DEFENCE

Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky division has unveiled the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter—which previously performed flight demonstrations in both manned and unmanned configurations—as a completely redesigned unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system. Dubbed the S-70 UAV and nicknamed “U-HAWK,” this new platform is considered Sikorsky’s latest and most radical leap forward in autonomous 🚄

Although the U.S. Army proposed ending the program as part of the major transformation initiative it announced in May, it has not yet officially halted the Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP). While the Army continues to evaluate various action plans regarding the program’s future, the test program for the engine 🚄

Senior U.S. Army leaders, in light of the lessons learned from the Russia-Ukraine War, emphasized the urgent need to modernize medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) and related operational missions in light of the high casualty figures expected in future large-scale conflicts. According to assessments made at the annual meeting of the U.S. 🚄

As the French Air and Space Force begins the process of retiring its 14 C-135FR/KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft, which it has operated for nearly sixty years, it faces a strategic dilemma regarding the number of Airbus A330 MRTT (Multi-Role Tanker Transport) aircraft that will replace them “Phénix” fleet. Originally planned 🚄

In the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh, a critical diplomatic step was taken aimed at ending the two-year war in Gaza. At the “Peace Summit,” attended by 20 leaders—including President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, U.S. President Donald Trump, Egyptian President Abdulfettah el-Sisi, and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad 🚄

Spain’s defense and technology procurement strategy is undergoing a significant shift. Madrid has recently decided to cancel certain technology agreements with Israel and has turned to new and reliable alternatives for critical systems, particularly anti-tank missile programs. Turkish defense industry companies are at the center of this search. The Spanish 🚄

Greece has taken a significant step toward strengthening its attack helicopter fleet. According to a report by the Kathimerini newspaper, Greece has decided to procure 30 AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters that the U.S. military is set to retire. U.S. Retiring AH-64D Fleet According to current plans by the U.S. 🚄

Major Tommy Vu, a 38-year-old physical therapist serving in the Oregon National Guard, added another achievement to his list of personal accomplishments by breaking the world record for the most push-ups in one hour on September 20. Major Vu, who conducted his attempt at the Coast Strength gym in West 🚄

In an interview with the Ukrainian national news agency Ukrinform, Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar discussed the secrets behind the company’s global success, its ambitious technology goals for the future, and its strategic partnership with Ukraine. Bayraktar emphasized that the attack on the facility in Ukraine carried out by Russia would 🚄

HAVELSAN, which introduced the SANCAR SİDA to security forces, has integrated advanced mission software into the world-renowned RAFNAR boats manufactured by VN Maritime, making the platforms fully autonomous and remotely controllable. Widely used in both civilian and security sectors—particularly in the challenging maritime conditions of Northern Europe—these boats will be 🚄

Western countries, which are grappling with growing aerial threats, are being called upon to review their defense strategies. Experts note that rather than simply stockpiling countermeasures, Europe and NATO should adopt Ukraine’s model of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) — which are faster, cheaper, and battle-tested. Speaking at the Warsaw Security 🚄

The German Parliament has given the green light to a series of defense procurement plans with a total value exceeding 7 billion euros ($8.14 billion). This major budget allocation, approved by the Parliament’s Budget Committee, is part of a strategy to modernize the country’s defense capabilities and accelerate the military’s 🚄

Bahçıvan: “The progress our defense industry has made is a success story that is now being closely watched not only in our country but also worldwide. The integration of our industrialists into this robust ecosystem—which includes companies like Havelsan, Aselsan, and TUSAŞ—will enhance both our production capabilities and our export 🚄

Critical progress has been made in the construction of the National Aircraft Carrier (MUGEM), the Turkish Navy’s largest and most ambitious project. Chaired by Admiral Ercüment Tatlıoğlu, Commander of the Naval Forces, a MUGEM project progress meeting was held at the Istanbul Shipyard Command. During the meeting, the latest developments 🚄

The 105 mm BORAN air-transportable light towed howitzer, developed entirely with domestic and national capabilities by the Machine and Chemical Industry (MKE), successfully completed extensive firing exercises in North Macedonia —where it was exported—and received top marks from the user. This success has once again demonstrated the BORAN’s operational effectiveness 🚄

Bayraktar KIZILELMA, Turkey’s first unmanned combat aircraft—developed domestically and independently by Baykar—successfully completed its first firing test with TOLUN and TEBER-82 munitions as part of its test program, achieving a direct hit. The Bayraktar KIZILELMA, developed entirely with Baykar’s own resources and set to serve as Turkey’s first unmanned combat 🚄

Kosovo Defense Minister Ejup Maqedonci officially announced that FPV (First Person View) drones called SkyDagger have been added to the army’s inventory. Minister Maqedonci stated that the delivery of these drones will significantly enhance the “strike capability” of the Kosovo Security Force (FSK). This step is seen as a significant 🚄

Matteo Perego di Cremnago, Italy’s Deputy Minister of Defense, Air Force Commander Lieutenant General Antonio Conserva and Army Commander Lieutenant General Carmine Masiello, along with a delegation led by Deputy Commander of the Italian Navy Vice Admiral Giuseppe Berutti Bergotto, inspected Baykar’s game-changing technologies on-site. The high-level delegation, which observed 🚄

The Prague-based leading defense industry company, Czechoslovak Group (CSG), announced that it has established a new company called AviaNera Technologies to enter the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) market. This move is part of CSG’s goal to extend its existing capabilities in the production of military ammunition and equipment into the 🚄

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius’s proposal for the government to take on a more active role as a shareholder in key defense industry companies was met with caution by industry representatives. Minister Pistorius stated that he believes this move by the government is absolutely necessary to ensure that expertise and 🚄

Osman Okyay, Deputy Chairman of the Kale Group, stated that following the export contract signed with Brazil for the domestically developed turbojet missile engine, they have been in talks with numerous countries to establish new export partnerships, and reported that work is continuing to adapt this engine to different platforms 🚄

The Swedish Air Force signed a major agreement with the Brazilian aerospace company Embraer, deciding to procure four C-390 Millennium transport aircraft. With the signing ceremony held on October 6 at Uppsala Air Base, Sweden became the eighth country in Europe and the ninth worldwide to choose Embraer’s modern cargo 🚄

The French aerospace company Dassault Aviation has reached a significant milestone in its successful Rafale fighter jet program. The company announced that it has completed production of the 300th Rafale fighter jet at its manufacturing facilities in France. This achievement underscores the Rafale’s status as a critical platform favored by 🚄

U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin announced that it is rapidly increasing production volumes of core missile and launch systems amid rising global demand and geopolitical risks. The company is making significant investments in the production infrastructure for critical missiles such as the PAC-3 MSE, GMLRS, PrSM, Javelin, JASSM, and LRASM 🚄

The testing process for KOÇHİSAR, the second of the HİSAR-class Open Sea Patrol Vessels (ADKG) scheduled to be added to the Turkish Naval Forces Command’s inventory, has officially begun. The Navy Command started the ship’s engines for the first time, marking a significant milestone in the process leading up to 🚄

Italy is preparing to use a mechanism developed by the European Union (EU) that allows defense spending to be excluded from budget deficit calculations, in order to meet NATO’s increasing defense spending targets. According to Italian government sources, using this method—referred to as an accounting “loophole”—Italy could add 12 billion 🚄

A live-fire test of the GÖKSUR Point Air Defense System—developed through a collaboration between ASELSAN and TÜBİTAK SAGE, two giants of the Turkish defense industry—was successfully conducted in Sinop. This test marks a critical milestone for Turkey: for the first time, a high-speed target flying close to the sea surface 🚄

The United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense has taken a significant step toward developing a fixed-wing autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of taking off and landing from Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers without the need for any special equipment (such as a catapult or arresting gear). With this initiative, launched under 🚄