Americas
The US Army has experienced a setback in increasing its artillery munition production by October. In early 2024, the army set monthly targets of 60,000 rounds by October of that year, 75,000 by April 2025, and 100,000 by October 2025, but it currently has a monthly output of around 40,000 rounds. Although it is nearly triple the 14,500 monthly rate before Russia’s “military operation” in Ukraine in 2022, production remains below the pace needed to meet the goal of over a million 155-millimeter howitzer shells next year.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has introduced a new drone designed to back up MQ-9B operations, handling high-risk tasks like scouting, jamming, and precision strikes. Named after the Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanoes, “PELE” is meant to operate ahead of the MQ-9B, helping it navigate contested zones with less risk.
Middle East & Africa
A hospital in southern Israel and two towns near Tel Aviv were struck after a barrage of Iranian missiles on Thursday morning, with rescuers reporting at least 47 people injured in the latest attacks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Iran would “pay a heavy price” after the strike on Soroka Hospital in Beersheba in southern Israel, while Defence Minister Israel Katz said the army had been ordered to “intensify” strikes on Iran.
Europe
France is moving to replace its aging airborne early warning fleet with plans to acquire advanced surveillance aircraft from Sweden’s Saab. The country announced its intention to acquire GlobalEye airborne early warning and control aircraft to replace its E-3 AWACS platforms, with a joint declaration of intent signed at the Paris Air Show on June 18, 2025.
Asia-Pacific
India plans to acquire locally-made directed energy weapons to expand the defense force’s counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) capabilities. The decision is driven by experiences from the country’s recent clashes with its neighbor Pakistan, which began in April in India-controlled Kashmir and killed more than 20 people. The selected tool for this effort is a 10-kilowatt system designed by the Indian Defence Research & Development Organisation and manufactured by Mumbai-based defense contractor Larsen & Toubro.