The second Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, known as AF-1 (photo), joined the 500 flight hour club recently during its 272nd flight. It joins AF-2 which passed the milestone June 26, 2012.

North Korea has announced it's about to carry out a third nuclear test and more long-range rocket launches, which it says are designed to target the United States.

Russia’s Sevmash shipyard will lay down in 2013 two upgraded Borey class nuclear-powered strategic submarines, capable of carrying 20 ballistic missiles each, Rossiiskaya Gazeta newspaper said on Monday citing defense industry sources.

Whilst India and China continue to take the limelight with respect to the defense and homeland security market opportunities, the Middle East is also an area of significant opportunities.

With more than 4,000 visitors from across the security, fire, and health and safety industries, including opinion formers and academia, IFSEC & OSH Arabia returned to Saudi Arabia for its second installment in December 2012, seeing an impressive 41% increase in attendees.