Sponsored by Galvion
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11 Dec 25. In October, the Integrated Battle Command System, built by Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) for the U.S. Army, completed a pivotal flight test at White Sands Missile Range. This test was part of Follow-on Operational Test & Evaluation (FOT&E) to assess IBCS operational effectiveness in a tactical environment. During the test, Army Air Defenders used IBCS in a complex environment that mimicked real-world operations, identifying and engaging targets via multiple interceptors. The flight test intercept of two surrogate cruise missile targets demonstrated IBCS’s capability to defeat realistic threats in operational environments and highlighted its ability to enhance joint missions, as it integrated with U.S. Navy participants.
- Under FOT&E, IBCS is being assessed for its ability to defeat new threats and meet operational needs. The results of the FOT&E and this operational flight test will inform future IBCS development and fielding to the Army. IBCS’s modular open systems design enables IBCS to evolve and adapt to changing requirements and threats.
- Northrop Grumman is manufacturing IBCS under a full-rate production contract in a new, state-of-the-art manufacturing center in Madison, Alabama. The new facility has the capability to double the company’s manufacturing capacity in Huntsville and scale IBCS to meet growing demand for integrated fires, command and control in the U.S. and globally.
Jeremy Knupp, vice president, global command and control solutions, Northrop Grumman: “IBCS continues to showcase exceptional performance as seen during this soldier-run FOT&E flight test. By defeating complex threats, IBCS proved its flexibility to integrate new technologies and unify systems regardless of source, service or domain.”
10 Dec 25. Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) has announced construction on a state-of-the-art facility that will support production of the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) is nearing completion. The 88,000-square-foot Missile Assembly Building-5 (MAB-5) is on track for completion by early 2026, with a formal grand opening to follow. This purpose-built facility is a critical piece of Lockheed Martin’s commitment to delivering the NGI system to the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) with speed, reliability and precision. NGI is the future of homeland missile defense, designed to defeat evolving ballistic missile threats to the United States.
“We’re building out nearly 100,000 square feet of manufacturing and production spaces in Courtland dedicated to the NGI program,” said Johnathon Caldwell, vice president and general manager of Strategic and Missile Defense Systems at Lockheed Martin. “The new Missile Assembly Building represents a major investment in our ability to produce the NGI at scale and meet the government’s need for rapid delivery.”
Purpose-Built for Speed, Scale and Security
MAB-5 is designed with efficiency and repeatability in mind, incorporating best practices from high-reliability programs like the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. The NGI itself is designed for producibility, with a digital twin approach that helps reduce risk across the product lifecycle, from design through manufacturing to sustainment. Lockheed Martin is applying decades of experience to its NGI production strategy, combining proven design and manufacturing techniques with next-generation digital engineering tools. The company has a strong legacy of delivering highly complex defense systems, and NGI continues that tradition.
Digital Engineering Drives Down Risk, Speeds Up Delivery
“Born digital,” NGI leverages advanced modeling and simulation as part of its advanced engineering. It also means that Lockheed Martin has used advanced digital engineering tools and techniques to design, test and validate the system. This approach allows for:
- Digital twin creation: A digital replica of the system is created, which can be used to simulate and analyze its behavior, performance and interactions.
- Model-based systems engineering: The system is designed and optimized using digital models, which enables early detection and mitigation of potential issues.
- Virtual testing and validation: The system is tested and validated using digital simulations, reducing the need for physical prototypes and minimizing the risk of errors.
- Data-driven decision making: Data and analytics are used to inform design decisions, optimize performance and predict maintenance needs.
- Increased collaboration: Digital tools enable real-time collaboration and communication among stakeholders, including designers, engineers and manufacturers.
“This capability was designed for performance, but more importantly, it was also designed for manufacturability, reliability and speed,” Caldwell said. “As the backbone to a multilayered integrated national defense system, producing NGI at speed is paramount to the mission.”
Economic Growth Opportunities
The Courtland site currently supports several Army, Navy and Missile Defense Agency programs and employs nearly 500 people. Approximately 100 of those employees will work in MAB-5 once it becomes fully operational.
“The next generation of our nation’s defense systems will include critical capabilities built in Courtland, Alabama, by hardworking men and women who will bring their skill, ingenuity and pride to protecting our country,” said U.S. Rep. Dale Strong. “This new state-of-the-art facility will speed up production, create good-paying jobs and help drive economic growth in the community. Projects like this show that Courtland’s best days are still ahead.”
Lockheed Martin’s adjacent facility in Troy, Alabama, will also play a key role in NGI production, supporting hardware integration and large-scale manufacturing. Together, the Troy and Courtland campuses represent the core of Lockheed Martin’s commitment to national missile defense and industrial readiness.
10 Dec 25. Germany plans production of advanced Taurus missiles from 2029. Germany plans to begin production of an upgraded version of its Taurus cruise missile in 2029, according to a budget proposal seen by Reuters on Tuesday, which is expected to be approved by parliament next week. German forces currently have some 600 Taurus missiles with an official range of more than 500 km (311 miles) in their inventories, to be launched from fighter jets such as the Tornado, the F-15 or the F-18. The weapon, built by European defence company MBDA (AIR.PA), opens (BAES.L) (LDOF.MI) is designed to destroy high-value targets behind enemy lines such as command bunkers, ammunition and fuel dumps, airfields and bridges. The German government has repeatedly denied requests by Ukraine to supply it with Taurus cruise missiles amid concerns over their long range and their potential use against targets inside Russia. The upgraded Taurus NEO missile, as outlined in the 415-m-euro ($483 m) budget proposal which is classified as confidential, will feature an extended range, improved shielding against interference, and advancements in navigation and seeker head technology. Sweden’s Saab (SAABb.ST) and U.S.-based Williams International are identified as the main subcontractors for the enhanced missile. At a later stage, Sweden and Spain may join the contract, the document said. According to previous information, Germany aims to purchase some 600 Taurus NEO for around 2 bn euros in total. The Kremlin has told Germany that delivering cruise missiles to Kyiv would lead to a further round of “spiralling tension” in the Ukraine conflict. ($1 = 0.8595 euros) (Source: Reuters)
10 Dec 25. Indumil unveils new details on Colombian rifle. The Colombian company Indumil unveiled its new assault rifle at the Expodefensa 2025 conference in Bogotá on 1 December. The new rifle is lighter and more modular than Colombia’s standard-issue Galil ACE 21-22-23, its two Indumil designers Cecilia Puín and John Freddy Pérez told Janes in an interview on 3 December. Its name will be chosen from three potential options – Cóndor, Ares, or Facoe. This project will continue with the manufacture of 50 units of the weapon for testing. After the feedback phase, preparations will begin for production of an initial batch, estimated for the second half of 2026, Colombian officials have said. The design process began in 2020 with an analysis of potential technology solutions, Puín and Pérez said. Then the company produced 3D models for approximately three years to generate the first functional designs. These rifles underwent testing and evaluation by the armed forces, whose feedback led to adjustments, including the adoption of a central loading system – due to its similarity to the M4 rifle pattern – instead of the traditional system used by previous models. One of the criticisms of the IWI Galil ACE 21-22-23 is its weight and vulnerability to corrosion, stemming from the abundance of metal parts, said the designers. Indumil opted to use high-strength polymers, reserving metal reinforcements only in critical areas such as anchors and stress points. This reduced the weapon’s final weight by approximately 15%. A plastic cover was also added to prevent corrosion and simplify maintenance in jungle, humid, coastal, or other harsh environments. (Source: Janes)
08 Dec 25. GDLS and AV Successfully Demo PERCH Loitering Munitions Launcher. General Dynamics Land Systems today announced a successful demonstration of the Precision Effects & Reconnaissance, Canister-Housed (PERCH) system, codeveloped with strategic partner AeroVironment (AV), at the U.S. Army’s Machine Assisted Rugged Sapper (MARS) event at Fort Hood, Texas. PERCH is a modular kit that integrates AV’s Switchblade 300 and Switchblade 600 loitering munitions into M1A2 Abrams SEPv3 main battle tanks and Stryker infantry carrier vehicles for beyond-line-of-sight surveillance and lethality. PERCH does not require welding nor cutting for mounting; instead, it replaces the Abrams’ loader sponson box and is bolted into place using existing attachment points. Future iterations will operate on existing vehicle computer systems. At the MARS demo on Oct. 26-30, users completed a complex obstacle breach with the aid of beyond-line-of-sight reconnaissance and over-the-horizon targeting of high-value targets provided by a Switchblade 300 and a Switchblade 600 launched from an Abrams tank via PERCH.
“PERCH allows units to deploy Switchblade loitering munitions far forward on the battlefield while remaining covered and concealed themselves,” said Jim Pasquarette, vice president, U.S. strategy and business development, General Dynamics Land Systems. “We have seen a lot of Soldier interest in this readymade, effective concept, and we look forward to future demonstrations. With our partners at AV, we’re generating the power to win on the modern battlefield.”
“Integrating Switchblade 300 and 600 into General Dynamics Land Systems platforms through the PERCH modular kit delivers immediate operational advantages – extending reach and enabling rapid, precise effects from protected positions,” said Brian Young, senior vice president, loitering munitions systems at AV. “This demonstration showcased the expanded beyond-line-of-sight precision engagement capabilities available to our military by embedding mature loitering munition systems on combat vehicles. We value our partnership with GDLS and our shared commitment to delivering reliable, field-ready solutions to warfighters.” (Source: ASD Network)
05 Dec 25. Kevlar EXO™, the next-gen aramid fiber, is expanding its capabilities in life protection with the launch of its use in hard armor applications, including helmets and ballistic plate inserts. Building on its success as the core component of soft armor, Kevlar® EXO™ will now serve a structural role in hard armor, enhancing performance through superior impact resistance and energy absorption. Unlike in soft armor, where Kevlar® EXO™ acts as the primary protective layer, Kevlar® EXO™ functions as a crucial reinforcement within composite structures in its first application in hard armor. This is a new function for the material, improving structural integrity, limiting crack propagation and dispersing energy.
“The success of Kevlar® EXO™ in soft armor applications paved the way for its evolution into structural uses like hard armor,” said Kevlar® EXO™ Marketing Manager of Defense, Gerrad Allison. “As we expand into composite systems, from ballistic plates to aerospace and industrial applications, our focus remains on advancing lightweight strength and impact resistance to protect people and enhance product performance across industries.”
Kevlar® EXO™ is already being integrated into plates for TYR Tactical®, the leading global manufacturer of tactical gear and equipment for military and law enforcement. Beyond armor, Kevlar® EXO™’s structural versatility is driving innovation across industries. From high-strength, flexible fuel bladders to structures for space exploration, its structural reinforcement capabilities and enhanced strength-to-weight ratio opens its potential in a range of high-performance composites. (Source: PR Newswire)
06 Dec 25. EDEX 2025: Egypt unveils Sakr 105 rocket launcher. Egypt’s state-owned Arab Organisation for Industrialisation (AOI) displayed a shoulder-launched rocket system called the Sakr 105 during the Egypt Defence Expo (EDEX) 2025 held in Cairo from 1 to 4 December. As its name implies, the weapon uses a 105 mm projectile that has a range of 50–700 m and comes with either an anti-tank or a thermobaric warhead. The disposable rocket launching tube is fitted to a reusable launcher and optical sight that has an option to add a night-vision device. Two Sakr 105s were displayed at EDEX but only the one on the AOI subsidiary Arab International Optronics stand was fitted with the sight, which was labelled as the D98. While the Sakr 105 concept is similar to the RPG-32 Nashshab that Jordan’s Jadara Equipment & Defence Systems developed with Russian assistance, the D98 looked different from the DS-2R used with its Jordanian counterpart. The Sakr 105’s weight was stated to be 3.25 kg, which presumably does not include the rocket, but no figure was given for the thickness of armour the anti-tank warhead can penetrate.(Source: Janes)
05 Dec 25. METEOR Missile and F-35A One Step Closer to Operational Capability. MBDA and Lockheed Martin achieve critical integration milestone with ground test success. MBDA, Lockheed Martin, and the F-35 Joint Program Office recently completed a series of critical ground-based integration tests with METEOR and F-35A, bringing the pair closer to operational readiness. METEOR – the beyond visual range air-to-air missile – is the result of a six-nation cooperation program involving the UK, Italy, France, Germany, Spain, and Sweden. Since its entry into service, it has been integrated onto a variety of platforms. This test success is the latest step towards enabling METEOR’s capability on F-35. While the UK is leading the integration campaign for F-35B, Italy is sponsoring integration onto the F-35A model. As a network-enabled capability, met through weapons data link communication, integrating METEOR onto a fifth-generation platform like F-35 enables its air crew to have the most flexible weapon system and take advantage of both the weapon system and platforms capabilities.
A pivotal step
Conducted at Edwards Air Force Base, California, the ground vibration testing and fit checks validated key hardware responses between the 5th Generation fighter aircraft and missile — a pivotal step before airborne tests begin. Engineers meticulously evaluated the data collected from the trials to confirm the safe stowage and deployment of the missile from the F-35A’s internal weapons bay, preserving the aircraft’s valuable stealth profile.
Next steps
One ground test remains before clearance to start flight testing, bringing the METEOR missile and the F35A one step closer to operational capability. These recent tests follow the Royal Air Force’s announcement earlier this year of successful METEOR flight tests on an F-35B. The F-35’s sensor suite, coupled with METEOR’s kinematics, will give operators the operational advantage they expect from their choice of weapon system.
Redefining combat air in the 21st century
MBDA developed METEOR to meet the needs of six partner nations. These nations shared a common requirement: to counter present and future aerial threats. MBDA delivered this by developing a missile with a ‘No Escape Zone’ significantly larger than that of any comparable system. Meaning that once METEOR is in flight, the threat it is defending against has far fewer options to evade it. At the heart of this advanced capability is METEOR’s ramjet propulsion, which uses a solid-fuel, variable-flow ducted rocket design. Unlike traditional missiles that rely on an initial boost and then coast unpowered, METEOR’s ramjet delivers sustained thrust right up until intercepting a threat. Interception is aided by an active radar seeker for terminal guidance, and supported by inertial mid-course navigation augmented by a two-way data link. This datalink enables target updates or mid-flight retargeting. When a threat inevitably fails to escape, METEOR’s blast-fragmentation warhead neutralizes it. Dual fusing – impact and proximity – maximizes the warhead’s effectiveness. METEOR redefines air combat in the 21st century, and is already in active service with the partner nations for which it was built, and is integrated onto their frontline platforms; Saab Gripen, Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale. In addition to the integration onto the F-35 Lightning II underway, South Korea has also begun testing the missile for deployment on the KF-21 Boramae. (Source: ASD Network)
05 Dec 25. NGC’s SMART Demo Program Delivers 2 Solid Rocket Motors and Achieves Successful Firing in Under 12 Months. The company demonstrates innovative design and utilizes new materials to expedite development and improve cost efficiency Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) successfully tested the first of two new solid rocket motors — SMASH!22 and BAMM!29 2.0 — designed and manufactured in 2025 under the SMART Demo program. This milestone marks a key achievement in the project’s most ambitious year by delivering both motors in under 12 months. The static test fire of SMASH!22, the 22-inch diameter Solid Motor Adaptable, Scalable, Half Time/Cost solid rocket motor configuration, evaluated several innovative incorporations such as advanced manufacturing and new materials that could speed development and production, boost performance and lower costs.
- The test generated a comprehensive suite of data that will further the team’s understanding of the demonstrated technologies.
- The second motor, the 29-inch diameter Bombardment Attack Missile Motor called BAMM!29 2.0, is slated for static testing in early 2026, continuing the momentum of the SMART Demo initiative.
The SMART Demo program is designed to tailor solid rocket motor designs to meet specific industry needs. Northrop Grumman developed both the SMASH and BAMM motors leveraging knowledge from previous projects while integrating advanced tooling, additively manufactured components, and a diversified supplier base. (Source: ASD Network)
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About Galvion:
Galvion designs, develops, and delivers mission critical head, face, and torso protective solutions as well as intelligent power and data management systems for the world’s most demanding military and tactical teams. Founded in 2002 as Revision Military, a foundational belief in calculated investment and capability expansion led to a strategic refocus, resulting in the divestiture of the protective eyewear business, along with the Revision name, in 2019. Rebranded as Galvion, the company’s products and technology continue to evolve beyond purely passive protection, focusing instead on active systems that enhance performance and survivability, with an eye to the ever-changing demands of the modern battlefield. Through advanced design, keen end-user insight and intelligent integration, Galvion engineers uniquely customized solutions that go beyond what was once thought possible.
Privately owned with ISO 9001:2015 certified facilities in Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire in the US, Montreal in Canada and Bristol in the UK, Galvion’s team of 400+ employees work proactively to solve the problems left unsolved by others.
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