Recap: Highlights from the US Army’s 2025 conference in Washington
The Army continues to transform, with efforts focused on next-gen weaponry, long-range artillery, unmanned systems and much more.
Unmanned
Pentagon stages first ‘Top Drone’ school for operators to hone skills
Industry and military drone operators flew tethered and untethered first-person drones through a course designed to test endurance and maneuverability.
Space Development Agency’s first satellites demo key capabilities
This week’s test involved two satellites, built by SpaceX, exchanging data via a laser-communication link.
Space Force to field sensors for tracking air, ground targets in 2030s
The Space Force has started to invest in early studies of the capability, but Guetlein declined to confirm whether a program would be funded in FY26.
Securing US space assets is busting the Air Force budget, Kendall says
Money for space "is going to need to double or triple over time,” the Air Force secretary said in an interview, with a resilient architecture top of mind.
Two US aircraft carriers to stay in Middle East after Hezbollah attack
It's the latest deployment extension of a Navy aircraft carrier in the Middle East, as concerns continue over the potential of a regional war erupting.
LeoLabs sees defense business grow as space-tracking needs multiply
The company's CEO, Tony Frazier, said the firm now serves mostly defense customer in the U.S. and abroad.
Army not sold on new approach to radio acquisition
The effort would be a departure from the service’s traditional approach to buying and sustaining radios.
Reliant on Starlink, Army eager for more SATCOM constellation options
Army officials said at TechNet Augusta that the service wants to ensure its units have access to multiple satellite connectivity options.
DISA eyes more vendors, faster contracts for joint cloud successor
The director of the Defense Information Systems Agency said Tuesday the department is in the early phases of planning for JWCC Next.
Army tweaking major software effort to be more commercial friendly
The Army in May unveiled plans to award more than $1 billion in software development contracts over the next decade.
