A new study has supported the concept of physically and operationally integrating a molten salt reactor (MSR) into a large vehicle carrier ship. Lloyd’s Register (LR) is working with Hyundai Heavy Industries, Korea Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering (KSOE), and others to explore an advanced small modular reactor (SMR) installation on a pure car and truck carrier (PCTC). 

The latest work examined the internal arrangement and segregation of the reactor system, shielding requirements, and the impact on cargo deck layout and vehicle capacity, alongside stability and trim implications linked to the reactor’s weight and positioning. 

Nuclear propulsion at early stage of development

“While nuclear propulsion is still at an early stage of development, this project shows the importance of building technical understanding now to support future progress,” said Sung-Gu Park, President – North East Asia, Lloyd’s Register.

“Establishing feasibility at concept stage is a valuable step forward, particularly in areas such as cargo optimization, vessel stability and integrated safety design.”

The partners also assessed propulsion system configuration and power delivery, as well as operational flexibility compared with conventionally fueled PCTCs, where trade routes and port calls can be tightly constrained.

SMR-powered ships

“With global environmental regulations becoming increasingly stringent and no definitive net-zero fuel yet available, SMR-powered ships can serve as a highly effective alternative, representing a pioneering next-generation maritime technology capable of complying with GHG emission regulations while allowing lifetime operation without refueling, and HD HHI will remain at the forefront of sustainable maritime technology development,” said Hong-Ryeul Ryu, CTO and Senior Executive Vice President at HD HHI.

It’s also revealed that a key focus of the project has been safety. LR led hazard identification (HAZID) and preliminary risk assessment work, focusing on containment, onboard safety systems and potential operability constraints tied to nuclear technology at sea. 

Technical feasibility of nuclear-assisted propulsion

Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) also considers the latest study a meaningful achievement in assessing the potential application of SMRs in the maritime sector, taking actual ship operating environments into account. The study is particularly significant because it examined the technical feasibility of applying an MSR type marine SMR to a specific target vessel, namely a PCTC, according to KAERI.

NUBURU Inc., a developer of advanced blue-laser technologies and defense-focused photonics solutions, has announced a significant step forward in underwater energy transmission through a new collaboration with Italian technology company SunCubes.

The initiative will see NUBURU, through its subsidiary Lyocon S.r.l., design specialized blue-laser technology for integration into SunCubes’ DEEP LIGHT underwater wireless power platform.

Underwater laser-based power transmission system

The project represents the first concrete application emerging from a recently signed agreement between NUBURU and SunCubes. It aims to develop an underwater laser-based power transmission system capable of delivering energy wirelessly to autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and other subsea systems, potentially transforming the way underwater assets are powered and operated.

The DEEP LIGHT platform is designed around a high-power laser transmitter and receiver architecture that enables contactless energy transfer underwater. Unlike traditional underwater charging methods that require physical docking or cable connections, the system seeks to transmit power over distances of several tens of meters using laser beams operating in the blue-green optical spectrum.

This wavelength range is particularly important because blue and blue-green light experiences lower attenuation in water than many other wavelengths, allowing energy and data to travel more efficiently through underwater environments. By leveraging NUBURU’s expertise in blue-laser technology, the collaboration aims to improve the efficiency, reliability, and scalability of underwater wireless power systems.

Blue-laser technology

Lyocon, acquired by NUBURU earlier this year, will serve as the laser-source design and integration partner for the project. The company brings established expertise in laser manufacturing, photonics engineering, and systems integration, positioning it as a key contributor to the development of the DEEP LIGHT platform.

Under the planned arrangement, Lyocon is expected to design and potentially supply the blue-laser technology layer required for the platform. Its responsibilities may include laser-source development, optical integration, system validation, and support for future industrial-scale deployment.

The collaboration highlights growing interest in underwater autonomy, subsea infrastructure protection, maritime security, and offshore energy applications. As governments and commercial operators increasingly deploy autonomous underwater systems, the need for reliable long-range power delivery and recharging solutions continues to grow.

NUBURU believes the partnership could open access to a multi-billion-dollar addressable market spanning autonomous underwater vehicles, subsea sensors, offshore inspection systems, underwater communications networks, and critical maritime infrastructure. The company also views underwater laser power transmission as a strategic extension of its broader defense and security technology portfolio.

The DEEP LIGHT project has received recognition within Italy’s underwater technology ecosystem and was presented during activities associated with the National Underwater Dimension Hub (PNS), supported by the Italian Navy. SunCubes has also attracted investment support from entities linked to CDP Venture Capital, reinforcing the project’s strategic relevance within Italy’s national innovation framework.

While the collaboration remains subject to definitive agreements, regulatory approvals, and technical validation, it marks an important milestone in the development of next-generation underwater energy systems. If successful, the integration of NUBURU’s blue-laser technology into the DEEP LIGHT platform could pave the way for longer-duration underwater missions, reduced operational constraints, and new capabilities across defense, research, and commercial maritime sectors.

As underwater autonomy and subsea infrastructure become increasingly critical to national security and industrial operations, the NUBURU–SunCubes partnership demonstrates how advanced photonics technologies may help redefine the future of underwater power transmission.

An aerospace and technology company recently conducted maiden piloted flight of its full scale prototype aircraft. Vertical Aerospace’s full-scale prototype is expected to accelerate flight testing, support piloted demonstrations and advance Vertical’s hybrid-electric aircraft programme.

The latest prototype will progress through all phases of piloted flight testing, including thrustborne, wingborne and transition flight.

The company also revealed that this is the final prototype before Critical Design Review (CDR), which will establish the certifiable aircraft design and pave the way for assembly of Vertical’s first pre-production aircraft.

New prototype is final aircraft to join Vertical’s flight test fleet

The new prototype is the final aircraft to join Vertical’s flight test fleet before the Company completes Critical Design Review (CDR), a major programme milestone that establishes the design baseline for certification. Following CDR, Vertical will begin preparations for assembly of its first pre-production aircraft as it continues toward certification and commercial service.

“Getting our latest prototype into flight testing is an important milestone because it allows us to learn faster in real world conditions and keep building momentum towards certification,” said Stuart Simpson, CEO of Vertical Aerospace.

“Expanding the flight test fleet will help us validate the aircraft more quickly, reduce risk, and move more efficiently towards bringing Valo into service.”

Latest aircraft doubles Vertical’s flight testing capacity

The company revealed that the latest aircraft doubles Vertical’s flight testing capacity and supports additional public demonstrations this year. Following the completion of all flight test phases – thrustborne, wingborne and transition flight – in its all-electric configuration, Vertical intends to retrofit this prototype for hybrid-electric flight testing.

The hybrid-electric variant is expected to support applications demanding greater range and payload capability across defense, logistics, and wider commercial sectors, according to a press release.

The prototype shares the same configuration as Vertical’s current full-scale aircraft, which has already completed all flight test phases. Vertical’s flight test programme is built around full-scale, piloted prototype aircraft with architecture, systems and flight characteristics closely aligned to the production-standard Valo aircraft, enabling the Company to validate the technologies, systems integration and flight models that will support certification, as per the release.

The new prototype shares the same configuration as Vertical’s existing full-scale aircraft, which has already completed all major flight-test phases. By using full-scale, piloted prototypes that closely resemble the production-standard aircraft, the company aims to validate key technologies, systems integration, and flight models required for regulatory certification.

The latest demonstration marks a significant step toward certification and commercial deployment of the company’s next-generation electric air taxi, Valo.

The Bristol-based company has secured approximately 1,500 pre-orders for the Valo aircraft from customers across four continents. Its customer base includes major aviation and leasing companies such as American Airlines, Avolon, Bristow Group, GOL, and Japan Airlines.

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.

Counter-drone systems can be quickly assembled

“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.

High-volume production of VAMPIRE systems

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.

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.

High degree of automation

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.

MK4 version consistently meets NATO standards

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.

Energy of the impact creates a flash

“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.

Laser-based triggering system

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.

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.

Initiative to advance energy dominance agenda

“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.

Detection of adversary nuclear programs and 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.

Researchers have developed a transistor technology that enables a single semiconductor device to perform multiple circuit functions simultaneously.

Developed by the Pohang University of Science and Technology, the new approach significantly simplifies circuit design and increases data processing speed by fourfold compared with conventional methods. As the number of functions increases, so do the number of circuits and transistors required.

Implementing complex circuit functions

Researchers also revealed that one of the key challenges in the semiconductor industry is integrating more functions into smaller chips. As the number of functions increases, so do the number of circuits and transistors required. However, when adding new functions to previously fabricated semiconductor chips, back-end-of-line (BEOL), processing must be conducted at temperatures below 400°C to protect the existing chip structure.

“This study demonstrates the possibility of implementing complex circuit functions at the level of a single device,” said Professor Byoung Hun Lee.

“We expect this technology to be widely applicable to the development of ultra-compact AI devices and three-dimensional integrated, highly-density semiconductor systems.”

The research team focused on zinc oxide(ZnO) and tellurium(Te). Both materials can be fabricated as thin, uniform films at temperatures below 200°C, making them promising candidates for next-generation semiconductor materials. By combining the two, the team created a ZnO–Te heterojunction transistor, according to a press release.

Team successfully realized double negative differential transconductance

The device controls current flow in a highly distinctive way. Unlike conventional semiconductors, in which current generally increases as voltage rises, this device exhibits negative differential transconductance(NDT), in which current decreases over a certain voltage range. The team successfully realized double negative differential transconductance(D-NDT), in which this phenomenon occurs twice in succession within a single device. In simple terms, the technology allows a single device to handle tasks that would normally be divided among multiple devices, thereby reducing circuit complexity, as per the release.

The multi-functional ZnO–Te heterojunction device exhibiting double negative differential transconductance (D-NDT) characteristics is presented, according to the study published in Advanced Functional Materials. The results suggest that the ZnO–Te D-NDT device offers a promising pathway for realizing area-efficient and multi-functional integrated circuits for future electronics.

Using this device, the team implemented a frequency quadrupler that converts one input signal into four output signals. This function would typically require multiple transistors, but the new technology achieves it with a single device, reducing the number of required transistors by 75%. In actual circuit experiments, the researchers also confirmed that data processing speed increased fourfold within a single input signal cycle.

The device controls current flow in a highly distinctive way. Unlike conventional semiconductors, in which current generally increases as voltage rises, this device exhibits negative differential transconductance(NDT), in which current decreases over a certain voltage range. The team successfully realized double negative differential transconductance(D-NDT), in which this phenomenon occurs twice in succession within a single device. In simple terms, the technology allows a single device to handle tasks that would normally be divided among multiple devices, thereby reducing circuit complexity.

A Texas-based firm has filed patent for its next-generation self-lubricating aerospace composite. Carbon Fiber Max GX-F delivers exceptional strength, durability, wear resistance, and manufacturability for demanding aviation, aerospace, defense, and industrial applications.

The material expands the company’s intellectual property portfolio and establishes the foundation for a new family of advanced materials designed to bridge the gap between traditional engineering plastics and conventional carbon fiber composites.

Proprietary architecture utilizes carbon nanotubes

Developed by Carbon Fiber Max, the GX-F incorporates a proprietary architecture utilizing carbon nanotubes, tungsten disulfide nanotubes, graphene nanoplatelets, and advanced thermoplastic matrices to create lightweight, high-performance composite systems that can be injection molded into complex geometries while maintaining exceptional mechanical and tribological properties.

“The filing of this provisional patent represents a major milestone for Carbon Fiber Max and our long-term vision of redefining what advanced materials can achieve,” said Milton Arch, CEO of Carbon Fiber Max.

“GX-F is more than a new formulation. It is a platform technology designed to unlock opportunities across aerospace, defense, electric aircraft, robotics, advanced mobility, and next-generation manufacturing.”

Designed with scalability and manufacturability

The company also revealed that unlike many traditional composite materials that require labor-intensive manufacturing processes, Carbon Fiber Max GX-F has been designed with scalability and manufacturability in mind, allowing for efficient production of components across multiple industries.

It’s also claimed that the GX-F has the potential to address longstanding challenges associated with traditional composite materials, including wear, friction, manufacturability, complexity, and lifecycle durability.

As global demand increases for lighter, stronger, and more efficient materials, Carbon Fiber Max believes GX-F positions the company to pursue opportunities with aircraft manufacturers, defense contractors, advanced mobility developers, robotics companies, and industrial OEMs seeking alternatives to conventional composites, according to a press release.

The filing also opens the door to future licensing opportunities, strategic partnerships, joint development programs, and industry-specific formulations tailored to the requirements of aerospace, defense, transportation, and advanced manufacturing markets, as per the release.

A defining feature of the GX-F platform is its nanoengineered design philosophy. By incorporating advanced nanoscale reinforcement technologies into the composite structure, Carbon Fiber Max aims to improve mechanical strength, thermal resistance, and long-term durability.

The new composite platform may also find applications in hypersonic systems, advanced drones, military aircraft, and space-related technologies where lightweight, high-performance materials play a decisive role in mission success. The patent filing underscores Carbon Fiber Max’s ambition to position itself as a key supplier of advanced composite solutions for both commercial and defense markets.

The provisional patent filing marks another step in Carbon Fiber Max’s broader intellectual property strategy. Securing patent protection allows the company to safeguard its innovations while continuing development and commercialization efforts.

A defining feature of the GX-F platform is its nanoengineered design philosophy. By incorporating advanced nanoscale reinforcement technologies into the composite structure, Carbon Fiber Max aims to improve mechanical strength, thermal resistance, and long-term durability.

The new composite platform may also find applications in hypersonic systems, advanced drones, military aircraft, and space-related technologies where lightweight, high-performance materials play a decisive role in mission success. The patent filing underscores Carbon Fiber Max’s ambition to position itself as a key supplier of advanced composite solutions for both commercial and defense markets.

The provisional patent filing marks another step in Carbon Fiber Max’s broader intellectual property strategy. Securing patent protection allows the company to safeguard its innovations while continuing development and commercialization efforts.

A French fighter jet has successfully conducted the second development firing of MICA NG air-to-air missile. The New Generation Missile for Interception, Combat, and Self-Defence (MICA NG) was fired from Rafale.

Conducted for the first time in supersonic flight configuration, this firing took place at the DGA Missile Testing Centre’s Mediterranean site.

The test is a major step towards the missile’s qualification and  integration with the Rafale since the first development shot from a Rafale which took place in June 2025.

Firing was made under highly demanding operational conditions

The test was conducted in collaboration with the teams of MBDA, DGA, Dassault Aviation, and the French Air and Space Force.

This firing was made under highly demanding operational conditions. It successfully evaluated the performance of the MICA NG’s infrared seeker in a supersonic flight context, thereby validating its capabilities to handle all types of current and future threats, according to MBDA.

It’s also revealed that the firing successfully validated the full deployment chain of the infrared version of the missile, particularly its seeker, even in extremely challenging flight conditions and high temperatures.

Missile uses seeker to automatically correct its trajectory

The seeker is a system used by the missile to automatically correct its trajectory based on the information it receives. In its infrared version, it uses the infrared radiation emitted by the target. In a supersonic flight configuration of the Rafale, at faster than the speed of sound (Mach 1), the MICA NG and its infrared seeker are subjected to a higher ambient temperature, according to MBDA.

The higher this temperature, the lower the contrast between the target of interest and the background of the image, and the more difficult it will be for the seeker to detect it. This test validated the capabilities of the MICA NG’s infrared seeker under these conditions.

MBDA also revealed that the MICA NG is equipped with advanced technologies that enable it to address high performance future threats that will be faster and  more stealthy. This enhances France’s capability to maintain its operational superiority in contested and high-intensity airspaces.

In addition to the usual targets covered by air-to-air missiles (aircraft, helicopters), the MICA NG extends its capabilities to targets characterized by very low infrared and electromagnetic signatures, such as drones, stealth fighters, and highly maneuverable cruise missiles, according to a press release.

MBDA also highlighted that MICA NG will ensure interception, close combat, and self-defence capabilities for fighter aircraft to maintain air superiority, as well as for ships and areas of terrestrial interest in its VL MICA NG version.

With each development milestone, MBDA moves closer to delivering a next-generation air-to-air weapon that combines advanced sensors, extended range, and superior flexibility.

The successful test not only demonstrates the maturity of the MICA NG program but also highlights France’s commitment to maintaining technological superiority in the rapidly evolving domain of aerial warfare.

A Washington-based firm has flown reusable launch system exceeding Mach 4. The rocket-free reusable launch opens path to affordable, repeatable and scalable hypersonic and suborbital missions.

General Hypersonics conducted two launches exceeding Mach 4 from the same reusable launch system, with the second launch occurring approximately 90 minutes after the first.

The company claimed that the achievement sets another ram-accelerated mass-to-velocity milestone and advances the company’s goal of making high-cadence hypersonic and suborbital launch operations affordable and repeatable.

More affordable testing, faster technology development

“What changes the conversation is this: we took a reusable launch system beyond Mach 4 twice before lunch,” said Mark Russell, founder and chief executive officer of General Hypersonics.

“Most launch systems are designed around a single mission. We’re building a system designed to launch again and again. That’s what ultimately enables more affordable testing, faster technology development and a practical path toward responsive access to space.”

General Hypersonics also revealed that the latest demonstration highlights a fundamentally different approach to flight testing: the ability to rapidly reset, reload and relaunch the same reusable system multiple times per day. As government and commercial organizations seek more affordable access to high-speed testing and more responsive paths to space, higher launch cadence has the potential to accelerate technology development, expand testing capacity and reduce costs, according to the company.

Hypersonic test programs rely on complex launch infrastructure

General Hypersonics highlighted that while many high-speed and hypersonic test programs rely on complex launch infrastructure, including carrier aircrafts and rocket boosters, and specialized ranges and extensive mission planning.

The company completed both launches from the same reusable platform in approximately 90 minutes. Both launches were conducted using manual loading procedures, with automated loading systems currently under development to further improve turnaround times and increase launch cadence, according to a press release.

It’s also revealed that the Mach 4 (about 3,100 mph) is more than four times the speed of sound, while hypersonic flight is generally defined as Mach 5 and above. At Mach 4, a vehicle could theoretically travel across the continental United States in less than an hour, illustrating the significance of sustained high-speed flight.

General Hypersonics’ ram accelerator technology accelerates payloads through a reusable launch tube powered by clean combustible gases — eliminating the need for a first-stage rocket booster and toxic propellants. Designed to reload quickly, launch frequently and operate from fixed or mobile sites on land or at sea, the platform is being developed and tested at HyperLab, General Hypersonics’ reusable open-air launch facility, as per the release.

The achievement comes at a time when governments and private aerospace companies are increasing investments in reusable hypersonic technologies. Across the industry, organizations are pursuing methods to reduce testing costs and increase flight frequency, recognizing that rapid iteration is essential for advancing next-generation aerospace systems.

General Hypersonics plans to increase automation within its launch operations and move beyond high-speed testing toward routine suborbital missions.