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Navigate the future of Defense tech. From military innovations to global security, stay informed with our latest Defense news coverage.

US Army refreshes competition for short-range laser

April 1, 2024

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The U.S. Army is evaluating additional 50-kilowatt platforms as it seeks to buy short-range air defense laser weapons, even as its initial four prototypes deploy in U.S. Central Command’s area of operations, a service official told Defense News. Three of the Army’s Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense systems, or DE M-SHORAD, are in Iraq so the service can…

Northrop says Air Force design changes drove higher Sentinel ICBM cost

March 29, 2024

A Northrop Grumman official on Monday attributed the explosive projected cost growth of the U.S. Air Force’s next intercontinental ballistic missile to the service’s design changes, including to the nuclear missile’s silo and connecting cables. The Air Force’s…

US Navy preps hypersonic weapon test this spring, with Army watching

March 29, 2024

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The U.S. Navy is heading into a major test of a hypersonic weapon that will help determine the way ahead for a joint development program with the U.S. Army, according to the Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office director. “The…

Army artillery needs more range, mobility and autonomy, study finds

March 29, 2024

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The U.S. Army’s recently completed conventional fires study determined the service should focus on more autonomous artillery systems with greater range and improved mobility, the Army Futures Command chief said Wednesday. Speaking at the Association of the U.S. Army’s Global Symposium here, Gen. James Rainey said the Army will achieve these improvements by incorporating…

Amid faltering domestic program, Taiwan orders more MQ-9B drones

March 28, 2024

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — Taiwan’s plan to field four MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones has advanced thanks to a second contract awarded to General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. The island nation’s purchase comes as its own efforts to field a similar domestically developed…

BAE demos platform that gives Army AMPVs turret system options

March 28, 2024

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — BAE Systems showed off a universal top plate that allows the Army’s Armored Multipurpose Vehicle to easily swap turrets for different mission roles. The company brought an AMPV complete with a 30mm unmanned turret from Elbit Systems to the Association…

US Army’s fresh look at watercraft includes unmanned options

March 28, 2024

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The U.S. Army has reexamined its watercraft needs as it prepares for potential complex operations in challenging environments like the Indo-Pacific theater, according to the head of Army Futures Command. Service officials have stressed the importance of building a new watercraft fleet to contend with operations in contested areas. Years ago, the Army shifted its priority away…

US Army’s new all-domain sensing team to wrangle sensor architecture

March 27, 2024

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The U.S. Army’s new team designed to allow the service to see deeply into a battlespace will initially work toward creating an architecture of sensors as well as processing and disseminating the enormous amount of data collected from those sensors…

US Army leaning into launched effects for modernized battlefield

March 27, 2024

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The U.S. Army is speeding up its plan to procure launched effects capable of flying at different ranges and deploying from a variety of air and ground vehicles. With cancellation of the Army’s manned Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft, the service…

US Air Force wish list asks for spare parts, but no more fighters

March 27, 2024

The U.S. Air Force’s $3.5 billion budgetary wish list for fiscal 2025 includes more funds for spare parts to get grounded planes back in the air, and seeks resources to be able to deploy more personnel and fighter jets. The unfunded priorities list the service submitted to Congress, dated March 21, asks for another $1.5 billion to restock spare parts; $612 million to create nine new deployable…