KC-135 Tanker Involved in Epic Fury Goes Down in Iraq: CENTCOM
A U.S. Air Force KC‑135 Stratotanker crashed in Iraq during Operation Epic Fury, the campaign against Iran. CENTCOM said the incident occurred in friendly airspace and was not caused by hostile or friendly fire. Casualties remain unclear and rescue efforts are ongoing, while a second aircraft involved landed safely. The crash marks the first KC‑135 loss since 2013, highlighting the aging refueling fleet as the Air Force pushes toward the newer KC‑46 Pegasus.
EXCLUSIVE: Freeman Out as Head of Amazon Leo Government
Rick Freeman, Amazon's vice president for Leo Government, left the company in late February, prompting a quiet reorganization of the satellite business’s marketing teams. Amazon Leo, formerly Project Kuiper, is building a 3,000‑satellite low‑Earth‑orbit network and currently has about 200...
Europe Can Lead Its Conventional Defense ‘by 2035’, EUCOM Commander Says
U.S. European Command head Gen. Alexus Grynkewich told the Senate Armed Services Committee that, if European nations continue raising defense budgets toward NATO’s 5 percent of GDP goal, the continent could assume the lead in conventional defense by 2035. He noted...
Iran Supplemental to Fund Mix of ‘New Things’ and Legacy Systems: Pentagon Comptroller
The Pentagon’s acting comptroller announced a supplemental funding request—likely exceeding $50 billion—to replace weapons used in the Iran conflict and to acquire new systems. The first week of fighting has already cost about $11.3 billion, underscoring the urgency of the request. Officials...
New Army Data Operation Center Will Be ‘9-1-1’ for Moving Info Around the Globe
The U.S. Army announced plans for an Army Data Operations Center (ADOC), described as a "9‑1‑1" for moving data across the globe. The center will consolidate and route information from partners, joint forces, and combatant commands, breaking down long‑standing data...
How the Shutdown Endangers America’s ‘Arsenal of Freedom’ Behind the Scenes
The ongoing partial government shutdown has sharply reduced demand for small defense sustainment suppliers, with one Texas OEM reporting a 76% drop in orders and a 44% workforce cut. Over 115 funded delivery orders worth millions sit idle, creating a...
Leonardo to Launch Michelangelo Air Defense Dome Test in Ukraine
Leonardo announced that its Michelangelo air‑defence dome will undergo its first operational test in Ukraine by the end of 2026, followed by NATO‑wide trials in 2027 and full EU integration by 2030. The system, built around the MC5 plug‑in module,...
The Pentagon Wants to Buy 30,000 New Drones. Here’s the Key Questions.
The Pentagon unveiled its Drone Dominance program, targeting the purchase of up to 30,000 new unmanned aerial systems across the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. The effort is designed to replace aging UAV fleets, embed artificial‑intelligence‑driven swarming capabilities,...
Army Eyeing Four Categories for New FMS Weapons Catalog
The U.S. Army is drafting a new Foreign Military Sales (FMS) weapons catalog that will initially group offerings into four capability buckets: integrated air and missile defense, long‑range fires, drones, and counter‑drone systems. The effort follows President Trump’s February executive...
Pentagon Eyes 30,000 One-Way Attack Drones
The Pentagon is preparing to award contracts that could deliver up to 30,000 small one-way attack drones to U.S. Army squads, following Secretary Pete Hexup’s drone-dominance memo. Vendors who participated in a February trial at Fort Benning are in contention,...
DIU, Navy Tap Anduril to Prototype Dive-XL Autonomous Submarine
Defense Innovation Unit and the U.S. Navy have awarded Anduril a contract to prototype the Dive-XL autonomous submarine under the Combat Autonomous Maritime Platform (CAMP) program. Anduril must conduct a long‑range, operationally representative demonstration within four months, using a vehicle...
CENTCOM Update 03-11-2026 | Breaking Defense
CENTCOM said U.S. forces are employing advanced AI tools to process vast data sets in seconds, accelerating targeting and decision-making while retaining humans as the final authority on lethal fires. The command reported ongoing joint strike operations and asserted air...
Iran Attacks Down as Pentagon Defends Its Munitions Stockpiles
Pentagon officials say Iran’s missile and drone attacks have noticeably decreased as Tehran exhausts its launchers and munitions stockpiles. The U.S. defense department is defending the readiness of its own munitions reserves amid questions about regional deterrence. Simultaneously, a growing...
A Two-Front War Should Be No Problem for Israel, Analysts Say
Israel is now fighting on two fronts, striking Iranian targets while conducting air and ground operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon. The IDF has used roughly 5,000 munitions against Iran and 820 in Lebanon, reflecting distinct tactical approaches. Analysts say the...
How Saildrone Is Using Wind & Solar Energy to Power Its Fleet | Breaking Defense | MEDD
Saildrone announced that its autonomous ocean‑monitoring fleet now runs on integrated wind turbines and solar panels, eliminating the need for fossil‑fuel generators. The renewable power system extends mission endurance to over 30 days and reduces operating costs by an estimated...
2nd Cavalry Tests Ground Robots for xTech Contest, Struggles with ‘Navigating’ UGV Costs
Army’s 2nd Cavalry Regiment is field‑testing more than 17 unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) under the xTech Edge Strike Ground competition. Leaders say the biggest challenge is the wide price spread, from disposable $500‑$1,000 units to million‑dollar purpose‑built platforms, which exceeds...
Drone Dominance: Pentagon to Order 30,000 One-Way Drones in ‘Next Few Days’
The Pentagon will place orders for 30,000 one‑way attack drones within days after concluding the "Gauntlet" competition that tested platforms from 25 vendors at Fort Benning. Operators with only two hours of training evaluated the drones in simulated combat, and...
Air Force Seeks Additional Vendors for Radar-Killing Missile
The U.S. Air Force issued a sources‑sought notice to find additional vendors capable of delivering a radar‑killing missile comparable to the Stand‑in Attack Weapon (SiAW) currently under contract with Northrop Grumman. The request calls for missiles with extended range, advanced...
Key Questions, and an Expert Take, After US Strikes Iran
The United States launched a series of large‑scale air strikes against Iran, prompting a deep‑dive interview with Center for a New American Security senior fellow Stacie Pettyjohn. Pettyjohn examines the strategic calculus behind the attacks, including deterrence of Iranian missile...
Hegseth Iran | Breaking Defense
U.S. Defense official Hegseth confirmed there are currently no American troops on the ground in Iran. He emphasized that Washington will not outline specific future actions regarding Iran, keeping options deliberately vague. The remarks come amid heightened regional tension and...
L3Harris Appoints New CFO as Firm Prepares to Spin Off Missile Business
L3Harris announced that Kenneth Sharp, former Peraton finance chief, will assume the role of chief financial officer on March 16, succeeding Ken Bedingfield. Bedingfield will concentrate on the company’s Missile Solutions segment as it prepares for a late‑2026 spin‑off and...
Singapore to Acquire Three Gulfstream Maritime Surveillance Aircraft
Singapore’s Ministry of Defence announced the purchase of three Gulfstream G550‑MSA maritime surveillance aircraft. The G550‑MSA, fitted with an AESA radar, electro‑optical/infra‑red sensor suite and self‑protection systems, will complement the recently selected Boeing P‑8A Poseidon and replace aging Fokker 50...
Visiting the Army in the Arctic and the Air Force in Colorado | The Weekly Break Out
The episode spotlights two distinct U.S. military environments: the Army’s 11th Airborne Division training in Alaska’s Arctic conditions and the Air and Space Forces Association (AFA) winter meeting in Colorado Springs. Reporter Carly Welch embedded with the division’s brigades, while...
World Defense Show 2026 and Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030
The World Defense Show 2026, staged in Riyadh, served as a showcase for Saudi Arabia’s ambitious defense‑industrial agenda under Vision 2030. Organizers highlighted the kingdom’s 50 % localization target, meaning half of all defense equipment must be produced locally by 2030. Consequently, the...
When It Comes to Drones, the Pentagon Should Mind the Experience Gap
The article argues that the Pentagon’s biggest hurdle with drones is technology adoption, not a lack of options, and stresses the need for experienced defense partners to field reliable unmanned systems. It highlights that trust, scalability, and maintainability hinge on...
Northrop, Brazil’s Embraer Partner on KC-390 to Pitch US, Others
Northrop Grumman and Brazil’s Embraer have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly market the KC‑390 Millennium with an autonomous boom refueling system for the U.S. Air Force and allied forces. Northrop will study integrating a retrofittable boom and other...
Takeaways From Saudi Arabia’s Biggest Defense Show, and a Small Arms Tour
The World Defense Show in Riyadh served as the focal point for this week’s coverage, bringing together defense exhibitors from roughly 80 nations under the banner of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. Hosts Lee Aaron and Magnus highlighted the event’s scale, noting...
Operating Drones in Battlespaces Where GPS Can't Be Trusted
At the World Defense Show, Shield AI highlighted its AI‑driven unmanned aircraft designed for GPS‑denied battlefields, emphasizing trusted autonomy and sovereign control. The company unveiled its latest vertical‑takeoff‑and‑landing (VTOL) strike platform, the Expat, powered by a GE F‑110 engine that...
Building Defense Partnerships with Saudi Arabia
At the World Defense Show in Riyadh, Leonardo DRS outlined its push to build in-country defense capability under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, announcing teaming agreements with SAMI’s advanced electronics arm and an MoU with the Ministry of Defense to transfer...
Germany’s Helsing, HENSOLDT Team up on Autonomous Systems for Euro CCA
Germany’s Helsing and HENSOLDT have announced a joint effort to equip Helsing’s CA‑1 autonomous aircraft with AI‑driven combat capabilities. HENSOLDT will integrate its radar, optronics, self‑protection and electromagnetic warfare sensors through its Multi‑Domain Operations Core software. The AI‑pilot, named Centaur,...
DISA Unveils New Cloud Environment to Speed Delivery of Services to Forces
The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) announced a new DISA Cloud Environment aimed at accelerating the delivery of cloud services to warfighters. The initiative replaces legacy hosting models with a flexible suite of umbrella services accessed via three on‑ramps: classic,...
HEO, SatVu, Sierra Nevada Nab First of NRO’s New Commercial Imagery Contracts
The National Reconnaissance Office awarded its first three contracts under the new Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) to Australian start‑up HEO, British start‑up SatVu, and U.S. firm Sierra Nevada Corporation. HEO will deliver close‑up imagery of other satellites, SatVu will provide...
How Trump Wants to Change American Weapon Sales Abroad
President Donald Trump issued an executive order aimed at overhauling the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process, seeking to streamline approvals and give greater preference to U.S. defense contractors. The order proposes tighter licensing for advanced weaponry and a shift away...
Pentagon Needs More Time to Finalize Defense Firms on Naughty List After Initial Review
The Pentagon has finished an initial review of defense contractors deemed non‑compliant with President Trump’s executive order, but will keep the assessment open while negotiating remediation. The order bars share buybacks and dividends unless firms invest in modernizing weapons production,...
The Uncrewed Revolution: MQ-9B and Gambit Series Forge a Path to Regional Air Dominance
Uncrewed aerial systems are reshaping Middle Eastern warfare, highlighted by the 2024 Israel‑Iran conflict. General Atomics’ MQ‑9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian offers long‑endurance ISR and maritime surveillance, while its Gambit Series delivers modular, semi‑autonomous strike and combat capabilities. Together they provide a scalable...