Defense Electronics, EW & Sensors

BAE Systems confirmed involvement in a potential acquisition of Dutch drone tracking specialist Robin Radar Systems and announced a new collaboration with Arteris and SiFive focused on secure microelectronics for U.S. defence projects. The microelectronics partnership is part of a wider U.S. programme aimed at supply chain security in defence-focused chip design. BAE Systems is a £52.6b aerospace and defense group with operations across the United States, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, Australia, Saudi Arabia and wider Europe. The next test is whether these initiatives turn into identifiable contract activity, such as BAE Systems being named as the acquirer when Robin Radar is formally sold or being listed on larger Trusted and Assured Microelectronics follow on awards. Clear order wins that reference drone detection, secure SoCs or related U.S. programmes would show these announcements are feeding into the £75b plus backlog rather than staying at the pilot stage.

Jim Cramer said he likes L3Harris Technologies and advised investors to build a position gradually rather than trying to pick a bottom, speaking during the October 7 lightning round of Mad Money. Cramer suggested buying in increments, using a $230 stock divided by 10 as a $23 stock, buying the first tranche at 23 and adding down to 20. The comments followed L3Harris's second-quarter results, which showed orders of $7.3 billion, a book-to-bill ratio of 1.2x, and a record backlog of $42 billion. Revenue rose 8% to approximately $5.9 billion, diluted EPS climbed 28% to $3.13, and free cash flow increased 37% to $771 million. Missile Solutions revenue grew 14% to approximately $1.05 billion, while Communications & Spectrum Dominance operating margin rose to 26.9% from 24.6%. Cramer's interest comes even as L3Harris trades at approximately 18.7x forward earnings, above Lockheed Martin at 16.5x and Northrop Grumman at 16.6x, and as hedge fund holders slipped to 56 in Q2 from 59 in Q1.

Microchip Technology said on Friday that it has acquired VORAGO Technologies, a Texas-based provider of radiation-hardened and radiation-tolerant microcontrollers and microprocessors. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, and Microchip said the acquisition is not expected to be material to its consolidated financial results. The company said the deal positions it to capture a larger share of the aerospace and defense and space markets, which have seen accelerating investment and demand across both defense and commercial space programs. Microchip added that the acquisition brings a family of radiation-hardened MCUs and MPUs that complement its existing aerospace and defense product lines, along with VORAGO's patented HARDSIL process technology. Shares of Microchip rose 1.6% to $76.73 in premarket trading.

Novra Technologies Inc. announced that its subsidiary International Datacasting Corporation has qualified across all five streams of the Government of Canada's new Defence Drone Initiative Marketplace. The qualification positions Novra, through IDC, to compete for future Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces contracts involving communications, data delivery, systems integration, testing and innovation for uncrewed and autonomous systems. IDC qualified in all five DDI Marketplace streams: UxS and Counter-UxS Systems, Communications and Cyber Systems, Integration and Engineering Services, Test and Training, and Innovation and Experimentation. Launched in July 2026 and led collaboratively by the DND and the Defence Investment Agency, the DDI is designed to accelerate the development, testing and production of uncrewed and autonomous systems for the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Coast Guard. Novra noted that qualification under the DDI Supply Arrangement does not constitute a contract award or guarantee future business, and that individual opportunities will be subject to applicable Government of Canada procurement processes.

Mercury Systems, Inc. celebrated the expansion of its Phoenix production facility, adding 50,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing space to increase production capacity and accelerate delivery timelines through vertical integration in support of critical U.S. and international defense programs. The company has invested to build out a new, highly automated manufacturing facility on its existing Phoenix campus, which is expected to create more than 50 jobs in the next year, with significant capacity for future growth. Mercury's Phoenix campus is already the company's largest manufacturing center, with more than 400 employees, and the existing facility manufactures printed circuit board assemblies used across Mercury's product lines and delivers memory solutions, high-performance space drives, and advanced packaging technologies built to operate in extreme environments. Operations in the new building began in the third quarter of fiscal year 2026 and will allow the company to ramp up production for a number of critical products and programs, including its Common Processing Architecture programs. Tod Brindlinger, Mercury's Senior Vice President of Operations, said the company sees strong demand signals across its portfolio, ending fiscal year 2026 with record bookings and backlog that the expanded production facility will help it execute against.

Gilat Satellite Networks said Thursday that its Gilat DataPath unit has received orders totaling more than $8M from the U.S. Department of War for field services and SATCOM system upgrades supporting deployed military communications systems. Deliveries under the orders are expected over the next 12 months. The company disclosed the award in a press release. The orders add to Gilat's recent U.S. defense work, which includes a prior win of over $32M for transportable U.S. defense communications systems.

Lantronix President and CEO Saleel Awsare will attend the Association of the U.S. Army 2026 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C., from Oct. 12 to 14, where he will hold meetings with investors, defense customers and partners. The company said its unmanned systems business grew from a minimal contribution in fiscal 2025 to $12.6 million in revenue in fiscal 2026. Lantronix also cited the recent Blue UAS Framework listing of its Open-Q 8550CS System-on-Module, which expands access to U.S. defense and government programs, and demand tied to the Department of War's $1.1 billion Drone Dominance Program as well as European and beyond-visual-line-of-sight markets. The company reported more than 30 active engagements across defense, commercial, public safety and counter-UAS, with customers and partners including Sightline, AVT Australia, Swarmer and Unusual Machines. Awsare said customer demand is moving Lantronix up the value chain toward integrated edge AI for autonomous systems.

Lockheed Martin's Rotary and Mission Systems business received a $209 million contract modification from the U.S. Navy for production of Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program AN/SLQ-32(V)6 systems. The award includes options that could raise the cumulative value of the contract to approximately $1.71 billion, with work performed in Liverpool, NY, and Lansdale, PA, and expected completion by September 2029. The AN/SLQ-32(V)6 is designed to help Navy ships detect, identify and respond to electromagnetic threats, capabilities the service is prioritizing as adversaries field more advanced radar, communications and electronic attack systems. The award underscores continued Navy investment in shipboard electronic warfare and fleet survivability, and Lockheed Martin's role in producing the system positions it to benefit from recurring procurement and upgrades as the Navy modernizes its surface fleet. RTX Corporation and Northrop Grumman also maintain established electronic warfare and sensor capabilities that could benefit from growing naval investment.

BAE Systems has received a contract from Lockheed Martin to deliver high-performance electronic warfare systems for F-35 Lightning II fighter jets. Under the contract, BAE Systems will manufacture and deliver EW systems for F-35 Lots 20-22 and provide systems to retrofit and modernize older aircraft. The AN/ASQ-239 EW system provides the F-35 with electromagnetic spectrum superiority, giving the jets instantaneous bandwidth, high-speed signal processing and advanced algorithms to detect threats and respond quickly. BAE Systems has delivered more than 1,500 EW systems for the F-35 and designs and manufactures them at its facilities in Austin, Texas and the New Hampshire cities of Manchester, Merrimack and Nashua. Amber Dolan, Vice President of F-35 Solutions at BAE Systems, said the company is laser-focused on scaling production and delivering software-based capabilities to meet the rapid pace of conflict.

Intellistake Technologies Corp. announced that its acquisition target NanoAi Technologies Inc. has assembled the leadership team behind its standoff detection platform at its newly established Op Center in the Dallas-Richardson area of Texas, bringing together special operations, global-scale engineering, scientific and defense logistics experience. The team is led by NanoAi Founder, Chairman and CEO Craig Micklich, a 12-year U.S. Navy SEAL veteran who would join the Intellistake Board upon closing, alongside a Chief Technology Officer with more than 35 years of experience who has led global engineering teams of more than 600 people and held senior roles at Microsoft and Novell, where he led development of the NetWare operating system. That CTO has also partnered with NASA Ames Research Center and with enterprises such as BMW, General Motors, Honeywell, Delta and Disney on machine learning, blockchain and connected-systems projects, while NanoAi's incoming Chief Scientific Officer is directing the scientific refinement and validation of its sensing technology, including its extension into the Gentex Ops-Core RAILINK program. Alan "Buzz" Fink serves as Vice President, Logistics and Quality, having founded a contractor that supported U.S. Special Operations Command across a 13-year contract lifecycle. With the facility and team in place, NanoAi is preparing for laboratory testing at the Op Center, and the Company also released a Founder Video featuring Mr. Micklich. The proposed acquisition, announced on August 4, 2026, remains subject to closing conditions including satisfactory due diligence, completion of an audit of NanoAi's financial statements, the Company maintaining a minimum cash balance of $2 million, and no objection from the Canadian Securities Exchange, with closing targeted within 60 days of the definitive agreement.

Leonardo DRS has completed final training and delivery of its Improved Night/Day Observation Device Block III thermal weapon sights to the Australian Army under the LAND 159 Tranche 1 program. The INOD Block III is a clip-on thermal weapon sight designed to help snipers and special operations forces detect, identify and engage targets in low-light and degraded visual conditions, and it uses a micro-cooled 640-by-480 mid-wave infrared focal plane array. Jerry Hathaway, senior vice president and general manager of Leonardo DRS Electro-Optical and Infrared Systems, called the completion an important milestone and said the training helps ensure personnel are prepared to operate and maintain the system. Australian defense company NIOA is the prime contractor for LAND 159 Tranche 1 and managed local program coordination and delivery logistics on behalf of the Australian Army. The acquisition represents a step-change in long-range lethality for the Australian Army, whose snipers will now carry the same generation of thermal sight currently fielded with U.S. Army Special Operations Forces.

Boeing has been awarded an undefinitized contract action worth approximately $14.7 billion by Lockheed Martin to scale production and deliver PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement seekers. The award formalizes a seven-year framework to triple PAC-3 MSE seeker production, following the previously announced framework agreement with the U.S. Department of War. Boeing-built seekers enable the most advanced Patriot interceptors to identify, track and engage threats ranging from hostile aircraft to hypersonic, ballistic and cruise missiles. Steve Parker, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, said early investment and a focus on quality and execution have positioned the company to deliver seekers at unprecedented levels in the near term. Production ramp-up and hiring began earlier this year, with hundreds of direct and indirect jobs expected to be created in the Huntsville, Alabama, area as a result of the contract.

Maris-Tech Ltd. announced it has received a pilot order for an armored vehicle situational awareness application from a leading global defense company, secured through a distributor. The pilot follows an extensive engineering and adaptation process in which Maris-Tech's Jupiter product line was adapted to meet the end customer's specific video streaming requirements for armored vehicle situational awareness. The company said the adaptations developed through this process have expanded the capabilities of its products and may also support additional applications and market opportunities across the modern battlefield. Based on estimates and forecasts provided by the end customer, successful completion of the pilot could result in significant follow-on orders over the coming years, according to the company. Chief Executive Officer Israel Bar said the pilot represents the result of a substantial engineering process focused on meeting the specific video requirements of a major defense customer, and that the capabilities developed strengthen the versatility of the Jupiter product line and expand its relevance to additional armored vehicle and battlefield applications.

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions announced on Monday that it won multiple contracts worth more than $100 million to develop space intelligence and cyber capabilities for joint military operations. The work will support RF signal collection, intelligence gathering, electronic warfare, and offensive cyber operations. The contracts will leverage the company's KnownSpace network of more than 190 RF sensors across more than 20 locations, along with its software and analytics capabilities. Following the announcement, KTOS stock traded about 1.58% higher at roughly $43.75 in pre-market trading.

Teledyne Imaging Sensors announced it has delivered more than 1.3 billion infrared detector pixels in support of the U.S. Space Force and Space Development Agency's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, and has been selected to provide infrared focal plane technology for both Accelerated Missile Defense Tranche 3 awards. The pixel deliveries support SDA Tracking Layer programs for missile warning and missile tracking missions. To date, Teledyne has delivered more than 170 infrared focal planes for the SDA Tracking Layer and is under contract to provide more than 115 additional focal planes. The AMDT3 awards, announced by SDA in July 2026, will add more than 30 additional missile warning, missile tracking, and missile defense satellites to the Tracking Layer in direct support of the Golden Dome for America initiative. Teledyne has also advanced its large-format focal plane arrays to formats as large as 6K × 6K and 8K × 8K pixels.

Viasat Inc., through its subsidiary Inmarsat Government, Inc., was awarded the U.S. Space Force's MECS2 contract in September 2026, securing an initial US$42 million task order under a seven-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity agreement with a ceiling of up to US$307 million to provide fully managed global SATCOM services for the U.S. Marine Corps. The award deepens Viasat's role in secure, multi-orbit government communications and highlights the importance of its ViaSat-3-enabled Ka-band network and 24x7 managed services capabilities. The company's narrative projects $5.5 billion revenue and $626.3 million earnings by 2029, with forecasts yielding a $103.94 fair value, a 44% upside to its current price. Some of the lowest ranked analysts were far more cautious, assuming only about 3.9 percent annual revenue growth and continued losses. The MECS2 award looks incrementally positive for the investment thesis, reinforcing defense demand and multi-orbit capabilities, but it does not by itself resolve near term pressure from high ViaSat-3 and Inmarsat capex or the risk that broadband subscriber declines keep weighing on revenue quality.

Northrop Grumman has introduced FORTITUDE, a patented single-chip technology that processes vast portions of the electromagnetic spectrum on a grain-of-rice-sized gallium nitride chip. The company said the technology delivers three times more power and 20 times better signal quality, supporting satellites, radar, GPS, electronic warfare and future 6G systems. Previously known as the Super Lattice Castellated Field Effect Transistor, FORTITUDE builds on the company's focused research and development and substantial investment in microelectronics. It replaces dozens of components, cutting weight and slashing power consumption while delivering greater value for the end system. Built in the U.S. for both commercial and defense markets, the chip is designed to simplify system architectures and open new opportunities for faster, more dependable communications across next generation platforms.

TTM Technologies has completed its $1.1 billion acquisition of Epiq Solutions, strengthening its defense and aerospace business. Epiq develops software-defined radios, RF systems and radiation-tolerant computing solutions used across defense, intelligence and space applications, capabilities that complement TTM Technologies' existing printed circuit board, RF component and mission-system offerings. The deal advances the company's strategy of moving up the chain through greater vertical integration and expands its opportunities across land, air, sea and space applications, including signals intelligence, secure communications, electronic warfare and space systems. Financially, TTM Technologies expects Epiq to immediately strengthen adjusted EBITDA, though the deal is expected to be moderately dilutive to adjusted earnings per share in 2027 before becoming accretive in 2028. TTM Technologies faces strong competition from U.S.-based aerospace and defense electronics companies including Curtiss-Wright Corporation, Mercury Systems and Sanmina.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. has completed a successful flight test of its MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft carrying a new communications payload developed by SoftBank Corp. The Disaster Relief Unit communications pod, integrated onto an MQ-9B and flown by GA-ASI on July 27, is designed to provide disaster relief and recovery communications in areas where cellular service is not available. The pod lets an MQ-9B act as a mobile network relay tower in the sky, establishing connectivity where cellular towers have been damaged by a flood or another natural disaster. GA-ASI President David R. Alexander called the test an exciting achievement for both companies and said the capability should interest many MQ-9B operators for disaster relief and emergency communications. MQ-9Bs are flown by operators in the United Kingdom and Belgium as well as the Japan Coast Guard, and the aircraft has been selected by Canada, Denmark, Poland, Germany, Qatar, Taiwan and India.

Lockheed Martin's Rotary and Mission Systems business received a $94.2 million contract modification from the U.S. Navy to support continued development and integration of the AEGIS Combat System for the Royal Canadian Navy. The award funds system engineering, computer program baseline development and integration testing of AEGIS Weapon System elements and interfaces, with work performed primarily in Moorestown, New Jersey, and expected completion by December 2027. The contract is funded through the Foreign Military Sales program, underscoring Canada's continued investment in advanced naval capabilities. AEGIS integrates sensors, weapons and command-and-control capabilities so ships can detect, track and respond to airborne and surface threats. The award adds to Lockheed Martin's long-term AEGIS-related work and supports its position in the naval defense market.

L3Harris Technologies has won a $461.9M firm-fixed-price contract to provide commercial satellite communications connectivity for designated executive airlift aircraft. The contract supports authorized government personnel, with work expected to continue through October 2028. A total of $62.3M in FY2026 operations and maintenance funds is being obligated at award. The U.S. Space Force at Los Angeles Air Force Base is the contracting activity.

The U.S. Navy has doubled its fleet capacity to operate the MQ-25A Stingray unmanned aircraft system over a five-month period by standing up a second operational MD-5C Ground Control Station powered by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works MDCX. USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) received the first operational MD-5C in March 2026, followed by USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) in August 2026. The MD-5C is a highly complex system-of-systems that includes the government Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence network, Lockheed Martin's MDCX software and hardware, and additional government-produced ancillary equipment. Within the Ground Control Station, MDCX is the mission planning and execution software that enables Navy operators to command and control the MQ-25A Stingray, extending carrier air wing reach and freeing manned aircraft for higher-priority missions. Capt. Daniel Fucito, PMA-268 program manager, said the two operational unmanned air warfare centers aboard CVN 71 and CVN 76 bring the Navy closer to integrating unmanned carrier aviation into the fleet, while MDCX Program Manager Ben Tongue said the team has doubled the number of U.S. Navy carriers ready to fly the MQ-25A Stingray in five months.

Ondas announced on Wednesday that it launched Dronebuster REACH, a long-range counter-drone system, with the first unit contracted to the Office of Naval Research. REACH uses electronic attacks to disrupt drones at longer ranges and higher power, extending the company's existing Dronebuster product line, and integrates with Ondas's detection and command-and-control systems for a layered counter-drone setup. Ondas said its Dronebuster systems have been deployed in more than 50 countries, with over 3K units delivered. On the market side, the stock traded near $7.50.

Keysight Technologies said Wednesday it will showcase new radio frequency and microwave products across several industries next month at the European Microwave Week event. The offerings, geared toward the defense, space, broadband wireless, 5G, and 6G industries, include a new vector network analyzer, the XA6 signal analyzer for signal generation and analysis, spectrum and PNT resilience, and AI-driven engineering. Shares of the semiconductor company rose more than 1% on Wednesday.

RTX Corporation's Raytheon business has received a $50.1 million ceiling-priced delivery order to repair 98 Weapon Repairable Assemblies supporting the EA-18G Next Generation Jammer-Mid Band system. The work will be performed in Forest, MS, and El Segundo, CA, and is expected to be completed by March 2030. The award highlights the U.S. Navy's continued focus on maintaining critical electronic warfare equipment and ensuring the availability of systems deployed on the EA-18G Growler, whose Next Generation Jammer-Mid Band system is designed to disrupt or degrade enemy radar and communications. The repair order also demonstrates the recurring opportunities available through lifecycle support of advanced defense systems, and continued support for the Next Generation Jammer program could provide additional opportunities across RTX's broader electronic warfare portfolio. Shares of RTX have surged 11.7% in the past year against the industry's 16.2% decline, and the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

DroneShield secured access to a three-year U.S. government contract vehicle worth up to $500 million, sending its shares up 9% to a one-month high. The Australian counter-drone technology company said it was awarded an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity contract supporting Joint Interagency Task Force 401's Domestic Shield initiative, with a maximum value of $500 million over three years. The company stressed that the $500 million is the maximum value of the contract vehicle rather than an immediate order or revenue award, and that the vehicle provides a streamlined procurement pathway for rapid deployment of counter-unmanned aircraft systems across the United States. The award expands DroneShield's exposure to U.S. government procurement and follows a $24.9 million JIATF-401 contract announced in June, which included an initial $19.3 million award plus options. DroneShield has also been installing its DroneSentry-X Mk2 systems under the earlier JIATF-401 program, with acceptance by the U.S. military announced earlier this month.

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control has been awarded a $244.96M firm-fixed-price modification to a previously awarded U.S. Navy contract, adding scope to procure Full Rate Production 2 of F/A-18E/F Infrared Search and Track Block II systems. That modification covers 48 infrared receivers, 45 for the Navy and three for the Royal Australian Air Force, along with 74 processors and 27 inertial measurement units for the Navy, plus test equipment maintenance and lay-in material, with work performed across Florida, California and Pennsylvania and expected completion in February 2031. The Navy also awarded Lockheed a $52.11M cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously awarded contract to incorporate engineering changes into F-35 Lot 18-19 air vehicle production for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, F-35 Cooperative Partners and Foreign Military Sales customers. Separately, Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems of Moorestown, New Jersey, was awarded a $724M contract modification for the Japanese Ministry of Defense, raising the total contract value from $1.64B to $2.36B. That contract covers delivery of the Aegis System-equipped vessel #1 and ASEV #2 AEGIS Combat System to Japan, with work performed in Moorestown, New Jersey, and Japan from Sept. 29, 2026, through March 31, 2030.

BAE Systems' new Identification Friend or Foe AN/APX-127(V)1 Combined Interrogator Transponder has received AIMS certification from the Department of War for the U.S. Air Force's F-16 Fighting Falcon. The AIMS certification is a U.S. and NATO interoperable standard that marks the IFF solution ready for use, and the next-generation CIT will improve identification and enable enhanced decision making to distinguish between allied forces and potential threats in contested scenarios. The modernized system consolidates interrogator and transponder functions into one box for highly maneuverable aircraft, and its open-system architecture allows for software upgrades, reducing the risk and cost associated with hardware modifications. With the same form factor, it is a drop-in replacement for the AN/APX-113(V), AN/APX-125(V), and AN/APX-126(V) CITs currently operating on multiple U.S. and international platforms, and it is AIMS Mark XIIB IFF certified with Mode S and Mode 5 for secure and encrypted data exchange. Work on the AN/APX-127(V)1 CIT is performed at BAE Systems' facilities in Greenlawn, N.Y. and Austin, Texas, and the company expects to start delivering on the first 90-unit production lot this year.

Lockheed Martin received an $18.9 million contract modification for the U.S. Air Force's Three-Dimensional Expeditionary Long-Range Radar program, lifting the cumulative face value of the contract to approximately $1.01 billion from $991.3 million. Work will be performed in Liverpool, NY, and is expected to be completed by June 2029. The three-dimensional long-range radar systems are designed to provide detailed information on the location, altitude and movement of airborne objects, supporting air surveillance and timely responses to aircraft, missiles and other potential threats. The award highlights continued demand for mobile and expeditionary radar capabilities, and Lockheed Martin's expertise in radar, sensors and integrated mission systems positions it to benefit from those requirements. Shares of LMT have risen 5.3% in the past year against the industry's 14.7% decline, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate for LMT's 2026 and 2027 earnings has moved north over the past 60 days.

Taiwan's defense minister has revealed that Taiwan is continuing discussions with the United States on arms purchases and has received assurances from Washington that its policy toward Taiwan remains unchanged, following last week's meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Washington. Wellington Koo, Taiwan's defense minister, told reporters today that since the summit, the Taiwanese government has received repeated clarifications from the US side that Washington's policy toward Taiwan remains the same, and that for arms procurement programs currently underway, each project requires concrete cooperation, with no notification of any changes so far. One of the delayed programs is an order for 66 F-16V fighter jets from Lockheed Martin, placed in 2019, equipped with modern electronics, weapons, and radar to enhance the ability to counter the Chinese air force, including the J-20 stealth fighter. Taiwanese media reported that the first two F-16V jets are in Hawaii awaiting delivery to Taiwan. Koo did not disclose a delivery schedule, saying only that production has reached a stage where delivery is possible, and noted that due to the delays, related compensation measures are in place. China has consistently urged the United States to stop selling arms to Taiwan. In May, after visiting Beijing, Trump said the United States had paused consideration of a new arms package worth about 14 billion dollars, but after meeting Xi in Washington last week, Trump said only that Xi understood his position on Taiwan.

Codan sharply raised its first-half profit outlook on strong demand from drone manufacturers, sending its shares up 18.85% to a record high of A$61.79. The Australian communications technology company said it expects net profit after tax of at least A$160 million for the six months through December, more than double the A$71.2 million reported a year earlier and close to the A$175.2 million it generated for the full year ended June. The stronger outlook was driven by rising demand for electronic components used in unmanned drones deployed in conflicts including Russia-Ukraine and the Middle East, with Codan supplying a radio-frequency component that enables high-speed video and data transmission to about 50 drone manufacturers across the U.S. and Europe. Codan said demand from conflict regions was exceptionally strong, and its Minelab metal-detection business also started the financial year strongly, helped by sales of its Gold Monster 2000 and GPZ8000 detectors amid a higher gold price. The company said it could not provide a full-year profit forecast because demand from conflict regions is difficult to predict beyond roughly three months, and it is working to address potential supply-chain constraints amid the elevated demand.

Guggenheim initiated coverage of Curtiss-Wright Corporation with a Buy rating and a $786 price target, representing 41% upside potential at the time of its September 15 update, citing rising global defense spending and elevated power generation demand as a compelling one-two punch. The call rests on businesses Curtiss-Wright already operates: Aerospace & Defense market sales rose 6% year over year in the second quarter on higher naval defense revenue and stronger electromechanical actuation sales, while commercial market sales rose 5%, with Power & Process growth driven mainly by commercial nuclear solutions. Total company orders increased 8% to $1.1 billion in the quarter, with record demand for defense electronics, and backlog ended at $4.5 billion, 10% higher than at the end of 2025. In July the company announced an $80 million multi-year expansion of its Cheswick, Pennsylvania operations serving naval defense and commercial nuclear customers. For the quarter, sales rose 5% to $924 million, adjusted diluted EPS increased 15% to $3.72, and adjusted operating margin improved 110 basis points to 19.4%, prompting management to raise its full-year outlook to 2026 adjusted sales growth of 8% to 9% and adjusted diluted EPS of $15.10 to $15.40, growth of 14% to 16%.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Sunday that Iran is ready for a doomsday war with the United States but is still keeping diplomatic channels open so as not to miss a chance to build peace. Speaking in an interview on NBC News' Meet the Press after last week's United Nations General Assembly, Araghchi said there is no reason for Iran to return to diplomacy, but he is still trying to negotiate because the opportunity to build peace should not be missed, and he affirmed that Iran is as ready to negotiate as it is to face any challenge, even one leading to a doomsday war. On Friday, Araghchi proposed reopening the Strait of Hormuz and resuming nuclear talks with the United States within seven days if the government of President Donald Trump accepts Iran's conditions, but Trump rejected the proposal, and according to The Wall Street Journal, Trump also said he expects to go back to bombing Tehran again after the US midterm elections in November. Meanwhile, US Ambassador to the United Nations Michael Waltz said in another NBC News interview that Iran's proposal was a self-serving attempt to put something on the table that it knows is unacceptable. On Sunday, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed it had seized a US Remus 600 unmanned underwater vehicle in the Strait of Hormuz and declared the strait closed to unauthorized traffic, while Major General Amir Hatami, Iran's top military commander, stressed that the war is not over. The war, which began on February 28, has severely restricted energy shipments from the Middle East, sending oil prices sharply higher and adding to global inflation concerns. West Texas Intermediate crude fell 2.3% to close at 92.41 dollars a barrel, and Brent crude dropped 2.1% to close at 104.32 dollars. For the week, US crude fell 7.9%, while Brent was roughly flat. Year to date, WTI is up nearly 61% and Brent is up more than 71%.

Northrop Grumman has secured a US$123.8 million contract from the U.S. Navy to produce 67 APG-85 radars for the F-35 program, giving the company production visibility through February 2031. The award lands as Northrop Grumman's 1-year total shareholder return sits down 12.7%, even though its 3-year and 5-year total shareholder returns of 21.9% and 53.4% point to a stronger long-run record. The company's most followed valuation narrative pegs fair value at $646.41 per share, well above the last close of $510.52, a view that leans on raised 2026 sales and EPS guidance, reaffirmed free cash flow targets, and the scale of funded backlog and multi-year missile agreements. That bullish case could crack if fixed-price program overruns reappear or if future U.S. defense budgets disrupt funding for key platforms.

Palantir Technologies raised its full-year revenue guidance to between $8.15 billion and $8.158 billion, up from a prior forecast of $7.65 billion to $7.662 billion, after posting second-quarter revenue of $1.94 billion, a 93% increase from the same period last year. The company's U.S. commercial segment drove much of that expansion, with revenue of $764 million, up 149% year-over-year, while net dollar retention reached 157%. Palantir is also working with Mercury Systems to streamline material planning and factory workflows for large-scale military projects in support of the U.S. Department of War, part of a broader push into healthcare, defense, and manufacturing contracts across Europe, the Middle East, and U.S. federal agencies. Hedge fund ownership of the stock fell from 96 funds in the first quarter of 2026 to 86 funds in the following quarter, according to 13F filings tracked by Insider Monkey, while short interest sits at 2.83%. BlackRock remains the largest institutional stakeholder with 189.82 million shares, or 8.70% ownership, followed by Vanguard Capital Management at 6.70% and State Street Corporation at 4.79%.

Denmark's Defence Intelligence Service, DDIS, has warned that Russia may carry out limited military attacks on member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, in the coming months, assessing that the risk has increased although it remains at a low level. In a report on Thursday, September 24, DDIS said Russia could use long-range weapons to strike critical infrastructure used to support Ukraine, in order to draw Europe's resources away from aid to Ukraine and to sow division within NATO if member states cannot agree on how to respond jointly. However, DDIS said it has not seen signs that Russia is preparing a full-scale invasion of a NATO member state, although that possibility cannot be entirely ruled out, and it also warned that Russia may step up hybrid warfare against Western countries and NATO, including large-scale cyberattacks that disrupt critical societal functions and sabotage that could cause loss of life. The warning comes as several European security officials and politicians have raised alarms about the threat from Russia. Poland said on Thursday that a fire at a Starlink ground station in the country was sabotage aimed at disrupting internet services, including use by the Ukrainian military. Polish Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski said it is not yet possible to determine who carried out the attack, but there are several indications that the incident fits Russia's new pattern of attacks, according to Reuters.