New Interceptor Steel Fin and Patriot 3 Edge Program to Begin Testing in 2027
Anduril's Steel Fin interceptor and Lockheed Martin's Patriot 3 Edge program are scheduled to officially begin testing in 2027.
Anduril's Steel Fin interceptor and Lockheed Martin's Patriot 3 Edge program are scheduled to officially begin testing in 2027.
Taiwan's Thunder Tiger Technology displayed the Papa Delta PD-136 attack drone at the 2026 Association of the United States Army annual meeting. General Manager Su Sheng-jie said the aircraft uses a stamped aluminum alloy airframe that allows rapid mass production, and revealed that its short-range FPV drone has passed US military certification.
Lockheed Martin unveiled the next-generation Patriot interceptor, named the Patriot 3 Edge, on October 9. Its range and altitude ceiling both exceed those of the currently deployed Patriot 3 missile, and it is designed to counter hypersonic weapons and next-generation advanced maneuverable missile threats.
US defense startup Anduril displayed its newly developed modular surface-to-air interceptor, Steel Flag, at the defense exhibition of the Association of the United States Army 2026 Annual Meeting.
On September 11, the South China Morning Post cited expert judgment to confirm that the large drone that has recently received attention is the WZ-X stealth drone. This model has a wingspan of about 52 meters and a size close to the US military's B-2 stealth bomber. It is regarded as an intercontinental high-altitude long-endurance intelligence reconnaissance drone. It was previously identified by US defense websites through satellite imagery at the Malan Air Force Test Site in Xinjiang in May 2025. Chinese officials have not commented on this.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps captured an American Dive LD unmanned underwater vehicle belonging to Anduril Industries at the entrance of the Strait of Hormuz and released footage of the event. US Central Command stated that the UAV had malfunctioned more than a day before it was found, is an older model, and did not carry classified sonar or radar equipment. Experts analyze that Iran may understand US technological pathways through reverse engineering.
US defense company L3Harris issued a press release announcing that it has completed the production of the first 35 sets of Viper Shield electronic warfare systems specifically designed for F-16V fighter jets, and the system has currently received orders for 233 sets from 8 countries and regions, including Taiwan.
The Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed that a Tu-95 strategic bomber crashed during a training mission in the Amur region, killing 6 of the 7 people on board and seriously injuring 1; the Russian Aerospace Forces have dispatched a commission to investigate.
On August 30, 2026, foreign media reported that Uzbekistan has ordered 24 export-version J-10C fighter jets from China, marking a breakthrough for Chinese arms sales in Central Asia, traditionally Russia's sphere of influence.
On August 27, 2026, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense announced the award of a military procurement contract for US-made drones, with a total value of NT$26.9 billion. Taiwan and the United States have formally signed a letter of offer and acceptance for the arms sale, covering the purchase of a total of 2,032 anti-armor attack drones and reconnaissance drones.
The Golden Dome project director publicly disclosed on August 11 that Golden Dome has its first operational site and has completed two comprehensive tests involving command, control, and sensors.
The US Air Force conducted a combat readiness exercise for F-22 Raptor fighter jets at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, practicing hot-pit refueling and distributed guerrilla strike capabilities.
Two US aircraft carriers are returning from the Middle East theater to East Asia, one of which is the USS Abraham Lincoln, and the other is the USS Tripoli. The return route passes through the Indian Ocean and the Strait of Malacca, with plans to deploy in the South China Sea and near the First Island Chain close to Japan and South Korea, respectively. Previously, the US typically maintained a long-term deployment of one aircraft carrier in East Asia, while the Middle East remains a theater of war requiring protection in the Strait of Hormuz; therefore, the simultaneous return of two carriers is viewed as an unusual military movement.
In October 1976, the operation to arrest the Gang of Four inside Zhongnanhai was carried out by the Central Guard Regiment (Unit 8341), with Zhang Yaoci leading dozens of guard soldiers to carry it out; at the time Wang Dongxing concurrently served as director of the CCP Central Committee General Office and head of the Guard Bureau.