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NATO to knit eight allies’ satellites into HALO space network
1 day ago•Source: Breaking Defense
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8.375 min•4 days ago
Kang Kon: A Frigate Bristling With Guns and Questionable Survivability
North Korea’s Kang Kon, a Choi-Hyun-class guided-missile frigate, is shown with an unusually heavy weapon spread—including a portside array of roughly 12 KPV machine guns, a 5-inch main gun, multiple CIWS mounts, and large vertical-launch missile cells—alongside tests of electronic warfare and cruise missiles under Kim Jong Un. While Pyongyang says it will be commissioned soon, analysts question its combat survivability and the strategic value of such a heavily armed, potentially small-number class, though it might offer a limited long-range strike capability in certain scenarios.
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Edgewing clinches £4.6B GCAP deal to advance sixth‑gen fighter toward 2035
Defense News•7 days ago
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UK's DIP maps four autonomous platforms to power a hybrid Royal Navy and Atlantic Fleet
Britain’s Defence Investment Plan outlines four new platform types—two UUVs (Type 92 and the large Type 93 XL UUV) to bolster underwater sensing and ASW, plus Type 94 and Type 91 uncrewed platforms for sensing and missiles—to underpin a Royal Navy hybrid force and its Atlantic Fleet concept. The plan, tied to SDR goals and a £5 billion push into autonomous systems, envisions expanding Common Combat Vessels in the 2030s, expanding seabed security and air/ missile defense capabilities, and upgrading naval base infrastructure to improve readiness and deterrence in the underwater domain and beyond.
Pentagon Creates Unifying Autonomy Chief to Oversee Drones and UxS
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signs a memo establishing a Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for autonomy (DRPM-UxS) to centrally oversee all unmanned and autonomous systems—covering ground vehicles, all small air vehicles, and most surface vessels—reporting to the Deputy Defense Secretary. The DRPM-UxS will be the single joint integrator for UxS programs, with the Defense Innovation Unit as the primary industry interface. DAWG and JIATF 401 become deputy offices under the DRPM-UxS, and some programs remain outside its scope (e.g., MUSV and major airframes). No individual is named yet to fill the role, which aims to speed fielding of UxS capabilities and cut bureaucratic delays.
Merops Interceptors Highlight Cheap, Scalable Counter-Drone Role Amid US Tech Push
A Ukrainian unit posted video allegedly showing American-made Merops interceptors pursuing a Shahed drone, underscoring the effectiveness of low-cost counter-drone tech as the U.S. moves to field a government-owned interceptor design for scale. Merops is inexpensive (about $15,000 per unit) and has downed thousands of drones, a capability NATO nations have adopted (Romania, Poland, Lithuania). The Army’s Low-Cost Interceptor program aims to enable multiple manufacturers to produce a government-owned blueprint, reducing reliance on Perennial Autonomy. Ukraine has asked the Pentagon to help scale manufacturing, but Washington reportedly declined; some Merops tests have shown failures in certain conditions.”,
Poland orders three Saab A26 submarines, tapping drone swarms for Baltic defense
Poland signed a SEK 47 billion ($4.8 billion) contract with Saab to buy three A26-class submarines, with deliveries due by 2038, and Saab will establish maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities in Poland. The subs are designed for Baltic Sea operations and can deploy drone swarms to safeguard critical infrastructure. In a separate move, Poland plans to acquire the HMS Södermanland as a gap-filler training vessel, underscoring a broader push to modernize the Navy.
Britain Bets on Drones and a Hybrid Navy in DIP Preview
Britain’s Defence Investment Plan preview signals a pivot to hybrid and unmanned warfare, with £5 billion earmarked for a drone transformation, at least six Common Combat Vessels to act as hubs for aerial, surface, and underwater drones, and a new Collaborative Combat Air programme for autonomous fighters flying alongside crewed jets, along with a broad push to develop inexpensive autonomous systems for land, sea, and air; the plan also includes a £15 billion uplift in defense funding amid political reshuffles.
Skunk Works Orchestrates Guam’s Unified Missile Shield
Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works is tying together the MRIC, Patriot, and MADIS into a unified C2 network to form Guam’s 360-degree defense shield under the Golden Dome concept, with live-fire tests during Valiant Shield 2026 and Tenacious Archer 2026 and planned Palau tests, as the Army redesignates Task Force Talon as the 3rd Battalion, 43rd ADAR and continues fielding integrated anti-missile capabilities to defend Guam and CNMI from cruise missiles and drones.
Decommissioned USS Juneau Sunk in Pacific SINKEX During Valiant Shield 2026
A decommissioned USS Juneau (LPD-10) was sunk in the Philippine Sea during the Valiant Shield 2026 SINKEX by a JMSDF submarine, with aircraft from the George Washington Carrier Strike Group and allied forces supporting the strike, as part of a multinational, multi-domain exercise that also ties into RIMPAC 2026 and ongoing emphasis on unmanned undersea systems and long-range fires.
Britain bets on drones and autonomous ships to reshape its armed forces
Britain unveils a defense overhaul inspired by Ukraine, prioritizing drones and autonomous systems over new capital ships, funding six common combat vessels and a national drone program to accelerate rapid battlefield innovation, while aiming to hit NATO spending targets amid funding questions.
Six Hybrid CCVs to Lead Royal Navy’s Modern Air-Defense Push
The UK will build at least six Common Combat Vessels (CCVs) under the Defence Investment Plan to replace the Type 45 destroyers. These hybrid crewed/uncrewed ships will serve as air-defence hubs for unmanned sensors/weapon platforms, operating with Type 26/31 frigates and future unmanned platforms. The programme includes three Atlantic programmes (Atlantic Bastion/Shield/Strike) to counter regional threats, protect critical infrastructure, and boost UK shipyards and export potential.
Poland signs Saab A26 deal to expand Baltic naval defenses
Poland contracted Saab to produce and deliver three A26-type submarines, along with weapons, training and support, in a deal worth about SEK 47 billion, with final deliveries through 2038. Poland will use the Swedish HMS Södermanland as a gap filler under a separate agreement, and Saab will establish maintenance, repair and overhaul capabilities in Poland to strengthen strategic autonomy and security in the Baltic Sea region.