Ukraine to field 25,000 ground robots in push to replace soldiers for frontline logistics

Ground robots ran more than 9,000 frontline missions in March, triple November's count, and captured their first Russian position last summer.
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https://www.defensenews.com/unmanned/2026/04/24/ukraine-to-field-25000-ground-robots-in-push-to-replace-soldiers-for-frontline-logistics/

US Air Force aims to double F-15EX Eagle fleet

The U.S. Air Force plans to boost the number of F-15EX Eagle II aircraft in its inventory to 267.
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https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2026/04/24/us-air-force-aims-to-double-f-15ex-eagle-fleet/

Why the US Marine Corps wants a new anti-tank loitering munition

The service wants the kamikaze drone to have a range of at least around 15 miles and be light enough to be carried by two dismounted Marines.
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https://www.defensenews.com/news/your-military/2026/04/24/why-the-us-marine-corps-wants-a-new-anti-tank-loitering-munition/

The US military wants a fleet of missile-killing laser drones

The U.S. military is once again pursuing flying directed energy weapons to counter threats to American airspace.
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https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2026/04/24/the-us-military-wants-a-fleet-of-missile-killing-laser-drones/

Italy forgoes $14 billion deficit spending on defense amid wobbling economy

“Today we have other priorities. I have the priority of energy costs and the priority of responding to the needs of citizens," said the prime minister.
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https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/04/24/italy-forgoes-14-billion-deficit-spending-on-defense-amid-wobbling-economy/

Three’s company: Trio of US carriers operating in Middle East for first time in decades

Three U.S. aircraft carriers are operating in Central Command's area of responsibility for the first time since 2003.
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https://www.defensenews.com/news/your-military/2026/04/24/threes-company-trio-of-us-carriers-operating-in-middle-east-for-first-time-in-decades/

ArianeGroup studying ballistic-missile production in Germany: Les Echos

“Everyone in Europe is convinced that we need options for conventional ballistic missile for deep strike given the expansion of conflicts,” Bruneau said.
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https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/04/24/arianegroup-studying-ballistic-missile-production-in-germany-les-echos/

NATO eyes Swedish-Canadian jet for AWACS role in shift away from Boeing

The political momentum behind the GlobalEye had been building for a while.
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https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/04/24/nato-eyes-swedish-canadian-jet-for-awacs-role-in-shift-away-from-boeing/

Australia awards contracts for counter-drone tech based on lasers, interceptors

Both products will eventually integrate into a command-and-control system developed under the Army’s umbrella Land 156 counter-unmanned aerial system push.
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https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2026/04/24/australia-awards-contracts-for-counter-drone-tech-based-on-lasers-interceptors/

US Navy is reviewing cost of future Ford-class carriers to ensure they ‘make sense’

The service is looking at how superior Ford-class carriers are to Nimitz-class carriers, said the recently ousted Navy Secretary John Phelan.
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https://www.defensenews.com/news/your-navy/2026/04/23/us-navy-is-reviewing-cost-of-future-ford-class-carriers-to-ensure-they-make-sense/