DefenseNews.com
• Rudy Ruitenberg
Switzerland is evaluating Israel’s Barak MX and Europe’s SAMP/T NG for long-range ground-based air defense as Patriot deliveries face delays of several years. The government says it will continue assessing the alternatives while keeping its acquisition of five Patriot fire units in place.
Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons
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Kim Jong Un urged North Korea to achieve “absolute superiority” in drone technology during an unmanned aeronautical technology exhibition and weapons demonstration, state media KCNA reported. The event coincided with the firing of missiles and rockets, underscoring Pyongyang’s public emphasis on expanding its unmanned capabilities alongside other weapons.
Switzerland is evaluating Israel’s Barak MX and Europe’s SAMP/T NG for long-range ground-based air defense as Patriot deliveries face delays of several years. The government says it will continue assessing the alternatives while keeping its acquisition of five Patriot fire units in place.
Switzerland has narrowed its search for an additional long-range air defense system to Israel Aerospace Industries’ Barak MX and the French-Italian SAMP/T NG. The move adds a European-Israeli competition to its existing U.S. Patriot procurement, which remains delayed.
A network of roughly 5,000 agencies has helped Iran procure components, explosives and heavy-duty trucks for its drone and missile programs. Deliveries continued during the war via land, sea and air, according to the report, underscoring the reach of procurement channels operating despite the US blockade.
The European defense startup says it has completed more than 1,750 Ruta cruise missiles, with production approaching 300 units in October 2026. Destinus says its current monthly output exceeds the volume Europe produced in a year before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, framing the pace as support for military stockpiling and replenishment.
The U.S. Space Force’s first operational missile-tracking satellites are now expected to launch in spring 2027, nearly two years behind the original plan. The delay comes as the Space Development Agency considers additional flight demonstrations before committing to large purchases of next-generation sensors.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali says Ethiopia has received Russian-made Su-35 fighters, with accounts differing on whether the initial delivery comprises two aircraft or all 12 planned. The jets reportedly arrived a year ahead of schedule, while Ethiopia also plans to acquire four S-400 air-defense batteries.
Firehawk Defense, a U.S. rocket motor maker backed by Donald Trump Jr., said a new financing round valued the startup at more than $1.4 billion. The investment comes as private capital targets shortages in tactical munitions, according to the report.
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