February, 2026 - defencenews.online

February 25, 2026
Admin
Mergers & JV
Missile & Missile Defence

UAE’s EDGE and France’s Safran Forge Alliance on Smart Munitions Development

A new collaboration between the UAE’s EDGE Group and France’s Safran Electronics & Defense is set to reshape the smart weapons sector by merging large-scale industrial capacity with advanced...

February 25, 2026
Admin
Procurement & Contracts
Land Platforms

BAE Systems Pursues Expandable Counter-Drone Capabilities Through New Partnership

BAE Systems is seeking to respond to the growing speed and scale of drone warfare by pursuing a partnership focused on affordable, mass-producible interceptor systems rather than highly customized...

February 25, 2026
Admin
Procurement & Contracts
Air Platforms

BAE Systems Surpasses 100,000 Deliveries of APKWS Precision Guidance Kits

BAE Systems has delivered its 100,000th Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), achieving a major production milestone for the laser-guidance kit. The APKWS has remained in full-rate production for...

February 25, 2026
Admin
New Product Launches
Land Platforms

Germany Unveils Advanced Vehicle Protection System to Counter Short-Range Drones

Germany’s Mehler Protection has introduced an advanced counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) aimed at strengthening vehicle defenses by intercepting aerial threats before they can strike. Designed to defeat first-person-view drones,...

February 25, 2026
Admin
Procurement & Contracts
Naval Platforms

Sweden Selects Spain’s Freire to Build Four All-Weather Naval Support Ships

Spain’s Freire Shipyard has won a contract from Swedish Defence Materiel Administration to construct four naval support vessels engineered for operations in icy waters and harsh weather conditions, enhancing...

February 25, 2026
Admin
R&D
Air Platforms

US Army Prepares Midlife Upgrade for Black Hawk Fleet to Keep It Flying Beyond 2050

The US Army has invited industry feedback to evaluate the feasibility of commercially upgrading its UH-60M Black Hawk fleet to extend the helicopter’s operational life beyond 2050. Under the...

February 24, 2026
Admin
New Product Launches
Soldier Systems

Rheinmetall Launches Next-Generation Combat Helmet and Scalable Body Armor System

Rheinmetall has unveiled a next-generation combat helmet and a modular body armor suite, broadening its range of personal protection systems for armed forces. The new equipment is designed to...

February 24, 2026
Admin
R&D
Missile & Missile Defence

Taiwan Plans Expansion With Nine More Sophisticated SAM Batteries

Taiwan is reportedly preparing to procure nine additional National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS) to further reinforce its integrated air defense network, according to local media reports. The new...

February 24, 2026
Admin
R&D
Unmanned Systems

General Atomics Arms MQ-9B Drone With Long-Range Naval Strike Power

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) is enhancing the strike reach of its MQ-9B unmanned aircraft, positioning them for longer-range air and maritime missions. The firm is reportedly considering...

Rolls-Royce North America Bags $73.5 Million Deal to Supply Merkava Power Packs

Rolls-Royce Solutions America has won a $73.5 million contract to provide power-pack kits for Israel’s Merkava main battle tanks. The agreement will be funded through fiscal year 2026 Foreign...