318: Defense News Annual Top 100 Defense Companies (2023) + Ukraine Sends 5 x Combat Brigades into Russia's Kursk Oblast + Iran's IRGC Claims Undetectable Naval Cruise Missiles + More

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1. Ukraine Sends 5 x Combat Brigades into Russia's Kursk Oblast.
Russia declared a “federal-level” emergency in the region and sent reinforcements there on Friday. Russia’s Defense Ministry said reinforcements were on their way to Kursk to counter Ukraine’s raid.
2. Ukrainian First Person View Drone takes down Russian MI-28 Havok Attack Helicopter. “The future use of helicopters in combat can and should be rethought, especially with the growth of unmanned systems,” Serhii Kuzan, a former adviser to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, told Defense News.
3. Elbit to provide Iron Fist Active Protection System to unnamed European country- for fit onto CV90 IFVs.
4. UK Telegraph: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is reportedly disagreeing with Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on level of retaliatory strikes (against Israel).
5. Iran IRGC Claims Undetectable Naval Cruise Missiles.
IRGC said on Friday that its navy has new cruise missiles equipped with highly explosive warheads that are undetectable.
6. US Army will develop a second interceptor for the Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 (IFPC Inc 2) launcher. The Army is still testing out the launcher and using the RTX AIM-9X Sidewinder as the first interceptor.
7. US Army to evaluate a hypervelocity munition for 155mm artillery systems.
Goal is to have the capability ready for operational testing in FY28.
8. Defense News Annual Top 100 Defense Companies for 2023.