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Kosovo Conducts First Long-Range Strike Test of Skifteri K1 Kamikaze Drone With 1,124 km Reach
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Kosovo has conducted what it describes as its first long-range strike test of the domestically developed Skifteri K1 kamikaze drone, demonstrating a claimed reach of 1,124 kilometers. If validated, the test signals a significant shift in Kosovo’s indigenous defense capabilities and its ambitions in unmanned strike technology.
On 18 January 2026, footage and photographs released by Kosovar defense entrepreneur Ridvan Aliu drew international attention to Kosovo’s emerging unmanned strike ambitions. The material documents what is presented as a complete long-range mission profile, culminating in a live strike by a domestically developed kamikaze drone designated Skifteri K1. In his accompanying statement, Aliu said the test demonstrated an ability to engage targets at distances exceeding 1,000 kilometers, a range typically associated with strategic unmanned strike systems rather than tactical loitering munitions.
Footage released on 18 January 2026 by Kosovar defense entrepreneur Ridvan Aliu shows a live-strike test of Kosovo’s domestically developed Skifteri K1 kamikaze drone, with a claimed strike range of 1,124 km (Picture Source: Ridvan Aliu)
According to performance figures shared publicly by Aliu, the Skifteri K1 completed a flight of 1,124 kilometers, remaining airborne for seven hours and twelve minutes while carrying a 42-kilogram armed payload. In his statement accompanying the release of the footage, Aliu said the test was conducted by one of the company’s clients and described the video as showing a live strike. He also noted that certain visual elements of the footage had been altered, including inversion and night-vision-style filters, for operational security reasons linked to the test conditions.
The Skifteri K1, also referred to as “Falcon,” is presented as the longest-range combat drone developed to date in Kosovo and the most ambitious loitering munition publicly associated with the country. Developed by Skifteri Drones, the system is described as a long-endurance, one-way strike platform designed for deep standoff missions against fixed or high-value targets. At this stage, all performance data available in open sources originate from developer statements relayed by regional and international media, with no independent telemetry or third-party verification released.
Video material published on YouTube and redistributed by regional news agencies shows the drone launched from a ground-based ramp, followed by extended cruise-phase footage and terminal dive imagery captured from multiple onboard perspectives. Although no independent geolocation data or external tracking information has been made public to confirm the precise flight path or impact location, the continuity and structure of the footage are broadly consistent with the duration and strike profile described by Aliu. This suggests the demonstration was intended as a full-range operational test rather than a partial flight or simulated trial.
Analysis of publicly available imagery suggests that the Skifteri K1 features a fixed-wing airframe with a rear-mounted pusher propeller, a configuration commonly used on long-endurance loitering munitions. The propulsion system is not identified, though its layout is consistent with small internal-combustion engines typically employed for extended-range unmanned flight. Visual assessment of the footage indicates a medium-sized platform, with proportions broadly comparable to other long-range one-way attack drones in service elsewhere. The airframe appears to make extensive use of lightweight materials, likely composites, in line with design approaches intended to maximize range and endurance. No officially confirmed data on maximum takeoff weight or internal mass distribution has been released, and any such estimates remain speculative based solely on imagery.
Navigation is assessed to rely on a GPS and inertial navigation system using pre-programmed waypoints for long-distance routing, with terminal guidance likely supported by electro-optical sensors to enable final target acquisition and impact accuracy. Albanian-language reporting linked to earlier public remarks about a K1 suicide-drone variant cited cruise speeds of up to 180 km/h and an operational ceiling of around 2,500 meters, although it remains unclear whether these figures directly apply to the configuration used during the 18 January long-range test.
Beyond its technical characteristics, the Skifteri K1 reflects the broader emergence of a domestic drone ecosystem in Kosovo. Recent reporting indicates that the country is producing or developing at least four types of unmanned aerial systems spanning reconnaissance, surveillance and strike roles. Within this context, the K1 stands out as the most mature strike-oriented platform to have been publicly demonstrated with extended endurance and live-fire footage, marking a notable step in Kosovo’s defense-industrial development.
While key aspects of the Skifteri K1’s performance remain based on developer claims rather than independently verified data, the reported 1,124-kilometer flight, prolonged endurance and confirmed live-strike footage indicate that the system goes beyond a conceptual prototype. The Skifteri K1 signals Kosovo’s intent to enter the long-range unmanned strike domain with a platform already demonstrated publicly and positioned for international clients, making it a capability that regional actors and NATO observers are likely to monitor closely in the coming years.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
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Lockheed Martin underscores Canada’s central role in F-35 program amid rising U.S. pressure
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On January 16, 2026, Lockheed Martin emphasized Canada’s long-standing integration into the F-35 program, citing projected industrial activity exceeding C$15.5 billion through 2058, as recent U.S. statements have renewed scrutiny of Canada’s dependence on U.S.-controlled defense supply.
On January 16, 2026, Lockheed Martin stated that Canada’s participation in the F-35 program is projected to generate more than C$15.5 billion (approximately US$11.6 billion) in industrial value through 2058, an estimate tied to Canada’s planned acquisition of 88 F-35 fighter jets and to a broader industrial activity involving more than 110 Canadian suppliers. The statement comes after an increased political pressure from Washington has prompted renewed discussion in Canada about F-35 procurement, including the reconsideration of alternatives such as the Swedish Saab Gripen.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this linkCanada is scheduled to receive its first F-35 Lightning II fighter jets in 2026, as the initial batch consisting of 16 units was formally approved in December 2022, but the remaining 72 F-35s are expected to be purchased through phased contracting. (Picture source: US DoD)
The company specified that more than 110 Canadian firms are integrated into the global supply chain, with each aircraft incorporating over C$3.2 million in Canadian-made components sourced from six provinces. This projection is directly linked to Canada’s planned acquisition of 88 aircraft and to manufacturing, maintenance, and upgrade activities extending over several decades. The statement positioned Canada as an industrial partner embedded across the entire global fleet rather than as a participant limited to national deliveries. Lockheed Martin further reminded that Canada supplies parts, systems, and technology that are installed in every F-35 currently flying, involving more than 110 Canadian companies since the start of the F-35 program.
Each F-35 in the world contains Canadian-made components valued at about C$3.2 million (roughly US$2.3 million) per jet, with contributions drawn from suppliers in six provinces, including panels and parts made by firms such as Stelia Aerospace in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, and structural components produced by Magellan Aerospace in Winnipeg. Canadian involvement spans airframe elements, avionics inserts, machined components for wing tie bars, propulsion-related ducts, and other machined parts that are integrated during final assembly in Fort Worth, Texas. As of 2025, Canadian firms have collectively won supply contracts valued at over US$3.3 billion, covering a range of products from precision-machined parts to structural assemblies, and sustainment opportunities are projected to continue as the F-35 global fleet continues to grow.
The F-35 Lightning II introduces a set of capabilities that differ significantly from those of the CF-18 Hornet, as the F-35 is built with a low-observable airframe and coatings to reduce radar detection, enabling operations in contested airspace that earlier CF-18 fighters could not penetrate. The F-35 incorporates advanced avionics with active electronically scanned array radar systems such as the AN/APG-81 and the later AN/APG-85, which provide long-range target detection, tracking, and high-resolution ground mapping while integrating multiple functions, including electronic attack and support measures, into a single sensor suite. The aircraft also uses the AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System, a set of infrared sensors that provide full spherical coverage for missile launch detection, aircraft tracking, and imagery for the pilot’s helmet-mounted display, increasing situational awareness relative to legacy sensor configurations.
In addition to its sensor and signature characteristics, the F-35’s design emphasizes data fusion and network connectivity, allowing the aircraft to consolidate inputs from onboard systems and share information securely with other forces in real time. This integrated battlespace picture contrasts with the CF-18 Hornet, whose avionics and sensor packages are designed around separate radar, targeting pods, and communication systems without the same level of automated fusion. The F-35 carries internal weapons in stealth-optimized configurations and has supersonic performance with extended mission range, supporting multirole strike, air-to-air, and reconnaissance tasks in a single airframe. Its communications suite includes secure data links for interoperability with allied forces, and its electronic warfare capabilities are integrated with the sensor and mission systems, providing detection, jamming, and self-protection functions as part of the aircraft’s design.
The renewed communication by Lockheed Martin comes as the political context surrounding Canada’s F-35 procurement has hardened following explicit threats made by Donald Trump toward Canada, in which the F-35 procurement has again become more exposed to uncertainty. Trump has directly accused Canada of benefiting unfairly from access to the U.S. defense and industrial base while maintaining trade practices he considers hostile to U.S. interests, including in aerospace, aluminum, and advanced manufacturing. He has publicly linked defense cooperation to trade compliance and has warned that allies unwilling to align economically could face tariffs, reduced industrial access, or political retaliation.
In this context, the F-35 has stopped being perceived in Canada as a purely military acquisition and has increasingly been viewed as a potential leverage point in a broader U.S.-Canada power relationship. These statements have had a concrete impact on how the F-35 is discussed domestically, as Trump has explicitly raised the possibility that U.S. defense exports and support could be reassessed if Canada were to pursue policies contrary to U.S. trade or strategic priorities. He has also signaled that future U.S. administrations could review access to sustainment, upgrades, or industrial participation for countries seen as insufficiently aligned, a message that directly touches the F-35 given its dependence on U.S.-controlled logistics, software, and sustainment chains.
This rhetoric has led Canada to more openly examine exposure risks tied to the program, including its dependence on U.S. political decisions, continuity of industrial access, and long-term autonomy. In parallel, when Ottawa signaled that it would therefore reassess alternatives such as the Saab Gripen. Therefore, Trump publicly warned that Canada could face “serious consequences” if it moved away from U.S.-built F-35, stating that Canada’s access to U.S. defense industrial cooperation and future military integration should not be taken for granted if procurement decisions were used to favor non-U.S. manufacturers.
Amidst this renewed debate, it is worth remembering that Canada’s involvement in the F-35 Lightning II program began in 1997, when it joined the early Joint Strike Fighter concept demonstration phase, followed by formal entry into the multinational partnership in 2002 as a Level 3 participant. This status required financial contributions to development and granted Canadian companies the right to compete for contracts across the entire global fleet, without guaranteed offsets. Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, Canada remained an industrial partner while continuing to operate the CF-18 Hornet, postponing a final procurement decision as the aircraft moved from development into low-rate and then full-rate production. During this period, alternative fighter aircraft considered or discussed for Canada included the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, and Saab Gripen, reflecting an extended evaluation process rather than a single-point decision.
The procurement entered its decisive phase in 2022, when Canada selected the F-35A and committed to the acquisition of 88 aircraft to replace the CF-18 fleet, establishing the largest fighter procurement in Canadian history by unit count. The program then shifted from selection to implementation, including infrastructure adaptation, training pipelines for pilots and maintainers, sustainment planning, and base security arrangements required for fifth-generation aircraft operations. As of early 2026, more than 1,270 F-35 aircraft have been delivered globally, while Canada is scheduled to receive its first F-35 Lightning IIs in 2026, as the initial batch consisting of 16 fighters was formally approved in December 2022 to cover early transition needs, including pilot and maintainer training, initial operational conversion, and the establishment of sustainment and security procedures.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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Türkiye’s STM Delivers KARGU And ALPAGU Loitering Munitions To European NATO Country
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Turkish defence firm STM has exported its KARGU and ALPAGU loitering munitions to the armed forces of a country that is both a NATO and European Union member, the company confirmed on 16 January 2026. The deal matters because it brings Turkish-made autonomous strike drones directly into NATO land force inventories, with full integration onto armoured vehicles and existing command-and-control networks.
On 16 January 2026, Turkish defence company STM announced that its KARGU rotary-wing loitering munition and ALPAGU fixed-wing kamikaze UAV had been exported to the armed forces of a country that is both a NATO and European Union member. This contract, presented as an integrated autonomous systems project, covers not only the supply of the drones but also their integration on armoured vehicles and into the customer’s existing battle management and command-and-control architecture. In a European context marked by the war in Ukraine and the rapid spread of loitering munitions, this first export of KARGU and ALPAGU to a NATO-EU military is strategically significant because it inserts a Turkish family of combat-proven strike UAVs directly into the alliance’s land forces. For the unnamed customer, the deal offers a rapid route to mature, man-portable precision strike capabilities at a time when domestic production lines are under pressure.
Turkish defense firm STM has exported its KARGU and ALPAGU loitering munitions to a NATO and European Union member, marking the first integration of these Turkish strike drones onto allied armoured vehicles and command-and-control networks (Picture Source: STM)
According to STM, the agreement goes beyond a classic hardware sale. The company will adapt KARGU and ALPAGU for use both as dismounted systems and as effectors mounted on armoured vehicles, with the drones controlled from vehicle-borne launchers and integrated into the nation’s battle management software. This dual employment profile allows mechanised units to launch loitering munitions from under armour while retaining the option to deploy them at squad or platoon level by individual soldiers. The contract comes on top of a broader export trajectory: by mid-2025, the armour-piercing version of KARGU had already secured a second international export contract, building on an earlier sale, while interest in KARGU and other STM mini-UAVs was reported from more than ten countries across three continents. With the new NATO-EU customer, STM now states that its tactical UAV family, including KARGU, ALPAGU, TOGAN, BOYGA and ALPAGUT, has reached 15 countries on four continents, consolidating Türkiye’s position as a supplier of complete unmanned systems rather than just components.
KARGU is a man-portable, multi-rotor loitering munition conceived in the mid-2010s to provide tactical ISR and precision strike for ground forces. The quad-rotor air vehicle weighs about 7–7.7 kg in combat configuration and can be readied for launch in less than a minute by a single operator. Once airborne, it can loiter for roughly 25–30 minutes at altitudes between about 50 and 500 m, with a mission range of up to 10 km, depending on whether an external or onboard antenna is used. Electro-optical and infrared cameras with 10× optical zoom, advanced image stabilisation and AI-assisted image processing enable day-night detection, tracking and classification of static or moving targets, while engagement remains under “man-in-the-loop” control.
The munition is reusable when the warhead is not detonated, thanks to mission abort and return-to-home modes, which is a key differentiator from purely expendable systems. KARGU can carry either anti-personnel or shaped-charge armour-piercing warheads on the same platform; STM completed the integration of the armour-piercing payload in 2024 after intensive R&D and field trials, and this variant now provides enhanced effects against light armoured vehicles and hardened firing positions. Beyond the kinetic payload, KARGU has been developed with GNSS-independent dive-attack capability through a dedicated pod and software, and STM is progressing a passive RF seeker that allows the platform to detect, localise and home on hostile emitters such as air-defence radars, electronic warfare systems or FPV-drone controllers, adding a cost-effective electronic-warfare suppression role.
Operationally, KARGU entered service with the Turkish Armed Forces in 2018 for counter-terrorism and cross-border operations and was introduced on the export market in 2021; by 2025, the armour-piercing configuration had secured its second international contract with a user already operating the anti-personnel version, confirming confidence in the modular warhead concept.
ALPAGU sits at the lighter end of STM’s loitering munition spectrum and complements KARGU with a tube-launched, fixed-wing profile optimised for rapid engagement of high-value, soft targets. Weighing under 2 kg, with a wingspan of 883 mm, a length of 653 mm and a diameter of 105 mm, the munition is carried, launched and controlled by a single operator using a shoulder-fired tube and a ruggedised ground control station qualified to MIL-STD-810G. After launch, ALPAGU deploys its wings, climbs to around 80–200 m above ground level and can loiter for up to 15 minutes within an 8 km line-of-sight envelope.
An EO/IR camera and embedded, real-time image-processing algorithms based on deep learning allow the system to locate, track and classify targets by day or night, again under man-in-the-loop supervision for weapon release. The air vehicle carries an approximately 270 g anti-personnel warhead optimised for area effects against light targets, with an electronic proximity fuze and a safety chain compliant with standards such as MIL-STD-331. The complete system can be set up in about a minute by one soldier, enabling “shoot-and-scoot” tactics with a minimal logistics footprint. Network-centric design and a mesh communications link allow a single control station to supervise multiple ALPAGU rounds and coordinate launches from land vehicles, small vessels or airborne platforms, enabling saturating salvos, decoy missions and cooperative tactics such as pincer attacks against mobile targets. STM announced on 24 October 2025 that ALPAGU had completed acceptance trials and formally entered Türkiye’s inventory, after having already achieved a first export in 2023, an unusual sequence that underlines early international confidence in the design.
For the NATO-EU customer, the combined fielding of KARGU and ALPAGU delivers a layered, highly mobile precision-strike package at the tactical level. KARGU, with its VTOL profile, hovering capability and reusability, provides persistent surveillance and controlled engagement in complex environments such as dense urban areas or mountainous terrain, where vertical approach paths and obstacle avoidance are critical. Its armour-piercing payload and emerging RF-seeker option give mechanised and infantry units an organic tool to neutralise light armoured vehicles, firing points and critical emitters without calling in higher-echelon fires. ALPAGU, by contrast, is expendable and optimised for speed, low signature and rapid salvo fire: its light weight, one-minute deployment and tube launch make it suitable for company or battalion-level use against command posts, weapon teams or vehicles that present only short engagement windows.
Once mounted on armoured vehicles or unmanned ground platforms, both systems significantly extend the reach of those platforms beyond direct-fire range, allowing a troop or company to project sensor-shooter effects 8–10 km beyond the forward edge of its formation with organic assets. KARGU’s ability to operate in GNSS-degraded environments, combined with AI-assisted guidance and multi-vehicle control across both systems, directly reflects lessons from current conflicts where massed jamming, FPV-drone swarms and dispersed enemy formations have made resilient, distributed strike capabilities a priority.
At the strategic level, this export marks an important step in the evolution of Europe’s relationship with loitering munitions and highly automated weapon systems. It confirms that at least one EU and NATO member is prepared to integrate Turkish-designed, AI-enabled loitering munitions not just as stand-alone products, but as tightly coupled components of its battle-management and armoured-vehicle ecosystem. This choice diversifies the customer’s supplier base beyond traditional Western manufacturers while simultaneously deepening dependence on a non-EU partner for both hardware and critical software.
For Türkiye and STM, the contract fits into a broader trajectory that already includes naval exports, such as the AOR+ logistics ships for Portugal, and underscores the country’s ambition to position itself as a provider of complete, multi-domain systems, naval, land and air, that comply with NATO standards. In the wider European picture, the arrival of KARGU and ALPAGU on a NATO-EU battlefield illustrates how demand for agile, man-portable precision strike is currently outpacing indigenous European production, opening space for Turkish solutions even as the EU pursues greater strategic autonomy in defence procurement.
By entering service with a NATO and EU land force and being integrated directly onto armoured vehicles and national battle-management networks, KARGU and ALPAGU move from being regional Turkish innovations to instruments that will shape European land-warfare practice in the coming years. The way this unnamed customer employs, regulates and doctrinally frames these systems, from platoon-level ambushes and counter-battery missions to networked, multi-domain kill chains, will be closely watched by other allies seeking to combine the operational gains of agile, AI-assisted loitering munitions with the legal, ethical and political constraints that inevitably accompany them. As more European armies evaluate similar capabilities, this first NATO-EU integration of KARGU and ALPAGU is likely to serve as both a technical reference and a political test case for the role of Turkish unmanned systems within the alliance.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
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General Atomics MQ-20 Avenger Drone Completes First Live Autonomous Air-to-Air Intercept Test
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General Atomics says its MQ-20 Avenger unmanned aircraft has completed a live, autonomous aerial intercept against a crewed aggressor aircraft during a January flight from California. The test signals accelerating progress toward operational collaborative combat aircraft concepts being pursued by the U.S. Air Force.
On 18 January 2026, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) announced that its MQ-20 Avenger unmanned combat air vehicle had completed a new mission autonomy flight from San Diego featuring a live aerial intercept against a crewed aggressor aircraft. In this company-funded test, the jet-powered drone used a government reference autonomy stack to plan, execute and adapt its mission while managing air-to-air manoeuvres with minimal human input. The demonstration illustrates how quickly mission autonomy and sensor-driven decision-making are moving from simulation into realistic combat scenarios. The event, underscores the importance that industry and the U.S. Air Force now attach to collaborative autonomous combat aircraft.
General Atomics has demonstrated a major leap in air combat autonomy after its MQ-20 Avenger drone successfully flew a live aerial intercept against a crewed aircraft with minimal human control (Picture Source: General Atomics)
During the latest flight, mission planning began on a dedicated human-machine interface before the approved profile was uploaded to the MQ-20, which then launched and switched from traditional flight control to the autonomy software in the air. Once the handover was confirmed, the system demonstrated that it could dynamically respect “keep-in” and “keep-out” zones defined on the ground, maintaining separation from restricted airspace while prosecuting its mission. At the heart of the trial was an engagement sequence in which the Avenger used a live Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor from Anduril to passively detect and range a crewed target aircraft. From that data, the onboard autonomy established a track, calculated an intercept geometry and executed a simulated weapons solution against the live target; according to GA-ASI, the virtual shot would have been lethal had real munitions been carried.
The MQ-20 Avenger itself is a large, jet-powered unmanned combat aerial vehicle designed as a higher-speed, lower-signature evolution of the MQ-9 Reaper family. The airframe is about 13 metres long with a wingspan of roughly 20 metres and is driven by a single Pratt & Whitney PW545B turbofan, allowing cruise speeds in the region of 740 km/h at altitudes above 15,000 metres. The aircraft incorporates an internal weapons bay to reduce radar and infrared signatures while still offering substantial payload capacity, complemented by external hardpoints for sensors or stores when low observability is less critical. With endurance in excess of 20 hours and the ability to carry well over a tonne of weapons and sensors, the Avenger is positioned as a Group 5 unmanned combat aircraft able to undertake long-range ISR and strike missions from secure bases at considerable stand-off distance.
Although only built in limited numbers, the Avenger has accumulated thousands of flight hours since its first flight in 2009 and has increasingly been used as a surrogate platform for the U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) effort. Over the last two years, GA-ASI has turned the MQ-20 into a flying laboratory for open-architecture mission autonomy. In early 2025, the Avenger took part in the Orange Flag 25-1 exercise, flying with a U.S. government-provided autonomy stack before handing control in flight to Shield AI’s Hivemind software. Later the same year, another GA-ASI-led trial saw the MQ-20 teaming its onboard autonomy with software from Shield AI in a mixed live-virtual environment, where a real aircraft and its digital twin flew coordinated combat air patrol patterns and demonstrated autonomous formation manoeuvres and station keeping. A separate company test in June 2025 already included simulated autonomous shoot-downs of live aircraft using the same class of government reference software that underpins the new January 2026 demonstration.
From a tactical standpoint, the latest intercept flight showcases several advantages that mission-autonomous UCAVs like the MQ-20 could bring to future air campaigns. By combining passive IRST tracking with onboard decision-making, the Avenger can close with an airborne target without emitting its own radar, complicating enemy detection and electronic warfare responses. The demonstrated ability to respect keep-in and keep-out geofences indicates that such aircraft can manoeuvre aggressively in complex airspace while still adhering to airspace control measures and safety constraints imposed by human commanders. Autonomy that can dynamically adjust heading, speed and altitude, respond to new tasking and route via standard instrument holds reduces the cognitive load on ground operators and allows a single crew to manage multiple UCAVs in parallel. In a combat setting, this could translate into more persistent combat air patrols, faster intercept timelines and an ability to saturate an area with attritable, uncrewed shooters while preserving crewed assets for tasks that genuinely require a pilot in the cockpit.
The flight further entrenches the MQ-20 Avenger as a key stepping-stone on the path to fully operational CCA fleets under the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation air dominance construct. Each successful autonomous intercept reduces technical and regulatory uncertainty around employing AI-enabled aircraft alongside crewed fighters in contested airspace. By basing its tests on open, government-defined reference architectures and demonstrating interoperability with third-party autonomy stacks, GA-ASI is helping to ensure that future CCA fleets can mix and match software from different suppliers without being locked into a single proprietary ecosystem.
For Washington and its allies, that approach supports industrial competition, accelerates capability insertion and makes it easier to share architectures and tactics across coalitions. At the same time, repeated emphasis on simulated weapons effects and human oversight reflects an awareness that political and legal debates over lethal autonomy are intensifying, and that operational concepts will need to balance military advantage with evolving rules of engagement and public scrutiny.
For armed forces preparing for air combat against technologically sophisticated adversaries, this latest MQ-20 Avenger test is a signal that mission autonomy for air-to-air operations is moving beyond isolated experiments toward repeatable capability. By pairing a survivable, long-endurance UCAV with modular, government-defined autonomy stacks and cutting-edge sensors, GA-ASI and its partners are methodically putting in place the building blocks of tomorrow’s human-machine air combat teams. The January 2026 intercept flight suggests that the next decisive advances may no longer be in airframe performance, but in the software that decides when, how and with what an aircraft engages its target.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
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Israel deploys three new F-35I Adir fighter jets in combat as fleet reaches 48 units
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On January 18, 2026, the Israeli Air Force received three additional F-35I Adir fighter jets at Nevatim Air Base, bringing the total number in service to 48 aircraft.
On January 18, 2026, the Israeli Air Force announced that three new F-35I Adir fighter jets arrived at Nevatim Air Base, increasing the IAF's F-35I fleet to 48 aircraft. The aircraft were assigned to the 116th Squadron “Lions of the South” and the 140th Squadron “Golden Eagle,” both operating from Nevatim, and immediately entered service, as the F-35I fleet has remained continuously operational since October 7, 2023. Israeli officials reiterated the role of U.S.-Israeli defense cooperation in sustaining fleet readiness.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this linkIsrael’s F-35I “Adir” (Hebrew for “Mighty One”) is a unique variant of the F-35A Lightning II, with modifications spanning across command and control, electronic warfare (EW), communications, and weapons integration. (Picture source: IAF)
The F-35I Adir, the only national variant of the F-35A to date, originated from Israel’s decision in the late 2000s to acquire a fifth-generation fighter jet while keeping the ability to adapt it to national needs. In October 2010, Israel signed a $2.75 billion agreement to purchase its first batch of F-35I Adirs through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales framework, selecting the conventional F-35A as the base model. From the start, Israel planned for a fleet of up to 75 F-35I Adir (a Hebrew word meaning mighty, powerful, or strong), organized into three squadrons, to gradually replace older F-16s and some F-15s. The program was structured to allow deliveries, training, and operational use to progress simultaneously. Israel also sought an early agreement to integrate national systems within defined technical boundaries.
The first two F-35Is arrived in Israel on December 12, 2016, followed by the first local flight on December 13, 2016. In December 2017, the Adir was declared operational after completion of pilot training, ground crew certification, infrastructure adaptation at Nevatim Air Base, and command-and-control integration. Israel publicly acknowledged operational employment of the fighter jet in May 2018, while additional deliveries continued. A key development milestone occurred in November 2020 with the delivery of a dedicated F-35I testbed aircraft to support in-country validation of Israeli systems and weapons, enabling parallel fleet growth and national development activities. By January 18, 2026, cumulative deliveries had increased the in-service fleet to 48 aircraft, while Israel’s stated end goal remains a three-squadron fleet totaling 75 F-35I Adir jets.
A unique feature of the F-35I is the integration of Israel-specific systems, something that no other F-35 operator has achieved to date. More concretely, the F-35I was developed with a separate Israeli-controlled software integration path that allows Israel to load, update, and manage its own mission data files, threat libraries, electronic warfare logic, communications protocols, and weapon interfaces without modifying or accessing the U.S.-controlled core flight software. This separation was a key development requirement agreed early in the program, enabling Israel to integrate its own electronic warfare and intelligence systems, national mission software elements, and Israeli weapons. This approach provides Israel with sovereign control over communications, data handling, and electronic warfare behavior. At the same time, the aircraft remains compatible with allied systems at the F-35 level.
Electronic warfare and connectivity represent key areas of divergence for the F-35I, explaining partly a price of about $95–$100 million per aircraft. Israeli systems supplement or replace standard components to address regional air defense environments and to allow rapid updates without external dependency. The aircraft employs Israeli data links that enable real-time connectivity with other Israeli combat aircraft, ground command systems, unmanned platforms, and air and missile defense assets. This connectivity allows the F-35I to act not only as a strike platform but also as an airborne sensor and coordination node. The emphasis on network integration reflects an operational concept centered on shared situational awareness. This role has been reinforced by continuous operational use since late 2023.
The F-35I Adir retains the main characteristics of the F-35A, with an overall length of 15.7 meters, a wingspan of 10.7 meters, and a height of 4.38 meters. It is powered by a single Pratt and Whitney F135 turbofan engine rated at 191.27 kilonewtons of thrust with afterburner. The maximum takeoff weight is 31.8 tonnes, while internal payload capacity reaches 8,160 kilograms. The aircraft is capable of a maximum speed of Mach 1.6 and operates at a service ceiling of about 18,300 meters. On internal fuel, the combat radius exceeds 1,000 kilometers, consistent with the F-35A performance envelope, with endurance and range further expandable through externally mounted fuel solutions when required.
Weapons integration and sustainment further distinguish the F-35I configuration. Israel has certified domestically produced air-to-air missiles, such as the Python-5, and guided bombs, including the Spice-1000 and Spice-2000, for carriage while maintaining low observability through internal bays, with external carriage available when required. Maintenance and sustainment are centered at Nevatim, reducing reliance on external logistics chains during periods of high operational demand. This approach is intended to preserve aircraft availability and sortie rates. Combined with national mission systems and connectivity, these elements define the F-35I Adir as a fifth-generation jet adapted to Israel’s operational, geographic, and strategic requirements.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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U.S. Navy Expands MQ-9B SeaGuardian Sonobuoy Payload to Enhance Unmanned Anti-Submarine Warfare
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General Atomics says a December 2025 MQ-9B SeaGuardian flight test for the U.S. Navy doubled sonobuoy carriage and marked the first MAC buoy drops from an uncrewed aircraft. The event signals steady movement toward persistent, networked unmanned anti-submarine patrols that could reshape how the Navy watches large ocean areas.
A General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) statement issued on 13 January 2026 said the company and the U.S. Navy had completed a new MQ-9B SeaGuardian flight test aimed at expanding the platform’s anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities. GA-ASI reported that the test, conducted on 17 December 2025, used more Sonobuoy Dispensing System (SDS) pods than in previous trials, effectively doubling the number of sonobuoys carried during the mission.
General Atomics’ MQ-9B SeaGuardian has taken a tangible step toward unmanned anti-submarine patrols after a U.S. Navy test doubled its sonobuoy load and demonstrated networked acoustic sensing from an uncrewed aircraft (Picture Source: General Atomics)
Beyond the headline of a doubled buoy load for the test profile, the technical logic presented by GA-ASI is that SeaGuardian’s ASW configuration is meant to be a packaged capability combining carriage and release of sonobuoys with onboard monitoring and acoustic processing. GA-ASI states that each SDS pod can carry and dispense up to 10 A-size sonobuoys or up to 20 G-size sonobuoys, while the Sonobuoy Monitoring and Control System (SMCS) receives and processes acoustic information transmitted by those buoys. The company further claims that its acoustic processing generates target tracks including calculated speed, course, and depth, and that MQ-9B uses tactical data links to distribute acoustic products to other maritime users rather than keeping them local to the aircraft.
Those elements matter operationally because ASW effectiveness is often a function of time on station, pattern density, and the ability to refresh a field as contacts evolve. Increasing dispenser capacity is not only a numerical improvement; it is an attempt to buy options in how the buoy field is laid, re-laid, and shifted as the tactical picture changes, while the SMCS and data-link concept is intended to turn buoy drops into a shared, networked contribution to the wider maritime fight. In that sense, the SeaGuardian pitch is less about replacing crewed maritime patrol aircraft and more about creating persistent, distributed sensing that can keep a “live” undersea picture updated over a maritime box while other assets reposition, prosecute, or protect high-value units. GA-ASI notes that SeaGuardian has already been used by the U.S. Navy in exercises including Northern Edge, Integrated Battle Problem, RIMPAC and Group Sail, signalling a parallel effort to validate not just release mechanics but also how unmanned ISR and ASW data can be folded into fleet procedures.
A related indicator of where this concept could scale comes from Europe. On 12 January 2026, the German armed forces announced that Berlin had ordered eight MQ-9B aircraft from General Atomics for missions over water, including maritime reconnaissance and an ASW support role using underwing canisters capable of dispensing sonar buoys. Germany’s description explicitly links the purchase to monitoring large sea areas and to protecting sea routes and critical infrastructure, and it presents the concept as a complement to its P-8A Poseidon fleet by pairing a fast crewed aircraft with an endurance-focused uncrewed layer. Germany also states the first systems are expected from 2028, with operations planned at Naval Air Wing 3 Graf Zeppelin in Nordholz, and it highlights a coalition dimension in which allied units could access the collected data when needed.
For the U.S. military, the strategic significance of this SeaGuardian ASW push sits at the intersection of three pressures that are reshaping naval operations: a growing requirement for persistent maritime awareness, the need to distribute forces and sensors under threat, and the simple arithmetic of platform availability. The Department of the Navy’s Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO) concept is explicitly oriented toward fighting a capable adversary that can detect and target surface forces at range, an environment in which concentrating a small number of high-end assets increases risk and reduces coverage. In that context, long-endurance unmanned aircraft able to contribute to the undersea picture fit a broader pattern: spreading sensing, extending reach, and complicating an adversary’s attempts to blind the force.
Geostrategically, that matters most where submarine activity and maritime chokepoints intersect with contested sea control and the protection of strategic infrastructure. In the Indo-Pacific, U.S. planning is shaped by long distances and by the prospect of undersea threats operating in and around island chains and transit routes that are difficult to cover continuously with only crewed aircraft. In the North Atlantic and Arctic approaches, renewed attention to sea lines of communication and undersea cables has reinforced the value of maintaining an updated picture over wide areas for long periods, especially when maritime patrol aircraft and surface combatants are also tasked with deterrence patrols, strike support, and surveillance missions. An uncrewed system that can stay in a box for many hours and feed acoustic data into a wider network is therefore less about a single “submarine hunter” and more about filling time-space gaps that otherwise invite opportunistic submarine operations.
A credible unmanned sonobuoy concept could change how the U.S. Navy allocates scarce crewed ASW capacity. Crewed platforms like the P-8A remain central for high-end prosecution, weapon delivery, and complex multi-sensor tactics, but persistence missions and routine barrier monitoring consume flight hours and crews. A SeaGuardian that can deploy and monitor buoys, push contact data, and maintain continuity over a patrol area potentially allows the Navy to reserve more crewed sorties for time-sensitive localization and attack, surge operations, or missions requiring heavy payload and rapid repositioning. Just as importantly, by lowering the political and operational risk of routinely operating in areas where threats to aircrew would be a major constraint, unmanned ASW patrols could expand the set of conditions under which the U.S. military is willing to keep an acoustic watch forward.
The networking angle is where the concept becomes most consequential, and also where the hardest work tends to be. The utility of buoy dispensing rises sharply if the resulting tracks can be fused quickly, shared securely, and acted upon by other platforms, which aligns with the U.S. Navy’s broader push to connect sensors and shooters through resilient command-and-control approaches under the umbrella of efforts such as Project Overmatch and the wider Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) agenda. In practical terms, that means the “value” of an unmanned buoy field is proportional to how well it plugs into existing ASW command chains, how rapidly it can cue a P-8A, MH-60R, surface combatant, or submarine, and how robust the data pathways are when jammed, degraded, or contested.
The December 2025 test disclosed by GA-ASI in January 2026, the company’s published description of the SDS and SMCS approach, and Germany’s decision to buy MQ-9B for over-water missions all point to a shared direction: expanding the sonobuoy capacity that an MQ-9B can carry, pairing that with onboard monitoring and processing, and turning the acoustic output into a network contribution rather than a standalone collection effort. If the U.S. Navy grants deployment flight clearance after reviewing the test data as GA-ASI anticipates, the next measure of maturity will be less about whether a buoy can be ejected and more about whether an unmanned aircraft can sustain a useful acoustic picture in real operational conditions, with all the friction that implies, and do so in a way that measurably improves how the U.S. Navy patrols, deters, and, if required, fights in the undersea domain.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
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Poland confirms transfer of up to 9 MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine after final technical clearance
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Poland is preparing to deliver up to nine MiG-29 fighter aircraft to Ukraine, fewer than the ten jets expected, in the initial batch after technical issues are resolved.
As reported by TVP World on January 14, 2026, Poland has confirmed preparations to transfer up to nine MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, with the first delivery planned once technical arrangements are completed. The decision has already been taken at the government level and is now pending final coordination with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this linkPoland acquired a total of 44 MiG-29s between 1989 and 2004, which consisted of 36 single-seat MiG-29 fighters and 8 MiG-29UB two-seat trainers, and, by 2024, only 14 MiG-29s remained, all scheduled for withdrawal as FA-50 and F-35 enter service. (Picture source: Wikimedia/Julian Herzog)
In an interview for the On the Record program, Paweł Zalewski, Secretary of State at the Polish Ministry of National Defence, confirmed that it is preparing to transfer up to nine MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, with the first delivery expected to include fewer than ten aircraft once technical arrangements are finalized. The decision has already been taken at the government level and represents a further step in Poland’s military support to Kyiv following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The process has moved beyond political approval and is now centered on practical matters such as aircraft condition, logistics, maintenance planning, and coordination between the Polish and Ukrainian defense authorities.
The transfer is framed as part of Poland’s ongoing effort to support Ukraine while managing the drawdown of legacy aircraft from its own air force. Paweł Zalewski, who deals with defense and international policy matters, stated that Warsaw is waiting for confirmation from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense on remaining technical points. He said that Ukraine has effectively decided to accept the offer, while stressing that standard clarifications are still required before execution. These include issues related to logistics, maintenance responsibilities, and the operational status of the aircraft to be transferred. Zalewski confirmed that the initial batch would consist of fewer than ten aircraft, even though the maximum number discussed publicly is nine.
He presented the remaining discussions as technical rather than political in nature. Polish officials have connected the MiG-29 transfer to discussions held since December on a broader exchange framework between Warsaw and Kyiv. In this context, Poland has indicated interest in gaining access to Ukrainian-developed drone and counter-drone technologies in return for the Soviet-era fighters. The aircraft under consideration are MiG-29s that are nearing the end of their operational life in Polish service, making them candidates for withdrawal regardless of the outcome of the talks. Zalewski underlined that the focus of negotiations is now on execution and feasibility rather than on the principle of the transfer.
This approach reflects Poland’s intent to align military assistance with its own force modernization plans. Another Polish deputy defense minister, Cezary Tomczyk, previously stated that six to eight MiG-29s were approaching retirement and could be transferred, a figure consistent with later references to a total of up to nine aircraft. Poland plans to retire 14 MiG-29s in total, meaning the transfer would involve jets already scheduled to leave service. Polish authorities have emphasized that this will not weaken national air defense, as the MiG-29 fleet is being replaced by FA-50 light combat aircraft and by the planned introduction of F-35 multirole fighters.
The MiG-29 was developed in the Soviet Union during the 1970s under a requirement for a new front-line fighter capable of countering contemporary Western aircraft such as the F-15 and F-16. It first flew in 1977 and entered service in the early 1980s, initially optimized for air superiority and point air defense rather than long-range strike missions. The aircraft was conceived as a complement to heavier fighters, prioritizing agility, rapid reaction, and operation close to the front line. Over time, the MiG-29 family expanded into numerous variants with differing avionics, sensors, and mission profiles, reflecting incremental modernization rather than a single unified upgrade path. Large production volumes and extensive exports made it one of the most widely operated fourth-generation fighters globally.
From a performance and armament perspective, the MiG-29 is a twin-engine fighter powered by two turbofan engines, providing a high thrust-to-weight ratio and strong maneuvering performance. It is typically capable of speeds above Mach 2 at altitude and is stressed for high-g maneuvers, while its combat radius is limited compared with newer multirole fighters. Standard armament includes short- and medium-range air-to-air missiles and an internal 30mm cannon, with some variants able to carry unguided or guided air-to-ground munitions depending on configuration. Its effectiveness is shaped primarily by radar capability, missile integration, and electronic warfare support rather than by airframe performance alone. As a result, operational value varies significantly between operators and upgrade standards.
For Ukraine, the MiG-29 remains militarily relevant because it aligns with existing training, basing, and sustainment structures already in place within the air force. Additional airframes, such as those from Poland or Azerbaijan, can be integrated faster than entirely new aircraft types, reducing transition time for pilots, ground crews, and command-and-control elements. From an operational standpoint, the aircraft supports air defense patrols, interception missions, and limited strike tasks in coordination with ground-based air defense systems. From a logistics perspective, common spare parts, established maintenance experience, and existing support infrastructure reduce integration risk and sustainment complexity. These factors explain why the MiG-29 continues to provide practical military value to Ukraine despite its age and technological limits.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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Saab offers 72 Gripen fighters and six GlobalEye aircraft to Canada amid F-35 review
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On January 14, 2026, CBC News reported that Saab has submitted a proposal to Canada covering 72 Gripen fighter aircraft and six GlobalEye airborne early warning platforms, a proposal that could support an estimated 12,600 Canadian jobs.
On January 14, 2026, CBC News reported that Saab has submitted a proposal to Canada covering 72 Gripen fighter jets and six GlobalEye airborne early warning platforms. The company stated that the purchase of this joint package could support an estimated 12,600 Canadian jobs. The proposal is being reviewed as Canada reassesses its planned F-35 fleet and evaluates defence procurement options based on operational and industrial criteria.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this linkThe Gripen and GlobalEye complement each other by pairing a fighter that conducts interception and strike tasks with a surveillance and control aircraft that extends detection range and provides commanders with a broader operational picture. (Picture source: Saab)
Saab's new proposal to Canada includes the sale of 72 Gripen fighter jets and six GlobalEye airborne surveillance aircraft, an order size that the company says would generate or guarantee up to 12,600 jobs in Canada, an offer now examined as the country reassesses its future combat aircraft mix and the domestic industrial impact linked to large defense programs. The proposal also clarifies that both aircraft types are required to reach the stated employment figure, after earlier public references to roughly 10,000 potential jobs had not specified the volume of aircraft needed. The offer enters a policy environment where defense procurement, either from Lockheed Martin or Saab, is being weighed by Canada not only against operational needs but also against employment distribution and industrial resilience.
Deployable from shorter runways and with a logistics concept oriented toward rapid turnaround, the Gripen E’s combined attributes would provide Canada with a multirole fighter capable of air defence, joint operations, and interoperability with allied forces across the country's large geographic areas. This 4.5-generation fighter jet, capable of Mach 2 speeds, possesses a Raven ES-05 radar and an infrared search and track sensor that provide continuous target detection and tracking, while onboard avionics share information across units in near real time, enhancing situational awareness and coordination with other platforms such as the GlobalEye. Furthermore, with up to ten external hardpoints for a wide mix of NATO weapons, including beyond-visual-range missiles and precision guided munitions, the Gripen would allow Canada to perform air-to-air, air-to-surface, and anti-ship roles.
Based on the Canadian Bombardier Global Express jet, the Saab GlobalEye airborne early warning and control aircraft would fill a capability gap for Canada, providing a persistent airborne node for integrated air and maritime awareness and enhancing coordination with allied surveillance networks. Integrating an Erieye ER radar system mounted on the fuselage, the GlobalEye can detect and track airborne and surface targets at distances of up to about 450 km or more at altitude, with an endurance of up to about eleven hours. In addition to its primary AEW radar, the GlobalEye carries a Seaspray 7500E maritime surveillance radar for surface tracking, while its multi-sensor suite enables simultaneous surveillance of air, sea, and land targets. Therefore, the GlobalEye’s extended range and persistence could make it well-suited for monitoring Canada’s vast northern and maritime approaches, where terrestrial radar coverage is limited by geography and curvature of the Earth.
This new Gripen and GlobalEye package is being reviewed alongside Canada’s existing plan to acquire 88 F-35 fighters, ordered in 2022 with total costs now estimated at more than $27 billion. Canada is preparing to receive the first 16 F-35 aircraft starting this year, while the remainder of the order remains under review, with no confirmed decision to date on whether the total number will be reduced or maintained. Like other countries, the potential introduction of a second fighter type raises practical questions in Canada related to training, sustainment, and the simultaneous integration of two new fleets into service structures already under pressure. However, Saab’s industrial proposal for the Gripen in Canada would see final assembly, integration, test operations, and sustainment carried out with Canadian partners, including IMP Aerospace, GE Aviation, CAE, and Peraton. By building aircraft domestically, with facilities planned in Ontario and Quebec, Canada would also gain greater control over sustainment, upgrades, and supply chain timing, potentially reducing reliance on foreign suppliers.
The industrial component of the offer centers on producing aircraft in Canada for both national use and export markets, with planned production centers in Ontario and Quebec supported by a pan-Canadian supplier network. Saab has linked this structure to more than 10,000 direct and indirect jobs over time, with GlobalEye aircraft produced in partnership with Bombardier using the Global 6500 business jet as the base platform for airborne early warning and control missions. Saab has also pointed to external demand, including Ukraine, which marked its interest in more than 100 Gripen aircraft and potential GlobalEye customers in Egypt, France, and Germany. On the other hand, Lockheed Martin’s position is that maintaining the full 88-aircraft F-35 order would generate $15 billion in work for Canada, with discussions between the company and the Canadian government continuing during the review period. At the moment, Canada evaluates the credibility, scale, and long-term sustainability of job and supplier commitments associated with each option.
The debate unfolds against a backdrop of rising defense expenditure, with Canadian defense spending expected to increase by $82 billion over the next five years and the federal government seeking to maximize domestic economic returns from that growth. The appointment of Christiane Fox as deputy minister at the Department of National Defence has been interpreted in Ottawa as a signal of a shift in procurement approach. At the same time, concerns have been raised that aircraft fleet size and composition should be determined primarily by military requirements, including the question of whether Swedish-built Gripen aircraft could be fully integrated into NORAD-linked defense systems if Canada retained only a limited number of F-35s.
Public opinion adds political context, with an Ekos survey showing 43% support for acquiring a Gripen fleet and 29% support for a mixed Gripen and F-35 fleet, while a single-fleet F-35 option attracted 13% support nationally. Support for Gripen-only peaked at 49% in British Columbia, while support for a mixed fleet was strongest in Quebec at 35%, and regional backing for an all-F-35 fleet remained lowest in Quebec and British Columbia at 9%. Partisan differences were also evident, with single-fleet F-35 support highest among Conservative voters and Gripen or mixed options leading among Liberal, NDP, and Green supporters, reinforcing that the current review reopens a choice Canada formally settled in 2023 when it selected the F-35 after a competition that assessed capability, cost, and economic benefits.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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Italian Eurofighter Jets Scrambled After Rare Russian Be-200 Aircraft Approaches NATO Airspace
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Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons deployed from Ämari Air Base in Estonia to visually identify a Russian Beriev Be-200 operating over the Baltic Sea on January 16, 2026. The mission underscores NATO’s continued air policing posture along its eastern flank amid sustained Russian military aviation activity.
Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons stationed at Ämari Air Base in Estonia were scrambled on January 16, 2026, to intercept and positively identify a Russian Beriev Be-200 aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea near NATO-monitored airspace. The incident, coordinated by NATO’s Allied Air Command, formed part of the alliance’s routine air policing operations designed to ensure the integrity of its eastern airspace. Officials confirmed that the mission, executed under standard quick reaction alert procedures, was conducted safely and remained entirely within international airspace.
Italian Eurofighter Typhoons deployed from Estonia were scrambled by NATO to safely identify a Russian Beriev Be-200 flying near monitored Baltic Sea airspace (Picture Source: NATO)
The intercept occurred in a high-density air and maritime corridor where NATO maintains persistent surveillance and where rapid identification is required to preserve air safety and avoid miscalculation. In practical terms, Baltic air policing scrambles are triggered when an approaching track requires positive identification or closer monitoring under established procedures, even when no airspace violation is reported. NATO’s air policing framework is built around continuous alert coverage and the ability to launch fighters on short notice to identify aircraft, establish situational awareness, and shadow them until they no longer require monitoring.
This case is notable because the aircraft involved is not a typical “intercept target” such as a bomber, fighter, or dedicated intelligence platform. The Beriev Be-200 Altair is a multi-role, twin-engine amphibious jet designed for missions ranging from firefighting and search-and-rescue to transport and maritime utility tasks, depending on configuration. Open technical Russian descriptions commonly cite an aerial firefighting capacity on the order of 12,000 litres of water and a transport layout of up to roughly 72 passengers, highlighting a payload and volume profile that is unusual for an aircraft appearing in NATO’s Baltic operating picture.
From an air policing standpoint, the Eurofighter Typhoon is well-suited to this kind of rapid identification task.The Eurofighter Typhoon is capable of reaching speeds up to Mach 2 and operating at altitudes above 55,000 feet. Its advanced sensor suite includes the PIRATE infrared search-and-track system, enabling passive detection and tracking in coordination with radar and secure communications tools. Those characteristics matter in the Baltic region, where response timelines can be compressed and where NATO fighters must close quickly, identify visually, and maintain safe escort distances under controlled rules of engagement.
The strategic importance of a Be-200 sighting near NATO-monitored airspace lies less in the platform’s baseline mission set and more in what its presence does to decision-making and workload. A large amphibious jet associated with humanitarian and emergency roles introduces ambiguity that can complicate rapid intent assessment, particularly when the aircraft’s purpose is not publicly communicated in advance. In the Baltic context, where civil and military traffic operate in close proximity and where NATO has faced sustained operational friction since 2022, ambiguity itself becomes operationally relevant because it compels identification, consumes alert capacity, and adds another datapoint to pattern-of-life analysis.
A plausible, low-escalation explanation is a routine readiness activity. The Be-200’s association with maritime emergency roles means that winter does not remove the requirement for overwater navigation training, crew proficiency, and search-and-rescue coordination drills. In the Baltic Sea’s dense and weather-affected environment, such sorties can also rehearse communications procedures, long-range overwater routing, and contingency response planning, particularly if the flight profile aligns with training corridors and there is no concurrent Russian messaging linking the aircraft to a specific operational task.
A second, more sensitive but still credible interpretation is that the flight served a utility-and-signalling purpose at the same time. The Be-200’s payload and internal volume allow practical movements of personnel, equipment, or rescue stores between coastal bases when tasked, while its “multi-role” profile can also be used to generate a predictable NATO reaction without the escalatory optics of a bomber or dedicated ISR platform. Even without being a purpose-built intelligence aircraft, it could support a controlled “probe” by observing air traffic control interactions, intercept geometry, and response timelines from detection to visual identification, which is precisely why NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission is structured around rapid launch, visual confirmation, and disciplined shadowing.
NATO’s public account emphasizes that the intercept was conducted safely and professionally and does not indicate any breach of Allied sovereign airspace. Even so, the episode carries operational meaning because it illustrates how a wider range of Russian state and military aircraft can appear near the Alliance’s airspace perimeter, forcing identification procedures and reinforcing the requirement for persistent readiness. In a region where the margin for error is narrow, NATO’s ability to detect, identify, and monitor atypical platforms remains a core component of deterrence, air safety, and escalation control.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
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Leonardo’s Proteus becomes UK Royal Navy’s first autonomous helicopter to fly
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On January 16, 2026, the British Royal Navy conducted the first autonomous flight of the Proteus unmanned helicopter from Predannack Airfield in Cornwall.
On January 16, 2026, the British Royal Navy and Leonardo UK completed the first autonomous flight of the Proteus full-size unmanned helicopter at Predannack Airfield in Cornwall. The event marks the initial airborne validation of a large autonomous rotary-wing aircraft intended to operate alongside crewed platforms in future UK naval aviation.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this linkThe name Proteus refers to the shape-shifting sea god of Greek mythology, chosen to reflect the helicopter’s modular design and its ability to adapt to multiple maritime missions and roles through reconfigurable payloads and autonomous behaviors. (Picture source: Leonardo)
By carrying out the first flight of the Proteus, the United Kingdom’s first truly autonomous full-size helicopter, from Predannack Airfield in Cornwall, the British Navy marked the transition of the programme from ground testing to airborne trials. The unmanned helicopter, manufactured by Leonardo UK, completed a short autonomous flight sequence in which it controlled its own flying systems without a human operator onboard, while remaining under continuous supervision by ground-based test pilots to manage safety. This flight represents the first airborne validation of a large autonomous helicopter intended to operate alongside crewed aircraft within the future UK Fleet Air Arm aviation concept.
The flight took place at Predannack, which serves as a satellite airfield for helicopters based at RNAS Culdrose near Helston and also functions as the National Drone Hub for the development of uncrewed and autonomous aerial systems, particularly those linked to naval operations. Engineers, technicians, and representatives from Leonardo, the Royal Navy, and UK Defence Innovation were present to observe the event. The location links the Proteus to existing Royal Navy helicopter operations in Cornwall while providing an environment dedicated to experimentation with autonomous flight systems and procedures.
The origins of the Proteus can be traced back to August 2013, when the UK Ministry of Defence awarded a two-year £2.3 million contract to AgustaWestland, now part of Leonardo, to explore a Rotary Wing Unmanned Air System concept under the Anti-Submarine Warfare Spearhead programme. Early experimentation relied on the SW-4 Solo uncrewed helicopter, itself derived from the PZL SW-4 Puszczyk, which was used to trial autonomy, control laws, and ship integration concepts. In 2017, a second development phase was launched through an £8 million contract jointly funded by Leonardo and the Ministry of Defence, extending work on autonomy and mission relevance.
A major step occurred in July 2022, when a four-year £60 million contract was signed, which allowed the Proteus programme to support about 100 skilled jobs in the United Kingdom, with the aircraft identified as one of the world’s first full-size autonomous helicopters, joining the American S-70UAS U-Hawk. The maiden flight is aligned with objectives set out in the Strategic Defence Review, which outlines the creation of a New Hybrid Navy in which autonomous helicopters are expected to play a central role in hybrid air wings and the Atlantic Bastion programme, which is focused on securing the North Atlantic. As flight testing continues, data gathered from the Proteus by Leonardo is expected to inform the UK's future decisions on the integration of autonomous rotary-wing aircraft into Royal Navy and NATO maritime operations.
Before the maiden flight, the Proteus completed a series of ground-running trials in December 2025 at Leonardo’s Yeovil facility, during which the helicopter’s engines, sensors, and onboard systems were progressively tested and verified before flight clearance. At this stage, the helicopter has been designed and manufactured at Yeovil as a technology demonstrator rather than an operational fleet asset. The purpose of this demonstrator is to explore how large uncrewed helicopters could be integrated into the UK naval aviation structure, particularly in mixed formations where autonomous platforms operate alongside crewed helicopters as part of a future hybrid air wing.
The Proteus's payload architecture is intended to support maritime search radars, electro-optical and infrared sensor turrets, magnetic anomaly detection equipment, sonobuoy deployment and reception systems, electronic support measures, and communications relay payloads. (Picture source: British Navy)
The Proteus has been developed by Leonardo for more than a decade to support a wide range of maritime missions, with particular emphasis on anti-submarine warfare support and sea patrol tasks within the framework of the Atlantic Bastion strategy. In this role, the Proteus helicopter is intended to operate as part of a wider network, using information shared by allied ships, helicopters, submarines, and detection systems to support the detection and tracking of underwater contacts across large oceanic areas. The emphasis focuses on persistence and coverage in demanding maritime environments, allowing uncrewed platforms to assume tasks that would otherwise consume significant crewed aviation resources.
Developed using digital engineering methods, including a digital twin approach, the final external design of the unmanned helicopter was revealed in January 2025, confirming that the Proteus is based structurally on the Kopter AW09 light single-engine helicopter airframe, modified for autonomous operation and larger payload capacity. The drone has a five-bladed main rotor, a shrouded anti-torque tail rotor, and its airframe incorporates more than 40 components manufactured from advanced composite materials in key load-bearing structures to reduce weight and increase durability in corrosive maritime environments. In place of a traditional cockpit and cabin, the Proteus integrates several sensors and computer systems controlled by software to allow the aircraft to perceive its surroundings, process data, make decisions, and execute actions accordingly.
Proteus’ autonomy architecture is built around a fully integrated flight control and mission management system that combines navigation, perception, and decision-making functions within a redundant digital framework. The aircraft integrates inertial measurement units, global navigation satellite system receivers, air data computers, and obstacle-detection sensors such as lidar or radar, allowing continuous awareness of position, attitude, airspeed, and the surrounding environment. These inputs are processed through sensor-fusion computers that merge navigation data with terrain, atmospheric, and flight-state models to generate real-time situational estimates. On this basis, the flight computers execute guidance, navigation, and control logic with multiple redundancy layers intended to reduce single-point failure risks during autonomous operation.
The autonomy software stack is structured hierarchically to separate flight stability, navigation, and mission execution functions. At the lowest level, control laws manage rotorcraft stability, attitude control, and response to wind and turbulence without pilot input. Above this, navigation functions handle waypoint following, geofencing constraints, and dynamic route adjustment in response to environmental or mission changes. At the highest level, mission-management functions govern task sequencing, sensor tasking, and coordination with external platforms through datalinks, enabling the aircraft to operate within a broader naval force structure rather than as a standalone system.
In terms of scale and capability, the Proteus is positioned well beyond the Royal Navy’s existing unmanned aerial systems, such as Malloy octocopters and the Peregrine uncrewed helicopter used for surveillance. The Proteus represents a larger, more complex, and more autonomous asset than these systems, enabling consideration of higher-end mission sets. For this reason, the drone is designed with a payload capacity exceeding one tonne, allowing it to carry different equipment packages and operate in demanding weather conditions, including high sea states and strong winds, while reducing reliance on onboard aircrew. Although official maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) figures have not been disclosed publicly, the demonstrator's payload capacity is consistent with a three-tonne class vehicle when configured for autonomy and sensor integration, as the absence of a cockpit and crew accommodations enables a higher payload fraction for mission systems and fuel.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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Anduril Wins $23.9M Contract to Equip U.S. Marines With Man-Packable Bolt-M Loitering Munitions
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Anduril Industries announced a $23.9 million U.S. Marine Corps contract for the next phase of the Organic Precision Fires-Light program, covering delivery of more than 600 Bolt-M loitering munition systems starting in February 2026. The award highlights how the Marine Corps is pushing long-range, precision strike capabilities directly to dismounted infantry squads as modern combat demands faster, organic fires.
On 15 January 2026, Anduril Industries announced that the U.S. Marine Corps had awarded the company a 23.9 million dollar contract for the next phase of the Organic Precision Fires-Light (OPF-L) program. The agreement covers the delivery of more than 600 Bolt-M loitering munition systems beginning in February 2026, giving dismounted Marine infantry rifle squads a man-packable, easy-to-operate precision strike capability beyond line of sight. The contract reflects the growing place of loitering munitions in modern land combat, where small units increasingly require their own long-range, precise fires. For the Marine Corps, it is a concrete step in translating Force Design concepts into equipment issued at the squad level.
The U.S. Marine Corps has awarded Anduril Industries a $23.9 million contract to deliver more than 600 Bolt-M loitering munition systems, pushing precision strike capability down to dismounted infantry squads beginning in early 2026 (Picture Source: Anduril)
The OPF-L program is designed to place organic precision fires directly in the hands of rifle squads and platoons, rather than leaving small units dependent on artillery batteries, naval gunfire or close air support for engagements beyond direct-fire range. Its requirement is for systems that are genuinely man-packable, rapidly deployable and usable by non-specialist operators, while still offering beyond-line-of-sight reach against defended targets. In doctrinal terms, OPF-L underpins the Marine Corps’ move toward more dispersed, survivable and lethal formations that can operate across littoral and archipelagic environments with limited infrastructure. The program is structured as a competitive, multi-vendor effort with a broader ceiling in the order of 249 million dollars, enabling the Corps to field different loitering munitions for complementary roles and to adjust purchases based on operational feedback.
Within this framework, Bolt-M is Anduril’s loitering munition solution tailored to the OPF-L requirement. The system combines a range of more than 20 kilometres with an endurance of approximately 40 minutes and an all-up weight of about 13 to 15 pounds, parameters that allow multiple rounds plus a compact ground control station to be carried by a small team without unbalancing a patrol. Built as a vertical take-off and landing quadcopter, Bolt-M does not require launch rails or catapults and can be prepared and flown from restricted terrain in a few minutes. The munition is integrated with Anduril’s Lattice software environment, which fuses data from multiple sensors and platforms to support mission planning, target acquisition and engagement. For operators, this translates into an interface closer to a modern handheld device than to a traditional unmanned aircraft ground control station, with a high degree of automation in navigation and attack profiles while keeping a human in the decision loop.
Bolt-M’s path to this production award combines a relatively recent unveiling with a rapid, intensive test campaign. Anduril publicly introduced the Bolt family, including the weaponised Bolt-M variant, in October 2024, positioning it from the outset as a man-packable, lethal drone aligned with OPF-L. In the 13 months that followed, the Marine Corps received more than 250 Bolt-M systems for evaluation under OPF-L, subjecting them to safety, environmental and performance testing and flying the platform hundreds of times against a variety of target sets. According to Anduril, this phase validated the munition’s ability to meet demanding requirements for range, endurance and payload delivery in operationally representative conditions. In parallel, the company invested heavily in its dedicated Bolt production line, streamlining design engineering, supply-chain management and manufacturing processes to reach a capacity of more than 100 all-up rounds per month. The firm has already demonstrated the ability to deliver over 300 Bolt systems to another customer within five months, an indicator that its industrial model is geared toward high-tempo series production rather than limited prototyping.
The introduction of Bolt-M has direct consequences for how Marine infantry units can plan and execute operations. With a 20+ kilometre reach and roughly 40 minutes of loiter time, a squad leader can launch a munition from covered positions, send it over ridgelines, urban obstacles or water gaps, and build a detailed picture of enemy activity before deciding whether to strike. The same system can support route clearance, overwatch of key terrain, suppression of enemy firing points and engagement of high-value targets such as anti-tank teams, command posts or air defence sensors. The portability and relative simplicity of Bolt-M mean that these tasks no longer depend exclusively on scarce higher-echelon assets; they become options available to the unit manoeuvring on the ground, in real time. In contested environments where air superiority is uncertain and artillery ammunition may be constrained, such an organic capability allows commanders to close kill chains quickly while limiting exposure of their own forces.
By contracting more than 600 Bolt-M systems for delivery between February 2026 and April 2027, with first operational units to receive the munition in the summer of 2026, the Marine Corps signals that loitering munitions are now considered core equipment for expeditionary formations rather than niche tools. The move aligns with broader U.S. efforts to prepare for high-intensity conflict in the Indo-Pacific, where dispersed forces operating from austere bases must be capable of generating precise effects without always relying on large platforms. It also shows how the service is responding to lessons from recent conflicts, where small drones and loitering munitions have had a disproportionate impact against armoured vehicles, artillery positions and logistics nodes. For Anduril, the award confirms that its combination of software-centric architectures, modular unmanned systems and scaled production resonates with U.S. force-planning priorities; for allies and partners, the decision offers a reference point as they consider their own investments in man-portable precision strike.
The 23.9 million dollar contract is a significant but measured commitment within the larger OPF-L portfolio. Divided across more than 600 munitions plus ground control and support equipment, it points to a unit cost in the low tens of thousands of dollars, placing Bolt-M in a different category from larger guided missiles while still requiring disciplined use at unit level. The contract’s timing, coming after a year-long evaluation phase and in parallel with awards to other suppliers under the same umbrella program, suggests that the Marine Corps sees value in maintaining a diversified mix of loitering munitions that can be tailored to different missions and theatres. The wider OPF-L ceiling around 249 million dollars leaves room for follow-on orders, upgrades or new variants, and sets incentives for industry to keep improving reliability, manufacturability and integration with command-and-control networks.
The Anduril–US Marine Corps agreement around Bolt-M marks a decisive moment in the consolidation of loitering munitions as standard equipment for Western infantry forces. By pairing a genuinely backpack-portable air vehicle with an industrial model built for speed and scale, the OPF-L program gives rifle squads an organic means to sense and strike well beyond traditional small-arms range. The 23.9 million dollar award is modest compared to major platform programs, but its effects will be felt directly in how Marine units train, plan and fight from 2026 onward. As Bolt-M enters service alongside other OPF-L systems, it will help define new tactics, techniques and procedures for distributed operations, setting a benchmark that other armed forces, and potential adversaries, will study closely in the years ahead.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
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Shield AI Conducts Wind Tunnel Tests on X-Bat Autonomous Runway-Independent Fighter Drone
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Shield AI confirmed its X-Bat autonomous combat aircraft has entered wind tunnel testing, the first physical validation of its jet-powered VTOL design. The move signals accelerating momentum toward runway-independent strike aircraft that could reshape how airpower is generated in future conflicts.
On January 14, 2026, Shield AI announcedthat its X-Bat autonomous combat aircraft has entered wind tunnel testing, marking the first physical validation step of its jet-powered VTOL “fighter” concept. The news was revealed in a company post on X, where Shield AI underlined the need to “test fast” in order to reduce risk and sharpen each design iteration for greater safety and efficiency in the air. For armed forces looking to generate airpower without runways and with fewer human pilots, this is more than a routine engineering milestone: it is a sign that autonomous, runway-independent combat aviation is rapidly moving from design studies to tangible hardware.
Shield AI announced its X-Bat autonomous VTOL combat jet has entered wind tunnel testing, marking the first physical validation of a runway-independent, pilot-free strike aircraft concept (Picture Source: Shield AI)
According to Shield AI and a detailed report from Army Recognition, X-Bat is conceived as an AI-piloted, jet-powered VTOL combat aircraft designed to take off and land vertically from a trailer-like launch and recovery vehicle, then transition to efficient wing-borne flight at high altitude and long range. The airframe is roughly 26 feet long with a 39-foot wingspan and stands under 5 feet tall, giving it a compact footprint compared with manned fighters while preserving performance margins in the fighter class. At the heart of the project is Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy stack, which enables the aircraft to plan routes, execute missions and manage vertical-to-horizontal transitions without continuous human control, while remaining under human supervision through secure communications links. In company messaging, X-Bat is presented as a “fighter-class” platform rather than a simple surveillance drone, underscoring its ambition to deliver air-to-air and strike effects traditionally associated with crewed combat aircraft.
The concept has been tailored for anti-access/area-denial environments, particularly in the Pacific. X-Bat is engineered to launch from a 100-by-100-foot cleared pad or from an expeditionary launch vehicle, then climb vertically under high thrust before transitioning to forward flight. Once on the wing, the aircraft is expected to exceed 4 g in maneuvering, reach altitudes above 50,000 feet and cover more than 2,000 nautical miles, combining VTOL flexibility with endurance and reach more commonly associated with conventional fast jets and large unmanned aircraft. If these figures are validated in flight testing, X-Bat would join a very small group of platforms able to offer fighter-like kinematics, long-range profiles and runway independence in a single system.
Planned mission systems turn this airframe into a genuine multirole architecture. Shield AI describes X-Bat as being designed to carry a multi-mode radar, an electronic warfare suite and robust datalinks, with an emphasis on operating in contested electromagnetic environments. Internally and externally, the platform is expected to employ both air-to-air and strike weapons: long-range air-combat missiles such as AIM-174 or AIM-120 on one side, and anti-ship or land-attack weapons like LRASM and JSOW C-1 on the other. In practical terms, this transforms X-Bat into a self-deploying weapons magazine capable of contributing to air defense, sea denial and deep-strike missions from austere locations, ships or dispersed island sites, without relying on traditional runways.
A key enabler of this concept is the propulsion system. In November 2025, Shield AI and GE Aerospace announced a partnership to equip X-Bat with the F110-GE-129 turbofan and GE’s Axisymmetric Vectoring Exhaust Nozzle, a combination already familiar to many air forces and highlighted at the time by Army Recognition. This brings a thrust class of roughly 29,000 pounds and three-dimensional thrust vectoring, capabilities proven on frontline fighters and experimental F-16 testbeds, into an unmanned, VTOL-capable airframe. The F110 powers several major fighter fleets, including F-16C/Ds, F-15 variants and Japan’s F-2, with millions of accumulated flight hours. For X-Bat, that means fighter-grade performance paired with a mature, global logistics ecosystem that many U.S. partners already operate and maintain.
Choosing a widely used engine helps compress technical and programmatic risk. Instead of developing a bespoke propulsion solution, Shield AI can leverage an existing industrial base and focus on integration, control laws, VTOL transition dynamics and autonomous mission software. For air forces already operating the F110, adopting X-Bat could be done without creating an entirely new maintenance and training pipeline for engines, an important consideration at a time when many Western air arms struggle to recruit and retain skilled personnel. It also opens the door to closer interoperability: an unmanned VTOL “fighter” sharing the same powerplant family as manned jets simplifies logistics and, potentially, export approvals compared with an entirely novel propulsion system, reinforcing U.S.-led industrial and operational networks.
Against this backdrop, the wind tunnel campaign announced in January 2026 becomes a critical bridge between powerplant, geometry and performance claims. Shield AI’s statement that “to move fast, you have to test fast” captures the intent: scale models of X-Bat are already in the tunnel to reduce aerodynamic risk and refine each design iteration before any full-scale prototype attempts flight. This testing allows engineers to map how the cranked-kite wing, control surfaces and thrust-vectoring nozzle behave across a wide range of angles of attack, speeds and transition regimes. For a tail-sitting VTOL fighter that must climb vertically, rotate into forward flight and then return to a small trailer or pad, the precise control of these transitions is central to safety, survivability and sortie generation.
Wind tunnel trials also offer an early window onto thermal and structural loads, especially around the exhaust area and launch platform. X-Bat is designed to operate from a launch and recovery vehicle and, potentially, from ship decks or other confined surfaces. High-energy exhaust from a fighter-class engine creates serious challenges: heat damage, erosion and blast effects must be managed to maintain operational tempo. By exposing the design to controlled aerodynamic and flow conditions, engineers can validate assumptions about clearances, blast shielding and deck protection systems before committing to expensive full-scale hardware. That work directly impacts whether X-Bat can realistically operate from commercial cargo ships, auxiliary vessels or improvised pads close to the front line without unacceptable wear and tear.
On the tactical level, the advantages of such a system are straightforward yet significant. A runway-independent, autonomous aircraft with fighter-class sensors and weapons can be dispersed in hardened shelters, on mobile launchers, across islands or aboard support ships, then raised to the vertical position and launched within minutes. Because Hivemind can handle flight control, navigation and transitions in degraded or GPS-denied environments, operators can concentrate on mission planning, target prioritization and rules of engagement rather than basic piloting. That opens up roles such as autonomous escort for high-value assets, first-wave suppression of enemy air defenses, long-range maritime interdiction or persistent patrols over key straits and chokepoints.
In a contested air campaign, X-Bat’s lack of dependence on runways reshapes the survivability equation. Instead of concentrating aircraft at a few large, easily targetable air bases, a force equipped with VTOL autonomous fighters could distribute smaller numbers across dozens of hidden sites. For an adversary, finding and neutralizing mobile launch vehicles and compact pads is far more demanding than striking fixed, well-known airfields. Political and human risk is also lowered: losing an unmanned X-Bat is not the same as losing a pilot and a multi-decade, multi-billion-dollar manned platform. That may encourage commanders to accept higher levels of risk in certain missions, such as penetrating heavily defended airspace or operating within the envelope of advanced surface-to-air missile systems, ultimately strengthening deterrence by making U.S. and allied responses more credible.
Geostrategically, the X-Bat concept fits squarely into emerging doctrines of distributed operations in the Indo-Pacific and Europe. In the Pacific, where long distances, fragmented geography and dense anti-ship missile networks shape planning, a VTOL autonomous fighter that can operate from small islands, commercial vessels or expeditionary sea bases offers a new way to sustain air presence and strike options even if large airfields are degraded or destroyed. In Europe or the Arctic, the same logic applies to road-based dispersal, forest clearings or hidden pads near critical infrastructure. As with any advanced U.S.-origin system, employment and potential foreign military sales would be framed by existing export control and alliance consultation processes, which aim to preserve America’s technological edge while enabling trusted partners to contribute more effectively to shared defense.
By pairing a proven fighter engine with an autonomous VTOL combat airframe and pushing early aerodynamic testing, Shield AI is attempting to compress timelines between concept, prototype and operational capability. For Washington and its allies, X-Bat illustrates how U.S. industry is seeking to adapt traditional fighter-class performance to the demands of dispersed, high-intensity warfare, while keeping human decision-making at the center of lethal force employment. If the company succeeds in translating its “test fast” philosophy into a robust, fielded system, X-Bat will not simply add another drone to existing inventories. It will offer militaries a different way to think about generating fighter-class combat power from almost anywhere on the map, in line with the company’s own motto: “Autonomy for the world. The greatest victory requires no war.”
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
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Türkiye’s Kizilelma Unmanned Fighter Jet Achieves Mach 0.8 Cruise Speed in High-Performance Test
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Baykar announced on January 16, 2026, that its Bayraktar Kizilelma unmanned fighter jet has confirmed a Mach 0.8 cruise speed during a high-performance test flight. The result highlights how quickly jet-powered unmanned combat aircraft are closing the gap with manned fighters in speed and operational relevance.
On January 16, 2026, Baykar Technologies announced that its Bayraktar Kizilelma unmanned fighter jet had successfully completed a new performance test flight, reaching a cruise speed of Mach 0.8. The milestone, revealed through a statement on Baykar’s official X account, represents a significant advance in Türkiye’s jet-powered unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) program. Designed to operate with performance parameters comparable to manned fighters, the Kizilelma stands at the forefront of Ankara’s drive to redefine the future of air combat. The latest test offers tangible evidence of how rapidly high-performance unmanned aviation is evolving.
Baykar has confirmed that its Bayraktar Kizilelma jet-powered unmanned combat aircraft successfully cruised at Mach 0.8 during a high-performance test flight, marking a significant step toward fighter-like capability for unmanned air systems (Picture Source: Baykar Technologies)
Bayraktar Kizilelma is conceived as a stealthy, single-engine, carrier-capable unmanned fighter able to carry a weapons load in the order of 1.5 tonnes internally and underwing, in a maximum take-off weight class between roughly 6 and 8.5 tonnes depending on configuration. According to Baykar, earlier figures pointed to a typical cruise speed around 0.6 Mach and a maximum speed near 0.9 Mach; the latest performance sortie now validates a sustained 0.8 Mach cruise regime, moving the platform closer to the performance envelope of fourth-generation fighters rather than traditional MALE drones. The airframe combines a low-observable fuselage with canard-delta aerodynamics, twin canted vertical tails and internal bays optimised for operations from short runways and light aircraft carriers such as TCG Anadolu, while an AESA radar, infrared search and track and electro-optical targeting systems provide multi-sensor situational awareness compatible with beyond-visual-range engagements.
From the outset, Kizilelma’s development has been built around an incremental propulsion roadmap. Early prototypes flew with the Ivchenko-Progress AI-25TLT, a non-afterburning turbofan in the 16–17 kN thrust class, sufficient to de-risk airframe and flight-control development. Current high-performance configurations are associated with the AI-322F, a low-bypass afterburning turbofan that delivers around 24–25 kN of thrust in dry mode and on the order of 44 kN when the afterburner is engaged. This afterburner capability is central to Kizilelma’s ambition: it provides the additional thrust needed for short-deck operations, rapid climbs, quick accelerations near the transonic region and evasive manoeuvres at high subsonic speeds. Baykar has already demonstrated afterburner take-off tests on later prototypes, and the latest performance flight at 0.8 Mach indicates that propulsion, flight-control laws and thermal management are now being validated in a regime much closer to that of crewed combat jets, underlining the technological level reached by Türkiye’s unmanned aviation industry.
Operationally, the 0.8 Mach cruise milestone consolidates a capability built up step by step since the first conceptual work on the MIUS (Combatant Unmanned Aircraft System) program in the early 2010s. Kizilelma made its maiden flight in December 2022, then accumulated a dense series of sorties covering automatic taxi, take-off, gear-up flight profiles, repeated landings and high-speed manoeuvres. It later flew in formation with an F-16 during public demonstrations and achieved an autonomous close-formation flight between two unmanned fighter-type airframes, illustrating a first level of “smart fleet autonomy”. More recently, the platform has validated the firing of a beyond-visual-range Gökdoğan air-to-air missile using its MURAD AESA radar for detection and guidance, an important proof of concept for an unmanned aircraft performing its own BVR engagements. Against this background, the confirmation of a high-subsonic cruise regime is not an isolated event but the continuation of a coherent test sequence that links aerodynamics, mission systems and weapons employment in a single Turkish-designed platform.
From a tactical perspective, reaching a stable 0.8 Mach cruise gives Kizilelma the kinematic profile required to operate in the same time-space geometry as modern fighters and long-range air defence systems. At this speed, an unmanned fighter can compress reaction times, reposition rapidly across a combat radius that extends over several hundred nautical miles and remain synchronised with strike packages, tanker or ISR orbits without becoming a slow outlier in the formation. The performance now announced is broadly aligned with the high-subsonic envelopes of other “loyal wingman” concepts such as the XQ-58 and MQ-28, which are likewise optimised around the upper subsonic regime. In contrast to classic MALE drones, Kizilelma can realistically escort manned assets, push forward as a sensor and weapons node, act as a decoy or jammer in contested airspace and still retain enough speed, especially with afterburner, to make interception more complex for potential adversaries, particularly when combined with its low observable design and electronic warfare support.
The strategic implications go far beyond a single flight test. For the Turkish Armed Forces, a high-subsonic unmanned fighter with afterburner capability, internal weapons carriage and BVR engagement potential offers a complementary asset to manned fleets such as the F-16 and future KAAN, enabling manned–unmanned teaming, saturation tactics and persistent presence over maritime choke points in the Black Sea, the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean. For Türkiye’s defence industrial base, Kizilelma has become a flagship program that brings together advanced aerodynamics, software-defined mission systems and international engine cooperation within a broader roadmap that also aims to increase the share of indigenous subsystems over time. On the international scene, Kizilelma places Türkiye among a select group of states developing jet-powered unmanned fighters and strengthens its position as an exporter of high-technology air systems for partners seeking modern airpower solutions with flexible cost, training and risk profiles.
The confirmation of a 0.8 Mach cruise speed during performance testing consolidates Bayraktar Kizilelma’s transition from an ambitious concept into a genuinely fighter-like unmanned platform. Built on a test campaign that has already covered autonomy, formation flying, carrier-style operations and BVR engagements, this latest milestone shows that propulsion, aerodynamics and mission systems are converging towards an operationally credible whole under Turkish leadership. For Türkiye and its partners, Kizilelma is emerging as a tool for deterrence, power projection and technological sovereignty in the air domain; for observers of air warfare, it is a clear signal that high-performance unmanned fighters able to share the same airspace and tempo as manned combat aircraft are no longer a distant prospect but a reality taking shape on today’s test ranges.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
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Destinus unveils Ruta Block 2 cruise missile with 450+ km range for frontline strike
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Destinus unveiled the Ruta Block 2, a 450 km-class AI-guided cruise missile built for low-altitude strikes in contested airspace.
On January 15, 2026, Destinus unveiled the Ruta Block 2, a mid-range autonomous cruise missile with a stated range exceeding 450 kilometers and a 250-kilogram payload for strikes against fixed high-value targets. The Block 2 marks a departure from the earlier Ruta Block 1 missile-drone as it incorporates autonomous, AI-based guidance with anti-jam features and is intended for integration with mobile launchers and allied command-and-control architectures.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this linkThe Ruta Block 2 is a clear break from the original Ruta, which had often been seen as a missile-drone rather than a full cruise missile, with a heavier warhead, longer reach, and guidance based on artificial intelligence rather than simple preset navigation. (Picture source: Destinus)
The Ruta Block 2 marks a departure from the earlier Ruta Block 1 that had often been characterized as a missile-drone, as is now positioned as a fully fledged cruise missile. Destinus highlights a heavier payload, extended range, and artificial intelligence-based guidance designed to function under electronic interference. The Ruta Block 2 missile is said to be booster-assisted and canister-launched, optimized for low-altitude flight profiles, and equipped with an anti-jam suite intended to sustain accuracy in defended airspace. Compatibility with allied launchers and command-and-control architectures, including C2 and AI-swarm systems, is emphasized as part of its design logic. The company, currently based in Hengelo, the Netherlands, also frames the Ruta as suitable for scalable production and deployment from self-propelled or mobile missile launchers.
The Ruta Block 2, also known as Destinus Strike Ruta Block2, is a cruise missile with a range exceeding 450 kilometers and a payload of 250 kilograms, to strike armored vehicles, concrete structures, and troop concentrations. The Block 2 is described as autonomous, relying on an AI multimodal guidance system for navigation and terminal engagement, with an integrated anti-jam capability to counter electronic warfare effects. Destinus links this new guidance concept to the missile’s ability to operate inside layered air defense zones while maintaining strike accuracy. The Ruta Block 2 is also said to be compatible with mobile launch concepts, reinforcing its role within dispersed ground-based strike architectures. Overall, the Block 2 configuration reflects a new emphasis on reach, payload mass, and precision against fixed high-value targets.
The airframe and launch architecture of the Ruta Block 2 differ materially from the original Ruta, known as the Block 1, with Destinus highlighting a redesigned low-observable form and folding wings. The folding wing arrangement enables launches from ground-based transport-launch containers as well as from underwing aircraft hardpoints, expanding employment flexibility. The missile uses a booster-assisted canister launch, with the booster providing initial acceleration before transition to sustained powered flight. Low-altitude flight is described as a core operating profile, supporting penetration of defended corridors rather than loitering patterns. Destinus also underlines its compatibility with allied launch systems and broader command networks, suggesting coalition integration as a design consideration. These elements collectively frame the Block 2 as an almost new cruise missile rather than a limited modification of the earlier Ruta.
The nose section is shaped to accommodate a thermal-imaging or imaging-infrared homing seeker intended for the final phase of flight, supporting precision against stationary targets. This terminal concept is comparable in principle to solutions used on modern cruise missiles such as the Storm Shadow/SCALP, where imaging seekers support accuracy in contested environments. The AI-based guidance is intended to maintain navigation and targeting even under jamming or spoofing conditions. Destinus also links the missile to potential coordination with C2 and AI-swarm systems, implying future employment concepts involving coordinated strikes rather than single-weapon use. The stated objective is to combine autonomy, electronic resilience, and terminal precision in a single effector.
In May 2025, Destinus announced the integration of a GPS-independent and electronic-warfare-resistant navigation system developed by UAV Navigation into the original Ruta, alongside a broader cooperation framework discussed during FEINDEF 2025. That partnership was described as covering joint development, production, and commercialization of Ruta missiles, with an emphasis on adapting the system to Spanish Armed Forces requirements and expanding international availability. The navigation system was already described as supporting autonomous navigation, target-referenced mission execution, and terminal engagement under jamming or spoofing, including low-altitude flight. In November 2025, Destinus also announced plans to integrate the Hivemind combat AI from Shield AI into Ruta and Hornet systems, with testing of long-range weapons combined with combat AI referenced for 2026.
The earlier Ruta missile-drone, known as the Ruta Block 1, had a maximum takeoff mass not exceeding 300 kilograms, a length of 3.93 meters, a wingspan of 2.25 meters, and an operational range commonly cited at 300 kilometers, with other claims extending to 500 kilometers. Cruise speed has been described as Mach 0.8, and terminal accuracy has been stated at 15 m² CEP. The airframe was modular, with interchangeable payload bays, internal modular fuel tanks, avionics and electronic warfare subsystems, and detachable wings for storage and transport. Launch is booster-assisted, while recovery for non-strike variants is parachute-based with deployable airbags, and a vertical-landing option has been mentioned as a future path. Destinus has also associated the Ruta with missions beyond strike, including intelligence gathering, surveillance, emergency response, emergency cargo delivery, and target training, with production in Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, and possibly Ukraine.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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U.S. Air Force Receives Second T-7A Red Hawk Jet Trainer to Modernize Pilot Training
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Boeing has delivered the second T-7A Red Hawk advanced jet trainer to the U.S. Air Force Air Education and Training Command at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. The delivery advances the Air Force’s effort to modernize pilot training with digital systems built for future fighter and bomber operations.
The Boeing Red Hawk team has officially delivered its second T-7A advanced jet trainer to the U.S. Air Force Air Education and Training Command, according to information published January 15, 2026, by the Boeing Defense X account. The aircraft arrived at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, reinforcing the Air Force’s push to replace aging T-38 trainers with a digitally designed platform intended to better prepare pilots for fifth and sixth-generation combat aircraft.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this linkThe second Boeing T-7A Red Hawk advanced jet trainer for U.S. Air Force prepares for departure, ready to join Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph as part of the U.S. Air Force’s transition to a next-generation pilot training system. (Picture source: Boeing Defense X account)
The delivery to the U.S. Air Force confirms the T-7A Red Hawk’s transition into early operational use, following its first aircraft arrival earlier this month. Together, these aircraft will begin hands-on evaluation by AETC as the command finalizes its revised training syllabus, integrates digital maintenance workflows, and refines operational procedures. Boeing’s delivery of a second production representative jet within such a short window reflects the company’s push to accelerate full-rate production while addressing key capability gaps that have emerged over decades of reliance on the aging T-38 Talon.
For over 60 years, the Northrop T-38 Talon formed the backbone of U.S. Air Force pilot training. First flown in 1959 and introduced in 1961, the T-38 served as the primary supersonic trainer for generations of pilots. However, its analog cockpit, limited avionics suite, and dated flight envelope increasingly failed to prepare pilots to transition to fifth-generation platforms such as the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II. The aircraft’s inability to simulate modern digital combat environments became a growing concern for operational commands, driving the Air Force to seek a purpose-built replacement through the T-X program.
The T-7A Red Hawk, developed by Boeing in partnership with Sweden’s Saab, was selected to answer that need. Designed entirely through digital engineering methods, the T-7A integrates a high-fidelity cockpit, reconfigurable displays, and fly-by-wire flight controls tailored to emulate the performance and systems of front-line fighters. With advanced embedded training capabilities, the Red Hawk can simulate air-to-air threats, radar engagements, and electronic warfare conditions mid-flight. These features were impossible with the T-38 and now enable faster, more adaptable pilot training cycles at lower long-term cost.
From a performance standpoint, the T-7A represents a generational leap. It features an improved thrust-to-weight ratio, high angle-of-attack tolerance, and advanced maneuverability that support G-loads up to 8+. This allows instructors to introduce complex flight profiles, aggressive maneuvering, and energy management training from the early stages of the pilot development pipeline. The aircraft's large-area touchscreen display, heads-up interface, and fully digital avionics enable a seamless transition from ground-based simulation environments to airborne tactical training. This compresses the learning curve while enhancing mission readiness.
In addition to pilot-focused upgrades, the Red Hawk significantly improves life cycle management. Boeing’s use of a digital thread from initial design through manufacturing enables predictive maintenance, faster part replacement, and real-time diagnostics. The aircraft is also built with open architecture systems, meaning it can be easily updated to accommodate new training scenarios, software packages, or interface changes without costly redesigns.
The second aircraft delivered to JBSA-Randolph will support operational evaluation, instructor pilot qualification, and ground crew sustainment training. The aircraft are currently being integrated into the 99th Flying Training Squadron, historically linked to the Tuskegee Airmen, as AETC prepares for broader rollout across its training bases. The squadron’s symbolic lineage matches the Red Hawk’s name and livery, which honor the legacy of the pioneering African-American aviators of World War II.
While the Air Force originally expected T-7A deliveries to begin in 2024, program milestones were adjusted to prioritize flight safety, software maturity, and design optimization. In 2026, early deliveries have resumed through a measured rollout, with additional aircraft scheduled for delivery to other training installations, including Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi, Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma, and Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas.
Official program documentation confirms that more than 300 T-7As will be fielded across these locations through the early 2030s, fully replacing the T-38 Talon fleet. With the global fighter landscape evolving rapidly and near-peer competitors fielding more agile, networked, and lethal air capabilities, the U.S. Air Force’s investment in the T-7A program reinforces its commitment to maintaining tactical superiority through modern, high-fidelity pilot training.
The Red Hawk is not simply a replacement. It is a systems-level upgrade that reflects the Air Force’s pivot toward digitally driven, threat-informed training. By delivering a trainer aircraft that simulates the cognitive and physical demands of fifth-generation combat operations, the T-7A prepares the next generation of U.S. pilots to operate faster, make smarter decisions, and dominate contested airspace.
Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.
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Russia plans first flight of Su-75 Checkmate light stealth fighter in 2026
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The Su-75 Checkmate is slated for a first flight in 2026 as Russia seeks a lighter fighter to eventually replace aging MiG-29 variants and complement the Su-57.
According to Izvestia on January 12, 2026, Russia is targeting a first flight of the Su-75 Checkmate light stealth fighter during 2026, though no date has been confirmed. If confirmed, this would mark the first real transition since its public debut in 2021 as a full-scale mock-up, showing whether Russia can still field a new lightweight combat aircraft under sanctions and industrial pressure.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this linkDevelopment of the Su-75 has followed a trajectory shaped by funding limits, revised timelines, and broader geopolitical pressures; the first flight was initially scheduled for 2023, later delayed to 2024, then 2025, and eventually early 2026. (Picture source: Russian MoD)
Officially revealed as a full-scale mock-up at the MAKS Air Show in August 2021, the aircraft was presented as a Light Tactical Aircraft intended to complement the heavier Su-57 while replacing aging MiG-29 fleets in Russian service. From the outset, the program was framed as an export-oriented initiative, targeting air forces seeking a lower-cost aircraft with a reduced radar signature and modern avionics, echoing Soviet fighters such as the MiG-21 and MiG-23, which once formed the backbone of the communist air forces across the globe. Following this debut, the Su-75 remained in a static state, as the program did not progress through visible flight milestones; instead, it remained focused on preparation and refinement. The anticipated first flight could therefore represent the first major transition beyond the mock-up stage.
Development of the Su-75 has then followed a prolonged and uneven trajectory shaped by shifting timelines, funding constraints, and broader geopolitical pressures. Additionally, the Su-75 is the first attempt in several decades to reintroduce a lightweight, single-engine tactical fighter into the Russian Air Force, meaning that everything must be made from scratch. Early official statements projected a first flight as early as 2023, later shifted successively to 2024, 2025, and then to early 2026. Representatives of Rostec and Sukhoi stated that prototype manufacturing activities were underway at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant, which also produces Su-35S and Su-57 fighters. The program has progressed in an environment shaped by international sanctions, which limited access to imported electronics, machine tools, and financial mechanisms. These constraints coincided with increased production priorities for existing combat aircraft needed by the Russian Aerospace Forces. As of January 2026, the Su-75 Checkmate therefore remains in a pre-flight development phase, with no confirmed domestic or export orders publicly acknowledged.
From a design standpoint, the Su-75 adopts a configuration intended to reduce frontal radar signature while maintaining structural simplicity. The airframe incorporates a diverterless supersonic inlet beneath the forward fuselage, eliminating complex inlet ducts and reducing weight and maintenance demands. A V-tail arrangement replaces conventional horizontal and vertical stabilizers, combining pitch and yaw control through ruddervators managed by digital flight control systems. Internal weapons bays are integrated into the fuselage to limit external stores during low-observable missions. The overall shaping emphasizes angular surfaces and edge alignment, consistent with radar cross-section reduction measures. Subsequent models and patents published after 2021 show modifications to wing roots, strakes, and lifting surfaces, indicating ongoing aerodynamic and signature optimization. The design reflects a balance between stealth-related features and production practicality.
The Su-75 is planned as a single-seat multirole aircraft capable of air-to-air and air-to-ground missions using a common airframe. It is expected to be powered by a derivative of the Saturn AL-51F-1 turbofan, associated with later Su-57 variants, offering higher thrust-to-weight efficiency than earlier Russian engines. Available data indicate a maximum takeoff weight of about 26,000 kg and a total payload capacity of up to 7,400 kg across internal and external hardpoints. Internal carriage is intended for several air-to-air missiles, while external pylons would be used when low observability is not required. The aircraft is designed to operate at high subsonic and supersonic speeds, with an advertised maximum speed in the Mach 1.8 to Mach 2.0 range.
The Su-75 is expected to have a length of approximately 17.7 m, a wingspan of about 11.8 m, and a service ceiling of about 16,500 m. The ferry range is estimated at around 3,000 km, with a combat radius expected to be significantly lower depending on mission profile and payload. Avionics plans include an open-architecture electronic suite and a cost-optimized AESA radar, with sensor commonality reportedly pursued with the Su-57 to simplify logistics. The cockpit layout is expected to feature large multifunction displays and a wide-angle head-up display similar to existing Sukhoi designs. It is worth noting that all published performance figures remain provisional pending flight testing, therefore remaining theoretical.
To remain neutral, the Su-75 program must also be placed within the industrial and strategic constraints facing Russia’s combat aircraft sector since 2020. Development has progressed alongside sustained production of Su-34 and Su-35S aircraft and a slow ramp-up of Su-57 deliveries, which has limited the allocation of resources to new programs such as the Checkmate. The Su-75 has therefore been advanced with a strong emphasis on component commonality, simplified manufacturing, and export-driven financing rather than large upfront domestic procurement. Official statements have repeatedly linked its future to foreign interest, suggesting that serial production volumes and timelines remain dependent on external commitments. This context partly explains why, despite several public milestones and revised schedules, the aircraft has not yet transitioned from prototype preparation to confirmed flight testing or operational planning.
When compared with other fighter aircraft, the Su-75 could occupy an intermediate position between Russia’s heavier twin-engine jets and Western single-engine fighters. Within the Russian inventory, it is intended to sit below the Sukhoi Su-57 in terms of size, cost, and mission scope, while potentially replacing older MiG-29 variants that lack modern sensors and low-observable features. Relative to U.S. aircraft, the Su-75 is often positioned conceptually between upgraded fourth-generation fighters such as the F-16 and the fifth-generation F-22 or F-35, combining internal weapons carriage and reduced frontal signature with a single-engine layout and lower projected unit cost. Unlike the F-35, which benefits from large-scale production, multinational sustainment, and operational experience, the Su-75 remains unproven and dependent on future testing outcomes. Its role, if realized, would therefore be that of a lighter multirole platform designed to complement heavier assets rather than replace them.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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China confirms first combat success of J-10CE fighter jet during 2025 India–Pakistan War
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China’s State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense stated that the J-10CE export fighter achieved its first combat success in 2025, aligning with Pakistan Air Force's claims during the May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict.
On January 9, 2026, China’s defense industry regulator confirmed that the J-10CE fighter jet recorded combat results in 2025, marking Beijing’s first official confirmation of combat outcomes involving an exported Chinese jet. While it did not provide dates, locations, or aircraft identities, the statement is widely considered to refer to the clashes between Pakistan and India in May 2025, when Pakistani J-10CE fighters were tasked with air defense and interception missions against the Indian Air Force.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this linkThe J-10CE can carry nearly 6,000 kilograms of payload across 11 hardpoints, including under-wing, under-fuselage, and intake stations, allowing mixed loads of air-to-air missiles, guided air-to-surface weapons, electronic warfare pods, and external fuel tanks. (Picture source: Chinese MoD)
China’s State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND) publicly acknowledged that the Chengdu J-10CE fighter jet achieved its first combat success in 2025, representing the first state-level acknowledgment by Beijing of combat outcomes attributed to a Chinese-exported fighter jet. While providing no exact date, location, or aircraft identities, the timing and context correspond to fighting between Pakistan and India in May 2025, during which Pakistan Air Force J-10CE fighters were employed in air defense and interception roles. This also reminds a Chinese J-10C photographed shortly after this war, displaying six kill marks attributed to Pakistan Air Force operations, representing three Indian Rafales, one Su-30MKI, and one MiG-29 fighter, as well as a Heron MALE drone.
The J-10 program originated as a Chinese effort to field an indigenous multirole combat aircraft capable of replacing older second-generation fighters and reducing reliance on foreign designs. The J-10 entered service in the mid-2000s as a single-engine, delta-canard fighter, followed by incremental upgrades that addressed sensors, avionics, and survivability. The J-10B introduced changes such as an improved intake design and enhanced electronic systems, while the J-10C represented a more substantial step with the integration of an active electronically scanned array radar, updated datalinks, and revised electronic warfare components. By the time the J-10C entered operational service in the mid-2010s, it was positioned as a 4.5-generation fighter jet intended for both air superiority and multirole tasks within a networked air combat environment.
The J-10CE was developed as a more export-oriented derivative of the J-10C, with configuration choices tailored to foreign customers while retaining the core architecture of the domestic model. Marketed internationally from 2019, the J-10CE was presented as a single-seat, single-engine, all-weather multirole fighter integrating an AESA radar, modern cockpit displays, and compatibility with contemporary Chinese air-to-air and air-to-surface munitions. The export variant has been shown with a staggered dual missile pylon arrangement that allows carriage of two short-range missiles, up to six beyond-visual-range missiles, and external fuel tanks to support extended-range interception and patrol missions, while keeping the aircraft within a lower cost bracket than many Western fighters.
In terms of performance, characteristics, and technical data, the J-10CE is a single-engine, single-seat multirole fighter with a delta-canard aerodynamic layout and full digital fly-by-wire flight controls. The aircraft is associated with a maximum speed of about Mach 1.8 at altitude, a service ceiling above 18,000 meters, and a combat radius generally assessed at more than 1,000 kilometers depending on fuel load and mission profile, with a ferry range exceeding 4,500 kilometers when external tanks are carried. Maximum external payload is in the 5,600 to 6,000 kilogram class distributed across 11 hardpoints, including under-wing, under-fuselage, and intake stations, allowing mixed loads of air-to-air missiles, guided air-to-surface weapons, electronic warfare pods, and external fuel tanks.
The J-10CE is powered by the WS-10B turbofan engine, with thrust figures commonly cited in the 135 to 145 kilonewton range with afterburner, supporting a thrust-to-weight ratio slightly above 1.0 in air-to-air configurations and contributing to high climb rates and strong vertical maneuver capability. Its active electronically scanned array radar is credited with simultaneous multi-target tracking and engagement, improved resistance to electronic countermeasures, and a reported detection-range advantage of roughly 50 kilometers over the F-16C Block 52 radar, particularly in beyond-visual-range scenarios. The avionics suite integrates radar warning receivers, missile-approach warning, datalinks for cooperative targeting, and a modern glass cockpit with multifunction displays and helmet-mounted sight compatibility, reflecting a design emphasis on sensor fusion, long-range missile employment, and networked air combat rather than sustained close-range dogfighting.
Pakistan became the first export customer for the J-10CE, receiving an initial batch of six aircraft in 2022 and integrating them into frontline service soon afterward. Operated by the Pakistan Air Force, the type was publicly displayed during a National Day parade and incorporated into air defense planning alongside existing platforms such as the F-16 and JF-17. Pakistani pilots have described the J-10CE as offering advantages in situational awareness and engagement range, particularly when paired with long-range missiles, while also noting constraints in external carriage capacity compared with some Western fighters. Discussions have referenced potential improvements such as composite pylons, as well as the need to manage energy carefully in sustained close-range engagements.
The combat involvement acknowledged by China is widely interpreted to be linked to fighting between Pakistan and India in May 2025, during a period of heightened military escalation along contested borders. During this episode, Pakistani J-10CEs were employed in air defense and interception roles, engaging Indian aircraft without either side’s fighters crossing national airspace. China’s statement did not name India directly, but the timing and context align with Pakistan’s earlier claims that several enemy aircraft were shot down and that no J-10CEs were lost. The acknowledgment confirms that Chinese authorities consider the aircraft to have been used in real combat conditions during that confrontation.
The missile most commonly associated with the engagement is the PL-15E, the export version of China’s PL-15 beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile. The PL-15E is generally linked to engagement ranges on the order of 150 to 200 kilometers, depending on flight profile and targeting support, and uses an active radar seeker combined with mid-course guidance via datalink. Although the Chinese acknowledgment did not name the missile, Pakistani accounts have consistently pointed to PL-15-series weapons as central to the outcome. The emphasis on long-range missile employment highlights the role of detection range, sensor fusion, and coordinated targeting rather than close-range maneuver combat.
Claims regarding aircraft downed during the fighting remain contested. Pakistan has asserted that five Indian aircraft were destroyed during the May 2025 engagements, with some Pakistani statements specifying three Rafale fighters alongside one Su-30MKI and one MiG-29, while other versions of the claim also mention the possible loss of a Mirage 2000. Lower estimates, often cited outside Pakistan, generally refer to one confirmed Rafale loss and sometimes a second aircraft of unspecified type, bringing the total to two. India has not acknowledged the loss of any aircraft and has instead pointed to its own asserted actions, including alleged strikes against an airborne early warning aircraft and a S-400 air defense system, claims that were not substantiated publicly. China’s statement avoided naming aircraft types or reconciling these competing narratives, stating only that the J-10CE was successful.
China’s acknowledgment of the J-10CE’s combat results is likely to influence how the aircraft is viewed in export markets, where demonstrated operational use has historically weighed heavily in procurement decisions. By confirming combat employment and outcomes, Beijing has moved the J-10CE from advertised capability to acknowledged use, even while leaving details sparse. This may strengthen the aircraft’s position among air forces seeking alternatives to Western fighters, particularly where cost, delivery timelines, and political considerations are factors. At the same time, the lack of precise data, independent verification, and agreed loss figures means that debate over the engagement will continue, and the acknowledgment alone does not guarantee increased sales but does alter the baseline perception of the J-10CE in international competition.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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U.S. Army Adds Fourth Global 6500 Jet to HADES Intelligence and Surveillance Program
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Sierra Nevada Corporation has purchased a fourth Bombardier Global 6500 jet with its own funds to support the U.S. Army High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System program. The move pulls key certification and integration milestones forward as the Army transitions away from legacy turboprop intelligence aircraft.
U.S. Sierra Nevada Corporation announced on January 13, 2026, that the company has purchased at its own expense a fourth Bombardier Global 6500 business jet intended for the U.S. Army’s High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) program of record. The aircraft is framed as the first non-prototype jet for the future aerial intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance fleet, a schedule-protecting move meant to pull certification and integration milestones left while reducing supply chain and modification risk. In practical terms, SNC is betting private capital to keep the Army’s deep-sensing transition on pace just as the service closes the chapter on legacy turboprop airborne ISR.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this linkHigh-altitude, long-range Bombardier Global 6500 ISR jet configured for the U.S. Army's HADES mission, combining deep-sensing radars, advanced signals intelligence, and onboard AI-driven processing to deliver fast, theater-level targeting and multi-domain situational awareness far beyond legacy turboprop platforms (Picture source: SNC).
The Global 6500 is a high-end commercial platform that brings exactly the attributes the Army has been missing in the Guardrail era: altitude, speed, electrical power growth margin, and cabin volume for mission systems. Bombardier lists a range of 6,600 nautical miles for the Global 6500, a figure that reshapes how quickly an Army ISR detachment can reposition across theaters without the slow logistics drumbeat of turboprop ferry legs. The jet’s high-speed and high-altitude envelope, including operations up to 51,000 feet, directly expands sensor horizon for many collection modes and improves survivability through standoff. That envelope matters because modern “deep sensing” is not just about better antennas and radars; it is about getting those sensors high enough, with enough endurance, to see and persist.
HADES, as the U.S. Army describes it, is the answer to a hard operational reality: near-peer competition compresses decision time while pushing threat systems farther back. The Army has been explicit that deep sensing requires more capable sensors and the ability to fly higher, and that the legacy fleet was constrained by speed, range, altitude, power, and payload. The program’s foundations were laid in 2020, with divestment of turboprop ISR platforms beginning in fiscal year 2023 and concluding in fiscal year 2025. The first fully developed HADES prototype is expected in fiscal year 2026, followed by a second in fiscal year 2027. SNC’s investment aligns with that tempo, as the first of three prototype aircraft under modification is scheduled for delivery into Army operational service in 2026. These prototypes are designed to reduce risk through a modular open systems architecture that supports rapid sensor integration and future upgrades.
The near-term calendar is tightening. The Army’s first HADES prototype aircraft is expected to begin flight testing this spring, with the first Global 6500 fully outfitted for the HADES mission delivered in the fall to support operational testing under a government-owned, contractor-operated construct. That testing model is significant. It accelerates iteration by allowing the integrator to control aircraft availability, crews, and maintenance, while the Army concentrates on tactics development, sensor employment concepts, and integration into operational networks.
HADES is intended to do what the Army’s retiring platforms could not achieve at scale: deliver theater-level sensing capable of feeding long-range fires and joint targeting at speed. The system promises transformational increases in speed, range, payload, and endurance to support Multi-Domain Operations. While many payload details remain classified, the direction of travel is clear. HADES is expected to combine wide-area ground moving target indication and synthetic aperture radar for detection and precision cueing with advanced signals intelligence for emitter geolocation, pattern-of-life analysis, and network mapping. SNC has also stated that artificial intelligence and machine learning will be embedded to accelerate onboard processing, exploitation, and dissemination, turning the aircraft into a rapid “sense-to-understand” node rather than a slow collector dependent on rear-area analysis.
The contrast with what the Army has historically operated is stark. Guardrail, ARL-M, and EMARSS provided valuable service, but their turboprop foundations limited altitude, power, and growth potential. The Army has bridged gaps with contractor-owned jets such as ARTEMIS, ARES, and ATHENA-S, the latter explicitly described as a precursor to HADES using similar business-jet platforms and mission concepts. What changes with HADES is not only performance, but also institutionalization. It is a program of record built around a production-standard architecture intended to accept payload refreshes without wholesale redesign as new threats and waveforms emerge.
Cost and industrial posture are the other critical dimensions. Public reporting places SNC’s role under a long-term Army contract potentially valued at up to $1 billion over 12 years, even as debate continues over final fleet size, with figures ranging from a relatively large buy to proposals for a much smaller force. Against that uncertainty, SNC’s decision to self-fund an additional airframe is a calculated hedge. It keeps the modification line active, advances certification work, and signals confidence that the Army will require operational jets regardless of final quantities. SNC has stated it has self-invested nearly half a billion dollars across programs supporting the Army’s airborne ISR transition and that multiple jets are currently in its facilities undergoing modernization for global ISR missions.
Written by Evan Lerouvillois, Defense Analyst.
Evan studied International Relations, and quickly specialized in defense and security. He is particularly interested in the influence of the defense sector on global geopolitics, and analyzes how technological innovations in defense, arms export contracts, and military strategies influence the international geopolitical scene.
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India turns to Ecuador to keep aging Jaguar strike aircraft fleet operational until 2035
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The Indian Air Force began discussions with Ecuador regarding the transfer of Sepecat Jaguar fighter jets, which would be dismantled for engines, structural assemblies, and systems amid ongoing spare shortages.
According to Defence Professionals India on January 6, 2026, the Indian Air Force initiated contacts with Ecuador to evaluate the acquisition of stored Sepecat Jaguar airframes for the recovery of engines, structural assemblies, and systems. The effort aims to sustain India’s Jaguar fleet until approximately 2035, as production has long ended and original global supply chains no longer exist.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this linkEcuador ordered a total of twelve SEPECAT Jaguars in 1974, comprising ten single-seat Jaguar ES export variants and two Jaguar EB two-seat trainers, as well as three Jaguar GR.1s from the UK in 1991 to replace attrition losses and maintain squadron strength. (Picture source: Ecuadorian Air Force)
India is now the only air force still operating this attack aircraft in a frontline role, at a time when the aircraft continues to be assigned to low-level penetration and ground-attack missions despite its age. With Jaguar production having ended in the early 1980s and original supply chains no longer active, the availability of engines, structural assemblies, avionics components, and landing gear has become a limiting factor for the Indian Air Force. India’s approach, therefore, centers on acquiring retired or stored airframes for dismantling and parts recovery rather than flight reactivation, using recovered components to reduce support squadron availability while India awaits the gradual induction of replacements such as the Tejas Mk2 and the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA).
The Jaguar marked Ecuador’s first sustained use of a supersonic strike aircraft, when the country sought to field a modern Air Force comparable to regional peers during the 1970s and 1980s. Ecuador ordered twelve Sepecat Jaguars in 1974, consisting of ten single-seat Jaguar ES variants and two two-seat Jaguar EB trainers, with deliveries completed in 1977. The aircraft were assigned to Escuadrón de Combate 2111 “Águilas” and primarily employed for ground-attack and tactical strike roles, giving Ecuador a capability focused on low-level penetration and conventional strike rather than air superiority. During the 1980s and 1990s, operational use gradually declined as maintenance demands increased and access to spares became more constrained, particularly as other operators began retiring this fighter jet. The Jaguars were withdrawn from frontline service in 2002 and placed in warm storage, a preservation state intended to maintain airframe integrity. Ecuador formally ended Jaguar operations in 2006, leaving four airframes in storage and one preserved as a static museum exhibit.
The Sepecat Jaguar is a twin-engine, single-seat or two-seat supersonic attack aircraft developed through a joint British-French program to conduct low-altitude attack missions in high-threat environments. It is powered by two Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour afterburning turbofan engines, enabling a maximum speed of about Mach 1.6 at altitude and sustained high-subsonic performance at low level. The airframe features a swept wing, reinforced structure, and robust landing gear designed for operations from semi-prepared airstrips, with a maximum takeoff weight in the 15-tonne class. Typical combat radius varies by payload and mission profile but generally reaches several hundred kilometers, extendable through external fuel tanks. Armament capacity reaches about 4,500 kilograms and includes internal 30 mm cannons, unguided bombs, rocket pods, laser-guided munitions, anti-radiation missiles, and, on specific variants, anti-ship missiles and short-range air-to-air missiles for self-defense.
While original avionics were based on 1970s navigation and attack systems, later operator-specific upgrades integrated inertial navigation improvements, GPS, modern attack computers, and compatibility with precision-guided weapons, allowing the Jaguar airframe to remain technically viable decades after production ended; the Indian Air Force remains the only operator worldwide still flying the Jaguar in a frontline role. With production having ceased in the early 1980s and original suppliers no longer supporting the platform, the availability of critical spares has steadily declined, driving costs upward and increasing maintenance complexity. To mitigate this, India has focused on acquiring retired or stored Jaguar airframes globally, not for reactivation but for systematic dismantling and component recovery. Engines, structural assemblies, landing gear elements, hydraulic systems, and avionics-related hardware recovered in this way are used to stabilize maintenance cycles, reduce aircraft-on-ground rates, and avoid dependence on limited bespoke manufacturing.
Ecuador’s Jaguars are relevant because of their storage condition and the limited but potentially usable number of airframes still available. The Ecuadorian Air Force operated the Jaguar until its withdrawal from frontline service in 2002, after which the aircraft were placed in warm storage, a preservation state intended to maintain structural integrity for future reuse or controlled disassembly. These airframes reportedly remained in storage until 2006, when Ecuador formally ended Jaguar operations. Current figures indicate that four airframes remain in storage, with one additional aircraft preserved as a static exhibit in an air force museum. Although the quantity is small, each airframe is considered significant because even partial recovery of components such as wing sections, undercarriage assemblies, cockpit structures, and control systems can extend the usable life of multiple aircraft in India’s fleet.
The Ecuador track builds on earlier and larger acquisitions from former Jaguar operators that now form the core of India’s sustainment inventory. France previously transferred 31 Jaguar airframes along with Adour engines and a wide range of spares that are no longer in production, creating a substantial reserve of components for long-term use. The United Kingdom contributed two Jaguar T-2 trainer aircraft and more than 600 spare items supporting both airframe and avionics requirements, and India has also sought the transfer of nine additional Jaguars retired from Royal Air Force service, together, with spare parts. These arrangements were structured around logistics recovery rather than operational use, reinforcing a consistent model in which retired fleets are converted into a managed industrial stockpile.
India will also receive more than 20 Jaguars from Oman, which significantly reduce the number of complete aircraft available outside India. Oman originally operated 27 Jaguars, including 20 single-seat Jaguar SO1 aircraft and five two-seat Jaguar BO2 trainers, with two additional ex-Royal Air Force aircraft later introduced as attrition replacements, and deliveries to Oman began in March 1977. The final four operational Omani Jaguars were formally retired on August 6, 2014. Over their service life, Oman lost 13 aircraft in accidents, with at least six confirmed destroyed, meaning that references to transfers involving more than 20 aircraft reflect cumulative spare-part potential rather than intact airframes. India plans to dismantle the retired Omani fleet to recover engines, structural elements, and systems for reuse across its own squadrons.
The Indian Air Force operates six Jaguar squadrons, each typically fielding 18 to 20 aircraft, distributed across three air commands. Western Air Command’s 7 Wing at Ambala Air Force Station operates 5 Squadron “Tuskers” and 14 Squadron “Bulls” with Jaguar IS and IT variants. Central Air Command’s 17 Wing at Gorakhpur Air Force Station hosts 16 Squadron “Black Cobras” and 27 Squadron “Flaming Arrows,” also flying IS and IT variants. South Western Air Command’s 33 Wing at Jamnagar Air Force Station fields 6 Squadron “Dragons” and 224 Squadron “Warlords,” operating Jaguar IM, IS, and IT variants. Maintaining synchronized parts availability across these locations is a central factor in sustaining sortie generation and training continuity.
Since induction in the late 1970s, India has lost more than 50 Jaguars in crashes over several decades, largely during training or routine missions, often linked to technical failures, engine issues, bird strikes, or the risks inherent in sustained low-altitude operations. In 2025 alone, three Jaguars were lost: a Jaguar IS that crashed on March 7 after takeoff from Ambala with the pilot ejecting safely after diverting the aircraft away from populated areas, a Jaguar IB that crashed near Jamnagar on April 2 during a night training sortie killing one pilot, and another Jaguar IB trainer that crashed in Rajasthan on July 9 killing both pilots. Against this background, acquiring Ecuador’s remaining airframes is framed as a bridging measure to preserve force structure and operational capacity while India awaits the induction of successor platforms such as the Tejas Mk-2 and the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) in sufficient numbers.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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Belgium Deploys Blaze Interceptors and Bolt Munitions to Counter Rising Drone Threat
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Belgium is rapidly deploying interceptor and strike drones to close urgent gaps in its counter-drone defenses following unexplained UAV incursions over airports and military sites. The move highlights how even NATO militaries are racing to adapt battlefield-proven drone tactics into peacetime force protection and ground combat units.
Information shared by Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken on X indicates that, in late December 2025, Belgium began rolling out a fast-track counter-drone package combining new detection and electronic disruption tools with Latvia’s Blaze interceptor drones, while also moving to introduce Bolt Loitering Munitions as a precision strike capability for ground units, with immediate response kits scheduled for deployment at every Belgian military base from early January. The initiative follows a series of unexplained drone incidents over airports and sensitive military sites, highlighting how limited Belgium’s short-range air defense and counter-UAS posture had become under peacetime assumptions.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this linkBlaze is a rapid-deploy interceptor that uses AI-assisted targeting and an airburst warhead to knock down hostile drones, while Bolt delivers platoon-level, man-portable precision strike with day-night sensors and autonomous loitering (Picture source: Anduril/Origin).
That emergency sprint is now visibly converging with a second, more offensive line of effort: giving ground units their own precision find-and-finish drone capability. Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken highlighted both themes at Defense’s New Year reception, where the procurement leadership showcased Anduril’s Bolt loitering munition alongside the Blaze interceptor. For Blaze, the procurement pathway is clearer: Belgium signed for the system in mid-November as part of a €50 million anti-drone package, and the minister said the capability would start strengthening defenses within a couple of weeks, even as unit counts and the exact split of funding remain undisclosed.
Bolt-M sits in the same operational niche that Ukraine’s battlefield has made unavoidable: man-packable precision firepower for small units, without the training burden of first-person-view piloting. The system is a vertical takeoff quadcopter in the 12 to 15 lb class, assembled in under five minutes, carrying an electro-optical and infrared payload for day-night target work, and rated for roughly 40 minutes endurance with a maximum range of around 12 to 12.5 miles, or about 20 km. Its munition payload can reach about three pounds, and available reporting indicates warheads can be swapped and fused or de-fused in the field, enabling quick tailoring between anti-personnel and anti-materiel effects.
What matters tactically is the autonomy stack wrapped around those basics. Bolt-M is designed to fly waypoint routes, hold a loiter box, and track objects in a target-agnostic way while operators set standoff distance and attack geometry. In practical Belgian Army terms, this is a platoon-level eyes-to-effects bridge: a dismounted element can confirm a trench line, treeline firing point, or light vehicle, then prosecute it without exposing a Javelin team, waiting for mortars, or escalating to scarce higher-echelon fires. It is also a deterrent amplifier for Belgium’s NATO commitments, because it gives small formations a credible, organic strike option that can travel with them, rather than a capability parked at a base.
Blaze addresses the mirror problem: how to stop the cheap drones and loitering munitions that now probe airfields, depots, and command posts daily. Origin Robotics describes Blaze as a man-portable interceptor combining radar-based detection cues with AI-driven computer vision and an EO and IR suite for lock-on, with an operator-confirmed engagement step. Its defeat mechanism is airburst fragmentation, and it incorporates wave-off and self-destruct safety logic, including geofencing and loss-of-link behaviors. The system is built around rapid, repeatable use: tool-less setup with flight-ready status in under 10 minutes, the first launch in under five minutes, and follow-on launches in under a minute.
The capability gain for Belgium is not just two new drones, but a layered, fast-fielded architecture. Blaze gives commanders a kinetic last meter option when jamming is insufficient or legally constrained, while Bolt-M pushes precision strike down to the tactical edge. The unresolved variables are procurement transparency and scale. Belgium has publicly anchored Blaze inside the €50 million urgent package and signaled a larger €500 million integrated counter-drone effort, but has not published quantities, timelines beyond early 2026 fielding, or contract values for Bolt.
Written by Evan Lerouvillois, Defense Analyst.
Evan studied International Relations, and quickly specialized in defense and security. He is particularly interested in the influence of the defense sector on global geopolitics, and analyzes how technological innovations in defense, arms export contracts, and military strategies influence the international geopolitical scene.
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U.S. Air Force Deploys MH-139A Helicopters for First Minuteman III Nuclear Convoy Escort
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The U.S. Air Force has flown its first operational MH-139A Grey Wolf mission escorting a Minuteman III ICBM convoy at Malmstrom Air Force Base. The flight marks a major upgrade in how America protects its land-based nuclear deterrent across vast and remote missile fields.
The Air Force Global Strike Commandconfirmed on January 13, 2026, that two MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters assigned to the 40th Helicopter Squadron conducted the platform’s first operational Minuteman III ICBM convoy security mission at Malmstrom Air Force Base on January 8. In practical terms, the aircraft did what the nuclear enterprise quietly prizes most: it kept pace with a sensitive ground movement for hours across remote terrain, remained on station without an on-route refuel stop, and provided the convoy commander with a faster and far more capable airborne shield than the Vietnam-era UH-1N Huey it is replacing.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this linkThe MH-139A Grey Wolf brings modern sensors, extended range, higher speed, and improved survivability to ICBM convoy escort, combining advanced electro-optical systems, armored protection, defensive countermeasures, and troop lift capacity to provide persistent airborne security and rapid response for the U.S. nuclear enterprise (Picture source: U.S. DoW).
Escorting an ICBM convoy is not a routine range mission for aviation units. These movements push missile maintenance teams and armed security vehicles deep into sparsely populated launch areas where distance, weather, and time become tactical variables. Malmstrom’s missile complex alone spans roughly 13,800 square miles with more than 100 dispersed launch facilities, meaning any convoy can be a long, exposed ribbon of vehicles moving far from immediate base support. In that environment, a helicopter is not just a means of transport. It is a mobile sensor mast, an armed overwatch platform, a communications relay, and, in an emergency, the fastest way to concentrate combat power at a specific gate, gravel road intersection, or launch facility perimeter before an adversary can exploit the distance.
The Grey Wolf’s design choices map directly onto that reality. Based on the proven Leonardo AW139, the MH-139A couples a modern glass cockpit with automation intended to reduce crew workload during long, low-level sorties. The digital cockpit and four-axis autopilot matter less for comfort than for sustained readiness: reducing fatigue preserves decision quality when crews are orbiting for hours, retasking between convoy overwatch and rapid response drills, or threading marginal weather. The platform also brings a markedly improved electro-optical toolkit. Crews involved in the Malmstrom mission highlighted the helicopter’s enhanced forward-looking infrared system and avionics, which significantly improve situational awareness and the ability to support the ground force commander. For convoy escort, this translates into earlier detection of vehicles approaching a route, heat signatures in tree lines, or suspicious activity near a launch facility access point.
Survivability and firepower are equally central because an ICBM convoy is a magnet for worst-case planning. The MH-139A incorporates an armored cockpit and cabin, missile warning and countermeasure systems, and robust self-sealing fuel cells, forming a defensive package calibrated for homeland nuclear security missions rather than expeditionary assault aviation. Two crew-served M240 machine guns provide suppressive fire and deterrence. These features allow the helicopter to operate closer to potential engagement areas, using terrain masking and low-level profiles while retaining a margin of protection, while also signaling to any hostile actor that rapid detection and immediate armed response from above are assured.
Capacity and reach complete the tactical equation. The Grey Wolf is roughly 50% faster than the UH-1N and can arrive on scene significantly sooner while carrying twice as many personnel. This advantage is decisive when the task is to insert or reinforce Tactical Response Force elements at speed. The aircraft is designed for extended missions of up to three hours at cruise speeds around 135 knots without refueling and can carry nine personnel with full security and response equipment. In convoy terms, that means fewer lifts to build a meaningful, quick reaction force, less exposure while shuttling troops, and greater flexibility to maintain continuous overwatch while other aircraft reposition or refuel.
This mission goes beyond helicopter modernization. It underpins the credibility of the land-based leg of the U.S. nuclear triad. The Minuteman IIIremains the nation’s continuously alert intercontinental ballistic missile force, with 400 deployed missiles spread across missile wings at F.E. Warren, Malmstrom, and Minot Air Force Bases. Its basing concept disperses hardened silos across vast territories, linked to underground launch control centers and supported by redundant command and control networks. This architecture complicates adversary planning by presenting a large set of hardened aimpoints and a prompt, survivable response option, making day-to-day security an essential condition for deterrence.
Convoy escort is, therefore, a particularly sensitive assignment. Convoys move critical people and equipment that keep the force safe, secure, and reliable, and they must do so under the unforgiving standards of nuclear surety. They must be protected against disruption, delay, or miscalculation. In this context, the MH-139A’s defined mission set is telling. The platform is purpose-built for ICBM convoy escort, emergency security response, and continuity of operations transport, explicitly linking it to rapid reaction and positive control of nuclear assets. The first operational convoy at Malmstrom is more than a milestone flight. It is an early indicator that Air Force Global Strike Command is fielding a purpose-built airborne layer for nuclear security operations that reduces risk in today’s Minuteman III enterprise while laying the groundwork for the future Sentinel force.
Written by Evan Lerouvillois, Defense Analyst.
Evan studied International Relations, and quickly specialized in defense and security. He is particularly interested in the influence of the defense sector on global geopolitics, and analyzes how technological innovations in defense, arms export contracts, and military strategies influence the international geopolitical scene.
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Malaysia may seek South Korea's KF-21 fighter as F/A-18 Hornet delays threaten Air Force
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Malaysia might have begun exploratory talks with KAI on the KF-21 fighter as part of MRCA planning amid scheduled Hornet and Su-30MKM retirements, and following additional delays concerning the purchase of F/A-18 Hornets from Kuwait.
According to Malaysia Military Power on January 11, 2026, Malaysia reportedly began exploratory discussions with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) regarding the possible acquisition of KF-21 Boramae fighter jets, as delays in acquiring additional F/A-18 Hornets from Kuwait raise concerns over future force levels. The talks are also linked to long-term planning under the Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) program as existing F/A-18D and Su-30MKM fighters approach retirement.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this linkThe Multi-Role Combat Aircraftprogram now envisages two squadrons of next-generation fighters: a Malaysian fighter squadron has traditionally been built around 18 aircraft, meaning that the MRCA could represent 36 new fighter jets in total. (Picture source: ROKAF)
The KF-21 could replace the F/A-18D Hornet and Sukhoi Su-30MKM fleets, which are scheduled to be retired in 2035 and 2040, respectively, as part of the Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) program. At the same time, Malaysia has sought surplus F/A-18 C/D aircraft from Kuwait to reinforce its fleet, but the lack of a firm transfer schedule has created a potential future capability gap. Both the delays and the MRCA are closely linked because Malaysia must keep enough combat aircraft in service while older fleets approach retirement. All of this is taking place within Malaysia’s Capability Development Plan 2055, which seeks to modernise the country's air force over several decades. At this stage, the KF-21 discussion is exploratory, focused on potential options and timing, and does not represent a purchase decision.
Malaysia’s current air force remains numerically limited and dominated by fighter jets approaching their defined retirement, shaping all near- and long-term planning decisions. The Royal Malaysian Air Force operates 18 Russian Sukhoi Su-30MKM fighters delivered between 2007 and 2009, and seven American F/A-18D Hornets originally delivered in 1997, following the loss of one aircraft in August 2025 after a bird strike. These are supported by 12 British Hawk 208 light fighters, themselves affected by attrition and ageing. This inventory provides core air defence and strike functions but offers little depth in availability or surge capacity. To stabilise the situation, Malaysia signed a $920 million contract with South Korea in 2023 for 18 FA-50M light combat aircraft. Six FA-50M aircraft are scheduled for delivery by the end of 2026, with the remaining 12 arriving between 2027 and 2028, but the FA-50M supplements rather than replaces the fighter jets.
Malaysia’s attempt to reinforce this force through the acquisition of surplus F/A-18 C/D Hornets from Kuwait has been under consideration since 2017, following the retirement of the MiG-29 fleet the same year. The idea was to acquire up to 33 aircraft as a cost-effective interim solution while waiting for a long-term replacement under the Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) program. However, the plan depended on Kuwait retiring its Hornets after receiving Boeing F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets ordered in 2016. However, Kuwait has not confirmed a firm delivery schedule for its replacement aircraft as of late 2025. Without that decision, itself linked to an approval by the U.S., the release of the older Hornets cannot be dated. This uncertainty has persisted despite repeated evaluations and engagement efforts. As a result, the interim option has remained unimplemented for several years.
Additional delays are also expected following the transfer. Even if the aircraft were soon released, Malaysia would face mandatory software and system modifications before operational use, a process estimated to require about 15 months after transfer. When combined with the uncertain release timeline, this pushes potential operational availability toward the early to mid-2030s. That schedule overlaps directly with Malaysia’s planned Hornet retirement in 2035. Each year of delay, therefore, reduces the effective service life of any acquired Hornet. This has raised questions about cost-effectiveness, sustainment burden, and training return. The Hornet stopgap has consequently shifted from being a bridging solution to a source of planning risk. This situation has directly influenced the reassessment of long-term replacement timing.
Nonetheless, the Multi-Role Combat Aircraft program (MRCA) provided the long-term framework intended to resolve this issue. Malaysia first pursued an MRCA effort in the early 2010s, examining Western jets such as the F/A-18 E/F, Rafale, Typhoon, and Gripen. That effort was paused in 2014 due to budget constraints and competing priorities. Under the Capability Development Plan 2055, the MRCA was later reintroduced as a structured objective aimed at replacing both the Hornet and Su-30MKM fleets. The program now envisages two squadrons of next-generation fighters: a Malaysian fighter squadron has traditionally been built around 18 aircraft, meaning that the MRCA represents 36 new fighter jets in total. Procurement was planned for the mid-2030s, with full operational capability targeted between 2035 and 2040. Unlike the acquisition of the Kuwaiti Hornets, the MRCA aims to restore numerical strength and modernise capability simultaneously.
Therefore, since 2024 and 2025, growing uncertainty around interim aircraft has made the MRCA timeline less rigid. Accelerating the program would require earlier funding commitments, infrastructure readiness, and pilot and technician training. It would also affect sequencing with other CAP55 priorities. Malaysia must balance the financial impact of earlier acquisition against the operational risk of a capability gap. MRCA decisions, therefore, extend beyond aircraft selection to include sustainment, weapons integration, and long-term support structures. The program now acts as the reference point against which all fighter options are assessed. Any candidate, such as the KF-21, must align with this long-term structure aligned with Malaysia’s Hornet retirement in 2035 and Su-30MKM retirement in 2040.
However, the KF-21 would make sense for Malaysia, given that it would evolve, as in the South Korean Air Force, alongside the FA-50, also manufactured by KAI. If confirmed, the discussions between Malaysia and KAI must center on timing, configuration, and integration. KAI plans to deliver the first 40 KF-21 Block 1 aircraft, focused on air-to-air missions, to the Republic of Korea Air Force in 2026. Export availability follows domestic deliveries. Available information has not clarified which block variant would be relevant for Malaysia, with expectations ranging from Block 2 to Block 3. Block 3 is associated with features closer to fifth-generation standards, including an internal weapons bay, more advanced sensor fusion, and improved low-observable characteristics. Delivery schedules, final capability level, and cost remain undefined. At this stage, Malaysia’s engagement with KAI is aimed at evaluating long-term capability pathways and alignment with MRCA requirements rather than defining a near-term acquisition decision.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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US Army to receive first MV-75 tiltrotor in 2026 five years earlier than planned
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The U.S. Army will field its first Bell MV-75 tiltrotor aircraft by late 2026, advancing the Future Vertical Lift program by several years compared with previous plans that targeted the early 2030s
On January 13, 2026, DefenseNews reported that the U.S. Army will field its first Bell MV-75 tiltrotor aircraft by late 2026, accelerating the Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program that had previously been expected to deliver the first unit in 2031-2032. The announcement, made by Army Chief of Staff Randy George during the Army Senior Leader Sitrep town hall, reflects changes in acquisition strategy driven by faster technological development and evolving operational requirements.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this linkEquipped with two Rolls-Royce AE 1107F turboshaft engines, the MV-75 will have a cruise speed of about 520 kilometers per hour and a maximum speed close to 560 kilometers per hour, roughly double the cruise speed of the UH-60. (Picture source: Bell)
The MV-75 is the U.S. Army service designation for the aircraft previously known as the V-280 Valor, developed by Bell under the Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator effort that preceded the Future Vertical Lift framework. The V-280 was publicly unveiled in 2013 and achieved its first flight on December 18, 2017, initiating a multi-year flight-test campaign focused on validating tiltrotor performance, handling qualities, and system maturity. Between 2017 and 2021, the demonstrator accumulated more than 200 flight hours, progressively expanding its envelope in speed, range, and maneuvering. In December 2022, the U.S. Army selected the V-280 as the winner of the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft competition, defeating the Sikorsky-Boeing SB-1. Following that decision, the aircraft transitioned from a demonstrator status into an acquisition program of record, later receiving the formal MV-75 designation, marking its formal shift from experimental platform to future operational system.
In terms of design, the MV-75 is a tiltrotor aircraft that combines vertical takeoff and landing with high-speed forward flight, allowing it to operate like a helicopter near the ground and like a turboprop aircraft in cruise. Unlike the earlier V-22 Osprey, the MV-75 keeps its engines fixed while only the rotors and drive shafts tilt, simplifying the nacelle arrangement and reducing mechanical complexity. Power is distributed through a central driveshaft running through the wing, enabling one engine to drive both rotors in the event of a single-engine failure. The airframe uses a straight composite wing, a V-tail configuration, retractable landing gear, and a triple-redundant fly-by-wire flight control system. The MV-75's fuselage layout is deliberately close to that of the UH-60 Black Hawk, with large side doors positioned to allow rapid troop ingress and egress, in order to reduce retraining burdens for aircrews and maintainers.
Equipped with two Rolls-Royce AE 1107F turboshaft engines with a power output of about 7,000 shaft horsepower (shp) per engine, the MV-75 will have a cruise speed of about 520 kilometers per hour and a maximum speed close to 560 kilometers per hour, roughly double the cruise speed of the UH-60. Its ferry range is approximately 3,900 kilometers, with an estimated combat radius between about 930 and 1,480 kilometers, a range similar to the V-22 Osprey. Maximum takeoff weight is about 14,000 kilograms, placing it slightly above the UH-60 while allowing increased payload capacity and extended reach. The aircraft is configured for a crew of four and the transport of up to 14 fully equipped troops, and it can also carry external loads using cargo hooks. Compared with earlier tiltrotor designs, its lower disk loading contributes to improved hover efficiency and vertical performance, supporting sustained operations in high-temperature and high-altitude environments.
During its speech, George linked the faster introduction of the MV-75 to a wider reassessment of how the U.S. Army adapts to rapid technological change. He referenced a recent visit to Ukraine as an example of how quickly battlefield technology and tactics are evolving, particularly in relation to drone use. According to his remarks, the Army is transforming units to be capable of offensive drone operations, citing the drone combat unit recently established within the 10th Mountain Division. He emphasized that similar adaptations are occurring across the force, and that the Army intends to match that pace through faster adoption of new equipment and capabilities. This context was used to explain why the MV-75 schedule was being pulled forward.
In parallel with manned aviation changes, George said the Army is reshaping its combat aviation brigades to integrate larger unmanned aerial systems. He specified that this includes systems categorized in Groups 3, 4, and 5, noting that Group 5 platforms are comparable in size to the MQ-9 Reaper. This indicates an intent to integrate medium and large unmanned aircraft rather than limiting aviation units to small drones. The integration of these systems was described as a structural change to aviation formations, intended to expand operational options and align aviation brigades with current and future operational requirements. This effort was discussed alongside the MV-75 timeline rather than as a separate program.
George also outlined a shift in how the Army intends to decide which technologies to adopt and retain. He said the service plans to provide new capabilities directly to units and rely on feedback from soldiers to determine what works and what does not, rather than relying solely on top-down decisions. This approach was highlighted as particularly relevant for autonomous systems, where engineers are expected to work directly with service members as systems are employed. He gave the example of breaching operations conducted with robots to illustrate the type of practical experimentation the Army wants units to conduct. This feedback-driven process was presented as an integral part of modernization alongside new platforms like the MV-75.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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Pakistan could supply JF-17 fighter jets to Sudan in $1.5 billion defense deal amid civil war
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Pakistan proposed the JF-17 Thunder fighter jet to Sudan during the final stage of a defense package estimated at $1.5 billion.
On January 9, 2026, Reuters reported that Pakistan proposed the JF-17 Thunder fighter jet to Sudan during the final stage of a defense package estimated at $1.5 billion. The proposed deal, which includes aircraft, drones, and air defense systems, comes as Sudan’s armed forces seek to reinforce air capabilities during an internal conflict that has lasted more than two and a half years.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this linkThe JF-17 Thunder is a fourth-generation, lightweight, single-engine multirole fighter jet co-developed by the Chinese Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) and the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC). (Picture source: PAC)
The potential defense deal between Pakistan and Sudan encompasses a broad range of equipment designed to enhance Sudan’s air and air defense capabilities. It includes ten Karakoram-8 light attack aircraft, more than 200 drones intended for reconnaissance and one-way attack missions, and unspecified air defense systems to protect military assets and operating areas. The package also includes Super Mushshak training aircraft and may incorporate a limited number of JF-17 Thunder multirole fighters developed jointly with China and produced in Pakistan. No confirmed quantities or delivery schedules have been disclosed for the fighter component, but the overall package is described as being near completion and would rank among Pakistan’s larger defense exports to Africa.
Funding arrangements remain undefined and are a central uncertainty in the proposal. It has been suggested that Saudi Arabia may have facilitated contacts or played a brokering role, but there is no confirmation that Riyadh would directly finance the weapons package. Diverging accounts indicate that Saudi involvement could range from diplomatic facilitation to no financial role at all. These discussions take place alongside broader Pakistan–Saudi defense talks valued between $2 billion and $4 billion, creating the possibility that Sudan-related supplies could be indirectly connected to wider Gulf-Pakistan defense arrangements without a clearly identified funding structure.
The air aspect of Sudan’s ongoing internal war, which has now lasted more than two and a half years, helps explain the structure of the proposed package. At the start of the conflict, Sudan’s army had a stronger position in the air, but the Rapid Support Forces have increasingly relied on drones to gather intelligence and carry out attacks. This shift has reduced the army’s advantage and made air control more contested. The combination of light attack aircraft, large numbers of drones, air defense systems, and potentially JF-17 fighters is intended to help the army restore some degree of air control and limit unmanned threats. Accusations by the Sudanese army that the RSF has received external support add to the sensitivity of any effort to change the air balance.
Outside Sudan, the JF-17 has already been purchased by Myanmar, Nigeria, Azerbaijan, and Libya, reflecting Pakistan’s broader defense export push. In January 2026 alone, interest has been recorded from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and now Sudan, often within discussions that combine fighter aircraft with trainers, drones, air defense systems, and training cooperation. Recent negotiations have included large-scale packages, such as Libya’s multibillion-dollar agreement and advanced talks with Indonesia over a possible acquisition of about 40 JF-17s as part of a diversified fighter fleet.
The renewed attention toward the JF-17 is tied to practical considerations rather than prestige. The aircraft sits in a lightweight multirole category that emphasizes lower purchase and operating costs compared with heavier fighters. This allows air forces with limited budgets to maintain aircraft numbers while still covering air defense and strike tasks. Pakistan has also promoted the JF-17 together with pilot training, maintenance support, and institutional cooperation. Its availability outside Western approval systems and its compatibility with non-Western weapons have further increased interest during a period marked by supply constraints and political friction.
In terms of performance, the JF-17 is a single-engine, lightweight multirole fighter designed for supersonic flight. It is powered by the RD-93 series afterburning turbofan engines, with later variants using the RD-93MA producing about 19,000 pounds of thrust. The aircraft is about 14.3 meters long with a 9.5-meter wingspan, an empty weight of roughly 7,965 kg, and a maximum takeoff weight of about 13,500 kg. It can reach Mach 1.6, operate up to about 55,000 feet, and carry weapons on seven external hardpoints. Later variants integrate an active electronically scanned array radar, updated electronic warfare systems, and beyond-visual-range missile capability for air defense and multirole missions.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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Could the Syrian Army soon receive Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones?
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A Syrian official claims that the Turkish government is considering selling Bayraktar TB2 drones to Syria, a report that remains unconfirmed but may signal shifting bilateral relations.
According to Syria Retold Daily on January 11, 2026, a senior Syrian military official claimed the Turkish government is considering the sale of Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles to the Syrian Arab Army, though no procurement step or public interest has been confirmed to date. If accurate, the information would indicate a possible shift in the relations between the two countries, as Türkiye and the Syrian transitional authorities signed a memorandum of understanding in August 2025 that formalized Ankara’s military support.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this linkEven a small number of TB2s would greatly help the Syrian forces for surveillance, target identification, and limited precision strikes, rather than deep attack missions. (Picture source: Baykar)
Following the fall of Assad, Türkiye signed a formal military cooperation agreement with the new Syrian authorities in August 2025 that covers training, logistics, advisory support, and the supply of selected military equipment, including drones, marking a clear break from the hostile relationship that existed during the Assad era. Under this framework, Syrian soldiers have begun training in Turkish military facilities, Syrian cadets have been admitted to Turkish military academies across land, air, and naval tracks, and Turkish officers have provided institutional guidance on command structures, logistics, and force organization. The agreement also foresees the delivery of weapons systems and equipment, including armored vehicles and support assets, making Ankara the most influential external partner in the rebuilding of Syria’s armed forces, although quantities and timelines remain undisclosed.
The Syrian Arab Armed Forces today remain large on paper but uneven in real capability after more than a decade of war and division. Manpower is still estimated in the low hundreds of thousands when regular units, reserves, and affiliated formations are combined, but readiness differs widely by unit and region. Ground forces remain the core of the military forces, relying mainly on old Soviet tanks such as the T-55, T-62, and T-72, BMP infantry fighting vehicles, and a broad mix of towed and self-propelled artillery. Air force capabilities persist, but with reduced aircraft availability, limited pilot training cycles, and constrained maintenance capacity. Air defense forces retain legacy systems, though coverage and effectiveness differ by area. As a result, overall strength is inconsistent and closely tied to logistics and local conditions.
Current missions of Syrian forces focus mainly on internal security and maintaining control over territory rather than conducting large-scale offensive operations. Units are deployed to secure major cities, transport routes, border crossings, and critical infrastructure such as power and energy facilities. In more sensitive regions, forces concentrate on monitoring rival armed groups and preventing infiltration or sudden attacks. Air assets are used selectively for reconnaissance and occasional strikes when conditions allow, rather than sustained air campaigns. Air defense units prioritize protecting key sites instead of providing broad nationwide coverage. These missions reflect limited resources and a preference for defensive, intelligence-driven operations over large-scale maneuver warfare.
Since the fall of Assad, relations between Syria and Turkiye have gradually shifted from open confrontation to cautious, interest-based engagement. Ankara’s main concerns have centered on managing its southern frontier, limiting hostile armed activity near Turkish-controlled areas, and managing refugee-related pressures. Damascus, facing a new political reality, has sought pragmatic contact with neighboring states that hold influence in northern Syria. This has led to indirect communication and selective coordination rather than formal alliances. In this context, even limited military cooperation carries strong political meaning. Any defense-related move is therefore closely watched for what it could politically signal rather than for its immediate military effect.
The reported consideration of a Turkish-made drone for the Syrian Army highlights both the evolution and the limits of this relationship. Turkish drones were previously used against Syrian government forces, making any potential transfer politically delicate. A sale would also imply some level of training, technical support, and ongoing maintenance by Turkish forces, since unmanned systems depend on ground control stations and secure communications. At the same time, the lack of details on conditions, oversight mechanisms, or scale could suggest in the future a constrained and potentially symbolic step rather than a broad partnership. The claim points to a possible opening, but not to a clear or lasting framework for cooperation. Its impact would depend on whether it remains unverified or develops into something more concrete, but this information should not be ignored, as relations between Syria and Turkey could continue to develop in a favourable direction.
The Bayraktar TB2 was developed in Turkiye by Baykar during the early 2010s as part of an effort to reduce reliance on foreign unmanned systems and build a domestically controlled armed drone capability. Its first flight took place in 2014, and it entered service with Turkish forces shortly afterward, initially in an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance role before being cleared for armed missions. Over time, production expanded steadily, with total output exceeding 600 units, reflecting both domestic demand and exports. The system was gradually adapted based on operational experience, including changes driven by combat use and by restrictions on foreign-supplied components. This led to the introduction of locally produced subsystems and, later, upgraded variants incorporating satellite communications and improved avionics.
The TB2 is a medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle optimized for persistence rather than speed. It features a wingspan of about 12 meters, a length of roughly 6.5 meters, and a maximum takeoff weight close to 700 kg. Propulsion is provided by a single internal combustion engine driving a rear-mounted propeller, a configuration chosen for efficiency and endurance. The airframe uses a twin-boom tail and a high-aspect-ratio wing to support stable flight at medium altitude over long periods. The system is operated from a ground control station by a small crew responsible for piloting, sensor management, and mission control, with communications handled through line-of-sight data links or satellite links on upgraded versions.
The TB2 is designed to combine persistent surveillance with limited precision strike functions. Endurance can exceed 24 hours depending on payload and mission profile, allowing continuous monitoring of areas of interest. The payload capacity is around 150 kg, typically allocated to electro-optical and infrared sensors and lightweight laser-guided munitions such as MAM-C and MAM-L. Operational altitude is generally in the range of 18,000 to 25,000 feet, with line-of-sight control extending up to several hundred kilometers, or farther when satellite communications are used. The platform is best suited to permissive or moderately contested environments, where its endurance and sensors enable target detection and tracking, while survivability depends on altitude management, tactics, and the density of opposing air defense and electronic warfare systems.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
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U.S. Navy Tests Two Autonomous BQM-177A Target Drones Defending Airspace Under Virtual F/A-18 Command
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The U.S. Navy has confirmed it flew two BQM-177A jet aircraft autonomously during a December test off California, with missions assigned by a virtual F/A-18 operating beyond visual range. The demonstration highlights progress toward Collaborative Combat Aircraft concepts, where uncrewed systems execute combat tasks with minimal human input.
On January 12, 2026, the U.S. Navy disclosed that it had successfully conducted a fully autonomous air defense mission using two BQM-177A jet targets at the Point Mugu Sea Range. The December 11 test linked live aircraft with a Live Virtual Constructive environment, allowing a simulated F/A-18to serve as mission commander, directing the autonomous jets to defend assigned combat air patrol stations as virtual adversaries attempted to breach protected airspace. Navy officials described the event as a controlled but operationally realistic scenario, designed to stress autonomous decision-making while keeping a human operator outside the immediate tactical loop.
The U.S. Navy has successfully tested fully autonomous BQM-177A jet aircraft defending airspace under the command of a virtual F/A-18, marking a concrete step toward operational Collaborative Combat Aircraft (Picture Source: NAVAIR)
Rather than focusing on flight stability alone, the Navy structured the event around tactical execution. A virtual F/A-18 was designated as mission lead and issued defensive Combat Air Patrol tasking to the two live BQM-177A aircraft. When simulated adversary aircraft attempted to penetrate protected airspace and threaten U.S. forces, the autonomous jets maneuvered and reacted in line with mission objectives, without continuous pilot inputs. This shift from remote piloting to mission supervision is the core development the Navy is now validating for future Collaborative Combat Aircraft, signaling that autonomy is being trusted not just to fly, but to fight within defined intent and constraints.
The demonstration was led by PEO Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons through a tightly integrated effort between PMA-208 Aerial Targets and PMA-281 Strike Planning and Execution Systems. The industrial architecture mirrors how the Navy envisions CCA maturing at scale. Shield AI served as lead systems integrator and mission autonomy provider, responsible for platform modifications, payload integration, and technical coordination. Kratos supplied the aircraft, while CTSI delivered the mission planning and pilot-vehicle interface that translated commander intent into executable autonomous tasks.
Technically, the choice of the BQM-177A as an autonomy surrogate is deliberate and revealing. Designed to replicate demanding threat profiles, the BQM-177A operates in a regime that stresses autonomy at jet speed, with published Navy specifications indicating a length of 194 inches, an 84-inch wingspan, an empty weight of roughly 625 pounds, and a full-fuel weight just over 1,070 pounds. Its ability to approach Mach 0.9 at extremely low altitude compresses reaction time and leaves little margin for unstable control laws or indecisive logic, making it an unforgiving but highly relevant testbed for mission autonomy intended for contested airspace.
At the software core of the flight was Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy, operating as a mission-level decision layer rather than a scripted flight controller. In this construct, the remote operator’s role was reduced to safety oversight, while the autonomy stack handled perception, decision-making, and maneuver execution in response to evolving threats inside the LVC fight. Navy officials described this as the first time a fully autonomous aircraft executed a mission beyond the visual range of its operator, a milestone that lays the groundwork for autonomous mission planning and execution without persistent data-link dependence.
Equally significant for long-term fleet integration was progress on the Navy’s Autonomy Government Reference Architecture. By implementing A-GRA interfaces during the demonstration, NAVAIR validated a modular approach intended to keep mission autonomy decoupled from any single airframe or vendor ecosystem. In practical terms, this reduces bespoke integration work, preserves competition, and accelerates the pace at which new autonomy behaviors can be fielded across different unmanned platforms, a critical enabler if CCA is to evolve at software speed rather than aircraft acquisition speed.
The December event builds directly on an earlier August flight that validated foundational advanced vehicle control laws and baseline autonomous behaviors for the BQM-177A. The progression is intentional: first prove safe autonomous control, then prove mission execution inside a manned-unmanned team, and only afterward expand toward higher-density scenarios and more complex tasking. Navy officials emphasized that the entire effort moved from contract to flight in roughly 16 months using agile acquisition methods, underscoring how autonomy development timelines are now being treated as an operational advantage.
For carrier aviation, the operational implications are clear. A manned fighter acting as mission lead while autonomous aircraft defend airspace previews a future air wing where reach, persistence, and tactical mass can be increased without proportionally increasing risk to pilots or consuming scarce fighter flight hours. By relying on high-performance surrogate platforms like the BQM-177A, the Navy is deliberately tightening the test-and-learn loop, exposing autonomy to real-world flight dynamics while preserving frontline assets for operational use.
Additional development and fleet-relevant exercises are planned through 2026 and beyond, with the Navy signaling that future events will continue to stress autonomy under higher tempo and more complex mission constructs. What was proven at Point Mugu is not a finished CCA capability, but a foundational shift: autonomous jets are now being trusted to execute mission intent at speed, inside a contested air battle construct, marking a tangible step toward the Navy’s vision of a collaborative, software-defined carrier air wing.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
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U.S. Navy Awards General Dynamics $988M Contract to Upgrade Fleet-Wide Command Networks
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General Dynamics Information Technology has secured a $988 million Navy contract to sustain and modernize fleet-wide C5ISR systems under the SACSS program. The award underscores the Navy’s commitment to maintaining resilient command, communications, and surveillance networks as maritime operations become increasingly contested.
General Dynamics Information Technology(GDIT) has been awarded a $988 million Ship and Air Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Combat, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Systems Support (SACSS) contract to continue modernizing U.S. Navy fleet C5ISR capabilities, according to information released by the company on January 12, 2026. Issued in December 2025, the contract includes a one-year base period, four one-year options, and an additional six-month option, signaling the Navy’s intent to sustain long-term modernization capacity rather than pursue a one-time upgrade.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this linkGDIT won a $988 million Navy SACSS contract to modernize fleet C5ISR, boosting command, communications, and surveillance across destroyers, carriers, and Coast Guard vessels (Picture source: General Dynamics).
While the press release is careful not to list specific boxes and baselines, the operational meaning of SACSS is clear: this aim is to turn “digital transformation” into a shipboard reality. GDIT says it will deliver integration, engineering, procurement, logistics, and installation services across surface combatants, aircraft carriers, Coast Guard vessels, manned and unmanned aircraft, and shore stations. In plain terms, that is the end-to-end pipeline that takes new radios, network stacks, crypto, data links, processing hardware, antennas, and mission applications from a program office to a pier-side or flight-line installation, then validates performance before the platform goes back to sea.
GDIT’s own earlier SACSS program descriptions add technical texture that matters to operators. The company highlights pier-side ship modernization designed to update combat systems while ships remain in the water, including physical infrastructure connections and ship operational verification testing. It also points to heavy fabrication work, such as building and welding external sponsons, large structural additions used to mount weapons or mission equipment, illustrating that C5ISR modernization often requires ship alterations, not just swapping servers.
The tactical payoff is decision speed and network survivability under pressure. Navy leadership has been explicit that future sea control will be contested across the electromagnetic spectrum and the information domain, and that the service must close the kill chain faster with a resilient web of sensors, command nodes, platforms, and weapons tied together through the Naval Operational Architecture. This requirement is not an abstract doctrine: it is a direct response to adversaries with long-range missiles and robust maritime surveillance capabilities that can punish any unit that radiates carelessly or cannot fight through degraded communications.
For distributed maritime operations, the plumbing is the weapon. The Navy’s DMO concept depends on resilient communications and networking to coordinate widely dispersed forces and still concentrate effects. SACSS-style integration is the enabling mechanism that keeps the web coherent as software versions change, cyber vulnerabilities are discovered, or new gateways are fielded to connect legacy combat systems with newer data fabrics.
At the system level, Navy program-of-record building blocks show what “modernize C5ISR” typically touches. The command-and-control portfolio includes systems that generate near-real-time maritime situational awareness and common operational and tactical pictures for ships and shore nodes, as well as shipboard processors that handle tactical data links and feed combat systems on Aegis- and Ship Self-Defense System-equipped ships. Even when GDIT is not the original designer of these systems, SACSS is the kind of contract that installs, integrates, patches, and verifies them as an operational stack.
This is why guided-missile ships are central to the business case. Aegis destroyers and cruisers live or die by the quality of their track picture and the speed at which offboard and onboard sensor data becomes a fire-control-quality solution for air defense, sea control, or ballistic missile defense. Modernized data links, command-and-control processing, and hardened networks are what let a ship participate in cooperative engagement, manage dense link architectures, and keep fighting when the adversary is jamming, spoofing, or cyber probing the tactical edge.
Carriers and Coast Guard vessels gain differently but no less decisively. Carriers function as strike group command hubs whose air wing tempo depends on reliable, secure connectivity between airborne sensors, the ship’s combat direction systems, and the broader joint force. Coast Guard cutters operating in defense support roles and combined tasking need interoperable communications and shared operational pictures to plug into Navy and coalition networks without becoming the weak link. GDIT’s inclusion of shore stations and aircraft also points to a fleet architecture where maritime operations centers, training pipelines, and deployed detachments must share the same trusted data and cyber posture as ships at sea.
GDIT framed the contract bluntly: “C5ISR systems are foundational to how our Navy senses, communicates, and fights in the modern battlespace,” said Brian Sheridan, the company’s senior vice president for Defense. For the Navy, SACSS is less about buying a single product and more about buying time, resilience, and combat credibility, keeping today’s fleet tactically relevant while new hulls are still years away.
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South Korea’s KF-21 Boramae Fighter Jet Cleared to Enter Frontline Service After Completing Flight Tests
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South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration confirmed all development flight tests for the KF-21 Boramae are complete after 1,600 sorties with no accidents. The milestone moves Seoul’s first domestically developed multirole fighter into serial production as regional security pressures intensify.
On January 13, 2026, South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced the successful completion of all planned development flight tests for the KF-21 Boramae fighter, marking a major step toward frontline service. The 4.5-generation jet has proven its performance across roughly 1,600 sorties and 13,000 test conditions over 42 months, all without a single accident. Launched in 2015 to replace the ROKAF’s aging F-4 and F-5 fleets, the KF-21 is now transitioning from development into serial production amid rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula and across the Indo-Pacific. For Seoul, this milestone affirms that its first indigenous multirole fighter is no longer a prototype, but a viable operational asset with national and export potential.
South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration announced the successful completion of all development flight tests for the KF-21 Boramae, clearing the domestically developed fighter to move from testing into serial production and frontline service (Picture Source: KAI)
The KF-21 Boramae is a twin-engine, multirole combat aircraft designed as a 4.5-generation platform with a reduced radar cross-section, advanced sensors and open architecture avionics, positioned between upgraded fourth-generation fighters and fifth-generation stealth aircraft such as the F-35. Powered by two General Electric F414 turbofan engines, the aircraft is expected to reach speeds around Mach 1.8, operate at altitudes up to roughly 50,000 feet and carry a mix of beyond-visual-range and short-range air-to-air missiles, precision-guided munitions and stand-off weapons on ten external hardpoints.
A domestically developed active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar produced by Hanwha Systems equips the KF-21 with long-range detection and tracking capability, enabling it to monitor multiple airborne, land and maritime targets simultaneously and guide modern air-to-air missiles. Although the initial Block I configuration focuses on air-defence and air-superiority missions, the airframe has been conceived with growth margins, including space for future internal weapons bays and further low-observable enhancements in later blocks.
From a development standpoint, the completion of the flight-test campaign formalises a demanding schedule that began with the rollout of the first prototype in April 2021 and first flight in July 2022. Six prototypes, four single-seat and two two-seat aircraft, have progressively expanded the flight envelope, validated avionics and mission systems, and conducted weapons carriage and separation trials, including air-to-air missile launches. According to DAPA, the fourth prototype carried out the last development sortie over the waters off Sacheon on January 12, completing around 1,600 test flights in 42 months across more than 13,000 test points without an accident, a noteworthy safety record for a new fighter.
The test effort was accelerated by expanding activities from Sacheon to Seosan and, for the first time in Korea, incorporating aerial refuelling into the test plan, allowing longer and more complex missions and enabling the flight-test phase to finish roughly two months ahead of schedule. High-risk evaluations, including recovery from extreme attitudes and weapons release in demanding conditions, were also completed, providing the ROKAF and DAPA with confidence in the aircraft’s operational handling qualities.
Beyond technical validation, the KF-21 offers South Korea several structural advantages. First, it reduces dependence on foreign suppliers for front-line combat aviation, after years in which critical technologies such as AESA radar, electro-optical targeting pods and electronic warfare systems had to be developed domestically when export restrictions limited transfers. Second, the aircraft is designed to be more affordable to acquire and operate than fifth-generation platforms, giving the ROKAF the option to deploy a larger fleet at sustained sortie rates while reserving F-35A aircraft for missions that require very low observability. Third, the KF-21’s open systems approach and indigenous sensor suite, including its AESA radar and planned integration of both European (Meteor, IRIS-T) and domestic missiles, offers Seoul greater flexibility in weapons integration and export policy than would be possible on a fully foreign-designed platform. Finally, the accident-free record of the development campaign strengthens the perception of a mature design, likely to reassure both domestic decision-makers and prospective export customers.
The completion of flight tests accelerates the transformation of the ROKAF force structure. The KF-21 is intended to replace legacy F-4 Phantom II and F-5 Tiger aircraft and to operate alongside F-35A stealth fighters and upgraded F-15K and F-16fleets, providing a dense, multi-layered air-defence and strike capability. DAPA plans to finalise system development in the first half of 2026 and begin delivering mass-produced aircraft to the air force in the second half of the year, with 40 Block I fighters expected to be in service by 2028 and a total of around 120 aircraft planned by 2032.
This will significantly increase South Korea’s ability to police its airspace, respond to incursions by North Korean, Chinese or Russian aircraft and conduct high-tempo operations in a crisis, while also providing a modern platform for long-range precision strike once Block II swing-role capabilities, including enhanced air-to-ground and maritime strike functions, are fielded around 2027. The program also consolidates a domestic industrial ecosystem, with Hanwha, KAI and other companies building AESA radars, mission computers, structures and software, reinforcing South Korea’s ambition to be a top-tier aerospace and defence exporter.
The geopolitical implications of this milestone extend beyond the Korean Peninsula. By bringing the KF-21 to the threshold of operational service, Seoul is positioning itself among the small group of states capable of designing, testing and manufacturing advanced multirole fighters, alongside the United States, Europe, Russia and China. The completion of flight tests comes as Indonesia explores a revised procurement plan focused on acquiring a squadron of 16 KF-21 Block II aircraft to revive its participation in the program, while Malaysia has opened talks with KAI and the Philippines has signalled interest in deliveries later in the decade.
These discussions indicate that the KF-21 could become a competitive option for middle-power air forces seeking to modernise their fleets without relying exclusively on U.S., European or Chinese suppliers. At the same time, a successful export track record would reinforce South Korea’s broader strategy of leveraging its defence industry as an instrument of foreign policy and economic growth, expanding its presence in Southeast Asia and beyond while deepening interoperability with partners that operate Korean aircraft and systems.
With the development flight-test phase now formally closed, the KF-21 Boramae shifts from proving its concept in the sky to demonstrating its value as an operational system on the flight line and, eventually, in export markets. Over the next few years, its performance in squadron service, its ability to integrate new weapons and sensors and the credibility of South Korea’s industrial support will determine whether this aircraft becomes simply a national replacement for aging fighters or a cornerstone of a wider regional rebalancing in airpower. The successful completion of the test campaign, ahead of schedule and without accidents, gives Seoul a strong foundation to turn the KF-21 from a symbol of technological ambition into a central instrument of deterrence, alliance contribution and defence diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
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Pakistan offers 40 JF-17 Thunder jets to Indonesia in new defence talks
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Pakistan and Indonesia discussed a potential acquisition of approximately 40 JF-17 Thunder fighter jets during official talks in Islamabad on January 12, 2026.
On January 12, 2026, Reuters revealed that Pakistan and Indonesia discussed a potential acquisition of approximately 40 JF-17 Thunder fighter jets during official talks in Islamabad. The meeting involved Indonesia’s defense minister and the Pakistan Air Force chief, and also covered Shahpar drones, air defense systems, and training cooperation.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this linkAs of early 2026, the JF-17 has been purchased by Myanmar, Nigeria, Azerbaijan, and Libya, while renewed or reported interest has been recorded in recent months from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Sudan. (Picture source: Pakistan Air Force)
The discussions took place in Islamabad during an official meeting between Indonesia’s Defense Minister, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, and Pakistan Air Force Chief, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu. Indonesian officials framed the exchanges as covering general defense cooperation, strategic dialogue, and institutional communication, with emphasis on long-term and mutually beneficial engagement. The scope extended beyond aircraft acquisition to include air defense systems and training programs for Indonesian Air Force personnel at junior, mid-level, and senior ranks, as well as engineering staff. No firm number, delivery schedule, or financial value was agreed upon at this stage, but the talks are said to be advanced.
The JF-17 could now potentially join one of the most diverse fighter fleets in the world, which includes aircraft from the United States, Russia, Europe, and Asia. As of early 2026, the Indonesian Air Force operates about 33 American F-16s, 5 Su-27SKMs and 11 Su-30MK2s from Russia, and 3 French Rafales, supported by a fleet of light attack aircraft comprising 13 South Korean T-50is, 21 British Hawk 209s and 13 Brazilian A-29 Super Tucanos. A major renewal step is already underway through the acquisition of 42 French Dassault Rafale ordered in 2022 for $8.1 billion (with an option for 24 additional units), 48 Turkish Kaans ordered in June 2025 for $10 billion, 42 Chinese J-10C fighters ordered in October 2025 for $9 billion, as well as potentially 16 South Korean KF-21 Block IIs and 24 American F-15EXs, for a grand total of 172 fighters if all confirmed and potential orders are completed, before the arrival of the JF-17. On the domestic side, Indonesia launched the LAPAN Fighter Experimental (LFX) effort in 2012, then froze it in 2013, while a private company unveiled the Infoglobal I-22 Sikatan in 2022, even though it remains in early development stages.
Indonesia’s decision to operate and plan such a highly diversified fighter fleet is rooted in concrete operational, political, and budgetary factors accumulated over several decades. The Indonesian Air Force must cover a territory stretching more than 5,000 kilometers east to west, across an archipelago of over 17,000 islands, so the IAF tends to balance “high-end fighters” with lower-cost aircraft to have above 100 jets available day to day. Past restrictions on military supplies in the late 1990s and early 2000s led Indonesia to deliberately reduce dependence on one supplier, shaping a procurement model that mixes U.S., Russian, European, and Asian aircraft. Financial constraints also influence this structure, as combining higher-cost fighters such as the Rafale with more affordable aircraft such as the JF-17 helps mitigate delivery delays and production bottlenecks across several programs. This approach increases maintenance and training complexity, but Indonesian planners appear to accept that trade-off in exchange for strategic autonomy and fleet resilience.
The JF-17’s role in the Indonesia talks mirrors its growing presence in Pakistan’s wider export activity, where the aircraft has become a central element in multiple country engagements. Pakistan has already delivered the JF-17 into an arrangement with Azerbaijan, reinforcing its status as an operational fighter beyond domestic service. Parallel negotiations have included Libya’s eastern-based forces under a broader weapons package valued at about $4 billion, in which the JF-17 formed part of the overall military supply scope. Sudan has also featured in Pakistan’s recent defense negotiations, which have covered a range of military equipment including combat aircraft. These parallel tracks form part of a broader effort by Pakistan to scale its defense-industrial partnerships and position itself as a sustained supplier across different regions. Indonesia’s discussions align with this pattern, where the JF-17 is embedded in comprehensive packages rather than isolated aircraft sales.
Other countries have also appeared in Pakistan’s recent JF-17 outreach, further illustrating the breadth of interest surrounding the platform. Bangladesh has engaged in talks that include potential JF-17 acquisition alongside Super Mushshak training aircraft, combining combat capability with pilot training needs. Saudi Arabia has been linked to negotiations that could involve converting between $2 billion and $4 billion in existing financial arrangements into military supplies, with the JF-17 included among the systems under consideration. Iraq also recently showed its interest, as it seeks to replace its limited F-16IQs. Indonesia’s case is distinctive in that it combines fighter aircraft, armed drones, and structured training into a single cooperation framework. Taken together, these country tracks show the JF-17 being offered in adaptable packages tailored to differing operational, financial, and institutional requirements.
Several underlying factors help explain why the JF-17 continues to attract attention across multiple negotiations without being positioned as a replacement for higher-end fighters. The aircraft occupies a category that balances multirole capability with lower acquisition and sustainment costs compared to heavier Western or Russian platforms. Pakistan has paired the fighter with training pipelines, engineering support, and complementary systems such as drones and air defense assets, reducing entry barriers for air forces that require institutional development alongside hardware. Interest in Pakistan’s broader weapons development effort increased after the operational use of its aircraft in a short conflict with India in 2025, which brought additional visibility to platforms already in service. Pakistan has pursued multiple negotiations simultaneously rather than focusing on a single flagship deal, reinforcing the JF-17’s role as a scalable export option. Indonesia’s talks follow this same approach, combining capability expansion with longer-term cooperation objectives.
The JF-17 Thunder is a single-engine, lightweight multirole fighter powered by the RD-93 turbofan and designed for supersonic performance within regional operating environments. The aircraft incorporates a glass cockpit, fly-by-wire controls, and multiple external hardpoints supporting air-to-air missiles, precision-guided munitions, and external fuel tanks. Later variants integrate an active electronically scanned array radar, updated electronic warfare systems, and compatibility with beyond-visual-range missiles, reflecting an incremental upgrade path rather than a fundamental redesign. The JF-17 is also intended to operate from dispersed bases and to support comparatively straightforward maintenance concepts.
Written by Jérôme Brahy
Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.
