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Leonardo has been left in the lurch due to UK defence spending inertia, leaving decision delay on AW149 medium lift helicopter

Multiple Pakistan Air Force Il-78 aerial refuelling aircraft have been confirmed to have landed at an airbase in China’s Sichuan province on 19–20 January, with two of the aircraft seen parked on the apron before departing the airfield. Multiple reports have indicated that they were dispatched to receive up supplies for the Pakistan Armed Forces, for which China is by far the largest foreign supplier. The brevity of the aircraft’s time in China indicates a specific logistics-related visit.

The Russian Aerospace Forces have made use of the secondary land attack capabilities of the S-400 long range air defence system during strikes on Ukrainian targets, with Ukrainian sources reporting that 48N6E2 surface-to-air missiles from the system were used to strike unknown ground targets. The 48N6E2 is one of three long range missile types integrated onto the system, and is significantly slower and less costly than the newer 48N6DM and 40N6 missiles which have respective 250 kilometre and 400 kilometre engagement ranges. The missile has a 200 kilometre range and Mach 8.

Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has confirmed that fighter aircraft were scrambled to intercept a Russian IL-20 intelligence-gathering aircraft conducted a surveillance flight near the country’s western regions, after it flew into the Sea of Japan and proceeded southwest. The Russian aircraft changed course off the coast of Kyoto Prefecture, before returning northwest toward the continent.

Chinese shipyards have made progress with deep modernisation of People’s Liberation Army Navy’s Type 051C class destroyers, with unconfirmed reports indicating that the ships could integrate advanced new vertical launch systems and modern radars to revolutionise their combat capabilities. Only two Type 051C class destroyers were built for the Navy, with these launched in January 2006 and January 2007.

The Russian strategic aircraft manufacturer Tupolev has reportedly seen a new chief executive, Yuri Ambrosimov, appointed to replace Aleksandr Bobryshev, a year after prior management rotations at the firm in late 2024. The firm is currently the only one in the world producing strategic bombers for frontline service, namely the Tu-160M which begun production in 2021.The aircraft are built at the Kazan Aircraft Plant, where Tu-214 passenger planes are also produced, and where Tu-22M3 bombers were previously built and have in recent years been modernised.

The U.S. military struck a small boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Friday, killing two people in the first such attack on a ship in Latin American waters this year, after nearly three dozen in the second half of 2025. 
U.S. Southern Command announced the airstrike on Friday in a post on X, saying that forces struck a boat allegedly operated by “Designated Terrorist Organizations,” killing two people on board and leaving one survivor. 
The command noted that it “immediately” notified the U.S. Coast Guard about the survivor to begin search and rescue efforts.

Members of the Minnesota National Guard are mobilizing around Minneapolis after a 37-year-old man was shot and killed by federal agents in the city today.
The National Guard confirmed it was mobilizing to support local law enforcement following a request from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s office earlier today. Troops will be “assisting in securing the Whipple Federal Building and the site of this morning’s shooting, providing depth and capability to state and local law enforcement,” Army Maj. Andrea Tsuchiya, a spokesperson for the Minnesota National Guard, said in a statement.

This story was updated Saturday, Jan. 24, with up-to-date snow and ice predictions for major bases based on National Weather Service forecasts.
Garrison leadership at Fort Bragg, North Carolina announced on Friday that it would reducing personnel down to only mission essential staff this weekend, as a massive winter storm bears down on the East Coast. It’s the latest move by a military base as snow begins to blanket several states and many military installations.

The head of the First Naval Construction Regiment was removed from his post on Friday, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command announced.
Capt. Douglas Whimpey was relieved of his role as commodore of the regiment after more than two years “due to a loss of confidence in his ability to command,’ the Navy said.
“Navy leaders are expected to uphold the highest standards of responsibility, reliability, and leadership personally and professionally, and the Navy holds them accountable when they fall short of those standards,” the statement said.
Whimpey was removed from the post by Capt.