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.

Israel’s Gilat Satellite Networks plans to expand its defense capabilities by acquiring most of Comtech’s space-related communications business, six years after the U.S. company’s own takeover bid collapsed.

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Contract brings GPS 3F orders to 14 satellites that add anti-jam features, digital payloads and upgraded civilian navigation signals

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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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Shield AI and Destinus have completed a flight test exercise demonstrating autonomous collaborative strike capabilities from an interceptor drone system, named Hornet.

Hornet is designed and manufactured by Destinus, a European defense technology company. It is a multi-role autonomous platform capable of counter-unmanned aircraft system, strike, reconnaissance, and data relay missions. It can also be integrated into the existing multi layered air-defense architecture for protecting forward bases and critical infrastructure from kamikaze drone swarms. Hornet can operate in GPS denied environments, has a minimum range of 75 km (46.6 miles) and can carry a payload of 1.5 kg (3.3 pounds).

According to the company the Hornet serves as an initial integration baseline for Shield AI’s Hivemind AI pilot across the Destinus product line. The company’s product line of unmanned aircraft systems and cruise missiles is based on a common architecture which facilitates cross platform integration. The integration also serves as a technical risk reduction measure.

Tim Moser, chief technology officer at Destinus, said: “Destinus platforms operate on our own flight control architecture, and Hivemind validated that we can integrate third-party autonomy without surrendering system design authority.”

What the exercise involved

The main aim of the full mission flight test is to facilitate the integration of Hivemind with Ruta cruise missile. The missile is intended for precision strike against hardened and high-value military targets. It will be fielded in two blocks with iterative capability enhancements in range and payload. The missile will be capable of flying low-altitude terrain-following flight trajectories and can operate in GPS denied and contested electronic warfare environments.

The flight test covered the complete mission sequence akin to the Ruta’s operational engagement. It included autonomy-assisted mission planning via ground control station, radio testing, autonomous terrain following, in-flight target updates, and autonomous terminal maneuver execution on operator command.

Previously, the company has also carried out tests demonstrating an inflight teaming of Hornet with Shield AI’s V-BAT UAS. In these tests, the V-BAT served as a communications relay between the ground station and multiple Destinus Hornet interceptor drones.

How Hivemind functions in a teaming role

Shield AI’s Hivemind AI pilot is a platform agnostic autonomy software. It enables platforms to sense, decide, and act independently, within operator-defined parameters under established command authority. It can dynamically reroutes mission plans, responds to unexpected conditions, avoids obstacles, and executes complex tasks.

In a teaming context, individual aircraft running Hivemind communicate peer-to-peer to distribute situational awareness and coordinate maneuvers to lessen reliance on a ground control station. The architecture is intended to preserve mission continuity even when datalinks are jammed or severed.

Destinus intends to transition these capabilities via the Ruta platform to Ukraine. This will enable the coordinated strike behaviors between V-BAT and multiple Ruta systems to be tested in a combat environment.

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South Korea has formally advanced its Korea Destroyer eXperimental (KDDX) program by designating Hanwha Ocean as the prime contractor for the construction of six next-generation destroyers, according to reports.

The move signals a concrete step in Seoul’s broader naval modernization effort, aimed at replacing aging KDX-I class frigates that have been in service since the late 1990s.

Program architecture and Hanwha Ocean’s role

Hanwha Ocean, formerly known as Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) before its acquisition by the Hanwha Group in 2023, will serve as the lead shipbuilder for the KDDX fleet.

The company brings substantial warship construction experience, having previously built KDX-II Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin-class and KDX-III Sejong the Great-class destroyers for the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN).

The KDDX is designed as a roughly 6,000-ton displacement vessel — placing it between a conventional frigate and a full destroyer — optimized for multi-domain operations covering anti-surface warfare (ASuW), anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and anti-air warfare (AAW).

The design incorporates an integrated mast architecture that consolidates radar, electronic warfare, and communications systems into a single structure to reduce radar cross-section.

Propulsion and combat systems specifications

The KDDX is expected to adopt a combined diesel and gas (CODAG) or integrated electric propulsion (IEP) system, with final propulsion architecture still subject to program refinement. The ship’s combat management system is slated for domestic development, consistent with South Korea’s stated goal of reducing dependence on foreign defense electronics.

The vertical launch system (VLS) configuration will likely accommodate the domestic Hyunmoo cruise missile family alongside the Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) interceptors.

The radar suite is anticipated to include an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) system, developed in collaboration with LIG Nex1, which has been involved in previous Korean naval electronics programs. Integration of a domestically produced 127mm naval gun is also under consideration, though supplier finalization remains pending.

Industrial and procurement timeline

The six-ship order represents a significant production run by regional standards. South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has been managing requirements definition, and the program has faced iterative delays tied to technology readiness levels for some onboard systems.

Full-rate production is expected to extend through the mid-2030s, with the lead vessel delivery targeted within the current decade pending contract finalization.

From an industrial standpoint, the contract reinforces Hanwha Ocean’s position in the domestic naval shipbuilding sector following its competition against HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, which builds the existing Sejong the Great-class Aegis destroyers.

The award consolidates naval surface combatant work at a single yard, which carries both efficiency benefits and supply chain concentration risks if production bottlenecks emerge.

Operational context and regional calculus

The KDDX program does not operate in isolation. The ROKN is simultaneously pursuing the KDX-III Batch II Aegis destroyer and expanding its submarine fleet under the KSS-III program. Sustaining parallel major acquisition tracks places pressure on defense budgets and domestic industrial bandwidth.

Questions remain about whether Korea’s shipyards can absorb concurrent destroyer, submarine, and future light aircraft carrier workloads without schedule compression on any individual program.

For engineers and defense analysts tracking South Korea’s evolving naval engineering programs, the KDDX contract award with Hanwha Ocean represents a procurement decision with tangible technical and strategic consequences that will play out across the next decade of ROKN fleet development.

The agency is seeking novel concepts to restore critical satellite services within hours or weeks

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American defense firm AeroVironment (AV) has introduced the TOM 50 RE, a lightweight, backpackable uncrewed ground vehicle (UGV) designed for rapid deployment in complex and contested environments.

Developed by its subsidiary Telerob, the system was unveiled at Eurosatory 2026 in Paris. Weighing under 10 kilograms (22 pounds), the TOM 50 RE has a compact form factor, making it easy to be carried and operated by a single soldier or team member.

The robot features a stair-climbing flipper system and optional attachments, allowing it to navigate stairs, uneven terrain, and confined indoor spaces. This makes it ideal for bomb disposal operations in high-risk environments.

AV’s bomb disposal robot

AV’s rolling robot offers up to five hours of endurance and can carry payloads of up to five kilograms. The vehicle was designed to address key requirements of ground forces, explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams, special operations units, and SWAT operators.

It supports four primary roles: mobile exploration for initial situational awareness in unknown areas; mission-accompanying reconnaissance with autonomous mapping; defusing operations using modular disruptors or drop-charge payloads; and operational support as a communications relay or additional sensor platform.

A core feature is its simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) capability. SLAM allows the TOM 50 RE to generate detailed digital maps of multi-level buildings and GPS-denied environments. This includes underground structures and dense urban terrain. Operators can mark points of interest on these maps and export data for immediate intelligence use and mission planning.

For situational awareness, the system includes four high-resolution wide-angle cameras with infrared capability, providing 360-degree coverage in day, night, and low-visibility conditions. Its IP-mesh radio architecture ensures secure, resilient communications and allows the UGV to act as a mobile repeater. This allows it to extend network connectivity for teams operating deep inside structures.

Addressing the ‘realities of modern ground combat’

The vehicle’s modular design features a Mission Module Interface that supports integration of specialized payloads, including advanced cameras and EOD tools. It is controlled via AV’s Halo command software on Tomahawk Grip systems or the Robo Command Control System, enabling coordination with other uncrewed assets.

“The introduction of TOM 50 RE reflects AV’s commitment to delivering robotic systems that directly address the realities of modern ground combat and explosive threat environments,” Wahid Nawabi, AV’s chairman, president, and CEO, explained in a press statement. “Today’s operators need systems that move with them, adapt to multiple missions, and provide immediate intelligence while reducing risk to human life.”

Florian Gruener, Managing Director of Telerob, meanwhile, added that the system delivers robotic capability at the point of need, allowing forces to gain awareness, mitigate threats, and decide faster while protecting personnel.

The TOM 50 RE expands AV’s portfolio of ground robotic systems for defense, security, and public safety applications. It builds on the company’s broader work in integrated autonomous capabilities across multiple domains.

A new mobile space surveillance radar is now active as military planners focus more on tracking potential threats in orbit, including satellites used for nuclear command, control, and intelligence. LeoLabs, a space monitoring company, announced that its latest radar, Scout Hawaii, began operating and will take part in the Valiant Shield 2026 exercise in the Pacific.

This is the first time the company’s Scout-S radar has been used in the field. It is designed to better track objects in low Earth orbit (LEO) and very low Earth orbit (VLEO).

Radar heads to major Pacific military exercise

Valiant Shield is a major joint military exercise held every two years by the United States in the Indo-Pacific. Since 2024, regional allies have also taken part.

This year’s exercise will take place from June 22 to July 1 in Hawaii, Guam, Japan, and nearby waters.

LeoLabs has not shared details about the contract for the radar’s participation. The company said the Scout-S program is funded by private investment and support from the US Space Force, including a Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) award announced in 2025.

The company views the exercise as an opportunity to test the radar in real-world conditions and demonstrate how it can support military space awareness missions.

A new class of radar is here.

Scout-S delivers persistent custody, dynamic tracking, and deployable sensing for LEO and VLEO — extending coverage where mission demand is greatest.

It's more than a radar. It’s a new approach to space sensing.

Deploy Where the Mission Demands. pic.twitter.com/If1pt0N2E9

— LeoLabs (@LeoLabs_Space) June 10, 2026

Built for rapid deployment anywhere

One of the key features of the Scout-S system is its mobility. The radar fits in a standard 20-foot shipping container, so it can be moved by truck, plane, or ship.

The system uses 3D scanning, direct-radiating-array technology, and a modular S-band electronic system. LeoLabs said these features help the radar find and track objects in busy orbital areas.

A company spokesperson said the improved design greatly increases how long the radar can observe a satellite as it passes by.

From snapshots to continuous tracking

Traditional tracking systems usually watch satellites for only short periods before waiting for the next pass. LeoLabs said Scout-S is built to provide much longer observation periods, helping operators track objects in orbit more continuously.

The company thinks this feature is more important now that military and commercial satellites can maneuver more often.

“The acceleration of adversarial activity in space is challenging U.S. and Allied Space Superiority. Tracking objects periodically to predict orbits is no longer enough. What matters now is the ability to maintain persistent custody of maneuverable payloads so our customers can respond to emerging threats,” said LeoLabs CEO Tony Frazier in the release.

The design also allows multiple units to be deployed quickly, helping to cover surveillance gaps that fixed radar sites cannot easily reach.

Tracking Chinese satellites and future expansion

Scout Hawaii is already sending data to LeoLabs’ global monitoring network. The company said the radar has consistently tracked Chinese intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance satellites, including the Yaogan military spacecraft.

According to the firm, the system has tracked China’s reusable spaceplane in low Earth orbit. The radar has also shown it can monitor objects flying at very low altitudes. The company reported successfully tracking an object orbiting at 143 miles (230 kilometers) above Earth.

The firm plans to keep the Hawaii-based radar running after Valiant Shield ends, using it for more experiments and testing new features. The company also said a second Scout-S unit should be built by early 2027, with more production expected later that year.

The US Navy has reactivated a submarine squadron that was disbanded more than a decade ago and relocated it from Hawaii to Western Australia, marking a major milestone in the AUKUS security partnership and the growing strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific.

The newly reestablished Submarine Squadron 3 (CSS-3) will operate from HMAS Stirling near Perth, Australia, after previously being based at Pearl Harbor, where it was decommissioned in 2012. The move supports the development of Submarine Rotational Force-West (SRF-West), an initiative that will see US and UK nuclear-powered attack submarines regularly deployed from Australia beginning in 2027. 

According to the US Navy, CSS-3 personnel will work alongside members of the Royal Australian Navy to establish maintenance, logistics, and operational support infrastructure for future submarine rotations.

The reactivation was announced by the US Pacific Fleet’s submarine force and follows a recent trilateral AUKUS statement confirming that key milestones remain on track. Under the AUKUS agreement signed in 2021, Australia is expected to acquire nuclear-powered submarines and eventually operate its own conventionally armed nuclear-powered fleet. Sources: US Navy, DVIDS, AUKUS Joint Statement.

Why bring back a squadron that no longer exists?

Submarine squadrons serve as operational headquarters responsible for overseeing submarine deployments, maintenance, crew readiness, logistics, and mission support.

While the move may appear administrative, it represents a significant expansion of US submarine infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific. Rear Adm. Chris Cavanaugh, commander of the US Pacific Fleet’s submarine force, said the additional forward-positioned squadron would improve the Navy’s responsiveness and operational flexibility across the region.

Strategically, HMAS Stirling is located in a key position on Australia’s western coast.  The base provides access to the Indian Ocean and sits closer to many Indo-Pacific operating areas than traditional US submarine hubs in Hawaii or the continental United States. The facility is expected to become one of the most important submarine support locations in the Southern Hemisphere. 

Preparing for submarine rotations

The squadron’s return is tied directly to SRF-West, one of the first major operational components of AUKUS.

Beginning in 2027, American Virginia-class and British Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarines are expected to conduct rotational deployments from HMAS Stirling rather than being permanently based there. The arrangement is designed to increase allied submarine presence in the region while helping Australia develop the expertise needed to operate and maintain its future fleet. 

The effort extends beyond military operations. The US Navy has already established Naval Support Activity Stirling to provide housing, healthcare, logistics, and support services for personnel assigned to the rotational force.

Meanwhile, Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard is preparing to establish a dedicated maintenance detachment in Western Australia. According to Navy officials, Australian civilian maintainers and naval personnel are already training in Hawaii, with hundreds expected to participate in submarine maintenance programs.

AUKUS enters a new phase

The reactivation of CSS-3 shows how AUKUS is evolving from a political agreement into a functioning military and industrial partnership.

Rather than focusing solely on future submarine transfers, the alliance is now building the infrastructure, workforce, and maintenance capabilities needed to sustain nuclear-powered submarines in Australia over the coming decades.

With rotational deployments expected within two years, the revived squadron may prove to be one of the earliest visible signs of how the AUKUS submarine plan is taking shape in practice.

A new type of radar to detect drones nearby ports, vessels, harbours, and critical maritime infrastructure has been introduced. Developed by Robin Radar Systems, IRIS OTM at Sea is designed for seamless land-to-sea deployments.

The new system is a major expansion of its IRIS On-The-Move (OTM) capability.

The comprehensive update is aimed at strengthening counter-UAS protection for shipping lanes, naval operations, and coastal assets. 

Offshore assets are exposed to low-cost aerial threats

“What we are seeing globally is that the drone threat is no longer confined to the battlefield or to land-based infrastructure. Shipping lanes, ports, harbours and offshore assets are now all exposed to low-cost aerial threats that can disrupt trade, damage infrastructure and threaten civilian safety,” said Siete Hamminga, CEO, Robin Radar Systems.

“The Strait of Hormuz has once again demonstrated how vulnerable critical maritime corridors can become during periods of instability. IRIS OTM at Sea is being designed to answer that challenge with a rapidly deployable, software-defined capability that can move seamlessly between land and sea.”

IRIS OTM at Sea will detect, track, and classify drones

Originally developed to operate from moving land vehicles traveling at speeds exceeding 62 mph (100km/h), IRIS On-The-Move will now be adapted for maritime environments through advanced software enhancements that compensate for sea clutter, vessel movement, and challenging coastal conditions, according to a press release.

Designed to be mounted on vessels, IRIS OTM at Sea will detect, track, and classify drones while travelling at speeds of up to 54 knots, operating effectively in extreme environments thanks to its salt- and corrosion-resistant engineering, resonance tolerance, and EMC-compliant architecture.Unlike traditional static radars, IRIS is designed to move with the threat itself, providing persistent situational awareness across highly dynamic environments, as per the release.

The company revealed that the radar’s software architecture will be updated to filter out heavy sea reflections and environmental clutter to isolate small airborne threats operating close to the waterline, an increasingly important capability as drone incursions continue to evolve across maritime theatres.

Robin Radar Systems highlighted that the maritime update has been shaped directly by operational lessons from ongoing live-fire environments, where the need for flexible, mobile counter-UAS systems capable of protecting dynamic environments has accelerated dramatically.  The company’s engineering teams reportedly adapted the system specifically to address the increasing use of fixed-wing drones and low-altitude aerial threats around strategic shipping corridors and maritime infrastructure.

“Modern security demands speed and flexibility. Operators need systems that can deploy quickly, integrate easily, and adapt as threats evolve,” said Vivien Croes, Chief Technical Officer, Robin Radar Systems.

“What makes this update important is that we are taking a combat-proven radar and extending its capabilities into one of the most operationally complex environments in the world. The future of counter-UAS is not static infrastructure, it is agile, mobile sensing systems capable of protecting people, critical infrastructure and global commerce wherever threats emerge.”