A Forecast International blog about the arms trade, geopolitics, defense and security, and military spending.
The U.S. Army recently tested the AH-64 attack helicopter’s 30mm cannon against unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) using a new proximity fuze ammunition, which allows the round to detonate near the …
U.S. Army Tests Drone Killing Capability of Apache’s 30mm Gun Read More
Echoes of Project Maven This past January, Reuters reported that American Large Language Model (LLM) developer Anthropic had reached a standstill in its dealings with the U.S. Department of Defense …
Anthropic and the U.S. DoD: Unusual Dynamics in an Unusual Time Read More
Illustration of the PAC-3 MSE interceptor. Source: Lockheed Martin The U.S. is significantly expanding production of missile systems, including PAC-3 MSE, Tomahawk, Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), SM-3, and SM-6, …
Accelerating U.S. Missile Development and Naval Posture in the Indo-Pacific Read More
Following several weeks of speculation, the German government and shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) announced the conclusion of a preliminary agreement on Tuesday, Feb. 3, to build three MEKO A-200 …
ThyssenKrupp Receives Frigate Order Amid Germany’s F-126 Woes Read More
Almost as soon as news of the emergency shutdown this morning of El Paso International Airport started spreading like wildfire came word that the measure had been lifted. Conflicting statements …
El Paso Airport Shutdown Draws Spotlight on Counter-Drone Technology Read More
Boeing and Lockheed Martin’s combined fourth-quarter reports indicate a banner year for fighter aircraft deliveries, but a deeper look reveals important context and program-specific headwinds from 2025. Overall, the only …
American Fighter Primes in Review: A Breakdown of Boeing and Lockheed Martin’s 2025 Jet Deliveries Read More
Source: Ukraine MoD/21st Mechanized Brigade On February 3rd, the Pentagon announced the 25 vendors invited to participate in Phase I of the Drone Dominance Program (DDP). By injecting $1.1 billion …
Could the Army’s “Gauntlet” for Cheap Combat Drones Rewrite the Defense Acquisition Playbook? Read More
Portions of the federal government that shut down over the weekend reopened on Tuesday with the signing of a multi-bill appropriations package. Most of the government is now fully funded …
Navigating the Post-Shutdown Defense Budget Landscape Read More
On Tuesday, a U.S. Marine Corps F-35C Lightning II fighter operating from the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) aircraft carrier shot down an Iranian drone in the Arabian Sea. Reports indicate …
U.S. F-35C Downs Iranian Drone Amid Escalation in the Gulf Read More
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