2026 - defencenews.online

January 19, 2026
Admin
Mergers & JV
Missile & Missile Defence

Rheinmetall and EM&E Offer Homegrown Solution for Spanish Rocket Artillery Program

EM&E Group and Rheinmetall’s Spanish arm, Rheinmetall Expal Munitions, have submitted a joint proposal to Spain’s Ministry of Defence to develop a domestically produced alternative under the SILAM high-mobility...

January 19, 2026
Admin
Procurement & Contracts
Land Platforms

Leopard 2A8 Tanks to Be Equipped With EuroTrophy Active Protection Systems

EuroTrophy has secured a €330 million ($383 million) contract with KNDS Deutschland to supply Trophy Active Protection Systems for the Leopard 2A8 fleets of Lithuania, the Netherlands, the Czech...

January 19, 2026
Admin
R&D
Naval Platforms

Washington Authorizes $1.5B Enhancement of Peruvian Naval Base Adjacent to Chinese-Managed Port

The US State Department has cleared a potential $1.5 billion Foreign Military Sale to support the redesign and construction of facilities at Peru’s primary naval base in Callao, less...

HERO-90 Loitering Munition Approved for US Army Infantry Testing

The U.S. Army has chosen the HERO‑90 loitering munition for accelerated evaluation under its Low Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance (LASSO) program, signaling a push to rapidly field dismounted...

SM-2 Block IIIC/CU Upgrade Presented by US Navy for Improved Air Defense

The U.S. Navy showcased the SM‑2 Block IIIC/CU medium‑range surface‑to‑air missile at the Surface Navy Association (SNA) 2026 symposium, offering a closer look at the latest evolution of the...

January 18, 2026
Admin
Procurement & Contracts
Air Platforms

Final Clearance Given for Poland’s MiG-29 Transfer to Ukraine

Poland is preparing to deliver up to nine MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, slightly fewer than the ten originally expected, pending resolution of technical and logistical issues. The transfer,...

January 17, 2026
Admin
New Product Launches
Unmanned Systems

Leonardo Proteus Completes Maiden Autonomous Flight for UK Navy

The British Royal Navy and Leonardo UK have completed the inaugural autonomous flight of the full-scale Proteus unmanned helicopter at Predannack Airfield in Cornwall. This milestone marks the first...

XM204 Ammunition Cleared for US Army Deployment Against Russian Armor

The U.S. Army has granted an Urgent Materiel Release for the XM204 top‑attack terrain‑shaping munition, clearing the system for accelerated deployment to Europe as concerns grow over near‑peer armored...

January 17, 2026
Admin
Procurement & Contracts
Land Platforms

E-ZPT Electric APC Deployed for Silent Operations in Türkiye

Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defense has handed over the first serial-produced E-ZPT electric armoured personnel carrier, developed by state-owned MKE, after successful acceptance testing in Ankara. This milestone marks...

January 16, 2026
Admin
New Product Launches
Unmanned Systems

Hydrogen-Powered Raybird UAV Introduced by Skyeton

Skyeton is unveiling an updated version of its Raybird UAV, now powered by a hydrogen fuel cell-driven electric motor for extended, stealthier flight. The new propulsion system allows the...