In the development of the National Anti-Drone Shield project, Colombia has begun the phase of operational tests – of drone jamming systems (softkill) – conducted under strict technical protocols and in the midst of notable institutional secrecy. However, and according to information obtained by this media, during the course of the tests none of the systems evaluated managed to detect or inhibit widely disseminated commercial drones such as the DJI Matrice 300 RTK or the Autel EVO II, platforms that, precisely, serve as a technological basis for multiple adaptations for tactical use by irregular actors. This is particularly worrying considering that these models represent a minimum reference within the spectrum of current threats. It is important to note that at least 120 companies showed interest in this process, although in the end only about 20 managed to apply. This reduction was due, in large part, to the fact that the procedures for licensing and exporting military equipment from Europe or the United States require no less than 90 days, which made it difficult to import them for demonstrations. As a result, an advantage was generated for those companies that already had equipment in the country or that offered systems not subject to export licenses. This situation shows a high level of improvisation – or a worrying lack of knowledge – on the part of the office responsible for the Vice Ministry of Defense for Strategy and Planning, which led the Minister of Defense to announce the extension of the deadlines in order to facilitate the import and demonstration of the participating systems. As for the execution, the tests for tactical systems were carried out under restrictive security conditions at the Nueva Granada Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion (Banot) of the Alberto Lleras Camargo Airport (Sogamoso) on March 25 and directed by Lieutenant Colonel Iván Cárdenas; while those corresponding to semi-fixed and fixed systems were carried out on April 10 at the International Training School of the Colombian Police. According to the technical sheet of the process, six categories of solutions are contemplated: tactical systems for platoons; tactical vehicular systems; systems for floating units; detector systems; semi-fixed systems; and fixed systems. However, several inconsistencies have been pointed out. Although the technical documentation expressly calls for hardkill capabilities – i.e. systems capable of physically neutralising drones using means such as lasers, anti-aircraft munitions, nets, interceptor drones or electromagnetic pulses – in practice no tests have been carried out with this type of technology so far. This situation contrasts with the evolution of the Colombian internal conflict, where illegal armed groups have begun to use automated drones, cycle-controlled FPVs, even with fiber optic links, as well as platforms with inertial navigation and micro-frequency hopping techniques, which makes it difficult to inhibit them by exclusively electronic means. On the other hand, according to technical sources consulted by Infodefensa, some of the aspects of the files would be oversized or misaligned with international doctrinal standards, including the introduction of categories that do not correspond to classifications used by NATO.  

Japan’s Ministry of Defense has ordered three Upgraded Mogami-class (New FFM) multi-mission frigates from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, expanding missile capacity and multi-role naval power for operations in the Pacific. The contract, covering hulls three through five, reinforces Japan’s effort to field more heavily armed, flexible surface combatants capable of enhanced air defense, anti-submarine warfare, and long-range strike. Finalized on February 16, 2026, the order forms part of a broader 10–12 ship acquisition plan under the New FFM program, supporting rapid fleet modernization and distributed lethality. By doubling vertical launch capacity and improving strike reach compared to the original Mogami-class, the program directly strengthens Japan’s maritime deterrence, operational readiness, and interoperability in high-threat regional scenarios. As reported by Maritime Press Online on April 15, 2026, Japan’s Ministry of Defense formalized a shipbuilding contract with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for three Upgraded Mogami multi-mission frigates, identified as hulls three through five of the New FFM program, with a total value of 128.6 billion yen, or roughly $850 to $900 million. The agreement was signed on February 16, 2026, and follows a prior contract awarded in fiscal year 2025 covering the first two ships of the class, establishing a sequential procurement pattern. This order is part of a defined acquisition window running from fiscal year 2024 through fiscal year 2028, during which Japan plans to procure approximately 10 to 12 ships of this type. The New FFM program replaces the originally planned continuation of the Mogami-class beyond 12 hulls, down from an initial target of 22, indicating a structural adjustment in the Japanese Navy fleet composition. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries remains the prime contractor, with Japan Marine United acting as a principal subcontractor under an arrangement decided in August 2023. The financial structure of the February 2026 contract produces an average unit cost of 42.9 billion yen per ship, which is less than half of the 104.9 billion yen per unit estimated in the fiscal year 2025 budget request for three comparable ships totaling 314.8 billion yen.

Cambodia has received its first Chinese-built Type 056C missile corvette at Ream Naval Base, marking a significant upgrade in the Royal Cambodian Navy’s maritime combat capability. Delivered by China and formally transferred on April 8, 2026, the vessel introduces missile-capable surface warfare potential, shifting Cambodia from a patrol-focused fleet toward integrated naval combat operations in coastal waters. The corvette, hull number 622, arrived on April 4, 2026, fully crewed, completing the first phase of a two-ship grant announced in 2024, with a second unit due in June. This delivery, following the reopening of Ream Naval Base after Chinese-funded expansion, enhances Cambodia’s operational readiness and strengthens its ability to conduct deterrence, maritime security, and coordinated naval operations in the Gulf of Thailand. On April 4, 2026, Cambodia received its first Chinese-built Type 056C corvette at Ream Naval Base, with the vessel arriving fully crewed and formally transferred to the Royal Cambodian Navy on April 8, completing the first phase of a two-ship grant announced by Beijing in 2024. The second corvette is scheduled for delivery in June 2026 and was assessed at roughly 70% completion at the time of the first unit’s arrival, following an acceptance inspection conducted in October 2025 that included Cambodian defense officials. The transfer follows the reopening of Ream Naval Base in April 2025 after Chinese-funded expansion works that increased berth capacity and support infrastructure.

The commander of the country's Defense Forces prepares advisory tasks for the future investment plan for the next four years The capabilities that the use of drones is demonstrating on the battlefields, mainly in Ukraine, is changing military doctrines. And with them the priorities in the acquisitions of new material. Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur has taken this new vision of combat to the point of announcing the cancellation of the planned purchase of new CV9035 Mk IV infantry fighting vehicles, worth an estimated 500 million euros, which will particularly strengthen the use of drones, as well as increase situational awareness and air defence. among other resources. Estonia is part of the group of six countries (the other five are Finland, Lithuania, Norway, the Netherlands and Sweden) that last September signed a letter of intent for the acquisition of several hundred infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) from the Swedish company BAE Systems Hägglunds (a subsidiary of the British company BAE Systems). The operation, which contemplated the purchase of 600 vehicles in total in a contract scheduled for mid-2026, will finally not include Estonia, after its Ministry of Defence has chosen to follow military recommendations prioritising drone defence, in line with the lessons learned in Ukraine. Minister Pevkur has specified that the decision entails the extension of the useful life of the CV90 armored vehicles that it already has, and that it began to receive second-hand vehicles acquired from the Netherlands ten years ago, in what was then the most important military acquisition contract since the country's independence. after the fall of the USSR. The new CV90s were scheduled to start arriving around 2029 and 2030.

The Serbian army should create units with attack drones, President Aleksandar Vucic said on Wednesday, as the Balkan country seeks to modernise its ​armed forces from its obsolete Soviet-era technology. Belgrade has already bought modern ‌weapons and equipment from Europe, Israel and China and it wants to adapt its military strategy to conform with modern warfare. Serbia is military neutral and is balancing a partnership with ​NATO and aspirations to join the European Union with its ties ​with Russia and China. After meeting top military commanders in Belgrade, Vucic, ⁠the supreme commander of the army, said he had proposed the formation of ​units equipped with long-range attack drones and drones that hover over a strike ​area before flying into targets. "In addition to the increased production of drones, which I expect to explode this year ... we will significantly devote ourselves to the ... digitisation of our army," ​he said. "I think that in this regard we will be one of the ​armies with the most pronounced interoperability and the greatest capabilities, not only in our region, ‌but ⁠also wider than that."

Portugal is against the creation of a separate European army and instead backs strengthening and modernising its armed forces within the ​U.S.-led NATO alliance, the country's defence minister said, contrasting with neighbouring ‌Spain's position. Nuno Melo said late on Tuesday that Portugal was a founding NATO member which valued the United States, describing Washington as a fundamental transatlantic partner.   "We're not in favour ​of a single European army," he told a parliamentary committee, adding that ​Portugal needed to invest in its armed forces to ensure that ⁠they were able to fulfil their assigned missions within NATO. Amid doubts over ​U.S. President Donald Trump's commitment to Europe's security, Spain has urged the European Union ​to move towards creating a separate joint army as a deterrent. NATO chief Mark Rutte has dismissed calls for a European army, arguing it would cost member states far more than the ​5% of gross domestic product that NATO countries - except Spain - have agreed to ​spend on defence and related investments by 2035. Madrid said it could meet its commitments ‌by ⁠spending 2.1% of GDP.

Serbia is possibly preparing to procure new air defence systems, as President Aleksandar Vučić announced imminent defense contracts aimed at strengthening the country’s multi-layered defence network. The planned acquisitions, potentially involving systems from China, are intended to expand missile coverage, enhance low-altitude interception, and improve overall deterrence against evolving regional threats. The announcement on April 15, 2026, follows increased military logistics activity linked to Serbia’s existing Chinese-supplied HQ-22 and HQ-17AE systems and is reported by Dunav Intel as part of a broader modernization effort. This aims to close coverage gaps, reinforce integrated air defence resilience, and strengthen Serbia’s readiness to counter saturation attacks and complex aerial threats in a shifting Balkan security environment. On April 15, 2026, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated that the security situation had become more complex compared to January 2026, attributing this shift directly to the further operationalization of the Zagreb–Tirana–Priština alignment. He also announced that Serbia will sign very important contracts for weapons and military equipment in the coming days, without identifying system types, suppliers, or contract values. Large procurement orders are already underway as part of a broader effort to strengthen deterrence and expand a multi-layered air defence structure integrating missile systems, electronic warfare assets, and extended-range surveillance capabilities. According to Dunav Intel, the contracts will likely focus on additional air defence systems, potentially of Chinese origin, based on two observable factors: Serbia’s existing Chinese surface-to-air missile inventory and a sustained pattern of military airlift activity connecting Urumqi to Serbia. To date, no official confirmation has established a direct connection between these future contracts and China or any specific missile system. The analytical linkage between the announced contracts and ongoing logistics activity proposed by Dunav Intel is based on a consistent correlation between procurement cycles and airlift patterns previously associated with deliveries of Chinese systems, leading to the hypothesis that Serbia is preparing a follow-on acquisition of Chinese air defence assets. Inferred categories include additional HQ-22 medium-range batteries to expand engagement range coverage, increased HQ-17AE short-range systems to reinforce point defence and low-altitude interception, or supplementary radar or electronic warfare components to improve target acquisition and system integration across the air defence network. This interpretation has the advantage of relying on the presence of already operational Chinese systems within Serbia’s inventory and a logistics profile that mirrors earlier delivery phases. However, the absence of imagery, contract disclosures, or official attribution limits confirmation and maintains the assessment within a probability framework rather than a verified procurement outcome.

Japan's imminent easing of arms export rules has sparked strong interest from Warsaw to Manila, Reuters reporting found, as President Donald Trump wavers on security commitments to allies and the wars in Iran and Ukraine strain U.S. weapons supplies. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's ruling party approved the changes this week as she tries to invigorate the pacifist country's military industrial base. Her government will formally adopt the new rules as soon as this month, three Japanese government officials told Reuters. Despite largely isolating itself from global arms markets since World War Two, Japan spends enough on its own military - $60 billion this year - to sustain a sizeable defence industry capable of manufacturing advanced systems like submarines and fighter jets. Among the potential new customers are the Polish military and the Philippine navy, which are undergoing modernization amid regional security challenges One of the first deals Takaichi's government will likely approve are exports of used frigates to the Philippines, which is locked in maritime confrontation with Beijing in the South China Sea, according to two of the Japanese officials. Reuters is the first to report the timeframe of the likely sale, which may be followed by missile defence systems, the officials said. Warsaw and Tokyo can help plug gaps in each other's arsenals, cooperating in areas like anti-drone and electronic warfare systems, said Mariusz Boguszewski, deputy chief of mission at Poland's embassy in Japan. "There are some bottlenecks that we can overcome having Japan on board," he added, without providing details of specific deals. Poland's WB Group, one of Europe's largest private defence contractors, last year signed a tentative drone deal with Japanese aircraft maker ShinMaywa Three other European diplomats said Japan's easing ⁠provided a chance to lessen their heavy dependence on U.S. weapons production, which is strained by conflicts. Trump's unpredictability, such as his threats to leave the NATO security alliance and invade Greenland, have also heightened the push to diversify, according to the diplomats, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

Australia will lift defense spending to 3.0 percent of GDP by 2033 as armed conflicts flare worldwide, the government said Thursday. The new commitment follows pressure from US President Donald Trump‘s administration for Canberra to boost military expenditure as a share of total annual economic output. Australia’s defense spending had previously been forecast to rise to 2.3 percent of GDP by 2033. The new target means Australia will spend an additional Aus$53 billion ($38 billion) over the next 10 years when compared to its 2024 defense strategy, Department of Defence officials said. In the shorter term, spending would climb by an extra Aus$14 billion over four years.

Finland buys 112 more K9 self-propelled howitzers from Hanwha and will exceed 200 units in service With this latest contract, the Baltic country will become the third NATO member to exceed that figure, along with Turkey and Poland Hanwha Aerospace has signed a new contract with the Finnish Ministry of Defence to supply an additional 112 K9 self-propelled howitzers and associated spare parts, in a transaction valued at around €546 million. The delivery will begin from 2028 and reinforces the position of the South Korean system as one of the most consolidated artillery solutions within NATO. The signing of the agreement took place in Helsinki, at the House of the Estates, in the presence of Jae-il Son, President and CEO of Hanwha Aerospace; Joshua Ahn, head of the company's MRO area; and Olli Ruutu, Director General of National Armaments and Resources Policy at the Finnish Ministry of Defence. This is a new follow-on acquisition following the initial order of 48 units placed by Finland in March 2017. With this latest contract, Finland will now operate more than 200 K9s, making it the third NATO member to exceed that figure, along with Turkey and Poland. The company stresses that Helsinki's repeat purchases confirm the confidence built up in the system and in the industrial relationship with Hanwha Aerospace. The K9 is a 155 mm/52-caliber self-propelled howitzer designed to provide accurate, sustained and rapid fire at distances of more than 40 kilometers. Hanwha highlights that it is the most widespread platform in its category, with a presence in ten countries on four continents and six NATO members among its operators: Turkey, Poland, Norway, Finland, Estonia and Romania, which will have to be joined in the future by Spain.