2026 - latestdefencenews.com

July 31, 2026
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New Product Launches
Unmanned System

New processor boosts small drone AI performance

US technology companies Lantronix and Swarmer have developed a new artificial intelligence-enabled computing platform aimed at improving the capabilities of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The solution combines Lantronix’s...

US Navy Awards $76.7B Contracts for Virginia and Columbia Submarines

General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding have received US Navy contract modifications totaling $76.6 billion to continue production of the Columbia- and Virginia-class submarine...

Lithuania to Build Leopard 2A8 Tank Assembly Facility in Kaunas

Lithuanian construction firm YIT Lietuva has secured a €30 million ($34 million) contract from Lithuania Defence Services to construct a new Leopard 2A8 production and maintenance facility in the...

July 30, 2026
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R&D
Missile & Missile Defence

Australia Successfully Tests MRGBAD Air Defense Prototype

Australia has validated the operational integration of its Medium-Range Ground-Based Air Defense (MRGBAD) prototype through a successful live-fire demonstration held during Exercise Taipan Strike 26. Conducted at the Woomera...

July 30, 2026
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R&D
Land Platforms

Taiwan to Manufacture 246 Indigenous Reconnaissance Vehicles by 2033

Taipei is preparing to introduce a domestically developed reconnaissance vehicle as part of its military modernization program, with plans to manufacture 246 units between 2028 and 2033. Created under...

July 30, 2026
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R&D
Naval Platforms

Leidos to Design Emergency Dry Dock for Australia’s Virginia-Class Submarines

Canberra has partnered with Leidos Australia’s Gibbs & Cox to develop the preliminary design for a contingency floating dry dock that will support Australia’s future Virginia-class submarines under the...

Rheinmetall Wins Contract to Modernize German Navy F123 Frigate

Rheinmetall will modernize the German Navy’s F123-class frigate Bayern under a contract worth several hundred million euros, supporting the vessel’s operational readiness through at least 2035 and aligning it...

July 28, 2026
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R&D
Air Platforms

Bell Wins $33.6M Contract to Upgrade US Marine Corps H-1 Helicopter Fleet

Bell Textron has secured a $33.64 million US Marine Corps contract to modernize the AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom helicopter fleets through the SPINE (Structural and Power Improvements for...

OKI to Supply Towed Passive Sonars for Australia’s Future Mogami-Class Frigates

Tokyo-based OKI has secured a contract from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) to supply advanced towed passive sonar systems for the Royal Australian Navy’s next-generation general-purpose frigates. The agreement, whose...

July 28, 2026
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Procurement & Contracts
Air Platforms

CPI Aerostructures Secures $13.6M Contract for EA-18G Next-Generation Jammer Pods

CPI Aerostructures has secured a $13.6 million contract from L3Harris to produce airborne pod structures for the US Navy’s Next-Generation Jammer-Low Band (NGJ-LB) electronic warfare program. The contract, which...