U.S. defense stocks have declined even as the Iran war drags on, indicating that the typical “buy-on-conflict” trade had largely peaked in the weeks before in anticipation of tougher action by President Donald Trump.
The NYSE Arca Defense index, which includes 34 small and large-cap U.S. companies, fell nearly 8% in March, compared with the broader S&P 500’s 5% drop. In contrast, it had…
ROME — Italy, Japan and the U.K. have signed a stopgap contract to keep work going on their joint GCAP fighter program for three months, giving the U.K. time to free up more funding.
The joint program office created by the three nations announced the signing of a £686…
‘Infrastructure is the weapon’: Inside the race to build portable interceptor factories
April 2, 2026
KYIV, Ukraine — While interceptor drones have become one of the most sought-after commodities of the Iran war, Ukrainian officials and defense practitioners are cautioning allies to recognize that the pace of today’s battlefield requires them to buy into an entirely new…
PARIS — Ukraine claimed its air defenses were close to 90% effective in March in destroying or suppressing Russian targets, as both sides tout their successes in what has become one of the defining features of the war between the two countries: defending against massed attacks of drones and missiles.
The air-defense interception rate has been steadily rising in recent months, according to data…
‘Ukrainian housewives’ and Skyranger delays – German defense poster child Rheinmetall is in hot water
April 2, 2026
VIENNA — The chief executive of Rheinmetall, Europe’s highest-valued defense company, continues to face criticism after dismissing Ukraine’s drone industry as the work of “housewives” with “3D printers in their kitchens” − comments his own company quickly…
Ukraine’s war has forced the country to become a trailblazer in drone interception. The conflict in the Middle East could be its make-or-break moment to take the technology global.
In an effort to export Ukrainian systems and know-how, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has…
ROME — U.S. military aircraft heading from the United States to the Middle East have been refused permission to stop off at an air base in Italy, an Italian government source has told Defense News.
The request to land at Sigonella air base in Sicily was issued to Italian authorities after the aircraft had already taken off from the U.S., Italian daily Corriere della Sera reported on…
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The U.S. Navy spent at least six months resurrecting a high-energy laser weapon that previously graced the bow of…
The Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division last month revealed the service’s new “Drone Killer Cartridge,” or DKC, a small-arms ammunition specifically designed to destroy small quadcopter drones.
In the announcement, Brian Hoffman, chief engineer of NSWC…
MANILA, Philippines — The Japanese destroyer JS Chokai is now capable of launching U.S. Tomahawk cruise missiles, making it the first Japanese warship that can strike targets beyond 1,000 kilometers.
This development marks a key shift in the country’s defense strategy. Japan committed to acquiring 400 Tomahawks last year to equip its eight Aegis destroyers as part of a larger standoff…
