April 2026 – defencenews.online

April 30, 2026
G.Krish
Procurement & Contracts
Unmanned Systems

Mistral to Deliver Thor UAS Platforms Under US Army Contract

The US Army has awarded Mistral a $20-million contract to procure Thor mini unmanned aerial systems (UAS) intended to support multi-mission operations at the company level. Under the agreement,...

April 30, 2026
G.Krish
Mergers & JV
Air Platforms

Bell Textron Teams With Korea Aerospace on Future High-Speed Rotorcraft Initiative

Bell Textron and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) have entered into an agreement to explore potential solutions for the Republic of Korea’s High Speed Medium Utility Helicopter program. The partnership...

April 30, 2026
G.Krish
Procurement & Contracts
Soldier Systems

Pentagon Renews Leidos Support Program for US Service Members and Families

Leidos has secured a $456-million contract to continue operating Military OneSource, the US Department of Defense’s main support program for service members and their families. The four-year award, issued...

April 30, 2026
G.Krish
R&D
Naval Platforms

Albania Partners With Fincantieri for Major Naval Shipbuilding Program

Fincantieri and KAYO have launched a new shipbuilding partnership aimed at constructing 10 naval vessels by 2030, supporting efforts to revive Albania’s domestic naval manufacturing sector. The agreement was...

US Army Expands HIMARS Production With $1B Lockheed Agreement

Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $1.13-billion contract to manufacture M142 HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems) for the US military and five allied nations. Issued by the US...

US Navy Awards Raytheon Major ESSM Block 2 Production Deal for NATO Consortium

The US Navy has issued an approximately $833-million contract modification to Raytheon for the production of additional Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) Block 2 assemblies and related containers supporting 12...

April 30, 2026
G.Krish
R&D
Missile & Missile Defence

THUNDART Rocket Reaches Live-Fire Milestone Under MBDA, Safran Partnership

MBDA and Safran Electronics have achieved a major milestone in the THUNDART rocket program, advancing the system from concept development to live demonstration in just 18 months. The trial,...

April 30, 2026
G.Krish
Procurement & Contracts
Naval Platforms

European Allies Launch Cooperative Maritime Force for Northern Region Security

Ten European nations have signed a statement of intent to establish a specialized unit under the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) aimed at countering Russian threats in northern maritime regions....

April 30, 2026
G.Krish
R&D
Communication and Electronics

Green Hills Operating System Integrated Into Northrop’s Modernized GPS Navigation Suite

Northrop Grumman has selected Green Hills Software’s real-time operating system for its newest GPS-modernized navigation solution designed for US military aircraft. The company integrated Green Hills’ INTEGRITY-178 tuMP platform...

April 29, 2026
G.Krish
Mergers & JV
Naval Platforms

Hanwha Ocean, Leidos Collaborate on Next-Gen US Naval Vessels

Hanwha Ocean and Leidos have partnered to design and develop next-generation ships for the United States Navy while also expanding shipbuilding capacity across allied industrial bases. The collaboration focuses...