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Lockheed Martin CEO targets 80% of sixth-generation fighter capability in upgraded F-35
Lockheed Martin wants to upgrade the F-35 to deliver 80% of the capability of a newly designed sixth-generation fighter at half the cost, Chief Executive Jim Taiclet said.
Air and missile defence
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Ukraine joins NSPA partnership to speed military purchases and open tenders to its defence industry
Saab plans to triple GlobalEye deliveries and offers Canada a second conversion center
Australia expands Ghost Shark payload capabilities as Anduril ramps up navy deliveries
U.S. launches Global Thunder 27 nuclear readiness exercise, with more bomber flights possible
CSG and North Vector Dynamics explore European manufacturing and CM-70 counter-drone integration
Ukraine prepares to receive its first 16 Gripen fighters from Sweden in early 2027
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L3Harris supplies power systems for U.S. Navy’s Virginia- and Columbia-class submarines
L3Harris Technologies is supplying power systems for the U.S. Navy’s Columbia-class submarines, extending work established across the Virginia-class fleet
Ukraine’s defence ministry confirms stable Starlink and Starshield connections above 400 km/h
Ukraine’s defence ministry confirms that Starlink and Starshield operating performance has been restored after previously recorded restrictions
General Atomics partners with Spirit Defense on FQ-42 uncrewed fighter production
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has partnered with Spirit Defense to expand manufacturing capacity for the U.S. Air Force’s FQ-42 Vengeance uncrewed fighter
NATO holds Helsinki talks on nuclear capability modernisation and stronger planning
NATO’s senior nuclear advisers met in Helsinki on 21 October to discuss modernising the alliance’s nuclear capabilities and strengthening its planning capacity
Lockheed Martin delivers 43 F-35 Lightning II fighters in Q3, accounting for most of its 72 aircraft handovers
Lockheed Martin delivered 43 F-35 Lightning II fighters in the third quarter, bringing its total for the year so far to 94
EDGE’s 40mm ammunition line reaches full-rate production with capacity for 1.5 million rounds a year
An automated line producing 40x53mm grenade ammunition at EDGE Group’s LAHAB has entered full-rate production and can now turn out up to 1.5 million rounds a year
Seaspan Shipyards lays keel for the largest polar icebreaker ever built in Canada
Seaspan Shipyards held a ceremonial keel laying on 14 October for CCGS Imnaryuaq, the Canadian Coast Guard’s future flagship and the largest polar icebreaker ever designed and built in Canada
Javelin Joint Venture receives $215 million U.S. Army contract to produce lightweight launchers
The U.S. Army has awarded the Raytheon–Lockheed Martin Javelin Joint Venture a $215 million contract to produce Lightweight Command Launch Units
Industry spotlight
Air and missile defenceCombat-proven air defense: recent Patriot® contract awards signal surge in demand across Europe
European demand for proven air and missile defense systems is rising and Raytheon, an RTX business, is investing heavily to meet that need with higher production capacity.
U.S. Army’s Bradley replacement race enters troop-testing phase with first XM30 prototypes from Rheinmetall and General Dynamics
Lockheed Martin CEO says ATACMS production could move to Germany, opening Arkansas capacity for faster PrSM missile output
L3Harris secures record $4.7 billion PAC-3 MSE propulsion deal from Lockheed Martin to expand U.S. interceptor production capacity
Two more Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II fighters arrive in Rovaniemi, Finland
Finland took delivery of two more F-35A Lightning II fighters on Oct. 23, bringing the number of jets in the country to four.
RAF Typhoons join French nuclear exercise for first time, escorting Rafale strike mission
RAF Typhoons have taken part in a French nuclear air exercise for the first time, escorting French Air and Space Force Rafales on a simulated nuclear strike mission over the Mediterranean.
Swiss government acknowledges failings in F-35 purchase and agrees procurement reforms
Switzerland’s government has accepted changes to defense procurement after a dispute over the promised fixed price for its F-35A fighters.
Saab plans to triple GlobalEye deliveries and offers Canada a second conversion center
Saab plans to increase GlobalEye deliveries from two to six aircraft a year as it pursues further orders and negotiates a potential six-aircraft sale to Canada.
Ukraine prepares to receive its first 16 Gripen fighters from Sweden in early 2027
Ukraine and Sweden are continuing preparations for Gripen fighter deliveries, with Ukrainian Defence Minister Evgeniy Khmara identifying Russian glide-bomb carriers as a priority target for the aircraft.
Denmark to arm F-35 fighters with Kongsberg Joint Strike Missile to reach deep into enemy territory
Denmark plans to buy Kongsberg’s Joint Strike Missile (JSM) for its F-35 fighters as part of a wider purchase of long-range precision weapons.
CSG unveils Meander, a 33-tonne amphibious vehicle for crossing rivers and wetlands
The prototype made its debut at the Future Forces Forum 2026 exhibition in Prague.
Kongsberg to arm Poland’s K2 tanks and support vehicles in NOK 700m Hyundai Rotem deal
Kongsberg has signed a contract worth about NOK 700 million with Hyundai-Rotem Company to supply remote weapon stations for K2 vehicles ordered by the Polish Armed Forces.
U.S. Army orders six Weibel C-band radars to modernize tracking at military test ranges
The U.S. Army has ordered six MRR-LP C-band instrumentation radars from Weibel Scientific to expand tracking and measurement capabilities at its test ranges.
U.S. Army tests XM1180 guided artillery rounds at Yuma with seeker technology planned for XM1230 extended-range projectile
The U.S. Army has tested three XM1180 prototype artillery rounds at Yuma Proving Ground, evaluating seeker technology designed to find targets and guide a projectile toward them.
Lithuania’s first tank crews complete Leopard 2A6 live firing as Iron Wolf brigade prepares to become a heavy combat formation
Lithuania’s first tank crews have carried out loading drills and live firing with Leopard 2A6 main battle tanks at the General Silvestras Žukauskas Training Area in Pabradė.
U.S. Army infantry soldiers fire Spike NLOS from ISV-U vehicle in first test of mobile strike capability
U.S. Army infantry soldiers fired Spike NLOS missiles from an Infantry Squad Vehicle–Utility variant during a three-day demonstration at Dugway Proving Grounds, Utah.
USS McFaul completes 11-month deployment after combat operations with three carrier groups
The guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul returned to Naval Station Norfolk on Oct. 23, ending an 11-month deployment to Europe and the Middle East.
Spanish Navy and Navantia develop F110 IAMD frigate with expanded air and missile defence
The Spanish Navy and Navantia are developing an F110 frigate variant with more missile-launch capacity and a larger role in defending naval forces against air and missile attacks.
Sweden orders four Bofors 57Mk3 naval guns and programmable ammunition from BAE Systems
Sweden has ordered four Bofors 57Mk3 naval guns and programmable 3P ammunition from BAE Systems Bofors, with deliveries scheduled for 2028–2029. The contract includes training and services to bring the equipment into operation, but its value has not been disclosed.
Royal Navy leads AUKUS trials of crewed and autonomous systems to track enemy submarines
The Royal Navy is leading anti-submarine warfare trials in San Diego during the largest AUKUS demonstration of interoperable maritime autonomous systems.
Seaspan Shipyards lays keel for the largest polar icebreaker ever built in Canada
Seaspan Shipyards held a ceremonial keel laying on 14 October for CCGS Imnaryuaq, the Canadian Coast Guard’s future flagship and the largest polar icebreaker ever designed and built in Canada.
General Dynamics to develop fire control for U.S. Navy’s future nuclear cruise missile on Virginia-class submarines
General Dynamics Mission Systems has received a $194 million contract modification for work on the fire control subsystem that will support the U.S. Navy’s future nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile.
Ukraine signs letter of intent with Nokia and ICEYE on sovereign satellite communications
Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence has signed a letter of intent with Nokia and ICEYE to explore satellite communications under Ukrainian control.
Why Europe observation is now Europe’s biggest satellite market [OPINION]
Some say that the war in Ukraine is reaching its ‘endgame’; others, that Russia believes it can finally crush Ukraine this winter.
Canada expands military space launch access and funds Arctic satellite communications
Canada has signed a 10-year agreement with NordSpace to give its armed forces access to a domestic spaceport.
Saab launches Allied Mission System to monitor space threats and command operations
Saab has launched the Allied Mission System, a cloud-based platform that brings space surveillance, mission management and command and control into a single system.
BlackSky expands HEO contract with higher-resolution satellite imagery to inspect spacecraft and track other objects in orbit
BlackSky has signed a seven-figure annual contract extension with HEO, adding higher-resolution Gen-3 imagery to a service that monitors spacecraft and other objects in orbit.
SpaceX launches classified USSF-481 mission for U.S. Space Force from California, marking Vandenberg’s 70th launch of 2026
SpaceX launched the U.S. Space Force’s classified USSF-481 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on October 15.