India has taken a decisive procedural step toward what could become its largest-ever Western fighter acquisition, setting the Rafale on course for a 114-jet expansion that would reshape the Indian Air Force’s frontline combat inventory and deepen New Delhi’s industrial bargaining power with Paris. On February 12, 2026, the Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, granted Acceptance of Necessity for a Multi Role Fighter Aircraft requirement identified as “MRFA {Rafale}”, alongside associated combat missiles and a high-altitude pseudo-satellite program. In its official communication, the Indian Ministry of Defence presented the move as an operational answer to air-dominance requirements across the spectrum of conflict and, just as importantly, signaled an industrial red line by stating that the majority of the MRFA fleet is to be manufactured in India. Read more... Rafale multirole fighter featuring RBE2 AESA radar, SPECTRA electronic warfare suite, and ...
The United Kingdom announced on February 12, 2026, a new £500 million air defence package for Ukraine, including 1,000 additional Martlet Lightweight Multirole Missiles. The package also allocates £150 million to NATO’s Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List mechanism and includes further missile and artillery deliveries. The announcement was made during the 33rd Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels. Read full defense news at this link... The Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM), also known as Martlet, was developed to complement the heavier Sea Venom missile on the United Kingdom’s AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat helicopter fleet. (Picture source: UK MoD) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/C8AWvaI via IFTTT