Unbiased AI-powered news
60 stories related to this topic, newest first.
New York PostNATO leaders gathered in Ankara for their annual summit and reaffirmed collective defense commitments. European and Canadian spending rose 20 percent year-on-year, adding $258 billion over two years. The U.S. continues to restrict certain advanced military assets and AI software…
Ukrainian defense companies update products within a week after receiving soldier input. Western officials say they must match this pace of adaptation measured in weeks rather than years.
azernews.azDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth established the Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Unmanned Systems through a June 29 memo released Wednesday. The office reports to Deputy Secretary Stephen Feinberg and oversees development, acquisition and fielding of most unmanned systems. I…
interestingengineering.comThe U.S. Navy issued a request for information to identify potential sources for an AARGM-ER equivalent missile system. The move comes after years of delays in fielding the AGM-88G AARGM-ER.
NewsweekThe Shahed-136 is a low-cost Iranian loitering munition estimated at $20,000 to $50,000 per unit. It has been used by Russia in Ukraine and by Iran-aligned groups in prior incidents.
abcnews.go.comThe Army ended its Stryker-based DE-MSHORAD program and is pursuing the ISV-Heavy and upgraded JLTV platforms for directed energy weapons. Defense News reported the moves target power generation shortfalls on existing vehicles.
Russian forces dropped seven glide bombs on Zaporizhzhia on Tuesday, killing two people and injuring at least 15 others. Regional authorities reported the strikes occurred over a 90-minute period.
Japan TimesThe British government set out £8.6 billion in funding for the Global Combat Air Program over the next four years. The commitment follows months of uncertainty over financing and potential delays to the next development phase.
The U.K. government announced a four-year, £5 billion program to integrate uncrewed systems across the Royal Navy, Army, and Royal Air Force. The plan replaces earlier plans for a new Type 83 destroyer with a distributed fleet of crewed and autonomous vessels.
globalnews.caU.S. Special Operations Command issued a request for information on June 26 for a new air-launched loitering munition. The RFI specifies performance requirements and seeks cost estimates for potential orders of up to 3,000 units.
interestingengineering.comChief designer Shtilerman said the engine will be tested this month and test flights will follow. A successful flight would lead to a launch toward Moscow.
rferl.orgA Ukrainian military unit operating from a farm field in eastern Ukraine launched long-range drones targeting sites inside Russia. The drones can travel 800 to 1,200 miles and have struck oil refineries and depots.
japantimes.co.jpThe Pentagon has directed a review of American military deployments across Europe. The assessment will examine current force levels and alignment with alliance commitments.
yna.co.krA senior military technology officer stated that space will become a future battlefield and that the armed forces are developing capabilities to operate there. The comments were made in an interview focused on technology and digital systems.
Business Insider reported that a Ukrainian intelligence commander overseeing naval drone operations said some NATO designs leave him uneasy despite adoption of Ukraine's combat lessons. NATO militaries have moved to equip fleets with such drones after observing their use against…
winnipegfreepress.comDavid McGuinty met Japanese counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi in Tokyo on June 24 and reviewed the Global Combat Air Program. He called the project promising and said he would bring details back for further Canadian review.
EuronewsEuronews reported that a video circulating on social media depicts the Yolka, a lightweight Russian portable drone interceptor. Experts detailed its design, guidance systems and operational limits.
Ukraine's drone advisor said both sides are in early combat testing of AI that lets drones identify targets and decide to strike. The technology remains limited on fixed-wing platforms such as the Shahed.
pymnts.comThe Atlantic reported that Claude, an Anthropic large language model, generated responses critical of its use in the Maven Smart System. The system fuses intelligence data to support battlefield targeting decisions.
middleeasteye.netA U.S. pilot downed over Iran described a cluster of drones resembling a jellyfish while awaiting rescue. A drone expert said the sighting could indicate use of a mothership drone system.
Defense NewsThe Army demonstrated the capability in April at Aberdeen Proving Ground using a CROWS station. The SWAT-FC project adapts earlier aircraft technology for ground use.
Ukraine's defense ministry said its drone units recorded attacks against more than 800,000 Russian targets from January through June. The total nearly doubles the full-year figure reported for 2025. Production targets have also risen sharply.
France 24Ukraine has used interceptor drones since last summer to counter Russian long-range strikes that combine drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. The drones, mostly based on an Iranian design, have become faster and more numerous.
The IndependentThe UK conducted test firings of new missiles in the Hebrides and awarded follow-on contracts to three firms under Project Brakestop. Officials aim to deliver the systems to Ukraine within a year.
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewJapan's Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Agency issued notices for demonstrations next month to accelerate procurement of autonomous interceptor drones. The systems are slated for installation near radar sites, bases, vessels and other critical locations.
The War ZoneA modified MQ-9 completed its first flight with podded radar on May 19. The test demonstrated an airborne early-warning configuration intended to detect drones and missiles. Full capability trials are scheduled for next year.
Breaking DefenseThe service also named three firms to continue competing for the drones' autonomy software and requested $2.4 billion for fiscal 2027.
uctoday.comMBDA and Diehl Defense have signed agreements with Ukrainian companies to co-develop and produce Ukrainian-designed cruise missiles. The partnerships focus on the Neptune and Flamingo families for potential use in European arsenals.
Defense NewsKNDS has proposed a 155mm howitzer equipped with a 58-caliber gun tube designed to reach a base range of 60 kilometers. The barrel length exceeds the 52-caliber tubes currently standard across European forces by about 12 percent.
A Pentagon official stated that the Grok chatbot supported targeting for more than 2,000 munitions during recent operations in Iran. The statement was filed in a Mississippi court case involving xAI data center permits.
Ukrainian commanders say the market is saturated with platforms and now needs standardized parts, training, and repair services rather than additional models.
Breaking DefenseThe system includes three drones under 450 grams each that launch, conduct reconnaissance missions, and return for recharging. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in 2027.
Ukrainian forces have increased strikes on Russian logistics targets 20 to 300 kilometers behind the front line. The changes coincide with a reported drop in Russian daily advances and a shift toward capturing more ground than losing for the first time since 2023.
Defense NewsThe French Army unveiled an upgraded Leclerc XLR fitted with metal cage armor at the Eurosatory defense show near Paris on Sunday. The addition is part of the Scorpion modernization program and comes as France plans an interim armored capability before the Main Ground Combat Syst…
Defense NewsFrench Army officials said the system will initially connect to the Atlas artillery platform and form part of the AI-powered Arcadia command structure. The effort draws from Ukraine’s Delta network and aims to shorten sensor-to-effector timelines.
Japan TimesBritish Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Sunday to discuss the Global Combat Air Program. The trilateral fighter jet initiative with Italy has encountered delays over Britain's financial contribution.
nypost.comFoundation Future Industries demonstrated its Phantom MK1 robot operating a mobile light mortar system during a live-fire exercise in Las Vegas, Nevada. The San Francisco company has received more than $73 million in U.S. military grants and contracts for the project.
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewThe Pentagon's top technologist said the department would consider reducing spending on conventional weapons systems if Congress does not approve $350 billion in reconciliation funding. The package is intended to accelerate purchases of drones and autonomous systems.
forbes.comAirbus launched the Team Gen 6 initiative on June 11, 2026, after the original Franco-German New Generation Fighter project ended. Eight German firms and five Spanish companies signed a positioning paper to advance a new industrial setup for the crewed aircraft component of the F…
gamereactor.euA Senate committee approved a $1.15 trillion defense authorization bill that directs the Pentagon to establish a combatant command for robotics and unmanned systems. The measure also includes provisions to speed purchases of low-cost munitions and address autonomous weapons.
Ukrainian officials report that drone coverage has widened the area near the front where vehicles and troops face elevated risk of detection and attack. The zone now reaches up to 50 kilometers deep in places, compared with 10 to 20 kilometers reported in August 2025.
theaviationist.comThe modified aircraft, known as Catfish, was photographed with the pod on approach to Edwards Air Force Base on Monday. The pod is part of the F-22 Raptor 2.0 upgrade package.
nationalpost.comA U.S. military sea drone rescued two crew members from a downed helicopter near the Strait of Hormuz earlier this week. The operation marks the first publicly known use of an unmanned vessel for a rescue mission.
Soldiers evaluated new AI features during a training exercise that upgraded communications and vehicle-based command posts. The system is designed to handle large data volumes while keeping final decisions with human operators.
news.sky.comUkraine is shifting some battlefield tasks from soldiers to land drones as new ground-based systems play a growing role in the conflict.
Defense NewsGermany's ILA air show opened Wednesday in Berlin under the shadow of the Iran war and the collapse of a Franco-German fighter jet project. The event showcases European defense industry technology as manufacturers seek government contracts amid rising defense spending.
The computer scientist told NBC News that drones have made Ukraine's defense possible and that refusing AI weapons is now harder to justify. He remains uneasy about the technology's battlefield role.
The War ZoneUkrainian forces have extended fixed-wing kamikaze drone operations to hit Russian trucks, fuel tankers, trains and vessels as far as 250 kilometers from the front line. The campaign, developed by the First Corps Azov, uses Starlink and AI terminal guidance to target logistics ro…
Defense NewsRussian President Vladimir Putin proposed joint production of the Su-57 fifth-generation fighter during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 5, 2026. India withdrew from an earlier co-development program in 2018.
A Kyiv-area mobile air defense unit practiced launching interceptor drones but aborted a mission after electronic interference disrupted a scout drone. The unit continues to use truck-mounted .50 caliber M2 Browning machine guns alongside the newer systems.
quantumcomputingreport.comThe U.S. Army has created a quantum sensor designed to locate radio signals on battlefields. The device uses quantum mechanics to detect signals that conventional sensors cannot identify.
Ukrainian forces have prevented Russian territorial gains this year while striking oil facilities and supply lines inside Russia. European funding and new drone systems have replaced earlier U.S. aid that ended in 2025.
rediff.comPalladyne AI will build and upgrade Harpy, Harop and Mini-Harpy loitering munitions in the United States under an exclusive licensing deal announced June 8, 2026. The company plans to compete for the Army’s Long Range Precision Munitions program this fall.
ForbesKuwait has requested U.S.-made Roadrunner-Munition and Anvil-Kinetic systems valued at $1.98 billion to strengthen its air defenses. The request follows repeated drone and missile attacks on Kuwaiti territory since April.
The 4th Infantry Division ran its most complex NGC2 exercise last month, with dispersed posts that set up in about 30 minutes and stayed connected while moving.
Defense NewsLockheed Martin conducted a live-fire test that destroyed a Group 3 one-way attack drone using a Joint Air-to-Ground Missile fired from its GRIZZLY containerized launcher. The demonstration integrated Sanctum battle-management software and Fortem R-40 radars at Yuma Proving Groun…
Breaking DefenseThe Army’s G-2 and the Joint Staff’s J-7 will test an autonomous target recognition sensor mounted on a stratospheric high-altitude balloon in the coming days.
thehindu.comThe Israeli military is training dogs to identify Hezbollah FPV drones through sound detection. The program aims to give troops advance warning in low-visibility conditions.
Defense NewsUndersecretary Emil Michael told lawmakers the science of laser weapons is largely complete and the focus has shifted to engineering challenges. The Pentagon plans a directed energy demonstration in summer 2028.
riotimesonline.comThe U.S. Southern Command leader said focus should move from traditional platforms to autonomous systems. The comments came during an interview with Defense One.