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Military Watch
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[l] at 10/12/26 8:15pm
The U.S. Army has received its first prototype of the XM1776 Mobile Tactical Cannon, a South Korean 155mm self-propelled howitzer intended to replace the ageing M777 towed artillery system in selected formations. Developed by Hanwha Defense, the new system is based on the wheeled K9 Mobile Howitzer and is intended to provide greater mobility, a higher rate of fire and improved survivability on increasingly transparent battlefields. The Army accepted the first prototype ahead of a program of testing and soldier experimentation, marking a significant step towards introducing a new generation of mobile artillery into U.S. Army service. The procurement reflects a broader trend towards the United States and NATO members more broadly relying increasingly heavily on South Korean ground forces equipment. The K9 has been particularly popular in Europe, and recently emerged as a frontrunner for the Swedish Defence Ministry’s selection of a new artillery system, while Romania has the systems on order, and Finland, Norway, Poland, Turkey, and Estonia already field them. A Spanish in September followed a followup Finnish order for 112 additional K9s in April. The four-year contract to equip the U.S. Army with the K9’s wheeled derivative has a potential value of approximately $262.9 million and covers six initial prototypes, with options for up to 12 additional systems. Sales of several hundred are expected once the system passes trials. One of the principal advantages over the M777 is the new system’s ability to move under its own power rather than requiring a separate vehicle to tow it between firing positions. The wheeled configuration is intended to provide mobility suited to Stryker Brigade Combat Teams, which require artillery capable of keeping pace with their formations. The Army plans to prioritise these units before considering the system for Mobile and Infantry Brigade Combat Teams. The XM1776 is not intended to replace every M777 across the force, but rather to provide a more mobile alternative in formations where its characteristics offer particular advantages. Like the K9, the XM1776 can fire up to nine rounds per minute, more than twice the approximately four rounds per minute cited for the M777 under comparable reporting conditions. The system’s performance is also expected to exceed that of the M777 in several important areas. The K9 family uses a 155mm, 52-calibre gun, compared with the M777’s 39-calibre barrel, allowing it to exploit the potential of compatible ammunition and propelling charges to achieve greater range. Published figures for the K9 family indicate a maximum range exceeding 60 kilometres with suitable ammunition, although actual performance depends on the projectile and firing conditions. The M777 has a conventional maximum range of less than 24 kilometres, rising to approximately 40 kilometres with extended-range M982 Excalibur precision-guided ammunition. These figures are not directly interchangeable across all ammunition types, but they illustrate the potential reach of the longer-barrelled system. 

[Category: North America, Western Europe and Oceania, Ground]

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[l] at 10/12/26 7:22pm
The Russian Aerospace Forces have used two FAB-3000 bombs equipped with universal gliding and correction modules to strike Ukrainian troop deployment sites near Orekhov in the Zaporozhye Region. The operation was conducted after reconnaissance units identified concentrations of Ukrainian personnel, with Russian aircraft launching their weapons against positions of the Ukrainian Army’s 65th Separate Mechanised Brigade. The Russian military also reported strikes against Ukrainian deployment sites in the Kharkov Region using precision-guided glide bombs, alongside an air-to-ground missile attack against a fortified position in the Zaporozhye Region. The FAB-3000 is one of the largest bombs ever widely used in combat, and is primarily dropped by Su-34M strike fighters which are prized for their very high weapons carrying capacities. The FAB-3000 has a nominal mass of approximately three tonnes. Its large explosive payload gives it substantial destructive potential against buildings, fortified positions and other structures, particularly when detonated close to or within a target. The weapon’s considerable mass, however, also imposes constraints on the aircraft that can carry it and on the conditions under which it can be employed. The addition of universal gliding and correction modules has expanded the range of circumstances in which heavy Soviet-designed bombs can be used. Rather than requiring aircraft to release unguided bombs directly over their targets, the modules provide aerodynamic lift and a guidance system that can correct the weapon’s trajectory after release. This allows the launching aircraft to release the bomb from farther away, reducing its exposure to some ground-based air defence threats. The actual standoff distance and accuracy depend on the release altitude, aircraft speed, bomb configuration and operating environment.The FAB-3000’s size makes it particularly relevant to attacks on substantial defensive positions, where a large explosive charge can damage structures and disrupt personnel occupying nearby areas. The combination of a heavy warhead and a guidance module also allows Russian forces to adapt existing bomb stocks without having to develop an entirely new weapon. Such conversions have become part of a broader effort to increase the utility of legacy munitions through relatively limited modifications. Ukrainian Army frontline personnel speaking to various Western media outlets have widely singled out the effects of large scale glide bomb attacks, stressing that such attacks using bombs with up to 500 kilograms of explosives were obliterating their underground bunkers. One serviceman compared their impact to “hell’s gates,” stressing that the Russian Aerospace Forces “would send them two by two by two, eight in an hour… It sounds like a jet coming down on you.” The impact of a 3,000 kilogram bomb is expected to be very considerably greater, with few militaries in the world having such a strike capability. The 65th Separate Mechanised Brigade comprises mechanised infantry, tank and artillery units, alongside reconnaissance, air defence and combat-support elements. Its equipment has included Soviet-designed T-72 tanks and BMP-1 and BMP-2 infantry fighting vehicles. The formation has also expanded its use of unmanned systems, including the “Ronins” strike-drone company, which operates first-person-view drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles against Russian personnel and equipment, and has gained prominence for its use of robotic systems. Ukrainian sources have widely reported that the country’s tank units are suffering from very low availability of armour, due to both heavy losses that cannot be replenished, and due to difficulties sustaining those vehicles that are in service. According to the Russian Defence Ministry, in parallel to the strikes on the 65th Separate Mechanised Brigade, four high-precision UMPB glide bombs were also used against temporary deployment sites belonging to Ukraine’s 129th Separate Heavy Mechanised Brigade near Prikolotnoye in the Kharkov Region. Separately, an air-to-ground missile strike reportedly destroyed a strongpoint associated with the 128th Separate Heavy Mechanised Brigade near Kushugum in the Zaporozhye Region. The ministry stated that real-time monitoring systems recorded direct hits on the designated targets, although the reported destruction and resulting Ukrainian casualties have not been independently verified. Russian glide bomb strikes are reported to have contributed significantly to the extreme casualty rates suffered by the Ukrainain Army, which had in several cases approached 80-90 percent in frontline units. 

[Category: Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft]

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[l] at 10/12/26 4:08pm
A Chinese fighter pilot who participated in the Eagles of Civilisation 2026 joint military exercises with the Egyptian Air Force has highlighted Egyptian interest in Chinese combat aircraft, long-range air-to-air missiles, and electronic warfare capabilities, while commenting on the performance of the African service’s Rafale fighters. According to a report by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, the Chinese pilot indicated that Egyptian personnel were especially interested in China’s electronic warfare capabilities, reportedly expressing admiration for the timing and effectiveness of Chinese jamming systems. Electronic warfare has become an increasingly important component of modern air combat, with the ability to disrupt opposing aircraft’s radars, communications, and other electronic systems potentially influencing engagements well before opposing fighters come within visual range.The Chinese pilot also reportedly praised the Rafale’s manoeuvrability during close-range engagements. The Rafale is a considerably smaller aircraft than the J-16, with a much more limited range, weapons carrying capacity, and engagement range and a far weaker radar and electronic warfare suite, with the shortcomings of its size compounded by the limitations of the French electronics industry. The fighter’s agility, while far from exemplary, may well be the area where it sits closest to the J-16 in performance. The Rafale is notably not the most manoeuvrable fighter in Egyptian service, with Egypt’s MiG-29M fighters having far more powerful engines and higher thrust-weight ratios. The Rafale’s M88 engines are currently the weakest in production for fighters anywhere in the world, with only the small size of fighter allowing it to retain respectable manoeuvrability. The limitations of the engines, however, mean that additional fuel or weapons take a much greater toll on the Rafale’s flight performance than they would for larger aircraft like the medium weight MiG-29 or heavyweight J-16. The J-16’s performance record and known capabilities fuelled expectations that it would demonstrate its vast superiority over other participating fighter types during exercises in Egypt. Experience operating against the Rafale provides dissimilar air combat experience, albeit against an adversary far less capable than those which Chinese fighter units face in East Asia, where U.S. and allied forces deploy advanced F-35 and F-15EX fighters. The Rafale not only consistently lost overwhelmingly in tenders against U.S. and Russian fighter types, most notably the F-35 and Su-30, but it has also fared very poorly in simulated combat exercises with U.S. fighters, with French pilots highlighting its inability to engage modern fifth generation fighters. China and the United States are currently the only major producers of fifth generation fighters, while China is leading the world in sixth generation fighter development with an expected service entry date around 2030. The Rafale saw its first high intensity combat test in May 2025, during which between one and four of the aircraft flown by the Indian Air Force were neutralised during engagements with Pakistan Air Force’s Chinese-supplied J-10C ‘4+ generation’ fighters. The J-10C was developed in parallel to the J-16 as a lighter and lower cost counterpart, and has approximately half the engine power and a radar with less than half the power of the larger aircraft. The engagement, and the J-10C’s overwhelming successes against the closely related Eurofighter, which shares common origins with the Rafale, during exercises in Qatar, fuelled expectations that engagements between the J-16 and Rafale would be highly one-sided. 

[Category: Asia-Pacific, Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft]

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[l] at 10/12/26 1:42pm
The Iranian Air Force has deployed its rare F-14 Tomcat fourth generation fighter aircraft for joint exercises with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which have involved the firing of multiple ballistic missiles and loitering munitions. Footage from the drills has shown several types of combat aircraft operating in Iranian skies, including older F-4 and F-5 fighters, and Soviet-supplied MiG-29s. The exercises have demonstrated the failure of the U.S. and its strategic partners to significantly erode Iranian air power after over half a year of war, following the United States’ initiation of full scale hostilities on February 28. While the F-4 and F-5 continue to form the backbone of the Iranian fleet, Iran’s more limited number of F-14s provide a unique missile defence capability, with the aircraft having originally been designed to defend U.S. Navy carrier groups from Soviet cruise missile attacks. While the type’s status in service was previously uncertain, footage released in June confirmed that the aircraft were operating as part of Iran’s war effort against the U.S. Although currently obsolete for air-to-air engagements against modern fighter types, the F-14’s combination of the AN/AWG-9 radar and AIM-54 missile to provide a robust capability to engage subsonic cruise missiles like the U.S. Tomahawk, which could be invaluable at a time when the U.S. Navy is facing acute missile shortages. The F-14’s AN/AWG-9 radar was by far the most more powerful radar ever integrated onto a Western fighter during the 20th century, and boasts a detection range exceeding 300 kilometres against large targets and the ability to track up to 24 targets simultaneously while engaging up to six at once. Importantly, its sophisticated look-down/shoot-down capability allowed it to detect and track low-flying cruise missiles against the clutter of the sea surface, overcoming a major limitation that affected many earlier radar systems. With Iran’s ground-based missile defence systems having taken significant losses to U.S. and Israeli air strikes, the fielding of an aircraft capable of contributing to operations may be highly prized. The F-14s are expected to be supplemented, and possibly replaced, with the service entry of Russian Su-30SM and Su-35 fighters, which Iran is confirmed to have ordered in considerable numbers. The F-14’s combat capabilities have long been in serious question, with the aircraft having fired its primary weapon the AIM-54 multiple times in U.S. Navy service during engagements with Iraqi Air Force fighters during the 1990s, while failing to achieve a hit every time. The aircraft itself has exceedingly high maintenance requirements, which combined with the age of the Iranian fleet is expected to limited availability rates. Unlike the F-4 and F-5, which are much smaller and have lower radar cross sections, the F-14 is also expected to be less viable for penetration strikes into hostile airspace. Iran has proven much more capable than analysts expected of sustaining its fighter fleet and even taking to the offensives with strikes deep into well defended hostile airspace.

[Category: Middle East, Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft]

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[l] at 10/12/26 12:25pm
The Republic of China Air Force is planning to extend the maximum service age for experienced military pilots to 58 as it seeks to address personnel shortages and prepare for the introduction of 66 new F-16 Block 70 fighters ordered from the United States. The proposed scheme would allow qualified lieutenant colonels and colonels to remain in service beyond their existing career limits, helping the air force retain experienced personnel as it expands its combat fleet. The initiative comes as the Air Force faces persistent operational demands associated with monitoring Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force military activity. The two Chinese air forces are fielded by opposing Chinese governments in Beijing and Taipei, which remain in a state of civil war. Under the new proposal, pilots can volunteer to remain in uniform until the age of 58, compared with existing service limits that generally place lieutenant colonels at approximately 48 and colonels at 52. The Republic of China Ministry of National Defence has also proposed creating 72 additional positions for highly qualified pilots who have served for at least 14 years. These personnel would retain their existing ranks while concentrating on flying duties rather than transitioning into command or administrative roles, allowing the air force to preserve experienced pilots in operational units. The proposal was submitted to the Executive Yuan in Taipei for consideration on September 4, according to the Central News Agency.Defence Minister Wellington Koo Li-hsiung said the initiative was intended to prevent the loss of experienced aviators to the civilian aviation sector. Military pilots who reach the end of their service obligations can pursue careers with commercial airlines, where employment opportunities and the potential for longer careers provide a strong incentive to leave the armed forces. The Air Force’s rules generally limit lieutenant colonels to 26 years of service and colonels to 30 years, whereas commercial pilots can continue flying until approximately 65, subject to applicable requirements. The disparity has made retaining senior military aviators a significant personnel challenge.The defence ministry has reported that the air force currently has a personnel fill rate of 87.8 per cent, although recruitment and training remain important sources of new pilots. The ministry stated that recruitment for pilot training reached 96.2 per cent of its target in 2024, 112 per cent in 2025 and 98.6 per cent in 2026. Nevertheless, producing new fighter pilots requires substantial time and resources, while experienced aviators possess accumulated knowledge of aircraft systems, tactics and operational procedures that cannot be quickly replicated through initial training. Retaining senior personnel could therefore help bridge the gap between the introduction of new aircraft and the development of a sufficiently experienced workforce to operate them.

[Category: Asia-Pacific, Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft]

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[l] at 10/12/26 9:03am
The Russian defence sector is developing a new quasi-ballistic missile equipped with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead, according to information published by Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence Directorate. The disclosure accompanied the publication of an interactive three-dimensional model of the missile, details of its internal components and information on the firms involved in its production. The new configuration would expand the range of conventional warhead options available for a weapon that has been employed extensively in Russian strikes against Ukrainian targets. The new missile is being developed as a variant of the Kinzhal missile to equip MiG-31I strike fightersAccording to Ukrainian intelligence, the Kinzhal currently has two principal warhead configurations: a penetrating high-explosive warhead designed to breach concrete structures and fortified facilities, and a nuclear warhead. The proposed fragmentation variant would provide a different effect against penetrating substantial structural protection. The existing conventional warhead is designed to penetrate floors, reinforced concrete and other substantial barriers before or during detonation. This makes it suitable for attacking hardened facilities. A high-explosive fragmentation warhead would offer a different balance of effects, optimising it for striking targets where the distribution of explosive energy and fragments is favoured over penetration capability.The Kinzhal was developed as an air launched variant of the 9M720 ballistic missile from the Iskander-M ground-based system, and has been combat tested against a wide variety of high value targets in the Ukrainian theatre. The system gained considerable attention after it was reportedly used in May 2023 to neutralise Ukrainian Patriot missile systems in the country’s capital, mirroring verified successful strikes by Iskander-M systems against Patriot systems on multiple occasions. Kinzhal missiles following quasi-ballistic trajectories and are able to perform complex manoeuvres during flight, which makes them highly challenging to intercept. The MiG-31I gained a new inflight regretting capability in 2023, and from October 2025 was confirmed to have launched strikes on Ukrainian targets from bases deep in the Russian interior, operating alongside Il-78 tankers to cover greater distances and loiter for longer periods before firing their missiles. 

[Category: Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Missile and Space]

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[l] at 10/11/26 9:28pm
Turkish Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters have completed a temporary deployment to Latvia to reinforce NATO air defence, highlighting the role of its large fighter fleet in strengthening NATO’s eastern flank. The aircraft were deployed alongside Eurofighters from German and Italy. Latvian Defence Minister Raivis Melnis visited the Turkish contingent at Lielvarde Air Base on October 9 to thank its personnel for their contribution. The number of Turkish aircraft involved and whether they were scrambled during their deployment were not disclosed. Photographs released during the minister’s visit identified the Turkish aircraft as belonging to the Turkish Air Force’s 181st Squadron. The deployment followed an earlier visit by Turkish F-16s to Lielvarde in August, when two aircraft arrived from Amari Air Base in Estonia as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission.Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania do not operate their own fighter fleets and have relied on NATO allies to police their airspace since joining the alliance in 2004. Allied aircraft normally operate from Siauliai Air Base in Lithuania and Amari Air Base in Estonia, rotating between participating countries. Temporary deployments to Latvia expand the geographical flexibility of this arrangement and help establish alternative operating locations in the event that the usual bases become unavailable or require additional support. The Turkish Air Force’s contribution carries particular significance because Turkish F-16s have previously been involved in direct military confrontations with Russian aircraft. The most serious of these on November 24, 2015 saw two Turkish F-16s shoot down a Russian Air Force Su-24M strike aircraft near the Turkish-Syrian border. Turkish F-16s were until December 2024 frequently deployed for strikes on Russian-aligned Syrian government forces, alongside F-16s from Israel, leading the Russian Aerospace Forces to respond on multiple occasions to respond by scrambling Su-35 air superiority fighters based in Syria to intercept them. As Syrian forces made advances in the country’s northwestern Idlib governate in the summer of 2019, leading Turkey to deploy F-16s on August 20 to cover the retreat of Turkish-backed Islamist militants, Su-35s were scrambled to intercept the aircraft and force them to leave Syrian airspace. Turkey nevertheless intervened more forcefully, and on October 15 a Turkish F-16 fighter intercepted a Russian Su-35 within Syrian airspace and prevented it from launching a strike on an insurgent headquarters in Manbij. From January the following year Turkish F-16s and drone units provided air support to militant groups after they lost considerable ground near Idlib, and while Russian air strikes during the subsequent clashes caused dozens of Turkish military casualties.

[Category: Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft]

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[l] at 10/11/26 9:26am
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that China could soon provide Russian forces with access to a satellite communications network comparable to SpaceX’s Starlink, potentially strengthening military communications and drone operations. The warning comes as Moscow accelerates development of its own low Earth orbit satellite internet constellation, known as Rassvet. Ukrainian sources have also argued that Chinese support could help bring the Russian system into service sooner and with more advanced capabilities than expected. “We are talking with various colleagues from Europe and America. I tell them honestly: Chinese representatives are involved in developing an alternative to Starlink,” Zelensky said. “They are getting closer, and they are passing it on to Russia. Russia could gain that kind of dominance.”Zelensky has urged the United States to impose sanctions on Russian and Chinese firms involved in the programme, raising the issue with U.S. President Donald Trump during discussions that included a meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. According to reporting by the Financial Times, Zelensky is particularly concerned that the network could improve Russia’s ability to coordinate attacks using unmanned aerial vehicles. Rassvet currently remains far smaller than Starlink, which operates a constellation numbering in the thousands. Skibitskyi said the Russian system’s current capabilities over Ukraine were intermittent, with connectivity dependent on satellites passing overhead. Establishing a much larger constellation would permit more continuous coverage and could significantly improve the network’s usefulness for military communications. Reliable satellite communications have become an important component of the war in Ukraine, supporting command networks, reconnaissance, logistics and the operation of unmanned systems. Starlink has been particularly valuable to Ukrainian forces because its low-orbit constellation can provide connectivity in areas where conventional communications infrastructure has been destroyed or disrupted. The network has also supported the operation of drones, allowing units to exchange information and maintain links over distances that would otherwise require more vulnerable communications infrastructure. A number of analysts have highlighted that the importance of Starlink for the Ukrainian war effort exceeds that of all support provided by European NATO members combined, as it prevented Russian forces from paralysing command and control in the war’s critical initial days. Russian forces have notably also used Starlink terminals, including devices obtained through unofficial channels, despite restrictions imposed by SpaceX. Ukraine pressed the company to block unauthorised Russian military access, and the resulting disruption highlighted the risks of relying on a commercial communications network whose operator can restrict service. The United States has limited Ukraine’s access to Starlink for strikes deeper into Russian territory, and in February 2025 threatened wider cutoffs from the network. China’s defence sector is notably also developing means of countering Starlink, with laser weapons and attack satellites speculated to be among the methods considered. 

[Category: Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Missile and Space]

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[l] at 10/11/26 5:46am
A report by the U.S. Congressional Research Service (CRS) has identified at least 81 American military aircraft reportedly lost or damaged during the American-led war effort against Iran since February 28. This includes 12 F-15E Strike Eagle fighters, seven KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refuelling aircraft and at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones. The report draws on media accounts, statements from the Department of Defense and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), and findings published by the Pentagon’s Inspector General. It provides an expanded accounting of the damage sustained by American aviation during the conflict, although the CRS cautions that its figures remain subject to revision and that some damaged aircraft may already have returned to service.The reports stressed that uncertainties surrounding classified incidents, continuing military operations and the attribution of individual losses could affect the final tally. An earlier version of the report, published in May, listed 42 aircraft, with the increase reflecting the incorporation of additional incidents and new information rather than necessarily representing losses sustained entirely since that earlier assessment. The F-15E Strike Eagle accounts for 12 aircraft in the report. Three were destroyed over Kuwait on March 2, with Iraqi militias reported to have shot it down, while U.S. reports first indicated Kuwaiti Patriot air defences, and then a Kuwaiti F-18, were responsible as part of a friendly fire incident. Another was shot down over Iran on April 5. The remaining eight sustained damage during an Iranian strike on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan on September 9–10.U.S. aircraft suffered their highest rate of combat losses following the shootdown of a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle long range fighter over Iranian territory in early April. U.S. efforts to recover the two airmen that ejected and parachuted into Iran resulted in losses of nine more U.S. aircraft and one Israeli aircraft. These included HC-130J Combat King II personnel recovery support aircraft, HH-60W combat rescue helicopters, UH-60 Black Hawk transport helicopters, an A-10 attack jet and an MQ-9 drone. Iranian air defences had preceding this achieved the first ever confirmed missile hit on a flying fifth generation fighter, a U.S. Air Force F-35A, on March 19, which damaged the aircraft sufficiently to cause shrapnel wounds to the pilot. It remains uncertain whether the aircraft was considered damaged or destroyed.Unmanned aircraft account for the largest share of the total. The CRS lists at least 45 MQ-9 Reaper drones, three MQ-1 unmanned aircraft and one MQ-4C Triton. The Triton is by some estimates the highest value aircraft destroyed, with each costing over $200 million. The concentration of losses among unmanned aircraft reflects their extensive use in surveillance and operational missions, including in the case of the MQ-9 for higher risk operations. The extreme levels of attrition the fleet has suffered has raised serious questions regarding the U.S. Armed Forces’ ability to sustain a higher intensity war effort. Despite the considerable cost of the aircraft damaged and destroyed, other parts of the war effort have been far more costly, most notably the costs of replacing expended missiles, including both anti-ballistic missile interceptors, and cruise and ballistic missiles.  
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[l] at 10/10/26 9:54pm
France and Germany have publicly contradicted each other over the future of their joint Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) program, with senior French military officials accusing Berlin of abandoning plans to develop a common next-generation main battle tank. The dispute threatens to bring an end to one of Europe’s most ambitious armoured vehicle development projects, which was intended to replace France’s Leclerc and Germany’s Leopard 2 tanks. Although Berlin insists that cooperation remains in place, the program has been substantially scaled back, with the two countries increasingly focused on developing technologies that could be used across separate national combat vehicle fleets. The disagreement comes only months after the collapse of the Frenc and German led Future Combat Air System (FCAS) pan-European stealth fighter program, raising further questions about the viability of major collaborative European weapons projects.French Chief of Defence Staff General Fabien Mandon addressed the tank program’s deteriorating prospects during a hearing before the French National Assembly’s defence committee on October 8. He told lawmakers that France had hoped to develop a future tank in cooperation with Germany but had to acknowledge that the German side had decided to withdraw. Mandon characterised the outcome as disappointing and argued that the two countries’ military leaderships had already established common requirements for the future vehicle, suggesting that the obstacles were now primarily political and industrial rather than operational. His remarks represented one of the clearest public indications that Paris no longer expected the original joint tank to proceed as planned.Berlin rejected the suggestion that it had abandoned the program. A German Defence Ministry spokesperson stated that France and Germany had agreed to adjust the MGCS initiative to incorporate lessons from Russia’s war against Ukraine, but insisted that this did not mean the project had failed. Germany remained committed, the spokesperson said, to an equal partnership focused on future technologies for armoured warfare. The apparent contradiction reflects a distinction between maintaining cooperation on selected technologies and continuing with the original ambition of producing a common tank platform. France’s criticism concerns the apparent abandonment of the latter, while Germany emphasises the continued existence of the broader research and development effort.European tanks are already considered significantly behind the cutting edge, with Israel, South Korea, North Korea, Russia, and China having remained far ahead in integrating indigenous active protection systems, which have proven invaluable in the Ukrainian theatre. The South Korean K2 has provided a significantly superior NATO-standard superior to the German Leopard 2, which is currently Europe’s only tank type in production. The Chinese Type 100 entered service in 2025 as the world’s first tank of the next generation, and is expected to be followed by the less ambitious but still highly advanced U.S. M1E3, the South Korean K3, and possibly the Russian T-14. Delays to the development of the MGCS are expected to further contribute to leaving Europe’s defence sector further behind.The MGCS programme was initiated in 2017, and was intended to create a family of interconnected platforms rather than a single vehicle operating in isolation. The main battle tank would form the centre of a wider force that could include supporting armoured vehicles, uncrewed systems and other specialised capabilities with shared digital architecture and communications. The program’s industrial structure has been a persistent source of difficulty. The project was initially centred on KNDS, the Franco-German defence group formed through the combination of France’s Nexter and Germany’s Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. Rheinmetall, another major German defence manufacturer, joined the program in 2019. France’s Thales also became involved in the wider industrial effort, contributing expertise in electronics and defence systems. The joint development arrangement was highly complex, and saw companies from both countries seeking meaningful roles in the development and production of the programme’s major components. The distribution of industrial work was especially sensitive because a program of this scale would support manufacturing, engineering and supply chains for decades. Decisions over which company would develop the main gun, turret, chassis, sensors and other major components would influence not only the design of the tank but also the allocation of revenue and industrial employment. Disputes over workshare had already delayed the program before its technical direction and schedule became more contentious. The uncertainty surrounding the program is particularly significant for France because the Leclerc fleet is approaching the point at which a successor must be prepared, with the country having no new tank types in production.

[Category: North America, Western Europe and Oceania, Ground]

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[l] at 10/10/26 8:57pm
Footage circulating on Russian social media has shown several damaged T-90M main battle tanks being transported by rail to facilitates of Russia’s leading tank manufacturer, Uralvagonzavod, in Nizhny Tagil, where they are expected to be repaired and returned to the Russian Army. The firm has been taking on repairs outside its core manufacturing role, while also carrying out overhauls of Soviet era tanks in storage. The T-90M has benefited from significantly higher levels of armour protection and crew survivability than other Russian main battle tanks, which has reportedly allowed a higher portion of the vehicles damaged on the frontlines to be returned to service. Uralvagonzavod has previously publicised its ability to return damaged vehicles to service, and in 2024 said it had restored a T-90M in four weeks after the tank had been struck by 26 drones. Such work highlights the importance of repair and refurbishment to Russia’s wartime armoured vehicle supply, although the time and resources required for individual repairs can vary considerably according to the severity of the damage and the availability of replacement components. Uralvagonzavod has continued to announce deliveries of new and upgraded vehicles despite the additional repair workload, and in September delivered another batch of T-90M and modernised T-72B3M tanks to the Russian Army.The repair of damaged tanks has become increasingly critical as Russia has faced a growing short age of main battle tanks, largely due to the depletion of Soviet era stockpiles. Preceding the outbreak of full scale hostilities in February 2022, Russia had for decades maintained by far the world’s the largest reserves of main battle tanks, which by several estimates stood at over 20,000 vehicles inherited from the Soviet Union. These reserves were drawn down significantly in the 2010s, however. The most recent available satellite imagery indicates that the Russian Armed Forces retain only 2,088 tanks in storage across nine identified facilities. This depletion is a particularly serious development when considering that these likely represent some of the most severely deteriorated and least usable vehicles from reserves, as the tanks in better condition that required less refurbishment were removed from storage first.The experience of the Ukraine war has substantially altered the configuration of Russian tanks, with first-person view drones and other unmanned systems have made the upper surfaces, rear sections and engine compartments of tanks particularly vulnerable, with vehicles having consequently appeared with increasingly elaborate roof protection, additional armour and electronic warfare equipment intended to interfere with drone attacks. It is likely that when being repaired, T-90M tanks will also benefit from enhancements including the integration of their own first-person view drones, and of Arena-M active protection systems, which are some of the latest features that have enhanced the vehicles.

[Category: Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Ground]

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[l] at 10/10/26 8:40pm
Russia’s T-14 Armata main battle tank is undergoing further development informed by experience gained during the war in Ukraine, according to Alexander Potapov, chief executive of the tank’s manufacturer, Uralvagonzavod. The vehicle is also undergoing phased operational trials with the Russian Armed Forces, reflecting the continued effort to refine it before introduction wider introduction into service. Potapov’s remarks, reported by Russian media on October 11, indicate that work on the T-14 continues despite the Russian defence industry’s emphasis on producing and modernising existing armoured vehicles to meet immediate wartime requirements. He said a range of improved ammunition types had already been developed for the tank, with further work under way to enhance their characteristics and optimise the tank’s ammunition load in light of combat experience.Potapov’s statement was far from the first to indicate that the T-14’s design was being adapted based on combat experience in Ukraine. On August 22, 2023, TASS reported another defence-industry source as saying that the T-14 had been used several times in the theatre of operations, and was being modified on the basis of combat experience there. Russia has adapted its main battle tanks significantly to respond to changes in how armoured operations are conducted, including adding protection against top attacks by loitering munitions and missiles, prioritising the integration of active protection systems, and enhancing these systems to provide a defence against drone attacks. First-person view drones have also been integrated onto the T-90M, which is Russia’s most capable operational tank. Modifications to the T-14 are expected to in many respects mirror those being made to operational tanks like the T-90M. The T-14’s design dates back to the late 1980s, when the Soviet Union developed a next generation tank under a program widely referred to as the T-95. The cancellation of this program after considerable delay in the 2000s was followed by the development of the T-14 as a follow-on program built around a close derivative of the design. While the T-14 was expected to be the world’s first fourth generation tank to enter service in the 2010s, delays allowed the Chinese Type 100 to achieve this landmark goal in 2025 with a more advanced and better refined design, which appears to itself have responded to lessons from the Ukrainian theatre.The T-14 was first unveiled in 2015, and while its imminent service entry has been announced multiple times ,this has consistently failed to materialise. This has left the future of the program highly uncertain, with Russia having last introduced a genuinely clean sheet tank design in 1964 with the T-64 tank, on which the designs of its current T-72, T-80 and T-90 are loosely based. Confirmation of continued work on the tank follows the widespread circulation of footage of a pre-production T-14 at a firing range in mid-September. The T-14 employs a multi-layered defensive concept combining passive composite protection, explosive reactive armour, active protection systems, electronic countermeasures, smoke and aerosol launchers, and crew compartment isolation into a single integrated defensive package. Should it enter service, it would provide an overwhelming advantage over all rival tank designs outside China. 

[Category: Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Ground]

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[l] at 10/10/26 5:46pm
Russian forces have destroyed what Russian security officials described as a major temporary deployment site for Colombian fighters serving with Ukraine’s National Guard, which was reportedly located in Dergachi, a town north of Kharkov. The facility housed Colombian personnel assigned to Ukraine’s 23rd Separate Assault Regiment. A Russian security official told state media outlet TASS hat the personnel had previously been transferred from Kiev before the facility was struck. The report did not specify the weapons used, the number of personnel present at the site, or the casualties resulting from the attack.The 23rd Separate Assault Regiment is part of Ukraine’s National Guard, which has played an increasingly prominent role in frontline combat alongside the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Assault formations are intended for offensive and close-combat operations, including attacks against fortified positions and efforts to regain or hold contested ground. The reported strike highlights the continued presence of foreign nationals within Ukrainian military formations, including personnel recruited from Latin America. Colombia has emerged as a significant source of foreign fighters for Ukraine, with Spanish-language recruitment networks and the prospect of military employment attracting former soldiers and other individuals with military experience. Colombian personnel have reportedly served in a variety of roles, including infantry and assault units, where experience with small-unit tactics can be valuable in the attritional fighting along the front line.In July multiple informed Russian defence sources reported that the number of Colombian nationals serving alongside the Ukrainian Armed Forces had risen significantly, with personnel from the country accounting for almost half of the estimated number of foreign fighters currently in the war zone. Colombians had replaced many Western combatants, who departed the conflict during the past year. Colombia possesses one of the worlds largest pools of experienced military personnel due to decades of internal conflict against insurgent groups and narcotics cartels, with combat veterans having been deployed to support Western-backed war efforts in Yemen, Sudan, and now Ukraine. Severe personnel shortages faced by the Ukrainian Armed Forces have resulted in a wide range of extreme measures being taken, which beyond reliance on contractor personnel, have included raising the maximum conscription age to enlist senior citizens, and working to further automate operations on the frontlines by using robots and drones.

[Category: Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Ground]

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[l] at 10/10/26 5:15pm
Iranian attacks on U.S. military positions in Kuwait launched in response to American attacks on its territory have exposed significant vulnerabilities in the infrastructure supporting U.S. forces in the Middle East. Newly released footage and eyewitness accounts indicate that Iranian missiles and drones repeatedly threatened U.S. installations, forcing personnel to seek shelter and prompting the relocation of troops from exposed positions. The attacks have also raised questions about the adequacy of base defences and the ability of American forces to sustain operations when facing repeated strikes by a regional adversary with extensive ballistic missile and uncrewed aircraft inventories.One of the most serious incidents occurred on March 1, when an Iranian drone struck a U.S. military facility at Kuwait’s Port Shuaiba, killing six American service members and injuring dozens. The soldiers were working in a tactical operations centre supporting logistical activities when the strike occurred. Imagery reviewed by The Washington Post showed that the facility offered limited protection against attacks from above, while nearby living quarters were also damaged. The attack was the deadliest known Iranian strike against U.S. personnel during the opening phase of the conflict. An Associated Press investigation published in October found that some of the soldiers who survived the attack believed military commanders had not adequately accounted for the threat posed by Iranian weapons. The news agency interviewed 13 service members who had served at the facility or were familiar with high-level briefings. Several raised concerns about whether the dangers associated with operating from exposed locations had been sufficiently recognised before the war began. In September photographs leaked by U.S. Armed Forces personnel provided a rare look at the extent of damage inflicted on American military facilities in the Middle East by Iranian missile and drone strikes during. The photographs, obtained exclusively by CBS News show heavily damaged buildings, vehicles and aircraft at American positions in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Personnel likened the war effort to "standing there with our eyes closed getting punched in the face,” with one serviceman lamenting: “Were not defending these bases. Were just watching them get destroyed.”The threat extended beyond Port Shuaiba. Camp Buehring, a major U.S. Army installation in northern Kuwait, was also struck during the conflict. Video footage obtained by CBS News and published on October 7 showed Iranian drones attacking the base, while service members described repeated missile and drone threats that forced personnel into shelters. The installation has served for more than two decades as an important staging point for American troops deploying across the Middle East. According to CBS News, most of the approximately 7,000 U.S. personnel associated with Camp Buehring had been moved elsewhere before the war, as part of preparations to reduce the number of troops exposed to Iranian attacks. More than 100 soldiers nevertheless remained at the installation after hostilities began. With attacks continuing and concerns mounting about the base’s ability to withstand a major assault, personnel eventually abandoned the position and moved into temporary forward operating locations in the Kuwaiti desert.The relocation illustrates the operational difficulties created by sustained attacks against fixed military infrastructure. Bases in Kuwait provide accommodation, maintenance, communications, logistical support and staging facilities for U.S. forces operating throughout the region. Moving personnel away from established installations can reduce their exposure to attack, but it also creates additional demands for transport, communications, force protection and the provision of essential supplies. Dispersing troops may complicate Iranian targeting, while simultaneously making American logistics more difficult to coordinate. The attacks also raised concerns about the availability of defensive equipment and ammunition. CBS News reported that soldiers and logistics personnel had raised questions about supplies of .50-calibre ammunition and high-demand systems such as Patriot air-defence batteries.The experience in Kuwait highlights the importance of dispersal and hardening in modern military operations. Concentrating personnel, command facilities and logistical functions at established bases offers considerable advantages in peacetime, but can create vulnerabilities when an adversary possesses weapons capable of striking fixed locations repeatedly. Dispersing forces, constructing more resilient shelters and improving early-warning systems can reduce those vulnerabilities, although such measures require time, equipment and substantial investment. The strikes also underscore the growing importance of inexpensive uncrewed aircraft in conflicts involving technologically advanced militaries. Drones can threaten personnel and facilities without requiring the attacker to employ its most sophisticated weapons for every engagement. When combined with ballistic missiles and other long-range systems, they can force a defender to maintain a broad and costly defensive posture even when individual attacks cause limited damage.

[Category: Middle East, Missile and Space]

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[l] at 10/10/26 9:32am
South Korea has conducted the first test launch of an indigenously developed hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV), with President Lee Jae Myung observing the trial before inspecting the country’s Hyunmoo-5 ballistic missile. The October 8 test was intended to verify key technologies required for a manoeuvrable hypersonic weapon, including high-temperature protection, guidance and control, and the ability to change trajectory at low altitude. The announcement comes amid heightened tensions with North Korea, which first flew its own hypersonic glide vehicle over five years earlier in September 2021. The northern Korean People’s Army has since brought multiple types of missiles with such vehicles into service, leaving adversaries scrambling to rapidly develop similar capabilities. According to a statement from the presidential office, the South Korean vehicle successfully separated from its booster after reaching the planned altitude, completed its intended flight under hypersonic conditions and struck its designated target. Following separation, it descended to a lower altitude and performed irregular manoeuvres in both the vertical and horizontal planes. The South Korean government described the test as an important step towards developing a new capability to strike strategically important targets across the Korean Peninsula. The value of hypersonic glide vehicles was first demonstrated in high intensity combat in March 2026, when Iran fired the Fattah 2, which integrates one such vehicle, against high value targets in Israel. The Iranian missile program is thought to have benefitted from North Korean technology transfers, and is the first with a hypersonic glide vehicle to have been tested against an advanced air defence network. Hypersonic glide vehicles use rocket boosters to accelerate to high speeds and altitudes, before separating and gliding through the upper atmosphere. Unlike a conventional ballistic missile, whose trajectory follows a more predictable arc after powered flight, a glide vehicle can manoeuvre during its unpowered flight, potentially complicating an opponent’s ability to predict its trajectory and organise an interception. Achieving these capabilities requires materials capable of withstanding extreme aerodynamic heating, alongside guidance systems able to function under demanding flight conditions. South Korea’s announcement specifically highlighted the testing of ultra-high-temperature-resistant materials and the vehicle’s guidance and control systems. Its reported manoeuvres at low altitude were also a central element of the trial. Further trials are expected to establish how consistently the system can perform under different flight conditions and against representative threats.

[Category: Asia-Pacific, Missile and Space]

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[l] at 10/10/26 6:17am
Morocco and Israel are reportedly holding advanced discussions over a potential Moroccan acquisition of the David’s Sling long range air and missile defence system, which is designed to intercept tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, medium- to long-range rockets and unmanned aerial vehicles. The negotiations concern the possible integration of the Israeli-developed system into the existing Moroccan air defence network, which is built around NATO-standard systems including the U.S. MIM-104 Patriot, and will soon be strengthened with deliveries of F-16 Block 72 fighters. Discussions have reportedly progressed beyond an initial assessment of the system.The David’s Sling was conceptualised as a direct successor to the Patriot and jointly developed by Israeli defence contractor Rafael Advanced Defense Systems in cooperation with the U.S. defence firm Raytheon, with support from Israel’s Missile Defense Organization and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency. It integrates missiles with dual-mode terminal homing - meaning that each missile deploys two seekers one using an active electronically scanned array radar and the other using imaging infra red. This allows either seeker to guide the missile to its target, while using both significantly increases immunity to jamming or decoys to facilitate a much higher probability of achieving kills. The David’s Sling system entered Israeli service in 2017 and occupies an intermediate layer within the country’s wider air and missile defence architecture, between systems intended primarily for shorter-range threats and the Arrow family of interceptors designed to engage longer-range ballistic missiles in space. Its principal interceptor, the Stunner, uses a sophisticated multi-sensor guidance system intended to engage manoeuvring and difficult-to-intercept targets. If an order is placed, Morocco would be the second foreign client for the system after Finland. Morocco has already acquired Israeli air defence systems, including the Barak MX and Spyder families. Barak MX is designed to engage a range of aerial threats, while Spyder provides a more mobile capability against aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles and certain types of precision-guided weapons. The David’s Sling would add a higher tier to this network.A notable caveat of the David’s Sling is that the Russian Armed Forces already has significant insights into how it operates and its constituent technologies. This was obtained not only by Russian forces operating in very close proximity to Israel’s air defence network from facilities in Syria, but also through the recovery of an unexploded surface-to-air missile which landed in Syria relatively intact in 2018 and was subsequently sent to Russia for study. Algeria’s close strategic partnership with Russia could likely result in the North African country being provided with considerable information on the Israeli system and its possible weaknesses, allowing the Algerian Air Force to better engage and destroy it. The Moroccan Defence Ministry has been reported by multiple sources to be interested in acquiring F-35 fifth generation fighter aircraft from the United States, with a growing number of Moroccan sources have called for the country to seek to leverage its ties with Israel to gain access to the the fighter type. In November 2021 a meeting between Israeli Defence Minister Benny Ganz and his Moroccan counterpart Abdellatif Loudiyi saw the two further defence agreements, and reportedly followed expressions of interest by Moroccan King Mohammed VI in acquiring F-35s with Israel’s help.  Algeria remains the only major state in the Arab world outside the Western sphere of influence, and using predominantly non-Western military equipment, with its forces built up primarily to counter a potential attack from NATO, but also for a potential conflict with its Western- and Israeli-aligned neighbour. Morocco has been one of Israel’s closest strategic partners since the 1950s, and played a particularly central role in facilitating an Israeli victory in the Six Day War in 1967. 

[Category: Africa and South America, Missile and Space]

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[l] at 10/9/26 5:04pm
Indonesian sources have reported that the country’s armed forces are preparing to receive their first Chengdu J-10C fighter aircraft within six months, potentially making it the third confirmed foreign operator of the aircraft after Pakistan and Uzbekistan. Indonesian Air Force Chief of Staff Air Marshal Mohamad Tonny Harjono declined to provide a detailed update when questioned by local media at the Indonesian military headquarters in East Jakarta. Asked about the aircraft’s arrival, he reportedly replied, “Just wait,” offering no confirmation of the anticipated delivery date or the number of fighters involved. Indonesian parliamentarian Dave Laksono separately expressed support for acquiring the J-10, arguing that modern 4.5-generation fighters would strengthen the country’s ability to respond to regional security threats.Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamseoddin first confirmed the planned procurement of J-10C fighters on October 16, 2025, marking the first major breakthrough for Chinese fighter exports into Southeast Asia. Local sources in June widely reported that the country’s defence ministry has doubled orders for J-10C fighter aircraft, with Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamseoddin having emphasised that this is part of a broader modernisation plan. Forty-two fighters were announced to be on order in 2025, with a doubling of this number to 84 fighters potentially making Indonesia by far the largest foreign operator of the time. Acquiring such a large number of J-10s would allow the Air Force to phase all its older fighter types out of service, including the U.S. F-5 and F-16, and the Russian Su-27 and Su-30Indonesia has long come under considerable Western pressure not to procure non-NATO standard fighters, with a a contract to procure 11 Su-35S fighters in 2018 currently remaining suspended as a result. The prestige of the Chinese combat aviation sector has nevertheless grown considerably over the past decade, particularly after the country became the second in the world to bring an indigenous fifth generation fighter into service in 2017 with the operationalisation of the J-20, and moreso after it became the first to unveil a sixth generation fighter at flight prototype stages in December 2024. China is currently positioned to lead the world by a decade in bringing sixth generation fighters into service, fuelling speculation that the some sixth generation subsystems could be offered to clients for the J-10C as part of future upgrade packages. The J-10C gained particularly attention abroad following its major successes when flown by the Pakistan Air Force in early May 2025, when it was credited with the shootdown of at least one French-supplied Rafale operated by the Indian Air Force. The fact that the J-10C not only has lower operational costs and maintenance needs than the Rafale, but also costs under one third as much to procure, and by some estimates closer to one sixth as much, reflects the vast discrepancies in efficiency between the Chinese and French defence sectors. The J-10C is currently the least costly fighter type being procured by China’s own air force, with the J-16, J-20 and J-35 all being much heavier and higher end designs. The J-10C integrates a wide range of fifth generation technologies, including common weaponry with the J-20, as well as a high composite airframe and cutting edge avionics.  

[Category: Asia-Pacific, Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft]

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[l] at 10/9/26 9:19am
Footage from the frontlines in the Ukrainian theatre has shown a rare T-64 main battle tank in Russian Army service, which is one of the most scarcely used types in service. The T-64’s design was used as a basis for developing the T-72/90 and the T-80 which currently form almost the entire Russian tank fleet. While the three types were produced in parallel in the Soviet Union, with the T-64 having many significant advantages over the T-72/90 particularly in terms of mobility, Russia’ rapidly retired T-64s from service after the USSR disintegrated to standardise its fleet around the T-72 and T-80. The decision to scrap the large majority of T-64s in storage in the 2000s and 2010s, in order to avoid the high costs of sustaining them, has meant that there were very few available to be brought into service at a time when the Army has faced increasingly serious shortages. Russian storage and repair bases continued to hold limited numbers of T-64s alongside older T-55s, T-62s and other legacy vehicles, with one documented Russian reserve tank base at Kozulka in Krasnoyarsk Territory specifically holding T-64s. A number of T-64s in storage were reportedly transferred to paramilitary groups in the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics in Eastern Ukraine in the mid-2010s. In contrast to the Russian Army, the Ukrainain Army relied on inherited T-64s to form the backbone of its pre-war fleet, although rapid wartime attrition, recommissioning of T-72s from storage, and mass donations of T-72s from across Eastern Europe and from Morocco, have made the T-72 more prominent in service. The T-64 seen in Russian service may have been captured from Ukrainian forces, or been one of the few remaining tanks in storage in Russia that was later made operational for frontline use. he T-64’s distinctive 5TDF opposed-piston diesel engine is particularly problematic from the standpoint of Russian logistics, but provides significant advantages over the T-72/90 in terms of mobility including allowing for a significantly greater reverse speed. The future of the Russian and Ukrainian tank fleets both remain highly uncertain, with NATO members having come close to exhausting supplies of surplus tanks to donate to Ukraine, while Russia’s own Soviet era stockpiles have been severely depleted. Efforts in Russia to surge production of the T-90M tank, however, are gradually bearing fruit, with production rates expected to reach over 1,000 tanks per year near the end of the decade, which could allow for T-64s and other outlying tank types to be retired from frontline use. 

[Category: Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Ground]

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[l] at 10/9/26 6:51am
Chinese state media sources have reported that a foreign warship lost power, propulsion and radar while closely shadowing the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Type 055 class destroyer Zunyi in the South China Sea. The encounter occurred during routine training, with a Chinese naval officer claiming that the foreign vessel experienced a sudden loss of electrical power while attempting to keep pace with the Chinese ship. The report closely coincides with the loss of power on the U.S. Navy Alreigh Burke class destroyer USS Benfold while conducting routine operations in the region, leaving it without power for four days in the South China Sea. This has raised widespread speculation that the USS Benfold was the warships involved int he engagement with the more modern Chinese warship. The U.S. Navy subsequently confirmed that the USS Benfold had to be towed to Subic Bay in the Philippines, where its power was restored on July 30 and repairs were completed in early August. The Navy has not publicly disclosed the precise technical failure within the generator system, and an investigation remains underway to determine what caused the issue. The loss of electrical power affected galley services, toilets, air conditioning and potable water, leaving hundreds of sailors without many of the basic facilities normally available aboard a modern warship. An Arleigh Burke class destroyer is heavily dependent on electrical power for its combat systems, sensors, communications and other equipment, meaning a prolonged generator failure can effectively remove a destroyer from combat operations even if its weapons and sensors remain physically intact.A Chinese electronic attack to disable one of the U.S. Navy’s most capable destroyers may not be unprecedented. In mid-2024 the U.S. Navy and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy were reported to have engaged in intensive electronic warfare battles in the South China Sea near the Philippines. Electronic warfare engagements reportedly lasted a full twelve hours in the northern Philippines, and as a result American warships “faced an unprecedented crisis—screens full of static and a total loss of GPS signals,” with the fleet withdrawing due to the serious disruption of communication and navigation capabilities. The Navy’s electronic warfare equipment was assessed to be a full generation behind that of China, fuelling significant criticisms domestically. Clashes in 2024 highlighted prevailing concerns in the Western world regarding the vast discrepancies in the Chinese and American industrial bases, and in particular their shipbuilding and electronics industries, for the balance of power between the two states. The development of new generations of more capable destroyer in the U.S. has gained greater urgency due primarily to the successes of the Chinese Type 052D and Type 055 class destroyer programs, the latter which is widely assessed to have produced the most capable surface combat ships in the world. Preliminary design work on the DDG(X) next generation destroyer program was initiated only in June 2025, however. 

[Category: Asia-Pacific, Naval]

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[l] at 10/8/26 7:48pm
The U.S. Air Force is preparing an advanced flight-testing program for its F-47 sixth generation fighter, combining conventional flight tests with digital modelling, simulation and earlier operational evaluations to accelerate the aircraft’s development. The Air Force Test Center (AFTC), based at Edwards Air Force Base in California, is working to ensure it can begin testing the aircraft’s critical capabilities as soon as the first example takes to the air, currently scheduled for 2028. The service aims to introduce the first operational aircraft in the early 2030s, placing considerable emphasis on reducing the time between the fighter’s maiden flight and its entry into service. Analysts have widely questioned whether industry can meet the Air Force’s schedule, particularly when considering the long history of very protracted delays affecting all prior post-Cold War era programs.Prior hopes in the United States that use of advanced digital assembly and testing technologies could significantly accelerate sixth generation development and reduce costs proved short lived, with the value of these technologies conceded by Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall in 2023 to have been “over-hyped.” With the preceding F-22 and F-35 fifth generation fighters having taken over 15 years between entering their Engineering, Manufacturing and Development phases, and entering service, the fact that the NGAD fighter only entered this phase in the mid-2020s indicated it may not enter service until the latter half of the 2030s. China’s unveiling of two flying sixth generation technology demonstrators in December 2024, and the rapid progress it has subsequently made on both flight testing programs, has caused a growing sense of urgency in the United States. Brigadier General Mark Massaro, commander of the Air Force Test Center, outlined the approach on October 6, emphasising the importance of integrated testing under which developmental test and operational test activities are conducted in closer coordination. Rather than waiting for developmental testing to be completed before beginning substantial operational evaluations, the Air Force intends to involve operational test personnel earlier in the process, allowing requirements to be established and assessed throughout the aircraft’s development. The approach builds on testing methods introduced elsewhere in the U.S. Air Force. The F-15EX fighter became the service’s first aircraft to be fully tested and fielded through developmental and operational testing conducted in parallel, while the B-21 strategic bomber has also incorporated developmental and operational test pilots into the same flight-testing process. Software testing is expected to be another major component of the program. Massaro described an iterative approach in which software and aircraft capabilities can be evaluated continuously, with test results providing decision-makers with regular updates on what can be delivered to operational forces. This could allow the Air Force to introduce usable capabilities as they mature rather than tying their delivery exclusively to conventional program milestones. Digital engineering will also be used to shorten the time required to analyse flight-test results and incorporate them into design decisions. The AFTC is employing increasingly powerful graphics-processing hardware and advanced software tools to refine digital models. Data collected during physical flight tests can then be fed back into computational fluid dynamics models and other simulations, improving their accuracy and helping engineers assess the consequences of potential design changes more rapidly.Massaro specifically highlighted the value of using flight-test information to refine models of aircraft loading and high-angle-of-attack manoeuvres. These activities generate data that can help engineers understand how an aircraft behaves under demanding flight conditions. Incorporating the results into digital models can improve subsequent simulations and provide information more quickly to those responsible for deciding whether changes to the aircraft’s design are necessary. The Air Force nevertheless intends to retain physical flight testing as an essential part of the process. Massaro stressed that digital models must remain grounded in real-world physics and verified against actual test data. Although simulations can reproduce increasingly complex environments, they cannot fully replace the need to understand how an aircraft and its systems behave under real conditions.

[Category: North America, Western Europe and Oceania, Aircraft and Anti-Aircraft]

As of 10/13/26 4:33am. Last new 10/13/26 2:07am.

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