diff --git a/elasticsearch/Chart.yaml b/elasticsearch/Chart.yaml
index 8f69536e3b..76a15d8e15 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/Chart.yaml
+++ b/elasticsearch/Chart.yaml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 ---
 apiVersion: v2
-appVersion: v8.9.0
+appVersion: v8.18.1
 description: OpenStack-Helm ElasticSearch
 name: elasticsearch
 version: 2025.1.0
diff --git a/elasticsearch/values.yaml b/elasticsearch/values.yaml
index d11ec915cb..c6952097ca 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/values.yaml
+++ b/elasticsearch/values.yaml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ images:
   tags:
     apache_proxy: docker.io/library/httpd:2.4
     memory_init: docker.io/openstackhelm/heat:wallaby-ubuntu_focal
-    elasticsearch: docker.io/openstackhelm/elasticsearch-s3:latest-8_9_0
+    elasticsearch: docker.elastic.co/elasticsearch/elasticsearch:8.18.1
     curator: docker.io/untergeek/curator:8.0.10
     ceph_key_placement: docker.io/openstackhelm/ceph-config-helper:ubuntu_jammy_19.2.2-1-20250414
     s3_bucket: docker.io/openstackhelm/ceph-daemon:ubuntu_jammy_19.2.2-1-20250414
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ images:
     prometheus_elasticsearch_exporter: quay.io/prometheuscommunity/elasticsearch-exporter:v1.7.0
     dep_check: quay.io/airshipit/kubernetes-entrypoint:latest-ubuntu_focal
     snapshot_repository: docker.io/openstackhelm/ceph-config-helper:ubuntu_jammy_19.2.2-1-20250414
-    elasticsearch_templates: docker.io/openstackhelm/elasticsearch-s3:latest-8_9_0
+    elasticsearch_templates: docker.io/linuxserver/yq:latest
     image_repo_sync: docker.io/library/docker:17.07.0
   pull_policy: "IfNotPresent"
   local_registry:
diff --git a/kibana/Chart.yaml b/kibana/Chart.yaml
index af508615fb..bb599644c7 100644
--- a/kibana/Chart.yaml
+++ b/kibana/Chart.yaml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 ---
 apiVersion: v2
-appVersion: v8.9.0
+appVersion: v8.18.1
 description: OpenStack-Helm Kibana
 name: kibana
 version: 2025.1.0
diff --git a/kibana/values.yaml b/kibana/values.yaml
index baac6575a2..fe221996aa 100644
--- a/kibana/values.yaml
+++ b/kibana/values.yaml
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ labels:
 images:
   tags:
     apache_proxy: docker.io/library/httpd:2.4
-    kibana: docker.elastic.co/kibana/kibana:8.9.0
+    kibana: docker.elastic.co/kibana/kibana:8.18.1
     dep_check: quay.io/airshipit/kubernetes-entrypoint:latest-ubuntu_focal
     image_repo_sync: docker.io/library/docker:17.07.0
     register_kibana_indexes: docker.io/openstackhelm/heat:wallaby-ubuntu_focal
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/elasticsearch-127e34013b70451d.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/elasticsearch-127e34013b70451d.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f0912c0225
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/elasticsearch-127e34013b70451d.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+elasticsearch:
+  - Upgrade to the latest v8.18.1
+  - Replace the elasticsearch_templates image with a
+    lighweight upstream image that includes yq and jq
+  - Switch to the upstream image, as S3 repository
+    support is natively integrated starting from v8.x
+    (https://www.elastic.co/guide/en/elasticsearch/plugins/8.0/repository-s3.html)
+    and elasticsearch_templates is replaced to use jq
+...
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/kibana-c0b39f760a7c5b80.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/kibana-c0b39f760a7c5b80.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7bef67a5d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/kibana-c0b39f760a7c5b80.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+kibana:
+  - Upgrade to the latest v8.18.1, in sync with Elasticsearch
+...