Analysis
War, Money and a New Kind of Arms Fair: The Global Boom in Defense Exhibitions
From Paris to Brussels and Celje to Abu Dhabi, a surge in military spending and geopolitical tension is reshaping the world of defense trade shows.
USA
U.S. Military Employs LUCAS One-Way Attack Drones in Strikes on Iranian Targets
U.S. Central Command confirmed the first combat use of its Low-Cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones during Saturday’s air campaign against Iranian military infrastructure. The expendable loitering munitions were deployed alongside missiles and airstrikes as part of Operation Epic Fury.
Kosovo
Kosovo Drone Production Initiative Expands to Four Models
A private Kosovar drone manufacturer has begun producing four distinct unmanned aerial vehicle types domestically, covering small FPV platforms to larger tactical systems.
Ukraine
Zelensky Names Mykhailo Fedorov as Candidate for Ukraine’s Next Defense Minister
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed First Deputy Prime Minister and Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov as the new head of the Ministry of Defense, citing his leadership in drone development and state digitalization.
Poland
Poland Launches Multi-Layered Anti-Drone Defence Network Along Eastern Border
Poland has launched construction of a multi-layered anti-drone defence system along its eastern border, integrating electronic warfare, air-defence weapons, and rapid-response logistics hubs to counter drone incursions, sabotage, and hybrid threats linked to Russia and Belarus.
Belgium
Belgium Approves €140.8 Million Mini-Drone Procurement for NATO Missions in Romania and Lithuania
Belgium has approved a €140.8 million program to acquire hundreds of mini-drones for its forces deployed in Romania and Lithuania, strengthening NATO reconnaissance and situational awareness on the Alliance’s eastern flank.
Poland
Poland Weighs MiG-29 Transfer to Ukraine in Exchange for Drone Tech
Poland is negotiating the transfer of its ageing MiG-29 fleet to Ukraine in exchange for Ukrainian drone and missile technologies, a move that could strengthen Kyiv’s air capabilities while accelerating Warsaw’s defense-industrial development.
Israel
Israel to Host Premier Drone Systems Event — UVID Dronetech 2025 Comes to Tel Aviv on 26 November
UVID Dronetech 2025 returns to Tel Aviv on 26 November, gathering defence officials, technology developers, startups and industry partners for one of the world’s most influential unmanned-systems events.
United Kingdom
Europe’s $7.8 Billion Defense Showdown: Starmer Says No to Brussels
The UK has rejected Brussels’ demand to pay up to €6.75 billion to join the EU’s new SAFE defense fund, deepening post-Brexit tensions and potentially sidelining Britain from Europe’s largest collective rearmament initiative.
United States
U.S. Army Plans to Acquire One Million Drones, Signaling a Major Strategic Shift
The U.S. Army will buy at least one million drones in the next 2–3 years, reframing unmanned systems as expendable battlefield effects. The move aims to rebuild a domestic drone industrial base and to match lessons learned from Ukraine’s drone-intensive conflict.
Opinion
How France Became Europe’s Command Center for Defence Innovation
At a time when strategic competition is rising across Europe, France has quietly re-engineered its defense innovation ecosystem.
Czech Republic
CSG Steps Into Drone Warfare With Launch of AviaNera Technologies
Czech defense giant CSG has launched AviaNera Technologies to spearhead its entry into the unmanned aerial systems market, uniting R&D, production, and sales under one roof as Europe races to close its drone gap.