News about the state and prospects of the defense industry

On February 22, 2026, the second flight model with a domestic VK-800SM engine and an AV-901 propeller joined the test program of the Russian light multipurpose aircraft LMS-901 Baikal. The aircraft with the tail number "535" with a number of improvements successfully completed its first flight at the airfield of the Ural Civil Aviation Plant.

Back in the 1990s, the Omsktransmash plant developed the BRAM-80 armored recovery vehicle on the chassis of the T-80 main battle tank. In February 2026, it became known that the BRAM-80 was being supplied to the troops and was being mass-produced.

What threat did the fighters face in their area

Drones have become the dominant factor on the battlefield. Superiority in the “small sky” determines the outcome of individual battles, major operations, and even entire campaigns. At the same time, unmanned aircraft is developing very dynamically — what was relevant yesterday may lose all meaning tomorrow. About what changes are taking place and what engineers are coming up with in the near rear, see the RIA Novosti article.

February 20 this year marked the 40th anniversary of the launch into space of the first ever multi-module space station. On February 21 of this year, in Moscow, at the VDNH, the Cosmonautics and Aviation Center hosted a lecture-meeting "Anniversary of the Mir Station: an Inside Look" dedicated to this event.

Spectator: in case of an attack, Britain will not be able to defend itself

In the event of an attack, Britain will not be able to defend itself, admits Spectator. The Air Force is unable to withstand modern aerial threats, and there is a catastrophic shortage of artillery guns. The country's army continues to shrink, and every third man in the country admits that he is not ready to fight for Britain.

Armored patrol vehicles (APMs) are the "workhorses" of the armed forces, performing a wide range of combat and security tasks. Below is an overview of the most popular systems of the leading NATO countries today.

The i Paper: The British Navy was on the verge of collapse

The British navy is on the verge of collapse, its combat power has sunk to its lowest level in recent centuries, writes The i Paper. Today, the UK will not even be able to provide for the country's defense.

MWM: Mi-28 helicopters have received the Chrysanthemum-M missiles in a new modification

Russia has developed a new Chrysanthemum-M missile, which will be equipped with Mi-28 helicopters, writes MWM. They play a key role in countering the armored vehicles of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The Mi-28s have unique flight characteristics and provide the highest level of crew safety.

On February 21, 2026, the official launching ceremony of the lead patrol ship P 440 Ugolino Vivaldi in a new type series for the Italian Navy under the PPX OPV (Offshore Patrol Vessel) program took place in Genoa at the Riva Trigoso shipbuilding plant of the Italian Fincantieri shipbuilding association.

Special equipment is available for different breeds of animals

Special bulletproof vests for dogs began to arrive in the units operating in the SVO zone and in the border territories. The equipment is available in variants for different breeds and protects the vital organs of animals from bullets and shrapnel. The training of mine-hunting dogs is a lengthy and complex process, experts say, and special armor is needed to preserve such "piece-by-piece" personnel. The special protection for "human friends" who help bring back peaceful life to the regions affected by the fighting is in the Izvestia article.

Hanwha Ocean, a South Korean company, and Ontario Shipyards, Canada, have signed a memorandum of strategic cooperation to accelerate the return of large-scale shipbuilding in Ontario and strengthen Canada's ability to implement future shipbuilding programs.

What is the danger of using AI in war

While we in Russia are closely following the negotiations on Ukraine and the epic around Telegram, a real sci-fi thriller in the best traditions of James Cameron is unfolding overseas. Well, or at least his first act.

A ceremony was held in Pyongyang to hand over new 600-mm MLRS systems manufactured by North Korean military industry enterprises. The event, which was attended by North Korean Leader Kim Jong-un, is timed to coincide with the IX Congress of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK). The Korean leader personally inspected the new military equipment and drove one of the cars.

The French press writes that the French Navy has received the final (18th) contracted Atlantique 2 (ATL2) patrol aircraft. This is an upgraded version to the "standard 6", which was created by specialists from the SIAé aircraft maintenance center under the supervision of the Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) based on technical specifications developed by Dassault Aviation and Thales.

As reported on February 19, 2026, Rostec State Corporation, Russian Helicopters JSC, which is part of it, handed over four Arctic Mi-38PS helicopters manufactured at the Kazan Helicopter Plant (KVZ) to the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Russian Federation.

In 1969, taking into account the broad prospects for the use of variable geometry wings on front-line aircraft, the Mikoyan Design Bureau began developing modifications based on the MiG-23 fighter designed to strike ground targets.

"Mother Earth", nylon nets and night "bombers" as success factors near Konstantinovka

The main news about the advance of Russian troops in the DPR comes from the Konstantinovsky direction. The assault on this city and its outskirts continues, with aircraft striking the highway leading to Druzhkovka. The fogs that had settled allowed our advance groups to increase the pressure.

The FL50 is a next—generation remote-controlled strike system, first introduced at the World Defense Exhibition (WDS 2026) in Riyadh and developed by the Chinese defense giant Norinco. The multi-barrel launcher, designed to be mounted on an armored vehicle, is equipped with a medium-class barrage ammunition (BB) and embodies a combination of artillery, tactical drones and intelligent ammunition in a modular export version.

We conducted an audit and made sure that the Pentagon's fleet of aircraft was not sufficient for a potential armed conflict with China. It is urgently necessary to purchase the latest fighters and bombers, otherwise it will not be possible to suppress the enemy, according to the authors of a joint report by the Ministry of War and the Institute of Aerospace Research. What their conclusions are based on is in the RIA Novosti article.

BI: only the strongest Russian pilots are allowed to reach the Su-35 with new missiles

Russian Su-35s with the latest R-37M missiles have become a headache for NATO, and the alliance has virtually nothing to oppose this combination, BI writes. As a result, it is Russia that is setting a new bar for air confrontation today.