Firestorm Labs builds drones aboard USS Essex without shore resupply
Service members aboard the USS Essex were able to 3D-print 12 first-person view drones using a containerized microfactory.
US Navy, Saildrone to use unmanned systems in expanded counternarcotics role
The U.S. Navy is extending its use of Saildrone unmanned surface vehicles for an expanded counternarcotics mission.
Taiwan launches major war games to test command flexibility
Taiwan began major military drills to test commanders’ ability to fight on the fly while temporarily limiting internet access for the first time.
France’s drone production shifts from policy ambition to factory floor
France’s push to enlist its car industry to produce military drones is moving to industrial implementation.
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Air
US Air Force jet engine manufacturing plagued by ‘significant challenges’
Jet engine manufacturing is plagued by production delays, quality control issues and material shortages, the U.S. Air Force said.
Land
Australia whips together a hybrid air defense weapon
Australia successfully tested a “Frankenstein” medium-range air defense system last month harnessing existing and new capabilities in a novel way.
Pentagon
US used ‘virtually all’ long-range precision missiles during Iran war, sources say
The U.S. Army has reportedly used up much of its stockpile of highly accurate long-range missiles during America's five-month war with Iran.
Pentagon moves to triple Patriot, quadruple THAAD interceptor production
The Pentagon is looking to triple Patriot missile production and quadruple THAAD interceptor production through framework agreements announced Monday.
Just one in three Americans backs Iran war, most unsure of Trump’s goals, poll finds
A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 69% of Americans think President Donald Trump has not “clearly explained the goals of U.S. military involvement in Iran.”
MilTech
Chinese military researchers tap US AI models to train defense systems
Chinese researchers have reportedly used leading U.S. AI models developed by OpenAI and Anthropic to train AI systems to advance defense capabilities.
The arms race for cheaper anti-ballistic weapons is underway
After years of a Patriot monopoly, new anti-ballistic alternatives are emerging. Officials hope to see some of them on the battlefield by the end of 2026.
US strikes $58.6 billion Patriot missile deal amid rising stockpile concerns
The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth up to $58.6 billion to produce Patriot interceptor missiles.
Naval
Trump-class battleship program will cost $275 billion, CBO report says
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the Navy’s new Trump-class battleship program will cost $275 billion, with the first ship costing $23.4 billion.
Space
European firms plan exo-atmospheric interceptor for 2027 test
Bliksem EXO is meant to defeat ballistic threats including Russia’s intermediate-range Oreshnik missile with separating and maneuvering re-entry vehicles.
VIDEOS
Navy Reserve retention bonuses on the rise | Defense News Weekly Full Episode 8.7.26
The Navy ups the ante for recruiting and retaining Reserve sailors, and a service medal is revived by the Pentagon. Plus, a tour of a military museum.
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Trump-class battleship program will cost $275 billion, CBO report says
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the Navy’s new Trump-class battleship program will cost $275 billion, with the first ship costing $23.4 billion.
Firestorm Labs builds drones aboard USS Essex without shore resupply
Service members aboard the USS Essex were able to 3D-print 12 first-person view drones using a containerized microfactory.
By Riley Ceder
US Navy, Saildrone to use unmanned systems in expanded counternarcotics role
The U.S. Navy is extending its use of Saildrone unmanned surface vehicles for an expanded counternarcotics mission.
Taiwan launches major war games to test command flexibility
Taiwan began major military drills to test commanders’ ability to fight on the fly while temporarily limiting internet access for the first time.
By Yimou Lee, Reuters
France’s drone production shifts from policy ambition to factory floor
France’s push to enlist its car industry to produce military drones is moving to industrial implementation.
By Florence Loeve and Gilles Guillaume, Reuters
Lockheed seeks US mineral supplies after Trump supply-chain push, sources say
The deals would mark a significant step in the U.S. push to build domestic mineral supply chains.
By Ernest Scheyder and Divya Rajagopal, Reuters
US Army wants a surface-to-air missile that can destroy small drones
The U.S. Army wants new surface-to-air missiles, costing less than $150,000 apiece, that can destroy small drones.
By Michael Peck
Ukraine’s Fire Point starts to integrate European tech into missile defense system
Ukrainian drone and missile maker Fire Point has secured agreements from European defense companies for the Freyja missile defense project, its CEO said.
By Max Hunder and Daniel Flynn, Reuters
US used ‘virtually all’ long-range precision missiles during Iran war, sources say
The U.S. Army has reportedly used up much of its stockpile of highly accurate long-range missiles during America's five-month war with Iran.
By Reuters
US Air Force jet engine manufacturing plagued by ‘significant challenges’
Jet engine manufacturing is plagued by production delays, quality control issues and material shortages, the U.S. Air Force said.
By Michael Peck