North America

US Air Force CCA programme to achieve multiple milestones in the coming months

The U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft programme is approaching several flight, integration, and production milestones after completing critical design reviews for the Increment 1 competitors. General Atomics’ FQ-42A and Anduril’s FQ-44A are advancing under contracts supporting an initial objective of 150 aircraft, while crewed-uncrewed teaming and weapons-integration demonstrations are planned. Northrop Grumman’s Talon Blue test aircraft also supports autonomy development. The programme aims for operational capability before the end of the decade, but testing results will determine the final design, mission systems, production path, and force mix.

Shephard MediaOct 1

Drone Dominance Gauntlet II: Neros Books 14,000 Archer Drones for $100M+

The U.S. government selected Neros Technologies for an order covering 14,000 Archer one-way attack drones and associated explosive payloads, with a reported value exceeding $100 million. The award followed the second Drone Dominance competitive event, where the California company’s system reportedly ranked near the top of the field. The purchase is a major production commitment for a relatively young supplier and supports the Pentagon’s effort to establish large inventories of affordable unmanned strike systems, although delivery phasing and detailed performance requirements were not publicly disclosed.

Hegseth plans 'Autonomous Warfare Command'

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced plans to create Autonomous Warfare Command, or AutoWarCom, as a four-star combatant command focused on scaling robotic and autonomous systems across the U.S. military. The proposed organization would receive service-like authorities to coordinate requirements, procurement, training, and operational adoption across the joint force. Pentagon leaders described a target of standing up the command within roughly a year, but its exact structure, budget, relationship with the armed services, and operational doctrine still require implementation decisions and formal approval steps within the Pentagon.

Defense OneOct 1

W93/Mk7 Enters Engineering and Manufacturing Development Phase

The W93 nuclear warhead and its Mk7 re-entry body have passed Milestone B and entered Engineering and Manufacturing Development. The decision advances the first new U.S. Navy nuclear warhead programme in nearly four decades, intended to support the sea-based strategic deterrent carried by ballistic-missile submarines. During this phase, the National Nuclear Security Administration and Navy will mature the design, engineering baseline, manufacturing processes, and qualification evidence needed before production decisions. Entry into development does not mean the system has been fielded or that final production quantities have been authorized.

Defense DailyOct 1

U.S. Army Black Hawk Production Deal Starts at 16 UH-60Ms, Could Add 100+

The U.S. Army placed an initial order for 16 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters through a new production agreement with Sikorsky, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2028. The arrangement is designed to support follow-on purchases and could expand beyond 100 aircraft, including requirements for the Army National Guard and foreign customers. A Pentagon notice valued the initial undefinitized modification at about $234.5 million, meaning final pricing remained subject to negotiation. The agreement sustains the production line while giving the Army flexibility to add aircraft over several years.

USMC Orders 32 ACV Recovery Vehicles as Final Variant Enters Production

The U.S. Marine Corps is moving the Amphibious Combat Vehicle Recovery variant into production with an objective of 32 vehicles. The ACV-R adds recovery and field-maintenance equipment, including a turret-mounted crane, so Marine units can support disabled vehicles during amphibious and land operations without relying on unrelated platforms. Representative vehicles are undergoing testing before operational introduction, with initial operational capability planned for fiscal 2028. The recovery model is the fourth and final planned ACV family variant, complementing personnel, command, and 30 mm gun configurations in deployment.

Boeing says first full-rate MH-139A Grey Wolf order advances U.S. Air Force fielding for strategic missile security missions

Boeing received the first full-rate production order for four MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters, advancing U.S. Air Force fielding for security missions around intercontinental ballistic-missile sites and other strategic assets. The order brings the number of aircraft under contract to 42, while 27 had been delivered when the award was announced. Moving to full-rate production follows initial operational capability earlier in 2026 and should provide a steadier manufacturing cadence. The Grey Wolf replaces ageing UH-1N helicopters with greater speed, range, payload, and mission-system capability across dispersed operating areas.

BWX Technologies says $189 million contract will supply nuclear reactor fuel for U.S. Navy submarines and aircraft carriers

BWX Technologies received a $189 million contract to manufacture and deliver naval nuclear-reactor fuel through its Nuclear Fuel Services facility in Erwin, Tennessee. The work supports the U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program and is scheduled for completion in August 2027. The fuel will serve reactor plants used across active and future submarine and aircraft-carrier classes, including Virginia- and Columbia-class submarines and Nimitz- and Ford-class carriers. The award concerns reactor fuel production and delivery to the fleet, not the construction of new ships or complete reactor systems.

Safran to double Texas turbojet capacity by 2028 to meet rising missile and drone demand and add Naval Strike Missile engine assembly

Safran Power Units plans to double turbojet production capacity at its Grand Prairie, Texas, site by 2028 in response to rising missile and uncrewed-aircraft demand. The expansion focuses on the TR40 engine family and will add local assembly of the engine used in the Naval Strike Missile. Safran said TR40 demand had quadrupled, prompting investment in equipment, workforce, and supply-chain capacity. The project strengthens U.S.-based propulsion output, although the company did not disclose the investment value, exact annual production targets, or binding customer volumes for the added capacity.

Echodyne MESA Radar Joins JIATF-401 C-UAS Marketplace Under $250M IDIQ

Echodyne received a 36-month indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract with a $250 million ceiling for counter-drone radar products under JIATF-401’s Domestic Shield marketplace. The arrangement allows U.S. and allied government customers to place orders for the company’s electronically scanned MESA radar family, including the Ku-band EchoShield. The ceiling is the maximum potential value across future orders, not a guaranteed purchase or immediate revenue award. Individual buyers must still define quantities, delivery schedules, system configurations, integration requirements, and later sustainment arrangements through task or delivery orders under contract.

Northrop Grumman Cuts Avionics Assembly Time for US F-35 Fighters from Hours to Minutes with Cobot

Northrop Grumman introduced a collaborative robot to fasten bolts on the front housing of the F-35’s AN/ASQ-242 communications, navigation, and identification avionics system. The automated process reportedly reduces a task that took hours to minutes, while artificial-intelligence-assisted inspection helps identify manufacturing defects and improve consistency. The change targets one defined assembly operation rather than production of the entire avionics suite or aircraft. Its value lies in reducing repetitive labour, cycle time, and quality variation while preserving human oversight for setup, verification, corrective work, and engineering control.

Army RecognitionOct 1

BAE Systems wins $16 million contract to strengthen U.S. Navy carrier landing system against GPS jamming with M-Code upgrade

BAE Systems received a $16 million subcontract from Collins Aerospace to develop an encrypted M-Code GPS upgrade for the U.S. Navy’s Joint Precision Approach and Landing System. The work will incorporate BAE’s DIGAR-500M anti-jam receiver to improve the resilience of carrier-landing guidance against interference and spoofing. JPALS currently provides precision approach information for aircraft operating from ships and other austere locations, and the upgrade is intended to protect that function in contested electromagnetic environments. The award covers development and integration, not wholesale replacement of deployed JPALS equipment.

U.S. Air Force buys 40 electronic warfare kits for F-15EX

The U.S. Air Force awarded BAE Systems a $146.7 million contract for 40 Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System kits supporting F-15EX production Lots 7 and 8. EPAWSS combines threat detection, situational awareness, electronic countermeasures, and self-protection functions in an integrated suite. Work will be performed primarily in Nashua, New Hampshire, and is scheduled for completion by August 2030. The award supplies and supports mission equipment for newly produced aircraft; it does not cover the F-15EX airframes themselves or represent a separate order for additional fighters.

Defence BlogOct 1

US Navy awards Lockheed Martin $57 million MDCX contract to control MQ-25A tanker drones from aircraft carriers

The U.S. Navy awarded Lockheed Martin Aeronautics a contract capped at $57.71 million to develop, qualify, and test Multi-Domain Combat eXchange (MDCX) software supporting the MQ-25A Stingray. About $14.124 million was obligated at award, with work scheduled through September 2027 in Marietta, Fort Worth, and Patuxent River. MDCX is intended to support mission planning and command-and-control functions for the MQ-25A from aircraft carriers, shore bases and expeditionary locations. The award funds software development and testing rather than additional MQ-25 aircraft.

Army RecognitionOct 1

U.S. Air Force taps BAE for pulsed laser research

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory awarded BAE Systems a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract worth up to $19.68 million for the LUMINA research programme. The effort will study pulsed-laser technologies and their integration with solid-state laser sources and beam-control systems, with work at Kirtland Air Force Base scheduled through September 2031. Six offers were received, and $1 million in fiscal 2026 research funding was obligated initially. This is a science-and-technology contract intended to mature components and integration methods, not a procurement of deployable laser weapons or prototypes.

JanesOct 1

U.S. Navy buys more 30mm guns to shoot down drones

The U.S. Navy awarded MSI Defence Systems US a $197 million sole-source firm-fixed-price contract for MK88 MOD4 30 mm gun mounts, MK48 MOD2 electro-optical sights, related hardware and spares. Together with an operator console, the mount and sight form the MK 38 MOD 4 gun weapon system, which is intended to improve ship defence against small drones and fast attack craft. The Department of War did not disclose how many systems are being purchased. Most work will take place in Norfolk, England, and deliveries are scheduled to be completed by January 2031.

Defence BlogOct 1

U.S. Mimics "Decoupled" Nuclear Detonation By Blowing Up A Tunnel Conventionally

The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration detonated conventional high explosives in a tunnel at the Nevada National Security Site to imitate the signals of a decoupled underground nuclear explosion. Arrays of accelerometers, seismometers, infrasound sensors, electromagnetic instruments, chemical and radiotracer detectors, and weather equipment recorded the event. The research is intended to improve detection and characterization of clandestine underground tests that use cavities to reduce seismic signatures. No nuclear material was detonated, and the experiment was a controlled verification study rather than a weapons test.

Army TechnologyOct 1

U.S. Navy's largest Gray Flag tests allied aircraft and weapons connections across more than 750 sorties before deployment

Gray Flag 2026 concluded at Point Mugu after more than 750 sorties, 2,000 flight hours, and participation by over 3,000 people from more than 150 organizations. The U.S. Navy-led event connected allied aircraft, weapons, sensors, data links, and ground systems across hundreds of multi-domain test objectives. Its purpose was to uncover integration failures and correct them before systems reached operational deployments, rather than simply rehearse established tactics. The unusually large scale provided a realistic environment for assessing interoperability, but individual test results and deficiencies were not fully released.

The War ZoneOct 1

Pentagon wants a hypersonic cruise missile for jets, ships and bombers

DARPA issued a request for information on a Next Generation Hypersonic Cruise Missile that could be carried by fighters, bombers, ships, cargo-pallet launchers, and ground systems. The agency asked industry for concepts offering greater speed, range, altitude, and producibility than current designs, organized across four size and launch categories. The broad approach explores a common technology base for multiple platforms while examining cost, propulsion, materials, guidance, and manufacturing constraints. The notice is market research only and does not create a procurement programme, select contractors, or authorize missile production.

USAF Looks for Long-Range Communications Drones Deployable from AFSOC Fixed Wing Platforms

The U.S. Air Force is seeking industry proposals for a long-range, air-launched communications-relay drone deployable from Air Force Special Operations Command fixed-wing aircraft. The desired system would be autonomous, expendable, and mature enough for demonstration, extending resilient links and potentially supporting sensing in contested areas where conventional communications are degraded. The commercial-solutions notice identifies an operational need but does not announce a selected design, contract, or fielded capability. Vendor responses and testing will determine whether available small unmanned aircraft can meet range, launch, networking, survivability, and integration requirements.

Defence BlogOct 1

Navy Expeditionary Combat Command rebranded to reflect warfare evolution

The U.S. Navy renamed Navy Expeditionary Combat Command as Commander, Navy Expeditionary Forces to reflect a broader focus on generating forces for distributed maritime operations. The command remains responsible for manning, training, equipping, certifying, organizing, and sustaining expeditionary sailors and units for operational commanders worldwide. Its portfolio includes explosive-ordnance disposal, Seabees, expeditionary logistics, maritime security, diving, and other shore-based combat-support capabilities. The change is primarily organizational and descriptive; it does not by itself create a new service branch, add personnel, or authorize a separate operational force structure.

JanesOct 1

North AmericaSpace

Northrop Grumman expands Arizona space campus with 120,000-square-foot facility for national security and commercial missions

Northrop Grumman opened a 120,000-square-foot facility at its Gilbert, Arizona, space campus to expand capacity for national-security, civil and commercial space programmes. The A1 building adds office space, classified work areas, integration and test facilities, and broader mission-support capacity. The company presented the opening as part of its long-term investment in Arizona's advanced manufacturing and space-engineering base and said the facility expands workforce capacity. Northrop Grumman did not disclose the investment amount, specific programmes assigned to the building or a separate hiring target tied to the opening.

militarytimes.comOct 1

Smart Shooter secures counter-UAS contract from JIATF-401

Smart Shooter received a 36-month single-award indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract with a ceiling of $150 million from JIATF-401 for its SMASH counter-drone fire-control systems. The framework lets authorized U.S. and allied customers order rifle-mounted sights that use electro-optics, tracking software, and a controlled firing solution to improve hit probability against small drones. An initial order was reported at $6.1 million for 210 SMASH 2000L units. The $150 million figure is a maximum overall ordering ceiling, not guaranteed revenue or a single firm purchase under the framework.

U.S. Navy orders $123M more Lionfish underwater drones

The U.S. Navy awarded HII a $123.4 million contract modification for additional Lionfish small unmanned underwater vehicles and related support, with work scheduled through December 2027. Based on the REMUS 300, Lionfish is a modular, two-person-portable system designed for depths around 305 meters and missions lasting up to 30 hours. The Navy did not disclose the quantity in this increment, but the order extends a 2023 program that could cover as many as 200 vehicles and broadens access to compact undersea reconnaissance and mine-countermeasure capacity.

Defence BlogSep 30

US Navy Awards HII $5.1B USS Truman Aircraft Carrier Contract to Refuel CVN 75 by 2031

HII's Newport News Shipbuilding division received a U.S. Navy contract with a ceiling near $5.1 billion for the refueling and complex overhaul of USS Harry S. Truman. The work will refuel the carrier's reactors and modernize propulsion, combat and ship systems while restoring thousands of compartments and tanks for another service period. The availability is scheduled to run through November 2031, making it one of the Navy's largest and most technically demanding maintenance projects and a major workload anchor for the Virginia shipyard. Options could raise the total slightly above the initial ceiling.

defensewarroom.comSep 30

$4B in Army counterdrone contracts as drone marketplace

The U.S. Army awarded ten counter-drone indefinite-delivery contracts with a combined ceiling of about $4.15 billion, using the Pentagon's new marketplace to speed purchases of command systems, sensors and defeat technologies. Seven vendors received ceilings of $500 million, two received $250 million and Smart Shooter received $150 million, while roughly $50 million was obligated at award. The structure lets units place follow-on orders against qualified offerings more quickly, but actual spending and production volumes will depend on future task orders rather than the headline ceiling.

Defense OneSep 30

Navy Orders 30 Drone Ships To Finally Advance Its 'Medium' Uncrewed Vessel Ambitions

The U.S. Navy ordered 30 medium uncrewed surface vessels, dividing the production award equally among Edison Chouest Offshore, HII and Saronic. Each company will build ten vessels under agreements averaging about $40 million per ship, with deliveries expected to begin as early as the fourth quarter of fiscal 2027. The craft are intended to support modular payloads and long-endurance autonomous operations, advancing a program that has moved slowly for years while giving the Navy three industrial approaches to compare before any larger fleet commitment. Mission payloads and final operating concepts remain under development.

The War ZoneSep 30

Why the Pentagon just dropped $450M on tungsten mining

The Pentagon is investing $450 million in The Elmet Group to reinforce a domestic tungsten supply chain before a 2027 rule restricts defense use of material mined, refined or processed in China, Russia, Iran or North Korea. Planned spending includes facility upgrades in Maine, Michigan and Ohio, restarting Nevada mining and expanding refining and trading capacity. Tungsten supports more than 100 defense programs, including Patriot, Javelin, Aegis, Trident II, THAAD and submarines, so the financing targets both strategic dependence and a potential production bottleneck. The goal is a secure, vertically integrated American source.

Defense NewsSep 30

E-6B Mercury aircraft supports test of Minuteman III airborne backup launch capability if ground-based command centers cannot respond

A U.S. Navy E-6B Mercury and the Air Force's 625th Strategic Operations Squadron tested the Airborne Launch Control System at Malmstrom Air Force Base from September 15 to 17. The event simulated transmitting launch commands to Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles from the airborne backup architecture; no missile was launched. The exercise verified that national leaders could still communicate an emergency launch order if ground-based command centers were damaged or unable to respond, while also exercising the aircraft crew's endurance and coordination procedures. Such redundancy is central to the United States' nuclear deterrent.

Defence Industry EuropeSep 30

HII Wins U.S. Navy Contract for 10 ROMULUS USVs

HII received a U.S. Navy production agreement for ten ROMULUS medium uncrewed surface vessels as one-third of a 30-ship multi-vendor purchase. The vessels will use HII's Odyssey autonomy architecture and are intended to accept modular payloads for missions such as surveillance, counter-drone operations, mine warfare and unmanned-system support. Company trials included a 420-nautical-mile, 28-hour autonomous endurance mission, while Navy deliveries are expected to begin by late fiscal 2027, giving the service a production fleet for operational experimentation and mission-system integration. Operational testing will determine which missions receive priority first.

Naval NewsSep 30

Saronic Awarded Production Contract for Marauder Under U.S. Navy's MUSV Marketplace

Saronic received a firm-fixed-price agreement to build ten 180-foot Marauder medium uncrewed surface vessels for the U.S. Navy's new MUSV marketplace. The award averages about $40 million per ship and calls for deliveries before the end of fiscal 2027, with production centered in Louisiana. Saronic says Marauder completed eight days of continuous operations and more than 140 test scenarios without failure, but the Navy will still need to integrate payloads and determine how the design performs alongside competing vessels from HII and Edison Chouest. Its performance will influence any follow-on Navy fleet expansion.

Naval NewsSep 30

U.S. and UK Sink Former Frigate to Validate Joint Maritime Strike in Atlantic Thunder Exercise

U.S. and British forces sank the decommissioned frigate USS Klakring during Exercise Atlantic Thunder to validate a combined maritime strike chain. HMS Portland fired a Naval Strike Missile, a Wildcat helicopter launched Sea Venom, USS Paul Ignatius contributed to the attack and submarine USS Massachusetts completed the sinking with a Mk 48 torpedo. The event tested how allied sensors, command networks, aircraft, ships and submarines could coordinate against a realistic naval target, while also generating performance data from multiple weapons in one controlled exercise. Environmental controls governed the selection and preparation of the wreck.

Army RecognitionSep 30

U.S. Army Taps GD to Prototype Autonomous Networked Obstacle Munitions

The U.S. Army selected General Dynamics to prototype a networked anti-vehicle obstacle munition that can be remotely controlled as part of a distributed defensive field. The concept is intended to engage armored vehicles while allowing operators to activate, deactivate and potentially recover unfired munitions, reducing exposure for soldiers who would otherwise manage conventional obstacles in contested terrain. The prototype supports the Army's broader move toward common, command-linked terrain-shaping weapons, but the award remains a development step and does not yet represent a production decision or fielded autonomous mine system.

defensewarroom.comSep 30

US Army PrSM Increment 4: Five Firms Race for 1,000 km HIMARS Missile

The U.S. Army awarded five prototype agreements for Precision Strike Missile Increment 4 to Anduril, Castelion, Lockheed Martin, Mach Industries and RTX. Competitors are developing HIMARS-compatible weapons intended to reach at least 1,000 kilometers and attack moving maritime or relocatable land targets, with a competitive fly-off and down-selection planned for fiscal 2027. Agreement values, test-round quantities and detailed seeker and warhead specifications remain undisclosed, leaving the awards as an early technology competition rather than a commitment to purchase any particular missile design. The competition is intended to accelerate experimentation before formal acquisition.

defensewarroom.comSep 30

U.S. Navy and U.S. Army order more Phalanx guns

Raytheon received a $247.1 million sole-source contract covering production, upgrades, conversions and overhaul of Mk 15 Phalanx, land-based Phalanx and SeaRAM systems for the U.S. Navy and Army. Work is expected to continue through September 2030, with about $240.6 million obligated at award, although specific system quantities were not released. The purchase sustains close-in defenses that use rapid-fire guns or missiles as a final layer against cruise missiles, drones, rockets and mortars on ships and at fixed operating locations. Foreign military customers may also receive equipment under the award.

Defence BlogSep 30

Mack's hybrid tractor aims to replace U.S. Army's M915 trucks

Mack Defense will display a hybrid-electric line-haul tractor prototype for the U.S. Army's Common Tactical Truck program at AUSA 2026 in Washington from October 12 to 14. The on-road design is aimed at replacing older M915 tractors while reducing fuel demand and supporting electrical power needs through a modern commercial-derived drivetrain. CTT could eventually replace about 35,000 heavy tactical vehicles across several roles, but the prototype is an industry offering for evaluation rather than an awarded production vehicle or a confirmed selection by the Army.

Defence BlogSep 30

Rheinmetall's U.S. business wins $20.7 million order to produce and upgrade MK93 weapon mounts for Army requirements at Maine plant

American Rheinmetall received a $20.7 million order to manufacture and upgrade MK93 enhanced softmount weapon mounting systems for U.S. Army requirements. The Biddeford, Maine, facility will produce 3,104 new MK93 systems and upgrade 245 previously delivered mounts to the current configuration. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2026 and continue through October 2027. The order supports crew-served weapon integration, configuration commonality, reliability and long-term sustainment.

Defence Industry EuropeSep 30

Pentagon update on National Defense Strategy cites progress, omits key threats

A Pentagon update to Congress on implementation of the 2026 National Defense Strategy highlights increased spending, $53 billion for munitions, Golden Dome testing, counter-drone coordination and higher allied defense budgets. The document presents these items as evidence that the department is prioritizing homeland defense, deterrence and burden sharing. Critics note that it provides little discussion of depleted weapons inventories, costs from the Iran conflict, Russian aggression or the reduction of U.S. manned brigades in Europe, limiting its value as a comprehensive account of strategic risk.

Defense OneSep 30

Northrop Grumman says robotics cut F-35 avionics assembly task from hours to minutes while AI expands production quality checks

Northrop Grumman has reduced a bolt-installation task on its F-35 Communications, Navigation and Identification module production line from hours to minutes using a collaborative robot. The company is also expanding AI-based quality-control tools that inspect completed modules and flag potential defects before shipment. Northrop Grumman said the changes improve speed, precision and repeatability and allow personnel to be reassigned to other production tasks. The company is extending similar automation and AI-driven inspection approaches to additional parts of the F-35 production process.

Defence Industry EuropeSep 30

F-15EX May Finally Get Missile Warning System The USAF Originally Skimped On Buying

The U.S. Air Force is surveying industry for an operational missile-launch and approach-warning system for the F-15EX, potentially restoring a capability omitted from the aircraft's original procurement plan. The service wants 360-degree passive warning, rapid installation and use of six existing sensor locations with available wiring, power and cooling. The notice is market research rather than a solicitation or contract, but a fielded infrared system would complement the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System by detecting incoming missiles that may not be visible to radar-based electronic-warning sensors.

The War ZoneSep 30

North AmericaSpace

Miller Tapped to Head SPACECOM, Oversee Move To Huntsville

The White House nominated Space Force Lieutenant General David Miller for promotion to general and command of U.S. Space Command, succeeding General Stephen Whiting if confirmed by the Senate. Miller currently serves as deputy chief of space operations for strategy, plans, programs and requirements, giving him a central role in force design and investment decisions. As commander, he would oversee military space operations and the planned headquarters move from Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. The relocation remains politically contested and operationally complex to execute.

Defense DailySep 30

U.S. Marine Corps to test electric seaglider in the field

The U.S. Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory added $5 million to its agreement with REGENT, bringing the partnership's total value to $19.25 million for further testing of the Viceroy electric seaglider. Phase IV includes six deliverables covering full-scale vehicle trials in operationally relevant conditions and command-and-control integration. The wing-in-ground-effect craft takes off and lands on water and is designed to move rapidly across maritime distances, but the work remains an experimentation program intended to assess military utility rather than a commitment to buy an operational fleet.

Defence BlogSep 30

Counter-Drone Tech Company Fortem Closes $50 Million Series B Round

Fortem Technologies closed a $50 million Series B round led by Lockheed Martin, whose $25 million initial tranche was announced earlier in 2026, with participation from Unusual Machines and other investors. Fortem will use the capital to expand manufacturing at its Lindon, Utah, facility and increase global deployment of the SkyDome counter-drone family. SkyDome combines TrueView radar, AI-enabled command software and autonomous DroneHunter interceptors, while recent U.S. homeland-security awards and demand for major-event protection provide the company with a growing market for integrated airspace defense.

Defense DailySep 30

HII Achieves Preliminary Acceptance of John F. Kennedy (CVN 79)

HII reached preliminary acceptance of the future USS John F. Kennedy, completing the final major step before the U.S. Navy formally takes delivery of the second Ford-class aircraft carrier. Acceptance trials in August preceded the ship's September 29 departure from Newport News for Naval Station Norfolk, where further testing and crew training can continue. The milestone allows underway evaluation, system verification and proficiency work to advance while remaining delivery actions are completed, moving CVN 79 closer to operational service after a prolonged construction and integration phase.

Naval NewsSep 30

L3Harris wins seven-year Lockheed Martin contract worth more than $6 billion to expand propulsion production for THAAD missile interceptors

L3Harris received an undefinitized contract from Lockheed Martin valued at more than $6 billion, excluding escalations, to expand propulsion production for THAAD interceptors over seven years. The company will expand capacity for the interceptor's solid-rocket boost motor and liquid divert-and-attitude-control system. The award follows a separate framework agreement with the U.S. Department of War aimed at quadrupling THAAD propulsion production, but the more-than-$6 billion figure refers to this Lockheed Martin contract rather than multiple agreements. The announcement did not specify production quantities under the new award.

Boeing says $2.38 billion contract adds 22 F-15EX fighters, bringing U.S. Air Force orders to 120 aircraft across seven production lots

Boeing received a $2.38 billion US Air Force contract for 22 additional F-15EX Eagle II fighters, raising ordered aircraft to 120 across seven production lots. The modernized Eagle combines high weapons capacity with updated avionics, electronic warfare equipment, and an open mission-systems architecture that can accommodate later upgrades. The award sustains the replacement of aging F-15C/D aircraft, although a complete delivery schedule for the newly contracted lot is not yet public. The larger fleet also makes future software and weapon integration investments more economical across a broader operational inventory.

JIATF-401, Army Establish $7 Billion In Counter-Drone Contracts For Domestic Shield

The Army and Joint Interagency Task Force 401 established nearly $7 billion in contracting capacity to accelerate counter-drone purchases for the Domestic Shield mission. The enterprise vehicles are designed to provide layered sensors, non-kinetic effects, and kinetic interceptors to military, federal, state, and local users, with access also contemplated for close allies. The amount is a combined ceiling across potential orders, not a commitment that all funds have already been obligated or that one supplier has won the entire program. Users can place tailored orders rapidly, avoiding the delay of establishing a separate competition for every local installation.

Defense DailySep 29

Viasat wins USD307 million award to provide multi-orbit connectivity to USMC

Viasat's Inmarsat Government business received an initial $42 million Marine Corps task order under the seven-year, $307 million Multi-Orbit Expeditionary Communications Services 2 contract. The service will combine L-, Ku-, and Ka-band capacity across multiple satellite networks with terminals, network management, and end-to-end support for expeditionary users. The larger figure is the indefinite-delivery contract ceiling, while future revenue and fielded capacity will depend on additional task orders placed during the performance period. This distinction matters because ceiling value measures possible purchasing authority, not equipment already delivered to Marine units.

JanesSep 29

Raytheon expands Lyntris cooling orders for U.S. Army's LTAMDS radar through 2028 as Patriot radar replacement enters full-rate production

Raytheon placed additional orders for Lyntris cooling equipment supporting Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor production through 2028. LTAMDS uses gallium-nitride active electronically scanned arrays to provide 360-degree coverage and is replacing the Patriot system's sector-limited legacy radar as production expands. The follow-on demand strengthens a critical component supply chain, although neither the number of cooling units nor the financial value of the orders was publicly released. Reliable thermal management is necessary to keep the radar's high-power electronics operating within temperature limits during sustained missions.

Anduril Industries says Voyager orders top $60 million as partners plan to scale U.S. missile-defense propulsion production

Anduril said propulsion orders placed with Voyager Technologies now exceed $60 million, covering solid-rocket motors, divert-and-attitude-control systems, and related missile-defense technologies. Their partnership spans development, testing, qualification, and production as Voyager expands its Pueblo, Colorado, manufacturing complex for much higher monthly output. The orders demonstrate committed supplier demand, but the partners did not identify every missile program or indicate that the facility's ultimate capacity has already been achieved. Actual deliveries will reveal how quickly this demand converts into qualified hardware for deployed interceptor and missile-defense programs.

U.S. Navy says W93 Mk7 enters engineering phase, advancing first new nuclear warhead and reentry program in nearly four decades

The U.S. Navy's W93 nuclear warhead and Mk7 reentry body have entered engineering development, advancing the first new American naval warhead-and-reentry program in roughly four decades. Designed for submarine-launched ballistic missiles, the system is intended to strengthen the sea-based deterrent and is planned to begin entering service in the mid-2030s aboard the Columbia-class fleet. Los Alamos National Laboratory is leading warhead design using previously tested nuclear components, while the Mk7 program will also provide selected non-nuclear technologies relevant to Britain's separate Astraea warhead development effort.

Northrop's F-16 jammer deal tops $1.9 billion

The U.S. Air Force added $87.4 million to Northrop Grumman's AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite contract, raising its total value to about $1.92 billion. The modification supports low-rate initial production and work at Rolling Meadows, Illinois, through December 2029, with $79.4 million obligated at award from research and procurement accounts. IVEWS is an internally mounted F-16 system that combines radar warning, geolocation, and electronic attack across a wide frequency range, avoiding the aerodynamic and station penalties of an external jamming pod during combat missions.

Defence BlogSep 25

U.S. Navy Establishes RASWDC To Accelerate Unmanned Systems Integration

The U.S. Navy has established the Robotic and Autonomous Systems Warfighting Development Center at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story in Virginia. The organization will concentrate command responsibility for developing concepts, training, command-and-control practices, and operational integration for uncrewed maritime systems, replacing a more dispersed development structure. Its phased implementation is intended to align experimentation with fleet requirements and accelerate the transition of autonomous surface and undersea capabilities from prototypes into deployable forces that can operate safely and effectively alongside crewed ships in combat worldwide.

Marines Rushing To Equip Amphibious Combat Vehicles With New Anti-Drone Jammers

The U.S. Marine Corps is moving urgently to equip Amphibious Combat Vehicles with Anduril's Pulsar-L electronic-warfare system and associated vehicle integration kits. A planned sole-source award would provide a non-kinetic counter-drone capability able to detect, classify, and disrupt hostile unmanned aircraft while Marines maneuver from ship to shore and inland. The accelerated procurement reflects the service's assessment that low-cost drones pose an immediate threat to armored formations, although the notice did not disclose a final contract value, vehicle quantity, or planned delivery schedule for units.

Northrop gets $124 million for delayed F-35 radar parts

The U.S. Navy awarded Northrop Grumman up to $123.8 million for long-lead parts supporting 67 AN/APG-85 radars for Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy F-35s. Air Force procurement funds provide $66.5 million and Navy funds $57.3 million, with work in Linthicum Heights, Maryland, expected to finish in February 2031. The order is intended to protect the Lot 7 production schedule for the delayed Block 4 sensor, after new aircraft reportedly reached operational units with ballast installed in their noses because completed radars were temporarily unavailable.

ReutersSep 25

B-21 Raider sixth-generation stealth bomber captured in Mojave video as Northrop Grumman accelerates testing and production

New video appears to show a B-21 Raider test aircraft, reportedly nicknamed Cerberus, departing Edwards Air Force Base and flying over California's Mojave Desert. The sighting provides another public indication that Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force are expanding the stealth bomber's flight-test activity while low-rate production continues in parallel. The footage does not identify the sortie's objectives or reveal classified performance data, but it documents a visible step in the program's transition from a single test aircraft toward a broader test and production fleet.

asianmilitaryreview.comSep 25

U.S. F-35As and E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning Aircraft Demonstrate Networked Airpower Over Strategic Bering Sea

U.S. Air Force F-35A fighters and an E-3 Sentry operated with Canadian forces in a binational maritime-strike scenario over the Bering Sea from September 18 to 22. The activity linked fifth-generation fighter sensors and targeting data with airborne command-and-control, demonstrating how a mixed force can build a shared picture across the remote Arctic approaches. Conducted in a strategically important homeland-defense area, the mission also tested cross-border coordination and the ability to direct fighters against maritime threats over long distances with limited regional support infrastructure and basing.

Army RecognitionSep 25

NORAD and NATO allies coordinate fighters, tankers and airborne command aircraft to strengthen North America's Arctic air defenses

NORAD, Danish, and NATO forces are training across Canada, Greenland, and Iceland to coordinate defense of North America's northern approaches. The activity combines fighters, aerial refueling tankers, and airborne command aircraft, testing how allied units can share warning data, extend fighter range, and manage operations across vast Arctic distances. By exercising a distributed network rather than a single national force, the participants are validating procedures needed to detect, identify, and respond to aircraft or missile threats where weather, geography, communications, and limited basing complicate sustained air-defense operations.

U.S. Expands Counter-Drone Defense to Protect Critical Infrastructure From Low-Cost Drone Attacks

The United States is broadening its counter-drone strategy for critical infrastructure beyond simply detecting and intercepting every hostile aircraft. The emerging approach combines counter-UAS sensors and defeat systems with site hardening, redundant equipment, incident coordination, and continuity plans intended to limit damage when a drone penetrates defensive layers. The shift recognizes that inexpensive commercial or improvised drones can overwhelm costly interceptors and threaten energy, transportation, communications, and government facilities, making resilience and rapid recovery essential parts of effective national protection and resilience alongside active defense.

Leonardo gets U.S. Army deal for powerful diode lasers

The U.S. Army awarded Leonardo Electronics US a $30.1 million contract modification to continue research on phase-locked semiconductor diode laser arrays. The work seeks to combine emissions from many small diode sources into a single, more powerful and coherent beam, a technical step relevant to compact high-energy laser systems. Fiscal 2026 Army research funds are fully obligated, and development will continue in Tucson, Arizona, through March 29, 2029, focusing on beam quality, efficiency, and scalable power for future systems rather than procurement of an operational weapon.

quwa.orgSep 25

New US Army UH-60M Black Hawk order bridges uncertain path to MV-75 transition

The U.S. Army awarded Sikorsky $234 million for 16 additional UH-60M Black Hawks, preserving near-term production while the service develops the Bell MV-75 Cheyenne II. The undefinitized action provides fleet continuity but does not settle the Army's longer-term Black Hawk requirement, which remains affected by funding decisions and the pace of the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft program. Continuing UH-60M purchases helps sustain assault-aviation capacity, training, and the supplier base during a transition that will take years and may not align neatly with retirement needs across existing units.

Defence BlogSep 25

U.S. Air Force expands tests of glider-based spy drone

The U.S. Air Force added $46.1 million to its contract with DZYNE Technologies for operational testing of the ULTRA long-endurance surveillance drone, more than doubling the program's value. Derived from a glider-like airframe, ULTRA is designed to remain airborne for more than three days while carrying intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance payloads at lower operating cost than traditional crewed platforms. The expanded award supports additional testing and operational evaluation under operationally relevant conditions, but it does not by itself confirm a production decision or broad fielding schedule.

Army RecognitionSep 25

Desolate Arctic outpost likely to host US troops under new Greenland deal

Mestersvig, a remote Danish outpost in eastern Greenland, could become a new U.S. military foothold under the security agreement signed by the United States, Denmark, and Greenland. The site lies 240 kilometers from the nearest settlement, currently has three soldiers, and includes barracks for about 150 personnel overlooking the strategically important Greenland-Iceland-United Kingdom gap. The agreement permits new U.S. bases at Mestersvig and Narsarsuaq but sets no troop numbers or timetable, leaving the scale of construction and permanent presence to later planning and parliamentary approval.

militarytimes.comSep 25

HII expands Massachusetts unmanned systems production facility

HII is expanding its unmanned-systems production facility in Pocasset, Massachusetts, to increase capacity for autonomous maritime platforms and associated engineering work. The site employs about 300 people and added 50 staff during 2026, while maintaining research ties with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution on autonomous underwater technology. The investment supports rising U.S. demand for uncrewed surface and undersea systems, but the company did not tie the expansion to a single disclosed production quantity or delivery schedule, so its impact will span multiple development and procurement efforts.

aviationweek.comSep 25

Lockheed Martin says new quantum hub will accelerate defense-ready technologies for navigation, sensing and communications

Lockheed Martin has opened a quantum technology hub intended to shorten the path from laboratory research to defense-ready capabilities in navigation, sensing, communications, and advanced computing. The initiative will bring researchers and mission engineers together to test applications such as positioning without GPS, highly sensitive detection, secure information exchange, and optimization of complex defense problems. The announcement establishes a development environment rather than a fielded military program, and it includes no disclosed customer contract, deployment date, or performance threshold for the technologies currently being pursued.

bairdmaritime.comSep 25

Pentagon pays $16.6 million to keep nuke inventory online

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency awarded General Dynamics Information Technology a $16.6 million contract to sustain the systems used to manage and account for the U.S. nuclear weapons inventory. The work supports the digital infrastructure, logistics, tracking, and operational services needed to keep stockpile information available and accurate across the nuclear enterprise. Although the award is small compared with warhead modernization programs, it funds a continuing readiness function: maintaining secure, reliable inventory data and support processes for weapons that must remain controlled, traceable, and operationally accountable at all times.

militarytimes.comSep 25

Defense Watch: Munitions Shortages, IVEWS LRIP, Satellite Infrastructure

Defense Daily's roundup highlights three related pressures on U.S. defense readiness: munitions inventories strained by sustained high expenditure, movement of the AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite into low-rate initial production, and continuing investment in satellite infrastructure. Together, the items show procurement balancing immediate replenishment against modernization of electronic warfare and space support. The IVEWS milestone advances an internal radar-warning and jamming suite for F-16s, while the munitions and satellite sections emphasize the industrial capacity and resilient networks required to sustain operations at global scale.

Defence BlogSep 25

British General Nick Perry becomes first UK commander of NATO's JFC Norfolk, marking Alliance shift to European operational leadership

British General Nick Perry assumed command of NATO's Joint Force Command Norfolk on September 24, becoming the first United Kingdom officer to lead the Atlantic-focused headquarters. He succeeded American Navy Vice Admiral Doug Perry during a ceremony aboard USS Nimitz in Norfolk, Virginia. The appointment gives a European ally formal leadership of the command responsible for safeguarding transatlantic reinforcement routes, coordinating maritime operations, and linking North American and European defense, while the headquarters remains integrated with American joint-force structures and NATO's wider operational command chain.

Defence BlogSep 25

'Misaligned' fan blades, loss of thrust caused Thunderbird F-16 crash

An Air Combat Command investigation found that misaligned variable vanes in a Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engine caused the December 3, 2025 crash of a Thunderbirds F-16CM near Trona, California. Compressor blades subsequently fractured from fatigue, producing catastrophic engine damage and an unrecoverable loss of thrust at low altitude; the pilot ejected with minor injuries, and the $33.4 million aircraft was destroyed. Investigators could not determine why the vanes turned, but identified earlier foreign-object damage and limited access for internal inspections as significant contributing concerns.