Baykar’s KIZILELMA Makes First Flight with KARAT IRST
In its last test of 2025, Baykar’s KIZILELMA unmanned fighter flew with ASELSAN’s KARAT IRST to enable enhanced detection and tracking of low RCS targets.
Defence News
Air
Unmanned Systems
Sensors
Air
Weapon / Missile
Unmanned Systems
TOLUN IIR Bomb Launched from AKINCI Hits Moving Target
ASELSAN’s TOLUN IIR small-diameter bomb, using an IIR seeker with a fragmentation warhead, proved its capability to hit moving targets in the latest test.
Navy / Maritime
Unmanned Systems
Homeland Security
Japan Announces SHIELD Coastal Defence System with UxVs
The Japanese MoD announced the SHIELD project, aiming for a coastal defence with a wide variety of unmanned systems against ships, submarines, and marines.
Land
Weapon / Missile
HİSAR 100 MLS Now a Part of KORKUT 130/35 Air Defence System
HİSAR 100 MLS launcher truck hit a high-speed target with the HİSAR-A air defence missile, with integration into the KORKUT 130/35 air defence system.
Bilateral Relations
Saudi-led coalition strikes arms shipment at Yemen port
A Saudi-led coalition airstrike hit unauthorised arms at Yemen’s, as Riyadh issued a 24-hour ultimatum calling for the withdrawal of UAE forces from Yemen.
Air
TUSAŞ Exports Hürjet to Spain, a first for NATO and EU
For the first time an EU and NATO member country, Spain, has selected HÜRJET with €2.6bn export deal, with potential to push defence exports beyond $10bn.
Weapon / Missile
Republic of Korea seals $4bn worth missile deal with Poland
Hanwha Aerospace has secured a $4bn contract to supply and locally produce Chunmoo guided missiles in Poland, deepening defence ties and industrial cooperation.
Land
UK slows Challenger 3 to avoid repeating Ajax mistakes
London says Challenger 3 production will wait for test data, reflecting lessons from the troubled Ajax programme and a push to keep integration intact.
Air
Logistics
Defence Politics
Modernisation
UK frames C-130J deal with Türkiye as £550m export win
Britain presents Türkiye’s C-130J programme as a £550m export win, but the figure blends modernisation with industrial impact, recalling Eurofighter ambiguity.
Air
Unmanned Systems
Communication
Two KIZILELMA Prototypes Fly Side-by-Side Autonomously
KIZILELMA’s PT-3 and PT-5 prototypes demonstrated the autonomous formation flight capability at a very close proximity, which is highly important for teaming.
Air
Engine and Transmission
Boeing to re-engine B-52 fleet to extend service life
The US Air Force has awarded Boeing a $2.04 billion contract to replace legacy TF33 engines on the B-52H with Rolls-Royce ones. Each B-52 has eight engines.
Navy / Maritime
North Korea unveils nuclear-powered strategic submarine
North Korea’s state run Korean Central News Agency unveiled first domestically built nuclear-powered strategic submarine hull under construction on dry dock.
Air
Weapon / Missile
TOLUN SDB Hits 100+ km Range at Long-Range Test from F-16
ASELSAN’s TOLUN GNSS/INS guided small-diameter bomb launched from an F-16 fighter equipped with SADAK-4T smart rack (SDB) hit a target at sea 100+ km away.
Analysis
Air
Logistics
Pentagon audit questions sustainability of F-35 programme
Pentagon’s audit found weak oversight, low readiness rates and continued payments within the F-35 programme, raising questions systemic risk for the US.
Global Defence Trend Brief
- 15:00 US Army expands long-range precision fires production planning - The US Army is increasing investment in production capacity for long-range precision fires programme...
- 15:00 European air defence modernisation shifts toward integrated networks - European governments are increasingly linking national air defence assets into broader integrated ne...
- 15:00 China strengthens unmanned maritime surveillance capabilities - China continues expanding its portfolio of maritime surveillance drones to improve situational aware...
- 15:00 Japan accelerates hardened infrastructure development - Japan is investing in hardened facilities, protected storage sites and dispersed operating locations...
- 15:00 Autonomous underwater systems gain role in critical infrastructure security - Navies are increasingly deploying autonomous underwater vehicles to monitor and protect undersea cab...
- 15:00 Counter-drone systems increasingly combine kinetic and electronic effects - Military organisations are fielding layered counter-drone architectures that integrate electronic wa...
- 15:00 Hypersonic weapon proliferation drives demand for space-based tracking - Defence agencies are accelerating development of space-based sensor constellations capable of provid...
- 15:00 Military logistics automation becomes mainstream procurement priority - Armed forces are expanding procurement of autonomous logistics vehicles and AI-assisted supply syste...
- 15:00 Collaborative combat aircraft concepts reshape force structure planning - Air forces are increasingly designing future force structures around combinations of crewed aircraft...
- 15:00 Industrial resilience becomes strategic requirement for defence suppliers - Governments are placing growing emphasis on supply-chain security, surge production capability and m...
- 09:00 US Air Force expands Collaborative Combat Aircraft testing - The US Air Force is increasing flight testing and integration work for Collaborative Combat Aircraft...
- 09:00 European defence spending increasingly targets ammunition resilience - European governments are directing additional defence funding toward ammunition production, stockpil...
- 09:00 China advances military satellite constellation deployment - China continues expanding military satellite constellations designed to enhance communications, navi...
- 09:00 Japan strengthens distributed missile force posture - Japan is expanding deployment of mobile missile units and support infrastructure across remote islan...
- 09:00 Autonomous surface vessels gain importance in fleet operations - Navies are integrating autonomous surface vessels into surveillance, reconnaissance and maritime sec...
- 09:00 Counter-drone procurement shifts toward scalable architectures - Military organisations are increasingly procuring counter-drone systems built around open architectu...
- 09:00 Hypersonic defence programmes focus on persistent target custody - Defence agencies are prioritising sensor networks capable of maintaining continuous tracking of mano...
- 09:00 AI-assisted command systems gain momentum in military planning - Armed forces are accelerating adoption of AI-assisted command-and-control systems designed to improv...
- 09:00 Collaborative autonomy emerges as key defence technology trend - Military planners increasingly view teams of autonomous systems operating cooperatively as a major f...
- 09:00 Production capacity increasingly shapes defence export competitiveness - Countries evaluating defence acquisitions are placing greater weight on supplier production capacity...
