WASHINGTON -- According to a January 2026 press release from Babcock International, the company has sold another two Arrowhead 140 frigate design licences to Indonesia. The agreement adds further momentum to growing British warship export successes and increases the profile of the Arrowhead 140 design, which also forms the basis of the Royal Navy’s Type 31.

With the announcement, Babcock secured its first tangible agreement under the broader £4 billion Maritime Partnership Programme (MPP) signed with Indonesia in 2025 to establish a long-term industrial relationship. The MPP is intended to support the modernisation of Indonesia’s maritime forces and associated shipbuilding infrastructure. The new licences follow the original export of two Arrowhead 140 licences agreed in 2021, confirming continued Indonesian commitment to the design.

Two Arrowhead 140 frigates are already in production at local shipbuilder PT PAL Indonesia, as part of the Merah Putih program. The first ship of the Merah Putih frigate class, KRI Balaputradewa, was launched in Indonesia in December 2025.

Source: Navy Lookout
Associated URL: https://www.navylookout.com/indonesia-to-build-a-further-two-arrowhead-140-derived-frigates/

FORT SMITH, Ark.- Finland’s first F-35A fighter arrived at Ebbing Air National Guard Base on January 20, marking the first official delivery of 64 aircraft ordered by the Nordic country to replace its aging fleet of F/A-18 Hornets.

Finnish pilots and maintainers will operate their new F-35As at Ebbing ANGB before operating the aircraft in Finland. Approximately 150 Finnish personnel will receive F-35 initial training in the United States. This includes about 80 maintenance personnel, 20 pilots, and 50 other trainees. Other training will cover areas such as F-35 information systems, fleet management, logistics, mission support, flight equipment maintenance, and ground equipment. After the practical training at Ebbing, the personnel who have completed the initial F-35 training will return to Finland and begin training Finnish personnel in operating the aircraft.

When the initial training of the Air Force personnel comes to an end in the United States, eight F-35As (JF-501-JF-508) used in the training will be ferried to Finland. Aircraft starting with registration number JF-509 will be delivered directly to Finland beginning in late 2026.

JF-501 conducted its maiden flight on December 8, 2025, as part of factory test flights and was presented to the public at a rollout ceremony on December 16. After the factory ground and flight tests, the US Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) conducted test flights of its own. Having passed these tests, the aircraft transferred first to the US Government and further to Finnish ownership on December 23. The aircraft was entered into the Finnish Military Aircraft Register on January 8.

Source: Finnish Air Force
Associated URL: https://ilmavoimat.fi/en/-/finland-s-first-f-35a-multirole-fighter-arrives-at-ebbing-air-national-guard-base

LONDON, UK - The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded BAE Systems a $608.8 million (GBP 453.5 million) contract to move ahead with full production of a new radar system for RAF Typhoon jets.

The ECRS Mk2 radar is expected to improve the Typhoon’s electronic warfare capabilities, allowing it to detect, track, and identify multiple air and ground targets at the same time. This upgrade will boost the aircraft’s awareness and effectiveness when operating in challenging threat environments, with more information on the radar expected to be released in the future.

Source: BAE Systems
Associated URL: https://www.baesystems.com/en/article/typhoon-ecrs-mk2-production-contract-award