Friday, October 16, 2026

German drone maker Helsing enlists Rakuten to broker Japan military deal

German drone maker Helsing has enlisted Japanese e-commerce and finance firm Rakuten to help finalize a deal to sell its unmanned systems to Japan’s army, a spokesperson for Rakuten said on Monday.Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Forces are currently testing Helsing’s HX-2 strike drone, as Tokyo looks to modernize its military and counter an increasingly assertive China.…

US Army requests 133,000 GMLRS rockets by 2034

With questions about stockpiles swirling, the U.S. Army is issuing a call to ramp up production of ground-launched rockets. The service sent out a request this week for manufacturing 133,014 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System, or GMLRS, rockets by 2034, according to the Army’s Sources Sought notice. Contractors have until Sept. 1 to submit white…

Trump orders Pentagon to cut back military exercises with South Korea

President Donald Trump on Sunday instructed the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with long-term Asian ally South Korea, citing the cost of the drills and Seoul’s refusal to take part in actions against Iran. Hours before exercises were scheduled to begin, Trump said on his Truth Social site he was “not happy” that…

Army picks M1 to lead $10B helicopter-school transformation

A Texas-based aviation company beat out Bell and Lockheed Martin to lead the transformation of Army helicopter training, the service announced on Thursday. The Army awarded M1 Support Services its Flight School Next contract, a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity worth up to $10 billion for up to 26 years. It’s the culmination of a months-long competition aimed…