Asia

On December 11, 2024, Leidos Inc., based in Reston, Virginia, announced that it had secured a $987 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to provide maintenance and logistical support for the upgraded F-16A/B jets, now modernized into the F-16V (Viper) standard, which constitutes a significant portion of Taiwan’s fleet. This contract, established under the […]

On December 9, 2024, a batch of five Sikorsky PZL Mielec S-70i Black Hawk combat utility helicopters arrived in the Philippines. This delivery is part of a 2021 contract for 32 units under the Additional Utility Helicopters Acquisition (Phase 4) program, which aims to modernize the Philippine Armed Forces’ air transport and support capabilities to […]

The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has contracted state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to produce 12 Su-30MKI fighter jets for the Indian Air Force. The 135-billion rupee ($1.5 billion) contract is an effort to make up for losses. The sanctioned strength of the Su-30 fleet is 272 aircraft but only 259 are in service. “The […]

At the Vietnam Defence 2024, from December 19 to 22, 2024, Russia will unveil the Rubezh-ME coastal missile system for the first time. Developed by the Kaluga Instrument-Making Plant “Typhoon,” this modern system is built on a compact, mobile, and integrated architecture designed to meet the operational needs of armed forces in diverse environments. Mounted […]

The Turkish Army has recently received a batch of GZPT-T1 armored personnel carriers (APCs) as part of a service life extension program for its existing fleet of M113 vehicles. This delivery follows a contract signed in May 2023, marking a significant milestone in the modernization of the Turkish Army’s armored vehicle capabilities. These upgraded vehicles […]

Saudi Arabia has signed a contract with Spanish state-owned shipbuilder Navantia to construct three Avante 2200 corvettes. This follows a previous agreement for five vessels of the same class, initiated in 2022 and concluded in March. Under the new pact, the first corvette will be built in Spain, while the second and third will be […]

 As reported by the Liberty Times on December 7, 2024, Taiwan has completed the mass production of its domestically developed Wanjian air-to-ground cruise missile, providing new capabilities for preemptive strikes on key Chinese military positions. Over 150 units of the Wanjian-1 bomb, with a range of 200 kilometers, have been produced, and the development of […]

In response to evolving modern military tactics, Taiwan’s armed forces are drawing lessons from recent drone warfare, as seen in conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war. On December 6, 2024, during a visit to a military training center in Tainan, Taiwan’s Defense Minister Gu Lixiong reviewed technological advancements integrated into the military’s equipment and tactics. […]

Papua New Guinea’s prime minister pledged on Tuesday to crack down on lawlessness in the country’s troubled highlands, saying police would be empowered to fight “fire with fire.” Rival clans clashed over land near the country’s vast Porgera gold mine this year, killing at least 32 people and sparking a state of emergency. Prime Minister […]

 On December 2, 2024, a Japanese government source revealed that Japan would supply specific defense equipment to the Philippines, Indonesia, Mongolia, and Djibouti under its Official Security Assistance (OSA) program. This program, launched in April 2023, aims to strengthen the defense capacities of nations that share Tokyo’s strategic values. For the 2024 fiscal year ending […]