Greece has reached a deal with the US worth up to $4 billion for weapons purchases and F-16 upgrades, Reuters reported. The package would upgrade older F-16s to the Viper configuration and supply advanced missiles and bombs for the country’s F-16 Vipers, planned F-35 fleet, and Black Hawk helicopters. Greece spends nearly 3.5 percent of its GDP on defense, according to Reuters, and plans to invest approximately 28 billion euros ($31 billion) in modernizing its armed forces through 2036. European Defence Agency figures put the country’s defense expenditure last year at 6.9 billion euros, equivalent to 2.8 percent of GDP. Greece’s F-16 Upgrade Program Greece received its 60th F-16 Viper in September, as Lockheed Martin and Hellenic Aerospace Industry continue converting the country’s existing fighters to the upgraded configuration. The aircraft feature APG-83 electronically scanned radars, new mission computers, and updated cockpit displays. Conversion work takes place at Hellenic Aerospace Industry’s Tanagra facilities, north of Athens, with technical support from Lockheed Martin. Deliveries of upgraded fighters are scheduled to continue through 2027. Greece received its first two Vipers in September 2022, four years after approving the conversion program.

Thailand has approved 3.5 billion baht ($104.4 million) in emergency defense funding to replenish military equipment, repair combat-damaged gear, and reinforce defenses along the Cambodian border. The decision comes as the Joint Information Center on the Thailand-Cambodia Situation raised its border risk assessment to level 1.5 on a 5-point scale, signaling heightened vigilance in the region. The frontier remains closed following recent military skirmishes and historical disputes over overlapping territorial claims near ancient border temples. The military allocation includes long-range Rampage standoff missiles and “bunker-buster” bombs for the Royal Thai Air Force, alongside artillery upgrades for the Royal Thai Army, local media reported. Officials also tightened monitoring of unmanned aerial system imports due to the increase in unauthorized airborne reconnaissance along the border. Bangkok reiterated that overall conditions remain placid amid military readiness measures. Infrastructure Rehabilitation To support civil defense in seven border provinces, the Thai Cabinet separately approved 433.5 million baht ($12.9 million) for the Interior Ministry. The funds cover the construction of 1,669 public shelters, 143 village broadcasting towers, and upgraded digital radio communications.

The Czech model is emerging as the main candidate to replace the three C-212 Aviocars withdrawn from service, with the possible acquisition of two units The Colombian Army (EJC) has formally opened a process to acquire new light transport aircraft aimed at bolstering the movement and maneuvering capabilities of its Air Assault Aviation Division (Davaa). Although the program is still in the pre-contractual phase, its background points to the possible incorporation of two L-410 NGs from Aircraft Industries, a subsidiary of the Czech group Omnipol. Process 070-SAMC-DIADQ-TRANS-2026, called "Acquisition of multipurpose light aircraft for the National Army", was published on October 4 through the abbreviated selection modality of minor amounts. It has a formal budget of $34,492,120 and a contractual term of two months, while bids are scheduled for 26 October. Although the procedure does not yet identify the L-410 NG as a selected model, the program's track record places it as a prime candidate. In August, the Army had made a request for information for light fixed-wing aircraft, using the CO1 process. REQ.10810902, which received responses from three vendors. The possible choice of the Czech model would also be related to its industrial availability. Aircraft Industries maintains production and deliveries of the L-410 NG and would have in its inventory the units needed by the Colombian Army.  

Morocco has officially asked the US government to train pilots from its Royal Air Forces to operate the fifth-generation F-35A fighter, according to information published on 8 October by the Moroccan media outlet Assahifa. The request, if confirmed, could represent a breakthrough in contacts for an eventual acquisition of the Lockheed Martin fighter jet, although so far there is no public confirmation of the request or of a purchase agreement by the authorities in Rabat or Washington. Assahifa assures, citing his own sources, that the petition has already been submitted to the US side. The media does not specify the number of pilots who would participate in the program or the planned dates for their training. It also links the alleged request to preparations for a possible acquisition of the F-35A, the variant designed to operate from conventional runways and used by the U.S. Air Force. The information comes at a time of special visibility in military cooperation between Morocco and the United States. Two US Air Force F-35As flew over the Royal Air Force base in Marrakech on 7 October during the opening of the Marrakech Air Show 2026, held from 7 to 10 October. The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed the participation of the fighters, belonging to the 48th Fighter Wing, deployed at the British base RAF Lakenheath. However, the presence of the aircraft at the fair does not in itself constitute a contractual indication of a future sale. Nor does the alleged request for training, on which no official documents have been published, allow an acquisition to be initiated.

Britain said Kuwait agreed on Friday to buy a £370 million ($489 ​million) air defence system from a ‌UK-based company which will help protect the Gulf state from drone attacks at a ​time of escalating conflict in ​the region. Kuwait is buying the system, which ⁠will incorporate jammers, radars and ​interceptors with an AI-enabled control centre, from ​London-headquartered MARSS, a company owned by Australia's EOS Britain has a long history of supplying Middle ​Eastern allies with weapons, technology and ​fighter jets. Finance minister John Healey has said ‌he ⁠wants to use defence orders to help reindustrialise Britain and boost growth Yemen's civil war has in recent weeks rapidly emerged ​as the ​fiercest ⁠front in a wider regional conflagration triggered by the US and ​Israeli attack on Iran that ​started ⁠on February 28 The deal will create 100 jobs in Britain in engineering and ⁠manufacturing ​roles at MARSS's production ​facility in Bristol, south west England

The French chief of staff, Fabien Mandon, says that Berlin has decided to abandon the development of a common tank, although both countries maintain cooperation on collaborative combat technologies The Chief of Staff of the French Armed Forces, General Fabien Mandon, has stated that Germany has decided to abandon the project to develop a common battle tank with France, the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS). The statement, made on October 8 during an appearance before the French National Assembly's Defence Committee, is a new setback for one of Europe's main military industrial cooperation programmes, designed to replace the German Leopard 2 and French Leclerc tanks. The French statement must be interpreted with important precision: the goal of building a common battle tank has been compromised, but official cooperation between Paris and Berlin within the framework of the MGCS has not completely disappeared. In July, both governments agreed to limit the program to research into technologies for collaborative combat and their integration between manned and unmanned platforms. The new approach maintains a part of the technological cooperation, although it moves away from the initial ambition to jointly develop the system that would replace its current battle tanks. Germany and France part ways The MGCS program was born in 2017 with the aim of preparing the next generation of ground combat systems from Germany and France. The initiative did not only contemplate a traditional tank, but an integrated system with manned and unmanned vehicles, sensors, communications and different weapons capabilities connected to each other. Initial planning aimed to replace the Leopard 2 and Leclerc from the 2040s. However, difficulties in agreeing on industrial distribution, technological responsibilities and the requirements of armies were delaying development.

Wisconsin-based tactical mobility developer Oshkosh Defense has received a second direct order to provide military trucks for the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces. Placed through local industry partner Optimum Vehicle Logistics, the follow-on package covers 50 of the company’s proprietary Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET) A1 tractors. It also includes 50 MN573 heavy-duty trailers built in partnership with Dutch specialty vehicle manufacturer Broshuis BV. The procurement builds on Rabat’s initial contract in 2024 for an undisclosed number of the HET A1 tractors, supporting goals to upgrade its military’s cross-theater logistics, sustain armored formations, and reinforce overall operational readiness. Platforms under that batch were delivered successfully to the North African country and have been fielded. Oshkosh’s HET A1 is designed to carry and transport heavy-class tactical vehicles, including main battle tanks. Its cab offers a seating capacity for up to six people and is built with an air conditioning system as well as modular crew protection technology. The truck is powered by an Allison 4800SP transmission and a 700-horsepower Caterpillar C18 engine, and is fitted with two winches that could pull up to 55,000 pounds (24,948 kilograms) each.

South Korea is discussing the potential export of its Biho Hybrid air defense system to India, which previously selected the platform in trials for an Indian Army requirement. Officials from South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and India’s defense ministry discussed the Hanwha Aerospace-built system during a joint commission meeting on defense and logistics in New Delhi, DAPA said in a press release. The South Korean side specifically discussed measures for the stable implementation of key projects, including the Biho system and the K9 self-propelled artillery system operated by the Indian Army. India’s interest in the South Korean system dates back to the Indian Army’s requirement for a self-propelled air defense gun-and-missile system. The K30 Biho reportedly emerged as the only system to qualify in Indian trials, leading to plans to acquire 104 systems in a deal estimated at around $2.5 billion. During earlier field evaluations by India’s Ministry of Defence, the South Korean platform reportedly outperformed Russian contenders, including the Pantsir-S1 and Tunguska-M1. Built by Hanwha Aerospace, the Biho Hybrid combines twin 30mm automatic cannons with short-range surface-to-air missiles to counter low-altitude threats such as helicopters and drones. Its configuration also includes electro-optical fire-control and target-acquisition sensors. The platform has been upgraded with improved sensors, battlefield networking, mobility, and counter-drone capabilities, while Hanwha has showcased updated configurations for international markets.

Swedish Corvette HMS Helsingborg Transferred to Finnish Command for Border Security The Swedish Visby-class corvette HMS Helsingborg entered the Gulf of Finland as part of a naval operation to secure Finland’s borders. For the first time in history, the Swedish corvette has been placed under Finnish military command, according to the SVT television channel. The decision to involve Swedish forces was made in August following a request from Finland due to ongoing incidents involving drones and airspace violations. As part of the mission, which will last throughout the fall, Sweden is deploying not only ships but also JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets for joint patrols. The corvette HMS Helsingborg is one of five Visby-class ships designed by the Swedish company Kockums for the Swedish Armed Forces. The corvette class was designed using stealth technology, which significantly reduces the ship’s radar and infrared signature. The ship’s 73-meter-long hull is constructed of carbon-fiber-based composite materials to reduce weight and magnetic signature. The corvette has a displacement of 640 metric tons, and thanks to its gas turbine propulsion system the ship is capable of reaching a maximum speed of over 35 knots. The corvette is armed with a 57 mm Bofors Mk3 artillery system, RBS-15 anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, and anti-submarine depth charge launchers.

Singapore's Navy is building space for uncrewed systems and future technologies into its new Sentinel-class OPVs, reflecting a wider move towards adaptable vessels capable of maintaining persistent maritime presence. Singapore has launched its first purpose-built Sentinel-class offshore patrol vessels (OPV), as the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) expands its capacity to maintain a persistent maritime security presence amid an evolving regional threat environment.. The ship was launched at Fassmer’s shipyard in Berne, Germany, on 1 October 2026. Although originally based on the OPV 80 Potsdam-class design, the Sentinel-class is significantly larger than the design used by the German Bundespolizei. Fassmer later unveiled an OPV 90 design in 2025 that aligns design features seen on the Singaporean ships. At 94.85m in length and displacing 2,700t, the Sentinel-class is substantially larger than Singapore’s existing 500t Sentinel-class maritime security and response vessels (MSRV), which were modified from the Fearless-class patrol vessels. The main armament comprises a Leonardo Strales 76mm gun and Rafael Typhoon Mk30 30mm remote weapon system, with both systems offering counter-uncrewed systems capabilities. Non-lethal systems include Sitep Italia laser dazzler and acoustic hailing device, “less-lethal” grenade launcher and water cannon systems.