MBDA is awaiting a development contract from France's DGA for Stratus RS, a supersonic strike missile with range far exceeding the 200-kilometer Exocet. Flight testing is expected before 2030, with service entry in the early 2030s.
Democrats' midterm election victory shifts Congressional control, threatening the Trump administration's plan to increase defense spending to $1.5 trillion in fiscal year 2027.
The Defense Department's Office of Strategic Capital signed a $150 million conditional loan to LeoLabs matched by $150 million in private investment, totaling $300 million to scale production of phased array radars for space domain awareness.
Cargo drone developer Dronamics will merge with SPAC GP-Act III to list on Nasdaq at $400M pre-money valuation, raising approximately $100M net proceeds to scale Black Swan production and fund defense applications.
OpenAI captured over $550 million in government contracts across five federal agencies in September and October 2026, while hiring national security executives from AWS, Oracle and former Army Secretary Dan Driscoll.
Saab's Advanced Programs unit flew an autonomous AI agent in a Gripen E fighter conducting beyond-visual-range air combat scenarios, marking the first real-world validation of the capability after millions of simulated flight hours.
The Pentagon is ramping production at aging Army ammunition plants including Radford to replenish Patriot and THAAD inventories that have fallen 65 percent and 50 percent respectively since the Iran War began.
Sierra Nevada Corporation withdrew from the Navy's Undergraduate Jet Training System competition, citing concerns with contract structure. Textron Aviation Defense and Leonardo's M-346N now face no competition for the T-45 Goshawk replacement.
Joby Aviation announced a planned acquisition of defense tech company Resonant Sciences and expanded its autonomy-focused Air Force contracts to approximately $37 million, signaling growing DoD confidence in autonomous aircraft capabilities.
Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. Douglas Schiess announced a $71B budget request for fiscal 2027, more than double FY2026, to hire 2,800 military personnel and 2,000 civilians and expand operational components across combatant commands.
U.S. Transportation Command embedded data scientists alongside operators to generate 33 AI-enabled applications in two weeks using Palantir's Maven Smart System during the Iran war.
Lockheed Martin is investing $420 million to expand missile production capacity at its Camden, Arkansas facility for PAC-3, THAAD, and Precision Strike Missile programs, creating 650 new jobs.
India signed a $5.7 billion contract with state-owned Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Goa Shipyard to build eight next-generation corvettes designed by the Indian Navy, marking the first domestically designed and built warship class.
Auriga Space is operating under U.S. Air Force and Missile Defense Agency contracts for electromagnetic hypersonic ground testing via its Prometheus accelerator, and is developing Thor, a larger outdoor track for full subsystem testing.
President Trump announced the U.S. will end its $4 billion annual military aid to Israel by the end of 2026, a decision he says was agreed with PM Netanyahu months prior. Israel can continue purchasing U.S. weapons under existing contracts.
Airbus displayed the U050 Capa-X at Euronaval for France's SDTL light tactical drone program with deliveries planned for 2027, but analysis shows the airframe closely resembles Chinese manufacturer Mugin UAV's GV500/GV600 platforms.
Shield AI unveiled X-BAT 001, the first full-scale prototype of its jet-powered vertical-takeoff fighter drone backed by the U.S. Navy, moving it to Kansas flight test facilities as the design evolves toward operational capability.
France announced a government-industry framework to accelerate unmanned maritime capability development, with initial orders for ROV Deep Sea drones, countermine robots, and combat underwater vehicles.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems unveiled the Gambit 6 uncrewed combat aircraft for European procurement, offering air-to-ground strike and electronic warfare capabilities. International airframes available 2027, European-assembled versions by 2029.
The European Commission and France's state investment bank launched a program backed by €150 million in EU guarantees to establish 30 French-Ukrainian defense partnerships over three years, targeting drones, communications and space technology.
The Army Research Laboratory finished testing VICTOR, a hybrid-electric VTOL drone with a 3D-printed rotary engine burning heavy fuel, involving 30+ universities, 13 federal labs and 20+ companies.
The Space Force issued an industry notice for up to five cislunar satellites to launch by late 2029, with potential contract awards and design funding starting as early as 2027. The effort will inform strategy for a proliferated constellation beyond geosynchronous orbit.
Oshkosh Defense will help scale production of Grid Aero's Lifter autonomous aircraft, a Group 4/5 unmanned system. The companies plan to build thousands of aircraft for the Defense Department and commercial customers.
The U.S. Army issued a new call for solutions under its Mobile Tactical Cannon-Tracked competition, citing deficiencies in range and lethality in BAE Systems' M109 Paladin fleet on modern battlefields.
Greece finalized a purchase of 3 Embraer KC-390 Millennium transport and tanker aircraft with options for 3 more, valued at approximately $672 million. First deliveries are planned for 2027, making Greece the seventh European NATO customer for the Brazilian airlifter.
Skydio announced a $3.5 billion five-year investment in U.S. manufacturing and supply chain expansion, part of a broader push to build domestic drone production capacity alongside Pentagon orders for thousands of systems.
Raytheon delivered the 1,000th Evolved SeaSparrow Missile Block 2 to the NATO consortium in October, doubling output in 16 months. The Navy awarded an $833 million contract modification in April for additional Block 2 missiles and launch canisters due by September 2030.
Thales subsidiary Advanced Acoustic Concepts received a $53.9M Navy contract to produce two integrated Remote Mine Hunting modules, with options potentially raising total value to $196.2M.
RENK Group completed its acquisition of David Brown Defence, gaining submarine propulsion technology, 530 employees, and a £700 million order backlog through 2030 across Type 26 and land systems programs.
Naval Group unveiled a 37-meter autonomous surface vessel with containerized combat systems and 10-day mission autonomy. French Navy confirmed armed versions are on roadmap as later increments while accelerating smaller drone programs.
Navantia UK opened the Resurgent Fabrication Hall at Harland & Wolff to build three Fleet Solid Support ships for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The £1.6 billion programme is on schedule to deliver vessels in the early 2030s.
RTX received an $8 billion cost-plus-fixed-fee IDIQ contract from the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center to modernize and restart production of Strategic Communications Terminals through 2036.
British-German hypersonic missile company Hypersonica raised €100M to accelerate deep-strike systems development and expand European manufacturing as part of the UK-Germany Trinity Agreement and a €50B European sovereign capability commitment.
Northwood Space secured $375M in Series C funding at a $2B valuation to scale ground network infrastructure and antenna production. The company plans to hire 400 people over three years.
U.S. Navy will host a demonstration for the Marine Corps' second-generation tactical resupply drone in Huntsville from Jan. 25 to Feb. 5, 2027. Entrants must carry 100 pounds over a 40-nautical-mile round trip without refueling.
The RAF's General Atomics MQ-9B SkyGuardian flew its first operational missions in UK airspace, providing more than 10 hours of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance coverage while Royal Navy vessels tracked a Russian frigate through the English Channel.
Germany's Mehler Systems has acquired a majority stake in Bulgarian ballistic protection manufacturer MARS Armor, expanding its EU-based supply chain and Eastern European presence in military and law enforcement armor.
Australia committed A$600 million to provide Fiji with solar-powered Bluebottle uncrewed surface vessels for maritime drug trafficking detection across Pacific routes, with first deployments scheduled for early 2027.
Slovakia's defence ministry ordered four additional F-16 Block 70 aircraft for approximately €390 million, expanding its original 14-aircraft purchase from 2018 as newly delivered fighters begin air policing duties.
NATO successfully linked its Maven targeting system to a national military system using agentic AI and conducted a cross-border counter-drone engagement during a two-week experiment in Latvia, with over 60 technology companies participating.