April 2026 – Page 3 – defencenews.online

Fincantieri to Upgrade Italian Navy PPA Frigates to Full Combat Capability

Fincantieri has signed an agreement to upgrade the Italian Navy Pattugliatore Polivalente d’Altura (PPA) multipurpose offshore patrol frigates to a “full combat” configuration. The program, overseen by OCCAR, will...

Rheinmetall Secures Major German Contract for Loitering Munition Systems

The German Armed Forces has awarded Rheinmetall a multi-billion-euro framework contract to deliver FV-014 autonomous reconnaissance and strike drones. The initial contract is valued at around €300 million ($351...

April 23, 2026
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R&D
Soldier Systems

Army Begins Field Testing of New Combat Role Capabilities

The United States Army has launched a new Combat Field Test (CFT), a physical evaluation designed to more accurately reflect the demands of frontline combat roles. Set to be...

April 23, 2026
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R&D
Communication and Electronics

E-2D Hawkeye Radar Upgrade Successfully Flight-Tested by Lockheed

Lockheed Martin has successfully completed flight testing of a new radar subsystem upgrade for the US Navy’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. Working alongside Northrop Grumman, the company evaluated the Digital...

Washington Approves Missile Packages for NATO Allies Including AIM-9X and Hellfire

The US State Department has cleared two separate Foreign Military Sales (FMS) packages involving missile systems and support services for Lithuania and the Netherlands, reinforcing NATO’s defense posture in...

April 22, 2026
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R&D
Air Platforms

Canada to Host New F-35 Sustainment Center by Lockheed and L3Harris

Lockheed Martin and L3Harris Technologies (through its Canadian division MAS) have agreed to expand their collaboration to establish an F-35 maintenance depot in Mirabel, Quebec, supporting Canada’s objective of...

April 22, 2026
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Procurement & Contracts
Air Platforms

US Air Force Awards Textron Contract for F-15 Sensor Evaluation

Textron Systems has secured a $9.5 million contract to assist the US Air Force in evaluating a key defensive sensor installed on the F-15 Eagle. The effort will center...

April 22, 2026
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R&D
Communication and Electronics

Thales Advances Robust Navigation Tech for Jammed Battlefield Environments

Thales Group has introduced the TopStar Smart Receiver, an advanced navigation solution designed to ensure resilient Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) performance in highly contested electronic warfare environments. The...

L3Harris Secures $65M ATACMS Motor Contract from US Army

The US Army has awarded L3Harris Technologies a $65 million contract to manufacture rocket motors for the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS). As part of the agreement, the company...

April 22, 2026
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Mergers & JV
Unmanned Systems

Anduril–Kraken Collaboration Targets Scalable US Navy USV Programs

Anduril Industries has entered into a partnership with Kraken Technology Group to deliver a new family of small unmanned surface vessels (USVs) for the US Navy, emphasizing modular payload...