The U.S. Air Force Pushes to Replace the MQ-9 Reaper With Far Cheaper MALE Drones

The U.S. Air Force entered fiscal year 2026 with only 165 MQ-9A Reaper medium-altitude, long-endurance drones instead of the minimum 189 it needed. Attrition during Operation Rough Rider…

The U.S. Air Force entered fiscal year 2026 with only 165 MQ-9A Reaper medium-altitude, long-endurance drones instead of the minimum 189 it needed. Attrition during Operation Rough Rider against Houthi forces in Yemen in March 2025 had already thinned the fleet. Losses then accelerated during Operation Epic Fury, launched on 28 February 2026 against Iran. According to reporting cited by French defense site Opex360 and U.S. outlets, at least 45 Reapers have been lost since that campaign began, even though American and Israeli forces were assumed to control Iranian airspace. The deficit is now described by senior officers as “concerning.” Those losses matter because…

Fire on Russian Icebreaker Admiral Makarov Raises Questions Over Repair Delays at Kronstadt

A fire broke out aboard the Russian diesel-electric icebreaker Admiral Makarov while the vessel was undergoing repairs at the Kronstadt Marine Plant, adding another complication…

CSG Invests Nearly €50 Million in Military Vehicle Production in Kopřivnice

CSG is continuing its extensive investment programme at the Tatra Defence site in Kopřivnice. Over the next three years, it plans to invest approximately EUR 49.7 million…

Ukrainian Drone Strike Hits Fuel Infrastructure in Sochi Despite Protective Measures

Ukrainian drones struck fuel infrastructure in the Russian resort city of Sochi overnight on September 4, reportedly hitting two oil-related facilities, including Rosneft’s Adler oil…

Two Billion Euros and Thirty Years Later: Russia’s Nuclear Flagship Rejoins the Fleet

After nearly three decades out of operational service, the nuclear-powered Kirov-class battlecruiser Admiral Nakhimov is completing sea and state trials and is expected to rejoin…

CSG to Showcase Its Companies at MSPO, Central Europe’s Largest Defense Trade Show

The MSPO trade fair is held annually in Kielce, Poland, and ranks among the most important events in the field of defence and security technology development and production…

Ukraine’s €2 Billion Patriot Missile Request Shows Europe’s Air Defense Problem Is Bigger Than Money

Ukraine has asked the European Commission to allow €2 billion from a wider EU loan package to be used for the purchase of Patriot air defense missiles. On paper, the…

A Third European Navy Joins the FDI Family as Stockholm Rearms Its Fleet

On 31 August in Stockholm, French President Emmanuel Macron and Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson attended the signing of a contract under which Sweden will acquire four Defence…

Ukrainian Drone Unit Hits Russian Air Defense Assets and Weapons Depot at Yeysk Airfield

Ukrainian forces struck several military targets at Russia’s Yeysk airfield in Krasnodar Krai overnight on August 30, damaging air defense equipment and an aviation weapons…

After Six Failed Bradley Replacements, the U.S. Army Finally Has Hardware: Wolf Versus Lynx

The U.S. Army’s long search for a successor to the M2 Bradley has moved from renderings and digital twins into steel. In late August 2026, General Dynamics Land Systems…

Sanctioned Iranian Cargo Aircraft Makes Unusual Minsk Stopover

A sanctioned Iranian cargo aircraft linked by the United States to Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps logistics activity made a series of flights involving Belarus and Russia this…

Ukraine’s SAMP/T NG Challenge: Air Defense Batteries Are Coming, But Missiles May Be the Real Bottleneck

Ukraine’s future air defense network is set to receive a major upgrade with the planned delivery of eight SAMP/T NG systems from France and Italy. On paper, this…