The Indian Navy (IN) inched closer to filling a crucial void when a letter of acceptance for 24 MH-60R multirole helicopters and worth approximately $2.12 billion was inked in Delhi on 25 February.
The first batch of eight Romeos will be delivered within a year, with the remaining 16 coming in batches over 2-3 years.
The MH-60Rs will embark on IN ships that have been left with just one squadron each of obsolete ASW Sea Kings and Ka-28 helicopters (under upgrade).
The larger requirement of 123 Naval Multirole Helicopters (NMRH) has been allotted to the Strategic Partnership programme under ‘Make
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Participation in the French-led programme could provide India with access to sixth-generation technologies but force difficult choices over AMCA, TEDBF and indigenous propulsion development.
The Pentagon wants to procure 3,203 PAC-3 MSE interceptors in FY2027, but production constraints and international demand could impact efforts to rebuild depleted missile stocks.
The US plans to progressively expand VENOM/AIR testing from single-aircraft flights to multi-platform autonomous operations over the next 12–24 months, generating data that could support future US military AI programmes, including Collaborative Combat Aircraft.
The missile programmes form part of a broader effort to strengthen Canadian air-combat readiness as the RCAF transitions from the CF-188 to the F-35A and rebuilds its operational weapons stocks.
While a potentially accelerated acquisition timeline could strengthen the RAAF’s long-range air combat capability, Canberra’s continued reliance on US missile production is also put under the spotlight in parallel to its push to build a sovereign industry.
Demand signals for counter-drone technology are strong and the market is becoming crowded, but is this really the beginning of a new phase of warfare or will commentators be talking about something else 10 years from now?
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