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Breaking Defense • Carley Welch

Lockheed wins up to ~$35.5B, seven-year THAAD interceptor production contract to quadruple output

The Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency awarded Lockheed Martin a seven-year, undefinitized procurement contract valued at about $35.5 billion to produce Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors. The award “puts in action” a January framework agreement aimed at quadrupling interceptor production rates.

2026-06-24T15:26:41.255879-07:00

AeroTime

Hegseth: Golden Dome directed-energy milestone test defeats drones and cruise missiles

2026-06-24T12:57:06.475265-07:00

Bloomberg

Satellite imagery shows China building a US destroyer replica target to support anti-ship missile test campaigns

2026-06-24T01:25:46.412529-07:00

DefenseNews.com

China’s PL-16 air-to-air missile: specs suggest a punch against large targets, but limits against small/fast aircraft remain unc

2026-06-22T05:39:32.857055-07:00

News Timeline

Breaking Defense

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Lockheed wins up to ~$35.5B, seven-year THAAD interceptor production contract to quadruple output The Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency awarded Lockheed Martin a seven-year, undefinitized procurement contract valued at about $35.5 billion to produce Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors. The award “puts in action” a January framework agreement aimed at quadrupling interceptor production rates.

2026-06-24T15:26:41.255879-07:00

Lockheed wins up to ~$35.5B, seven-year THAAD interceptor production contract to quadruple output

AeroTime

Hegseth: Golden Dome directed-energy milestone test defeats drones and cruise missiles Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the first Golden Dome milestone test used directed energy to defeat drones and cruise missiles, marking the program’s initial major counter-UAS and counter-cruise capability validation. The result adds a kinetic/energy kill approach to Golden Dome’s broader, layered air-and-missile-defense architecture.

2026-06-24T12:57:06.475265-07:00

Hegseth: Golden Dome directed-energy milestone test defeats drones and cruise missiles

Bloomberg

Satellite imagery shows China building a US destroyer replica target to support anti-ship missile test campaigns Satellite imagery indicates China has constructed a US destroyer replica at a remote missile-testing site in its northwestern desert. Analysts cited by the reporting say the target could be used to validate anti-ship weapons against a realistic surface-combatant profile.

2026-06-24T01:25:46.412529-07:00

Satellite imagery shows China building a US destroyer replica target to support anti-ship missile test campaigns

DefenseNews.com

SOF Week spotlights throwable rugged ground drones alongside Air Force push for collaborative combat aircraft and long-range mun Defense News Weekly reports at SOF Week on a rugged “throwable” ground drone concept designed for rapid, non-traditional entry into contested environments. The episode also notes parallel Air Force moves toward collaborative combat aircraft and the development of new long-range munitions for distributed strike and support missions.

2026-06-22T10:12:51.999072-07:00

SOF Week spotlights throwable rugged ground drones alongside Air Force push for collaborative combat aircraft and long-range mun

DefenseNews.com

China’s PL-16 air-to-air missile: specs suggest a punch against large targets, but limits against small/fast aircraft remain unc Experts assess China’s latest air-to-air missile, the PL-16, as potentially capable of pursuing large, slower-moving aircraft—though its effectiveness against smaller, faster targets is not established. The analysis frames the weapon as part of the ongoing evolution of aerial combat lethality and engagement geometry.

2026-06-22T05:39:32.857055-07:00

China’s PL-16 air-to-air missile: specs suggest a punch against large targets, but limits against small/fast aircraft remain unc

DefenseNews.com

Ukraine launches ‘TrophyLab’ to standardize and share captured Russian weapons data with allies Ukraine has launched the ‘TrophyLab’ platform to share information from captured Russian weapons with partner countries. The publicly referenced study items include the Kinzhal hypersonic missile and the T-90M tank, positioning TrophyLab as a structured conduit for allied learning and potential adaptation.

2026-06-22T02:40:33.151206-07:00

Ukraine launches ‘TrophyLab’ to standardize and share captured Russian weapons data with allies

Reuters

India–UAE talks on exporting BrahMos supersonic cruise missile as Gulf procurement accelerates India is in talks with the UAE to sell elements of its supersonic cruise-missile BrahMos capability, according to multiple sources. The proposed export comes as Abu Dhabi steps up defense procurement following the Middle East war, signaling a potential shift toward longer-range precision strike and deterrence options.

2026-06-22T02:24:41.188313-07:00

India–UAE talks on exporting BrahMos supersonic cruise missile as Gulf procurement accelerates

AeroTime

MBDA/Fly-R to industrialize Raijin R2-120 drone in UAE as India targets MRFA Rafales with upgraded Meteor BVR datalink MBDA and Fly-R will develop and industrialize the R2-120 Raijin in the UAE in a project tied to France’s Rafale industrial commitments. Separately, India’s Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) programme targets Rafales featuring upgraded Meteor missiles with enhanced datalink for improved beyond-visual-range performance.

2026-06-22T01:27:01.882906-07:00

MBDA/Fly-R to industrialize Raijin R2-120 drone in UAE as India targets MRFA Rafales with upgraded Meteor BVR datalink

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Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons News

Lockheed wins up to ~$35.5B, seven-year THAAD interceptor production contract to quadruple output

Hegseth: Golden Dome directed-energy milestone test defeats drones and cruise missiles

Satellite imagery shows China building a US destroyer replica target to support anti-ship missile test campaigns

China’s PL-16 air-to-air missile: specs suggest a punch against large targets, but limits against small/fast aircraft remain unc

News Timeline