Military Training

The Marine Corps Training and Education Command established teams to develop and standardize small-UAS and counter-UAS training across the force. The announcement signals an institutional focus relevant to robotics, counter-drone, testing, and training vendors, but identifies no solicitation, award, or funding amount.

On November 4, 2026, USINDOPACOM and Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defense signed Terms of Reference for bilateral defense cooperation. The dialogue highlighted areas including maritime security, special forces collaboration, exercises, education, institutional capacity building, and medical cooperation, but announced no funding or procurement opportunity.

Exercise Southern Vanguard 2027 brings roughly 350 U.S. personnel and more than 400 Colombian soldiers together in Colombia for training through mid-November 2026. Its jungle warfare, counter-IED, maritime, cyber, command-post and security activities point to potential capability needs, but no solicitation, award or funding is reported.

Defense News reports on U.S. Army experimentation and exercises, Anduril and Meta’s work on mixed-reality headsets for the U.S. military, and Japan’s consideration of advanced jet trainers to address an F-35 pilot-training gap. The developments suggest potential demand for training and simulation capabilities, but the source identifies no new solicitation, award value, acquisition timeline, or procurement contact.

I/ITSEC 2026 will convene government, industry, and academic participants in Orlando from November 30 to December 3 to discuss military training, modeling, and simulation. The event may help small and nontraditional firms connect with stakeholders in AI, immersive training, digital engineering, and related capabilities, but no solicitation, award, or contract value is identified.

A Defense News roundup highlights allied military activity involving unmanned systems, AI-enabled training, battlefield connectivity and Arctic operations. It identifies potential capability areas for contractors to monitor, but provides no solicitation, award, funding commitment, procurement timeline or acquisition contact.

The Army’s 2026 posture changes emphasize the Western Hemisphere and Indo-Pacific while adapting to shifting demands in Central Command and Europe. The changes point to potential future needs in command integration, communications, unmanned systems, regional training, and Arctic aviation, but identify no solicitations, award values, or deadlines.

The U.S. Navy is enhancing submarine sustainment capacity by training Royal Australian Navy sailors. This effort underscores a strategic commitment to AUKUS partnerships and future maintenance operations, with important milestones approaching in 2026 and 2027.

Team StrīQ, a consortium of defense firms including **QinetiQ Canada** and **Serco Canada**, is bidding for Canada's **Ragnar Program** aimed at modernizing the Royal Canadian Air Force's training ranges. This initiative emphasizes advanced training systems and Indigenous partnerships, presenting significant procurement implications for defense contractors and suppliers.

Valiant Integrated Services has been awarded a $260 million contract to support mission command training for the Army National Guard over the next five years. This deal reinforces the trend of increasing military training service contracts and indicates a growing demand for integrated training solutions.

CAE has appointed Matthew Crawley as Vice President and General Manager for Defense & Security Canada, emphasizing its pivotal role in defense training and simulation. This move aligns with ongoing long-term initiatives, such as the Future Aircrew Training program, which presents new procurement opportunities for firms engaged in defense services.

The Pentagon has partnered with the U.S. National Drone Association to spearhead its Top Drone competitions, aimed at advancing remote drone piloting skills in military contexts. This collaboration signifies a commitment to enhancing drone capabilities and fostering technological innovation across armed services, with implications for future procurement opportunities.

Türkiye begins flight training for Turkish Air Force pilots on Eurofighter Typhoon jets in the UK. This initiative follows a significant procurement agreement, enhancing Türkiye's aerial combat capabilities and defense relations with the UK.

The U.S. Air Force Reserve Command's SCAR exercise from August 2-14, 2026, focused on improving rapid deployment and operational readiness in high-threat scenarios. This exercise opens up procurement opportunities for contractors in logistics, deployment capabilities, and integrated defense technologies.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded a **$37.6 million** contract to BL Harbert International to construct a classified F-35 facility at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas. This project reflects a significant investment in advanced military aviation and presents opportunities for contractors in secure construction.

The Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) is accelerating its Blue List process to enhance the validation of unmanned systems for the Department of War. This initiative aims to improve reliability and speed compliance pathways for contractors, increasing market opportunities in the unmanned systems sector.

The U.S. Air Force is enhancing base defense against emerging threats while pushing forward F-35 upgrades. This focus indicates new procurement opportunities for contractors who can deliver innovative and cost-effective solutions.

The Defense Contract Management Agency trained soldiers at Fort Stewart to enhance UAS capabilities. This initiative aligns with the Army's ongoing investment in unmanned systems, signaling procurement opportunities for UAS-related technologies and training services.

The United States Space Force (USSF) is seeking subject matter experts for its Support to Training & Adversary Replication (STAR) initiative. This effort focuses on enhancing adversarial capabilities critical for mission success in contested environments, with a response deadline of July 30, 2026.

The 911th Airlift Wing engaged in a bilateral training event with the French Air and Space Force, focusing on airlift operations and aeromedical evacuation. This partnership presents significant procurement opportunities for contractors specializing in military training and interoperability services.

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited is moving forward with the HLFT-42 trainer program, set to replace the IAF's BAE Hawk 132 aircraft. The choice of engine will influence procurement strategies and domestic supplier engagements, presenting new opportunities for contractors focused on aerospace technology.

The NATO Support and Procurement Agency contracted CAE to upgrade the German Navy's NH90 simulators with advanced technologies. This enhancement will bolster training effectiveness and operational readiness through superior visual fidelity and immersive scenarios, indicating a growing trend in sophisticated simulation solutions for defense.

The International Test Pilot School has contracted Leonardo to acquire up to 12 M-346 jets. This procurement, aimed at modernizing pilot training for advanced fighter aircraft, indicates growing opportunities in the military aviation training sector.

The National Defence Academy in Pune has incorporated SIG Sauer's SIG 716 rifles into its training curriculum. This strategic procurement aligns with the Indian Army's commitment to modernizing its forces and enhancing the preparedness of future military leaders.

The U.S. Department of War has awarded a $50 million IDIQ contract to Cadre Holdings' Med-Eng for developing blast exposure monitoring systems. This contract will enhance soldier safety during military training exercises and indicates an increasing demand for advanced monitoring technologies in defense procurement.

The U.S. Army's Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) program is expanding at Fort Benning. This strategic move aims to improve soldier readiness through enhanced training resources across all Army components, signaling new procurement opportunities for contractors in health and performance services.

The Department of Defense has renewed its contract with DorsaVi for a 12-month injury prevention initiative aimed at reducing stress fractures among military trainees. This renewal highlights ongoing investment in health technology, opening avenues for contractors focused on workplace safety solutions.

The U.S. Marine Corps is revamping its reconnaissance training program to integrate advanced technologies. This initiative presents procurement opportunities in unmanned systems and training solutions as the Corps evaluates new sensor systems for implementation.

Spain and Türkiye's HÜRJET program involves procuring approximately 30 aircraft for pilot training, fostering industrial collaboration. Major players include Airbus and local firms, which signifies an advancement in NATO's cooperative defense strategies amid geopolitical shifts.