2026 • Page 31 of 572 • The Defense Post

Sep- 2026 -

22 September

Air

Image shows a. RAF Voyager from RAF Brize Norton landing at Nellis Air Force Base during Red Flag 23-1. A Royal Air Force detachment, operating from Nellis Air Base Nevada, is honing its cutting-edge air combat skills in the largest scale Exercise Red Flag to date. Exercise Red Flag is the pre-eminent annual air combat training exercise run by the United States. The United States Air Force has expanded this long-established exercise to include a vastly increased geographical area to challenge participants to overcome what USAF planners are calling the Tyranny of Distance in addition to the traditional combat air missions of previous exercises. The Exercise has previously been run over the Nevada Test and Training Range and area of 12,000 square miles of airspace and 2.9 million acres of land. Now training areas in Utah and California have been added, as well as missions being flow out over the Californian Pacific Coast. The exercise area has therefore become vast and is aimed to reflect the challenges of conducting air operations at range The RAF detachment of around 300 personnel currently taking part on the exercise is operating seven Typhoons from RAF Lossiemouth based II (Army Co-operation) Squadron, plus a Voyager operated from 10 and 101 Squadron based at RAF Brize Norton. In addition, aircrew from 51 Squadron based at RAF Waddington have been integrated into the flight crew of a USAF RC-135 Rivet Joint intelligence gathering aircraft. Australia is the only other nation participating, reflecting the close Defence partnership between our three countries.

Giulia Bernacchi

UK to Deploy Refueling Aircraft in Support of Saudi Air Defenses

The UK will deploy an aerial refueling aircraft to support Saudi Arabia’s response to Houthi missile and drone attacks.

22 September

Europe

Giulia Bernacchi

UK, Industry Partners Launch Cluster to Test Emerging Intelligence Technologies

The UK is establishing a new hub to accelerate the testing and deployment of emerging intelligence technologies.

22 September

Drones - Latest News, Features & Expert Opinion

Ethan M. Encarnacion

Ukraine Unveils 416-Km/H Jet Interceptor to Hunt Russian Drones

Ukrainian developer Vluchnyk has unveiled the Zorelit v5, a jet-powered interceptor designed to destroy Russia’s kamikaze and reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicles.

22 September

Land

Ethan M. Encarnacion

Ukraine Begins First Military Trials of Locally Built Uncrewed Buggies

The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine has conducted its first trials of domestically produced remote-controlled buggies, advancing the country’s push to expand battlefield robotics.

22 September

Americas

An armed Iranian police officer holding a rifle monitors the area as motorcyclists ride beneath a billboard depicting an AI-generated image of the Strait of Hormuz and an effigy of US President Donald Trump, displayed on the wall of a state building in downtown Tehran, Iran, on May 3, 2026.

Giulia Bernacchi

US Military Estimates Iran War Cost at $43.6B

US military spending on the war with Iran reached an estimated $43.6 billion, according to figures US Central Command provided to Congress.

22 September

Europe

Giulia Bernacchi

Spain Names New Submarine Rescue Vessel Poseidón

Navantia has held a naming ceremony for the Spanish Navy’s new underwater intervention and submarine rescue vessel, A-21 Poseidón.

22 September

Europe

Akhsan Erido Elezhar

Drone Defense in a Box: UK Unwraps New Falcon Shield Variant

Britain’s Falcon Shield counter-unmanned aerial system can now deploy straight out of a box.

22 September

Americas

Akhsan Erido Elezhar

Israel Brings Algorithm-Guided Strike Weapon to F-35 for First Time

Israel’s F-35 jets are gaining a new strike option as Rafael Advanced Defense Systems integrates its SPICE 1000 air-to-surface munition onto the fighter aircraft for the first time.

22 September

Drones - Latest News, Features & Expert Opinion

Ethan M. Encarnacion

Spain’s New Drone Interceptor Hitches a Ride on Larger UAV to Extend Reach

Spanish defense firm Indra has introduced a new autonomous interceptor that can hitch a ride aboard a larger mothership drone to extend its reach.

22 September

Drones - Latest News, Features & Expert Opinion

Devil Ray catamaran-type unmanned surface vessel. Photo: MARTAC

Rojoef Manuel

Florida Boatbuilders Expand Devil Ray Drone Boat Output by 100 a Year

Florida-based boatbuilders Maritime Tactical Systems and SŌLACE Boats have teamed up to boost annual production capacity for the Devil Ray catamaran-type unmanned surface vessel by 100 units.

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