Tuesday, January 27, 2026

World Defense News 26 January 2026

 

U.S. Marines assigned to the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit successfully launched a V-BAT vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aerial system from the flight deck of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Portland during nighttime operations in the Pacific on January 23, according to service officials. The evolution represents one of the first operational uses of the V-BAT from an LPD-class warship, underscoring a broader push to integrate small, ship-launched drones into forward-deployed maritime formations where runway access is limited or nonexistent.
 

The U.S. Marine Corps is reshaping its infantry, as the 1st Marine Division Schools conducted a Small Attack Drone Operators Course at Camp Pendleton on January 23, 2026. Training confirmed by the U.S. Department of War on January 24, 2026, shows a broader push to deploy expendable unmanned aerial systems to frontline units, giving small groups surveillance and precision-strike options once reserved for higher levels.
 

Facing growing risks from autonomous and asymmetric maritime threats, the French Navy has launched a new phase in its unmanned systems strategy. It is fast-tracking the development of an armed surface drone fleet. The initiative, known as DANAE (Drone de surface Autonome Naval avec capacité d’Armement Embarqué - Naval Autonomous Surface Drone with Onboard Weapon Capability), emphasizes rapid experimentation, prototyping, and operational integration.
 

According to information published by the U.S. Department of War on January 23, 2026, AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 163 (Reinforced), operating as part of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, carried out flight operations over the Pacific Ocean while embarked with the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group. The deployment underscores the integration of U.S. Marine Corps aviation assets with Navy amphibious forces during ongoing operations in the Indo-Pacific theater.
 

In January 2026, Milkor presented a scale model of the Commander fast patrol vessel at DIMDEX 2026, a 16.5-meter aluminium monohull designed and built in Abu Dhabi for maritime security, law enforcement, and emergency response missions. The Commander comes at a time when global piracy, smuggling, and maritime crimes significantly increased in 2025, which is reinforcing the demand for such high-speed patrol and interception vessels. Read full defense news at this link...

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BAE Systems announced that its ship repair business has secured U.S. Navy contracts covering major scheduled maintenance for the Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Kansas City (LCS-22) and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Stockdale (DDG-106).
 

On January 24, 2026, U.S. Army armored units assigned to the 1st Infantry Division carried out a combined arms live-fire maneuver at the Novo Selo Training Area, according to imagery released by the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service.
 

Imagery released on January 23, 2026, by the U.S. Department of Defense through the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service shows a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III from the 62d Airlift Wing lifting off from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, during exercise KRAKEN REACH 2026. Photographed on January 7, the scene captures a key phase of the exercise focused on the rapid generation and launch of eight C-17 airlifters in quick succession.
 

The U.S. Marine Corps has formally transitioned Organic Precision Fires-Light into production contracting, marking a decisive step toward embedding loitering munitions directly within infantry battalions. Announced on December 15, 2025 by Marine Corps Systems Command, the move signals a clear intent to equip small units with organic, beyond-line-of-sight strike capabilities once reserved for higher echelons.
 

France has taken another decisive step in strengthening the close-in protection of its naval forces with the validation of a new software standard for the 40 mm S40SA naval weapon system in January 2026. The upgrade follows a dedicated firing campaign designed to incorporate operational feedback from early deployments, confirming the system’s maturity against emerging threats such as drones, loitering munitions, and fast inshore attack craft.
 

DIMDEX 2026 ended in Doha on 22 January 2026 with Qatar signaling a clear intent to speed up maritime and joint-domain modernization, as the event’s organizers announced more than 70 agreements, contracts, and memoranda of understanding valued at over $5,1 billion.
 

As reported by Tactical Report on January 21, 2026, Saudi Arabia continues to discuss with Italy’s Fincantieri regarding Todaro-class submarines, also known as the Type 212A. Saudi Arabia currently operates no submarines, meaning that any acquisition would involve the creation of a new naval force branch and require extended timelines for training, infrastructure, and integration. Read full defense news at this link...

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The Republic of China Navy has initiated the first controlled dive tests of its domestically built Hai Kun submarine, marking a critical transition from surface evaluations to underwater operations, according to reporting by Taiwan’s Liberty Times. The submarine, designated SS-711, departed Kaohsiung harbor on January 26 and entered a new phase of sea trials following months of harbor, floating, and surface testing conducted throughout 2025 under Taiwan’s Indigenous Defense Submarine program.
 

Elbit Systems Ltd. announced on January 26, 2026, that General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems has awarded the Israeli defense firm a $228 million contract to deliver its Iron Fist Active Protection System for the U.S. Army’s Bradley Fighting Vehicle fleet. The announcement follows a U.S.
 

France has moved a step closer to fielding its next-generation nuclear deterrent, as the SNLE 3G ballistic missile submarine formally entered its industrial construction phase at Naval Group’s Normandy shipyard, according to reporting by actu.fr following a late January 2026 visit by the French Navy Chief of Staff to Cherbourg.
 

Apache attack helicopter crews assigned to the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade wrapped up a demanding aerial gunnery qualification last week on the Korean Peninsula, U.S. Army officials confirmed. The live-fire event, disclosed in a January 23, 2026, post by Eighth Army, put AH-64 crews through a series of graded engagements designed to mirror battlefield pressure, from rapid target acquisition to synchronized pilot and gunner execution using the aircraft’s full weapons suite.
 

As reported by TacticalReport on January 22, 2026, talks between Egypt and China over a possible acquisition of the Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter have been placed into a containment phase, keeping negotiations open without progressing toward a binding acquisition. The approach allows Egypt to maintain supplier diversification options while managing U.S. pressure, sanctions exposure, and force modernization timelines. Read full defense news at this link...

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On January 24, 2026, Türkiye’s domestically developed Hürjet successfully completed a round of extreme cold-weather trials in the eastern province of Erzurum, as reported by Anadolu Agency. Conducted in one of the country’s harshest winter environments, the campaign tested the aircraft’s ability to operate, start, taxi, and sustain flight operations in subzero temperatures.
 

On 25 January 2026, multiple reports confirmed that EOS Technologie had delivered the first Rodeur 330 strike drones to Ukraine for battlefield evaluation. The announcement comes as Kyiv’s drone-centric approach to warfare continues to reshape European procurement priorities and industrial timelines.
 

The U.S. Navy quietly but deliberately expanded its regional footprint this week as USS Cincinnati (LCS 20) became the first American warship to dock at Ream Naval Base, a Cambodian facility undergoing significant Chinese-backed expansion. The visit, confirmed by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, comes as maritime access and influence increasingly shape the balance of power across Southeast Asia, particularly in waters tied to the South China Sea.
 

On January 26, 2026, during the 77th Republic Day parade on Kartavya Path in New Delhi, India publicly displayed the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LR-AShM) together with its launcher, marking the first public appearance of this new hypersonic glide weapon. The appearance confirmed the shore-based long-range maritime strike system’s relevance for the Indian Navy coastal battery requirements and its intended role in engaging naval targets from land positions, with a range of up to 1,500 km.
 

On January 24, 2026, Wild Hornets confirmed the first recorded interception of an Iranian-made Shahed-107 loitering munition by a Ukrainian Sting interceptor drone during a six-hour air defense operation conducted by the Sky Wars unit of the 47th Mechanized Brigade Magura. The interception provides additional confirmation of the Sting’s operational success against long-range attack UAVs of Iranian origin employed by Russian forces in Ukraine. Read full defense news at this link...

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Northrop Grumman has released new details and video footage of its Jackal turbojet-powered precision strike missile, shedding light on a system designed to bring speed, autonomy, and adaptable effects to frontline units operating in increasingly contested air and electromagnetic environments.
 

Speaking to students at the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology on January 23, 2026, Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that the nuclear-powered icebreaker Lider, described by him as a 150 MW vessel with no global equivalent, is progressing on schedule at the Zvezda shipyard and is expected to be completed by 2030.
 

A blunt statement posted this week by the Department of War’s Chief Technology Office on X signaled a shift in tone from experimentation to execution. “Yes, the Department of War has directed energy weapons. Yes, we are scaling them,” the message read, leaving little ambiguity about intent. In Washington’s current branding, “Department of War” functions as a secondary designation for the Department of Defense under a 5 September 2025 executive order, but the language matters.
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On January 22, 2026, maintainers from the U.S. Air Force 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Air Force Base carried out a high-intensity readiness drill that brought a U-2 Dragon Lady to launch under simulated contested conditions during Exercise DRAGON SHIELD, with ground crews operating in austere circumstances that included Mission Oriented Protective Posture (MOPP) gear.
 

On January 20, 2026, South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced the launch of a 1.9 trillion won (approximately 1.29 billion dollar) program to develop a new class of dedicated electronic warfare aircraft for the Republic of Korea Air Force.
 
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