Sep 28, 2026, 04:30 PM UTC

South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) is evaluating the potential procurement of Turkish-made aviation engines for its unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programs. According to reports cited by Defence Turk, DAPA inquired with Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ) regarding the availability of the PD170 turbodiesel engine.

The PD170 engine was developed by TUSAŞ Engine Industries (TEI) specifically to power indigenous medium-altitude, long-endurance drones. DAPA's inquiry highlights growing international interest in Türkiye's expanding defense manufacturing sector, particularly its unmanned aviation technology and propulsion systems. Further negotiations or potential contract terms between South Korean officials and Turkish defense manufacturers have not yet been publicly disclosed.

Sources: Defence Turk.

Australia has introduced new sanctions against the Akhmat Kadyrov Foundation, targeting the Chechen organization for its involvement in supporting Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The move expands on previous restrictive measures taken by Canberra, which had already placed personal sanctions on Aimani Kadyrova, the foundation's leader and mother of Chechen Head Ramzan Kadyrov.

The foundation was designated alongside a broad range of entities in Australia's latest sanctions package aimed at cutting support for Moscow's ongoing war. Additional targets included state-linked youth organizations, centers focused on military-patriotic education for children, several financial institutions, and sports officials affiliated with the Russian government.

Sources: OC Media.

Germany's Federal Cartel Office has approved the creation of a joint venture comprising defense contractors Hensoldt Sensors, Rohde & Schwarz, Plath, and General Dynamics European Land Systems-Bridge Systems.

According to the antitrust regulator, the four companies established the consortium to bid on an upcoming complex procurement contract from the German government involving electronic warfare technology. The decision enables the firms to combine their specialized capabilities in sensor technology, communications, and vehicle integration for the upcoming federal tender.

Sources: Hartpunkt

Three US senators have called on the incoming administration of Donald Trump to demand the release of detainees in Azerbaijan before advancing a bilateral strategic partnership agreement.

Senators Peter Welch, Tim Kaine, and Thom Tillis urged Washington to press Baku regarding the detention of "more than 300 political prisoners", a group that includes journalists, opposition leaders, and civil society activists. While supporting closer diplomatic and economic ties, the bipartisan group asserted that any strategic pact must be tied to measurable progress on human rights and fundamental freedoms in the South Caucasus nation.

Sources: OC Media

Azerbaijani opposition figures, journalists, and activists living in exile gathered in Strasbourg, France, on September 26 for the First Pan-European Congress of Azerbaijani Political Exiles and Exiled Media.

Participants aimed to draw international focus to escalating political repression in Azerbaijan. During the assembly, delegates approved a resolution addressed to key European institutions, including the European Union and the Council of Europe. The document urges international bodies to pressure Baku to release imprisoned journalists, political figures, and civil society advocates currently detained in the country.

The gathering highlights coordinated efforts among diaspora groups to challenge the Azerbaijani government's domestic crackdown from abroad.

Sources: OC Media