World Defense News 23 February 2026

Feb

23

Iran Deploys S-300 Air Defense and Cobra-V8 EW System to Protect Tehran From U.S. Air Strikes

Iran has repositioned long-range air defense assets and a high-power electronic warfare vehicle at a site south of Tehran, tightening the capital’s shield against U.S. and allied air and missile strike options while complicating the reconnaissance that enables them. 

1. Commercial satellite imagery credited to Airbus and reviewed by open-source analysts shows an S-300-series transporter erector launcher deployed at an established air defense position near Kharizak, roughly on the southern approaches to Tehran, with a large support vehicle nearby that analysts assess matches the footprint and antenna layout of Iran’s Cobra-V8 electronic warfare system. 
2. The pairing matters because it combines kinetic engagement reach with spectrum denial, attacking the kill chain before aircraft or missiles ever enter an interceptor’s envelope. Read more...

Iran has deployed a Cobra-V8 electronic warfare vehicle alongside an S-300 launcher at an air defense site south of Tehran, combining long-range intercept capability with spectrum jamming designed to disrupt U.S. and allied ISR, radar targeting, and strike coordination in the capital’s approaches (Picture source: OSINT on X).

 

Feb

23

U.S. Army Prepares AH-64E Apache Forces for Arctic Deep Attack Operations in Extreme Subzero Conditions

On 21 February 2026, AH-64E Apache crews assigned to the U.S. Army’s 11th Airborne Division carried out a deep attack operation over the Yukon Training Area in Alaska, according to an official U.S. Army release published on 22 February 2026. Conducted as part of the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center (JPMRC) 26-02 rotation, the mission was designed to shape the battlespace in advance of an air assault led by the 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Air Assault). Flying in near-total darkness and enduring extreme subzero temperatures, the Apache crews operated in one of the most demanding environments faced by U.S. Army aviation units, underscoring the division’s focus on Arctic readiness and high-intensity operations in austere conditions.  Read Full Defense News At This Link.

 

Feb

23

U.S. B-2 stealth bomber tests ACS 4.0 communication upgrade to boost secure global strike coordination

On February 20, 2026, Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) announced that the U.S. Air Force had tested its Adaptable Communications Suite 4.0 (ACS 4.0) communications upgrade aboard a Northrop B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. The first flight confirms airborne integration of the new mission system computing environment as part of the B-2’s modernization program. The ACS 4.0 upgrade supports secure data exchange for long-range global strike missions conducted across joint command networks.

 

Feb

23

Russia Deploys 48-Missile Pantsir Loadout to Counter Drone Swarm Battlefield Saturation

Rostec has delivered a new batch of surface-to-air missiles for the Pantsir family that materially increases Russia’s point-defense magazine depth against drones and close-range precision threats. The shipment, executed by Rostec’s High Precision Systems holding for the Russian Ministry of Defense, includes both standard Pantsir missiles and short-range “interceptor” missiles that can raise ready-to-fire loadout from 12 rounds to as many as 48 per launcher when quad-packed.

 

Feb

23

Iran signs secret €500M Verba air defense deal with Russia as U.S.–Iran nuclear talks intensify

On February 22, 2026, the Financial Times revealed that Iran finalized a secret €500 million agreement with Russia’s Rosoboronexport for 500 9K333 Verba MANPADS launchers, 2,500 9M336 surface-to-air missiles, and associated night vision equipment. The contract was reportedly signed in Moscow in December 2025 and foresees deliveries between 2027 and 2029, although a smaller number of systems may have been transferred earlier. The purchase follows recent U.S.–Israel strikes, heightened U.S.