The U.S. Space Force is seeking potential users of a new launch site at Vandenberg Space Force Base reserved for smaller rockets.
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The committee's 2027 defense bill would eliminate separate statutory requirements for the two acquisition organizations while advancing broader Pentagon procurement reforms
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German weapon manufacturer Diehl Defence has developed a jet-powered interceptor drone called the Cobra 600, designed to carry and fire the IRIS-T short-range air-to-air missile against aerial threats including unmanned systems, cruise missiles, and low-altitude manned aircraft.
The system represents a specific response to the growing volume and diversity of airborne threats that conventional ground-based and crewed interceptors may struggle to address cost-effectively at scale.
The Cobra 600 is a purpose-built unmanned aerial vehicle powered by a small jet engine, giving it the speed and altitude performance needed to pursue fast-moving aerial targets. Its designation references a 600-kilogram class platform, placing it in a weight range that can accommodate meaningful payload capacity while remaining operationally agile.
The jet propulsion distinguishes it from propeller-driven loitering munitions, providing the kinetic energy necessary to reach and intercept time-sensitive targets before they close on defended assets.
The airframe integrates a single IRIS-T missile — a German-developed, infrared-guided weapon with all-aspect engagement capability and a range of several kilometers. The IRIS-T was originally designed for crewed fighter aircraft, so adapting it for autonomous drone carriage required engineering the release and guidance interfaces into a platform without a human pilot onboard.
One of the more technically demanding aspects of the Cobra 600 concept is the fire control architecture. The drone must receive targeting data, prosecute an intercept geometry, and release the missile — either under remote operator authorization or through a higher degree of autonomous decision-making.
The precise rules of engagement and human-machine teaming protocols for such a system carry legal and ethical weight under international humanitarian law, particularly regarding the degree of human control over lethal force decisions.
The system is intended to operate within a broader integrated air defense network, receiving cueing from ground-based radars or other sensors rather than relying solely on its own onboard detection capability.
This makes the quality of the data link and network integration central to its operational effectiveness — a vulnerability if those links are jammed or spoofed by an adversary using electronic warfare.
The tactical logic behind fielding an armed interceptor drone, rather than using expensive surface-to-air missiles or diverting crewed fighters, is economic and capacity-driven.
Drone swarms and low-cost one-way attack munitions have repeatedly strained conventional air defense inventories in recent conflicts. A relatively lower-cost interceptor that can be produced and expended at volume offers a more sustainable exchange ratio against cheap threats.
That said, the Cobra 600 itself carries an IRIS-T — a missile that is not inexpensive. The cost calculus improves only if the drone airframe is significantly cheaper than a crewed interceptor sortie, or if it can successfully engage threats that would otherwise require multiple surface-to-air missile shots.
Pairing an IRIS-T with an unmanned platform also raises questions about what happens when the drone misses or the missile fails to guide — issues well understood in crewed aviation but more complex when remote human oversight is limited.
The Cobra 600 emerges at a time when Germany is under sustained pressure to rebuild and modernize its defense industrial base following years of underinvestment. The country is a co-developer and major operator of the IRIS-T missile family, making it a logical choice for domestic integration.
According to reporting by The War Zone, the Cobra 600 concept has been publicly presented as part of Germany’s broader push to field layered air defense solutions capable of handling the evolving threat spectrum seen in contemporary conflicts.
K2 Space and Rocket Lab will supply spacecraft buses to SES and Viasat for the military's next-generation protected satcom program
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A recently released photograph offers a clear view of the construction of the future USS District of Columbia (SSBN-826), the first of the U.S. Navy’s new Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines. Shared online by Ashley Cowen, Lead Photographer at Newport News Shipbuilding, the image shows major parts of the submarine as work continues toward its planned delivery in 2029.
The photo shows both the bow and the stern sections under construction. These are key parts of the submarine and show that work on the Navy’s top-priority strategic deterrence program is making steady progress.
The new image shows clear progress on the bow and stern sections of the submarine. The stern will later house the propulsion system and the unique X-shaped control surfaces, designed to help the submarine move and perform better underwater.
The sections seem to be inside General Dynamics Electric Boat’s South Yard Assembly Building or another large facility at the main shipyard in Groton, Connecticut.
The image arrives months after the arrival of the massive “Atlas” dry dock, which reached the shipyard in January 2026. This dry dock was built to support the construction, maintenance, and future servicing of Columbia-class submarines.
Ongoing deliveries of major submarine parts, hull sections, and support equipment indicate the program is on schedule as builders work to complete the first submarine in the class.
The Columbia-class submarines are being built to replace the older Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines, which started service in the early 1980s. As the Ohio-class submarines retire through the early 2040s, the Columbia-class will take over the sea-based part of America’s nuclear deterrent.
Design work for the USS District of Columbia started in 2007, after the U.S. Navy partnered with General Dynamics Electric Boat to create a new class to follow the Ohio-class fleet.
The Navy describes the Columbia-class as being designed to survive better, be available for operations more often, and last longer than the previous class. These submarines are expected to stay in service until at least the 2080s.
This program is seen as one of the most important defense upgrades happening in the United States, since ballistic missile submarines are the most secure part of the country’s nuclear defense system.
The Columbia-class brings several big improvements over the Ohio-class submarines. These include quieter engines, better sonar, upgraded sensors, and new electronic controls for steering the submarine.
These submarines will also be larger than the Ohio-class submarines. When finished, each Columbia-class submarine will weigh more than 20,000 tons.
Even though the new submarines are larger, they will carry fewer missiles—16 UGM-133 Trident II D5 Life Extension submarine-launched ballistic missiles instead of the 24 Trident missiles on the Ohio-class. This change aligns with new strategic needs while maintaining a strong nuclear deterrent.
Each submarine will have four missile compartments, each holding four ballistic missiles.
The Columbia-class submarines are built using a modular approach. Different contractors build large sections separately, and then these parts are put together at Electric Boat’s Groton facility.
Work is currently underway at Quonset Point, Rhode Island, with help from over 3,000 suppliers across the country. Newport News Shipbuilding makes the main bow and stern parts before they are sent to be added to the final hull.
The Navy plans to build a total of 12 Columbia-class submarines. Boats four through eight will be procured at a rate of one submarine per year over the next five years, with the program costing about $62 billion.
According to current plans, the USS District of Columbia will enter service in 2029, and the last submarine in the class should join the fleet around 2041 or 2042. Together, these submarines are expected to provide America’s sea-based nuclear deterrent for many years.
A new type of counter-drone system is set to enhance the defense of the U.S. Army. L3Harris Technologies has received an order to deliver VAMPIRE counter-unmanned systems (c-UxS) to the U.S. Army to support urgent defense against hostile drones.
The VAMPIRE capability delivers advanced reconnaissance and precision strike against drones and remotely piloted aircraft. Military forces have used the technology extensively in support of European combat operations, logging more than 350,000 operational hours since 2023.
“We’ve worked with the Army to understand their needs for new counter-UxS systems that can be quickly assembled, delivered, set up and fired,” said Tom Kirkland, President, Targeting & Sensor Systems, Communications & Spectrum Dominance, L3Harris.
“VAMPIRE is effective at hunting and engaging drone threats affordably, which enables U.S. armed forces to sustain reliable defense of its personnel and infrastructure.”
L3Harris developed and invested in VAMPIRE at the beginning of the war in Ukraine to provide a low-cost solution to eliminate Russian drone threats. The company has maintained that the VAMPIRE is an affordable, compact ISR and counter-unmanned-weapon system designed to deploy on nearly any platform, vehicle, or vessel.
This all-in-one system excels in Counter-small Unmanned Airborne System (C-sUAS) operations, delivering precision strike capabilities with customizable sensors and weapons, significantly reducing the cost-per-effect and overall cost of ownership.
The Army’s order is worth up to $106 million as part of the United States’ layered c-UxS defense approach.
In March, the company initiated high-volume production of VAMPIRE counter-unmanned systems (C-UxS) in Huntsville, Alabama. The new production line was a direct response to the United States and its allies’ need to combat the persistent drone threat posing risks to military personnel and infrastructure.
The facility features a flexible assembly, testing, and installation area to integrate VAMPIRE onto ground vehicles and containerized weapon systems. The production line can adjust and increase volume as demand evolves.
Building upon the success of the baseline VAMPIRE system, L3Harris has incorporated additional sensor capabilities, precision weapons, electronic jammers, and non-kinetic effectors for use across several domains. The system uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to more swiftly detect, engage, and defeat small, elusive unmanned threats.
The expanded VAMPIRE family of systems now includes multiple specialized variants.
As drone warfare continues to reshape the battlefield, military planners worldwide are prioritizing layered air-defense networks capable of addressing threats ranging from small commercial drones to more advanced unmanned systems. The U.S. Army’s latest investment in VAMPIRE highlights the increasing role of adaptable, rapidly deployable counter-drone technologies in future defense operations.
With production ramping up and operational demand increasing, the VAMPIRE program represents a significant step in strengthening U.S. and allied defenses against one of the fastest-growing challenges in modern military operations.
Boeing has unveiled a new version of its MQ-28 Ghost Bat drone, which offers extended combat capabilities. The new version has been showcased at the ILA Berlin Air Show in Germany.
The MQ-28 Ghost Bat is an uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft that uses smart human-machine technology to act as a force multiplier for the crewed jets. In December 2025, Boeing and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) made headlines by executing a force-integrated air-to-air autonomous weapon engagement from an MQ-28 Collaborative Combat Aircraft.
The mission involved the Ghost Bat teaming with a RAAF E-7A Wedgetail and F/A-18F Super Hornet to destroy a fighter-class target drone. It was the first time an autonomous aircraft completed an air-to-air engagement with an AIM-20 missile.
The feat had established the Ghost Bat as a “mature combat capable CCA.”
The new Block 3 Ghost Bat drone from Boeing features an increased wingspan, allowing it to carry an additional 2,000 pounds of fuel, stores, and mission payloads. Moreover, the drone can now also carry two AMRAAM missiles or four small-diameter bombs (SDBs) internally, and there is also an option to carry three external weapon stations if needed.
It also has beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) communication links, which will enable the drone to be operated from a crewed aircraft, a ground station, or a naval vessel over nearly unlimited distances. The new design features an upgraded modular, missionized nose that provides enhanced payload configuration options and supports the insertion of third-party capabilities.
The drone now has a maximum take-off weight of 12,000 lbs, up from the 10,000 lbs in version two. It can now carry a useful load of over 4,500 lbs. It also receives significant software upgrades, enabling operators to tailor weapons, payloads, command and control, and mission autonomy to suit their operational requirements.
“That additional capacity gives operators freedom to balance payload and endurance to configure for the mission at hand, whether that means carrying extra fuel for longer-range operations, increasing weapons carriage, or any combination of both,” said Glen Ferguson, MQ-28 global program director.
Boeing says the upgrades visible in the third iteration will be rolled out to the entire fleet through a spiral upgrade program. Ferguson added that the inclusion of BLOS and other features has occurred because the company has been working with Air Force units to understand their needs and the role the CCA is intended to play in a joint force operation.
It is not clear whether the turbofan engine used in earlier versions of Ghost Bat is being replaced or another engine is being added to the drone for the extra thrust.
The earlier versions of the CCA had a length of 38 feet (11.7 meters) and a height of 6.5 feet (2 meters). It had a top speed of Mach 0.9 and could fly up to 2,000 nautical miles, with a ceiling of 40,000 feet.
According to reports, the Block 3 Ghost Bat will be offered to Germany. Australia has already acquired a number of Block 1 MQ-28 drones.
At the Berlin Air Show, Boeing also welcomed two additional industry partners to expand its German MQ-28 Ghost Bat industry team. These two – namely Diehl Defense and Rohde & Schwarz – will join Rheinmetall in the program led by Boeing Defense Australia.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
With the evolution of new military technologies, the trajectory of war has undergone a massive change. Historically, wars were fought through direct confrontation on the battlefield, while contemporary warfare is […]
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Taiwan has conducted its first live-fire exercise using the U.S.-made M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), sending a clear signal of its evolving defense strategy amid growing tensions with China. The drills, which took place on Taiwan’s southwest coast, showcased how mobile precision fires could counter a potential amphibious assault by Chinese forces.
The live-fire demonstration is part of Taiwan’s ongoing efforts to modernize its military and bolster deterrence capabilities. The HIMARS system, known for its mobility and rapid deployment, allows Taiwan to target enemy landing forces and logistical hubs from a safe distance.
During the drills, Taiwanese forces simulated strikes against mock enemy positions, demonstrating their ability to rapidly move, fire, and relocate—minimizing vulnerability to counterattacks.
According to military analysts, HIMARS’ precision-guided munitions offer a significant upgrade over traditional artillery. The system’s ability to deliver accurate strikes up to 300 kilometers (approx 186 miles) away could hold China’s amphibious ships and staging areas at risk, complicating invasion plans.
The timing of the exercise underscores Taiwan’s determination to resist Beijing’s coercion, which continues to assert its claim over the island. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has ramped up military activities near Taiwan in recent years, including amphibious landing drills and air incursions.
Taiwanese officials emphasized that the HIMARS drills were not only a test of new equipment but also a show of readiness. “This exercise demonstrates our commitment to defending our homeland and deterring aggression,” a defense spokesperson stated.
Taiwan’s acquisition of the HIMARS system is part of a broader arms deal with the United States, approved in 2020. The deal, valued at over $1.8 billion, includes 11 launchers and hundreds of Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets.The U.S. continues to support Taiwan’s self-defense through arms sales and training, reinforcing its unofficial security partnership.
The HIMARS’ performance in Ukraine has also drawn attention, with Ukrainian forces using the system to disrupt Russian logistics and command centers. Taiwanese officials believe similar tactics could be effective in repelling a Chinese invasion, leveraging mobility and precision to offset China’s superior numbers.
Despite the advantages, military experts caution that HIMARS alone cannot guarantee Taiwan’s security. Effective use depends on robust intelligence, coordination, and the ability to survive against China’s advanced missile and drone capabilities. Taiwan is therefore investing in improved command-and-control networks, camouflage techniques, and rapid resupply methods.
Looking ahead, Taiwan plans to integrate HIMARS with other defensive assets, such as coastal missile batteries and unmanned aerial vehicles, to create a multi-layered shield against amphibious assaults. The recent drills mark a significant step in adapting modern warfare technologies to Taiwan’s unique security needs.
As cross-strait tensions persist, Taiwan’s demonstration of HIMARS capability serves as both a deterrent and a message of resilience, signaling its resolve to defend its sovereignty against growing military pressure from China.
A German company has showcased its next-generation highly mobile air defense system. Called IRIS-T SLS MK4, the system is specifically designed to protect troops on the move and critical infrastructure from airborne threats.
Developed by Diehl Defence, this fourth generation of the IRIS-T SLS system has an effective range of 7 miles (12 km) and an altitude coverage of up to 3.7 miles (6 km).
The company revealed that the system combines the components radar, C2 system and launcher, including effectors, on one vehicle, making it an “all-in-one” solution. Due to its high mobility and a compact design, the air defense system can be relocated in a very short time.
Further key features of IRIS-T SLS MK4 are the high degree of automation and the resulting low manpower requirements, which enables extremely fast response times. The vehicle-independent design allows maximum flexibility for different customer demands, according to a press release.
Diehl Defence also revealed that the proven IRIS-T air-to-air missile is used as effector. It remains unchanged in hardware and will enable the “fire-on-the-move” capability in the future – the firing of the missile on the move. The integration of additional effectors, such as the C-UAV eMissile CICADA from Diehl Defence or a weapon station, is also possible.
The SLS system is already fully integrated into the Diehl Defence concept of multi-layered air defense. The further development and upgrade to the MK4 version consistently meets NATO standards and operational requirements, including an increased payload capacity with an eightfold load and the associated increase in combat effectiveness.
The IRIS-T missile is and remains the core element of ground-based air defense at Diehl Defence, even in the combat-proven SLS system. As an air defense system with future-proof capabilities, IRIS-T SLS MK4 stands for high performance in dynamic threat scenarios.
Another important aspect of the new system is its modularity. The vehicle-independent design allows integration onto different platforms to meet customer requirements. Diehl Defence also stated that additional effectors, including its CICADA counter-unmanned aerial vehicle interceptor and remote weapon stations, can be incorporated into the system, expanding its mission profile beyond conventional air defense.
The unveiling of the IRIS-T SLS Mk4 comes at a time when demand for modern ground-based air defense systems is rising sharply across Europe and other regions. The success of the broader IRIS-T family in operational deployments and growing investment in layered air defense networks have positioned the system as a key component of future NATO and partner-nation air defense architectures.
With its combination of mobility, automation, modularity, and proven missile technology, the IRIS-T SLS Mk4 represents Diehl Defence’s latest effort to provide armed forces with a flexible and rapidly deployable solution for countering evolving aerial threats in an increasingly complex security environment.
Researchers in the United States are studying impact flashes generated by high-speed collisions. It’s being claimed that advances in understanding the optical impact flashes can be highly beneficial for missile defense, making it possible to determine the composition of an intercepted missile and its payload.
Conducted by researchers in Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), the work could also aid scientists in identifying the origins of meteorites or asteroids impacting surfaces, based on their composition.
“When a meteorite strikes the surface of a moon or planet, the energy of the impact creates a flash that gives off so much energy that the chemical signatures of its constituent materials are visible at different wavelengths,” said Dr. Pablo Bueno, a lead engineer in SwRI’s Mechanical Engineering Division.
Researchers have revealed that the impact flash is a physical phenomenon resulting from conventional and hypervelocity impact. The emission of the flash is related to the composition of the target; thus, spectrographic measurements provide spectral data that could be used to identify the materials involved in the collision, according to the project.
Bueno and Roberto Enriquez-Vargas, an SwRI senior research engineer, recently completed an internally funded SwRI project that developed and refined methods for using high-speed spectroscopy to analyze the light emitted during hypervelocity impacts, where the impact flashes typically only last a few microseconds. The short time window required capturing spectral data quickly and precisely, according to a press release.
Bueno and Enriquez-Vargas used both of SwRI’s two-stage light-gas guns to create hypervelocity impacts representative of missile strikes or asteroid impacts. The large gun system generates velocities up to 7 kilometers per second (15,660 mph). The system is 22 meters (72 feet) long and traditionally used to study ballistics, as per the release.
Because the impact occurs so swiftly and the flash decays rapidly, Bueno and Enriquez-Vargas developed a laser-based triggering system to precisely detect the instant an impact occurs, accurately measuring impact timing within 100 nanoseconds, or one 10-millionth of a second, according to researchers.
“Thicker targets produced brighter, longer flashes,” Bueno explained. “Higher atmospheric pressure created broader and thicker emission lines in the spectra, and in many cases materials at high temperature behaved differently than they did when impacted at room temperature.”
The team developed and tested laser-based triggering scheme. Accurate timing within 100 ns of the impact was demonstrated.
The team also revealed that the strong lines of the emission spectra of aluminum and copper have been measured and characterized within ±2 nm of their published values. The doublet near 396 nm, for aluminum, and the triple near 515 nm, for copper, have been selected as the best lines to continue with the experimental test matrix.
The effects of projectile flight speed, atmospheric pressure, and atmospheric composition have been documented. These results are fulfilled in part metric 3 of the program. The results show these parameters affect the amplitude and width of the emission lines, according to the project.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions is ramping up manufacturing capacity for its Spartan family of small gas turbine engines, responding to increased procurement activity across missile programs and loitering munition platforms.
The company confirmed the production expansion through an official press release.
The Spartan family comprises of compact turbojet engines designed specifically for expendable and attritable platforms — systems built to be used once or with minimal recovery expectation. These engines sit in a performance envelope suited to subsonic cruise missiles, decoy drones, and one-way attack munitions, where cost-per-unit and production throughput matter as much as raw performance.
Steve Fendley, President of Kratos Unmanned Systems Division said “As the Department of War focuses on rebuilding critical missile inventories and increasing affordable precision-strike capacity, the need for scalable, high-performance but low-cost propulsion systems has never been greater.”
He further said “Kratos is investing today to ensure our customers have access to affordable, reliable, American-made propulsion systems that can be delivered at the speed and scale required by the modern threat environment.”
Loitering munitions, sometimes referred to as kamikaze drones, have moved from niche battlefield tools to standard procurement items for multiple NATO and allied militaries following their documented use in conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East. That shift has created a supply pressure on propulsion systems, which have historically been a bottleneck in scaling expendable platform production.
Kratos states that it will produce 3000 engines in 2027. The Spartan line covers multiple thrust classes (ranging from 30 lb to 200 lb at sea level), allowing a single manufacturing infrastructure to serve different platform weight categories without requiring entirely separate production lines.
The vertical integration Kratos maintains over its propulsion systems — designing and building engines in-house — gives the company tighter control over delivery schedules, a factor that has become a competitive differentiator as defense primes face long lead times on subcomponents.
This investment by the company is strategically aimed at supporting US Department of War`s priorities to replenish missile inventories, expand production capacity for precision-strike weapons, and deliver affordable mass capabilities across the US armed forces
Designing a gas turbine for an expendable platform involves deliberate compromises. Engineers typically target a service life measured in hours rather than thousands of flight cycles, which allows for reduced material grades in certain hot-section components (cooled by the onboard fuel in Spartan engines) and simplified maintenance architecture.
Western defense planners have grown increasingly focused on magazine depth — the ability to sustain munitions expenditure over a prolonged conflict — following assessments of consumption rates in Ukraine. Loitering munitions and cruise missiles consume propulsion units at a pace that peacetime production lines were not sized to support. Kratos quotes an annual production capacity of 10,000 Spartan engines probably indicating towards a buffer surge production capability.
According to the company these engines are designed and manufactured in the United States at Oxford, Michigan, with all parts and components sourced from U.S. companies.
As military helicopters face growing threats from small attack drones, Airbus Helicopters and German defense technology firm Quantum Systems are betting that the answer could come from the aircraft themselves. The companies announced a cooperation agreement at the ILA Berlin Air Show to explore equipping Airbus military helicopters with counter-drone interceptors developed by Quantum Systems.
The effort will begin with the H145M, a light multirole helicopter already used by several armed forces around the world. The partnership does not yet involve a production contract or deployment timeline. Instead, it marks an early step toward determining whether helicopters can carry dedicated systems designed to detect and defeat hostile drones before they reach their targets.
The battlefield has changed rapidly in recent years. Small unmanned aircraft have evolved from reconnaissance tools into low-cost weapons capable of threatening troops, vehicles, and aircraft.
For helicopters, the danger is especially acute during takeoff, landing, and low-altitude operations. Those flight phases often leave crews with fewer options to evade incoming threats.
Commercial drones modified to carry explosives and purpose-built attack systems have demonstrated how vulnerable traditional platforms can be in contested environments. Existing helicopter self-protection suites were largely designed to counter missiles and conventional aircraft rather than swarms of small drones.
Airbus and Quantum Systems want to close that capability gap.cStefan Thomé, executive vice president of programs at Airbus Helicopters, said the company continues to seek new operational capabilities that deliver practical value to military customers.
He described the agreement as an important move toward expanding what military helicopters can do in increasingly complex airspaces. “The H145M, with its advanced open system architecture and exceptional growth potential, serves as the ideal launching pad for this joint initiative,” Thomé said.
The H145M already performs a wide range of missions. Operators use the twin-engine helicopter for special operations support, medical evacuation, reconnaissance, and light attack roles.
Its modular design allows crews to add sensors, weapons, and mission equipment without extensive redesign. Airbus argues that flexibility makes it a natural candidate for testing counter-drone technologies. The helicopter also serves several NATO members and export customers across multiple regions, giving any future capability broader relevance.
Quantum Systems built its reputation through reconnaissance drones, particularly its Vector fixed-wing platform. Several European militaries have evaluated the system, and Ukrainian forces have used it operationally. Counter-UAS technology represents a newer area of focus for the Munich-based company.
Martin Karkour, Quantum Systems’ chief revenue officer, said the partnership highlights how European defense companies can combine specialized expertise to address emerging threats. “Current developments show that aerial systems need answers to drone threats,” Karkour said.
Airbus also used ILA Berlin to showcase the U145, an uncrewed version of the H145 family. A mockup on display featured Quantum Systems’ counter-drone capability. Many questions remain unanswered. The companies have not disclosed technical details, testing schedules, or qualification plans.
Still, the initiative reflects a broader shift in military aviation. As inexpensive drones reshape modern warfare, aircraft manufacturers are increasingly searching for ways to ensure crewed platforms can survive in skies crowded with uncrewed threats.
Draft defense bill funds Pentagon at requested discretionary levels but excludes $350 billion in proposed reconciliation spending, casting doubt on Golden Dome and other space programs
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A US Army helicopter gunship was apparently struck by an Iranian Shahed drone before going down near the Strait of Hormuz—but it's unclear whether the one-way attack drone was deliberately aimed or achieved more of a lucky accidental strike.
Axios correspondent Barak Ravid first reported an unnamed US government official’s comments that an Iranian drone had hit the US Army AH-64 Apache helicopter before the latter went down on June 8. The New York Times later confirmed that reporting through more anonymous US officials, including one official who said US military investigators were still evaluating whether the Iranian drone strike on the helicopter was intentional or accidental.
Iran has fired thousands of such Shahed drones against a wide range of military and civilian targets in the Gulf region since February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel began the war by jointly attacking Iran with a barrage of bombs and missiles. But Shahed drones have mainly struck stationary targets such as Amazon data centers and energy facilities, sometimes hitting slow-moving commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
© US Central Command
A new facility in the United States is set to keep the country safe from from the threat of nuclear proliferation. The new state-of-the-art 21,000-square-foot facility, at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), is also aimed at contributing to nuclear energy developments.
The Advanced Testbed and Operations Learning Laboratory (ATOLL) will develop critical workforce expertise and capabilities essential to monitoring foreign weapons-grade uranium production activities. The project is expected to be completed in the summer of 2028.
“It takes a weapons program to know a weapons program,” said Administrator Williams. “At NNSA, we deter adversaries by being experts in atomic science and weapons production, and the investment in ATOLL strengthens our understanding of both.”
The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has announced that the initiative will also advance President Trump’s energy dominance agenda and his executive orders on nuclear energy by contributing to the growing nuclear infrastructure being built in Tennessee, providing critical expertise that can be leveraged by American industry to revitalize domestic civil nuclear capabilities.
“Our nation’s nuclear deterrent and the NNSA enterprise that maintains it serve as the foundation of our national defense. My highest priority as Chairman of the House Energy & Water Appropriations Subcommittee is ensuring this nuclear security enterprise is properly resourced,” said Congressman Fleischmann.
“DNN plays an essential defensive role within our deterrence architecture by enabling the detection and attribution of adversary nuclear programs and capabilities. The scientific and technological expertise of our national labs are critical enablers for NNSA’s national security missions.”
Fleischmann also underlined that the Advanced Testbed and Operations Learning Laboratory, being built at ORNL, will provide the cutting edge scientific facilities needed to perform critical nonproliferation missions, as the ability to monitor foreign nuclear production and weapons activities is essential to the country’s national defense and extended deterrence commitments.
“I was honored to participate in the groundbreaking for this important demonstration of these tremendous partnerships advancing U.S. national security,” added Fleischmann.
The project is part of the Nonproliferation Stewardship Program within NNSA’s Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation. The program focuses on maintaining the scientific expertise, technical infrastructure, and specialized facilities necessary to address current and future nuclear security challenges.
As geopolitical tensions and concerns over nuclear proliferation continue to evolve, the development of ATOLL represents a strategic investment in America’s ability to detect, understand, and prevent the misuse of nuclear technology. The facility is expected to serve as a cornerstone of U.S. nonproliferation efforts while fostering innovation and expertise in the broader nuclear field for decades to come.
The new facility is expected to strengthen America’s ability to monitor nuclear activities globally and respond effectively to emerging proliferation risks.
By supporting research, workforce development, and advanced nuclear infrastructure, the laboratory will help reinforce domestic capabilities in both civilian nuclear power and national security applications.
Diehl Defence will explore using Spire’s constellation for detection of ballistic and hypersonic missile threats
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Company opens Virginia office, announces $4 million pre-seed funding
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European aerospace firm Airbus will unveil its latest drone wingman, the U760 Ravenstorm, at the International Aerospace Exhibition (ILA) 2026 in Berlin. The wingman drone for fighter jets has been unveiled alongside a comprehensive suite of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS).
The full suite unveiled by Airbus at the event includes the new autonomous aircraft, named U145, based on its popular H145 helicopter platform. U740 Valkyrie, developed in cooperation with Kratos, is another uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft (UCCA) announced by the company for the German Air Force.
The company is showcasing other cargo drones ranging from 55 pounds (25 kilograms) to 264 pounds (120 kilograms) to provide customers with cutting-edge capabilities for surveillance, intelligence, and operational flexibility.
Another offering is the U680 Bird of Prey, an uncrewed drone interceptor which is designed to counter mass aerial threats at once. The company says it can down multiple one-way attack drones per mission.
The U760 Ravenstorm drone from Airbus is designed to operate alongside cutting-edge crewed fighter jets. The missions it can carry out include air-to-air operations, air-to-ground strikes, and electronic warfare.
The company will be displaying a 1:1 model of the uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft at the Berlin exhibition. The model on display has a 32-foot (10-meter) wingspan and a length of 42 feet (13 meters).
According to a press release, the drone wingman is optimized for multi-domain missions, and it will carry precision-guided munitions for surface strikes, as well as anti-aircraft missiles for taking out enemy jets and other uncrewed aircraft. Moreover, the electronic warfare suite has the capability to suppress enemy air defenses and offensive counter-air using non-kinetic jamming.
Airbus believes that Ravenstorm will be available in the early 2030s. It will be powered by MARS – the company’s sovereign mission system, which integrates an AI-supported software core to enable platform autonomy.
The system builds on the Barracuda demonstrator that flew for the first time 20 years ago.
“Whatever uncrewed or ‘drone’ capability our customers need to strengthen sovereign air power, we deliver,” said Mike Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defense and Space. “Our portfolio ranges from rapid-response drone interceptors and various tactical drones, autonomous cargo helicopters, to uncrewed fighter aircraft, UCCAs, operating co-operatively with crewed fighter jets.”
He also commented on the U950 Eurodrone, a high-payload and very-long-endurance ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance) platform. Schoellhorn added that all of the company’s systems come with open architecture and a “mission system compatible with the wider European and international defense ecosystem.”
The Eurodrone, a Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) platform, is designed to provide independent, strategic ISTAR capabilities, early warning, and anti-submarine warfare. The program is progressing steadily toward its scheduled first flight in 2029, according to the press release.
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