A Forecast International blog about the arms trade, geopolitics, defense and security, and military spending.
The Dassault Rafale program is entering a period of sustained high-rate production, with export customers increasingly interested in acquiring the aircraft despite strong competition provided by the Lockheed Martin F-35, …
Rafale Rising: Production Ramp-Up and the Road to the F5 Standard Read More
The Pentagon has released a new National Defense Strategy (NDS) that represents a shift in Washington’s strategic posture, placing renewed emphasis on homeland defense, bolstering U.S. influence in the Western …
National Defense Strategy Prioritizes the Western Hemisphere, Shifts Burden-Sharing to Allies Read More
What Is the New Strategy? On January 9th, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) released its Artificial Intelligence Acceleration Strategy. The Strategy promotes a familiar outcome: for the U.S. military …
The U.S. DoD’s AI Acceleration Strategy Read More
PLA Rocket Force units participating in a parade for the PRC’s 70th anniversary in Beijing. Source – People’s Republic of China As China enters its 15th Five‑Year Plan (2026–2030), Beijing …
Analysis of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan and Its Expected Impact on China’s Military Modernization Read More
In end-of-year contract action, the Pentagon announced on December 29 an $8.58 billion award to Boeing to build 25 new F-15IA aircraft for Israel. The ten-year Foreign Military Sale …
Israeli Order for F-15IAs Underscores Eagle II’s Potential Read More
After over a decade of rule characterized by pervasive economic and political tumult that generated an exodus of millions of citizens and the country’s deepening diplomatic isolation, on January 3rd …
Venezuela: The Day After Read More
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has officially activated Task Force Scorpion Strike (TFSS), the military’s first dedicated one-way kamikaze drone squadron in the Middle East. This milestone was punctuated on December …
LUCAS: Scaling the Drone War Read More
The Announcement On December 19, 2025, the U.S. Navy announced its plan to introduce a new class of small surface combatant ships, the FF(X), as a critical component of the …
New Frigate on the Horizon: U.S. Navy Ditches Constellation-class for National Security Cutter Design Read More
It is not uncommon today to find warnings about the looming impacts of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry downturn. A recent feature in Project Syndicate, for example, brought together scholars …
Is Dual-Use Tech Entering a High(er) Risk Period? Outlook for the Year Ahead Read More Today, we provide a brief overview of how the recent government shutdown impacted the Pentagon and its funding plans. Forecast International’s U.S. Defense Market analyst Shaun McDougall unpacks the …
How the Government Shutdown Impacts the Pentagon’s Budget Read More