R&D - Weeklydefencenews

June 18, 2026
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Unmanned Systems

New Drone Warfare Center Planned in UP

New Delhi has authorized funding for a new military drone technology center at IIT Kanpur aimed at accelerating the country’s unmanned systems capabilities. The 5-billion-rupee initiative will serve as...

June 18, 2026
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Air Platforms

F-35C Nears LRASM Anti-Ship Capability

Efforts to equip the F-35C with the LRASM anti-ship missile have advanced following the successful completion of the program’s initial flight test phase. The evaluation focused on assessing flight...

June 18, 2026
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Land Platforms

New Tactical 4×4 Controls UAVs and UGVs

A new collaboration between Thales and Renault has resulted in the 4 TROOP prototype, a mobile command vehicle tailored for controlling unmanned systems on the battlefield. Acting as a...

June 17, 2026
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Missile & Missile Defence

US Navy Places First Blackbeard Contract

Defense startup Castellion has secured its first production-focused Navy contract for 50 Blackbeard hypersonic missiles. The agreement advances the missile from testing into early operational capability while supporting production...

June 17, 2026
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Land Platforms

THUNDART Program Advances in France

France is moving closer to fielding the THUNDART long-range land strike weapon as MBDA and Safran progress toward a final agreement with defense authorities. Featuring advanced guidance, propulsion, and...

June 17, 2026
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Land Platforms

Partnership Targets Faster Military Output

Seeking to improve defense production capacity, Lockheed Martin and GM Defense are evaluating the application of high-volume commercial manufacturing practices to military programs. The effort combines defense expertise with...

June 16, 2026
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Unmanned Systems

Ultra-Light ISR Drone Weighs 450 Grams

Teledyne FLIR Defense has expanded its tactical drone portfolio with the launch of the Black Recon, a compact reconnaissance UAV engineered for extended intelligence-gathering missions. Despite its lightweight design,...

June 16, 2026
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Unmanned Systems

New Drone Prototype Uses Novel Process

A collaborative effort between Lockheed Martin Skunk Works and advanced manufacturing company Divergent has resulted in the rapid development of the Replicator drone prototype within 12 months. The project...

June 15, 2026
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Missile & Missile Defence

India hits key ICBM defense milestone

India has reached a significant milestone in its long-running Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) initiative with the successful completion of advanced trials under Phase 2 of the program. The system...

June 15, 2026
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Unmanned Systems

Germany to host Victor U250 drone hub

Rheinmetall and ERC System have partnered to establish domestic manufacturing capabilities for the Victor U250 hybrid-electric cargo drone in Germany. Designed as a versatile heavy-lift unmanned aircraft, the platform...