2026 - defencenews.online

February 6, 2026
G.Krish
Mergers & JV
Air Platforms

RAF EW Training Capability in Focus as Babcock, Aselsan Partner

UK-based Babcock International and Turkey’s Aselsan have agreed to jointly explore solutions to support the Royal Air Force’s future electronic warfare training requirements. The cooperation centers on a potential...

February 6, 2026
G.Krish
Procurement & Contracts
Air Platforms

HC-130J Fleet Grows as USCG Inducts 18th Mission-Ready Aircraft

The US Coast Guard has taken delivery of its 18th HC-130J long-range surveillance aircraft at L3Harris Integrated Mission Systems’ facility in Waco, Texas. The aircraft, designated CGNR 2018, was...

February 6, 2026
G.Krish
R&D
Communication and Electronics

Ranger Radar Gets Performance Boost With Teledyne FLIR Launch

Teledyne FLIR has significantly enhanced its Ranger radar family, boosting detection speed, range, and accuracy to better support mission-critical operations. The upgrades focus on the R8-3DX and R20SS variants,...

February 6, 2026
G.Krish
Procurement & Contracts
Naval Platforms

MK 38 Weapon System Receives Historic Caliber Upgrade After 30 Years

The US Navy’s MK 38 close-in weapon system is entering its fourth major iteration, marking its first caliber upgrade in more than 30 years. The new MK 38 MOD...

February 6, 2026
G.Krish
Procurement & Contracts
Unmanned Systems

US Military Drone Output Scales Up as Ohio Startup Accelerates Production

Ohio-based defence startup Agilis Air has launched pre-manufacturing of low-cost drones to help address a widening supply gap as US Department of Defense demand continues to outpace existing production...

February 6, 2026
G.Krish
Mergers & JV
Air Platforms

South Korea’s Hanwha, KAI Team Up for Future Air and Unmanned Platforms

Hanwha Aerospace and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) have reached an agreement to collaborate on future defence and aerospace programs. The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding in Seoul...

February 6, 2026
G.Krish
Procurement & Contracts
Air Platforms

Finland’s F-35 Program Advances as Patria Launches F135 Engine Assembly

Patria has signed an agreement with Pratt & Whitney to carry out the final assembly of the first F135 engines in Finland for the Finnish Air Force’s upcoming F-35...

EU Moves to Enable Ukraine Loan for Purchasing Additional UK-Supplied Weapons

EU member states on Wednesday agreed that Ukraine may use a new €90-billion ($118 billion) loan to purchase a larger share of weapons from close allies such as the...

Hensoldt Wins Digital Optronics Contracts for German Armored Platforms

KNDS has awarded Hensoldt contracts worth approximately €400 million ($472 million) to supply advanced digital optronic systems for German armored personnel carriers and main battle tanks. Under the first...

February 5, 2026
G.Krish
New Product Launches
Soldier Systems

Slovakia Introduces New Combat Uniform and Infantry Weapons for Armed Forces

Slovakia’s Ministry of Defence has unveiled a new combat uniform system and a comprehensive package of modernized infantry weapons for the country’s armed forces. The Slovak military’s new Personal...