MTQ News

 The U.S. Army's ground modernization strategy advances decisively in Fiscal Year 2026 with a continued infusion of development funds for the XM30 Combat Vehicle program. The Department of Defense’s FY2026 budget request, released in July 2025, allocates approximately $386.4 million in Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) for XM30, sustaining momentum for the Bradley replacement effort without initiating procurement. This funding supports the transition from Preliminary Design Review (PDR) to Critical Design Review (CDR), marking a pivotal shift from concept development to hands-on prototyping and integration.  Read Full Defense News At This Link.  Concept models based on Rheinmetall’s Lynx KF41 and General Dynamics’ Griffin III are shown for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the final XM30 design (Picture source: Army Recognition Group / General Dynamics) from World Defence News https://ift.tt/tRqDdh0 via IFTTT

 Spain has officially selected the Turkish-built HÜRJET advanced jet trainer for its next-generation pilot training program, marking a seismic shift in NATO defense dynamics and signaling Türkiye’s arrival as a trusted aerospace supplier to Western European militaries. The historic agreement, publicly announced by Turkish defense leaders including Dr. Mehmet Demiroğlu and Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, includes the acquisition of 30 HÜRJET aircraft as part of a 2.6 billion euro contract that spans aircraft, simulators, integrated ground systems, and long-term operational support.  Read Full Defense News At This Link.   Spain’s selection of Türkiye’s HÜRJET advanced jet trainer in a €2.6 billion deal marks a major NATO-aligned export breakthrough, signaling Ankara’s emergence as a trusted aerospace supplier to Western European air forces (Picture Source: Turkish Aerospace Industries) from World Defence News https://ift.tt/9ALEabU via IFTTT

Kim Jong-un has directed North Korea’s military to reorganize its artillery forces around long-range rocket systems, a shift that state media described as central to future conventional and nuclear strike plans. The inspection of a major munitions industry enterprise producing multiple rocket launcher systems took place on December 28 and was publicly reported on December 30 by official outlets, as Pyongyang steps up preparations for the Ninth Congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea, where a new phase of defense development is expected to be endorsed. Read more .  The system in question is widely believed to be the 600 mm multiple rocket launcher, a heavy rocket artillery platform that occupies a doctrinal space between traditional MLRS and short-range ballistic missiles (Picture source: KCNA). Read full Defense news.  from World Defence News https://ift.tt/IYRmr2s via IFTTT

 On December 28, 2025, Israel’s Ministry of Defense and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems announced the delivery of the first operational Iron Beam high-power laser air defense system, designated in Hebrew as “Or Eitan”, to the Israel Defense Forces. The transfer, which followed a formal ceremony at Rafael’s headquarters in northern Israel, was communicated through official statements by Rafael, the Ministry of Defense and the IDF. Iron Beam has now moved from a long development and testing phase into service within the Israeli Air Force’s air and missile defense structure. In a global context where short-range rockets, mortars and unmanned systems are central elements of contemporary threats, the introduction of a high-power laser interceptor as an operational layer is presented by Israeli authorities as a significant step in the evolution of layered air defense.  Read Full Defense News At This Link.  Israel has fielded its first operational Iron Beam high-p...

 North Korea carried out a long-range strategic cruise missile launch drill on December 28 using what is assessed to be an upgraded variant of the Hwasal-1 long-range strategic cruise missile, according to information released by the Korean Central News Agency. Kim Jong Un personally oversaw the exercise. It involved two missiles launched from the country’s western coastline, flying for nearly three hours along preprogrammed routes over the Yellow Sea before striking designated targets, a demonstration Pyongyang said was intended to verify the readiness and reliability of its strategic counterstrike forces. Read more .  Two strategic cruise missiles were launched from North Korea’s western coastline and flew along preprogrammed trajectories over the Yellow Sea before striking their designated targets (Picture source: KCNA) Read full Defense news.   from World Defence News https://ift.tt/E08dMQH via IFTTT

The U.S. Army’s MV-75 Future Long Range Assault Aircraft program reaches a defining moment in Fiscal Year 2026 as it moves from intensive prototyping into production readiness, according to budget and program planning documents. Funding in FY26 supports completion of the aircraft’s Critical Design Review, continued prototype assembly and flight testing, early production planning, and refinement of its digital open-systems architecture, while also initiating development of a fully integrated MEDEVAC variant to ensure the MV-75 is adaptable across combat and lifesaving missions from its earliest fielding. Read full Defense News at this link ... Bell Textron's V-280 Valor, developed under the JMR-TD Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator program, was selected by the U.S. Army on December 5, 2022, as the basis for the MV-75, its next-generation assault aircraft. (Picture source: Bell Textron) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/OIcBA3L via IFTTT

  Open-source imagery circulating on South Korean social media since 25 December, in the absence of any official confirmation from the authorities, appears to depict Republic of Korea Army K2 Black Panther main battle tanks equipped with improvised anti-drone protective cages during a recent armored training activity. These photos, shared across local defence forums and social platforms, place the K2 in a live-fire environment, suggesting that the modification is being evaluated under realistic conditions rather than as a static concept. At a time when inexpensive first-person-view (FPV) drones and loitering munitions are inflicting heavy losses on armored vehicles in multiple theaters, any visual sign that Seoul is adapting its premier main battle tank is of particular interest. The imagery provides a rare window into how the ROK Army may be translating lessons from current conflicts into rapid, field-level counter-drone measures, even in the absence of an official announcement. ...

  On 24 December 2025, documentation published by the Federal Institute of Industrial Property (FIPS) indicated that the Kolomna-based Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering (KBM) has received a patent for an active protection system (APS) method capable of engaging not only missiles and projectiles but also attack drones. This development comes after several years in which Russian tanks, including the T-90M “Proryv”, have suffered heavy losses to first-person-view (FPV) drones and precision-guided munitions in Ukraine. The patent, registered as No. 2853544 with a validity start date of 23 May 2025, formalises a technical approach that seeks to address one of the most critical vulnerabilities of modern armour: very small, slow, and low-cost drones operating at short range. Against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing efforts to integrate the Arena-M APS on T-72B3M and T-90M tanks, the filing signals an attempt to move away from improvised anti-drone cages toward a more integrated and ...

The British and German governments confirmed on December 28, 2025, that both nations have agreed to a £52 million joint contract to procure and evaluate the RCH 155 wheeled 155mm artillery system, marking a notable milestone in bilateral defense cooperation. Under the Early Capability Demonstrator program, the UK will receive one prototype system while Germany will field two units, allowing both militaries to pool testing data, technical expertise, and operational feedback as they move toward potential future procurement decisions. Read full Defense News at this link ... German-developed KNDS RCH 155mm L52 wheeled self-propelled howitzer during live-fire training at the Klietz military range, Germany. (Picture source: UK MoD) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/jw8Cbgd via IFTTT

India has conducted a test launch of its K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missile from the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine INS Arighaat, marking what Indian sources describe as the first time the missile has been fired from that platform. The test took place in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Visakhapatnam on December 25, 2025, according to reporting by the Times of India, with no immediate public confirmation from the Ministry of Defence. Defense analysts view the launch as a meaningful step toward operationalizing the sea-based leg of India’s nuclear posture. Read more... The K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missile is a solid-fuel, two-stage nuclear-capable weapon with a range of around 3,500 km, designed to be fired from Arihant-class submarines, allowing India to conduct survivable second-strike nuclear deterrence patrols far from adversary coastlines (Picture source: Weibo). from World Defence News https://ift.tt/doZ5pka via IFTTT

 On 26 December 2025, Baykar announced via its official X account that the Bayraktar AKINCI unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) had successfully completed live munition firing tests with three Turkish-made precision weapons: the MAM-T smart munition, the LAÇİN-82 guidance kit and the TEBER-82 Winged Guidance Kit, all achieving what the company described as “bull’s eye” hits. Shared first on social media by Baykar, these firings confirm that AKINCI can now employ a broad family of Roketsan-guided munitions, from lightweight stand-off weapons to winged 500 lb class bombs. The tests come as Türkiye continues to consolidate its position in the UCAV domain, where indigenous drones and munitions are a central component of its deterrence posture and export strategy. The announcement signals that AKINCI is transitioning from a platform in incremental qualification to a mature, multi-weapon system integrated with the latest national guidance technologies. Read Full Defense News At This Li...

The Israel Defense Forces Artillery Corps has received the first SIGMA 155 Roem, an Israeli-produced self-propelled 155 mm artillery system delivered by Elbit Systems. The handover marks the opening move in a phased replacement of the U.S.-made M109 fleet that has underpinned Israeli tube artillery since the 1980s. Beyond being a new gun, Roem signals a deliberate pivot toward automation, faster kill chains, and manpower efficiency at a time when Israel’s ground forces are under constant pressure to generate massed fires quickly, then relocate before enemy counterfire arrives. Read more... SIGMA 155 Roem self-propelled howitzer of the IDF Artillery Corps, featuring a 155 mm gun with up to 40 km range, fully automatic shell loading, a reduced three-soldier crew, and advanced digital command-and-control enabling rapid, networked fire missions and high-tempo shoot-and-move operations (Picture source: Israel MoD). from World Defence News https://ift.tt/fr3dBW9 via IFTTT

Photos published on December 26, 2025, by China Military Online show a PLA Air Force J-10 fighter lifting off for what is described as a routine training sortie, but analysts quickly focused on the jet’s centerline payload. The weapon’s size, shape, and mounting geometry closely resemble open-source depictions of the YJ-21E export hypersonic anti-ship ballistic missile, prompting renewed debate among regional defense observers about whether China has succeeded in adapting a weapon once limited to heavy bombers for use on a frontline multirole fighter. Read more... YJ-21E hypersonic air-launched anti-ship ballistic missile, assessed up to 1,500 km range with Mach 6-plus flight and a Mach 10-class terminal dive, built to hit major warships with minimal warning and stress shipboard defenses (Picture source: China Military/Weibo). from World Defence News https://ift.tt/wv5kb2f via IFTTT

According to information published by the U.S. Department of War, the United States conducted a precision strike on December 25, 2025, targeting Islamic State positions inside Nigeria, as part of ongoing counterterrorism operations in West Africa. The announcement was accompanied by video footage of a missile launch from a U.S. Navy surface combatant operating offshore, prompting defense analysts to assess that the strike likely involved a Tomahawk cruise missile fired from an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, although the U.S. military has not formally confirmed the weapon system or the vessel involved. Read full Naval News at this link ... Still image from video footage released by the U.S. Department of War on December 25, 2025, showing the launch of a possible Tomahawk Land Attack Missile from a U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer during a strike operation targeting ISIS elements in Sokoto State, Nigeria.  (Picture source: U.S. Department o...

The U.S. Air Force has quietly expanded its unmanned aerial presence in the Caribbean, with newly released imagery confirming the deployment of a seventh MQ-9A Reaper operating from Rafael Hernández Airport in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Defense officials have long pointed to the strategic value of the former military airfield, known locally as BQN, as a forward hub for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions supporting counter-narcotics operations across the Caribbean basin and along maritime routes linked to Venezuela. Read full Defense Aerospace News at this link ... An MQ-9A Reaper from the 163d Attack Wing, California Air National Guard, taxis during routine operations. This aircraft type is now deployed from Puerto Rico to support expanded U.S. Air Force ISR missions against drug trafficking in the Caribbean. (Picture source: U.S. Department of War) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/e6MLkPs via IFTTT

On December 25, 2025, North Korean state media KCNA reported that Kim Jong Un had inspected the construction of an 8,700-ton “nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine” at a domestic shipyard. According to the KCNA report and the photographs released with it, the vessel is intended to serve as a strategic nuclear attack submarine within the country’s naval modernization plans. The images show a large hull on a building cradle in red anti-corrosion primer, indicating a project that has progressed beyond the conceptual stage but is still under construction. KCNA describes the submarine as nuclear-powered, though the existence and maturity of any naval reactor have not been confirmed from open sources. The appearance of such a platform is relevant because it suggests a move toward a more survivable, sea-based component of North Korea’s nuclear forces, with potential consequences for deterrence and crisis stability on the Korean Peninsula. Read Full Defense News At This Link. ...

China has drawn key lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war that it now applies to a potential Taiwan conflict, according to a December 2025 report by the U.S. Department of War. After analyzing Russia’s failures in logistics, joint operations, and urban combat, the PLA has shifted from expecting a quick invasion to preparing for a prolonged, high-intensity campaign focused on sustained logistics, joint force integration, and information warfare. Based on this, Army Recognition assesses that a likely Chinese invasion would begin with cyber and missile strikes to paralyze Taiwan’s defenses, followed by amphibious and airborne assaults, and end with intense urban combat to seize key population centers. Read full Naval News at this link ... On November 14, 2025, China's first new-generation amphibious assault ship, the Sichuan (Hull 51), set sail from the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai, heading to designated sea areas to conduct its first navigation test mission. (Picture sou...

  On December 23, 2025, Reuters reported that RTX subsidiary Raytheon secured a $1.7 billion contract to deliver four Patriot air and missile defense systems to Spain. The announcement comes as European governments accelerate investment in air and missile defense to address a wider range of threats, from cruise missiles and ballistic missiles to large-scale, mixed raids. In Raytheon’s framing, the purchase is directly tied to national readiness and sovereignty, and it is structured as a U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case that also brings Spanish industry into the supply chain. Read Full Defense News At This Link. Spain is moving to strengthen its national air and missile defense with a $1.7 billion agreement for four Raytheon Patriot fire units, reflecting Europe’s accelerating focus on countering advanced aerial and missile threats (Picture Source: RTX) from World Defence News https://ift.tt/APWkYCD via IFTTT

Belgium has formally introduced the Polish-made Piorun man-portable air defense system into its Special Operations Regiment, marking a notable upgrade to the country’s short-range air defense posture. According to information released by the Belgian Ministry of Defence, the first system was handed over on December 23, 2025, during an official ceremony in Heverlee, underscoring growing concern among NATO militaries about the vulnerability of dismounted forces to drones and low-flying aircraft. Read full Defense News at this link ... Belgian Special Forces operators conduct a static demonstration of the Piorun man portable air defense system during an integration event in Heverlee, showcasing handling procedures and sighting systems without live missile firing. (Picture source: Belgian MoD) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/ZHqOhg2 via IFTTT

On 22 December 2025, Anadolu Agency reported that the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) is to be equipped with German-made Panzerfaust 3 anti-tank weapons, a transfer confirmed by acting Minister of Defence Ejup Maqedonci in Pristina. The Albanian Post and Telegrafi later detailed that the Ministry of Defence has completed the procurement procedures with Germany, underlining that the weapons are already bought and now only await transport and handover. Subsequent local reporting indicates that Kosovo has now officially taken delivery of the Panzerfaust 3 systems from Germany, within the framework of their bilateral defence cooperation. The transfer is presented by the authorities in Pristina as a concrete step in the modernisation of the Kosovo Security Force and its alignment with Euro-Atlantic standards, at a time when security dynamics in the Western Balkans remain fragile and under close international scrutiny. Read Full Defense News At This Link. Germany’s delivery of Panzerfa...

Through U.S. President Donald Trump's statement on December 22, 2025, the U.S. Navy announced its intent to construct a new Trump-class guided missile battleship, starting with the future USS Defiant (BBG-1), as the centerpiece of a wider “Golden Fleet” buildup. The move revives the battleship label, but the hardware being proposed is closer to a missile-heavy large surface combatant built to fight inside a saturated anti-ship missile environment, while also acting as a fleet command node. The War Department’s Pentagon News account describes the ships as 30,000-to 40,000-ton combatants now in the design phase, with construction of the lead ship targeted for the early 2030s. Read more... Trump class battleship concept is a 35,000-ton missile-heavy flagship built for hypersonic strike, dense air defense, and layered self-protection with deep magazines and advanced sensors (Picture source: U.S. DoW). from World Defence News https://ift.tt/nWKQMNg via IFTTT

According to information released by the Italian shipyard Fincantieri on December 22, 2025, the Indonesian Navy formally accepted KRI Prabu Siliwangi-321 during a ceremony at the company’s Muggiano shipyard in La Spezia. The delivery completes Jakarta’s acquisition of two Pattugliatore Polivalente d’Altura (PPA) class vessels, originally designed for the Italian Navy, and reflects Indonesia’s growing emphasis on flexible, multi-mission surface combatants capable of operating across a wide range of maritime security scenarios. Read full Naval News at this link ... The PPA-class (Pattugliatore Polivalente d’Altura) is a new-generation multipurpose offshore patrol vessel designed by Fincantieri, combining high-end combat capabilities with modular flexibility for missions ranging from maritime patrol and sea rescue to full naval warfare. (Picture source: Fincantieri) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/ucwMKoa via IFTTT

 On 15 December 2025, Lithuania’s Ministry of National Defence reported that the State Defence Council approved the purchase of 100 Swedish CV90 MkIV infantry fighting vehicles under a joint procurement with five other NATO Allies. The decision is framed as more than a platform buy, linking new tracked combat power to industrial participation, with Lithuania seeking to include domestic production of technical components and in-country maintenance support in follow-on acquisition contracts. With the Nordic-Baltic security environment shaped by Russia’s war against Ukraine and a wider push for faster NATO readiness, the programme also signals an intent to shorten the path from political approval to fielded capability through multinational coordination.  Read Full Defense News At This Link.  Lithuania has approved the purchase of 100 CV90 MkIV infantry fighting vehicles through a NATO joint procurement, tying expanded mechanized combat power to regional interoperabil...

Nordic Air Defence confirmed in an interview with Defender Media that it will flight-test its Kreuger interceptor drones during winter 2025 before deploying them to Ukraine for operational trials against Shahed-type attack drones. The program aligns with a broader trend in air defense toward scalable interceptor drones designed to counter large numbers of low-cost aerial threats.  Read full defense news at this link... The Kreuger could be used against Shahed-type drones (typically flying around 115 mph, about 185 km/h), as well as small and medium reconnaissance drones, such as the Russian Orlan. (Picture source: Nordic Air Defence) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/Yk78M6F via IFTTT

 On 19 December 2025, as announced by Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, TKMS and Germany’s procurement authority BAAINBw signed in Koblenz a framework agreement to deliver DM2A5 heavyweight torpedoes and associated equipment for the German Norwegian Type 212CD submarine class. This is being presented by the company as the largest torpedo order in its history, a milestone that links a new weapons tranche directly to Europe’s next generation conventional submarine program. With the contract value and total volume deliberately withheld, the announcement nonetheless signals a long-duration investment in undersea lethality and interoperability at a time when European navies are prioritizing credible underwater deterrence.  Read Full Defense News At This Link. Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems has secured its largest-ever heavyweight torpedo framework agreement, linking DM2A5 weapons directly to the German Norwegian Type 212CD submarine program and reinforcing Europe’s long-term unders...

Aboard the massive flight deck of USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78), the world’s largest aircraft carrier, the U.S. Navy is fielding a fundamentally different kind of capital ship shaped by lessons from decades of carrier operations and emerging threats from peer competitors. As the lead ship of the Ford-class, the carrier integrates electromagnetic launch systems, reduced crew requirements, and digital command networks designed to increase sortie generation while lowering long-term operating costs, according to Navy officials and program documentation. Read full Naval News at this link ... USS Gerald R. Ford, the lead ship of the Ford-class, represents the U.S. Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier design, combining next-generation airpower, electromagnetic launch systems, and reduced crew requirements to project unmatched combat capability across global theaters. (Picture source: U.S. Department of War) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/9NvkLdU via IFTTT

Russian military units operating in Ukraine have begun using the Chinese-developed Silent Hunter laser air defense system, according to information published on multiple social media platforms and reviewed by Army Recognition’s open-source monitoring team. While neither Moscow nor Beijing has officially confirmed the deployment, the reported combat use would represent the first battlefield employment of China’s export-oriented directed-energy weapon, as both sides search for cost-effective ways to counter the relentless expansion of drone warfare. Read News Russia - Ukraine War at this link ... The Chinese Silent Hunter is a high-energy fiber-optic laser weapon system designed to disable drones and low-flying threats with pinpoint precision. It can be mounted on various combat platforms, including 6x6 tactical trucks and fixed installations, offering mobile or static deployment options for rapid counter-UAV defense. (Picture source: China Poly Technology) Read More from ...

Russia will place its new medium-range missile system, equipped with the Oreshnik hypersonic missile, on official combat duty before the end of the year, President Vladimir Putin confirms during a high-level Ministry of Defense meeting. The statement, reported by the Russian state news agency TASS on December 17, 2025, clarifies the system’s operational status and marks a significant milestone in the modernization of Russia’s missile forces. Read full Defense News at this link ... The Oreshnik is Russia’s newest road-mobile, medium-range hypersonic missile system, capable of striking targets at speeds up to Mach 10 with precision-guided warheads designed to penetrate advanced missile defenses across Europe. (Picture source: Sputnik) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/QmTgoVn via IFTTT

  On December 17, 2025, Russia’s Defense Minister Andrei Belousov announced that the Aerospace Forces had received two Tu-160M strategic missile carriers during the final board meeting of the Ministry of Defense, as reported by the Russian state agency TASS. This delivery comes at a moment when Russian long-range aviation is under pressure from Western sanctions targeting the aerospace and defense industry. The arrival of new aircraft indicates that Moscow is determined to preserve, and where possible regenerate, its long-range strike capability as a central element of both its nuclear and conventional deterrence posture. Read Full Defense News At This Link. The delivery of two Tu-160M bombers highlights Moscow’s determination to rebuild and sustain its long-range aviation force despite Western sanctions (Picture Source: TASS / Russian MoD) from World Defence News https://ift.tt/23HiywB via IFTTT

 On December 17, 2025, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace was awarded an $80,163,321 firm-fixed-price contract modification to supply 52 PROTECTOR RT20 remote turrets for the U.S. Marine Corps’ Amphibious Combat Vehicle 30mm (ACV-30) variant, as reported by the U.S. Department of War. This award raises the potential value of the turret line under contract M67854-25-C-2023 to $282,820,227 if all options are exercised, confirming that the ACV-30 is moving into a sustained industrial phase. In parallel, Northrop Grumman has transitioned its Mk44S Bushmaster production for the ACV-30 to full-rate status and BAE Systems has secured a $184 million order for 30 additional ACV-30 vehicles, as reported by Army Recognition. These decisions show the Marine Corps locking in a stable combination of platform, turret and medium-caliber gun that will shape its amphibious combat power for the next decade.  Read Full Defense News At This Link.   Kongsberg’s $80.1 million RT20 t...

 On 17 December 2025, Babcock International confirmed that the first Jackal 3 Extenda all-terrain vehicles had rolled off its Devonport production line, formally launching deliveries under the second tranche of the British Army’s Jackal 3 program. The milestone marks tangible progress in the renewal of the Army’s high-mobility wheeled fleet and underscores the enduring industrial partnership between Babcock and Supacat, whose HMT platform continues to form the backbone of the Jackal vehicle family.  Read Full Defense News At This Link.  The first Jackal 3 Extenda vehicles have rolled off Babcock’s Devonport production line, marking the start of deliveries for the UK Army’s next phase of high-mobility fleet renewal (Picture Source: Army Recognition Group / Babcock International) from World Defence News https://ift.tt/5kfn76i via IFTTT

 On December 17, 2025, Russia’s Northern Fleet disclosed that its Su-24M frontline bombers had carried out night-time aerial refueling over the Far North, in complete polar darkness, as reported by the Russian state news agency TASS. Conducted with Il-78 tanker aircraft, the training targeted one of the most demanding skills in Russian military aviation: safely connecting bomber and tanker in turbulent, low-visibility Arctic conditions. Beyond the technical feat, the exercise underscores Moscow’s effort to maintain long-range strike options out of the Kola Peninsula at a time when Arctic airspace is increasingly central to strategic competition. The announcement also comes shortly after an 11-hour Tu-160 patrol over Arctic waters, documented by Army Recognition, highlighting a broader pattern of Russian air operations designed to signal endurance and reach in the High North.  Read Full Defense News At This Link .  Russia’s Northern Fleet has showcased its ability t...

As reported by the BBC on December 17, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on December 16, 2025, that the United States would impose a total blockade on sanctioned oil tankers associated with Venezuelan crude exports, citing allegations of drug trafficking and illicit financing tied to the Maduro government. The move increases enforcement risk for shipping, raises uncertainty over Venezuelan oil supply, and may affect buyers, including China.  Read full defense news at this link... Tankers sanctioned by the US that are trying to load or transport Venezuelan crude could now be intercepted, detained, or prevented from entering or leaving Venezuelan ports, with their cargoes at risk of being seized if they attempt to run the blockade. (Picture source: US Navy) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/hdvjxT8 via IFTTT

 On December 15, 2025, as reported by Lockheed Martin, the company announced it had completed production of all F-16 Block 70 aircraft for the initial fleets of Bulgaria and Slovakia, with the jets manufactured at its Greenville, South Carolina, facility under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales framework. This milestone closes the production phase of two long-running acquisition programs aimed at replacing aging Soviet-era MiG-29s and aligning both air forces with NATO’s standards. It comes at a moment when the war in Ukraine continues to keep NATO’s eastern flank under pressure and when airspace protection over Central and South-Eastern Europe remains a critical political and military priority. By delivering complete, accepted fleets rather than small symbolic batches, the program transitions Bulgaria and Slovakia from planning to actual fielding of combat-ready aircraft capable of taking part in allied air operations.  Read Full Defense News At This Link.   A ...

Ukraine’s Security Service, known as the SBU, claimed on December 15, 2025, that it successfully struck a Russian Improved Kilo-class submarine inside the port of Novorossiysk using an underwater unmanned system, a platform the agency refers to as Sub Sea Baby. According to the SBU, the operation was conducted jointly with the Naval Forces of Ukraine through military counterintelligence channels and caused critical damage that rendered the submarine non-operational, a claim that cannot yet be independently verified through imagery or official Russian statements. Read more... Ukraine’s Security Service video showing a Russian Project 636.3 Varshavyanka Kilo class submarine, which the SBU claims was critically damaged in Novorossiysk by an underwater Sub Sea Baby drone during a joint operation with the Ukrainian Navy (Picture source: Ukraine's Security Service). from World Defence News https://ift.tt/0oHcqrT via IFTTT

Russian forces are now fielding an upgraded version of the Geran 2 one-way attack drone, incorporating a double warhead totalling roughly 100 kilograms, according to reporting from Ukrainian news agency UNN and local OSINT channels. Ukrainian radio technology expert Serhiy Beskrestnov, known by the call sign Flash, said analysis of recovered wreckage confirms the configuration is no longer experimental and is entering routine combat use against Ukrainian targets. Read more... Upgraded Russian Geran 2 one-way attack drone carrying twin high-explosive incendiary warheads totaling about 100 kg, boosting blast and fire effects for infrastructure killing strikes while retaining long range, low speed penetration (Picture source: social media). from World Defence News https://ift.tt/qYDosev via IFTTT