LOCATIONS
MARITIME
05 Feb 26. NNS completes builder’s sea trials for nuclear-powered John F Kennedy. John F Kennedy’s key systems and components were tested for the first time at sea during the trials. Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS), a division of HII, has completed builder’s sea trials for the John F Kennedy (CVN 79), the second vessel in the Gerald R Ford-class series of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. The ship departed the Virginia shipyard on 28 January to begin its first tests at sea, returning to NNS following the assessment of key systems and components. During the sea trials, sailors from the Pre-Commissioning Unit assigned to John F Kennedy worked alongside NNS shipbuilders as well as personnel from the US Navy’s supervisor of shipbuilding, Naval Sea Systems Command, and Program Executive Office Aircraft Carriers (PEO CVN) to evaluate and demonstrate ship operations. Before sailing, the crew held a five-day “Fast Cruise”, a pier-side training exercise intended to prepare both the ship and its personnel for operating conditions at sea. NNS new construction aircraft carrier programmes vice president Derek Murphy said: “Taking Kennedy to sea is a testament to the grit and determination of the world’s finest shipbuilders. Our nation is depending on us to deliver these critical assets that will protect freedom around the world and we’re proud to see CVN 79 take another step toward joining the fleet.”
The conclusion of builder’s trials marks a return to completion work on John F. Kennedy, with teams addressing any issues identified during testing. The next significant phase will be acceptance trials, though the schedule for this milestone remains under review. John F Kennedy is expected to be handed over to the US Navy in 2027 for commissioning, joining USS Gerald R Ford, which was delivered in May 2017 and commissioned in July 2017. Gerald R Ford-class new construction programme manager captain Mark Johnson said: “We’re making steady progress towards completion of the ship with all required capability.
“We continue to work closely with the shipbuilder to ensure that the nation’s next aircraft carrier is delivered to the Navy on the fastest possible path to combat readiness.”
The Gerald R Ford-class carriers have a displacement of approximately 100,000 tonnes and are larger than their Nimitz class predecessors. They can accommodate between 500 and 900 fewer crew members. These ships introduce 23 new or upgraded systems compared to earlier carriers and feature dimensions including a length of 333 metres (m), a beam of 40.8m, and a flight deck width of 78m. The Ford class also incorporates a redesigned nuclear power plant with increased electrical generation capacity. (Source: naval-technology.c
MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
PERSONNEL
12 Feb 26. Report finds irregular appointments made at Denel. More than half a dozen senior appointments at Denel were irregular, according to an independent forensic report, prompting accusations of ethical leadership failure. The report by “a top audit firm” was seen by Rapport, which said unlawful salary and bonus payments were made in addition to seven irregular senior appointments – some were appointed without posts while other appointments did not follow Denel guidelines.
“Boledi Seopela, group head of human resources, was reportedly suspended shortly after the report was handed over to Denel. At least one of the alleged unlawful appointments made by Seopela – that of Mildred Gwala as head of legal services – has also since been terminated,” City Press reported over the weekend.
The investigators recommend that disciplinary action be considered against Seopela, Tsepo Monaheng, Denel’s executive group chief executive, and chief financial officer Matodzi Mukwevho.
City Press added that certain employees received a once-off December bonus of R10 000 in 2024, which deviated from approved guidelines.
Responding to a DefenceWeb request for comment, Denel said it commissioned an investigation on possible governance failures and the report has been concluded and shared with Denel.
“The report is confidential to Denel and management is unable to elaborate on the issues raised in it. The Company commits to respond to your questions as soon as the internal process is completed.”
In response to the reports by Rapport and City Press, Derek Mans, Solidarity’s coordinator for defence and aviation, said it is now evident that this is a systemic failure of ethical leadership and governance at a strategic state-owned defence company. He added that recent events around the near non-payment of salaries at Denel PMP and Denel Dynamics in January are also deeply troubling.
“Denel exists to support the South African National Defence Force in fulfilling its constitutional mandate to protect the sovereignty and security of the Republic. For this reason, Denel’s executive leadership’s conduct must be beyond reproach.
“Allegations of coordinated misconduct, if substantiated, represent not only a betrayal of employees and taxpayers, but also a direct threat to institutional credibility and national interest,” said Mans.
The latest developments also follow years of assurances to Parliament that Denel was stabilising after state capture, governance collapse, and repeated turnaround attempts. Significant public funds have been committed to this process, including recent support for Denel PMP.
Mans said employees continue to face uncertainty, reputational harm, and operational instability.
“Solidarity is of the view that Denel can no longer be allowed to operate without decisive consequence management. Allegations of a small group acting as a clique within the company strike at the heart of fiduciary responsibility and public trust,” he said.
Solidarity called on the Denel Board to immediately place the Group CEO, Group CFO, and any other implicated officials on precautionary suspension; ensure full cooperation with law-enforcement agencies; and act decisively to restore ethical governance and institutional credibility.
“Solidarity will closely monitor developments and will not hesitate to escalate the matter through legal, parliamentary, and public channels should decisive action not follow,” Mans concluded. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
12 Feb 26. UK Armed forces careers unlocked for tens of thousands through new recruitment drive.
People looking for a career in the Armed Forces will receive advice directly from military personnel in their local jobcentre, under new plans to boost military recruitment.
- Partnership between Ministry of Defence and Department for Work and Pensions will boost Armed Forces training and careers
- Move will create opportunities for tens of thousands of young people and bring skills into Armed Forces, strengthening Britain’s defence at time of rising threats
- Young people will benefit from mentoring by serving personnel from diverse backgrounds and work coaches will receive specialist training to better promote Armed Forces opportunities
People looking for a career in the Armed Forces will receive advice directly from military personnel in their local jobcentre, under new plans to boost military recruitment. Opening up opportunities for tens of thousands of young people, the new agreement between the Ministry of Defence and Department for Work and Pensions (signed Wednesday 11 February) will connect Jobcentre Plus directly to military training and careers. Jobcentre staff will provide guidance on immediate opportunities, spanning roles from engineering and cyber, to healthcare and logistics. It will give young people skills for life and boost critical defence roles, helping our Armed Forces to meet growing security challenges. For the first time, military career opportunities will be actively promoted to jobseekers through the Jobcentre Plus network. Armed Forces Career Offices (the military’s local recruitment hubs across the UK) will be partnered with JobCentres and local Armed Forces Champions. The partnership is open to all jobseekers, with targeted support for care leavers and underrepresented groups through DWP’s Youth Hubs, breaking down barriers to defence careers and widening the pool of talented people considering a future in the Armed Forces. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
INDUSTRY
INDUSTRY TEAMINGS
12 Feb 26. System house HENSOLDT and Helsing, two leading European defence technology companies, have agreed on a strategic partnership. The aim of the collaboration is to jointly advance modern defence technologies within a sovereign German and European technology architecture in order to make a substantial contribution to securing Western democracies in times of massive geopolitical shifts. The first joint product of the two companies will be collaboration on Helsing’s AI-supported autonomous combat aircraft CA-1 Europa, which will sustainably strengthen the defence capabilities and technological leadership of a democratic Europe through purely national technology and supply chains. The CA-1 Europa is to be equipped with powerful sensor technology from HENSOLDT in the future. The plan is to integrate technologies and sensors from the fields of radar, optronics, self-protection, and electromagnetic warfare. In addition, the HENSOLDT software suite MDOcore (Multi-Domain Operations Core) provides the digital backbone for multidimensional data fusion, networking, and coordination. In conjunction with Helsing’s AI agent Centaur, the combat drone will thus be able to carry out missions autonomously, process information securely, and make it available across dimensions. The cooperation takes into account the changed security policy reality. Modern military systems must automatically collect, process, and make information usable in a very short time. The combination of powerful sensor technology and AI-based software is considered a decisive factor in making systems more adaptable and efficient. At the same time, both partners attach great importance to technological sovereignty and the development of European solutions. HENSOLDT has many years of experience in the development and integration of state-of-the-art AI-supported sensor solutions and data fusion for military applications in the air, on the ground, at sea, in space, and in cyberspace. In addition to the autonomous combat aircraft, Helsing is contributing artificial intelligence to the project that is capable of autonomously controlling the combat aircraft itself in a network and independently processing large amounts of data for this purpose. The collaboration is clearly organized according to a division of labor: each company is responsible for its technologies and contributions within its own area of expertise. Helsing and HENSOLDT are already working together with the Norwegian Kongsberg Group in the space sector to establish a sovereign satellite constellation for reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (IST) with a fully networked communication layer for Europe by 2029. The two companies intend to prepare their first joint demonstrations in the coming months. The focus will be on close coordination with customers and partners in order to test new technologies in a practical setting and gradually transfer them into operational systems.
Oliver Dörre, CEO of HENSOLDT: “The future of modern defence systems lies in the intelligent and networked interaction of sensor technology and artificial intelligence. We share a common goal with Helsing: to responsibly develop innovative technologies and thus contribute to Europe’s security policy capabilities.”
Dr. Gundbert Scherf, co-founder and co-CEO of Helsing: “Our deterrence requires sovereign air superiority. With the CA-1, we are making a clear offer for credible European deterrence. The sovereignty and superiority of our armed forces depend on our systems being developed and produced by national industry champions. The partnership between Helsing and Hensoldt is a joining of forces between two national champions. We are united by our commitment to massive investment in future technologies.”
11 Feb 26. ELT Group, a global leader in Electronic Warfare (EW) systems, and Pioneers Technical Systems, a leading Saudi company specialized in the design, manufacturing, and integration of advanced electronic systems for defence and civilian applications, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the World Defence Show 2026 in Riyadh. The agreement establishes a strategic partnership framework for an enhanced cooperation between the two Companies, focused on the advanced local manufacturing of critical components. Leveraging on the presence of its Local Subsidiary – Elettronica for Industry LLC – a local Saudi-law company focused on localizing logistic support and, more extensively, the entire value chain, ELT Group aims at cooperating with Pioneers for local production opportunities for both the domestic market and for the export, in full alignment with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategic objectives for industrial participation. The partnership between ELT Group and Pioneers will evolve through multiple initiatives, targeting the joint production of electronics components, seeking to build indigenous design and manufacturing capabilities in a key sector, fostering partnerships to enhance security, reduce import reliance, and generate high-tech jobs.
Enzo Benigni, President and CEO of ELT Group said: “The MoU with Pioneers Technical Systems represents a significant milestone in our long-term localization strategy in Saudi Arabia. It allows us to consolidate a privileged relationship with one of the leading private players in the Saudi defence sector, recognized at governmental level for its expertise, reliability, and industrial capabilities. Through Elettronica for Industry LLC, we continue to strengthen our footprint in the country, deepen ties with key stakeholders, and contribute concretely to the growth of the national defence industrial base.”
Mr. Ziyad Almohaimeed CEO of Pioneers said: “This Memorandum of Understanding with ELT Group reflects Pioneers’ commitment to building strategic international partnerships with globally recognized industry leaders. ELT Group’s longstanding expertise and leadership in Electronic Warfare and defence electronics make them a highly valued partner for Pioneers. By combining ELT Group’s advanced technological capabilities with Pioneers’ local manufacturing and integration expertise, we aim to accelerate the localization of critical defence electronics in the Kingdom and strengthen national industrial and technological capabilities.”
ELT Group has been present in Saudi Arabia through its subsidiary Elettronica for Industry LLC, actively supporting localization efforts and contributing to the Kingdom’s ambitious defence and industrial development goals.
06 Feb 26. BAE Systems and PGZ have signed an agreement to explore cooperation on a range of strategic business interests. The two leading defence businesses will look to work together more closely to support security requirements and economic growth in Poland, the United Kingdom and the wider European market, as well as to target appropriate global export opportunities. The agreement covers a wide range of potential collaboration opportunities across defence domains -land, air, sea, cyber and space – building on existing joint efforts to produce 155mm ammunition in Poland for its military Both companies will also share expertise to drive corporate growth and business improvement.
David Williams, Europe Managing Director at, BAE Systems, said: “This agreement will allow us to build on our longstanding presence in Poland and work with PGZ to help advance the nation’s security and economic objectives. We’ll collaborate to look at ways to help accelerate the pace of change in vital areas of mutual interest and support the country’s industrial base . The intent of this work is to bolster the already strong cooperation between our two companies and continue to find efficient ways to deliver for Poland, the UK and NATO.”
Adam Leszkiewicz, President of the Management Board of PGZ S.A., said: “BAE Systems is our partner, with whom we have established technological cooperation in the production of 155 mm ammunition. The aim of the agreement is to expand this cooperation into further areas that will strengthen our position in both domestic and international markets. Together, we will explore new projects, including the areas of land, counter UAV and autonomous systems. We want to build a strong partnership and benefit from the extensive experience that BAE Systems brings. At PGZ Group, we strive to systematically strengthen our capabilities through partnerships with the world’s largest defence companies and BAE Systems is such an example.”
This agreement builds on the existing work between the two companies to produce 155mm ammunition in Poland to meet the requirements of its military.
PERSONNEL
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
10 Feb 26. Concurrent, a leader in embedded computing solutions, has appointed Cody Cox as Director of Embedded Technology. Cody joins from the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), where he worked as a Research Engineer specialising in the Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) and the integration of SOSA? aligned hardware for defence platforms. At GTRI, he championed modernisation efforts for the MQ-9 Reaper, supporting the adoption of open architecture principles to improve interoperability and upgradeability. Cody also coordinated the 2025 SOSA PlugFest, an Open Architecture event involving more than 30 industry and government organisations, and authored the official technical report detailing system conformance and interoperability.
10 Feb 26. The International Institute for Strategic Studies announced the appointment of Dr Lami Kim as its first IISS Korea Chair in Advanced Technologies, National Security and Defence, based at Arundel House, the IISS headquarters in London. The position has been created through generous multi-m-dollar donations from the Korea Foundation and Hanwha.
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
12 Feb 26. BAE Systems, Inc. has appointed Mona Bates senior vice president and Chief Information and Digital Officer, effective February 23, 2026. In this role, Bates will be a member of the BAE Systems, Inc., senior leadership team, reporting to President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Arseneault. She will be responsible for leading and executing the company’s technology and digital strategies to advance business priorities and enhance user experience. Bates will also lead the BAE Systems, Inc. IT function. Bates has more than 20 years of IT and business expertise across industry and government, 15 years of which was with RTX (formerly Raytheon Technologies) companies where she most recently served as the Chief Digital Officer for Collins Aerospace. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
09 Feb 26. J.F. Lehman & Company (“JFLCO”), a leading alternative asset manager focused exclusively on the aerospace, defense, government, maritime, environmental and infrastructure sectors, announced several organizational updates, including the promotion of Michael S. Friedman, William J. Hanenberg and David F. Thomas to Partner, Private Equity. Additional promotions on the Investment Team include R. Benjamin Hatcher and Kevin Vallès to Managing Director, and Alec M. Schmidt to Principal. “Ben, Kevin and Alec have made significant contributions to our organization by generating, executing and overseeing many high-quality transactions. Their promotions reflect their exemplary performance and meaningful commitment to the firm,” said Glenn Shor, Managing Partner. Additional promotions included Isabel Grabel to Vice President, Marketing & Investor Relations, Sarah Cabrera to Vice President, Controller, and Mokhtar Akhtari to Fund Controller. “The progression of these talented individuals acknowledges their professional growth and the trust they have earned across our organization in recent years,” said Louis Mintz, Managing Partner.
The firm is also pleased to announce the addition of Emilie Q. Ascione as an Associate on the Investment Team as well as Mila A. Schuster to the Administrative Team.
Promotions
Michael S. Friedman, Partner, Private Equity. Mr. Friedman joined JFLCO in 2007 and is actively involved in the sourcing, acquisition, oversight and disposition of portfolio investments. He has served on many of the boards of JFLCO’s investments and currently serves as a director of Mission Microwave and Trillium Engineering.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Friedman began his career as an Investment Banking Analyst in Jefferies’ Aerospace & Defense Group. Mr. Friedman graduated magna cum laude from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a B.S. in economics.
William J. Hanenberg, Partner, Private Equity. Mr. Hanenberg joined JFLCO in 2008 and is actively involved in sourcing, acquisition, oversight and disposition of portfolio investments. He has served on many of the boards of JFLCO’s investments and currently serves as Chairman of Wrist and a director of Atlas Air Worldwide and ENTACT.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Hanenberg was an Investment Banking Analyst in Bank of America’s Global Industrials Group. Mr. Hanenberg earned a B.S. in economics from Duke University and an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School.
David F. Thomas, Partner, Private Equity. Mr. Thomas joined JFLCO in 2010 and is actively involved in the sourcing, acquisition, oversight and disposition of portfolio investments. He has served on many of the boards of JFLCO’s investments and currently serves as a director of Atomic Transport, Crystal Clean, NorthStar Group, PURIS, Reclamation Technologies and TMS Group.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Thomas began his career as an Investment Banking Analyst in Credit Suisse’s M&A Group. Mr. Thomas graduated from Yale University, where he earned a B.A. in economics.
- Benjamin Hatcher, Managing Director, Private Equity. Mr. Hatcher joined JFLCO in 2013 and is actively involved in the sourcing, acquisition, oversight and disposition of portfolio investments. He currently serves as a director of CodeMettle, CTS Engines, TMS Group and Wellman Dynamics.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Hatcher began his career as an Investment Banking Analyst in Jefferies’ Aerospace & Defense Group. Mr. Hatcher graduated from the University of Virginia, where he earned a B.A. in economics and foreign affairs.
Kevin Vallès, Managing Director, Private Equity. Mr. Vallès joined JFLCO in 2017 and is actively involved in the sourcing, acquisition, oversight and disposition of portfolio investments. He currently serves as a director of ENTACT, NorthStar Group and PURIS.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Vallès was a Private Equity Senior Associate at JLL Partners and began his career as an Investment Banking Analyst at Lazard. Mr. Vallès graduated magna cum laude from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a B.S. in economics with concentrations in finance and operations. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Governors Island Foundation.
Alec M. Schmidt, Principal, Private Equity. Mr. Schmidt joined JFLCO in 2021 and is actively involved in the acquisition, oversight and disposition of portfolio investments.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Schmidt was a Senior Associate at Rubicon Technology Partners, where he focused on private equity investments in Enterprise Software. Mr. Schmidt began his career as an Investment Banking Analyst at Harris Williams. Mr. Schmidt graduated from Pennsylvania State University, where he earned a B.S. in finance and a minor in business law.
Isabel R. Grabel, Vice President, Marketing & Investor Relations. Ms. Grabel joined JFLCO in 2024 and is involved in the firm’s marketing and capital formation efforts.
Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Grabel was a Senior Associate at Harvest Partners, where she focused on private equity investments in Industrial, Healthcare, Business Services and Consumer end markets. Ms. Grabel began her career as an Investment Banking Analyst at Jefferies. Ms. Grabel graduated from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, where she earned her B.B.A. with a concentration in Finance and Financial Management Services.
Sarah J. Cabrera, Vice President, Controller. Ms. Cabrera joined JFLCO in 2019 and assists in managing the firm’s treasury, finance and accounting functions.
Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Cabrera served as Director of Accounting for Politico, where she was responsible for all aspects of the accounting function. Previously, Ms. Cabrera worked for a public company with SEC filing requirements. Ms. Cabrera graduated from Strayer University, where she earned a B.S. in accounting, and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Mokhtar Akhtari, Fund Controller. Mr. Akhtari joined JFLCO in 2023 and supports the firm’s treasury, finance and accounting functions.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Akhtari served as an Assistant Controller for Standish Management. Previously, Mr. Akhtari held various finance and accounting positions with DoublePositive, TOR International Group and Standard Chartered Bank. Mr. Akhtari earned a B.A. in finance from Kardan University and an M.B.A. from the Modern Institute of Management, and is a Certified Public Accountant.
Team Additions
Emilie Q. Ascione, Associate. Ms. Ascione joined JFLCO in 2025 and is actively involved in the acquisition, oversight and disposition of portfolio investments.
Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Ascione began her career as an Investment Banking Analyst at Jefferies in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group. Ms. Ascione graduated from Indiana University, where she earned a B.S. in finance from the Kelley School of Business.
Mila A. Schuster, Reception. Ms. Schuster joined JFLCO in 2025 and provides administrative support to the firm.
Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Schuster held various administrative roles, most recently as a Project Coordinator at a construction and development company. Ms. Schuster earned a B.A. in Liberal Arts from Hunter College.
12 Feb 26. Peraton, a leading provider of national security solutions, today announced the appointment of Robert “Bob” Genter as President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective February 17, 2026. Genter will oversee operations and execution in support of Peraton’s strategic priorities, with an emphasis on driving operational excellence and continued scalable growth. Reporting directly to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Steve Schorer, he will work closely with the leadership team to strengthen the company’s portfolio of mission-focused capabilities and advance talent and development across the organization. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
REST OF THE WORLD APPOINTMENTS
10 Feb 26. DroneShield (ASX:DRO), a global leader in counter-UAS technology, today announced the appointment of Michael Powell as Chief Operating Officer, reinforcing the company’s operational leadership as it enters its next phase of global growth. The appointment follows a period of accelerated expansion for DroneShield, including increased activity across Europe and the United States, rising demand from defense, government, and critical-infrastructure customers, and a major expansion of manufacturing capacity at the company’s Alexandria, New South Wales facility. The expanded site significantly increases production throughput, shortens delivery timelines, and strengthens supply-chain resilience, positioning DroneShield to support long-term programs of record and sustained global demand.
06 Feb 26. Myriota has appointed seasoned technology executive George Kanuck as its new chief operating officer, as the company accelerates its global expansion. Based in Austin, Texas, Kanuck brings more than two decades of senior leadership experience across complex technology businesses spanning internet of things (IOT), cyber security and enterprise software. His career includes executive roles at Trustonic, Good Technology and within the Nutanix ecosystem, most recently serving as chief revenue officer at digital experience firm Monetate. (Source: Space Connect)