MTQ News

Russia’s ability to keep replacing tanks is becoming a critical measure of how long Moscow can sustain armored warfare as Soviet-era reserves are steadily depleted by combat in Ukraine. Uralvagonzavod’s September 12, 2026 delivery of T-90M Proryv and T-72B3M tanks highlights whether Russian industry can move beyond refurbishing stored vehicles and generate enough modern armor to offset continued losses. Read full Defense News at this link … T-90M Proryv main battle tanks undergo testing at a Russian production facility, highlighting Uralvagonzavod’s role in sustaining tank output, integrating battlefield-driven upgrades, and replacing armored losses from the war in Ukraine. (Picture source: Russia press agency TASS video footage) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/QzC7rpj via IFTTT

Iran is deploying MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopters from ships, including USS Boxer, to support maritime surveillance and interception. The operation shows how distributed naval aviation and networked sensors are being used to enforce selective maritime denial across the Gulf while increasing pressure on commercial traffic and regional security. USS Boxer and the embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit provide an aviation and command node for the blockade, with MH-60R helicopters using the AN/APS-153 multimode radar, AAS-44C electro-optical system, and Link 16 connectivity to detect, classify, and track vessels beyond the radar horizon of surface ships. The resulting architecture allows U.S. forces to move from identification and warning to boarding or precision engagement while maintaining wider control of maritime traffic approaching Iranian ports and the Strait of Hormuz. Read more.  An MH-60R Seahawk assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 37 launches from USS Boxer (LHD 4) d...

 Iran’s IRGC Navy claims it struck a US-operated Saildrone Explorer that Tehran says was conducting a surveillance mission near the Strait of Hormuz. If confirmed, the incident would show the growing exposure of persistent US unmanned surveillance platforms operating around the Gulf’s main strategic chokepoint. The 7-meter Saildrone Explorer, identified by Iran as hull 5838, is a wind-propelled unmanned surface vessel able to remain at sea for more than 12 months while carrying radar, cameras, AIS equipment and satellite communications, and the US Navy has previously deployed the type with Task Force 59 in the Arabian Gulf. The claim comes days after Iran said it recovered a US Anduril Dive-LD autonomous underwater vehicle in the same area, while US officials acknowledged the loss of that vehicle following a malfunction. Read more.  Screenshot from a video released by Iranian sources, purportedly showing the reported strike on a U.S. Saildrone Explorer near the Strait of Hormu...

Poland showcased its operational Poprad very short-range air defense system fleet integrated within a rapidly scaling counter-UAS sensor architecture at the MSPO 2026 exhibition in Kielce. The 79-vehicle fleet combines mobile launchers equipped with Grom and Piorun missiles with external radars to intercept low-altitude aerial threats. This capability highlights ongoing efforts to expand layered ground-based air defense networks across military formations.  Read full defense news at this link... The Poprad is a Polish 4×4 VSHORAD vehicle carrying four ready-to-fire Grom or Piorun infrared-guided missiles, plus four reloads, to engage aircraft, helicopters, and UAVs at up to 6.5 km in range and 4 km in altitude. (Picture source: Army Recognition) Read more.... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/gtrWPDH via IFTTT

The French Directorate General of Armaments delivered the first two Falcon 2000 LXS Albatros maritime surveillance aircraft to the French Navy at Lann-Bihoué naval air base. These aircraft initiate the AVSIMAR fleet modernization program designed to replace aging Falcon 50M and Falcon 200 Guardian patrol aircraft. The units are currently undergoing military evaluations and crew qualifications prior to achieving initial operational capability.  Read full defense news at this link... The Falcon 2000 LXS Albatros is the French Navy’s new twin-engine maritime surveillance and intervention aircraft, combining a range of 4,000 nmi (7,400 km) and an eight-hour endurance to replace the Falcon 50M and Falcon 200 Guardian. (Picture source: French MoD) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/hS2ILkU via IFTTT

The Pentagon has moved directed-energy counter-drone systems into yearlong operational trials at U.S. military bases to assess their readiness for routine installation defense. The effort will determine whether lasers and high-power microwaves can be sustained alongside kinetic and electronic warfare systems against individual drones and swarms. JIATF 401 is placing directed-energy equipment in the hands of military personnel for a 365-day assessment focused on availability, maintenance, power demand, cooling, and integration with active base operations. The trials will help determine which technologies can transition into layered counter-UAS architectures and potentially support future procurement. Read more.  The U.S. Army tests the Palletized High Energy Laser (P-HEL) counter-drone prototype at Yuma Proving Ground as part of RCCTO and JCO efforts to develop directed-energy C-sUAS capabilities. (Picture source: US DoD) Read full Defense news.  from World Defence News https...

General Atomics has presented Wildfire as a long-range modular combat drone configured to carry two LRASMs or four JSMs while competing to succeed the MQ-9 Reaper under the U.S. Massed Modular Aircraft program. The design shifts the Reaper mission set toward lower-cost distributed operations built around stand-off weapons, massed employment, and greater tolerance for aircraft losses. Wildfire is intended to meet requirements for a 2,800 lb payload, a combat radius of at least 2,300 nautical miles, and an 8,000-nautical-mile ferry range, with the MMA air vehicle targeted below $10 million before sensors and mission systems. If selected, the platform could extend the MQ-9 operational ecosystem into high-intensity missions while creating a potential future replacement path for foreign Reaper operators. Read more.  General Atomics’ Wildfire drone shown in its first publicly released rendering. (Picture source: General Atomics) Read full Defense news.  from World Defence News htt...

Presented on 9 September at MSPO 2026 in Kielce, the A2 Harpun from ALA.COM reflects how the Polish defense industry is seeking to turn recent lessons from unmanned naval warfare into exportable capabilities for allied forces. MSPO, the International Defence Industry Exhibition held from 8 to 11 September, brings together governments, military staffs and defense companies. ALA.COM displayed the A2 Harpun catamaran USV for maritime surveillance, infrastructure protection and one-way strike missions. The system positions a Polish-developed unmanned naval platform within NATO and U.S. efforts to expand autonomous maritime capabilities in the Baltic Sea. The A2 Harpun is the catamaran variant of ALA.COM’s Harpun family and is intended to translate recent operational lessons from unmanned naval warfare into capabilities for allied forces. Its presentation at MSPO places the platform within a defense environment where governments, military staffs and industry are examining wider integration ...

On September 3, 2026, the U.S. Army awarded Global Military Products a $12.9 million contract to integrate the Scorpion Light 81mm mobile mortar system onto Infantry Squad Vehicle-Utility (ISV-U) platforms under a Department of Defense Ordnance Technology Consortium (DOTC) Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreement. The procurement addresses critical light infantry fire-support survivability by integrating an automated, fast-deploying mortar mount with government-furnished M253 81mm barrels, digital fire control, and Nett Warrior networking. This integration allows infantry formations to execute rapid shoot-and-scoot engagements within a sub-two-minute exposure window to avoid counter-battery targeting.  Read full defense news at this link... The Scorpion Light is an automated, ultra-rapid mobile 81mm mortar system designed for light vehicles, enabling infantry forces to acquire targets digitally, execute rapid-fire missions, and displace in under two minutes to evade counter-batt...

Sweden signed a contract worth over SEK 7 billion ($729 million) on September 7, 2026, to purchase more than ten M142 HIMARS launchers and a comprehensive GMLRS ammunition package from Lockheed Martin, with initial deliveries starting in 2027. The strategic acquisition establishes the Swedish Army's first operational rocket artillery capability, addressing a critical long-range gap within its new division under the Total Defence Bill 2025-2030. While existing Archer 155 mm howitzers cover short-range requirements, HIMARS enables deep-strike targeting against high-value assets across 90 km to 500 km range tiers.  Read full defense news at this link... Sweden's acquisition of the M142 HIMARS rocket launcher marks a major strategic milestone for its Army, as it will create its first operational long-range precision-strike rocket capability. (Picture source: US DoD) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/jm196u2 via IFTTT

Gentex has developed the PURSUIT Next Generation Fixed Wing Helmet to reduce headborne weight while integrating multiple mission configurations into a single modular system. The design is intended to limit aircrew fatigue and simplify equipment management as helmet-mounted displays and night vision systems place greater physical demands on pilots. PURSUIT combines a lightweight carbon shell with an optimised centre of gravity, enhanced rear retention design and four helmet sizes intended to fit more than 99% of aircrew. Its Modular Open System Approach supports the integration of current and future helmet-mounted displays, communications equipment and optical or respiratory protection, allowing operators to adapt the same helmet architecture as mission requirements and aircraft systems evolve. Read more.   The Gentex PURSUIT Next Generation Fixed Wing Helmet is designed to reduce aircrew strain while supporting modular integration of helmet-mounted displays, night vision systems, a...

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency awarded Northrop Grumman a $508.49 million follow-on contract to support IRBM and ICBM target vehicles for Missile Defense System testing through August 2035. The award preserves the threat-representative test infrastructure needed to evaluate U.S. homeland missile defenses against long-range ballistic missile threats. Northrop Grumman will provide flight-test support for remaining Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile and Intercontinental Ballistic Missile targets, along with integrated logistics support for government-furnished equipment at sites in Arizona, Utah, and Maryland. The program will sustain target capabilities used to assess sensors, command-and-control networks, and interceptors, including systems associated with the Ground-based Midcourse Defense architecture and Next Generation Interceptor testing. Read more .  A Northrop Grumman Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile target is extracted from a U.S. Air Force C-17 transport aircraft bef...

U.S. Space Command has made integrated space fires and counter-pLEO capabilities its top priorities for fiscal years 2029 to 2033, formally elevating offensive counterspace operations as a warfighting requirement. The shift matters because U.S. forces depend heavily on orbital systems while China and other potential adversaries field anti-satellite capabilities that can threaten communications, warning and targeting networks. Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command, outlined the priorities on August 12, 2026, at the Space and Missile Defense Symposium in Huntsville, Alabama, alongside requirements for integrated command and control, improved space domain awareness and sustained orbital maneuver. The U.S. Space Force already operates non-kinetic counterspace systems such as Meadowlands, the latest Counter Communications System configuration accepted on June 8, which uses radio-frequency effects to disrupt adversary satellite communications and allows one operator to manage...

Thales Belgium and Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited signed a Strategic Alliance Agreement in India on September 3, 2026, to establish indigenous manufacturing of FZ 70 mm rocket systems. The partnership expands local defence manufacturing capacity by transferring production know-how and component integration for FZ90 unguided and FZ275 semi-active laser-guided rockets to KSSL's Indian facilities, including an upcoming Energetics plant in Andhra Pradesh. This industrial initiative supports both domestic supply for HAL Rudra and Prachand helicopters and international export markets amid surging global demand for precision-guided munitions.  Read full defense news at this link... Thales Belgium and Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited have agreed to manufacture Belgian FZ 70 mm rocket systems in India to deliver the first locally assembled units by early 2027, serving domestic defense needs and global export markets. (Picture source: Thales) Read more... from World Defence News https:...

The United States is preparing a military construction project worth up to $2 billion to build up to 3,581 km (2,225 miles) of underground infrastructure for the LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana. The requirement, detailed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, shows that replacing Minuteman III demands far more than a new missile, including a hardened communications network that keeps hundreds of dispersed nuclear launch sites connected and operational. Read full Defense News a this link … The LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM will replace the Minuteman III as the land-based component of the U.S. nuclear triad, requiring new silos, command facilities and thousands of kilometres of hardened communications infrastructure across U.S. missile fields. (Picture source: Northrop Grumman) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/65zgaNs via IFTTT

 A U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet aboard USS George Washington appears to be carrying two AGM-84K SLAM-ER-family missiles during flight operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area, according to footage released by NAVCENT Public Affairs on September 4, 2026. Although the weapons have not been officially identified, the probable twin-missile load highlights the carrier air wing’s ability to deliver precision strikes from standoff range against targets in heavily defended environments.  Read Full Defense News At This Link.  U.S. Navy imagery shows an F/A-18E Super Hornet aboard USS George Washington apparently carrying two SLAM-ER-family missiles, underscoring the carrier air wing’s long-range precision-strike capability in the U.S. 5th Fleet area (Picture Source: U.S. Navy) from World Defence News https://ift.tt/YPfgXWa via IFTTT

Poland’s Ministry of National Defense and Targi Kielce have confirmed that Canada will be the Lead Nation at the 34th International Defense Industry Exhibition (MSPO), to be held in Kielce from 8 to 11 September 2026. The designation strengthens the rapidly expanding Canada–Poland strategic partnership in defense industrial cooperation, NATO interoperability and support for Ukraine.  Read full defense news at this link... Canada will send over 250 organizations and 500 delegates to Kielce, as the designated Lead Nation for the 34th International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO 2026) from September 8–11. (Picture source: Targi Kielce) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/zNnj2cq via IFTTT

On September 2, 2026, a U.S. Marine Corps UH-1Y Venom helicopter assigned to VMM-365 (Reinforced), operating under Littoral Combat Force-24, fired a rocket to destroy a suspected trafficking vessel in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The air strike followed a maritime interdiction operation staged from the amphibious transport dock USS San Antonio (LPD-17), during which a boarding team cleared and secured the target before its disposal. Executing destruction only after physical search and exploitation allows forces to secure critical cargo and intelligence while retaining immediate overhead firepower.  Read full defense news at this link... During a maritime interdiction operation in the Pacific Ocean, U.S. Marines fired a rocket from a UH-1Y Venom to neutralise a target vessel in support of counter-drug operations. (Picture source: USMC) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/feaxVQg via IFTTT

On September 4, 2026, the U.S. State Department approved a $5.0 billion Foreign Military Sale to Saudi Arabia for 10,004 JDAM-ER guidance kits and matching bomb bodies, along with a concurrent $750 million sale for 60 AGT-1500 tank engines. The arms package substantially increases Saudi Arabia's standoff strike capacity by deploying wing-kit technology that extends baseline unpowered bomb reach out to more than 74 kilometers. The acquisition secures operational stock depth across distinct 500-lb and 2,000-lb weapon mass tiers, bolstering long-range precision options for regional deterrence and force interoperability.  Read full defense news at this link... The U.S. State Department approved a possible $5.0 billion Foreign Military Sale to Saudi Arabia covering 10,004 Joint Direct Attack Munition-Extended Range (JDAM-ER) guidance kits and 10,004 general-purpose bomb bodies. (Picture source: Boeing) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/yHJswq1 via IFTTT

U.S. Marines and sailors operating from the U.S. Navy’s San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS San Antonio sank a second floating refueling vessel linked to Ecuador’s Los Choneros organized crime and drug-trafficking network in the Eastern Pacific, U.S. Southern Command reported after the September 3, 2026 operation with Ecuador. The action eliminated another offshore logistics point just one day after a similar interdiction, directly reducing the network’s ability to refuel vessels and sustain long-range maritime activity. Read full Naval Defense News at this link … U.S. Marines and sailors assigned to Maritime Raid Force, Littoral Combat Force 24, operate a rigid-hull inflatable boat from the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS San Antonio (LPD 17) during a maritime interdiction operation against a Los Choneros-linked refueling vessel in the Eastern Pacific, September 3, 2026. (Picture source: U.S. Department of War/Defense) Read More from World Defence News ht...

The U.S. Army has awarded Northrop Grumman a contract worth up to $862.8 million to expand production of M1156 Precision Guidance Kits, according to a September 3, 2026, U.S. Department of War announcement. The kits give existing 155mm artillery forces greater accuracy without requiring entirely new ammunition stocks or firing systems, strengthening precision-fire capacity for high-intensity combat.  Read Full Defense News At This Link.  The U.S. Army awarded Northrop Grumman an $862.8 million contract to expand production of M1156 Precision Guidance Kits that convert conventional 155mm artillery shells into precision-guided weapons (Picture Source: U.S. Army) from World Defence News https://ift.tt/mvVA58i via IFTTT

On August 27, 2026, the U.S. Navy deployed a four-cell Containerized Launching System to Trondheim, Norway, aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17A Globemaster III as part of Operation Atlantic City 26. The deployment serves to validate strategic inter-theater air mobility, expeditionary advanced base operations, and distributed strike integration in the High North alongside British and Norwegian forces. This exercise tests the command-and-control networks required to coordinate geographically separated long-range missile launchers, such as those capable of firing SM-6 and Tomahawk missiles, within a unified joint kill web.  Read full defense news at this link... The Containerized Launching System (CLS) is a transportable U.S. Navy missile launcher that packs four Mk 41-derived strike-length launch cells inside a 40-ft container, allowing weapons such as the SM-6 and Tomahawk to be deployed without needing a permanent VLS. (Picture source: US DoD) Read more... from World Defence News https...

The German Navy has successfully fired Israel Aerospace Industries’ LORA ballistic missile from a German frigate in the North Atlantic, demonstrating a potential ship-launched capability to strike high-value targets hundreds of kilometers inland. The missile was launched on the night of September 1, 2026, according to disclosures by Navy Inspector Vice Adm. Jan Christian Kaack and a German Navy spokesman to Deutsche Presse-Agentur, marking a significant expansion of the combat role German surface ships could perform. Read full Naval News at this link … A LORA ballistic missile is launched from a ship during an Israel Aerospace Industries maritime firing trial. Germany tested the Israeli-developed LORA from a German Navy frigate in the North Atlantic on September 1, 2026. (Picture source: IAI) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/fCbEvxg via IFTTT

 U.S. forces struck Iranian air-defense, radar, maritime, mine-laying and communications infrastructure in another wave of attacks announced by U.S. Central Command on September 1, 2026, following attempted Iranian attacks on commercial shipping and American personnel. The target mix could weaken Iran’s ability to detect and engage incoming threats while disrupting maritime operations and command networks, potentially improving conditions for follow-on U.S. strikes.  Read Full Defense News At This Link.  CENTCOM’s September 1 strikes on IRGC air-defense and maritime targets in Iran were accompanied by footage appearing to show a U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet carrying an AGM-154C-1 JSOW, offering a rare glimpse at the precision weapons supporting ongoing operations (Picture Source: U.S. CENTCOM / U.S. Navy / Edited by Army Recognition Group) from World Defence News https://ift.tt/KkdxjPp via IFTTT

The U.S. Air Force has declared Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the MH-139A Grey Wolf, Air Force Global Command announced after reaching the milestone on August 10, 2026, bringing the new helicopter into operational nuclear-security service. Replacing the Vietnam-era UH-1N Huey gives forces protecting U.S. intercontinental ballistic missile sites greater speed, range and lift capacity across widely dispersed operating areas. Read full Defense Aerospace News at this link … A U.S. Air Force MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopter assigned to the 40th Helicopter Squadron conducts its first operational nuclear-security mission alongside 341st Missile Security Operations Squadron convoys at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, on January 8, 2026. (Picture source: U.S. Department of War/Defense) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/qo9U54I via IFTTT

 U.S. Marines and Royal Air Force personnel prepared an Australian StrikeMaster Coastal Defense System for air transport aboard an A400M Atlas in Trondheim, Norway, during Atlantic City 26, according to imagery published by DVIDS on 27 August 2026. The drill demonstrates how NATO forces could rapidly reposition long-range land-based maritime strike weapons across the High North to threaten hostile ships and reinforce sea denial from dispersed locations.  Read Full Defense News At This Link.  Atlantic City 26 is testing how NATO allies can rapidly airlift and reposition land-based maritime strike systems across the High North to strengthen distributed sea denial and expeditionary combat power (Picture Source: U.S. Marines / Thales / Britannica / Edited By Army Recognition Group) from World Defence News https://ift.tt/FIgCSp0 via IFTTT

 The U.S. Air Force is preparing to keep the RQ-4 Global Hawk operational well into the next decade, with an August 17, 2026, contracting notice outlining modernization and sustainment support potentially extending through June 2033. The move signals that persistent high-altitude intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance remains a critical requirement as U.S. forces monitor increasingly contested theaters across Europe, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific.  Read Full Defense News At This Link.  The U.S. Air Force is laying the groundwork to modernize and sustain the RQ-4 Global Hawk through 2033, signaling a potentially longer operational future for the strategic ISR aircraft (Picture Source: U.S. Air Force) from World Defence News https://ift.tt/ji3zyVF via IFTTT

Greece is expected to sign agreements with Israel worth about €3 billion ($3.5 billion) for a new multi-layer air and missile defense architecture built around Israeli systems including David’s Sling, BARAK MX and SPYDER, according to two security sources cited by Reuters on August 31, 2026. The planned network would significantly strengthen Greece’s ability to counter drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles while reinforcing NATO’s southeastern flank and protecting allied bases, airspace and critical infrastructure across the Eastern Mediterranean. Read full Defense News at this link … Israeli BARAK MX air defense missile system, expected to form the medium- and extended-range layer of Greece’s Achilles Shield, would strengthen protection against aircraft, cruise missiles, drones and selected missile threats while improving NATO air-defense coverage in the eastern Mediterranean. (Picture source: Wikimedia) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/61rVSjx via IFTTT

The U.S. Navy is preparing a major reliability upgrade for the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) aboard USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), the latest generation of U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, after the system delivered much stronger performance during the carrier’s second operational deployment. According to the Navy’s April 21, 2026 Modernized Selected Acquisition Report, the improvement strengthens Ford’s ability to recover aircraft consistently during sustained high-tempo flight operations. Read full Naval Defense News at this link … USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) aircraft carrier operates at sea as the U.S. Navy advances reliability upgrades to its Advanced Arresting Gear, a key system for sustaining high-tempo aircraft recovery and sortie generation during carrier operations. (Picture source: U.S. Department of War/Defense) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/VAE5oRS via IFTTT

 South Korea has begun formal concept work on a fighter generation beyond the KF-21 Boramae, with BizHankook reporting that DAPA issued a request for proposals on August 21, 2026, for a 14-month Korean Next-Generation Fighter Concept Study. The move signals Seoul’s intent to turn its newly acquired fighter-development expertise into a long-term combat-air advantage rather than stopping with the KF-21.  Read Full Defense News At This Link.  South Korea has launched a 14-month concept study to define the missions, enabling technologies and aircraft configurations that could underpin a future sixth-generation fighter beyond the KF-21 Boramae. The image is an unofficial artist’s rendering. (Image credit: Choi Dong-hyun / @3DCG_mylife) from World Defence News https://ift.tt/onTuzNY via IFTTT

 Roketsan’s ÇAKIR cruise missile successfully struck both land and maritime targets in separate ground-launched firings, the Turkish company announced on 27 August 2026, demonstrating that the weapon can now deliver precision strikes from mobile surface platforms as well as aircraft. The achievement gives Türkiye a more distributed strike capability that can threaten targets ashore or at sea without relying on a dedicated launch platform.  Read Full Defense News At This Link.  Roketsan’s ÇAKIR cruise missile struck land and maritime targets from a mobile ground launcher, expanding the weapon’s demonstrated role into distributed surface-based precision strike (Picture Source: Roketsan/ Edited By Army Recognition Group) from World Defence News https://ift.tt/hGPAkB6 via IFTTT

The Harpoon Coastal Defense System (HCDS) is a U.S.-developed, road-mobile ground-based anti-ship missile system designed to provide a land-based over-the-horizon strike capability against hostile surface vessels operating in littoral waters, coastal approaches, and strategic maritime corridors. Read Harpoon Coastal Defense System Technical Review at this link … The Harpoon Coastal Defense System (HCDS) is a U.S.-developed, road-mobile anti-ship missile system designed to engage hostile surface vessels and protect strategic coastal areas and waterways. Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/VQflXcM via IFTTT

The U.S. Navy has successfully tested the Harpoon Coastal Defense System (HCDS), launching a land-based Harpoon anti-ship missile that intercepted a target vessel in littoral waters at California’s Point Mugu Sea Range. The July 2026 developmental test validates HCDS as a mobile coastal defense missile capable of protecting strategic waterways while potentially allowing U.S. forces to threaten hostile warships from shore without exposing U.S. Navy surface combatants to the same level of risk. Read full Naval Defense News at this link … The U.S. Navy Harpoon Coastal Defense System (HCDS) fires a land-based Harpoon anti-ship missile during Developmental Test 1 (DT-1) at Point Mugu Sea Range in California in July 2026, validating its ability to engage maritime targets in littoral waters. (Photo courtesy of Boeing) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/FeQdKU4 via IFTTT

The Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk is a twin-engine, four-blade, medium-lift utility and assault helicopter developed by Sikorsky for the U.S. Army as the current production-standard version of the UH-60 Black Hawk family. Developed from 2001 and first flown on September 17, 2003, it introduced two 1,994 shp General Electric T700-GE-701D engines, wide-chord composite rotor blades, an improved durability gearbox, digital flight controls and a four-screen glass cockpit to restore payload and high-and-hot performance lost as earlier UH-60 variants gained weight. With a maximum gross weight of 22,000 lb (9,979 kg), the UH-60M can carry an 11-soldier U.S. Army infantry squad, lift up to 9,000 lb (4,082 kg) externally, cruise at up to 151 knots (280 km/h) and reach 276 nmi (511 km) on internal fuel without reserve.  Read full technical review at this link... Full-rate production was authorized in June 2007; the first unit was equipped in February 2008; and the UH-60M has since become the pri...

The U.S. Navy is considering renaming its fourth Gerald R. Ford-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, CVN-81, with USS Donald Trump emerging as a potential alternative to the current designation, USS Doris Miller, according to CNN. The potential name change coincides with a directive from the White House to produce a plan replacing the ship's planned Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System and Advanced Weapons Elevators with legacy steam catapults and hydraulic elevators. This dual review reflects ongoing evaluations of naval acquisition costs, industrial shipyard capacity, and fleet naming conventions ahead of the vessel's planned late-2026 keel-laying ceremony.  Read full defense news at this link... The USS Doris Miller (CVN-81) is the fourth Ford-class carrier planned after the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78),  USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79), and USS Enterprise (CVN-80). (Picture source: HII) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/qYsVt0n via IFTTT