissioned in 2025. The South Korean builder cut steel for the first ship in the new batch on November 4, 2026, under a contract it valued at KRW 844.7 billion in a corporate filing. The common design is intended to simplify operation and maintenance across the class, and the shipbuilder did not identify the specific combat-system changes.
- AirDefence BlogOnly 8 of 24 U.S. Air Force aircraft fleets meet parts standards
The US Air Force requested $4.25 billion for critical aircraft spares in its fiscal 2027 budget after only eight of 24 assessed fleets met its supply-readiness standard. The metric tracks aircraft grounded because a required part is unavailable, and five of the 16 fleets that missed the standard exceeded the threshold by more than 10 percent. Parts shortages also prevented 36 planned engine inductions for KC-135 tankers and B-52 bombers in fiscal 2024 and 2025, and the proposed funding would cover spares for bombers, tankers, fighters and trainers.
- IndustryDefense WarRoomUS Army Awards Amentum $609M Depot Workforce Contract for 500+ Workers as Civilian Ranks Shrink
The US Army awarded Amentum Services a $609 million firm-fixed-price contract for at least 500 full-time-equivalent personnel to supplement its depot workforce. The award identifies Texarkana, Texas, home of Red River Army Depot, as the place of performance and gives an estimated completion date of November 12, 2031, with nearly $122 million obligated at award. The contract follows a Government Accountability Office finding that Red River and Anniston Army Depot together lost roughly 18 percent of their permanent and term-limited government workforce from fiscal 2021 through fiscal 2025.
- DronesDefense WarRoomDIU ROADS Challenge Tests Forterra and May Mobility Robotaxis to Free US Soldiers From Driving Duty
The Defense Innovation Unit advanced Forterra and May Mobility to Phase III of its Robotic Operation for Autonomous Delivery and Sustainment challenge, which will test self-driving transport for soldiers at Fort Benning, Georgia. May Mobility supplies the autonomous driving system, while Forterra will operate the prototype fleet and use its OneLink command-and-control software to manage vehicles. The month-long installation pilot will assess safety, data handling, user needs and operational suitability under a prize challenge worth up to $30 million overall, with the results informing any broader use of autonomous transport on military bases.
- Industryaviationweek.comSerbia Buying Skyfox Jet Trainers
Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said at the Prague Security Dialogue on November 5, 2026, that Serbia would acquire six L-39NG Skyfox jet trainers from Aero Vodochody. The Skyfox is a two-seat jet intended for military pilot training and can also be configured for light combat tasks, though Serbia’s intended equipment fit has not been disclosed. Aero Vodochody separately confirmed that it had submitted a contractual offer, leaving the precise status of the deal unclear, and neither a delivery schedule nor a price for the six aircraft was announced.
- Dronesaviationweek.comTekever Opening Base In Denmark, Flies AR5 From UK Carrier
Portuguese drone manufacturer Tekever is establishing its first Nordic operational base in Odense, Denmark, with backing from Denmark’s state investment fund, following a separate AR5 carrier demonstration with the Royal Navy. The fixed-wing uncrewed aircraft flew from Tekever’s training centre in Portugal to HMS Queen Elizabeth in October 2026, completed two landings and two takeoffs on the flight deck, and returned to land. The flights demonstrated carrier operation of the reusable surveillance aircraft, while the Odense base will give Tekever a regional presence for its Nordic activities.
- IndustryDefence Industry EuropeLockheed Martin’s Sikorsky to supply S-92A+ helicopters for South Korea’s presidential fleet
South Korea selected four Sikorsky S-92A+ helicopters for the Republic of Korea Air Force’s Presidential Helicopter II programme, building on its use of the earlier S-92A for presidential transport since 2007. Korea Aviation Engineering & Maintenance Service, a Korea Aerospace Industries subsidiary, will fit the aircraft with mission equipment in South Korea, and the contract also covers spares, additional equipment and on-site technical support. The S-92A+ incorporates upgraded engines and a Phase IV main gearbox, allowing more fuel or a heavier payload depending on the mission.
- AirDefence Industry EuropeBAE Systems completes 1,000th repair for U.S. Air Force KC-135 fleet at New York facility
BAE Systems completed its 1,000th repair for the US Air Force’s KC-135 Stratotanker fleet at its Endicott, New York, facility, where it supports the aircraft’s fuel-management electronics. The work covers the Fuel Management Advisory Computer and Integrated Fuel Management Panel, keeping existing hardware serviceable while the company develops upgrades for the ageing tanker fleet. The upgraded design uses individually replaceable modules and an open architecture to simplify future repairs and modifications, and BAE says its reliability is designed to exceed the Air Force’s future requirements for mean time between failures.
- AirDefence Industry EuropeNorthrop Grumman’s Lake Charles facility to become certified depot for U.S. C-130 Hercules fleet
Northrop Grumman’s Lake Charles facility in Louisiana was selected as a certified maintenance depot for the US C-130 Hercules fleet, adding capacity for depot-level inspections, repairs and overhauls. The site will use its existing aircraft maintenance workforce, specialised infrastructure and custom fabrication capability, and Northrop Grumman expects the additional capacity to reduce turnaround times and improve aircraft availability. Lockheed Martin recognised the designation at the C-130 Technical Coordination Group’s World Wide Review in Orlando, and the Hercules work adds to the facility’s existing modification and maintenance support for US Navy E-6B Mercury aircraft.
- InstitutionalDefence Industry EuropeUkraine’s intelligence says Russia holds over 700 ballistic missiles and produces about 110 a month
Ukraine’s military intelligence agency estimates that Russia has more than 700 ballistic missiles in stock and produces about 110 per month, including roughly 65 Iskander 9M723 rounds. The agency estimates that Russia holds 115 of those rounds and is testing an Iskander-M variant with a range of 700 kilometres, although it could not establish whether production of the variant had started. It also assessed that Russia had temporarily paused production of the Kh-47M2 Kinzhal because of accuracy problems and shifted capacity at the affected factories to other ballistic missiles.
- Landscmp.comChina puts DF missiles on display amid speculation about ICBM test
Chinese state media showcased several Dongfeng-series weapons for the 66th anniversary of the DF-1, including the nuclear-capable DF-61 intercontinental ballistic missile and the rarely shown DF-100 supersonic cruise missile. The coverage coincided with flight restrictions and online reports suggesting that the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force might have conducted an inland ballistic missile test. The reports also raised the possibility of a ground-based midcourse interception, but Chinese authorities had confirmed neither a missile launch nor an interception, leaving the cause of the flight restrictions and any connection to the anniversary coverage unclear.
- AirArmy RecognitionChina’s J-20 Appears with Eight External Air-to-Air Missiles Highlighting Potential Expansion of Combat Capabilities
Video circulating on Chinese social media in early November 2026 appears to show a Chengdu J-20 fighter carrying eight external air-to-air missiles on four underwing pylons. The stores resemble PL-15 beyond-visual-range missiles, with two visible under each pylon, but the footage does not establish whether the stores are live rounds or whether the aircraft carried weapons internally. The configuration could increase missile capacity compared with internal carriage alone, although the combined load and the status of any weapons-integration trials remain unconfirmed, and external stores would compromise the aircraft’s low-observable configuration.
- DronesArmy RecognitionU.S. Army Armored Troop Records 19 Direct Drone Hits During Germany Exercise
A multifunctional reconnaissance troop from the US Army’s 1st Armored Division recorded 19 confirmed drone hits during exercise Combined Resolve 27-01 at Hohenfels, Germany. The troop, associated with the 6th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, conducted 219 small-drone missions and logged more than 80 flight hours over 10 days while combining surveillance, artillery targeting and direct attacks. The rotation also tested how the formation managed batteries, concealed its operators and sustained repeated missions with squadron support, with the Army counting hits on exercise targets without specifying the drone models or munitions used.
- DronesShephard MediaA medium UGV market emerges as the US weighs up its options
The US Army is weighing several approaches to medium uncrewed ground vehicles, including purpose-built logistics carriers and autonomous conversions of existing military vehicles such as AM General’s High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle. The Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport programme has already fielded its first increment, while the larger Increment II is intended to carry more equipment and supplies for dismounted formations. The effort is moving ahead alongside work on autonomy and commercial platforms, following the cancellation of the separate Robotic Combat Vehicle programme, which sought to put larger robotic systems into combat formations.
- LandDefense WarRoomFinnish Patria AMV XP 8x8 With MCT-30 Turret Heads to SIDEC as Slovenia Weighs a 106-Vehicle Buy
Patria announced it would display an AMV XP 8×8 armoured vehicle with Kongsberg’s PROTECTOR MCT-30 turret at SIDEC in Celje, Slovenia, from November 10 to 12, 2026. The display configuration features a remotely operated turret with a stabilised 30 mm Mk44 Bushmaster II cannon and preserves internal space because the turret does not penetrate the hull. Slovenia previously authorised work on a procurement of 106 vehicles, estimated at about €700 million, for a reconnaissance battalion and a medium battalion battle group, but a contract and final equipment configuration remain pending.
- InstitutionalDefence Industry EuropeBWX Technologies CEO says Fort Campbell is first in line for a rail-shippable 22-megawatt microreactor
BWX Technologies said Fort Campbell is the first US Army installation slated to receive its proposed nuclear microreactor under the Janus programme. The factory-built design is intended for transport by rail. The reactor is rated at 75 megawatts thermal, with a planned electrical output of 22 megawatts. It uses TRISO fuel that BWXT plans to produce in Lynchburg, Virginia. BWXT and its partners are still determining project costs, delivery arrangements and how the plant would be operated, while the wider Army initiative is evaluating reactors of different sizes at multiple installations.
- AirDefense WarRoomSpanish Air and Space Force Relies on Airbus to Reach 115 Eurofighters and 27 A400M Transport Aircraft
Spain’s Air and Space Force plans to field 115 Eurofighters by 2035 and has ordered 27 Airbus A400M transport aircraft, according to an Airbus update on existing modernisation programmes. The Eurofighter total includes the 20 aircraft acquired under Halcón I and the 25 ordered under Halcón II, with the latter batch scheduled for delivery between 2030 and 2035. Fourteen A400Ms are already in service with the 31st Wing at Zaragoza, while separate purchases of maritime patrol, surveillance and transport aircraft will consolidate 46 C295s into a single fleet.
- DronesDefense WarRoomUS Marines Launch Neros Archer FPV Drones From USS Boxer to Simulate Precision Strikes at Sea
US Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit flew Neros Archer first-person-view drones from USS Boxer and USS Portland while the amphibious ships were underway in the Arabian Sea. Battalion Landing Team 3/5 practised launching, tracking and recovering the drones during profiles that simulated precision strikes from the sea, building on earlier simulator training. The Archer uses a live video feed and pilot-in-the-loop control, and the Marine Corps lists its range at about 20 kilometres and its payload at roughly five pounds, with operators using the onboard camera to steer the aircraft.
- Dronesbairdmaritime.comFrench shipbuilder, Abu Dhabi institute team up on underwater drones
Naval Group and Abu Dhabi’s Technology Innovation Institute signed an agreement at Euronaval on November 3, 2026, to explore jointly developing and commercialising uncrewed underwater vehicles. The cooperation pairs the institute’s work on extra-large underwater vehicles with Naval Group’s underwater combat systems expertise, covering surveillance and reconnaissance in permissive waters as well as possible combat vehicles for contested environments. The institute’s existing development work includes a modular 5.5-metre vehicle designed to fit inside a standard 20-foot container, with an interchangeable mission section and initial sea trials planned for December 2026.
- Navalukdefencejournal.org.ukBabcock adds Saab Denmark to Arrowhead frigate push
Babcock and Saab Denmark signed a memorandum of understanding to study the integration of shipboard communications systems into future Arrowhead frigates, including vessels that Babcock is proposing for Denmark. The agreement covers technical information exchange, integration studies and customer engagement, drawing on Saab Denmark’s ability to engineer and sustain naval communications systems locally. It adds a communications partner to the Danish industrial team Babcock is assembling around the frigate design, alongside separate arrangements for potential local module construction and final assembly, as Denmark continues assessing its requirements before choosing a ship supplier.
- NavalDefense WarRoomBritish Babcock Signs MoU With Propulsion Specialist Everllence to Power Arrowhead 140 Frigates
Babcock and Everllence signed a memorandum of understanding at Euronaval 2026 to explore cooperation on power and propulsion systems for future Arrowhead 140 frigates. The companies will study whether Everllence could assume responsibility for the full propulsion system, develop machinery configurations for future variants and consider through-life support involving British and Danish industry. Everllence, formerly MAN Energy Solutions, already supplies controllable-pitch propellers for the Royal Navy’s five Type 31 frigates, which are based on the Arrowhead 140, and the agreement supports Babcock’s proposal for Denmark’s future air-defence frigates.
- Dronesaviationweek.comUncrewed Regent Seagliders Ordered For Middle East Ops
Regent won a production contract to deliver a small fleet of autonomous Squire seagliders in 2027 to a U.S. government customer operating in the Middle East. The company said the electrically powered craft will be used to detect or monitor activity below the water’s surface. The Squire operates on the water and flies close to the surface in ground effect, and Regent offers configurations for carrying maritime sensors and deploying underwater vehicles. In a separate Pacific exercise, Regent integrated a Squire with NSI’s Arowana uncrewed underwater vehicle in a live maritime scenario.
- Dronesaviationweek.comStartups Grid, Aviern Advance Plans For Uncrewed Cargo Aircraft
Grid Aero has partnered with Oshkosh Defense to prepare its modular Lifter uncrewed cargo aircraft for manufacturing as it works toward flying its first full-scale prototype. Oshkosh will help adapt the design for production, plan manufacturing and develop the supply chain for the aircraft. Separately, Aviern has revealed the A1000, a fixed-wing cargo aircraft designed for autonomous takeoff and landing on short, unprepared strips, with a stated payload of 1,000 pounds and range of 1,000 miles. Aviern has flown a demonstrator using its own flight software as it develops the aircraft for commercial and defense logistics.
- Airaviationweek.comU.S. Air Force Airlifters To Deploy Missiles In The ‘Very Near Future’
United States Air Force leaders said at the November 2026 Airlift/Tanker Association symposium that cargo aircraft such as the C-17 could soon carry palletised cruise missiles. The effort falls under the Family of Affordable Mass Missiles programme, which covers a palletised variant for mobility aircraft and a separate aircraft-carried variant for fighters. The Pentagon announced multiyear framework agreements with three companies in July to develop and produce the weapons. The Air Force described an approaching fielding milestone after years of experimentation, with timing for the first operational deployment still to be announced.
- NavalJanesEuronaval 2026: France charters Protée interim MCM mother ships for SLAM-F
France’s Directorate General of Armaments is chartering two modular 80-metre vessels as interim support ships for the French Navy’s SLAM-F mine countermeasures programme. Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Les Abeilles International will provide the ships under the Protée initiative, announced by the Ministry of the Armed Forces on 4 November 2026. The vessels are due to enter service from 2028 and will support uncrewed surface and underwater systems used to locate, identify and clear mines. They will give the navy experience with the equipment in French waters before purpose-built mine warfare ships enter service.
- SpaceJanesOSC announces conditional USD150 million loan in LeoLabs space tracking capabilities
The Pentagon’s Office of Strategic Capital announced on 4 November 2026 a conditional commitment for a $150 million loan to LeoLabs, a provider of orbital tracking services. LeoLabs combines a geographically distributed network of ground-based radars with an orbital catalogue and software that analyses the observations. Satellite operators can use the data to assess collision risks, find newly launched spacecraft and monitor changes in orbital activity. The proposed financing supports space monitoring infrastructure serving military commands, civilian agencies and commercial operators, with the loan still subject to completion of its conditions.
- IndustryJanesUS approves sale of APKWS to Jordan
The United States State Department approved a proposed $100 million sale to Jordan of up to 1,500 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II rocket guidance kits on 2 November 2026. The notification allows for either WGU-59A/B or WGU-59B/B kits and gives Jordan the option of acquiring complete rounds instead of the guidance kits alone. Washington described the request as an air defence purchase under the Regional Security Construct’s Middle East Air Defence pillar. The announcement is an approval of a potential sale, with the final package and delivery timetable yet to be confirmed.
- InstitutionalJanesFrance selects Safran HRG navigation technology for nuclear deterrence programmes
Safran Electronics & Defense announced on 2 November 2026 that France selected its hemispherical resonator gyroscope technology for three inertial navigation programmes supporting the country’s nuclear deterrent. The selections cover future submarines, the M51.4 submarine-launched ballistic missile and Rafale combat aircraft, extending Safran’s work on navigation systems that can operate independently of satellite signals. Separately, Safran plans to increase annual gyroscope output from 10,000 to 30,000 units by 2032 across its wider business. The company announced a €120 million investment in its Montluçon facility in June to support that broader production expansion.
- AirJanesIFC 2026: Ukrainian F-16s score record successes against Russian OWA UAVs, commander notes future fleet sustainment challenges
A Ukrainian Air Force wing commander said at the 2026 International Fighter Conference in Munich that Ukrainian F-16s had accounted for 85% of the service’s reported interceptions of Russian one-way attack drones. The commander credited the wing with 4,700 drone interceptions since Ukraine introduced the Block 15 Mid-Life Update F-16s in August 2024, including 1,100 in October 2026. The targets were predominantly Geran-series aircraft, a Russian derivative of the Iranian Shahed design. The commander also warned that supporting at least three modern Western fighter types would create long-term maintenance and logistics challenges.
- Dronesaviationweek.comEurope’s CCA Industry Moves Faster Than Its Clients
European manufacturers are advancing collaborative combat aircraft demonstrators while several governments are still deciding how to fund or acquire the systems. Airbus has flown one of two Kratos Valkyries it acquired for development and is also pursuing its Ravenstorm design, while Leonardo has linked an M-346 trainer with Baykar’s Kizilelma uncrewed aircraft and BAE Systems is nearing completion of its Brontanax demonstrator. More demonstrations are planned for 2027, but Germany has yet to issue a tender and Poland has yet to allocate funding to its Harpii Szpon initiative. These projects remain at different stages of development and procurement.
- AirJanesIFC 2026: Spain to extend Hornets to bridge fifth-generation gap as it reconsiders future options
Spain’s Air and Space Force plans to retire its remaining Boeing EF-18 Hornets in stages between 2035 and 2040, extending their service beyond the previous 2030 target. An official outlined the revised schedule at the 2026 International Fighter Conference in Munich as Spain reassesses its options for a next-generation fighter for the 2040s. The extension will keep the Hornet in service alongside the Eurofighter EF-2000 after Spain decided against acquiring the F-35. Deliveries of 25 Halcón II Eurofighters are expected to allow the retirement of about half of the 91 Hornets that remained at the time of the briefing.