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The United Kingdom’s much-awaited Defence Investment Plan is finally published, detailing the Ministry of Defence’s spending commitments for the coming years. On 30th June, the British government published the United Kingdom’s Defence Investment Plan (DIP). The DIP has been the subject of controversy: Its initial publication date of 2025 slipped to early 2026 and thence to the summer. The document finally saw the light of day at the end of June. Delays were blamed on wranglings between the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) and the Treasury, the UK’s economic and financial ministry. Specifically, the Treasury and MOD were at loggerheads…

Every five years, amid the red banners, choreographed pageantry, and lofty speeches of its party congress, the Communist Party of Vietnam releases two staid policy documents: a political report and a socioeconomic development plan. Although infused with party rhetoric, these texts are more than ideological pronouncements. They define the governing agenda for the next five-year political cycle. In a system in which formal politics is opaque, these documents provide the clearest sense of what the leadership wants to do.The latest documents, released at the party congress in January, reveal that Vietnam is headed in a new direction. The party is…

ANKARA, July 8, 2026 – As NATO Allies step up efforts to strengthen defence industrial capacity and resilience amid rising security challenges, Hanwha Aerospace has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to supporting Europe’s defence industrial transformation. Speaking at the NATO Defence Industry Forum panel session in Ankara, held as part of the Allies in Ankara programme on the sidelines of the NATO Summit, Jacek Cyrek, President and CEO of Hanwha Aerospace Europe, highlighted the company’s continued efforts to help strengthen Europe’s defence industrial base through long-term industrial partnerships, local production and technology cooperation. “The security environment is evolving at an unprecedented…

Mario Bautista doesn’t exactly live on social media but he had to take a look when he saw the UFC tagged him in a post recently ahead of his rematch against Cory Sandhagen at UFC 329.The first fight between the bantamweights took place over six years ago when Bautista made his octagon debut on a week’s notice but ultimately suffered an armbar submission loss to Sandhagen in the opening round. With a chance to avenge the first loss of his career now just days away, Bautista admitted he was surprised to see the context of the post from the UFC.“Looking…

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org Since U.S. Air Force Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich became NATO’s top military officer in July 2025, the alliance has contended with Russian drone incursions and hybrid warfare against its members and Moscow’s continued aggression in Ukraine. Now the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, a career fighter pilot, is trying to guide a major transformation of the forces under his command. The “NATO Force Model” is being adapted as the Trump administration…

Norway and Lithuania sign a historic MoU at the NATO Summit, making Lithuania the first partner in Kongsberg’s Standardised Vessel Programme as UK interest looms. In a major expansion of Nordic-Baltic defense integration, Norway and Lithuania have signed a government-to-government Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate on Norway’s ambitious standardised vessel project. Signed on July 8, 2026, on the sidelines of the NATO Summit, the agreement formally marks Lithuania’s entry into the program as its first official international partner. Under the terms of the MoU, Lithuania has designated the Norwegian-developed modular platforms as its preferred option for replacing legacy assets…

In an interview with David Sale — Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Bell — the company’s 2026 agenda comes into focus: expand the portfolio, accelerate the MV-75, and deepen training ecosystems like the Veris VR simulator. With 1,900 aircraft in the field and industrial partnerships spanning Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia, Sale explains why Bell is evolving from a rotorcraft provider into an integrated capability partner for the region’s commercial and defense operators. With such a storied history, what can you tell us about Bell’s current presence in Southeast Asia and Asia Pacific as a whole?Bell’s presence in Asia Pacific is deeply rooted…

Thales is significantly accelerating production across its key Defence programmes. Over the 2024-2026 period, the Group’s capital expenditure will increase by over 40%, reaching around €830-850 million in 2026. These investments address, among others, seven major domains in the fields of Air Surveillance, Air Defence, Effectors, Sonars & Military communications. Investments are being deployed across Thales’ industrial sites in France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, the UK and beyond, to expand existing capacity, modernise facilities, invest in engineering and information systems, as well as reduce delivery times. To support growth in its core markets, the Group is recruiting more than 9,000 employees…

Three Bulgarian fighters will represent their country at the third edition of the KWU SENSHI World Cup for Amateurs, taking place on July 9 and 10 as part of the 20th International Martial Arts Summer Camp near Varna, Bulgaria. Atanas Lichev, Enco Gyupchanov, and Vasil Dimitrov will face some of the strongest competitors from around the world in this prestigious international tournament. The competition will feature 48 fighters from 22 countries, divided into six weight categories. The bouts will be contested under the KWU SENSHI ruleset, which combines techniques from full-contact karate and Muay Thai, promising spectacular action with elbow…

After four title fights in one calendar year, Merab Dvalishvili has been patiently waiting for word on his rematch against Petr Yan to settle their trilogy sometime in 2026.Unfortunately, Dvalishvili hasn’t heard a single word from the UFC on when he might actually get the chance to face Yan again and with the calendar already filled through August, the former champion is admittedly getting a little anxious. The original delay in booking the trilogy centered around Yan suffering an injury that was going to delay his return to action and Dvalishvili sent a message to the reigning UFC bantamweight champion…