MQ-25A Stingray Cleared for Deployment, Says Cao
Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao announced the MQ‑25A Stingray has cleared Milestone C, moving into low‑rate initial production and deployment. The carrier‑based unmanned refueling drone, developed by Boeing under an $805 million contract, is projected to cost about $13 billion for a fleet of 72 aircraft. The first LRIP lot of three aircraft is slated for award this summer, with options for additional units. The Stingray will assume aerial refueling duties, freeing F/A‑18 Super Hornets for strike missions and extending carrier air wing reach.
Blacklists, Corruption and Frontline Needs: Ukraine Tackles an Arms-Export Puzzle
Ukraine and the U.S. State Department have drafted a memorandum that would allow Kyiv to sell its drone technology to the United States through joint ventures on American soil, opening the first legal export channel since the 2022 ban. The...
NATO to Cultivate Vetted Counter-Drone Vendor Pool for Nations to Pick and Choose
NATO is launching a pilot marketplace that will offer 18 vetted counter‑drone (C‑UAS) systems for member nations to procure quickly. The alliance will invite vendors to pitch by mid‑May, select the solutions within two months, and aim to have contracts...
Ukrainian Drone Strike on Empty Baltic Fuel Depot Prompts Top-Level Resignation – in Latvia
Latvia’s defence minister Andris Sprūds resigned after two Ukrainian drones, diverted by Russian electronic warfare, struck an empty fuel depot near the Russian border on May 7. Ukraine confirmed the drones were launched from its territory but missed their intended Russian...
Ukraine Ramps up Ground Robot Production to Spare Soldiers, Haul Ammo — and Rescue Grandma
Ukraine is rapidly expanding its unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) force, contracting 25,000 units for the first half of 2026 and announcing a goal of 50,000 robots for the year. The SBS doctrine treats UGVs as dual‑use platforms that handle logistics,...
The US Marine Corps Is Looking for a Few Good Robots to Build Airfields
The U.S. Marine Corps has issued an SBIR solicitation to develop autonomous robots that can assemble Expeditionary Airfield (EAF) matting in austere, amphibious environments. The program, titled “Automated Expeditionary Airfield Assembly,” seeks systems capable of navigating uneven terrain, handling heavy...
Pentagon Turns to AI Targeting to Help Troops Shoot Drones
The Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit has launched the C‑UAS Close‑In Kinetic Defeat Enhancement (CiKDE) program to embed AI‑enhanced target recognition (AiTR) into existing remote weapon stations and eventually dismounted small arms. Phase 1 focuses on upgrading CROWS turrets to detect drones...
As US Eyes Smaller Military Footprint in Europe, New Unit Trains for Drone Warfare
The U.S. Army has created Eerie Company, a new unit stationed in Germany to train troops on drone and electronic‑warfare tactics. Acting as an opposing force at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center, the company uses FPV drones modeled on Ukrainian...
Ukraine Could Lift Arms-Exports Ban This Year as Would-Be Buyers Line Up
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he and Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov are drafting regulations to lift the country's ban on arms exports. The government aims to sign its first export contracts by the end of 2026, focusing on drones,...
Dutch Startup Intelic Sets up Drone Marketplace for European Militaries
Dutch defence‑tech startup Intelic has launched BASE, a European military drone marketplace that aggregates manufacturers from nine countries and lets ministries compare mission‑ready UAVs. The platform relies on Intelic’s Nexus command‑and‑control software to guarantee plug‑and‑play interoperability, aiming to slash procurement...
Drone Diplomacy Wins Ukraine Valuable Allies, but Now It Must Deliver
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has turned Ukraine’s low‑cost drone expertise into a diplomatic lever, securing new defense and drone contracts across Europe and the Middle East. The country signed deals with Germany, Norway and the Netherlands this month, building on earlier...
Ukraine to Field 25,000 Ground Robots in Push to Replace Soldiers for Frontline Logistics
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry announced a contract for 25,000 unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) to be delivered by mid‑2026, more than double the 2025 target. The ministry aims for 100% of frontline logistics to be performed by robots, citing over 9,000 missions...
Australia Awards Contracts for Counter-Drone Tech Based on Lasers, Interceptors
Australian Defence Minister Pat Conroy announced a A$7 bn ($5 bn) investment to double funding for counter‑drone defenses. As part of the Integrated Investment Program, AIM Defence received a A$21.3 m ($15 m) contract to enhance its Fractl high‑energy laser, while Sypaq Systems was...
US Southern Command Stands up Autonomous Unit
U.S. Southern Command announced the creation of the Autonomous Warfare Command (SAWC), a new element designed to integrate autonomous, semi‑autonomous and unmanned platforms across land, sea, air, cyber and space domains. The initiative, mandated by Gen. Francis L. Donovan, seeks...
AeroVironment Launches New Multifunctional Drone Variant
AeroVironment unveiled MAYHEM 10, a new multi‑role loitering munition that adds reconnaissance and electronic‑warfare functions to its strike capability. The system can carry a 10‑pound payload, travel over 62 miles, and stay aloft for 50 minutes, with launch times under five minutes from...
Ukrainian Drone Makers Visit Paris Looking for Co-Production Deals
More than two dozen Ukrainian defense firms, primarily drone manufacturers, convened in Paris with around 60 French companies to explore co‑production partnerships. Ukraine, having scaled drone output to millions annually, seeks to blend its battlefield‑tested UAV expertise with France’s deep‑tech...
Outpaced by the US, China’s Military Places Selective Bets on Artificial Intelligence
China’s navy has equipped the guided‑missile frigate Qinzhou with an artificial‑intelligence algorithm that highlights blind spots during air‑defense engagements, marking a notable step toward integrated combat capability. The People’s Liberation Army is rolling AI across drones, space and cyber operations,...
US and UK Teaming up to Destroy Underwater Drones
The U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit has issued the Robotic Exclusion and Engagement Framework (REEF) solicitation, inviting commercial solutions to detect and neutralize underwater drones threatening ports and critical waterways. The program seeks AI‑driven sensor suites, sensor fusion,...
US-Made Naval Drone with Active Warhead Washes up in Northern Turkey, Gets Blown Up
A U.S.-manufactured AEGIR‑W unmanned surface vessel washed ashore on Turkey's Black Sea coast on March 20, 2026, and was found fully operational with an active warhead. Turkish Navy explosive ordnance disposal teams towed the 10‑meter drone offshore and detonated it...
Apache Helicopter Shoots Down Drones in Europe for First Time in Combat Exercise
The U.S. Army’s 2-159th Attack Battalion employed AH‑64E Apache helicopters to shoot down unmanned aircraft during Operation Skyfall at Germany’s Grafenwoehr Training Area, marking the first European air‑to‑air drone engagement. The Apaches used 30mm APEX proximity rounds, a capability previously demonstrated...
After Ukraine, FPV Drones Could Take on Arctic Warfare
First‑person‑view (FPV) drones that proved decisive in Ukraine are now being field‑tested in the Arctic by Norway and the United States during NATO’s Cold Response 2026 exercise. Norway awarded a $9.4 million contract for the American‑made Skydio X10D, equipping its long‑range...
US Confirms First Combat Use of LUCAS One-Way Attack Drone in Iran Strikes
U.S. Central Command confirmed that the LUCAS one‑way attack drone was employed for the first time in combat during Saturday’s airstrikes on Iran under Operation Epic Fury. The low‑cost autonomous kamikaze, reverse‑engineered from the Iranian Shahed‑136, struck IRGC command and...
Army Orders $186 Million in Switchblade Kamikaze Drones, Tank Killers
The U.S. Army has placed a $186 million delivery order with AeroVironment for its Switchblade loitering‑munition family, covering the 600 Block 2 and 300 Block 2 variants. The Switchblade 600 Block 2, co‑developed with SOCOM, features AI‑driven target detection and can operate from sea‑based platforms....
National Guard Team Clinches Award for Clawed Drone at Army Competition
The Pennsylvania National Guard’s 28th Infantry Division won the Best Innovation award at the Army’s inaugural Best Drone Warfighter Competition for Project RED, a system that locates, identifies, and retrieves downed drones using AI and a robotic claw. The solution employs...
US Army Lets Soldiers Flaunt Their Drone Skills in First-Ever Competition
The U.S. Army launched its inaugural Best Drone Warfighter Competition in Huntsville, drawing more than 800 participants from every Army unit. Competitors tackled three distinct lanes—drone racing, a hunter‑killer field exercise, and an innovation showcase—to earn titles such as Best...
Australia Prepares for Next Batch of ‘Ghost Bat’ Warplane Buddy Drones
Australia is expanding its collaborative combat aircraft program by adding seven more Boeing MQ‑28A Ghost Bat drones, a AUS $754 million investment that brings the fleet toward ten operational units by 2028. The RAAF already operates eight Block 1 aircraft and is testing...
US Army to Debut FPV Bumblebee V2 Drone Interceptor Next Month
The U.S. Army’s Global Response Force will start evaluating the Bumblebee V2 drone interceptor in March after a $5.2 million contract with Perennial Autonomy. The FPV quadcopter uses AI to autonomously detect and physically collide with hostile UAVs, delivering a kinetic...
China’s New Maritime Combat Drone Poised for Global Success: Analysts
China unveiled the Wing‑Loong X maritime combat drone at the Singapore Airshow, marking its first regional display. The UAV, designed for surveillance and strike missions, builds on the proven Wing Loong family and targets buyers unable to afford Western systems....
US Navy on the Hunt for Strike Drones that Can Launch From Any Warship
The U.S. Navy, via a Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) solicitation, is pursuing the Runway Independent Maritime and Expeditionary Strike (RIMES) program to field long‑range strike drones that can launch from destroyers, littoral combat ships and future frigates. The drones must...
US Marine Corps Advances Plans for Drone Wingman
The Marine Corps’ 2026 Aviation Plan places the MUX TACAIR drone wingman at the forefront of its combat aviation strategy, pairing low‑cost unmanned jets with the F‑35 Joint Strike Fighter. General Atomics’ YFQ‑42A has been selected as a candidate platform,...