A Forecast International blog about the arms trade, geopolitics, defense and security, and military spending.
The White House made headlines recently by declaring its FY26 defense budget request would break the trillion-dollar mark, but the president’s claims don’t quite hold up to scrutiny. While the …
A Trillion-Dollar Defense Budget That Isn’t Read More
In April, the U.S. Space Force (USSF) formally accepted its latest satellite jamming technology, called Meadowlands, from L3Harris following a successful System Verification Review. Its arrival marks a wider U.S. …
The Open Systems Turn: ‘Meadowlands’ and Flexible Defense Acquisition Read More
Governments around the world are scrambling to acquire hypersonic missiles, seen as the “must-have” weapon for winning future wars. Russia has used its Kh-47 Kinzhal hypersonic missile in combat against …
Hypersonic Weapons Programs Face Scrutiny After ARRW and HALO Setbacks Read More
In a break from tradition, Congress passed a full-year continuing resolution (CR) to fund the Department of Defense for Fiscal Year 2025, a move that provides new-start authority but hinders …
Congress Scales Back Ambitions in Final FY25 Defense Deal Read More
The U.S. Army is seeking industry input for a next-generation autonomous breaching vehicle that could reduce risk to troops in warzones. The service recently released a Request for Information (RFI) …
U.S. Army Eyes New Autonomous Breaching Vehicle with ‘BaDGER’ Program Read More
The British Army, in collaboration with Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), and Thales UK, has completed a series of trials of the RapidDestroyer …
Thales RapidDestroyer Demonstrator Neutralizes Drone Swarms in British Army Trials Read More
Although it might be too early to know exactly what effect the “Tariff Wars” will have on military technology in general, it is fairly certain that the “Drone Wars” will …
U.S. Marine Corps Emerging as Major Player in DoD’s Billion Dollar Counter-Drone Effort Read More
In a pivotal step for European defense modernization, four major defense companies—KNDS Deutschland, KNDS France, Rheinmetall Landsysteme, and Thales—have formally established the MGCS Project Company GmbH (MPC). The new entity, …
MGCS Project Company GmbH Officially Launched by KNDS, Rheinmetall, and Thales Read More
In aerospace defense circles, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) has seized an outsized role in worldwide debate since the Trump administration took office, becoming a flashpoint topic for international …
Tariffs, Trust, and the F-35: Can Global Volatility Upend the JSF? Read More
As of March 2025, the United States remains the world’s largest arms exporter, accounting for 43% of global arms exports. But even as demand for American-made defense equipment surges amid …
Trump Tariffs Hammer U.S. Artillery Market Despite Export Dominance Read More