2026 • Page 35 of 572 • The Defense Post

Sep- 2026 -

18 September

Air

A U.S. Marine Corps AH-1Z Viper assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 367, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, flies during close air support drills as part of Service Level Training Exercise 4-25 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, July 26, 2025. MCAGCC serves as the Marine Corps’ premier training venue for service-level exercises by providing realistic multi-domain environments to prepare forces for success in future conflicts. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Micah Thompson)

Bell Textron Starts Viper Helicopter Build for Nigeria

Bell Textron has begun production of the AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter as part of a US foreign military sale to Nigeria in 2024.

18 September

Drones - Latest News, Features & Expert Opinion

Rojoef Manuel

Lithuania Plans to Mobilize Domestic Industry to Build Drones for Ukraine

Lithuania has announced plans to use a portion of its annual aid budget for Kyiv to manufacture tactical unmanned aerial systems domestically in collaboration with Ukrainian defense companies.

18 September

Air

An F-35A, in flight above the Mojave Desert in California, January 6, 2023. A developmental test team from the 461st Flight Test Squadron conducted the first flight of an F-35 in the Technology Refresh 3 (TR-3) configuration at Edwards Air Force Base, California. The 50-minute flight, which took the jet to 35,000 feet at speeds just shy of the speed of sound above the desert, marked the start of an extensive flight test campaign. TR-3 provides the computational horsepower to support modernized Block 4 capabilities. The F-35 Joint Program Office is the Department of Defense's focal point for the 5th-generation strike aircraft for the Navy, Air Force, Marines, and our allies. The F-35 is the premier multi-mission, 5th-generation weapon system. Its ability to collect, analyze and share data is a force multiplier that enhances all assets in the battle space: with stealth technology, advanced sensors, weapons capacity, and range. The F-35 has been operational since July 2015 and is the most lethal, survivable, and interoperable fighter aircraft ever built.

Rojoef Manuel

US Greenlights $24.3B Sale of F-35 Jets to Saudi Arabia

The US State Department has approved a foreign military sale to Saudi Arabia of 48 F-35 Lightning II combat aircraft and ancillary equipment valued at up to $24.3 billion.

18 September

Europe

Akhsan Erido Elezhar

BAE’s ‘Shadow EW’ Gives Small Aircraft Power to Detect, Deceive, Disrupt

BAE Systems is rolling out a new family of electronic warfare systems designed to give small airborne platforms greater power to detect, deceive, disrupt, and neutralize electromagnetic threats.

18 September

Europe

Ten Ai-Petri electronic warfare systems prepared for delivery to Ukraine’s Armed Forces. Photo: Petro Poroshenko/Facebook

Samantha Alexa

Ukraine Gets 10 More Ai-Petri Systems to Counter Drones

Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has handed over 10 additional Ai-Petri electronic warfare systems to Ukraine’s Armed Forces for countering enemy drones.

18 September

Americas

Ganesh C. Bora, Sambit Bhattacharya, and Burcu Adivar will lead Fayetteville State University’s new defense AI research program. Photo: Fayetteville State University

Samantha Alexa

$10M Award Funds New Defense AI Research Program at Fayetteville State

Fayetteville State University will use a new $10-million US Department of Defense award to build an applied artificial intelligence program focused on defense challenges, including contested logistics and biomanufacturing.

18 September

Americas

Rapta’s Manufacturing Co-Pilot uses cameras and sensor data to support real-time quality control and factory operations. Image: Rapta

Samantha Alexa

Rapta Raises $8M to Put AI Quality Control on Defense Factory Floors

Artificial intelligence is moving deeper onto US defense factory floors, with Oregon-based startup Rapta raising $8 million to expand its Manufacturing Intelligence Platform across the sector.

18 September

Middle East

Akhsan Erido Elezhar

New Israeli 4D Radar Takes On Drones Too Quiet for RF Sensors

Fiber-optic drones may fly without a radio signal, but Israeli firm Arbe Robotics said they cannot hide from its new ultra-high-resolution 4D imaging radar.

18 September

Americas

Akhsan Erido Elezhar

All-Electric Scorpion Mortar Brings Push-Button Firepower to Army Vehicle

Global Military Products has showcased its new all-electric Scorpion Medium 120mm mobile mortar system, offering the US Army a heavier firepower option for its Infantry Squad Vehicles.

18 September

Americas

Artwork showing an F-22 Raptor with new pods, external fuel tanks, and an unknown air-to-air missile, potentially the AIM-260

Inder Singh Bisht

US, Lockheed Sign Agreement to Accelerate AIM-260 JATM Production

The US Department of War has signed a framework agreement with Lockheed Martin to expand production capacity for the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile, a next-generation air-to-air missile.

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