Australia has opened its Port Wakefield Missile Assembly Facility to begin producing Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System rounds for its Army HIMARS launchers. The move strengthens national supply chains and positions Australia for future missile exports in the Indo-Pacific. On 5 December 2025, Australia formally entered the ranks of missile-producing nations with the start of operations at a new Missile Assembly Facility in Port Wakefield, South Australia, as reported by the Australian Department of Defence and Lockheed Martin Australia. The site will manufacture Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) munitions for the Army’s High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), transforming long-planned investments in long-range fires into a tangible sovereign capability. In a context of rising demand for precision munitions and growing strategic uncertainty in the Indo-Pacific, this move goes far beyond the opening of a new factory line. It is intended to harden national supply chains, deepen defence industrial cooperation with the United States and lay the groundwork for future exports to partners. The Port Wakefield Missile Assembly Facility will initially concentrate on producing GMLRS All Up Rounds and launch pod containers, mirroring the configurations currently supplied from US production lines. GMLRS is a GPS-guided rocket with a range exceeding 70 kilometres, providing the Australian Army’s HIMARS launchers with the ability to strike command posts, logistics hubs and air defence positions from well behind the forward edge of the battlefield. Local media have underlined that South Australia will host what is described as the only facility outside the United States capable of manufacturing some of America’s most advanced guided missile technology, underscoring the state’s emerging role as a strategic industrial hub.

The US State Department has approved a possible $79-million foreign military sale to Belgium for AGM-114R2 Hellfire missiles and related support. Brussels requested up to 240 Hellfire systems. The package includes engineering and technical support, training, spare parts, and ammunition. It also provides communications equipment, maintenance services, and other logistics support. According to the US government, the sale would strengthen Belgium’s ability to conduct counterterrorism operations. The European nation already operates advanced air-to-ground weapons through its F-35 and F-16 fleets and is expected to integrate the new missiles smoothly. Lockheed Martin in Troy, Alabama, will be the main contractor, and any potential offset would be negotiated directly between the company and Belgium. “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the US by improving the security of a NATO Ally which is an important force for political stability and economic progress in Europe,” stated the US government.

The Lithuanian government announced on Tuesday the introduction of a state of emergency in the country in response to violations of its airspace by smuggling balloons launched from Belarusian territory. “After the state of emergency is declared, we will be able to cooperate more closely, as soldiers will gain certain special powers that will allow them to operate more effectively, both jointly with officers of the Ministry of the Interior and independently,” noted Władysław Kondratowicz, head of the Lithuanian Ministry of the Interior. The introduction of the state of emergency was announced on Friday (December 5) by Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene. According to data from the Lithuanian Ministry of the Interior, this year there have been approximately 600 recorded cases of airspace violations by smuggling balloons coming from Belarus and 197 by drones. Due to the balloons, Vilnius Airport was closed several times in October and November. The most recent such incident occurred last Saturday evening. The suspension of airport operations because of the balloons has so far affected more than 320 flights and over 45,000 passengers in total, accounting for about 5 percent of all passengers served during that period.

Rheinmetall AG Chief Executive Officer Armin Papperger is making a fresh pitch to buy part of rival KNDS NV and create a European land defence company that would consolidate the continent’s fragmented market, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing sources with knowledge of the matter. Papperger has spoken to politicians in Berlin and representatives of state-owned development bank KfW in recent months about investment options to tie up the two tank makers, the sources said.

Switzerland has selected the SIG Sauer P320 as the next standard service pistol for its armed forces. The new guns will replace the military’s SIG P220, also known as Pistol 75, which has been issued to warfighters since the 1970s. The adoption of a more advanced weapon was facilitated under the New Generation sidearm program in conjunction with the Swiss Defence Procurement Office. According to the materiel agency, the P320’s selection meets acquisition goals tied to national defense policy by requiring domestic industrial participation. In line with this, New Hampshire-based SIG Sauer, which has an office in Schaffhausen, said it “has assured that production will be set up in Switzerland,” bolstering security capabilities and supply chains under Bern’s federal armament strategy.

At least half a dozen executives from top Indian arms makers, including Adani Defence and Bharat Forge, attended rare meetings in Russia this year to discuss potential joint ventures, three people familiar with the matter said. The meetings took place during the first visit of India's defence business leaders to Russia since Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The visit by the defence business leaders had not previously been reported. The Indian government is seeking to re-orient its decades-old defence ties with Russia to focus on joint development of weapons.   Any potential collaboration with Russia risks setting back plans by Indian defence firms to jointly develop Western arms as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's push to make India, one of the world's biggest arms importers, a global manufacturing hub. Western diplomats have previously said that a key obstacle to the transfer of sensitive military technology to India is its defence ties with Russia and the vast amount of Russian-origin arms used by the Indian military, totalling about 36%. The talks in Moscow were held on the sidelines of a visit by an Indian defence-industrial delegation on October 29-30, headed by India's Defence Production Secretary Sanjeev Kumar, that was aimed at laying the ground for Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India on December 4-5.

The US State Department has cleared a potential foreign military sale of M1085A2 and M1078A2 medium tactical vehicles (MTVs) to Lebanon, valued at $90.5 million. The proposed sale includes 5-ton M1085A2 MTVs without winches, 2.5-ton M1078A2 MTVs without winches, spare parts, technical documentation, training for personnel, and logistics support. Oshkosh Defense is the principal contractor. MTVs are highly mobile, versatile trucks designed to transport troops and equipment across rough terrain. The M1085A2 and M1078A2 variants provide enhanced payload capacity, off-road performance, and adaptability for missions ranging from logistics resupply to tactical operations. Their mobility and modular design make them a core component of modern military transport fleets. According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the equipment will enhance the Lebanese Armed Forces’ (LAF) mobility, enabling rapid response to perimeter threats and supporting counter-terrorism operations, while facilitating joint training with US forces. It also noted that Lebanon can integrate the vehicles without difficulty, and the sale is not expected to alter the regional military balance or impact US defense readiness.  

Moldova has added new Viktor mobile anti‑aircraft units to its arsenal, signaling a push to improve readiness as drone incursions from across the border become more frequent. Defense Minister Anatolie Nosatîi released a video showing at least four Viktor systems in live firing drills. Built by Czech maker Excalibur Army, the MR‑2–based Viktor equips Toyota pickup trucks with twin KPVT 14.5 mm machine guns, carrying 300 rounds ready and another 300 in reserve, with an effective range beyond two kilometers (1.2 miles). With day/night AA sights plus a direct fire ground target mode, the system is meant to counter drone threats such as Russian Geran drones that have periodically violated Moldova’s airspace during Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Taipei's homegrown unmanned surface vehicle, the Endeavor Manta. Taipei's homegrown unmanned surface vehicle, the Endeavor Manta. The Republic of China Navy has published a request for information on a suicide unmanned surface vessel (USV), outlining requirements for a high-speed, long-range capability designed for hostile maritime environments. Alongside the one-way USV platform, Taipei specified supporting components for the project, including a portable control station, a mobile command vehicle, and a relay station. The notice emphasized that the request is a public solicitation rather than a tender and is intended to “enhance asymmetric warfare capabilities.” USV Specifications The drone boat must have a speed of 35 knots (66 kilometers/40 miles per hour) and a maximum range of 250 nautical miles (463 kilometers/288 miles). Its hull assembly must weigh no more than 2 tons (4,000 pounds) and measure 6 meters (20 feet) or less. For cargo, the autonomous vessel must have a minimum payload capacity of 250 kilograms (551 pounds) and be capable of operating in sea states corresponding to Beaufort scale 4 or higher, which includes wind speeds of up to 16 knots (30 kilometers/18 miles per hour) and a wave height of around 1 meter (3.2 feet).

India is moving toward the deployment of its home-grown integrated air defense system to strengthen protection over the national capital region. The move follows the multilayered Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS) completing its first flight test in August. Long in the making, the project’s reported advancement comes against the backdrop of India-Pakistan conflict in May, when a Pakistani Fatah-II guided rocket artillery projectile was intercepted roughly 250 kilometers (155 miles) from Delhi. The development also indicates that India is moving on from considering the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) II for the role, as the US-Swedish system is viewed as too expensive, according to Asian News International. Talks to acquire NASAMS II — which protects Washington, DC — had progressed earlier, and the US State Department approved a possible $1.9-billion sale in 2020.