Defense

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army selected two companies to develop prototypes of a next-generation laser targeting system that troops can carry and use in the field to scout locations and coordinate strikes. Both Leonardo DRS, the Virginia-based subsidiary of Italy’s Leonardo SpA, and Elbit Systems of America, a unit of Israel’s Elbit Systems Ltd., will work on the Joint Effects Targeting System…

BRNO, Czech Republic — The Czech ministry of defense has confirmed that it will spend $120 million on the procurement of 48 long-range, air-to-air missiles made by Israeli arms manufacturer Rafael Systems. The contract, which will see Prague acquire the I-Derby ER missile type by 2027, is expected to be signed by the end of the month, the defense ministry said, as quoted by local news agency…

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force has activated two detachments at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia dedicated to electronic warfare and its future applications. The green light, given Oct. 25 at a ceremony inside an aviation museum, marks a step toward the realization of the 950th Spectrum Warfare Group, tasked with assessing the effectiveness of electronic warfare across dozens of aircraft while…

Above all else, the commander of 1st Special Forces Command says he wants to see creativity out of the Army’s special operators — he thinks it’s what will provide them with an edge in the next fight in light of the rapid tactical innovations occurring on Ukraine’s battlefield. Brig. Gen. Lawrence ”Gil” Ferguson, who spoke with Army Times, is a firm believer in an oft-repeated special…