Hadron Energy has cleared an early milestone in its effort to commercialize small-scale nuclear power in the United States. The advanced nuclear technology company announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has published its first patent application, placing the engineering framework behind its Halo Micro-Modular Reactor into the public domain.

The patent publication marks the company’s first major intellectual property filing and provides a detailed look at the reactor design Hadron plans to advance through the U.S. licensing process. The application, published on May 7, outlines the technology behind the Halo reactor, a compact nuclear system designed to deliver 10 megawatts of electricity.

Company founder and CEO Samuel Gibson, Chief Nuclear Officer Ross Ridenoure, Christopher R. Neal, and Andrew M. Ward are listed as inventors on the application.

Integrated reactor design

The application details an integral pressurized-water reactor, a compact design that houses key nuclear systems within a single pressure vessel rather than across multiple structures.

Traditional nuclear plants typically rely on large external pipes to connect these systems. Hadron’s approach removes much of that complexity by housing them within one unit.

According to the application, the design could simplify transportation, installation, and maintenance. It also removes the large external coolant piping associated with conventional reactors.

The patent describes reactor configurations capable of producing between 6 and 60 megawatts of thermal energy. Electrical output ranges from 2 to 20 megawatts. Hadron’s flagship Halo configuration targets 10 megawatts of electricity generation.

Built for transportation

The application also focuses heavily on manufacturability and deployment. Engineers designed the reactor vessel in sections connected through circumferential flanges. This approach allows the company to assemble and test the reactor before shipping it to a project site.

Hadron says the design supports transportation by conventional road networks and even certain air transport systems. The company views transportability as a key advantage for remote locations and industrial customers that require reliable power.

The reactor uses Low-Enriched Uranium Plus fuel. Hadron selected the fuel to support multi-year operating cycles while leveraging existing domestic fuel supply infrastructure.

The filing also outlines passive safety features intended to keep the reactor core cooled for extended periods without alternating-current power under design-basis conditions.

Licensing push continues

The patent publication arrives as Hadron advances regulatory work with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Recently, NRC staff accepted the company’s Quality Assurance Program Description. Hadron also submitted its Principal Design Criteria white paper to regulators, another step in the licensing process.

Gibson said the patent publication establishes the technical foundation of the Halo reactor and begins what the company expects to become a broader intellectual property portfolio. He added that the filing reflects years of engineering work and supports Hadron’s long-term commercialization strategy.

Hadron intends to market Halo as a transportable source of carbon-free electricity for sites that lack reliable grid access. The company ultimately hopes to become the first developer to bring a licensed light-water microreactor to market in the United States.

While significant regulatory hurdles remain, the newly published patent offers the clearest public view yet of the technology Hadron plans to use in pursuit of that goal.

Zero has started building its first aircraft factory in North Carolina, betting that an unconventional airplane design can reshape commercial aviation while bringing thousands of jobs to the state. The startup broke ground on a 8 million square foot manufacturing and assembly campus in Greensboro, where it plans to produce its blended-wing Z4 passenger jet.

The project comes with $4.7 billion in planned investment and support from what North Carolina officials say is the largest incentive package ever awarded to a startup. The company expects the facility to create 14,500 jobs over the next decade, adding momentum to North Carolina’s push to establish itself as a major aerospace manufacturing hub.

Different aircraft design

Unlike traditional tube-and-wing airliners, JetZero’s Z4 uses a blended-wing body design that merges the fuselage and wings into a single structure. The aircraft is designed to carry about 250 passengers over distances of up to 5,000 nautical miles. JetZero claims the design could reduce fuel consumption by as much as 50 percent compared with today’s commercial jets.

If those targets hold up in service, the aircraft could help airlines lower operating costs and reduce emissions without requiring major changes to airport infrastructure. JetZero has not yet brought the Z4 into commercial service.

The company remains in the development phase as it works toward certification and future production. The startup has previously attracted attention from both commercial and defense sectors seeking more efficient aircraft designs. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein described the investment as a major economic win for the state, pointing to its potential to transform the Piedmont Triad region through new jobs and manufacturing activity.

Digital manufacturing

JetZero also plans to build the Greensboro facility differently from traditional aircraft plants. The company will use digital design platforms from Siemens and Deloitte to create a virtual model of the factory before construction advances further.

Engineers can simulate assembly lines, test workflows, and identify bottlenecks before equipment reaches the shop floor. JetZero says the approach could shorten development timelines and make the plant easier to adapt as production expands.

Industry analysts increasingly view digital twins and AI-assisted manufacturing as critical tools for aerospace companies facing pressure to boost output while controlling costs. Major manufacturers have invested heavily in such technologies to streamline production and avoid costly delays. The approach could also help JetZero scale operations more efficiently if demand for the Z4 materializes.

Beyond commercial aviation

The Greensboro plant could eventually support more than passenger aircraft production. JetZero is developing military versions of its blended-wing platform, including tanker and transport variants. The company says the design could allow refueling aircraft to carry greater payloads or operate over longer distances than conventional alternatives.

The defense applications could broaden the startup’s revenue opportunities at a time when military planners are exploring more efficient aircraft concepts. Construction has already begun at the site, while hiring is expected to ramp up gradually over the coming years.

For North Carolina, the project represents another attempt to attract high-value manufacturing jobs. For JetZero, it is a high-stakes effort to prove that a radically different aircraft design can move beyond prototypes and into commercial production.

As militaries scramble to adapt to the rapid spread of battlefield drones, Thales has unveiled RapidStriker, a mobile air defense system designed to hunt and destroy aerial threats within seconds. Introduced at the Eurosatory defense exhibition in France, the new capability combines sensors, automated fire control and multiple weapon options in a package built to move alongside frontline forces.

RapidStriker can engage more than just drones. The system also provides protection against low-flying helicopters operating close to frontline forces.

Countering drone surge

Rather than relying on a single weapon, RapidStriker gives operators several ways to engage a target. The system pairs its sensors with automated fire control before cueing the most suitable effector for the mission.

Operators can deploy guided or unguided 68 mm and 70 mm rockets. Small-caliber cannons and remotely operated munitions can also be integrated depending on operational needs.

According to Thales, RapidStriker can identify a threat within seconds of detection before maintaining a track and initiating an engagement sequence. The heavy use of automation reduces the burden on crews during high-pressure situations.

That speed has become increasingly important as armed forces confront swarms of inexpensive drones designed to overwhelm conventional defenses. The rocket systems add another layer of flexibility. Beyond counter-drone missions, they support precision strikes against ground targets and provide saturation fire when troops require broader area effects.

Bushmaster upgrade

Thales designed RapidStriker to work across multiple combat vehicles instead of confining it to a dedicated platform. At Eurosatory, the company demonstrated the capability aboard the newly unveiled Bushmaster 5.6 utility vehicle from Thales Australia.

Known as the Mulga variant, the latest Bushmaster builds on a platform already proven in combat. The vehicle can accept different mission packages based on customer requirements. One operator may prioritize surveillance equipment, while another may choose missile launchers or electronic warfare payloads.

The redesign also introduces a left-hand-drive configuration aimed at overseas buyers. Thales says the upgraded Bushmaster better reflects the realities of modern warfare, where adaptability often matters as much as protection.

Bigger network

RapidStriker was developed to plug into wider air defense architectures rather than function as a standalone asset. The company says the system remains fully compatible with SkyDefender, Thales’ integrated air and missile defense network. That interoperability allows commanders to share information across multiple assets and build a more complete picture of the battlespace.

“With RapidStriker, Thales takes a decisive step forward in the fight against drones,” Julien Assoun, vice president of Vehicles and Tactical Systems at Thales, said in a statement. He said the company moved from concept to delivery within months to address urgent operational demands. The resulting system can also be adapted for use across a broad range of combat vehicles.

RapidStriker marks the latest addition to Thales’ expanding counter-drone portfolio. Earlier at Eurosatory, the company introduced a next-generation 70mm laser-guided rocket developed specifically for anti-drone missions. Together, the launches signal a growing emphasis on affordable defenses against threats that increasingly define today’s battlefield.

Countering small drones has become as much a financial challenge as a military one. Armed forces increasingly find themselves using costly interceptors against targets that are cheap to build and easy to deploy. Thales says its newest guided rocket was developed to restore that balance.

The company has unveiled the LGR275 Proxy, a 70mm laser-guided rocket designed specifically to intercept small unmanned aerial systems. Unlike traditional air defense interceptors, the new weapon aims to bring down drones without imposing unsustainable costs on military budgets.

Designed for drone hunts

At the heart of the LGR275 Proxy is a proximity sensor designed to improve engagements against aerial targets, adding a new capability to Thales’ established 70mm guided rocket family.

Instead of relying solely on direct impact, the sensor increases the chances of neutralizing fast-moving drones by triggering the rocket at the optimal moment. Thales paired the sensor with a military-grade warhead engineered to engage smaller airborne threats.

The result is a weapon designed to strike a balance between effectiveness and affordability. Modern militaries often deploy expensive missiles against low-cost drones. That mismatch can drain inventories and stretch defense spending during prolonged operations. Thales says the LGR275 Proxy addresses that problem by offering a more economical interception option.

The rocket supports both surface-to-air and air-to-air missions, giving commanders greater flexibility in how they deploy it. Forces could integrate the system into layered defense networks to engage threats before higher-end interceptors become necessary.

Class 1 and Class 2 drones have emerged as some of the most persistent threats on contemporary battlefields. They conduct reconnaissance missions, direct artillery fire, and carry explosive payloads. Their low cost and widespread availability make them difficult to counter using traditional methods alone.

Production set to expand

Thales Belgium plans to significantly increase the output of its guided rocket family over the next several years. The company expects production capacity to triple between 2026 and 2028. It also intends to strengthen its industrial footprint to support international customers seeking faster deliveries and dependable supply chains.

The production ramp-up reflects growing global demand for counter-drone capabilities. Recent conflicts have shown how quickly drone attacks can overwhelm traditional defenses and deplete interceptor stockpiles.

For defense manufacturers, production capacity has become almost as important as technical performance. Armed forces increasingly seek suppliers that can deliver at scale while maintaining consistent quality and shorter lead times.

Part of a broader shield

The LGR275 Proxy will also reinforce SkyDefender, Thales’ multi-layered Integrated Air and Missile Defence architecture. By adding a lower-cost interception layer, the company aims to provide customers with more sustainable protection against evolving aerial threats. Layered defenses allow operators to match the right weapon to the right target rather than relying on a single interceptor type.

Alain Quevrin, Country Director for Thales Belgium and Luxembourg, said the company developed the new rocket to help nations strengthen their readiness against the expanding drone threat.

He said Thales Belgium remains a leading producer of NATO-standard rockets and noted that the planned production increase would help meet the operational requirements of armed forces facing increasingly complex security environments.

A California startup says it has found a cheaper way to turn an overlooked farm waste product into sustainable aviation fuel, potentially opening a new pathway for airlines racing to meet emissions targets.

Circularity Fuels announced it has completed what it describes as the world’s first end-to-end conversion of raw agricultural biogas into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The six-month pilot transformed methane-rich gas from a California dairy farm’s manure digester into jet fuel that meets ASTM standards for commercial aviation.

The achievement could reshape the economics of SAF production. The company estimates that commercial plants using its technology would cost roughly one-fifth as much as comparable facilities currently being developed in Europe.

Turning waste into fuel

The demonstration took place at a dairy farm near Madera, California, home to more than 5,000 cattle. Like many operations across the country, the farm produces biogas through manure digesters. Much of that gas often goes unused or gets released into the atmosphere.

Circularity’s system converts that waste stream directly into aviation fuel on-site. According to the company, the pilot operated continuously for thousands of hours using untreated biogas composed of roughly 65 percent methane and 35 percent carbon dioxide. The process produced finished jet fuel that can blend with conventional Jet-A fuel at concentrations of up to 50 percent.

The system combines two modular reactors designed for distributed deployment. An electrified bi-reforming reactor converts the raw gas into synthesis gas, while a compact Fischer-Tropsch reactor transforms it into liquid hydrocarbons suitable for aviation use.

Circularity said its reforming unit achieved methane conversion rates above 98 percent and carbon dioxide conversion rates exceeding 90 percent during testing.

Lower-cost SAF pathway

Sustainable aviation fuel remains in short supply worldwide. Current production satisfies less than one percent of global demand. Most SAF today relies on used cooking oil as feedstock.

Critics argue that supply constraints and import dependence limit its long-term potential. Alternative approaches, such as power-to-liquid e-fuels, also face economic hurdles due to rising electricity costs. Circularity believes agricultural biogas offers a more practical option.

The company projects commercial installations could cost less than $100,000 per barrel per day of installed capacity. Those economics could allow SAF derived from dairy waste to compete directly with fossil-based jet fuel prices. “The hard part of this industry was never designing a theoretical plant that could make SAF,” said Dr. Stephen Beaton, founder and chief executive officer of Circularity Fuels. “It was proving you could do it continuously, from real biogas, at a cost that pencils.” He added that the company has now demonstrated the technology using “real feedstock from a real dairy farm.”

Carbon-negative potential

Circularity’s internal life-cycle analysis suggests the fuel could achieve a carbon intensity score of negative 350.7 grams of CO2 equivalent per megajoule under California’s regulatory framework. That figure stems from capturing methane that would otherwise escape into the atmosphere. Methane traps significantly more heat than carbon dioxide over shorter timescales.

Craig Hartman of Hartman Engineering said dairies have long lacked practical ways to monetize biogas without investing heavily in gas-cleaning infrastructure. “Circularity is the first team I’ve seen take raw biogas straight from a digester and turn it into finished jet fuel on-site,” Hartman said.

Following the successful pilot, Circularity plans to begin construction on its first commercial facility in 2027. The company is targeting dairy and agricultural regions across the United States while also exploring opportunities in Latin America and Europe.

A US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California on Monday, sending a towering plume of black smoke over the desert installation and triggering a large-scale emergency response.

The bomber went down at about 11:20 a.m. local time at the base, located roughly 100 miles northeast of Los Angeles in the Mojave Desert. Officials have not said how many people were aboard the aircraft or whether anyone survived.

Video captured by local news helicopters showed smoke continuing to rise from the crash site hours later. The area near the runway appeared heavily scorched, with blackened ground marking the impact zone. Few recognizable pieces of the aircraft could be seen from the air. The cause of the crash remains unknown.

Emergency response continues

Edwards Air Force Base said emergency crews rushed to the scene immediately after the aircraft went down. In an initial statement, the base said the situation remained ongoing and that additional details would be released as they became available.

A US Air Force B-52 bomber crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base in California. pic.twitter.com/G56SEDLkkS

— PAryan 88 (@RebelGoy88) June 15, 2026

Officials later posted an update on X, saying the installation had shut down its airfield while first responders carried out rescue and recovery operations. Aircraft headed to Edwards were diverted elsewhere, and the base suspended all non-commercial visitor passes until further notice.

Update- 12:48 PDT: The airfield has been closed, and all inbound aircraft are being diverted.

All non-commercial visitor passes have been suspended until further notice to allow the installation to focus entirely on emergency response operations.

— Edwards Air Force Base (@EdwardsAFB) June 15, 2026

A spokesperson for the installation declined to provide additional details from local media as authorities focused on the response effort. Investigators are expected to examine the wreckage, maintenance history, and flight information to determine what led to the accident.

Questions surround crew

The Air Force has not identified the crew members involved or disclosed their condition. The B-52H typically operates with a five-person crew consisting of pilots and specialized officers responsible for navigation and electronic warfare duties.

As news of the crash spread, lawmakers offered support to those affected. Rep. Jay Obernolte, whose district includes Edwards Air Force Base, said he and his wife were praying for everyone involved, including the crew, their families and the first responders working at the scene. Rep. Lisa McClain also expressed support, saying her prayers were with those impacted by the crash.

My prayers are with everyone involved in the B-52 crash at Edwards Air Force Base this afternoon. Thank you to the emergency crews responding right now. Our service members carry the weight of this nation’s defense every single day. We are with them.

— Chairwoman Lisa McClain (@RepLisaMcClain) June 15, 2026

Aging bomber fleet

The B-52 Stratofortress first entered service in the 1950s and remains one of the oldest aircraft still flying in the US military inventory. The Air Force currently operates 76 B-52H bombers. Despite their age, the aircraft continue to fly operational missions and have undergone repeated modernization efforts.

Monday’s incident marks the most serious B-52 accident in years. The last fatal crash involving the bomber occurred in 2008, when six Air Force personnel died after a B-52 crashed near Guam during preparations for a ceremonial flyover.

Boeing stopped building the aircraft in 1962, meaning the Air Force can no longer replace lost bombers with newly manufactured airframes. For now, investigators remain focused on the immediate task of understanding what happened at Edwards Air Force Base and determining the fate of those aboard the aircraft.

As armies look for ways to keep soldiers under armor while maintaining constant awareness of the battlefield, Teledyne FLIR Defense has introduced a micro-drone system designed to do both.

Unveiled at the Eurosatory defense exhibition in Paris, the Black Recon system enables troops to send out small reconnaissance drones from military vehicles and fixed installations while remaining under protection. The same platform retrieves the aircraft after each mission and prepares them for their next deployment.

The launch reflects a broader shift in military technology. Armed forces increasingly want autonomous systems that can shorten decision cycles, extend reconnaissance beyond line of sight, and continue operating in electronic warfare environments where GPS signals and communications links face disruption.

Keeping troops protected

At the center of Black Recon is a docking station that houses and supports up to three micro-unmanned aircraft. Rather than relying on a single drone and human operators in the field, the system cycles aircraft through missions. One drone can conduct reconnaissance while another recharges, creating what Teledyne describes as near-continuous intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance coverage.

Each aircraft launches autonomously, carries out reconnaissance and target acquisition tasks, then returns to the vehicle or installation for capture and recharging before the next sortie begins. The approach could prove particularly valuable for mechanized units operating in contested environments where even brief exposure outside a vehicle carries risk.

“Black Recon represents a major step forward in integrated reconnaissance for ground forces,” said Dr. JihFen Lei, president of Teledyne Defense and Aerospace Group and senior vice president of Teledyne Technologies.

Lei said integrating launch, recovery, and recharging capabilities directly into military platforms gives operators persistent situational awareness while speeding access to intelligence and improving force protection during fast-moving operations.

Built for contested skies

The system was designed specifically for mounted operations instead of being repurposed from equipment meant for troops on foot. Teledyne said each drone weighs less than 450 grams and can stay aloft for about 50 to 60 minutes. The aircraft can also travel at speeds of up to 25 meters per second, extending surveillance beyond traditional engagement ranges.

Black Recon also targets one of modern warfare’s growing challenges: operating in electronically contested environments. The company said the drones can continue missions in GPS-denied conditions using advanced sensors and visual navigation systems. Visual inertial navigation also enables radio-silent operations without depending entirely on traditional radio-frequency links.

Additional capabilities include onboard relay functions to extend communications coverage and compatibility with the Black Hornet 4 nano-drone, which is already in service with several military customers.

The company also said the system can support thermal and visible imaging payloads, providing troops with real-time imagery and targeting data during operations.

Beyond reconnaissance missions

Although Teledyne developed Black Recon with military users in mind, the company said the technology could eventually support public safety missions, including border security, critical infrastructure monitoring and maritime patrol operations.

The platform’s modular design also leaves room for future payloads. Planned additions include chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear detection sensors, as well as lethality modules that could expand the system’s role beyond surveillance.

Black Recon is available for order now, with customer deliveries expected to begin in 2027. The launch comes as defense companies race to develop autonomous systems capable of maintaining battlefield awareness while reducing the burden and risk placed on human operators.

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What if time isn’t woven into the fabric of reality at all? A new experiment suggests that the past-to-future march we experience every day could arise from the internal dynamics of a system. Using 24,000 ultracold atoms, scientists built a “mini universe” that allowed them to study how time might emerge without relying on clocks.

The findings, published in Physical Review Research, offer researchers a new way to test ideas that have long remained in the realm of theory. The setup could help scientists explore quantum gravity, the origins of the universe, and the fundamental nature of time inside a laboratory.

Building a mini cosmos

Professor Giovanni Barontini of the University of Birmingham and his team created the miniature universe using a cloud of 24,000 ultracold atoms. The atoms existed just billionths of a degree above absolute zero.

The researchers confined the particles inside an isolated quantum system. They then used two laser beams to form a thin barrier that divided the setup into two regions. One region remained observable, or “bright.” The other stayed hidden from direct observation and became the “dark” sector.

Inside this simplified cosmos, the bright region repeatedly expanded and contracted. The cycle resembled theoretical versions of a Big Bang followed by a Big Crunch, a scenario in which the universe’s expansion eventually reverses.

Because the system remained sealed from its surroundings, scientists reconstructed the sequence of events using only changes occurring within the mini-universe. They did not need an external laboratory clock.

Time through disorder

The experiment points to a concept known as “entropic time.” Rather than treating time as an independent backdrop to reality, the researchers linked its passage to changes in entropy, or the way particles spread through the system. Atoms moved between the bright and dark regions, altering the distribution of matter.

As those distributions evolved, the system moved forward in time. When the arrangement stopped changing, time effectively stood still. The team found that this version of time flowed in a consistent direction. It also correctly ordered events, even during repeated cycles of expansion and contraction. Its pace could speed up or slow down depending on how entropy shifted within the system.

“In some theories of the universe, especially quantum gravity, time doesn’t appear as a built-in feature,” Barontini said. “Yet in everyday life, time flows from past to future. Why is this so, when most basic laws of physics work the same way forwards and backwards?”

Bringing cosmology to the lab

Barontini said the study provides controlled experimental evidence that changes within a system can define time without relying on an external clock. “It offers new insight into the nature of time in quantum gravity,” he said. “It could be used to describe dynamics just as effectively as conventional time.”

The researchers also showed that quantum mechanics remains mathematically consistent under this framework. They rewrote a version of the Schrödinger equation using entropic time, allowing predictions about how a quantum probability distribution evolves.

The work addresses a long-standing puzzle in physics: If the universe has no fundamental clock, how can events be arranged into a meaningful sequence of “before” and “after”? Perhaps more importantly, the experiment transforms abstract debates into testable science.

The platform could eventually allow researchers to investigate conditions linked to the early universe, probe competing theories of quantum gravity, and even simulate black holes under controlled laboratory conditions.

For decades, many of these questions existed mainly on chalkboards and in complex equations. This miniature universe suggests physicists may finally have a way to put some of them to the test.

Ultra Maritime has completed the first in-water deployment trial of its next-generation Multistatic Active Receive Sonobuoy, or MSARS, in Scotland, marking a major step in the United Kingdom’s push to modernize anti-submarine warfare.

The trial comes as NATO nations monitor growing submarine activity across the North Atlantic. Military planners increasingly seek tools that can detect quieter submarines and unmanned underwater systems operating over larger maritime areas.

MSARS aims to strengthen those capabilities. The compact sonobuoy is designed to improve the detection and localization of underwater threats while supporting both crewed and uncrewed operations.

Expanding underwater surveillance

Ultra Maritime developed the system with backing from the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, known as Dstl. The effort supports the Atlantic Bastion program, which focuses on expanding autonomous anti-submarine warfare capabilities. The initiative seeks to bring uncrewed aircraft into submarine hunting missions while improving coordination with existing crewed assets. Those assets include the Royal Navy’s Merlin Mk2 helicopter fleet.

Unlike traditional approaches that rely heavily on crewed aircraft, Atlantic Bastion emphasizes distributed operations. Multiple platforms can share information and work together to track underwater targets across wider areas. The company said rising submarine activity has increased the urgency for improved detection technologies.

“Enhanced detection and localization of threat submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles are critical to maintaining operational advantage,” Ultra Maritime said. MSARS gives operators flexibility before deployment. Crews can configure mission settings through a built-in digital interface before launching the sonobuoy from an aircraft.

Integration with SeaGuardian

Ultra Maritime is also working with General Atomics to integrate MSARS and other G-size sonobuoys onto the MQ-9B SeaGuardian unmanned aircraft. The pairing could significantly expand anti-submarine warfare coverage.

SeaGuardian’s endurance allows it to remain on station far longer than many traditional platforms. Combined with compact sonobuoys, operators could survey larger sections of ocean without increasing crew requirements.

Ultra Maritime says the integration would extend operational reach, increase sonobuoy carrying capacity, and support distributed multistatic operations in contested environments. The company also noted that it remains the only manufacturer producing G-size sonobuoys. Their smaller form factor makes them particularly suited for unmanned aircraft missions.

Broader sonobuoy push

The Scottish trial arrives as Ultra Maritime expands its sonobuoy business through production contracts and international partnerships. Earlier this year, the company secured a U.S. Navy contract covering low-rate initial production of the AN/SSQ-125B sonobuoy. The system aims to improve the detection of increasingly quiet submarines operating in challenging acoustic conditions.

Ultra Maritime has also expanded its presence in Europe. In 2025, France selected the company to provide active and passive sonobuoys under a contract awarded by Thales on behalf of the country’s defense procurement agency.

For defense planners on both sides of the Atlantic, the latest MSARS milestone represents more than a successful trial. It highlights a broader shift toward networked and increasingly autonomous anti-submarine operations designed for a more contested maritime environment.

The newly public company Hadron Energy has announced that it has selected GSE Solutions to develop a full-scope, high-fidelity simulator for its Halo Micro-Modular Reactor (MMR). The simulator will prepare future operators for licensing exams and day-to-day operations. It also marks another step toward commercializing the Halo reactor design.

The agreement expands the relationship between the two companies into a strategic alliance. Hadron plans to use the simulator for its first reactor deployment and future commercial units as production scales.

Training comes first

No commercial nuclear reactor in the United States can operate without NRC-licensed personnel in the control room. Those licenses require extensive training, including simulator-based testing that reflects the actual plant operators will oversee.

GSE will oversee the simulator from development through commissioning. Built specifically for the Halo MMR, it will mimic everything from normal plant operations to emergency situations. The system will prepare the first wave of operators and technical staff responsible for bringing the reactor online.

The simulator goes beyond being a simple teaching tool. It represents a regulatory requirement that operators must satisfy before a reactor produces electricity. Without it, a plant cannot move into commercial operation.

Beyond regulatory boxes

The technology also provides engineering value long before fuel reaches the site. Teams can use it to verify procedures, assess control room interactions, and evaluate how operators respond under pressure.

Developing the simulator alongside the reactor design could help Hadron identify potential issues earlier in the process. Engineers can address operability concerns while modifications remain easier and less costly.

“You cannot commission a nuclear plant without certified operators,” Ross Ridenoure, Hadron Energy’s chief nuclear officer, said in a statement. “You cannot certify operators without a high-fidelity simulator that represents the plant they are going to operate.”

Ridenoure said involving GSE during the design phase allows the company to replicate the plant virtually as engineering work continues. That approach can expose human-factors concerns before construction advances too far.

Leveraging industry experience

GSE brings more than 50 years of simulator expertise to the partnership. The company and its predecessors built one of the first commercial full-scope nuclear simulators in 1971. Its experience now spans a broad range of reactor technologies, including pressurized water reactors, boiling water reactors, CANDU units, VVER designs, and next-generation systems.

Hadron believes that experience can reduce some of the development risks associated with first-of-a-kind nuclear projects. GSE’s background with simulator certification and industry standards could also support a smoother regulatory pathway.

The announcement follows Hadron’s recent partnership with Paragon Energy Solutions, a Mirion Technologies company, to support the Halo MMR’s instrumentation and control architecture. The simulator will ultimately mirror those same control systems during operator training.

“An advanced reactor without trained, licensed operators is not a power plant,” Ridenoure said. “It is an asset sitting idle.”

He added that bringing experienced partners into the program early reflects the disciplined execution shareholders and future customers should expect as Hadron advances toward first power. For Hadron, operator readiness now stands alongside reactor development as a defining milestone on the path to commercialization.

For years, companies have injected carbon dioxide into concrete to trap emissions and improve early performance. The construction industry embraced the approach even though researchers could not fully explain why it worked. Now, scientists at MIT say they have finally watched the chemistry unfold in real time.

Using laser-based imaging, the team captured the rapid reactions that occur when carbon dioxide meets fresh cement paste. The observations revealed a temporary chemical pathway that reshapes how the material hardens. The process produces a more evenly distributed binding structure and boosts early strength.

The findings could help engineers fine-tune low-carbon concrete technologies already entering the market across the United States. The work also offers a clearer picture of how cement, one of the world’s most carbon-intensive materials, can store captured carbon while maintaining performance.

Tracking hidden reactions

Researchers from MIT’s Concrete Sustainability Hub and Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering used Raman confocal microscopy to monitor cement samples continuously during their first 24 hours of curing. The technique identifies materials by analyzing how laser light interacts with chemical bonds. Each compound leaves behind a distinct spectral signature.

Previous studies relied largely on theory and indirect measurements because the reactions happened too quickly for conventional tools to detect. “We’ve used Raman spectroscopy to better understand some of the most interesting materials in history, from the Dead Sea Scrolls to Ancient Roman concrete,” Associate Professor Admir Masic said.

“Cement paste may seem less glamorous in comparison, but pointing a laser at CO2-injected cement paste as it hardens allows us to visualize things that haven’t been seen before.” The team discovered that carbon dioxide initially captures calcium released during cement dissolution. That temporary shift slows normal hydration and changes the environment inside the paste.

The disappearing template

As calcium becomes tied up, dissolved silicates spread through the material and assemble into an interconnected silica gel network. The gel survives only briefly.

Once the injected carbon dioxide fully mineralizes several hours later, standard hydration resumes. Calcium hydroxide forms and immediately reacts with the silica network. That reaction produces calcium silicate hydrate, or C-S-H, the compound responsible for cement’s binding strength.

Unlike conventional cement, however, this new C-S-H develops throughout the material rather than clustering around cement particles. “At first, the fleeting nature of the silica gel looked like a fluke in the Raman data,” graduate student Marcin Hajduczek said.

“But it quickly became clear that its sudden disappearance was a consistent, undeniable feature of every CO2-injected sample.” Stronger concrete, new possibilities

The altered pathway leaves behind a more uniform internal structure. In tests, cement paste containing carbon dioxide equal to 1 percent of cement weight achieved an average of 13 percent higher compressive strength after 24 hours than reference samples.

The findings also challenge previous assumptions. Researchers found calcium carbonate particles acted more like spectators than drivers of strength development. “We’ve been injecting CO2 into cement products for years without fully understanding what it was doing inside,” Masic said.

“Now that we understand the mechanism behind the improved performance, we can start to control it.” The researchers caution that dosage remains critical. Excessive carbon dioxide can lock away too much calcium and disrupt beneficial reactions. Even so, the work offers engineers a roadmap for designing stronger, lower-carbon cement products for future infrastructure projects.

The study is published in the Journal of the American Ceramic Society.

Autonomous aircraft are increasingly drawing attention as the U.S. military looks for new ways to sustain operations in contested and hard-to-reach environments. Pyka’s latest demonstration suggests those efforts may be moving beyond theory and closer to operational reality.

The California-based company has introduced a precision airdrop capability for its DropShip autonomous aircraft, enabling it to deliver critical supplies without a pilot onboard. Pyka says the system could help U.S. and allied forces move mission-essential cargo across long distances when traditional supply routes become disrupted or unavailable.

The demonstration reflects a broader shift in military logistics planning. Defense leaders have warned that future conflicts may challenge access to established transportation networks, creating demand for flexible and autonomous alternatives.

During a recent test flight, DropShip released multiple 200-pound payloads from an altitude of 300 feet. The cargo landed within roughly 50 feet of the intended target area, according to the company.

Built for denied environments

DropShip was designed as a heavy-lift autonomous platform capable of operating where conventional logistics networks cannot. The hybrid-powered aircraft has a maximum takeoff weight of 1,600 pounds and can carry up to 650 pounds of usable payload. It requires only 550 feet of runway to launch with a full payload.

Pyka says the aircraft can support same-day delivery missions across a 2,000-mile operational radius. It offers a ferry range of up to 3,500 miles and can travel more than 1,000 miles while transporting 500 pounds of cargo. The aircraft cruises at 75 knots and can sprint at 90 knots. It can also operate at service ceilings of up to 20,000 feet mean sea level.

Rapid development pace

The precision airdrop test represents another milestone in what has been a compressed development schedule. Pyka said DropShip completed its maiden flight just six months after the program launched. The aircraft progressed from first flight to autonomous precision airdrop capability within eight months.

The company credited that pace to the core technology stack already powering its commercial aircraft. Engineers adapted existing autonomous systems to speed development and testing.

Expanding mission options

Pyka believes the aircraft could play a role in a variety of missions beyond cargo transport. “Until now, there hasn’t been a safe, economical, or practical way to autonomously deliver critical supplies directly to a specific location hundreds or even thousands of miles away,” Michael Norcia, Pyka’s CEO and co-founder, said.

Norcia said operators could use the aircraft to transport fuel, water, medical supplies, repair parts, and other mission-essential cargo exactly where it is needed. He added that the capability could change logistics operations in remote regions, disaster zones, and contested environments where access remains limited.

Beyond cargo delivery, DropShip can support intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, communications support, and expeditionary power applications. The aircraft also features a reconfigurable mission computer designed to accommodate evolving operational needs.

Pyka plans to continue expanding the aircraft’s flight envelope ahead of customer evaluations and operational exercises with the U.S. government later this year.

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Oklo has moved one step closer to bringing its first advanced reactor online after securing another key federal approval. The milestone advances the company’s efforts to demonstrate that next-generation nuclear plants can move from concept to deployment under existing government oversight.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho Operations Office has approved the Preliminary Documented Safety Analysis for Oklo’s Aurora powerhouse at Idaho National Laboratory. The decision pushes the project further through the Department of Energy’s Reactor Pilot Program, which aims to accelerate advanced reactor deployment while maintaining rigorous safety reviews.

For Oklo, the approval represents more than a regulatory checkpoint. It also provides momentum for a technology that supporters believe could strengthen America’s future energy mix and domestic industrial capacity.

Building toward deployment

The approved safety analysis establishes Aurora-INL’s preliminary safety basis. It evaluates potential hazards, accident scenarios, safety controls, and major design commitments that will guide the project through its next stages.

“This approval represents an important milestone for Aurora-INL and helps establish a foundation for future Aurora deployments,” said Jacob DeWitte, Oklo’s co-founder and chief executive officer. He added that the Idaho project is demonstrating how advanced reactors can progress through real-world safety reviews, construction activities, and eventually commercial licensing.

Aurora-INL will be the first of Oklo’s planned fast fission power plants. The project has steadily advanced since 2019, when the company received a site-use permit at Idaho National Laboratory and later secured access to recovered fuel from the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II through a competitive DOE process.

Oklo also received approval to begin site characterization work at the Idaho site in November 2024. Those activities helped prepare the groundwork for future construction and deployment efforts.

Reactor with historic roots

Aurora differs from traditional nuclear plants through its fast neutron reactor design and compact architecture. The system uses heat pipes to move heat away from the reactor core and into a supercritical carbon dioxide power conversion system that generates electricity.

The reactor builds on operating experience from the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II, which operated in Idaho between 1964 and 1994. Oklo says Aurora uses metallic fuel to provide both electricity and usable heat while offering greater operational flexibility.

The design can operate using either fresh high-assay low-enriched uranium, known as HALEU, or recycled fuel derived from used nuclear material. That capability has attracted attention as the United States seeks reliable, carbon-free energy sources to support growing electricity demand.

Expanding fuel strategy

Aurora’s progress comes as Oklo works to secure multiple fuel pathways for future reactor deployments. The company is developing the Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility in Idaho, where it plans to produce the initial fuel assemblies for Aurora-INL using material recovered from EBR-II.

The Department of Energy approved the facility’s preliminary safety analysis in late 2025. That decision made A3F the first project authorized under the agency’s Fuel Line Pilot Program.

Oklo also entered advanced negotiations last month under the Department of Energy’s Surplus Plutonium Utilization Program. The initiative aims to make designated surplus plutonium available for conversion into reactor fuel under strict security and safeguards requirements.

Europe’s effort to strengthen control over its semiconductor supply chain has reached a significant milestone. GlobalFoundries and Dutch chip designer Qualinx have completed what they describe as the continent’s first fully European end-to-end semiconductor manufacturing flow.

The achievement shows that security-sensitive chips can move from design to fabrication entirely within Europe. The approach targets applications where supply chain control carries strategic importance, including aerospace, defense, and critical infrastructure.

Qualinx served as the first customer to validate the manufacturing process using one of its advanced satellite navigation chips designed for secure timing and positioning applications.

Securing the supply chain

The project centers on Qualinx’s QLX3xx Global Navigation Satellite System system-on-chip, developed for Positioning, Navigation and Timing applications. These technologies support systems that require precise synchronization and resilient navigation capabilities.

Potential uses include military platforms, critical communications networks, and ultra-low-power connected devices operating at the edge. The chip was manufactured using GlobalFoundries’ FDX platform at the company’s Dresden facility in Germany.

Under the manufacturing framework, sensitive design files and production materials remain within European borders throughout the process. The initiative also receives support through the European Chips Act, which seeks to strengthen the region’s semiconductor capabilities and reduce reliance on overseas suppliers.

“We are demonstrating that Europe can rely on a secure, end-to-end semiconductor manufacturing flow that meets the highest requirements of aerospace and defense,” said Dr. Manfred Horstmann, senior vice president and general manager at GlobalFoundries.

He added that the Qualinx project proves complex, security-focused chip designs can already enter production through a trusted European manufacturing route.

Sovereign production roadmap

GlobalFoundries plans to expand the capability over the next several years. The Qualinx tape-out represents the first operational step toward a fully automated sovereign manufacturing process.

The company expects to complete that transition in Dresden by the end of 2026. Beginning in 2027, aerospace, defense and critical infrastructure customers could access the manufacturing flow through standard foundry engagements.

GlobalFoundries also plans to incorporate additional European partners into the ecosystem, including intellectual property providers, mask houses, and outsourced semiconductor assembly and test companies.

According to the company, several European system manufacturers and infrastructure operators have already begun evaluating future products for the trusted manufacturing path. The successful Qualinx project could help lower both technical and regulatory barriers for follow-on programs.

Building trusted infrastructure

The effort extends beyond wafer fabrication and chip production. GlobalFoundries is also working with European telecommunications and cloud providers to keep production data within the region.

In a separate initiative with Deutsche Telekom, the company is examining how manufacturing information can travel through European networks and reside in European data centers. The work covers encryption practices, secure data routing, and access controls for highly sensitive workloads.

For Qualinx, the project validates both its technology and the broader concept of sovereign semiconductor production.

“This first secure product demonstrates that a fully European manufacturing path is already a reality today,” said Tom Trill, chief executive officer of Qualinx.

He said the collaboration optimized the company’s Digital RF technology on GlobalFoundries’ FDX platform while preserving control over intellectual property, data, and the supply chain.

As governments around the world seek greater control over strategic technologies, Europe’s latest semiconductor milestone suggests trusted regional manufacturing is evolving beyond policy ambitions. It is increasingly becoming an industrial reality.

America’s first commercial-scale plant producing jet fuel from captured carbon dioxide and renewable electricity has begun operations in Washington state, marking a major milestone for a technology that could reshape how aviation fuel is made.

Twelve, a California-based industrial technology company, opened AirPlant One in Moses Lake, Washington. The facility produces E-Jet fuel, a synthetic sustainable aviation fuel created through a power-to-liquid process that combines captured CO2, water and renewable electricity.

The launch moves power-to-liquid technology beyond pilot programs and laboratory testing. It also establishes a new model for domestic fuel production that does not depend on crude oil extraction. In addition to aviation fuel, the plant manufactures E-Naphtha, a chemical feedstock used to make thousands of everyday products.

Turning air into fuel

At the heart of AirPlant One is an electrolyzer-based system that transforms captured carbon dioxide and water into liquid hydrocarbons. Renewable electricity powers the process, enabling the plant to produce synthetic jet fuel that is chemically identical to its fossil-derived counterpart.

The resulting E-Jet fuel meets ASTM certification standards for commercial aviation use. Airlines can use it as a drop-in fuel without modifying aircraft engines, airport fueling equipment, or existing infrastructure. That compatibility removes one of the biggest barriers facing alternative aviation fuels.

The facility has already begun producing on-specification fuel for commercial use. The achievement moves power-to-liquid technology into real-world operations and demonstrates that synthetic aviation fuel can be manufactured at commercial scale.

“We broke ground on AirPlant One with a simple thesis: that the fuels powering the global economy could be made from renewable electricity and air,” said Nicholas Flanders, co-founder and chief executive officer of Twelve. “Today, that thesis is operational.”

The technology also differs from many sustainable aviation fuel pathways currently under development. Most existing SAF production relies on biological feedstocks such as used cooking oil, agricultural waste, and other organic materials.

Those resources face limitations tied to land availability and supply. Power-to-liquid production instead uses captured carbon dioxide and renewable electricity, inputs that supporters argue offer greater scalability and flexibility.

Beyond aviation fuel

AirPlant One also produces E-Naphtha, a synthetic alternative to petroleum-derived naphtha. The material serves as a building block for thousands of products, including plastics, packaging materials, solvents, and synthetic fibers.

Because E-Naphtha is chemically identical to conventional naphtha, manufacturers can integrate it into existing production systems without redesigning equipment or processes. Twelve has previously demonstrated its use in applications ranging from automotive components to consumer products.

The addition of E-Naphtha production broadens the plant’s role beyond aviation. It highlights how carbon utilization technologies could support both transportation and industrial manufacturing sectors.

Rewriting fuel economics

The launch of AirPlant One introduces a different model for fuel production. Traditional jet fuel prices often fluctuate alongside crude oil markets and geopolitical disruptions.

Electricity-based manufacturing could offer greater cost stability through long-term power agreements. Twelve says its E-Jet fuel can cut lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 90 percent compared with conventional jet fuel.

The company also says the process requires less land than many biofuel pathways while strengthening domestic supply chains. For an aviation industry searching for practical ways to reduce emissions, AirPlant One represents more than just another demonstration project.

The Moses Lake facility shows that commercial-scale production of synthetic jet fuel from air and renewable electricity is no longer theoretical. It is operating today, producing certified fuel designed for use in existing aircraft and infrastructure while offering a new path for domestic fuel manufacturing.

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.

Rising drone threat

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.

Why the H145M?

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.

Europe’s defense experiment

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.

A massive magnet that crossed the Atlantic Ocean has brought one of America’s most ambitious fusion projects a step closer to reality. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory recently received the central magnet bundle for its upgraded spherical tokamak, a compact fusion system designed to test technologies that could shape future power plants.

The delivery marks a critical milestone for the machine’s return to operation. Engineers now enter the final stages of assembly before experiments resume in 2027.

Manufactured by Spain-based Elytt Energy, the component traveled from Bilbao to New Jersey aboard a cargo aircraft before making its final trip by flatbed truck to Princeton. Weighing 23,000 pounds and stretching roughly 20 feet long, the bundle ranks among the most important pieces of the fusion device.

Dave Micheletti, associate laboratory director for engineering and project director, called the arrival “a truly momentous occasion.” He said the team will now focus on completing assembly and preparing the system for scientific use.

Magnetic core

The central bundle combines two critical magnet systems into a single structure. The toroidal field magnets generate the primary magnetic fields that confine the plasma. Meanwhile, the ohmic-heating system drives electrical current through the plasma to raise temperatures and support confinement.

Building the assembly required a complex manufacturing process. Technicians joined 36 copper conductors, each measuring 19 feet long, using fiberglass tape, resin, and vacuum-pressure impregnation techniques.

Engineers then wrapped additional copper coils around the structure to create the ohmic-heating system. They sealed the completed assembly with insulating resin to withstand demanding operating conditions.

Once installed, the magnets will create two magnetic field configurations inside the apple-shaped vacuum vessel. Together, they stabilize and heat the plasma needed for fusion experiments.

Testing future reactors

Researchers believe spherical tokamaks could offer advantages over conventional designs. Their compact shape may improve efficiency while reducing construction and replication costs. The upgraded system will help scientists evaluate whether the approach can support future commercial fusion plants.

The machine also supports broader national goals. Researchers plan to gather operational data that could train artificial intelligence tools capable of improving fusion performance and control strategies.

Jonathan Menard, the laboratory’s deputy director for research, said the facility will provide new opportunities for scientists and engineers entering the field. He encouraged researchers worldwide to use the platform to advance fusion science.

Final assembly begins

Engineers have already positioned the magnet bundle near the fusion device using heavy-duty cranes. Over the coming months, teams will rotate the structure upright and prepare it for installation. Workers will lower protective shielding around the assembly before placing it inside the machine’s interior.

Technicians must still connect dozens of flexbus components, cooling lines, and internal systems. They will also complete bakeout procedures and commissioning tests to verify that all systems operate together safely.

Steven Cowley, the laboratory’s director, said the upgraded machine possesses capabilities unavailable elsewhere. He noted that the project could play an important role in determining the future direction of commercial fusion research.

If the remaining work proceeds as planned, the upgraded facility could begin experiments in 2027, giving American researchers a powerful new platform to explore the promise of fusion energy.

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Metal additive manufacturing continues to expand beyond aerospace prototypes and into production-focused energy systems. That shift gained momentum this week as Velo3D and gas turbine developer Aurelia Technologies unveiled a partnership aimed at bringing 3D printing deeper into next-generation turbine development.

The companies plan to evaluate, qualify, and eventually manufacture turbine components using additive techniques. Their goal extends beyond experimentation. They want to simplify designs, shorten development cycles, and build a more resilient supply chain for future turbine programs.

The collaboration reflects a broader trend across U.S. manufacturing. Engineers increasingly use additive manufacturing to solve practical production challenges rather than showcase technological novelty. Faster iteration, fewer components, and lower inventory exposure now drive many adoption decisions.

Designing out complexity

Aurelia develops small-scale gas turbines designed to operate efficiently while accommodating multiple fuel types. As its turbine platforms evolve, the company sees additive manufacturing as a way to remove unnecessary complexity from critical assemblies.

Instead of assembling numerous individual pieces, engineers can consolidate multiple components into a single printed part. That approach reduces fasteners, minimizes interfaces, and lowers the risk associated with tolerance stack-ups.

The result could improve durability in demanding environments where turbines face extreme temperatures and mechanical stress.

“Additive manufacturing allows us to simplify designs, reduce failure points, and move faster,” said Karol Hricisak, director of technology at Aurelia Technologies. He added that the company remains grounded in established turbomachinery principles and proven materials science.

Reducing part counts also supports maintenance objectives. Fewer connections can translate into fewer potential failure points throughout a turbine’s operating life.

Testing to production

The partnership will unfold through several phases. Early efforts will focus on determining which turbine components benefit most from additive production.

The companies also plan to assess suitable alloys and refine manufacturing processes before advancing toward qualification activities. The long-term objective involves low-rate initial production using Velo3D’s Sapphire XC metal additive manufacturing platform.

Engineers will examine whether additive methods can improve manufacturability while reducing lead times for complex parts.

Unlike conventional production methods, additive manufacturing can accommodate geometry changes without extensive tooling modifications. Design updates that traditionally require months could move into production within weeks.

Strengthening domestic supply chains

The initiative also addresses supply chain concerns that continue to affect advanced manufacturing sectors across the United States.

Traditional turbine production often depends on long-lead forgings, specialized tooling, and significant inventory commitments. Additive manufacturing offers an alternative path that can reduce those dependencies.

By producing components closer to demand, manufacturers can respond more quickly to engineering changes and shifting market requirements.

Velo3D said Aurelia selected the company because of its experience in metal additive manufacturing and its structured approach to qualification and production scaling.

“Advanced energy systems are pushing the limits of traditional manufacturing,” said Michelle Sidwell, Velo3D’s chief revenue officer. She said additive manufacturing delivers the greatest value when engineers incorporate it early in the design process.

As the initial work progresses, both companies will evaluate additional applications and opportunities to expand the collaboration. The effort highlights how additive manufacturing increasingly serves as a practical engineering tool for next-generation energy and propulsion systems.

Otto Aerospace has cleared a major regulatory hurdle as it pushes its unconventional Phantom 3500 business jet closer to certification. The milestone gives the Texas aircraft maker a defined path forward as it develops one of the industry’s most closely watched clean-sheet aircraft programs.

The Federal Aviation Administration has finalized the Phantom 3500’s G-1 Issue Paper, establishing the aircraft’s certification basis under 14 CFR Part 23. The move allows Otto to transition from defining requirements to proving that its ambitious design can meet them. The company continues to target first flight in 2027 and entry into service by 2030.

Defining the path ahead

Otto became an FAA applicant for type certification in September 2025 and chose to pursue approval under Part 23. The company sought to take advantage of efficiencies introduced through Amendment 23-64, which streamlined parts of the certification process.

Closing the G-1 Issue Paper defines the airworthiness standards the Phantom 3500 must satisfy before entering service. Otto is also working with the FAA’s East Certification Branch to complete the G-2 Issue Paper, which outlines how compliance will be demonstrated throughout the certification campaign.

Scott Drennan, president and chief executive officer of Otto Aerospace, called the milestone a significant moment for the program. He said the agreement with regulators provides clarity on what the company must demonstrate and gives the team momentum as it moves toward first flight.

Otto recently completed its Preliminary Design Review and has started advanced material testing to support the next stages of development.

Rethinking jet efficiency

The Phantom 3500 has drawn industry attention because of its unconventional approach to aircraft design. Otto’s strategy centers on transonic laminar flow technology, which aims to keep airflow smooth across the aircraft’s surface and reduce the turbulence that creates drag.

The company recently completed an unmanned flight-test campaign in New Mexico to validate the aerodynamic principles behind the concept. Those same principles also explain the Phantom 3500’s windowless cabin design.

Traditional passenger windows interrupt airflow and make it harder to maintain laminar flow along the fuselage. Otto instead plans to use digital displays connected to external cameras, creating a cleaner exterior profile.

The company says combining laminar-flow aerodynamics with carbon-fiber composites could reduce fuel consumption by 61% compared with today’s super-midsize business jets. Otto also claims the design could deliver 35% less drag and a striking 90% reduction in emissions.

Toward first flight

Otto plans to conduct flight testing from Cecil Airport in Jacksonville, Florida, where the company has established its new operational base. Engineers continue advancing certification work while preparing for the first flight of the Phantom 3500’s test vehicle in 2027.

Kerri Hinton, Otto’s director of test and certification, said safety remains central to the program as the company works alongside regulators to move the aircraft through the approval process.

The Phantom 3500 also enters its next phase with substantial commercial backing. Flexjet has committed to purchasing 300 aircraft in a deal worth more than $5 billion, marking one of the largest orders in business aviation history.

For Otto Aerospace, regulatory progress now shifts the focus to execution. The company must prove that its bold engineering ideas can perform in real-world conditions and redefine expectations for business jet travel.

Anthropic has opened the doors to its most advanced AI system yet, but not without placing guardrails around its most sensitive capabilities.

The company on Tuesday unveiled Claude Fable 5, the first publicly accessible version of its Mythos-class AI model. Anthropic says the model outperforms every generally available system it has released to date, delivering major gains in software development, analytical work, visual understanding, and scientific reasoning.

The launch marks a significant shift for the AI firm. Until now, Mythos-level capabilities remained restricted to a small group of trusted organizations because of concerns that the technology could aid cyberattacks and other harmful activities. Fable 5 changes that equation by bringing those capabilities to a broader audience while routing certain high-risk requests through a less permissive model.

Safety before scale

Anthropic said Fable 5 includes a new layer of AI-powered classifiers designed to detect potentially dangerous prompts and jailbreak attempts. The company stress-tested those safeguards before releasing the model to the public.

If users submit requests involving cybersecurity, biology, chemistry, or model distillation, the system automatically redirects those interactions to Claude Opus 4.8 instead of Fable 5. Users receive a notification whenever that fallback occurs, allowing them to understand why the switch happened.

Introducing Claude Fable 5: a Mythos-class model that we’ve made safe for general use.

Its capabilities exceed those of any model we’ve ever made generally available. pic.twitter.com/2AvmEjHIX8

— Claude (@claudeai) June 9, 2026

The company acknowledged that the safeguards may occasionally block harmless requests. However, Anthropic said early testing showed that fewer than 5% of sessions triggered a fallback response. “We’ve deliberately tuned the safeguards to be cautious,” the company said, adding that it plans to refine the system over time to reduce unnecessary interventions.

Built for demanding work

Anthropic argues that Fable 5 delivers its biggest advantages when tackling lengthy and complex assignments. The company says the model can stay focused across extended workflows while maintaining consistency over large amounts of context.

During early evaluations, payments company Stripe reported that the model completed a large-scale migration across a 50-million-line Ruby codebase in roughly one day. According to Anthropic, the same task would have otherwise occupied an engineering team for more than two months.

The company also highlighted gains in financial analysis. On Hebbia’s finance benchmark, Fable 5 posted the strongest results among leading models. Trading firm IMC found that the system performed well across factual analysis, reasoning tasks, root-cause investigations, and expected-value calculations.

Fable 5 also advanced Anthropic’s vision capabilities. The model can extract detailed information from scientific figures and reconstruct web applications from screenshots. In another demonstration, it completed Pokémon FireRed using a minimal vision-only setup after earlier Claude models struggled with the challenge.

Mythos stays restricted

Alongside Fable 5, Anthropic introduced Claude Mythos 5, a version of the same underlying model with fewer restrictions in select areas. Anthropic says the model offers the strongest cybersecurity capabilities it has developed so far.

Access to Mythos 5 remains limited. The company is deploying it through Project Glasswing while expanding availability to approved cyber defenders and organizations responsible for critical infrastructure. Anthropic said it intends to broaden access further through a trusted program in the future.

Fable 5 is available through Anthropic’s Claude API and consumption-based Enterprise offerings. Through June 22, Pro, Max, Team, and seat-based Enterprise subscribers can access the model at no additional cost. After that date, Anthropic plans to move users to a credit-based system before eventually restoring broader subscription access.

As competition intensifies across the AI industry, Anthropic is betting that powerful models do not have to arrive without safeguards. With Fable 5, the company is testing whether frontier capabilities and tighter controls can coexist in the hands of everyday users.

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