Pentagon Bets on AI to Guard U.S. Air Force Networks From Hackers
The U.S. Air Force awarded World Wide Technology a $40 million contract to build an AI‑powered Security Operations Center that will monitor its networks from San Antonio through May 2031. The AI‑driven SOC is designed to automate alert triage, reducing the flood of false positives that overwhelm human analysts. The award follows a competitive process with 50 bidders, reflecting the rapid growth of AI cybersecurity solutions. Funding blends operational and R&D dollars, underscoring the Pentagon’s urgency to modernize cyber defenses.
Pentagon Awards Lockheed Martin $879M to Arm the F-35 Fleet
Lockheed Martin secured an $879 million Navy contract to supply armament equipment for F‑35 Lots 18‑19, including missile launchers, bomb racks, and pylons. The work, performed in Fort Worth, Texas, will support deliveries through February 2030 for U.S. services and foreign customers. More than...
REGENT Teams with Schneider Electric to Power Seagliders Off-Grid
REGENT Craft successfully demonstrated off‑grid charging of its Seaglider vessels on May 18, 2026, using a DC‑coupled modular system built with Schneider Electric and World4Solar. The test proved the craft can receive power at coastal, island or remote sites without grid connections,...
Czech-Ukrainian Firm Wins U.S. Army Contract for ISR Drones
U&C UAS, a Czech company with Ukrainian roots, has secured a contract to supply ISR drones to U.S. Army units in Europe, facilitated by U.S. contractor ATP Gov. The agreement follows successful high‑intensity conflict simulations, though details on drone model, quantity and...
Britain Put $160M on the Table for New Long-Range Strike Drone
Britain's Ministry of Defence has launched Project INSTIGATOR, a $160 million program to acquire a beyond‑visual‑line‑of‑sight loitering munition with over 80 km range and 45‑minute loiter time. The RFI issued May 15, 2026 seeks an off‑the‑shelf capability for Phase 1, with responses due May 29. The system...
Ukraine Clears Its First Homemade Guided Bomb for Combat Use
Ukraine has cleared its first domestically developed guided aerial bomb for combat, after 17 months of development by DG Industry under the Brave 1 defence‑technology cluster. The 250‑kg glide bomb can strike high‑value targets dozens of kilometres from release, and the...
Japan Reveals Sweeping Military Space Buildup
Japan’s Ministry of Defense unveiled a sweeping space‑defense buildup, expanding the new Space Operations Group to 880 personnel and allocating roughly $1 billion for fiscal 2026. Defense spending in the space domain has jumped from about $497 million in 2022 to $3.4 billion...
Japan Eyes Early Warning Drones to Counter China Threat
Japan is moving to deploy early‑warning radar‑equipped drones, specifically the MQ‑9B SeaGuardian, over the Pacific to fill a surveillance blind spot. Mobile, vehicle‑mounted radars will also be placed on Iwo Jima and Chichijima, with survey work starting this fiscal year. The...
UK Drone Maker Tests Hellfire on CAPSTONE for Apache Wingman Bid
Certo Aerospace announced that its 600‑kg CAPSTONE unmanned aircraft completed ground trials using AGM‑114 Hellfire missile simulators, marking a key step toward combat‑ready capability. The company is teaming with BAE Systems to submit a joint bid for the British Army’s...
U.S. Firm Builds a 360-Degree Rotating Turret to Kill Drone Swarms
Picket Defense Systems will showcase its Inferno RTC counter‑drone turret at SOF Week 2026 in Tampa. The turret uses a continuously rotating hemispherical barrel array that eliminates aiming latency, creating a 40‑meter kill zone in any direction. Weighing 45‑90 lb, the system...
U.S. Army Looks for $1M Missiles to Replace Expensive Interceptors
On May 15, 2026, the U.S. Army issued RFI MOSAIC‑26‑03 demanding low‑cost interceptors priced below $1 million per round and component costs under $250,000. The request outlines five problem statements covering complete missiles, rocket motors, seekers, fire‑control systems, and system integrators,...
Lockheed Wins $61M Deal to Fix Patriot’s Blind Spot Problem
Lockheed Martin secured a $61 million U.S. Army contract to develop two critical upgrades for the Patriot air‑defense system: the Missile Segment Enhancement Containerized Launcher and the Remote Interceptor Guidance 360‑Degrees (RIG‑360) system. The RIG‑360 will provide 360‑degree PAC‑3 missile engagement...
U.S. Army Buys 50 More Stryker A1 Armored Vehicles
The U.S. Army awarded General Dynamics Land Systems a $229.6 million fixed‑price‑incentive contract to build 50 Stryker Double V‑Hull A1 armored vehicles, with delivery slated for June 30 2028. The A1 variant adds a reinforced V‑shaped hull, upgraded drivetrain, and modernized electronics to...
Northrop Grumman Wins $325M to Develop Drone that Monitors Hypersonic Tests
Northrop Grumman has secured a $325.5 million U.S. Army contract to develop RangeHawk, a high‑altitude long‑endurance drone designed to gather test data from hypersonic and other high‑speed weapons. The cost‑plus‑fixed‑fee award covers prototype development, air‑frame modifications, sensor integration and logistics, with...
F-35 Fleet Gets Nearly $1B Electronic Warfare Upgrade
Lockheed Martin secured a $991 million Navy contract to produce 432 electronic‑warfare (EW) modification kits for the F‑35 fleet, with deliveries scheduled through March 2032. The kits will be distributed across U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, and a larger share to...
Ondas Unveils Iron-Wave Modular Ground Robotic System
Ondas Holdings announced Iron‑Wave, a modular ground‑robotic system that links multiple unmanned platforms to a single control hub, cutting the number of operators needed. The architecture supports interchangeable ISR, sensing and counter‑UAS payloads, aiming to operate in contested, communications‑denied environments....
B.E. Meyers Set to Debut VSLAP-V1 Targeting Laser at SOF Week
B.E. Meyers & Co. will unveil its VSLAP‑V1 near‑infrared laser system at SOF Week 2026 in Tampa, Florida, from May 18‑21. The device uses patented DeathStar technology to co‑align six diodes, delivering up to 1.21 watts of output for air‑to‑ground targeting and illumination....
Poland Takes Control of Its Own Radar Satellite Constellation
Poland has taken operational control of the POLSARIS synthetic‑aperture‑radar (SAR) satellite constellation, a four‑satellite system delivered by ICEYE in just 12 months. The €200 million ($232.5 million) program provides 25 cm resolution imagery that works day‑and‑night and in any weather. Operated by the...
Romanian Startup Develops AI-Guided Cruise Missile
Oves Enterprise unveiled the Sahara, a 55‑kg AI‑enabled cruise missile with a 200 km range and 10 kg payload, at the BSDA 2026 defense expo in Bucharest. The company says it invested over €1 million (about $1.1 million) in R&D with a 25‑person team, but...
Romania Eyes Deep-Strike Upgrade for Its Old Rocket Launchers
Romania, together with Aerostar Bacău and Elbit Systems, unveiled a modernised LAROM multiple‑rocket‑launcher prototype at the BSDA 2026 defence expo, adding a Mobile Fire Control System and precision‑guided munitions that extend its reach from 45 km to 150 km. The upgrade integrates GPS/INS‑guided...
U.S. Air Force Can’t Stop Drones over Its Own Bases
During a May 13 House Armed Services hearing, Lt. Gen. David Tabor acknowledged that the Air Force’s existing counter‑drone defenses at Barksdale Air Force Base are inadequate for emerging threats. The base, home to the nation’s strategic bomber fleet, experienced a...
U.S. Air Force Gives KC-135 a 6-Year Connectivity Deadline
The U.S. Air Force pledged to fully network its KC‑135 Stratotanker fleet within six years, a timeline disclosed by Deputy Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. David Tabor during a May 13 congressional hearing. The plan is backed by $105 million programmed for...
U.S. Air Force Awards Ansys $82M for Simulation Software
The U.S. Air Force has awarded Ansys Government Initiatives an $82.1 million sole‑source contract to provide advanced modeling and simulation software at Edwards Air Force Base. The firm‑fixed‑price, indefinite‑delivery agreement runs from May 2026 through May 2031 and includes licenses, maintenance and engineering...
BAE Systems Wins $535M U.S. Army Contract for Self-Propelled Howitzers
BAE Systems Land and Armaments L.P. received a $535.6 million fixed‑price‑incentive contract from the U.S. Army to supply self‑propelled howitzer systems, vehicles and total‑package fielding kits through Dec 31 2029. The award is tied to the M109A7 Paladin, the Army’s primary tracked artillery,...
Ukraine Responds to Mass Russian Strike with Large Overnight Attack
Ukraine launched a massive overnight retaliatory strike on May 15 after Russia’s unprecedented barrage of 1,567 drones and 56 missiles. The Ukrainian operation hit the Ryazan oil refinery, a Be‑200 aircraft, a Ka‑27 helicopter, a Pantsir‑S1 system in Crimea, a Tor‑M2...
U.S. Special Operations Command Adopts Reveal’s Identifi Tactical Biometric System
Reveal Technology announced that its Identifi mobile biometric system has been designated a Program of Record by U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM). The handheld device, which combines facial, iris and fingerprint scanning, can verify identities without a network connection, addressing...
U.S. Army Clears Armed Robot Dog for Special Operations Evaluation
Australian firm Skyborne Technologies secured a $6.5 million Department of War Limited Safety Release for its CODiAQ armed quadruped robot, allowing the system to enter Operational Test and Evaluation with U.S. Special Operations Command. The contract covers 14 robots equipped with...
U.S. Army Evaluates Autonomous EW Drone that Hunts Jammers
During Exercise Ivy Mass at Fort Carson, the U.S. Army evaluated CX2’s Wraith, an autonomous, GPS‑independent electronic‑warfare quadrotor. Over two weeks, the 4‑10 Cavalry EW platoon flew nearly a dozen missions, delivering real‑time RF threat geolocation and optical confirmation to...
French Startup Develops Pneumatic-Wing Cargo Drone
French aerospace startup Celeste Ecoflyers has completed ground avionics activation and taxi trials of its 8‑meter dAS10 pneumatic‑wing cargo drone at Le Havre airport. The aircraft replaces a traditional rigid wing with a pressurised textile envelope, delivering very low wing...
U.S. Contractor to Deliver Command and Cybersecurity Systems to Taiwan
The U.S. Navy awarded San Diego‑based Forward Slope Inc. a $12.4 million contract to provide command, control, communications, and cybersecurity (C4) services to Taiwan under a Foreign Military Sales agreement. The base period runs through April 2027, with four one‑year options that...
U.S. Army Chooses Rogue 1 to Give Infantry Brigades Long-Range Tank Killing
The U.S. Army has selected Teledyne FLIR Defense’s Rogue 1 loitering munition for its Low Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance (LASSO) program. Under a two‑year contract, the service will receive up to 130 systems for test and evaluation next summer. Rogue 1...
U.S. Army Evaluates MatrixSpace Sensors at Flytrap 5.0 in Lithuania
MatrixSpace will field its airspace‑awareness sensors at the U.S. Army’s Operation Flytrap 5.0 in Lithuania from May 1‑15, 2026, after winning the xTechCounter Strike competition at Flytrap 4.5 in November 2025. The company’s radar and AI‑driven AiEdge system will augment the Maneuver Short‑Range Air Defense...
German EW Firm Aaronia Debuts New Counter-Drone Spectrum Tools
German EW specialist Aaronia AG will unveil its AARTOS DF2 direction‑finding solution at the AOC Europe symposium in Helsinki (May 19‑21, 2026). The showcase centers on the new SPECTRAN V6 Mobile spectrum analyzer, which spans 9 kHz‑140 GHz, offers 490 MHz real‑time bandwidth and a 3 THz/s sweep...
U.S. Army Receives Hunter WOLF Unmanned Ground Vehicles at Fort Polk
The U.S. Army’s 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division at Fort Polk has taken delivery of HDT Robotics’ Hunter WOLF unmanned ground vehicles under the Ground Optionally Autonomous Transport (GOAT) program. A week‑long Operator New Equipment Training will certify soldiers to...
New Tu-160M Photo Confirms Russia’s Slow but Steady Bomber Upgrades
The Fighterbomber Telegram channel posted the first photo of Tu‑160 serial 8‑04, dubbed Deynekin, after its conversion to the Tu‑160M standard, confirming six modernized Tu‑160M and three newly built Tu‑160M2 aircraft. The upgrade adds updated avionics, communications and engine improvements...
Armenia Shows Off French-Supplied CAESAR Artillery
Armenia publicly displayed French‑supplied CAESAR 155 mm self‑propelled howitzers during rehearsals for its May 28 Republic Day parade, marking the first visible appearance of Western artillery in the country. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan framed the showcase as a report on his administration’s defence...
Ukraine Develops Its Own Armored Recovery Vehicle for Battlefield Use
Ukrainian defense firm Inguar Defence unveiled the Inguar 4, a 6×6 armored recovery vehicle built on a domestically developed triaxle chassis. The vehicle can tow a wide array of Western and Ukrainian armored platforms, including the M113, Kozak, MaxxPro, Kirpi and...
U.S. Tests Hornet Drones Against Chinese Landing Vehicle Targets
During the Balikatan 2026 exercise in the Philippines, U.S. forces employed Perennial Autonomy’s Hornet strike drones to destroy targets simulating China’s ZBD‑05 amphibious assault vehicles. The pneumatic‑launched drones have a range of over 60 miles and feature AI‑assisted, electronic‑warfare‑resistant guidance that...
U.S. Army Fields Ukraine-Inspired Mobile Fire Teams to Counter Drones
The U.S. Army has deployed Mobile Fire Team vehicles in Lithuania, adapting Ukraine’s counter‑drone tactics. Humvees equipped with custom‑welded CROW weapon stations provide a fast, maneuverable platform to engage UAVs where fixed air‑defense cannot reach. The rollout supports NATO’s Eastern...
U.S. Navy to Commission Final Freedom-Variant LCS in Cleveland
The U.S. Navy will commission USS Cleveland (LCS‑31) on May 16, 2026 at North Coast Yard, marking the first Navy commissioning ever held in Ohio. The vessel is the 16th and final Freedom‑variant littoral combat ship, closing a controversial production run that began...
Kratos to Build Hypersonic Test Facility in Indiana
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions announced the selection of Odon, Indiana, as the site for Project Helios, a new mid‑tier hypersonic materials testing facility. The center will combine coupled arc‑jet and laser technologies to replicate the extreme aerothermal environment of...
Pratt & Whitney Hits Key Readiness Mark on Next-Gen Fighter Engine
Pratt & Whitney has finished a fully digital assembly‑readiness review for its XA103 next‑generation adaptive engine, clearing the final design hurdle before hardware procurement begins. The Department of War awarded the company a $975 million NGAP contract in August 2022, matching a similar...
Turkey Signs Contract for 20 KAAN Fighter Jets
Turkey has signed a definitive procurement contract for 20 KAAN Block‑10 fifth‑generation fighter jets, with deliveries scheduled between 2028 and the end of 2030. The aircraft, developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAŞ), features twin engines, a Mach 1.8 top speed, a...
U.S. Air Force Pushes Hypersonic Structures Research with $9M Grant
The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has granted ARCTOS Technology Solutions a $9 million contract to advance aerothermoelastic structures for hypersonic air‑breathing vehicles. The five‑year effort, running through June 2031, will be conducted at ARCTOS’s Beavercreek, Ohio site and Wright‑Paterson AFB. The...
U.S. Awards Lockheed $407M to Advance Aegis Missile Defense in Guam
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency awarded Lockheed Martin a $407 million contract modification to continue engineering and development of the Aegis Guam System through December 2029. The award lifts the total value of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Weapon Systems contract to...
Poland’s F-35 Fighter Fleet Keeps Growing: 12 Done, 4 More Coming
Poland has completed ground and flight testing on its twelfth F‑35A, with four additional aircraft nearing the end of production at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth plant. All 32 jets, part of a $4.6 billion deal signed in 2020, will be stationed at...
U.S. Firm Supplied 200-Plus Penguin Drones to Ukraine
Redwire has supplied more than 200 Penguin uncrewed aerial systems to the Ukrainian Armed Forces since 2022, marking one of the few public tallies of a Western drone platform in the conflict. The Penguin C was explicitly listed in U.S. security‑assistance...
Satellite Images Confirm Strike on Russian Research Facility in Rostov
Satellite imagery analyzed by open‑source group Exilenova+ confirmed that Ukrainian forces struck the NTC Radar research and production facility in Rostov between May 7 and 8, delivering at least four hits that completely destroyed the main building. Two additional UAVs breached the...
Russia Sends Upgraded Tanks with Better Drone Protection to Troops
Russia's state defense conglomerate Rostec dispatched a new batch of upgraded T‑90M, T‑80BVM and T‑72B3M tanks ahead of Victory Day. The upgrades include a 2025 electronic‑warfare suite and added upper‑hemisphere armor protecting engine and transmission compartments from drone attacks. Production...
New Russian Missile Corvette Joins Baltic Fleet
Russia commissioned the eighth Project 22800 Karakurt‑class missile corvette, Burya, into the Baltic Fleet on May 8, 2026. The vessel, the fourth built by the Pella shipyard, arrives after a decade‑long construction delay caused by chronic engine shortages. A day earlier, Ukraine’s FP‑1...