MTQ News

As reported by La Sicilia on January 7, 2026, Italy’s Ministry of Defense has approved €112.6 million to establish a multinational F-35 Lightning II pilot training center at Trapani-Birgi Air Base in Sicily. The facility, the first dedicated F-35 training facility located outside the United States, will serve both as Italy’s third operational F-35 base and as an international training site for NATO and European Joint Strike Fighter partner nations. Initial training capability is scheduled for 2028, with full operational status planned for 2029.  Read full defense news at this link... An F-35 Pilot Training Center is a dedicated facility where military aviators from the United States and allied nations learn to fly, operate, and employ the F-35 Lightning II fighter jet in real-world mission scenarios. (Picture source: Italian Air Force) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/jlkBreQ via IFTTT

The United Kingdom played a decisive behind-the-scenes role in a recent US military operation that led to the seizure of the tanker BELLA 1, a vessel assessed as Russian-linked and operating in violation of Iran sanctions, according to information released by the UK Ministry of Defence on January 7. While US forces conducted the physical interception and boarding northwest of Britain and Ireland, the operation relied heavily on UK-provided basing access, intelligence sharing, surveillance coverage, and maritime logistics support, highlighting the integrated nature of US-UK military enforcement activities in the North Atlantic. Read more .  Screenshot from a video released by the US Coast Guard showing USCGC Munro approaching the Russian oil tanker M/V Marinara (BELLA 1) after the operation. (Picture source: U.S Coast Guard) Read full Defense news.  from World Defence News https://ift.tt/S1sAUKb via IFTTT

A series of videos and images circulating across social media platforms in December 2025 suggests that the Royal Thai Army is facing mounting technical issues with its Chinese-made VT-4 main battle tanks during activities near the Cambodian border. The material, later acknowledged by Thai military officials, shows at least one 125 millimeter smoothbore gun suffering a catastrophic barrel rupture, alongside separate reports of powerpack and engine-related failures during sustained operations, raising concerns beyond a single isolated malfunction. Read more .  Introduced into Thai service in 2017, the VT-4 was selected to replace aging U.S.-built M48 and M60 tanks, as well as to supplement the limited fleet of Ukrainian-origin T-84 Oplot-Ts (Picture source: X Account @TheDeadDistrict) Read full Defense news.  from World Defence News https://ift.tt/wS8rl4L via IFTTT

In a written parliamentary answer dated January 5, 2026, UK Defence Minister Lord Coaker stated that the Ministry of Defence expects delivery of its 75th F-35 fighter jet by the end of 2033. The response clarifies the long-term delivery schedule without changing the minimum fleet commitment of 74 units. It confirms a phased acquisition approach rather than an accelerated procurement cycle.  Read full defense news at this link... The United Kingdom has played a structurally important role in the development of the F-35 from its earliest stages, entering the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program in 1995 as the only Level 1 international partner. (Picture source: US Air Force) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/4YhEaeA via IFTTT

As reported by the Ihlas News Agency (IHA) on January 5, 2026, Baykar announced that deliveries of the first serial-production Bayraktar Kizilelma unmanned fighter jet to the Turkish Armed Forces will begin in the first quarter of 2026. The delivery follows the completion of prototype testing, weapons integration trials, and radar and sensor evaluations conducted throughout 2025.  Read full defense news at this link... The Kizilelma employs a broad spectrum of air-to-air and air-to-surface munitions, giving the Turkish Air Force its first unmanned system capable of both radar-guided air combat and low-observable strike missions. (Picture source: Baykar) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/bipHfRa via IFTTT

On January 4, 2026, the Ukrainian Unmanned Systems Forces stated that fighters from the Darknode Battalion of the 412th Nemesis Brigade intercepted a Russian Shahed-type kamikaze drone fitted with an Igla-S man-portable air defense system. This variant, observed for the first time during the war, carried a camera and a radio modem, allowing the missile to be launched remotely by an operator located on Russian territory to threaten Ukrainian helicopters and low-flying aircraft involved in counter-drone interception.  Read full defense news at this link... Ukraine may now have to allocate more air defense assets and counter-UAS resources to deal with such a threat, as MANPADS-armed drones could potentially serve as a decentralized air defense layer for Russia's advancing forces. (Picture source: Ukrainian MoD) Read more... from World Defence News https://ift.tt/QWRXPO8 via IFTTT

Lithuania has formally endorsed the purchase of 100 CV90 MkIV infantry fighting vehicles, tying the buy to a six-nation allied procurement framework that includes Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, and the Netherlands, according to a Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence readout that cites the State Defence Council’s approval. Officials have signaled that the deal is not only about platforms, but also about sustainment and industrial resilience. Lithuania is pushing to include the local production of some technical components and a domestic CV90 MkIV maintenance capability in follow-on contracts as the program heads toward a main agreement expected in early 2026. Read more .  The CV90 MkIV is the first Western infantry fighting vehicle to integrate a qualified Active Protection System (APS), the Iron Fist APS, delivering 360-degree protection by detecting and intercepting incoming threats through a combination of radar and infrared sensors. (Picture source: Army Recognition...

British Royal Air Force Typhoon FGR4 jets carried out a high-precision airstrike against a fortified Daesh tunnel complex in eastern Syria on Saturday evening, January 3, 2026, according to UK defence sources familiar with the operation. Conducted under Operation Shader, the long-running UK campaign against Islamic State remnants, the strike was flown in coordination with French aircraft. It employed Paveway IV precision-guided munitions to neutralise hardened underground infrastructure in complex terrain. Read full Defense Aerospace News at this link ... Illustrative image: RAF Typhoon FGR4 multirole fighter jets equipped with Paveway IV precision-guided bombs during combat operations similar to the January 3, 2026 strike on a fortified Daesh tunnel complex in eastern Syria. (Picture source: UK MoD) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/uZPE0sO via IFTTT

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured during a covert U.S. military operation, according to reporting published by the BBC on January 3, 2026, and confirmed by its U.S. news partner CBS. While the U.S. Department of War did not formally identify the forces involved, CBS reported that the mission was carried out by Delta Force, the U.S. Army’s premier counter-terrorism and direct-action unit operating under U.S. Army Special Operations Forces. The operation was later confirmed publicly by U.S. President Donald Trump in a video posted to the official White House X account, in which he announced that Maduro and Flores had been apprehended and placed into U.S. custody. Read full Defense News at this link ... Illustrative image – U.S. Army special operations forces conducting a nighttime direct action mission. (Picture source: U.S. Department of War) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/zWqnvaj via IFTTT

The French Ministry of the Armed Forces has placed an urgent order for two counterdrone systems after a sharp increase in unidentified drone activity near highly sensitive military and industrial sites, according to information published by the DMAé, the Direction de la Maintenance Aéronautique, on December 26, 2025. The decision, announced through an official LinkedIn communication, was taken under an operational emergency procedure, underscoring mounting anxiety within defense circles over the exposure of key infrastructure to small, difficult-to-trace aerial platforms. Read more.   During the open days at Orange Air Base 115, TrustComs deployed its counterdrone systems to discreetly and effectively secure the perimeter despite extreme weather conditions. (Picture source: TRUSTCOMS) Read full Defense news.  from World Defence News https://ift.tt/HkCRfSl via IFTTT

According to information published by the Saudi Ministry of Defense on December 18, 2025, the first Multi-Mission Surface Combatant frigate constructed in the United States for the Royal Saudi Navy has been officially launched at Fincantieri Marinette Marine’s shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin. The ship, designated HMS Saud with pennant number 820 and also known as Jalalat Al-Malik Saud in honor of King Saud, is the lead vessel in a four-ship program ordered under Project Tuwaiq through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales framework, a deal that defense officials have repeatedly described as a cornerstone of bilateral naval cooperation. Read more.   The HMS Saud (820) has an overall length of approximately 118 meters, in some sources detailed as 118.6 meters, with a beam of 17.6 meters, a draft of about 4.3 meters, and a full-load displacement estimated at roughly 3,600 tonnes. (Picture source: Saudi MoD) Read full Defense news.  from World Defence News https://ift....

Images shared on social media on December 30, 2025, appear to confirm that Venezuela has taken delivery of the Iranian-built Mohajer-6 unmanned aerial vehicle, marking the first public evidence of an armed reconnaissance drone in Venezuelan service. According to information published by the X account El Inquisidor, the aircraft was photographed at El Libertador Air Base, the Venezuelan Air Force’s primary operational facility, underscoring a deepening defense relationship between Caracas and Tehran and directly implicating U.S. military operations in the Caribbean. Read full Defense Aerospace News at this link ... An Iranian-made Mohajer-6 unmanned aerial vehicle was spotted on the tarmac of El Libertador Air Base in Venezuela, confirming the drone's operational deployment by the Venezuelan Air Force. The image, published on December 30, 2025, marks the first visual evidence of Mohajer 6's presence in Latin America. (Picture source: El Inquisidor X account) Read Mor...

As we enter 2026, the entire Army Recognition group team would like to sincerely thank all our customers, readers, and partners for their continued trust and collaboration throughout the past year. Your loyalty and engagement have been the driving force behind our work, and we are deeply grateful for your support. Read full Defense News at this link ... Army Recognition Group wishes all its readers, partners, and members of the defense community a Happy New Year 2026. May the year ahead bring strength, security, and continued collaboration across the global defense sector. (Picture source: Army Recognition) Read More from World Defence News https://ift.tt/JSaF4W6 via IFTTT