Editorial Z-Report | 31.08.2025
Defence Agenda — Evening Brief End-of-day summary · Updated: 31 August 2025 · Europe/Istanbul (UTC+3) 5Top stories 3Programmes moving 2Budget/force structure 24hWatchlist Top Stories UAV swarms vs SHORAD Swarm–defence match-up enters a new test cycle; layered counters are shifting from point solutions to networked effects. Air & Missile Defence CapLink array and missile defence Link-budget […]
Irregular Warfare in the Mountains
This analysis examines how irregular warfare in the mountains can counter China’s coercion along the Himalayan rim, the Tibetan plateau, and Taiwan’s central range—where geography turns altitude, weather, and culture into decisive variables. It synthesizes credible open sources, military doctrine, and historical precedents to outline a practical, partner‑centric approach for Special Operations Forces (SOF). Key […]
NATO 2025 Defence Expenditure
Europe’s rearmament is accelerating. NATO’s latest dataset for NATO 2025 defence expenditure confirms sharp real‑term growth across European Allies, while the United States remains the Alliance’s anchor by absolute outlays. Beyond topline numbers, the new figures signal where capability will materialise over the next five years—and where gaps will persist. [1] Europe surges; the US […]
Hypersonics vs Layered Defence
In the debate over hypersonic missiles vs layered defence, two developments changed the tone this year: credible Navy–MDA testing of terminal defence upgrades and a renewed push to fund the glide-phase kill chain in space and at sea. The question is no longer whether a defender can touch a hypersonic threat at all; it is […]
USAF CCA flight testing begins
Washington’s long‑planned push to field autonomous “drone wingmen” took a concrete step this week as the U.S. Air Force confirmed that Collaborative Combat Aircraft flight testing is underway. The first flight belongs to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ YFQ‑42A; Anduril’s YFQ‑44A is slated to join soon. Beyond the headline, the program’s rapid cadence, force‑design intent, and […]
Artillery in the Age of Drones
Artillery in the age of drones is no longer about map grids and timed salvos. In Ukraine, ubiquitous uncrewed systems now provide near‑continuous surveillance, instant fire correction, and precision terminal guidance. This article examines how drone‑enabled sensing, targeting, and strike have transformed artillery employment—and why mobility and speed now define survivability. From massed fires to […]
ASELSAN’s $1.5B Steel Dome Investment
Foundations for the Next 50 Years ASELSAN marked its 50th anniversary with the country’s largest defense industry investment: a new Oğulbey Technology Base and a sweeping set of capability upgrades centered on the ASELSAN Steel Dome investment. Announced in Ankara with Türkiye’s top leadership in attendance, the program pairs a USD 1.5 billion infrastructure build […]
HAVELSAN–AOI autonomous UAV partnership
HAVELSAN–AOI autonomous UAV partnership signals a decisive pivot toward regionalized unmanned systems manufacturing across North Africa. Under the new framework, HAVELSAN and Egypt’s Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI) will assemble and co‑produce autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles tailored to local requirements while targeting African export markets. “This cooperation is not only about production; it is also […]
Loitering Munitions vs CIWS
Loitering Munitions vs CIWS Why now: FPV proliferation and the urgent demand for reliable close‑in intercepts have turned loitering munitions vs CIWS into the defining survivability contest of modern warfare. The contest: guidance, geometry, and seconds that decide outcomes Loitering munitions mix scouting with a terminal strike. They fly low and small. Some dive fast […]
ASELSAN Steel Dome Unveiled
Türkiye has officially unveiled the ASELSAN Steel Dome—an integrated, layered air and missile defence architecture that fuses national sensors, command‑and‑control, and interceptors. The ASELSAN Steel Dome anchors a cost‑effective defence against drones, cruise missiles, and select ballistic threats by combining HAKİM/HERİKKS C2, long‑range early‑warning radars, and the HİSAR–SİPER interceptor family. [1][2][3] Why it matters The […]
Pentagon Ends JCIDS, Embracing Speed
Key Facts Why the decision to end JCIDS matters The announcement that the Pentagon ends JCIDS marks the most consequential change to U.S. requirements governance in two decades. JCIDS—formalized in 2003 to centralize capability needs across the services—became synonymous with weighty documents, multi‑year staffing, and late-to-need capabilities. Its disestablishment signals a strategic pivot: away from […]
UAV Swarms vs SHORAD
Track Unmanned aerial vehicle vs Short‑range air defence. In today’s contested airspace, UAV swarms vs SHORAD has become the core equation shaping survivability, affordability, and force design. The Russia–Ukraine war demonstrates that massed one‑way attack drones can saturate defences nightly, while NATO forces accelerate layered counter‑UAS (C‑UAS) to repair the cost curve [1][2][3]. Why “UAV […]
Strengthening Global Cooperation and Technological Leadership
SAHA 2026 will return to the Istanbul Expo Center on 5–9 May 2026, positioning SAHA 2026 as Europe’s most consequential defence and aerospace convergence this cycle. With more than 1,500 exhibitors across 100,000 sqm, the exhibition will connect primes, SMEs, researchers and government buyers in a high‑velocity, outcomes‑driven setting.[1] Key Facts — SAHA 2026 Strategic […]
Rethinking U.S. Strategy Against the Houthis
Red Sea remains volatile despite months of strikes and diplomacy. Shipping firms keep rerouting, insurance costs stay high, and crews face steady risk. As a result, a reset of U.S. strategy against the Houthis is overdue. A workable plan must combine measured force, pressure on external enablers, and realistic talks through Oman. Why airstrikes alone […]
Russia slashes Shahed unit costs
What is actually getting cheaper—and why it matters The headline drop in Shahed drone unit cost stems from three interlocking dynamics: localization, simplification, and scale. Localization replaced Iranian imports with Russian production at Alabuga, cutting logistics and markup. Simplification shaved non‑essential components—e.g., lighter airframes and engines configured without starters and flywheels—to reduce bill‑of‑materials and assembly […]
Armor–UAV Teaming Is Now a Necessity
Armies that master teaming armored formations with UAVs will dictate the tempo of twenty-first-century land combat. Tanks and infantry fighting vehicles retain decisive shock effect, but their survivability now hinges on organic drones, resilient networks, and kill chains that run from quadcopters to long-range fires. Recent doctrine and battlefield evidence converge on the same conclusion: […]
CapLink Array boosts missile defense
Assured Space Access Technologies Inc has unveiled the CapLink Array, a next‑generation phased‑array antenna engineered to raise the performance ceiling in missile defense and space communications. Built around a proprietary capacitive‑dipole architecture, the system targets broad instantaneous bandwidth, high gain, and a wide field‑of‑view—the core attributes that enable faster track initiation, multi‑target handling, and resilient […]
Restructure U.S. Forces for Multi-Front War
Restructure U.S. Forces for Multi-Front War Washington faces a strategic reality it can no longer defer: multi-front war restructuring is now a prerequisite for credible deterrence. Moreover, Russia’s aggression in Europe, Iran’s recent provocations in the Middle East, and the pacing challenge from China have outgrown legacy force-sizing concepts. As Arnold L. Punaro argues in his recent […]
PLAAF modernization reshapes airpower
Over two decades, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force has changed how it builds and uses airpower. PLAAF modernization moved from large numbers to advanced systems, widened long-range and maritime roles, and brought far better ISR and electronic warfare support online. A new National Defense University (NDU) study revisits the earlier “right-size” question and explains […]
MKE Accelerates August Deliveries
MKE August deliveries show a clear pace from factory to field. The list covers Altay tank weapon systems, Fırtına howitzer equipment, GÖKDENİZ CIWS subsystems and several lines of ammunition. As a result, Türkiye gains near-term combat power and steadier readiness.