In a massive Friday assault, Russia launched over 100 missiles at Ukrainian cities, targeting residential areas and civilian infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported, emphasizing the effectiveness of Ukraine's air defense systems in mitigating the impact. The barrage is the largest and most devastating in what had previously been a relatively quiet winter
South Korean firm Hanwha Aerospace has emerged as the standout performer during this unprecedented surge in weapons orders, with its uncompleted orders experiencing a remarkable increase of more than seven times over the course of two years. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has fueled a surge in demand for military equipment, propelling the world's leading arms manufacturers to amass a record number of orders
The Russian Armed Forces successfully downed a Ukrainian Baba Yaga hexacopter drone, known for its deployment of large-caliber mines, and subsequently reprogrammed the captured UAV. The UAV, controlled through the Starlink satellite network, posed a significant challenge to Russian forces due to its elusive nature and untraceable operators
Pakistan has test-fired its new indigenous long-range precision strike weapon, the Fatah 2, with a range of around 400km. The test, carried out by the military's media branch, marks a substantial leap forward compared to its predecessor, the Fatah 1, which boasts a range of approximately 140km
Sweden has unofficially lifted its defense products embargo on Turkey, marking the end of a strained period. The decision comes after the Turkish parliament's foreign affairs committee approved Sweden's bid to join NATO on Tuesday
Japan is set to export missiles and artillery shells to the United States and the United Kingdom, marking a significant departure from its long-standing pacifist policies. The decision comes as a former defense minister, Itsunori Onodera, advocates for the loosening of restrictions on military exports to showcase Japan's advanced defense technology on the global stage
Komeito, a coalition partner in Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), is opposed to the export of a new jet fighter under Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) that Japan will build together with Italy and the United Kingdom. The stance comes as Japan is poised to redefine its military export policies, with former Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera advocating for broader allowances
The ASELPOD Targeting Pod, developed by ASELSAN, is on the verge of its final mass production delivery to the Turkish Air Force. These pods, crafted entirely with national resources, are set to join the Air Force inventory after undergoing acceptance activities
The Romanian Ministry of Defence has awarded Rheinmetall, a Düsseldorf-based technology enterprise, a contract valued at approximately €328 million (excluding VAT) for the comprehensive modernization of the country's Oerlikon GDF 103 air defence artillery systems. This marks Rheinmetall's inaugural major order from Romania, an EU and NATO member state
Germanys Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) has placed an order with Diehl Defence for more than 1,200 guided missiles. On December 20, Annette Lehnigk-Emden, BAAINBw President, and Helmut Rauch, CEO of Diehl Defence, officially signed a framework contract for the procurement