Topic intelligence
Defense Industry
Coverage connected by published editorial metadata.
Analysis
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Ukraine's Drone Industry: From Seven Companies to Five Hundred
Seven drone makers in 2022. Around 500 now. Four million units produced in 2025, seven million targeted for 2026 — the fastest defence-industrial scale-up on record.
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Western Weapons in Ukraine: What Worked and What Didn't
Leopard 2 armour was never penetrated frontally — 57% of the 2A6 tranche was still lost. A verdict on Western systems by what the evidence actually shows.
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Shahed-136: The Drone That Broke Air Defence Budgets
A $20,000-$50,000 drone against a $4 million interceptor. 57,000 launched at Ukraine. Now the engine changed — and the cost exchange is being contested back.
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Russia's War Economy: How Long Can It Actually Last
Russia spent 65% of Q1 federal revenue on defence. The four-month deficit exceeded all of 2025. Growth forecast cut to 0.4%. The sustainability arithmetic.
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The Russian Army Rebuilt: What Four Years of War Produced
Putin says 700,000 in Ukraine — the same as mid-2024. Contract signings fell 20% year-on-year. Russia adapted its doctrine and hit a recruitment wall.
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The $400 Drone Economy: How Cost Exchange Replaced Firepower
A $400 drone kills a $4.5 million tank. Russia plans 7.3 million FPVs in 2026. The full cost-exchange arithmetic that now governs every defence budget.
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Artillery Is Back: Why Tube and Rocket Fires Still Decide Wars
Finland kept 1,500 guns while the rest of Europe divested. Ukraine proved it right. Why artillery — not air power, not armour — still decides ground war.
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The 2027 Deadline: What China's Military Milestone Actually Means
2027 is not an invasion date. It is a capability target — and the distinction is the most misreported thing in defence. What the Pentagon report actually says.
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Autonomous Weapons Systems: Policy, Law, and Compliance in 2026
Defense industry guide to autonomous weapons policy — DoD Directive 3000.09, the FY2026 NDAA waiver provision, UN CCW talks, and compliance implications.
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Affordable Mass and the Replicator Initiative: Lessons from Scaling Attritable Autonomy
The Replicator initiative and the affordable mass problem — what worked, what didn't, and what scaling attritable autonomous systems actually requires.
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Defense Acquisition Reform in 2026: SPEED, FoRGED, and the Defense Tech Wave
Defense acquisition reform in 2026 — SPEED and FoRGED Act provisions, Commercial Solutions Openings, startup pathways, and what actually changed.
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Russia's Top Weapons in 2026: Capability, Production Reality, and Assessment
Detailed analysis of Russia's most significant weapons — Oreshnik, Kinzhal, Zircon, Poseidon, Su-57, T-14 Armata — and the gap between showcase and production.