All briefings

What changed in defence and space, and why it mattered.

• Rocket Lab pushed the first launch of its Neutron rocket back to 2027.

  Neutron is Rocket Lab's bigger rocket, so a later first flight pushes out when it can compete for heavier launches. The share fell sharply on the day and over the week, and other space stocks such as AST SpaceMobile, Intuitive Machines, Planet Labs, Firefly, Redwire and Voyager also closed well lower, so the weakness was wide across space and not confined to one name.

  Space· RKLB·Source

  Closest to a screener match in Space · Friday's close, 16 Oct

  • KarmanKRMN

    Three checks short of a pick.

    Not a match

  • Planet LabsPL

    Two checks short of a pick.

    Not a match

  • Firefly AerospaceFLY

    Two checks short of a pick.

    Not a match

• Counter-drone news came from several companies at once: Leonardo DRS won a place on a US contract, and KBR, Hanwha and Zone 5 showed new systems.

  Defenders are putting money and engineering into stopping cheap drones, using lasers and small interceptor drones as well as contract vehicles. Most of this is product demos and launches, not signed orders, so the near-term revenue is in the contract award, while the rest shows where the technology is heading in drones and the sensors behind them.

  Primes · Electronics· DRS, LDO.MI·Source 1·Source 2·Source 3·Source 4

  Closest to a screener match in Drones and autonomy, and Electronics · Friday's close, 16 Oct

  • TeledyneTDY

    One check short of a pick.

    Not a match

  • SaabSAAB-B.ST

    One check short of a pick.

    Not a match

  • HensoldtHAG.DE

    Three checks short of a pick.

    Not a match

• Chemring's UK unit Roke signed a multi-year partnering deal with a major US prime contractor to supply a miniature radar altimeter.

  A multi-year supply agreement with a US prime gives a smaller UK supplier a longer run of work and a place inside a big American programme chain. It shows how component-level electronics makers earn revenue by selling into the primes.

  Land and munitions· CHG.L·Source

  Closest to a screener match in Land and munitions, and Electronics · Friday's close, 16 Oct

  • TeledyneTDY

    One check short of a pick.

    Not a match

  • SaabSAAB-B.ST

    One check short of a pick.

    Not a match

  • KongsbergKOG.OL

    Two checks short of a pick.

    Not a match

• Germany has changed course on buying Boeing's MQ-28 drone wingman, according to a Boeing official.

  The MQ-28 is a crewed-uncrewed teaming aircraft, so losing or delaying a European buyer weakens the export case for Boeing's programme. Turkish Aerospace expanding Anka 3 drone production with a new line shows other makers are still adding capacity in uncrewed aircraft.

  Primes· BA·Source 1·Source 2

  Screener matches in Drones and autonomy, and Primes · Friday's close, 16 Oct

  • Lockheed MartinLMT

    All six checks pass, with the price 2.8% above a flat 200-day average.

    Shortlisted

  • Dassault AviationAM.PA

    All five checks on file pass, with the price 3.5% above a flat 200-day average. One check has no data.

    Shortlisted

Published 17/10/2026, 10:16 UTC · claude-sonnet-5-5