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UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
16 Jan 26. Royal Navy confirms nine nuclear subs in service. The Royal Navy currently has nine nuclear-powered submarines in service, including four nuclear-armed vessels maintaining the UK’s continuous at-sea deterrent, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed.Responding to a question in the House of Lords, Defence Minister Lord Coaker said the submarine force consists of four Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines and five Astute-class attack submarines.
“The Royal Navy has a fleet of nine submarines currently in service,” he told peers. “It operates four Vanguard class nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed submarines in Operation Relentless, the continuous at-sea deterrent, which has been successfully maintained for over 56 years.”
Lord Coaker added that the Vanguard-class boats will be replaced by four Dreadnought-class submarines, which are scheduled to enter service in the 2030s. He also confirmed that two additional Astute-class submarines are currently under construction. The exchange followed a question from Lord Trefgarne, who asked how many nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed submarines are currently in service. In a follow-up, he asked whether the deterrent submarines are being maintained and operated to the required standard.In response, Lord Coaker emphasised the importance of the continuous at-sea deterrent, stating: “A key point for all of us in this House, our nation and our alliances is that it is a continuous at-sea deterrent, and I reassure everyone that we maintain that.” He described the deterrent as having underpinned peace and security for decades and said it has been sustained under successive governments. Lord Bruce of Bennachie later questioned how many submarines are operational at any one time, citing periods when boats have been unavailable due to maintenance, and raised concerns about the ability to sustain the programme while delivering future commitments such as AUKUS. Lord Coaker declined to give figures on operational availability, saying: “I will not go into the number of submarines that are operational for obvious reasons.” However, he referred to the Royal Navy’s submarine recovery plan, which aims to improve docking and maintenance capacity in order to increase availability. He said those measures are intended to ensure the fleet can meet current requirements while supporting future submarine programmes. (Source: News Now/https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/)
EUROPE
20 Jan 26. Italy faces GCAP warplane price tag topping $21bn. Italy’s outlay on the design and development of the tri-nation GCAP fighter has tripled from €6 bn to €18.6 bn — or from $7 bn to $21.8 bn — in the last five years, the country’s defense minister has told parliament. The announcement of the price hike came in a request to parliament to authorize the pay-out which prompted criticism from Italy’s opposition Five Star party.
“This is the most expensive program in the history of the Italian military, overtaking the F-35 where €18 bn was spent on 90 aircraft,” Five Star parliamentarians said in a statement.
Italy is a member alongside the U.K. and Japan of the sixth generation GCAP fighter team which aims to put a new jet into service by 2035. The document with the new pricing of Italy’s share in the program was sent this month to the defense commission of the Italian senate, where it is due to be discussed on Tuesday before a vote to approve the text is taken, likely next week. The document will also be voted on by the defense commission of the lower house of parliament. It will likely be approved in the commissions due to the majority enjoyed in both by Meloni’s coalition government. The document is an update on a previous version submitted to parliament in 2021, which said Italy would pay out €6 bn to cover its share of Phase1 and 2 of the program – respectively ‘Concept Assessment and Preliminary Design’, followed by ‘Full Development’. The new document states the outlay, “which was initially estimated to be €6 bn for program phases 1 and 2 has since been updated taking into account the increase in costs in technology maturation, testing and development and design, to an estimated €18.6bn (at 2025 prices).” The document, which has been seen by Defense News, reported that €2bn in funding had already been secured, partially covering Phase 1. A further €16.6 bn was therefore needed to complete Phases 1 and 2, it added. The document contains a request for approval for funding worth €8.8bn to be dispensed in annual payments stretching out to 2037. The remaining €7.8bn required to hit the €16.6 bn total would be arranged at a future date, the document added. In its statement, the Five Star party wrote, “We don’t doubt the value of this program, but it is not acceptable that our parliamentary commissions are used as cash dispensers which issue bns like peanuts, without even supplying an in-depth and detailed explanation of this enormous increase in the expected expenditure.”
During a Jan. 16 meeting in Tokyo between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, the two leaders “expressed satisfaction for the progress of the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP),” and confirmed “the importance of achieving the goal of delivering the first aircraft in 2035.” (Source: Defense News)
16 Jan 26. German ministry issues call for urban and regional UAS development proposals. Germany’s Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) has issued a call for proposals to support the development of urban and regional uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) applications. Funding is available for the conception and testing of new possibilities that can bring about lasting change through the innovative integration of UAS technologies, routines and practices of companies, public authorities and civil society.
“The sustainable development of our cities and communities is crucial for achieving the German government’s climate protection and sustainability goals—as mandated, among other things, by the Climate Protection Act,” BMFTR states in its call for proposals. “However, increasing traffic volumes, high CO₂ emissions in the mobility and building sectors, demographic aging, a shortage of skilled workers, competition for land in densely populated areas and supply bottlenecks in sparsely populated regions pose significant challenges for many cities and communities.” The ministry says these challenges require a new approach and that UAS applications can increase efficiency and climate protection as well as bring improvements in addressing supply gaps and traffic optimisation and relief. Given the projected market growth, BMFTR says UAS-based innovations also offer very high added value potential for Germany. But these potential advantages are countered by negative consequences such as rebound effects, safety and data privacy concerns, noise emissions and challenges for urban planning.
Consequently, BMFTR aims to promote research and testing on the question of how socio-technical innovations based on the use of UAS have the potential to contribute to climate-friendly urban and regional mobility as well as sustainable urban and regional development.
“Socio-technical innovations refer, for example, to new commercial business models, non-profit applications, or municipal services that, through the innovative integration of UAS technology, sustainably change the routines and practices of businesses, public authorities, consumers, and citizens and offer new options for addressing the challenges of sustainable urban and regional development,” the ministry says. Examples include a UAS-supported delivery service that improves the supply situation in sparsely populated regions while simultaneously reducing net CO₂ emissions because consumers and suppliers forgo car journeys, or sharing models in which municipalities collaborate to jointly use UAS as efficiently as possible for sustainable urban development purposes such as traffic management, infrastructure or environmental monitoring.
The research objectives of the funding call are as follows:
- Identify innovative UAS applications with potential for sustainable urban and regional mobility and sustainable development of cities and regions.
- These UAS-supported innovations will be tested, researched, and their sustainability impacts assessed as comprehensively as possible, both qualitatively and quantitatively, with a view to opportunities and risks for sustainable development, as well as identifying possible rebound effects.
- To test and research application and market potential as well as the social and economic feasibility/viability of UAS-supported innovations.
- Promising socio-technical innovations, applications, and business models that are expected to have a positive impact on sustainable urban and regional development and offer ecological, social and economic added value should be further developed to the point of application through research funding. Direct practical application of such solutions is desirable.
Projects can relate to one or more of the following areas of action:
Regional delivery traffic / logistics
The research aims to determine whether and how UAS-supported logistics and the integration of UAS into delivery networks can relieve regional traffic congestion and reduce emissions, land use and resource consumption.
Sustainable applications and business models for municipal tasks
The intention is to identify UAS-based applications and business models that can help cities and municipalities fulfill their responsibilities as sustainably as possible. This could include, for example, UAS-based (automated and AI-supported) innovations in urban and transport planning, traffic flow management, environmental protection, urban development/construction, municipal administration or the improved provision of essential public services.
Sharing models / innovative operating concepts
The research aims to explore the extent to which UAS can be shared to conserve resources and utilise them as efficiently and economically as possible. At the municipal level, this could involve, for example, municipal “fleets” and operational centres that multiple city authorities can access for their specific needs.
Projects in areas not listed here are also possible, provided their contribution to the sustainable development of cities and regions is clearly evident. Passenger transport using UAS is explicitly excluded from this call for proposals.
The process is two-stage. In the first stage, project outlines must be submitted electronically by April 1, 2026 at the latest. In the second stage of the process, the authors of the positively evaluated and selected project outlines are asked to submit a formal funding application. Grants will be awarded as non-repayable subsidies through project funding for a period of usually 45 months.
A public information event addressing content-related and administrative questions is scheduled for January 30, 2026.
For more information: Call for proposals at BMFTR: https://www.bmftr.bund.de/SharedDocs/Bekanntmachungen/DE/2026/01/2026-01-09-foerderaufruf-drohnengestuetzte-innovationen.html (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
REST OF THE WORLD
21 Jan 26. Babcock signs initial agreement under Indonesia Maritime Partnership Programme. Babcock International Group (Babcock), the defence company, has secured its first agreement under the £4 bn Maritime Partnership Programme (MPP) with Indonesia, for the sale of two Arrowhead 140 frigate licences, to be delivered over the coming months. A Letter of Intent outlining Indonesian procurement aims for the MPP has been signed, alongside an initial agreement for the two licences, to be delivered in the next few months. These build on Babcock’s original export of two Arrowhead 140 licences in 2021. The announcement underpins the growing momentum of Babcock’s frigate exports and comes just weeks after the first ship, in the Merah Putih frigate class programme, undertook its initial launch in Indonesia. The Letter of Intent, that paves the way for further agreements, was recently signed on behalf of Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto and CEO of Babcock, David Lockwood, and follows the landmark MPP that was announced in November 2025 between Babcock and the Indonesian Government to jointly develop maritime capability for Indonesia’s navy, fishing industry and in turn, food security. In this short period, significant progress has been made between Babcock and Indonesia’s Ministry of Defence. Babcock continues to play a key role in cementing international defence partnerships, while delivering and driving economic and social benefits to communities across the UK. This new agreement recognises Babcock’s strategic part in delivering Indonesian President, Prabowo Subianto’s important maritime and prosperity plans, which will see major investment in Indonesian shipbuilding to support further modernisation, revitalising fishing communities, enhancing the country’s defence and maritime security, and boosting food security.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, said: “No matter where I am, delivering for working people at home is always in my mind’s eye. Today’s next phase of our partnership with Indonesia is a powerful vote of confidence in the UK, securing hundreds of high‑skilled jobs right here in Rosyth and strengthening our world-class shipbuilding future.”
President Prabowo Subianto, said: “I met with the CEO of Babcock. We are pleased to proceed with the maritime partnership. I think this is very important and strategic for Indonesia. This is a vital part of our maritime economic development.”
David Lockwood, Babcock CEO, said: “The Maritime Partnership Programme between Babcock and Indonesia is focused on advancing Indonesia’s defence and maritime capabilities, infrastructure and supply chain, while creating jobs and prosperity for local communities.
“As the lead industrial partner in this programme, we are creating a strong and enduring alliance that will not only support Indonesia’s maritime goals but will sustain and grow jobs in both countries. This first work order, within this landmark framework, signals the importance of the pace and progress needed to deliver President Prabowo Subianto’s maritime transformation and underpins the growing success of our Arrowhead 140 export design.”
21 Jan 26. Germany’s TKMS seeks investment package to woo Canada over $12bn submarine tender.
- Summary
- Companies
- TKMS in race for Canada submarine order
- Expects Canada to decide in 2026
- In talks with companies to offer ‘offset obligation’ package
Warship builder TKMS (TKMS.DE), is in talks with Norwegian and German companies to offer a multi-bn-dollar investment package to Canada in a fiercely competitive submarine tender, its CEO said, seeking to beat a rival South Korean bid. The talks go beyond submarines and cover possible investment commitments in rare earths, mining, artificial intelligence and battery production for the automotive sector, Oliver Burkhard told Reuters. The previously unreported investment package plan could boost TKMS as it vies to win the tender after being short-listed last year along with South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean (042660.KS), to supply up to 12 state-of-the-art submarines to Canada’s navy. It reflects intensifying efforts by Germany to strengthen defence cooperation in the face of rising geopolitical tensions, with the U.S. seeking to claim Greenland and threatening to impose new import tariffs on European allies while Russia continues its war in Ukraine.
INVESTMENT PACKAGE GOES FAR BEYOND SUBMARINES
Burkhard said TKMS was in discussion with German space startup Isar Aerospace about the investment initiative but did not name the other companies involved in the talks. The submarine order alone is estimated to be worth more than 10 bn euros ($12 bn), according to industry sources. The total package could be worth significantly more depending on investment pledges from other sectors, according to people briefed on the discussions.
“It is no longer just about the submarines. It is primarily about what’s beyond,” Burkhard told Reuters on the sidelines of an event in Frankfurt, adding the aim was a “broad economic package” to convince the Canadian government of its offer.
TKMS is the world’s largest maker of non-nuclear submarines and accounts for around 70% of NATO’s conventional fleet.
Burkhard said TKMS was asking possible partners about foreseeable investment decisions in Canada and whether to include them in so-called offset obligations, or mandatory financial commitments, which are made over 30 years.
“Of course that also includes the defence sector,” he said.
Canada, which has the longest coastline in the world, has said plans to buy new submarines were aimed at maximising economic benefits as part of its defence strategy.
Burkhard, who will make his next trip to Canada in March for more talks, said Germany’s economy and defence ministries as well as the Chancellery were also part of the discussions, adding he expected Canada to make a decision in 2026.
“All defence procurements must advance Canada’s national and military interests as well as provide a clear, measurable net benefit to Canada’s economy,” the country’s ministry for innovation, science and economic development said in a statement.
Germany’s economy ministry referred Reuters to the defence ministry which said it did not comment on confidential consultations as a matter of principle.
Germany’s Chancellery did not respond to a requests for comment.
Hanwha Ocean declined to comment.
TKMS, which Burkhard said had between 30 and 40 staff working on the offset obligation package, is offering its 212CD class submarine as part of the tender, which it is also supplying to Norway’s navy under a joint modernisation initiative. ($1 = 0.8590 euros) (Source: Reuters)
20 Jan 26. Pakistan’s ‘combat tested’ jets boost weapons sales.
- Summary
- Pakistan negotiating weapons sales with 13 countries, sources say
- Global supply chain shortages, conflict with India spurred interest
- Pakistan working to increase production capacity of jets, drones
Pakistan’s defence manufacturing industry is running red hot since its jets, drones and missiles earned the coveted ‘combat tested’ tag in a conflict with India last year, attracting a slew of interested buyers. Islamabad has held talks with 13 countries, six to eight of which are in an advanced stage, for deals involving JF-17 jets made jointly with China as well as training aircraft, drones, and weapons systems, said three Pakistani sources who have knowledge of defence sales. Pakistan’s military and defence ministry did not provide details on any deals but the country’s defence production minister confirmed that several countries were interested in jets and other military equipment. China’s defence ministry did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Analysts believe countries are searching for new supply chains following disruptions caused by the war in Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East. Pakistan’s weapons have become a viable alternative after they were tested in a massive air battle with India in May, in which Pakistan’s air force squadrons flew JF-17s alongside the advanced Chinese-made J-10s. Reuters spoke to six sources privy to defence deals, three retired air force officials, and a dozen analysts who provided insight into Pakistan’s rising weapons industry, including unreported details of negotiations. While some expressed scepticism about whether Pakistan could navigate geopolitical pressures and increase production capacity, there was consensus that interest in Pakistani military hardware had surged. However, most analysts cautioned talks would not necessarily lead to signed deals.
“These talks are taking place (but) they can fall through due to international pressures,” Defence Production Minister Raza Hayat Harraj told Reuters, terming any negotiations “guarded secrets”.
“There are a lot of queries but we are negotiating,” he said, adding interest had been expressed in air force equipment, ammunition and training.
Harraj also stressed the price difference between Pakistani jets and weapons and alternatives made in the U.S. and Europe. While some Western options may be more technologically advanced, they cost more than three times as much as an approximately $30 m to $40 m JF-17.
GROWING LIST OF BUYERS
The sources said countries engaged in talks include Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Morocco, Ethiopia, and Nigeria as well as the government in eastern Libya led by Khalifa Haftar. Discussions on JF-17s and other weapons with Bangladesh and Iraq have been publicly acknowledged by Pakistan’s military, although more details have not been made public. Almost all the potential buyers are Muslim-majority nations, like Pakistan. Many are from the predominantly Muslim Middle East, where Pakistan has historically been a security provider.
Asim Suleiman, a retired Air Marshal who remains briefed on defence sales, said “there are also three African countries lined up” as buyers, which do not include deals with the Libyan National Army and Sudan previously reported by Reuters.
Three defence sources said among the most advanced talks is a wide-ranging arms, defence cooperation and intelligence-sharing deal with Bangladesh, which gained independence from Pakistan after the 1971 civil war. The talks include JF-17 Block III multi-role fighter jets, MFI-17 Mushshak aircraft, Pakistani-made drones including the Shahpar reconnaissance and attack UAVs, air defence systems, and Mohafiz mine-resistant armoured vehicles, two of the sources said.
GROWING SUPPLY CHAIN
A key hurdle will be whether Pakistan can scale production of the JF-17, which has become the cornerstone of its weapons production programme, with training aircraft and drones also in demand.
Suleiman said that by the end of 2027 Pakistan’s jet production rate will increase significantly, even possibly double from the current 20 or so aircraft manufactured annually , due to upgrades and expansions at the main factory.
Analysts said there were few visible constraints on increasing defence manufacturing and with backing from Beijing, Pakistan should be able to overcome most hurdles. Pakistan “is becoming more relevant as a flexible, mid-tier provider of defence capacity,” said Andreas Krieg, a lecturer at King’s College London’s security studies department.
“It can train forces, provide advisers, run joint exercises, support maritime operations, and offer a menu of cost-effective platforms. For fragile African partners, that combination can be attractive: it is faster than Western capacity-building, less politically encumbered, and often cheaper.”
Partnerships with a rising private sector specialising in defence, particularly drones, will also speed up growth. At Sysverve Aerospace in the city of Rawalpindi, where Pakistan’s army also has its headquarters, workers build hundreds of kamikaze and reconnaissance drones a year that are primarily supplied to the military.
“The trend in the army is naturally moving toward engaging the private sector,” company director Saad Mir told Reuters.
THE CHINA QUESTION
Siemon Wezeman, a senior arms transfer researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, said it was unclear how many reported talks over JF-17 sales would firm into hard deals, adding that Beijing could object to sales to certain clients.
While Pakistan was a natural partner for China to market the aircraft across the Middle East and Africa, “it’s the ones to Sudan and Libya that are really problematic”.
Both Libya and Sudan’s Darfur region are subject to U.N. arms embargoes.
Alongside juggling ties with China, Pakistan is navigating Middle East tensions between allies Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Islamabad has signed a mutual defence pact with Riyadh and is discussing another defence agreement involving Saudi Arabia and Turkey, although details have not been made public.
“On the ideological side, Islamabad is more aligned with Saudis on overall narrative,” said Emadeddin Badi from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime.
“But where things get murkier is on the business, ports, mineral sides, all those supply chains are very much dominated by UAE, that’s where the battle is playing out and Saudis have to play catch-up.” (Source: Reuters)
18 Jan 26. Saab offers 72 Gripen fighters and six GlobalEye aircraft to Canada amid F-35 review. On January 14, 2026, CBC News reported that Saab has submitted a proposal to Canada covering 72 Gripen fighter aircraft and six GlobalEye airborne early warning platforms, a proposal that could support an estimated 12,600 Canadian jobs. On January 14, 2026, CBC News reported that Saab has submitted a proposal to Canada covering 72 Gripen fighter jets and six GlobalEye airborne early warning platforms. The company stated that the purchase of this joint package could support an estimated 12,600 Canadian jobs. The proposal is being reviewed as Canada reassesses its planned F-35 fleet and evaluates defence procurement options based on operational and industrial criteria. Saab’s new proposal to Canada includes the sale of 72 Gripen fighter jets and six GlobalEye airborne surveillance aircraft, an order size that the company says would generate or guarantee up to 12,600 jobs in Canada, an offer now examined as the country reassesses its future combat aircraft mix and the domestic industrial impact linked to large defense programs. The proposal also clarifies that both aircraft types are required to reach the stated employment figure, after earlier public references to roughly 10,000 potential jobs had not specified the volume of aircraft needed. The offer enters a policy environment where defense procurement, either from Lockheed Martin or Saab, is being weighed by Canada not only against operational needs but also against employment distribution and industrial resilience. Deployable from shorter runways and with a logistics concept oriented toward rapid turnaround, the Gripen E’s combined attributes would provide Canada with a multirole fighter capable of air defence, joint operations, and interoperability with allied forces across the country’s large geographic areas. This 4.5-generation fighter jet, capable of Mach 2 speeds, possesses a Raven ES-05 radar and an infrared search and track sensor that provide continuous target detection and tracking, while onboard avionics share information across units in near real time, enhancing situational awareness and coordination with other platforms such as the GlobalEye. Furthermore, with up to ten external hardpoints for a wide mix of NATO weapons, including beyond-visual-range missiles and precision guided munitions, the Gripen would allow Canada to perform air-to-air, air-to-surface, and anti-ship roles. Based on the Canadian Bombardier Global Express jet, the Saab GlobalEye airborne early warning and control aircraft would fill a capability gap for Canada, providing a persistent airborne node for integrated air and maritime awareness and enhancing coordination with allied surveillance networks. Integrating an Erieye ER radar system mounted on the fuselage, the GlobalEye can detect and track airborne and surface targets at distances of up to about 450 km or more at altitude, with an endurance of up to about eleven hours. In addition to its primary AEW radar, the GlobalEye carries a Seaspray 7500E maritime surveillance radar for surface tracking, while its multi-sensor suite enables simultaneous surveillance of air, sea, and land targets. Therefore, the GlobalEye’s extended range and persistence could make it well-suited for monitoring Canada’s vast northern and maritime approaches, where terrestrial radar coverage is limited by geography and curvature of the Earth. This new Gripen and GlobalEye package is being reviewed alongside Canada’s existing plan to acquire 88 F-35 fighters, ordered in 2022 with total costs now estimated at more than $27 bn. Canada is preparing to receive the first 16 F-35 aircraft starting this year, while the remainder of the order remains under review, with no confirmed decision to date on whether the total number will be reduced or maintained. Like other countries, the potential introduction of a second fighter type raises practical questions in Canada related to training, sustainment, and the simultaneous integration of two new fleets into service structures already under pressure. However, Saab’s industrial proposal for the Gripen in Canada would see final assembly, integration, test operations, and sustainment carried out with Canadian partners, including IMP Aerospace, GE Aviation, CAE, and Peraton. By building aircraft domestically, with facilities planned in Ontario and Quebec, Canada would also gain greater control over sustainment, upgrades, and supply chain timing, potentially reducing reliance on foreign suppliers. The industrial component of the offer centers on producing aircraft in Canada for both national use and export markets, with planned production centers in Ontario and Quebec supported by a pan-Canadian supplier network. Saab has linked this structure to more than 10,000 direct and indirect jobs over time, with GlobalEye aircraft produced in partnership with Bombardier using the Global 6500 business jet as the base platform for airborne early warning and control missions. Saab has also pointed to external demand, including Ukraine, which marked its interest in more than 100 Gripen aircraft and potential GlobalEye customers in Egypt, France, and Germany. On the other hand, Lockheed Martin’s position is that maintaining the full 88-aircraft F-35 order would generate $15bn in work for Canada, with discussions between the company and the Canadian government continuing during the review period. At the moment, Canada evaluates the credibility, scale, and long-term sustainability of job and supplier commitments associated with each option. The debate unfolds against a backdrop of rising defense expenditure, with Canadian defense spending expected to increase by $82 bn over the next five years and the federal government seeking to maximize domestic economic returns from that growth. The appointment of Christiane Fox as deputy minister at the Department of National Defence has been interpreted in Ottawa as a signal of a shift in procurement approach. At the same time, concerns have been raised that aircraft fleet size and composition should be determined primarily by military requirements, including the question of whether Swedish-built Gripen aircraft could be fully integrated into NORAD-linked defense systems if Canada retained only a limited number of F-35s. Public opinion adds political context, with an Ekos survey showing 43% support for acquiring a Gripen fleet and 29% support for a mixed Gripen and F-35 fleet, while a single-fleet F-35 option attracted 13% support nationally. Support for Gripen-only peaked at 49% in British Columbia, while support for a mixed fleet was strongest in Quebec at 35%, and regional backing for an all-F-35 fleet remained lowest in Quebec and British Columbia at 9%. Partisan differences were also evident, with single-fleet F-35 support highest among Conservative voters and Gripen or mixed options leading among Liberal, NDP, and Green supporters, reinforcing that the current review reopens a choice Canada formally settled in 2023 when it selected the F-35 after a competition that assessed capability, cost, and economic benefits. (Source: Google/https://www.armyrecognition.com/)
19 Jan 26. India’s MRTT procurement set to boost IAF long-range airpower. GlobalData estimates that India will invest about $82.6bn in fixed-wing aircraft over the next decade. The HERO-90 loitering munition will participate in the US Army’s LASSO program. Credit: Niyazz/Shutterstock.com. India’s decision to procure six multirole aerial refuelling aircraft (MRTT) is anticipated to significantly improve the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) long-range operational capabilities, according to data and analytics firm GlobalData. The $1.1bn acquisition, to be handled by Israel Aerospace Industries in partnership with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), will replace the ageing Il-78MKI fleet. Current figures from GlobalData reveal that the Il-78MKI tankers, inducted in 2003, now average over 22 years in service and are no longer able to meet the endurance and interoperability needs of frontline aircraft, including the Rafale, Su-30MKI and Tejas platforms. As these platforms reach the end of their effective operational life, the introduction of new tankers is seen as essential for maintaining India’s airpower projection across strategic regions such as the Indo-Pacific. GlobalData Aerospace and Defence Analyst Harpreet Sidhu said: “The selection of a converted Boeing 767-based MRTT reflects a pragmatic and capability-driven approach by India. The Il-78 fleet, now over two decades old, has struggled to meet the endurance, availability, and interoperability demands of modern air operations. Replacing it with a modern alternative will improve mission readiness while reducing long-term sustainment risks.
“While the aircraft itself is of foreign origin, the structured involvement of HAL is strategically important as it allows for integration of indigenous systems and seamless MRO during the operational lifespan of the aircraft fleet.”
GlobalData’s market data projects India will invest about $82.6bn in fixed-wing aircraft over the next decade.
The company expects this acquisition to improve the nation’s air-to-air refuelling capability for undertaking long-range operations outside its borders.
“Aerial refuelling aircraft are force multipliers rather than frontline platforms, but their impact on airpower projection is profound. By modernising this capability, India enhances the effective range, endurance, and deterrence as it allows other frontline aerial platforms to conduct missions over hostile airspaces that are further away from its terrestrial borders,” Sidhu added.
According to a GlobalData report released last year, India’s defence expenditure is forecast to total $543.1bn between 2026 and 2030 as part of the country’s ongoing military modernisation. The report, titled India Defense Market Size and Trends, Budget Allocation, Regulations, Key Acquisitions, Competitive Landscape and Forecast, 2025-30, indicates that acquisition spending will represent 31% of the projected total. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
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Since 1946, Industrial Electronic Engineers, IEE, has specialized in the design, test, support and fielding of display products for use in demanding military and aerospace applications throughout the world. IEE has developed an extensive product portfolio that today includes enhanced flat panel displays, smart displays and handheld devices.
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