2026 - currentdefencenews.com

January 19, 2026
Admin
Naval Platforms
R&D

Finland Starts Work on Fourth Pohjanmaa Corvette

Rauma Marine Constructions has started production of the fourth Pohjanmaa-class corvette, placing all four ships of Finland’s Squadron 2020 program under construction simultaneously. The first vessel has already been...

January 19, 2026
Admin
Missile & Missile Defence
Mergers & JV

Rheinmetall, EM&E Offer Spain Rocket System

EM&E Group and Rheinmetall Expal Munitions have submitted a joint proposal to Spain’s Ministry of Defence to develop a nationally controlled rocket artillery system under the SILAM program. The...

January 19, 2026
Admin
Land Platforms
Procurement & Contracts

EuroTrophy Chosen for Leopard 2A8 APS

EuroTrophy has secured a €330-million contract with KNDS Deutschland to supply Trophy Active Protection Systems for Leopard 2A8 tanks operated by Lithuania, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, and Croatia....

January 19, 2026
Admin
Naval Platforms
R&D

US Clears $1.5B Upgrade of Peru Naval Base

The US State Department has approved a potential $1.5-billion Foreign Military Sale to support the redesign and relocation of Peru’s main naval base at Callao, a move with both...

HERO-90 Munition Selected for Rapid Army Anti-Armor Testing

The U.S. Army has selected UVision’s HERO‑90 loitering munition for evaluation under the Low Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance (LASSO) initiative, advancing efforts to provide dismounted troops with precision...

SM-2 Block IIIC/CU Enhancements Boost US Navy Medium-Range Defense

The SM‑2 Block IIIC/CU medium‑range surface‑to‑air missile was on display at SNA 2026, highlighting how the U.S. Navy is modernizing its long‑serving Standard Missile‑2 inventory. Known as the RIM‑66P,...

January 18, 2026
Admin
Air Platforms
Procurement & Contracts

Up to 9 MiG-29 Jets Approved for Transfer From Poland to Ukraine

Poland is set to provide Ukraine with up to nine MiG-29 fighter jets in the initial tranche, slightly below earlier expectations of ten aircraft. Government approval has been granted,...

January 17, 2026
Admin
Unmanned Systems
New Product Launches

UK Royal Navy Flies First Autonomous Leonardo Proteus

The UK Royal Navy and Leonardo UK have achieved the first flight of the Proteus unmanned helicopter under autonomous control at Predannack Airfield in Cornwall. As the United Kingdom’s...

XM204 Anti-Tank Rounds Approved for Europe Deployment

The U.S. Army has cleared the XM204 top‑attack terrain‑shaping munition for urgent operational use, authorizing its accelerated fielding to Europe under an Urgent Materiel Release. The move highlights the...

January 17, 2026
Admin
Land Platforms
Procurement & Contracts

Electric E-ZPT APC Enters Service in Türkiye

Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defense has unveiled the first E-ZPT electric armoured personnel carrier built for serial production by MKE, following successful acceptance testing in Ankara. The initiative signals...