2026 - latestdefencenews.com

Canada Pledges $663M to Strengthen Drone and Aerospace Defense R&D

Canada is preparing to allocate more than 900 million Canadian dollars (around $663 million) to advance research in drones and airborne defense technologies, including the construction of a dedicated...

US Company Backs Israeli Loitering Munition Startup Aerodrome With New Investment

US-based defense technology firm EagleNXT has revealed a strategic investment in Israeli unmanned systems developer Aerodrome as part of its effort to broaden capabilities in autonomous warfare technologies and...

U.S. Awards $9.9M Machine Gun Deal to FN America

FN America has been awarded a $9.9-million contract to supply additional M240B medium machine guns to the US Army and US Navy, continuing the production of a weapon system...

March 9, 2026
Admin
R&D
Air Platforms

Saab Considers Establishing Gripen Manufacturing in Portugal With Domestic Partner

Saab is looking to expand its industrial partnership with Portugal by considering local production of components for its Gripen fighter aircraft if Lisbon decides to replace its aging F-16...

First Batch of Japan’s Type 12 Extended-Range Missiles Planned for Kyushu Deployment

Launchers for the first batch of Japan’s Type 12 surface-to-ship long-range missiles have arrived at a military base in the country’s southwest, marking the beginning of preparations for their...

March 9, 2026
Admin
R&D
Communication and Electronics

Spanish Industry Unveils GaN-Based Radar to Track Artillery and Rocket Fire

Spain is developing a new counter-battery radar capable of rapidly detecting incoming artillery shells, rockets, and mortar rounds while identifying their launch origin. Known as RALOFI (Radar for Locating...

March 9, 2026
Admin
R&D
Air Platforms

C-130J Autonomous Flight Program Reaches Preliminary Design Review Stage With Merlin

Merlin Labs has completed the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) for its autonomy system designed for the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft operated by the US Special Operations...

March 9, 2026
Admin
R&D
Weapons and Munition

Ukraine Expands Bohdana Howitzer Manufacturing Operations into Poland

Polish defense company Ponar Wadowice and Ukraine’s Kramatorsk Machine-Building Plant (NKMZ) have established a joint venture to manufacture the Bohdana 155mm self-propelled howitzer and its towed version in Poland....

USAF Invests in Expanding Manufacturing of Lockheed’s LRASM Strike Missile

The U.S. Air Force has issued a $53-million contract modification to Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control to accelerate production of the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM). The update increases...

March 9, 2026
Admin
R&D
Air Platforms

NATO Deploys AWACS for Inaugural Surveillance Flight in Finland’s Airspace

A NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft has completed its first operational mission within Finnish airspace, marking an important step in the alliance’s air surveillance activities...