The French Ministry of the Armed Forces and the Marine nationale confirmed on February 19, 2026, that the Jeanne d’Arc 2026 task group has sailed from Toulon for a five-month deployment stretching from the Mediterranean into the Red Sea, East Africa, the Indian Ocean and onward to the Indo-Pacific. Built around the Mistral-class amphibious assault ship Dixmude (L9015) and escorted by the La Fayette-class stealth frigate Aconit (F713), the mission blends the traditional formation of naval officers with a more pointed operational signal: France is rehearsing joint power projection under the same maritime security pressures that now define key sea lanes across three continents. Read more... Dixmude is a Mistral-class amphibious assault ship, combining a six-spot flight deck and hangar for a mixed helicopter and drone air wing with a well deck for EDA landing craft, while also serving as a floating command post and hospital for expeditionary operations (Picture source: Marine Nationale)...
Rostec disclosed on February 20, 2026, that Uralvagonzavod has delivered a new batch of modernized BREM-80 armored repair and recovery vehicles to Russia’s Ministry of Defense ahead of Defender of the Fatherland Day. The company frames the upgrade package as a direct response to battlefield realities in Ukraine, where recovery crews operate under constant pressure from drones, artillery, and loitering munitions. The most consequential changes center on improved crew protection and a mechanized coupling system that lets operators attach, hook up, and begin towing damaged armor without stepping outside the vehicle, reducing exposure during the most vulnerable moments of a recovery mission. Read more... Modernized BREM-80 T-80-based armored recovery vehicle with heavy winches, a 18-ton-class crane, a dozer-spade anchor, and a mechanized coupling for rapid under-armor towing and extraction under drone and artillery threat (Picture source: Army Recognition Group). from World Defen...