New Zealand has announced a $1.6 billion military spending package to update its aircraft fleet, including the purchase of five MH-60R Seahawk helicopters from the US. The deal, part of a plan to double defense spending to 2% of GDP over the next decade, includes two Airbus A321XLR aircraft.

HII's Mission Technologies division has secured a position on a $267 million multiple-award contract for US Navy training services. "Sailor training and professional development are mission-critical -- especially when it comes to force protection and combat readiness," says Michael Lempke, president of Mission Technologies' Global Security business.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has developed the Digital Radio Frequency Battlespace Emulator electronic warfare test system, and plans to install it at a Navy lab this year. The system uses high-performance computing to simulate electronic warfare scenarios, aiding the Defense Department in testing capabilities such as radar jamming and spoofing.

The British Army has successfully integrated the Javelin anti-tank missile with the Boxer armored vehicle as part of the Mechanised Infantry Vehicle program. A recent demonstration, conducted during the testing and evaluation phase, involved the use of the Kongsberg RS4 Remote Weapon Station.

China Southern Airlines, Air China and China Eastern Airlines are dividing a 500-plane order from Airbus, with each major carrier planning to claim 100 aircraft. Smaller carriers Xiamen Air and Sichuan Airlines are targeting agreements for about 35 jets each. Beijing has not yet announced the deal.

Axcelis Technologies and GE Aerospace are jointly advancing Axcelis' Purion XEmax technology in support of GE's Advanced High Voltage Silicon Carbide Switches. The project aims to improve device performance and manufacturability.

Blue Origin has unveiled a concept for the Mars Telecommunications Orbiter, aiming to improve communications infrastructure on Mars missions. Based on the Blue Ring platform, the orbiter would offer continuous, high-bandwidth links and support NASA's 2028 mission timeline. Blue Origin joins Rocket Lab and Lockheed Martin in submitting unsolicited proposals to NASA.

General Dynamics Mission Systems received a $17.5 million contract modification from the Department of Defense, increasing its total Air Force contract for space architecture and related efforts to over $1.14 billion.

Taiwan plans to increase defense spending by 22.9% in 2026, surpassing 3% of GDP for the first time since 2009, to counter China's military pressure and meet US expectations. The budget includes funding for new fighter jets, naval defenses and, for the first time, the coast guard, reflecting a "NATO model" of defense expenditure.