April, 2026 - latestdefencenews.com

US Army Orders Thor Mini Drones for Tactical Battlefield Missions

Mistral has secured a $20-million US Army contract to provide Thor mini unmanned aerial systems for company-level, multi-role operations. The contract includes the delivery of Thor vertical takeoff and...

April 30, 2026
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Mergers & JV
Air Platforms

Bell and KAI Explore Tiltrotor Solution for South Korea Helicopter Program

Bell Textron has partnered with Korea Aerospace Industries to study possible solutions for South Korea’s High Speed Medium Utility Helicopter initiative. The agreement centers on evaluating variants based on...

Leidos Secures $456M Contract to Continue Military OneSource Services

The US Department of Defense has awarded Leidos a $456-million contract to continue managing Military OneSource, its primary assistance platform for service members and military families. Awarded through the...

April 30, 2026
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R&D
Naval Platforms

Fincantieri, KAYO Launch Joint Venture to Produce 10 Albanian Naval Vessels

A new partnership between Fincantieri and KAYO is set to deliver 10 naval vessels by 2030 as Albania seeks to rebuild its domestic shipbuilding capabilities. Signed in Tirana with...

Lockheed Martin Awarded $1.13B HIMARS Contract for US and Allied Customers

The US Army has awarded Lockheed Martin a $1.13-billion contract for the production of M142 HIMARS launchers destined for US forces and five international partners. The agreement covers full-rate...

Raytheon Secures $833M ESSM Block 2 Contract Supporting 12 Allied Nations

Raytheon has secured an approximately $833-million US Navy contract modification to manufacture additional ESSM Block 2 missile assemblies and transport containers for 12 allied countries. The award falls under...

April 30, 2026
Admin
R&D
Missile & Missile Defence

MBDA and Safran Advance THUNDART Rocket From Design to Demonstration in 18 Months

The THUNDART rocket program has reached an important development stage as MBDA and Safran Electronics successfully moved the system from design phase to demonstration within 18 months. Testing at...

Ten European Nations Form Joint Naval Initiative to Counter Russian Threats

A group of ten European countries has agreed to create a dedicated team within the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) to address growing Russian threats in northern waters. Established in...

April 30, 2026
Admin
R&D
Communication and Electronics

Northrop Adopts Green Hills Software for Advanced Military GPS Navigation Platform

Green Hills Software’s real-time operating system has been chosen by Northrop Grumman for integration into its latest GPS-upgraded navigation system supporting US military aircraft. Northrop incorporated the INTEGRITY-178 tuMP...

SSS Defence Launches T12 Tactical Shotgun with Unique Drop-In Trigger

SSS Defence has introduced the T12, a next-generation 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun engineered for contemporary military operations. Built with rugged materials and innovative features, the gas-operated, magazine-fed platform includes a...