International Archives - Defense Daily

State Department Approves Nearly $4.7 Billion In Helicopters To South Korea, Support To India And Missiles For Belgium

Rich Abott — Mon, 18 May 2026 21:17:27 +0000

The State Department on Monday approved over $4.7billion in two potential Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programs for helicopters to South Korea as well as support services to India military equipment […]

Demand Signal For L3Harris’ Vampire Counter-Drone System Exceeds $1 Billion, Executive Says

Cal Biesecker — Fri, 15 May 2026 20:52:39 +0000

An affordable counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) L3Harris Technologies [LHX] began developing five years ago that Ukrainian forces have used since 2022 to fend off Russian drone attacks has a kill […]

Australian AI Sensor Startup Arkeus Raises $18 Million To Help Expand In U.S, Europe

Cal Biesecker — Fri, 15 May 2026 18:33:56 +0000

Australia’s Arkeus has raised $18 million in a Series A round to help developer of artificial intelligence-enabled hyperspectral sensors to expand and scale manufacturing in Australia, the U.S. and Europe. […]

Coast Guard Finalizes $3.5 Billion Contract With Davie For Five Icebreakers

Cal Biesecker — Wed, 13 May 2026 20:20:26 +0000

The Coast Guard on Wednesday said it has finalized a $3.5 billion contract it awarded Davie Defense in February for five Arctic Security Cutters (ASCs), the first of which will […]

Shipbuilding Plan Reveals Battleship Will be Nuclear Powered and Armed, Pitches Some Foreign Ship Construction

Rich Abott — Tue, 12 May 2026 18:32:12 +0000

The Navy’s latest 30-year shipbuilding plan released Monday reveals the Trump-class battleship will be nuclear powered and armed, extend to a 15-ship class while also explaining plans to allow foreign […]

Swarmer Leads Ukrainian Team Developing Counter-Unmanned Systems Platform

Cal Biesecker — Tue, 12 May 2026 11:29:01 +0000

The drone autonomy company Swarmer [SWMR] on Tuesday said it will integrate technologies from three Ukrainian-based firms to create a containerized system that can send swarms of drones into the […]

State Department Approves $1 Billion In Potential C-17, JDAM-ER, Helo FMS Deals

Cal Biesecker — Wed, 06 May 2026 02:54:45 +0000

The State Department on Tuesday said it approved three potential Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Canada, Ukraine and the Philippines worth a combined $1.1 billion. The deal with Canada is […]

U.S. OKs Over $8.6 Billion In Expedited Arms Sales To Several Middle East Partners

Matthew Beinart — Sat, 02 May 2026 11:32:30 +0000

The U.S. on Friday evening approved over $8.6 billion in expedited arms sales to several Middle East partners, to include a $4 billion deal to replenish Qatar’s interceptors for the […]

Electric Boat Gets First AUKUS Contract To Support Allied Subs

Rich Abott — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 21:52:23 +0000

The Navy last Thursday awarded General Dynamics’ [GD] Electric Boat division an initial $197 million contract focused on supporting the AUKUS program as it helps Australia set up the capability […]

Navy Studying International Ship Production And Increasing Domestic Capacity

Rich Abott — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 21:36:52 +0000

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – The Navy is starting a study on how to increase shipbuilding capacity both domestically and how to potentially expand to buying modules or whole ships outside […]

Sikorsky Details Growing International Demand For New Armed Black Hawk Mission Kits

Matthew Beinart — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 21:41:00 +0000

NASHVILLE, Tenn.– Sikorsky [LMT] last week detailed its new Armed Black Hawk mission kits, noting there’s growing demand for the modular upgrade from international customers. Rich Benton, vice president and […]

Potential $12 Billion AEGIS And Integrated Combat System Sale To Germany Okayed By State Department

Cal Biesecker — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 20:35:32 +0000

The State Department last Friday said it has okayed a potential $11.9 billion Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Germany for AEGIS technology and integrated combat system equipment. Lockheed Martin [LMT] […]

Rocket Lab Closes Mynaric Acquisition At Higher Price Than Originally Agreed

Cal Biesecker — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 21:13:52 +0000

Rocket Lab [RKLB] on Tuesday said it closed its acquisition of optical communications terminal (OCT) supplier Mynaric AG for $155.3 million, $5.3 million more than the original deal terms announced […]

RTX Signs $3.7 Billion Contract With Ukraine For Patriot GEM-T Interceptors

Rich Abott — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 20:54:53 +0000

RTX’s [RTX] Raytheon business on Tuesday announced it signed a $3.7 billion contract to supply Patriot Advanced Capability-2 (PAC-2) Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical (GEM-T) airborne threat interceptors to Ukraine as a […]

CNO Sees Role For Foreign Shipbuilders To Build And Maintain Some Auxiliary Ships, Invest In U.S.

Rich Abott — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 21:29:06 +0000

The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) on Monday said he envisions leveraging foreign shipyards to improve the U.S. Navy by having them maintain and build some auxiliary ships while investing […]

U.S. Razorback UUV Launched From French Sub

Rich Abott — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 18:57:43 +0000

The U.S. and French navies recently demonstrated interoperability by launching a U.S. Razorback Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (UUV) from a French nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN). In the operation, a French Suffren-class […]

Lockheed Martin Says $4.8 Billion Army PAC-3 MSE Award Will Accelerate Production

Rich Abott — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 21:33:48 +0000

A day after the Army on April 9 awarded Lockheed Martin [LMT] a $4.76 billion contract to produce an unspecified number of Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC)-3 Missile Segment Enhancement missiles, […]

Red Cat Adds Swarming Autonomy Developer Apium To Portfolio

Cal Biesecker — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 20:29:53 +0000

Red Cat Holdings [RCAT] on Monday said it has acquired Apium Swarm Robotics in a deal that adds a distributed swarming autonomy capability for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and unmanned […]

More Than $1 Billion Capacity Investment Will Help Boost F135 Production, Pratt & Whitney Says

Frank Wolfe — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 14:36:17 +0000

RTX‘s [RTX] Pratt & Whitney said that it has spent more than $1 billion in the last five years to boost engine production–an investment that may come in handy, as […]

Rocket Lab Gets German Approval To Acquire Mynaric

Cal Biesecker — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:15:59 +0000

Rocket Lab [RKLB] on Monday said it has received regulatory approval to complete its acquisition of Germany-based laser optical communications terminal (OCTs) supplier Mynaric AG, clearing the way for the […]

U.S. And Japan Conduct First SPY-7 ASEV Live Tracking Test

Rich Abott — Fri, 20 Mar 2026 18:52:42 +0000

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) on Friday announced it and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) successfully conducted the first live target tracking exercise with the SPY-7 radar the Japanese […]

State Department Okays $17 Billion In FMS Deals For Middle East Partners

Cal Biesecker — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 18:48:12 +0000

Amid ongoing U.S. and Israeli operations against Iran, the U.S. State Department on Thursday approved nearly $17 billion in potential arms deals with Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, […]

U.S. International Defense Sales Rose 4 Percent In Fiscal 2025

Cal Biesecker — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 17:17:39 +0000

Total U.S. defense sales in fiscal year 2025 to foreign customers rose nearly 4 percent to $331.2 billion versus $318.7 billion the prior year, driven by an increase in Direct […]

Swarmer To Raise Up To $17.25 Million In IPO; Trading Starts Today

Cal Biesecker — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 13:00:02 +0000

Drone autonomy company Swarmer late Monday announced its initial public offering (IPO) with three million shares of common stock priced at $5 apiece, with a 30-day option for the underwriter […]

Second Japanese SPY-7 Aegis Radar Shipset Done, Lockheed Martin Says

Rich Abott — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 20:28:35 +0000

Lockheed Martin [LMT] on Thursday announced the delivery of the second Aegis Systems Equipped Vessel (ASEV) shipset of AN/SPY-7(V)1 radar panels to Japanese government control. This follows the company’s July […]

Ukrainian Defense Companies Moving To All Domestic Production Of Components

Frank Wolfe — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 20:50:30 +0000

Representatives of Ukrainian drone, counter-drone, and defense tech companies said this week that they are reducing their dependence on Chinese components significantly, as Ukraine builds its domestic supplier base. Some […]

U.S. OKs Potential $930 Million Deal With Sweden For HIMARS, Munitions

Matthew Beinart — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 21:37:29 +0000

The State Department has approved a potential $930 million deal with Sweden for M142 HIMARS launchers and precision munitions. The new foreign military sale includes 20 Lockheed Martin [LMT]-built HIMARS, […]

Drone Dominance Program Round Two Likely To Include More Complex Missions

Frank Wolfe — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 19:55:02 +0000

The Drone Dominance program is to expand beyond the three missions in the first round–finding stationary targets by four drones at 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 kilometers in a non-jamming […]

Ukraine Only Country That Can Provide ‘Immediate Counter-Action’ Against Shahed Drones, Ambassador Says

Frank Wolfe — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 17:08:26 +0000

The U.S. should take immediate advantage of in-person Ukrainian counter-drone expertise to defeat kamikaze drones in Iran and elsewhere, according to the Ukrainian ambassador to the U.S. “When the first […]

Administration Fast Tracks Another Israel Arms FMS Bypassing Congress Amid Iran Campaign

Rich Abott — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 21:08:49 +0000

The U.S. State Department last Friday approved another $151.8 million Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to help Israel restock its inventory of 1,000-pound bombs amid both countries’ campaign against Iran. Israel’s […]

SASC Leaders Criticize Trump’s Defense Strategy, Press Colby On Policy Shifts

Matthew Beinart — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 22:38:44 +0000

Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) leadership on Tuesday criticized the Trump administration’s new National Defense Strategy (NDS) and pressed the Pentagon’s top policy official to explain the document’s priorities. SASC […]

U.S. Confirms First Combat Use Of Low-Cost, One-Way Attack Drones In Iran Strikes

Matthew Beinart — Sat, 28 Feb 2026 21:22:20 +0000

U.S. Central Command has confirmed it used low-cost one-way attack drones in combat for the first time as part of Saturday’s military strikes on Iran. The drones were employed by […]

Avio Will Focus On Defense Tactical SRMs At New Virginia Plant; Options For Strategic Motors

Cal Biesecker — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 17:34:57 +0000

Virginia Gov. Abagail Spanberger (D) on Tuesday said that Avio USA Inc. has selected a greenfield site in southern Virginia for a new solid rocket motor (SRM) production facility that […]

Turbojet Engine Manufacturer PBS Aerospace In Subcontract With Zone 5

Cal Biesecker — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 14:00:18 +0000

The U.S.-based business of the Czech engineering company PBS Group has signed a subcontract with missile developer Zone 5 Technologies worth “several tens of millions of dollars” to supply turbojet […]

Austal Nabs $2.8 Billion Contract To Build Eight LST-100 Landing Craft For Australia

Rich Abott — Mon, 23 Feb 2026 21:24:26 +0000

Austal Limited last Friday announced its Australia defense division won a $2.8 billion contract from the country’s government to build eight landing craft based on the Dutch Damen Naval LST-100 […]

Embraer Pledges $500 Million Investment In U.S. Production Of KC-390, If Sizeable Domestic Order Placed

Frank Wolfe — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 22:01:46 +0000

MELBOURNE, Fla.—In 2024, L3Harris Technologies [LHX] backed out of a partnership begun two years earlier to develop a refueling boom for Embraer’s [EMBJ] KC-390 tanker, but on Thursday Northrop Grumman […]

Australia Invests $2.8 Billion In Future SSN-AUKUS Submarine Shipyard

Rich Abott — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 22:18:57 +0000

The Australian government last weekend announced an investment of $2.75 billion to start building a new submarine construction yard in Osborne, South Australia. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government expects the […]

Pentagon Policy Chief Makes Pitch For NATO 3.0, With Increased European Responsibility

Matthew Beinart — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 22:28:19 +0000

The Pentagon’s policy chief on Thursday made his pitch to allies for a “NATO 3.0” model based around European partners’ increased responsibilities and defense expenditures and a U.S. role of […]

Coast Guard Awards Davie Defense $3.5 Billion Contract For Five Arctic Security Cutters

Cal Biesecker — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 17:18:04 +0000

The Coast Guard on Wednesday said it has awarded the Davie Defense, Inc., a contract for the final five Arctic Security Cutters (ASCs), three of which will be built in […]

State Department Approves $3 Billion Sustainment Deal For Saudi F-15s

Cal Biesecker — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 21:56:57 +0000

The State Department on Tuesday said it has approved a potential $3 billion Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Saudi Arabia for sustainment of the Royal Saudi Air Force’s F-15 aircraft […]

Drone Autonomy Company Swarmer Files To Go Public

Cal Biesecker — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 22:28:37 +0000

Swarmer, a software company developing autonomy solutions to enable drones to collaborate and operate in swarms, on Monday registered to go public on the Nasdaq. The number of shares and […]

Saudi Arabia, Israel Get Nod For $15.7 Billion In Combined U.S. Arms Sales

Cal Biesecker — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 18:34:54 +0000

The State Department last Friday evening said it okayed nearly $16 billion in combined arms sales to Saudia Arabia and Israel in separate deals that include Patriot missiles, Apache helicopters, […]

Boeing Awarded Up To $2.8 Billion For F-15K Upgrades

Frank Wolfe — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 22:44:59 +0000

The U.S. Air Force has awarded Boeing [BA] a $2.8 billion contract to upgrade South Korea’s fleet of F-15K Slam Eagle fighters, the Defense Department said on Friday. The contract […]

State Department Okays $1.7 Billion Foreign Military Sale To Support Spanish Frigates

Cal Biesecker — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 21:54:03 +0000

The State Department on Thursday said it has approved a potential $1.7 billion Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Spain of Aegis Weapon Systems and other equipment for that country’s F-100 […]

Ukrainian Feedback Organization Cited As Means To Field Effective Systems Quickly

Frank Wolfe — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 21:46:14 +0000

How can you significantly ramp up U.S. defense production and put industry on a “wartime footing,” as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has directed, without a full-fledged war and when it’s […]

Wittman Introduces Bill To Speed Arms Sales To Taiwan

Defense Daily Staff — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 19:59:10 +0000

A bill to streamline arms sales to Taiwan has been introduced in the House after companion legislation was approved in the Senate, Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.) said on Tuesday. The […]

Singapore Gets Okay For $2.3 Billion Sale Of P-8 Aircraft And Related Equipment

Cal Biesecker — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 21:30:52 +0000

The State Department on Tuesday approved a potential $2.3 billion Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of P-8A maritime patrol aircraft and MK 54 lightweight torpedoes to Singapore. The pending FMS would […]

Canadian Software Firm Focused On Arctic Security Raises $15 Million In Seed Round

Cal Biesecker — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 14:09:31 +0000

Canadian defense technology startup Dominion Dynamics on Monday said it raised $15.2 million in a seed round to accelerate the deployment of its software that enables the fusion of sensor […]

U.S. OKs Potential $1.5 Billion Deal With Peru For Naval Base Work, New FMS With Kuwait, Iraq

Matthew Beinart — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 22:12:39 +0000

The U.S. has approved a potential $1.5 billion deal with Peru for the design and construction of maritime and onshore facilities at the country’s Callao Naval Base. Along with the […]

HII Doubles The Size Of UK Unmanned Vehicle Facility

Rich Abott — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 22:03:20 +0000

HII [HII] this week announced it has completed an expansion to double the size of its unmanned vehicle facility in Porchester, United Kingdom, strengthening its capability as a regional hub […]