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Fortem Technologies and MBDA Expand Partnership to Build Autonomous Counter-Drone Protection into European and Allied Air Defenses TMCnet News [October 12, 2026] | / | Fortem Technologies and MBDA Expand Partnership to Build Autonomous Counter-Drone Protection into European and Allied Air Defenses Fortem Technologies, a leader in layered airspace security and defense, today announced an expanded strategic partnership with European complex weapon systems leader MBDA to integrate Fortem's autonomous counter-drone systems into the air-defense architectures operated by MBDA's defense and government customers across Europe and worldwide. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261011817816/en/ FireThorn(R), a fully autonomous interceptor co-developed by Fortem Technologies and MBDA, pairs an MBDA NATO-approved warhead with Fortem's Ground-Launched Air-to-Air Munitions (G-LAAM) airframe, shown here. Designed to defeat one-way attack drones and other hostile uncrewed aircraft - including Shaheds/Gerans and Orlans - FireThorn combines Fortem's high-speed, radar-guided autonomous airframe with kinetic defeat capability. FireThorn is part of anexpanded strategic partnership between Fortem and MBDA to integrate Fortem's autonomous counter-drone systems into the air-defense architectures operated by MBDA's defense and government customers across Europe and worldwide. The agreement builds on a technical collaboration established in 2024 that integrated Fortem's DroneHunter(R) autonomous interceptor into MBDA's Sky Warden(R) counter-uncrewed aircraft systems (C-UAS) architecture. Under the expanded partnership, MBDA will offer DroneHunter interceptors, allowing operators to add Fortem's capabilities as a layer to their existing air defense networks rather than deploying a standalone system. Sales are subject to applicable export authorizations. The companies will also jointly offer FireThorn(R), a fully autonomous interceptor co-developed by Fortem and MBDA. Designed to defeat one-way attack drones and other hostile uncrewed aircraft, including both Shaheds/Gerans and Orlans, FireThorn pairs Fortem's high-speed, radar-guided autonomous airframe with an MBDA NATO-approved warhead for kinetic defeat. The combined portfolio provides defense forces with complementary, mission-adaptable defeat options: * FireThorn delivers a hard-kill effector for high-threat engagement scenarios. * DroneHunter provides low-collateral net capture for high-density environments where protecting surrounding infrastructure or recovering intact drone evidence is critical. "Drones have changed how wars are fought, and air defense must change with them," said Fortem Technologies CEO Jon Gruen, who announced the expanded partnership with MBDA ahead of attending the 2026 Warsaw Security Forum. "Militaries don't need another standalone gadget. They need autonomous interceptors that plug into the architecture they already trust. Working with MBDA puts Fortem's systems inside one of Europe's most established air defense ecosystems, and gives allied forces a faster route to protecting troops, bases, and critical infrastructure." FireThorn will be on display at MBDA's booth #453 at the 2026 AUSA convention, taking place Oct. 12-14 in Washington. About Fortem Technologies Fortem Technologies is a global leader in airspace security, delivering solutions that protect against today's autonomous aerial threats while ensuring the safety of tomorrow's advanced air mobility. Fortem's AI-powered SkyDome(R) Family of Systems combines TrueView(R) sensors, command-and-control software, and autonomous DroneHunter(R) interceptors to defend military, government, and commercial operations worldwide from hostile or unauthorized drones. Fortem is the only company authorized to deploy a drone-on-drone kinetic interceptor in U.S. airspace, and its technology has been validated in operational deployments in Ukraine, the Middle East, and East Asia. Headquartered in Lindon, Utah, Fortem is privately held and backed by Lockheed Martin, DCVC, Toshiba, AE Industrial Partners, AIM13, Signia Venture Partners, and others. To learn more, visit https://fortemtech.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261011817816/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage] |

India's PL-15E intelligence gains French attention. The Indian Air Force's experiences during Operation Sindoor are a subject of study in France, with the campaign's massive air operations offering lessons to European air forces, as they train for a more contested airspace. Indian Air Force French Air and Space Force Vice-Chief Lieutenant General Dominique Tardif, who was visiting India to observe Tarang Shakti 2026, told news agency ANI that France was studying India's experimental experience, especially the very dense concentration of aircraft simultaneously operating in the same battlespace. Tardif said this was something he thought Western air forces had not experienced at such a scale since the Second World War. However, IDRW has learned that French interest in India's combat experience goes beyond the larger operational lessons of the conflict. According to sources, France has also expressed an interest in India's use of recoverable Chinese-origin PL-15E surface-attack air-to-air missile parts, specifically the missile's seeker, guidance architecture and associated electronic systems. Discover more Defence industry analysis Defense Industry India recovered debris of the PL-15 missile in operation, while later reports indicated that relatively intact parts, including hardware associated with the missile's seeker system, were available for technical analysis. RUSI reported in May 2025 that detecting an intact PL-15E could provide an opportunity to evaluate its Chinese AESA seeker technology. Later reports have said that Indian teams extracted electronic-system-related data regarding its characteristics and guidance architecture. If France gets access to such data, it could find useful applications in electronic-warfare and missile-technology development activities. The use of the PL-15E during Operation Sindoor has attracted a lot of interest as the BVR combat relies heavily on electronic warfare. Indian defense sources have stated that the inability of several Pakistani-fired PL-15Es to hit their targets was due to India's electronic warfare activity and the PAF's employment tactics. idrw reported that the Rafale's SPECTRA system and other Indian electronic warfare systems thwarted the threat. Tardif also confirmed that France is encouraging MBDA to develop a longer-range air-to-air missile. He also said that France was monitoring systems like the PL-15 and R-37, and has put pressure on MBDA to develop a more capable and longer-range missile quickly. India Strategic This requirement directly relates to the combat architecture planned for the future Rafale fleet. While France and India both operate the MBDA Meteor missile, the advent of Chinese and Russian longer-range systems is spurring interest in next-generation air-to-air missile systems. For India, studying French analysis of PL-15E technology could have broader implications beyond France, especially as India acquires larger numbers of Rafales and develops greater indigenous capabilities in electronic warfare. Discover more South Asians & Diaspora Defence Industry Defence Industries The French interest thus could be an important avenue of aviation cooperation: Indian combat experience and data on foreign missile systems could inform the evolution of French missile and EW systems, while French expertise and systems analysis could help shape the future of India's future fleet of Rafales and the combat aviation ecosystem. EDITED BY RAUNAK KUNDE AFI articles are crafted by Aditya, Farhan, and Ishaan - seasoned content writers specializing in the Indian defense sector.With a decade of mainstream media experience each, they bring authoritative analysis, deep domain expertise, and well-researched insights to coverage of military strategy, defense procurement, and national security developments in India.Article cannot be reproduced without written permission. Aerospace & Defense

STARK | new ai-enabled Vanta 12 USV armed with Sea Venom missiles. Defence Redefined 01/10/2026 German company STARK Defence has unveiled a new 12-metre uncrewed surface vessel (USV), designated Vanta 12. Powered by STARK's Minerva artificial-intelligence platform, the new USV can autonomously monitor extensive maritime areas for prolonged periods, detect potential threats and deploy to counter them. According to the manufacturer, the Vanta 12 can remain continuously at sea for weeks, with a range of up to 1,200 nautical miles and a maximum speed of 40 knots. This enables it to monitor large areas of the North Sea, the Baltic Sea and the North Atlantic. The vessel also has a payload capacity of up to two tonnes and can be equipped with various sensors and effectors. STARK states that it has already integrated ten Cascade loitering munitions and tested their deployment from the Vanta 12. In addition, four MBDA Sea Venom anti-ship missiles have reportedly been integrated. Designed to engage targets at sea, the missiles enable the Vanta 12 not only to detect and track maritime threats but also to engage them when necessary. Both the Cascade loitering munitions and the anti-ship missiles were tested during NATO's REPMUS 2026 exercise, held in Portugal in September. Sea Venom missiles are already in service with the British Royal Navy and equip its Wildcat helicopters. MBDA now says that it has begun developing a ship-launched version of the missile. Integrating these missiles aboard a vessel of this size provides an uncrewed platform with a strike capability previously available only to helicopters or frigates. STARK was established in 2024 in response to Ukraine's operational requirements. Headquartered in Berlin, the company maintains a presence in Germany, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Greece. The Vanta 12 is manufactured in south-west England and was designed from the outset for mass production rather than small-batch manufacturing.