Defence News: 16th March to 20th March 2026

Air

• A sovereign Counter-UAS solution has been launched as-a-service in France to protect critical national infrastructure. The system leverages existing nationwide telecommunications towers for sensor placement and secure cloud for data processing, offering a scalable, low-capital expenditure model for detecting and classifying low-altitude drone threats. See: Orange Drone Guardian Counter-UAS Solution Launched
• An Israeli defence entity’s purchase order for the DefendAir system underscores the growing operational reliance on non-explosive, net-based C-UAS solutions. This soft-kill technology is prioritised for its ability to neutralise drone threats with minimal collateral impact in complex environments, including dense urban settings and active battlefields. See: ParaZero Secures New Order for DefendAir C-UAS from Israeli Defense Entity
• Airborne mobile phone location systems are being integrated onto both unmanned and manned platforms for security and public safety. Key applications include mounting IMSI catchers on long-range VTOL UAVs for anti-poaching intelligence and deploying FCC-certified systems on helicopters and UAS for search and rescue and disaster response operations. See: Revector & Cannon Dynamics Integrate Cell Phone Location Payload onto Long-Range UAV for Anti-Poaching | CENTUM Lifeseeker Systems Selected for Airborne Emergency Response Operations
• Advanced composite manufacturing is enhancing the performance and service life of critical UAV propulsion components. T-MOTOR’s AUZ series propellers use CFD-optimised airfoils to improve fixed-wing UAV efficiency, while UAVOS’s vertical integration, using an in-house curing oven, produces unmanned helicopter rotor blades with a 3,000-hour service life. See: T-MOTOR Unveils AUZ Series Propellers to Enhance UAV Efficiency & Endurance | UAVOS Produces UAV Rotor Blades Using In-House Curing Oven

Technology

• The UK and Germany are collaborating on a Deep Precision Strike missile programme to develop stealth cruise and hypersonic weapons with ranges exceeding 2,000 km, planned for service in the 2030s. The bilateral initiative signals a long-term strategic requirement for the UK industrial base in advanced materials and high-technology manufacturing, providing a stable investment horizon for suppliers to align with future deterrence capabilities. See: UK and Germany meet to advance deep precision strike missile programme
• The UK is bolstering its sovereign industrial capability for critical hardware, reducing supply chain dependencies. Key developments include establishing the first domestic manufacturing process for ultra-high temperature Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) for hypersonic applications, and Filtronic’s creation of a compact, plastic-packaged Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductor solution, enhancing the size, weight, and power efficiency of UK-made radar and electronic warfare systems. See: UK-first achieved in advanced materials to benefit defence | Semiconductor Packaging for UK Defence
• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, using Shield AI’s Hivemind Enterprise environment, demonstrated a complete AI-powered mission autonomy development cycle for UAVs in just eight weeks. This success in rapid AI training, integration, and flight testing establishes a new benchmark for accelerating the development of autonomous systems and sovereign mission autonomy software, showcasing a model for rapid capability evolution. See: AI-Powered Mission Autonomy Successfully Demonstrated in Eight-Week Development Cycle
• Honeywell has launched the HGuide i700, a license-free Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) that delivers near-navigation-grade performance. The compact, low-power system provides a new option for global integrators, enhancing autonomous platform navigation in GNSS-denied environments across air, land, and sea domains while simplifying system architecture and development cycles compared to existing technologies. See: Honeywell Launches HGuide i700 IMU for High-Precision Sensing & Navigation

Commercial

• The UK, Finland, and the Netherlands are developing a multinational defence financing and procurement mechanism by 2027 to aggregate demand and expand industrial capacity. The framework aims to improve economies of scale for critical capabilities, primarily munitions. For the UK supply chain, this signals a strategic shift towards large-scale, cross-border contracts, favouring suppliers capable of delivering standardised solutions to enhance collective NATO deterrence and interoperability. See: Finland, the Netherlands, and the UK collaborate on defence financing and procurement
• The Torus Defence Supply Chain alliance, comprising Amentum, GXO Logistics, Accenture, and Maersk, has been formed to transform UK defence logistics. It integrates programme management, physical logistics, AI-driven data systems, and a global movement network to enhance sovereign capability. This signals a strategic shift from just-in-time logistics to a model of assured readiness, creating a more integrated, data-heavy procurement environment for the supply chain. See: Supply chain comes together to support logistics and procurement
• The UK MOD has established four MRO facilities inside Ukraine to provide in-country sustainment for UK-donated hardware, including AS-90 artillery systems. This represents a strategic shift from equipment donation to localised industrial partnership, significantly reducing equipment turnaround times. The initiative is reinforced by formal technology exchange agreements, particularly in Electronic Warfare, signalling a long-term pathway for UK contractor engagement in Ukraine’s defence industrial base. See: UK reveals military maintenance facilities in Ukraine for first time
• Babcock International has launched a ten-point SME Engagement Charter to address systemic barriers limiting SME participation in the UK defence sector, where they account for only 4% of expenditure. The charter introduces practical commitments to improve accessibility, accelerate routes to market, and create proportionate commercial structures, aiming to better integrate SME agility and innovation to enhance sovereign capability and stimulate regional economic growth. See: Babcock Aims to Lead Industry Shift with SME Defence Charter
• The Defence Procurement Research and Technology Exhibition (DPRTE) 2026 will treat the supply chain as a critical strategic capability, with senior MOD officials outlining visions for a resilient industrial base and digital frameworks. The event will also feature a dedicated zone led by Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) leadership, providing direct briefings on procurement priorities for infrastructure, estates, and facilities management, allowing industry to align with future contract pipelines. See: Supply chain prioritised at DPRTE | DPRTE one week to go – new speaker announcement
• Thales has secured £1.1 billion in export deals, creating and sustaining over 500 jobs at its Glasgow facility, reinforcing Scotland’s defence industrial base. The success is supported by the government’s new Scotland’s Defence Growth Deal, which leverages over £2 billion in annual MOD spending in the region to generate industrial opportunities. This provides fiscal certainty for the supply chain to invest in advanced technology and skills development. See: Thales confirms Scottish commitment
• Volatus Aerospace is commercialising a heavy-lift drone logistics service for offshore wind farms, capable of delivering 100 kg payloads from vessels to turbine nacelles. Managed from a central control centre, the initiative provides a scalable and economically viable model for uncrewed logistics in complex maritime environments, with future applications for ship-to-shore cargo transfers. See: Volatus to Develop Heavy-Lift Drone Logistics for Offshore Wind Operations & Maintenance
• Gremsy will debut a next-generation payload solution at XPONENTIAL Europe 2026, showcasing its advanced gimbal portfolio to strengthen its European presence. This move targets UAV manufacturers and system integrators in the region’s fast-growing drone market, focusing on high-precision applications such as infrastructure inspection, public safety, and industrial operations where reliability and performance are critical. See: Gremsy to Unveil Next-Generation Payload Solution at XPONENTIAL Europe 2026

Maritime

• The Asia Pacific Maritime 2026 conference will address the industry’s transition towards digitalisation, automation, and decarbonisation. Discussions will focus on the operational challenges of adopting smart and autonomous systems, viable future fuel pathways, and balancing immediate cost pressures with long-term environmental goals and fleet competitiveness. See: Asia Pacific Maritime 2026 Returns to Explore Future of Vessels & Automation
• The UK MOD has awarded Kraken Technology Group a £12.3M contract for 20 uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) under Project Beehive. This procurement will support the rapid development of autonomous platforms and accelerate the Royal Navy’s strategic shift towards a hybrid fleet of crewed and uncrewed systems for future operations. See: Kraken Technology Group Awarded £12.3M Royal Navy contract