With a sound like a petrol lawnmower at top revs, Shield AI’s V-Bat drone rises vertically from a field in country NSW, swings over into level flight then completes a wide circuit, its sensor depicting the landscape below in fine detail | Max Blenkin

Northrop Grumman Australia has appointed a new Managing Director, Lee Davis. Deanne Barnett, the current NGA Managing Director, will be retiring in February 2027.

The vehicles being procured under Land 400, the most expensive acquisition project in the history of the Australian Army, are in production and Australian industry is benefiting, with local content increasing | Grant McHerron

Japan’s Ministry of Defense has awarded a contract to Ukrainian defence tech start-up SkyFall for an unspecified number of interceptor drones, Japan’s Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters on 9 October | Corey Lee Bell

Australia is advancing plans to build solid rocket motors locally, following an announcement in late April that Northrop Grumman was selected to establish SRM manufacturing | Ewen Levick

Despite losing out to Lockheed Martin for Defence’s Land 8113 Phase 2 contract, Kongsberg Australia remains confident about the export potential of its StrikeMaster variant of the proven Naval Strike Missile Coastal Defence System | Nigel Pittaway

The Land Forces expo was packed with drones - big ones, small ones - all with different capabilities | Max Blenkin

Hanwha Defence Australia has selected Axalta Coating Systems as the paint partner to work on the painting of the AS21 Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicle being acquired under Land 400 Phase 3.

Polaris is a regular exhibitor at Australian defence expo events and a regular supplier to the Australian Defence Force but it can’t say how many of its products it supplies or just who to | Max Blenkin

Australian soldiers are now carrying a new fighting knife, the F7 H2HFW Nomad Mk4, a double-edged dagger produced by Brisbane company Zu Bladeworx | Max Blenkin

Defence company Nioa is on track to commission its new 155mm artillery shell manufacturing line at its Maryborough plant | Max Blenkin

Singapore has been confirmed to be an export customer for the Elbit Sigma 155 self-propelled howitzer along with an unknown precision strike weapon mounted on a utility vehicle | Mike Yeo

Welcome back to ADM's rolling coverage of Land Forces 2026 for the third and final day. This story will be updated throughout the day as our team of journalists unpack the latest news and developments coming out of the show.

NIOA and AeroVironment have announced a strategic partnership to support the introduction into service, sustainment and future growth of advanced loitering munitions capabilities across Australia and New Zealand.

Thales Australia has transformed the combat-proven Bushmaster from a protected mobility vehicle into a mobile strike and counter-drone platform.

Deakin will work alongside Thales Australia and 3ME Technology to develop, test and validate autonomy solutions for BladeHAUL, Thales and 3ME Technology's new heavy-duty hybrid-electric uncrewed ground vehicle.