Indonesia announced on March 9, 2026, that it has reached an agreement with India to procure the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system for its maritime forces. The deal strengthens Indonesia’s coastal deterrence posture while expanding India’s defense export footprint in Southeast Asia. Indonesia confirmed on March 9, 2026, that it has entered into an agreement with India to acquire the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system, positioning the high-speed strike weapon within Jakarta’s expanding maritime defense modernization program. Reported by Reuters and The Economic Times, the development marks a shift from years of negotiations toward a formal procurement framework as Indonesia strengthens its sea denial capabilities. The agreement also represents a significant export milestone for India’s defense industry, extending the BrahMos missile’s operational presence deeper into Southeast Asia at a time when regional navies are prioritizing deterrence, control of strategic waterways, and rapid coastal strike capability. According to Indonesian defence ministry spokesperson Rico Ricardo Sirait, the agreement forms part of the modernization of Indonesia’s military hardware and defence capabilities, especially in the maritime sector. Jakarta did not disclose the contract value, but Reuters had previously reported in 2023 that BrahMos Aerospace, the joint venture backed by India and Russia, was in advanced discussions with Indonesia over a package estimated at $200 million to $350 million. That earlier uncertainty was still visible in March 2025, when Indonesian officials said no formal contract had yet been signed and noted that both shore-based and ship-mounted configurations were under consideration. The new statement therefore marks a clear development: Indonesia is now publicly presenting the BrahMos procurement as an agreed program rather than a tentative option under review. The BrahMos itself is designed as a high-speed precision strike missile optimized for rapid engagement of maritime and selected land targets. BrahMos Aerospace describes it as a two-stage supersonic cruise missile using a solid-propellant booster for initial acceleration and a liquid ramjet for sustained cruise, reaching about Mach 2.8. The company states an export-range figure of up to 290 kilometers, a cruising altitude up to 15 kilometers, terminal flight as low as 5 meters, and a conventional warhead of up to 200 kilograms. It is also promoted as a fire-and-forget weapon able to follow varied flight paths and fielded across land, sea, and sub-sea configurations through transport-launch canisters. In practical terms, those characteristics make it a fast anti-ship and coastal strike tool whose speed compresses an opponent’s reaction time and complicates interception compared with slower subsonic missiles.  

The Brazilian manufacturer Agrale S.A. has signed a contract for the supply of 208 units of the Marruá AM250 vehicle to a company based in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). The utility vehicles will be destined to the Army of the Asian country. According to the company, the first units have already been shipped and the others are in production at Unit 2 of Agrale (Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul) with deliveries scheduled until the end of this year. With the supply of these units, Agrale begins its presence in Southeast Asia and advances in its internationalization strategy. At the same time, the Marruá is consolidating itself as a solution for professional applications in foreign markets, in addition to its traditional use in the Defense and Security Forces. Developed for high-demand applications, the Agrale Marruá AM250 is a 4x4 diesel utility vehicle, with a power of 123 kW, a torque of 600 Nm and a GVW of 5700 kg. The vehicle combines high structural strength and a high load capacity. In addition, this unit is designed on a robust chassis and prepared to face uneven terrain and steep slopes, offering off-road performance without compromising stability and safety. The configuration of this model comprises a single or double cab that allows great operational versatility, transporting personnel and equipment efficiently and safely.

The award is part of a framework agreement signed in 2019 for the delivery of 2,900 high-mobility trucks to the Romanian Armed Forces. A total of 942 vehicles were delivered in the first phase, while 1,107 trucks were delivered in the second phase between 2023 and 2026. Delivery under the third phase is scheduled over the next three years. “The production and delivery of these additional 860 High Mobility trucks is the demonstration of IDV’s ongoing commitment to supporting the Romanian Armed Forces, as well as its full cooperation

An electric variant of the Iranian Shahed-101 loitering munition has been identified, following its earlier appearance in several regions, including Israel, Iraq, Syria, and Ukraine, with a conventional gas engine. An electric variant of the Iranian Shahed-101 loitering munition has been identified, following its earlier appearance in several regions, including Israel, Iraq, Syria, and Ukraine, with a conventional gas engine. The new variant uses battery-powered propulsion to reduce the acoustic signature during low-altitude attack profiles. With an estimated range of up to 1,500 km and a warhead of about 5–8 kg, its emergence reflects the continued expansion of Iran's low-cost drone saturation tactics. Its airframe consists of a cylindrical fuselage with straight wings and an X-shaped tail assembly providing directional stability during low altitude flight. The structure is built largely from composite materials and carbon fiber, which reduces structural mass and decreases radar reflectivity. The drone is launched using a small rocket booster attached beneath the fuselage, which accelerates the aircraft during the first seconds of flight before separation. Once the booster separates, the onboard propulsion system maintains forward flight along the programmed trajectory. The drone is transported and launched from ground rails, catapults, or simple mobile launch racks, which allow rapid deployment in dispersed locations. This launch configuration reduces the logistical footprint required to deploy the drone close to operational areas. Propulsion of Shahed drones normally relies on a small gas engine, but this new variant of the Shahed-101 uses an electric motor powered by an internal battery pack, likely to produce a very low acoustic signature during flight, therefore reducing the probability of detection by personnel on the ground during the final approach phase. Some earlier variants may have incorporated a small internal combustion engine in order to increase endurance, although the reasons behind the electric propulsion swap remain speculative. The drone reaches maximum speeds between 150 and 200 kilometers per hour and normally cruises below that speed during its flight profile. Its operational range has been estimated between 900 and 1,500 kilometers, depending on propulsion configuration and payload weight. Flight altitude is typically kept low to reduce radar detection and increase survivability against air defense systems. The combination of low altitude flight, reduced acoustic signature, and compact size contributes to the Shahed-101’s ability to approach defended areas with limited early detection. According to available information, the Shahed-101 carries a warhead weighing between 5 and 8 kilograms of explosive material with fragmentation characteristics for attacks against lightly protected targets. Some units have been associated with payload weights approaching 9 kilograms, depending on explosive composition. This payload is smaller than the 15-kilogram warhead carried by the Shahed-131 and significantly smaller than the warhead of the Shahed-136, but it remains capable of damaging radar antennas, communications equipment, ammunition storage points, and exposed infrastructure installations. Structural damage produced by a single drone remains limited compared with larger loitering munitions. For this reason, the Shahed-101 is generally employed in groups in order to increase the probability that several drones will reach the intended target, while forcing defending air defense systems to launch several interceptors simultaneously. This tactic, mastered by Iran, increases the economic imbalance between inexpensive drones and expensive air defense missiles. The navigation system used by the Shahed-101 relies primarily on satellite navigation combined with a simple autopilot flight controller that guides the drone along a preprogrammed route. The drone does not normally maintain continuous communication with a remote operator once it has been launched. Mission execution, therefore, remains autonomous until the drone reaches the designated target coordinates. Certain Shahed variants integrate a four-element CRPA antenna intended to resist satellite navigation jamming, allowing the drone to continue its mission in contested electronic environments. Some units also include a simple optical camera used for terminal guidance during the final stage of the attack.  

The United States approved a possible $930 million Foreign Military Sale to Sweden for M142 HIMARS rocket launchers, GMLRS munitions, and related support on March 10, 2026. The deal strengthens Sweden’s long-range precision strike capability while accelerating its integration into NATO’s joint fires network across Northern Europe. On March 10, 2026, the U.S. Department of State approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Sweden valued at $930 million for M142 HIMARS launchers, GMLRS munitions, and related support. According to the official notice published by the U.S. Department of State, the package is designed to strengthen Sweden’s ability to address current and future threats while improving interoperability with U.S. and allied forces, making this one of the clearest signs yet of how quickly Sweden is being integrated into NATO’s long-range precision fires architecture. The U.S. notification is substantial in both scale and structure. Sweden has requested 20 M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, 35 M31A2 GMLRS unitary pods, 35 M30A2 GMLRS alternative warhead pods, 35 M403 Extended Range GMLRS alternative warhead pods, 35 M404 Extended Range GMLRS unitary pods, 20 M57 Army Tactical Missile System pods (ATACMS pods), and 24 International Field Artillery Tactical Data Systems, alongside radios, GPS receivers, practice rocket pods, spare parts, training, logistics support, technical assistance, and related program support. The State Department explicitly says the proposed sale would support U.S. foreign policy and national security objectives by improving the security of a NATO ally and would enhance Sweden’s artillery and mid-range strike capability, with Lockheed Martin of Grand Prairie, Texas, identified as the principal contractor.

South Korea’s domestically produced air defense weapon, the “Cheongung-II,” has proven its performance in the Iran war, prompting foreign media to highlight the country’s defense industry. The Financial Times (FT) on the 10th mentioned the Cheongung-II, which gained attention during the Iran war, under the title, “Iran War Propels South Korean Defense Firms Touting Affordable Patriot Competitors.” The Cheongung-II, a core asset of the Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system alongside the Patriot, is a domestically developed surface-to-air guided missile that intercepts missiles and aircraft at medium to high altitudes. It consists of four launch vehicle platforms equipped with eight launch tubes each, a multifunction radar, and an Engagement Control System (ECS). The missile and integrated system are produced by LIG Nex1, the radar by Hanwha Systems, and the launchers and vehicles by Hanwha Aerospace. Two years after its deployment, it began exports with a contract with the UAE in 2022, expanding into the air defense networks of three Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia and Iraq. The existing export volume alone is reported to be nearly 13 trillion Korean won. News that Cheongung-II batteries deployed in the UAE achieved significant combat results during the Iran war began drawing attention. According to People Power Party Rep. Yu Yong-weon, a member of the National Assembly Defense Committee, two Cheongung-II batteries in the UAE fired approximately 60 interceptors, achieving a 96% success rate. This marked its first combat deployment and the first instance of a South Korean-made guided weapon successfully intercepting enemy missiles in real combat. As this news spread, LIG Nex1’s stock price surged by approximately 47% compared to late February, before the outbreak of the Iran war, contrasting sharply with the recent overall decline in the South Korean stock market.

India’s Defence Procurement Board recommended the acquisition of 60 Ghatak unmanned combat aerial vehicles for deep strike and suppression of enemy air defences. India’s Defence Procurement Board recommended the acquisition of 60 Ghatak unmanned combat aerial vehicles on March 3, 2026. The proposal now moves to the Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The stealth flying wing drone is being developed by DRDO as part of long-term force development under the Vision 2047 roadmap, for deep strike missions, air defence suppression, and coordinated operations with fighter jets such as the Tejas. As reported by Business Standard on March 3, 2026, India's Defence Procurement Board recommended the acquisition by the Ministry of Defence of 60 units of the Ghatak unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV). The recommendation now moves to the Defence Acquisition Council, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, for approval before procurement decisions are finalised. Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian armed forces, the Ghatak is intended primarily for the Indian Air Force as part of long-term force planning under the Vision 2047 capability roadmap. This roadmap integrates unmanned combat aircraft into the future combat structure alongside manned fighters to field an indigenous stealth strike drone capable of operating in high-threat environments. The acquisition of 60 units corresponds to a first operational batch of unmanned combat aircraft designed for deep-strike missions and suppression of enemy air defences. The Ghatak drone is a jet-powered unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) built around a flying-wing configuration to reduce radar detection and improve aerodynamic efficiency. The design also eliminates conventional tail surfaces, which lowers radar reflections and allows the drone to penetrate defended airspace protected by radar networks and missile systems. The Ghatak incorporates an internal weapons bay for missiles, bombs, and precision-guided munitions, preserving its low observable characteristics during combat operations. Intended mission sets include deep strike, suppression and destruction of enemy air defences, and attacks on strategic infrastructure such as command centres or radar installations. As the Ghatak can operate autonomously or alongside manned combat aircraft during coordinated missions, the drone may enter contested zones ahead of Indian fighter jets, such as the Tejas and the AMCA, to identify threats and strike priority targets. The Ghatak originates from the earlier Autonomous Unmanned Research Aircraft (AURA) program initiated in 2009 to examine the feasibility of an Indian stealth unmanned combat aircraft.

A newly circulated image appears to show a Serbian Air Force MiG-29SM equipped with Chinese CM-400AKG long-range air-to-surface missiles. If confirmed, the configuration could significantly expand Serbia’s standoff strike reach and alter the regional airpower balance in the Balkans. As of 9 March 2026, a single image circulating on social media has drawn sustained attention to what appears to be a Serbian Air Force MiG-29SM carrying Chinese CM-400AKG long-range air-to-surface missiles, a configuration that, if confirmed, would represent a notable evolution in Belgrade’s combat aviation posture. The relevance of this image lies not only in the possible appearance of a new munition, but in the suggestion that Serbia may be broadening the operational role of its Fulcrum fleet from air-policing and interception toward standoff precision strike. In the European context, such a development would be important because it would associate a high-speed Chinese air-launched strike weapon with a front-line fighter operated in the Balkans. At present, however, no official governmental confirmation has been issued, and the assessment therefore remains based on the available image. What makes the sighting important is less the image itself than what it may indicate about the progress of weapons integration. In military aviation, the visible carriage of a missile under a fighter’s wing or fuselage station does not automatically demonstrate full operational certification, but it can suggest that at least part of the stores-management, pylon compatibility, and carriage-clearance process has advanced. If Serbia has indeed integrated the CM-400AKG onto its MiG-29SM aircraft, the implication would be that the platform is being adapted for a broader mission set that includes standoff attack rather than remaining confined to its traditional role as an air-superiority and quick-reaction-alert aircraft. The missile visible at the center of the image constitutes a central element of the reported development. The CM-400AKG has been described in Chinese export literature as a high-speed, air-launched strike weapon intended for engagement of high-value fixed targets and, in some descriptions, maritime objectives. Open technical references generally indicate a diameter of approximately 0.4 meters and a range between 100 and 240 kilometers, with warhead configurations reportedly including a 150-kilogram blast-fragmentation type and a 200-kilogram penetration variant. These parameters suggest that the missile represents more than a symbolic addition, positioning it instead as a standoff weapon intended to strike defended targets from launch ranges that could reduce the aircraft’s exposure to short-range air-defense systems.” The terminology applied to the CM-400AKG warrants particular precision. In public discourse, the missile is frequently characterized as hypersonic, while some reports also describe it as ballistic. A more rigorous formulation would identify it as a very-high-speed air-launched strike missile featuring a high-altitude release profile and a steep terminal attack trajectory that imparts quasi-ballistic or semi-ballistic characteristics. The available Chinese technical descriptions do support the assessment that its speed and flight profile differ markedly from those of more conventional air-launched cruise missiles. They do not, however, justify treating all reported performance claims as definitively established.

The U.S. Army is deploying the Merops counter-drone system to the Middle East to intercept Iranian Shahed-type attack drones threatening U.S. forces and regional infrastructure. The move introduces a lower-cost air-defense layer designed to defeat mass drone raids without expending high-value Patriot and THAAD interceptors. The U.S. Army is sending the Merops counter-drone system into the Middle East because it offers a missing lower-tier air-defense layer against Iran’s Shahed threat, one that can kill cheap one-way attack drones without burning through Patriot and THAAD interceptors or fighter sorties. U.S. officials told AP the system, already combat-proven against Russian-operated Shahed derivatives in Ukraine, will be deployed at multiple sites, including locations where American troops are not based. The move reflects a hard lesson from the current war: the United States remains stronger against missiles than against mass, low-cost drone raids. Washington’s urgency is tied directly to the conflict unleashed after Operation Epic Fury began on February 28. Reuters reported that the opening U.S. campaign struck Iran’s command-and-control, naval, and missile infrastructure, while AP reporting shows Iranian retaliation has relied heavily on waves of drones and missiles aimed at Israel, Gulf states, ports, airports, oil facilities, and regional U.S. positions. Dubai officials alone said air defenses dealt with more than 540 Iranian drones over two days, alongside ballistic and cruise missiles. In that environment, Merops is being moved because CENTCOM needs a scalable, mobile way to thicken force protection before another saturation salvo arrives. Merops is a compact counter-UAS package built around a fast fixed-wing interceptor known as Surveyor, a launch rail, ground-control equipment, and offboard sensor links. NATO says the system can be launched from the bed of a pickup truck and can prosecute targets autonomously using radio-frequency cues, radar guidance, or thermal signatures, which matters in an electronic-warfare environment where GPS and communications may be degraded. During NATO demonstrations in Poland, the system was linked to the Italian RPS-42 radar, and officials stressed that it can ingest tracks from multiple radar types. That lets Merops plug into a layered air-defense network rather than operate as a stand-alone gadget. The armament reflects the economics of modern drone war. Each Surveyor interceptor costs roughly $14,500 to $15,000, can exceed 175 mph, and can either score a direct collision or carry a small warhead for a near-target kill; if no engagement occurs, it can descend by parachute for recovery and reuse. Against Shahed-class drones estimated at $20,000 to $50,000 each, that is a far more sustainable cost-exchange ratio than firing high-end surface-to-air missiles. AP’s earlier NATO reporting also noted that Merops can hand off target data to other shooters, giving commanders time to decide whether to engage with the interceptor itself or cue a different effector.

Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias confirmed that negotiations with Italy for the acquisition of two Italian FREMM Bergamini-class frigates with a 2+2 option are expected to conclude with a contract by April 2026. Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias confirmed that negotiations with Italy for the acquisition of two Italian FREMM Bergamini-class frigates, with an option for two additional ships, are expected to conclude with a 2+2 FREMM contract by April 2026. The ships would complement the Kimon-class frigates under construction, and the upgraded MEKO 200HN fleet as Greece modernizes its navy under the Agenda 2030 defense modernization program, while replacing the Cold War–era Elli-class vessels. On March 8, 2026, Greek Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias confirmed in an interview with Tovima that negotiations with Italy for the acquisition of two Italian FREMM Bergamini-class frigates with an option for two additional ships are expected to conclude with a contract signature by April 2026, as part of Greece’s ongoing naval modernization effort. Greece and Italy have already signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on naval collaboration and a Declaration of Intent covering the 2+2 acquisition framework in September 2025. The initial transfer would involve two vessels entering service with the Hellenic Navy, while the option for two additional ships would allow further fleet expansion later in the decade. The specific vessels considered are reported to be the ITS Carlo Bergamini and ITS Virginio Fasan, two Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) variants of the Bergamini class, while Greek naval delegations have also inspected other units of the class during evaluation visits in Italy, including the ITS Carlo Margottini. The potential purchase forms part of the Agenda 2030 defense modernization program, which includes major investments in naval combatants, missile defense systems, aircraft, and command-and-control infrastructure. The decision is driven by the gradual retirement of the Elli-class frigates introduced during the late Cold War and the need to maintain a modern fleet capable of sustained operations in the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean.