AIR BASE AIR DEFENSE / DAILY BRIEFING

ABAD Daily NewsAcquisition, military and joint-force developments.

16SEP 202608 STORIES

8 new reports on counter-drone capabilities, acquisition and allied air defense, selected from the past week and checked against earlier coverage.

· Europe/BerlinCoverage: 9 September 2026–16 September 2026Edition permalink ↗

Acquisition · Military · Joint force

BLUF = bottom line up front
01
Compact Shadow EW electronic-warfare hardware displayed in front of a BAE Systems sign.
Shadow EW devices displayed by BAE Systems in launch coverage. BAE Systems, via Air & Space Forces Magazine
Electronic warfare

BAE launches compact Shadow EW systems for small aircraft

BLUF BAE introduced Shadow EW, a compact electronic-warfare family intended to give small airborne platforms sensing and self-protection capabilities. The company plans high-volume production in Iowa using commercial microchips and field-upgradable software. This is a product launch aimed at affordable mass, with no new procurement award or operational fielding announced.

BAE Systems · Company announcement

Reported 15 September 2026 · Launch: 15 September 2026

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02
File portrait of Ducommun chief executive Stephen Oswald wearing glasses and a suit.
Ducommun CEO Stephen Oswald; file portrait used in the same-day award coverage. Photo via Orange County Business Journal
Industrial base

Ducommun wins follow-on work for PAC-3 missile electronics

BLUF Ducommun announced more than $35 million in follow-on work from Simmonds Precision Products for electronic assemblies supporting the PAC-3 missile family. Production will take place in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This adds supplier-level work behind air and missile defense capacity; the announcement does not disclose missile quantities, delivery dates or a new government interceptor purchase.

Ducommun · Company announcement

Reported 15 September 2026 · Release dateline: 15 September 2026

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03
Company illustration of a slender PX75 interceptor on an angled rail with a sensor below it.
Company illustration of the Perdix PX75 interceptor and base station. Irisnet / tms / Net digital, via EQS
Counter-UAS

Irisnet and tms partner on Perdix counter-drone demonstrator

BLUF Irisnet and tms announced a partnership combining visual drone detection with the PX75 kinetic interceptor in a system called Perdix. A technology demonstrator is planned for display at EUDEX this month. The development targets the lowest layer of air defense and infrastructure protection; the release establishes a partnership, not a procurement award or independently validated performance.

Net digital / EQS · Company announcement

Reported 15 September 2026 · Company announcement: 14 September; distributed 15 September 2026

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04
Lithuanian and Italian delegations seated across a conference table with national flags between them.
Lithuanian and Italian delegations meet during the ministerial visit, 15 September. Photograph resized; shared under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Italian Ministry of Defence / CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Allied air defense

Italian jets intercept a drone over Lithuania as allies press for stronger air defense

BLUF Italy and Lithuania report that Italian Eurofighters intercepted and neutralized a drone that entered Lithuanian airspace. At a subsequent meeting in Siauliai, both defense ministers stressed stronger air defense, detection and protection of critical infrastructure. The incident underlines the operational role of allied air missions; the official reports do not establish the drone's origin.

Lithuanian Ministry of National Defence / Italian Ministry of Defence · Official military report

Ministerial visit September 15; report refers to preceding night incident

Sources: Italian Ministry of Defence: interception report / Italian Ministry of Defence: ministerial visit · 2026-09-15 / Photograph license: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

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05
Infantry Squad Vehicles with roof-mounted DroneSentry-X Mk2 counter-drone units.
DroneSentry-X Mk2 units installed on Infantry Squad Vehicles in the company's acceptance announcement. DroneShield
Joint force

DroneShield completes JIATF-401 vehicle installations and acceptance

BLUF DroneShield says its vehicle-mounted counter-drone systems reached initial operational capability after installation, live-drone acceptance testing and operator training under a JIATF-401 contract. The milestone came about 80 days after award, with three more units planned. The fielding adds mobile detection and electronic countermeasures for forces operating beyond fixed defenses.

DroneShield · Company announcement

Acceptance announced: 15 September 2026

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06
Front view of an F-16 parked inside a hangar with open doors.
An F-16 at 5 Wing Goose Bay during Operation Arctic Vanguard, 14 September 2026. U.S. Air Force / Senior Airman Colin Perkins
Joint force

F-16 imagery highlights forward Arctic air-defense operations

BLUF New Air Force imagery shows the 18th Fighter Interceptor Squadron operating F-16s from Goose Bay during Operation Arctic Vanguard. The NORAD and NORTHCOM operation aims to strengthen forward Arctic basing and defense of North America’s northern approaches. The photographs were taken September 14 and released September 15.

U.S. Air Force / DVIDS · Official photo report

Photographed: 14 September 2026; released: 15 September

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07
Dark Seavex unmanned surface craft with a tall sensor mast moored beside an industrial waterfront.
Seavex in a manufacturer press photograph supplied with the maritime launch announcement. Quantum Systems
Joint force

Quantum Systems adds maritime sensing and counter-drone platforms

BLUF Quantum Systems introduced Seavex and Subvex to connect surface and underwater sensing with its air and ground systems through MOSAIC UXS. Seavex includes counter-drone radar and can support other unmanned platforms. The launch broadens protection options around ports and coastal infrastructure; the company says capabilities will be tested and validated in sea trials.

Quantum Systems · Company announcement

Announced in Portugal: 14 September 2026; sea trials planned

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08
Dronathon participants gathered behind several unmanned aircraft at an outdoor display.
Dronathon participants and unmanned aircraft at the Pokhran event, in the official opening release. India Ministry of Defence / Press Information Bureau
Trials & exercises

Indian Air Force opens Dronathon trials and releases UAS roadmap

BLUF The Indian Air Force opened Dronathon at Pokhran with more than 20 industry participants and demonstrations covering counter-drone systems, electronic warfare and autonomy. It also released a UAS roadmap and demonstrated Vayu UTtaM detecting and tracking military and civilian drones. The event assesses emerging capabilities under realistic conditions to inform future requirements.

India Ministry of Defence / PIB · Official release

Opening: 14 September; event: 14–16 September 2026

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