Northrop Grumman has won a $231.5 million contract to provide mission systems for the US Marine Corps’ operational XQ-58 Valkyrie drone. The deal, reported by Breaking Defense, adds the company’s Prism autonomy software and sensors to transform the stealth drone into a lethal Collaborative Combat Aircraft.
RTX subsidiary Collins Aerospace has secured a $20.3M US Navy contract to upgrade the strategic communications systems on the E-6B Mercury “doomsday” aircraft. The work, to be completed by June 2027, will enhance connectivity for national command authorities during a crisis.
Russia’s new Project 23700 “rescue ship,” the Voyevoda, boasts a range of 5,000 miles and luxury suites. Reported by Russian analysts, the $2.9 million “high-comfort” fit-out has led to widespread speculation that the Yantar-built vessel serves as a sanctions-proof yacht for President Vladimir Putin or state VIPs.
French company Exail won a €40 million ($46.8 million) deal to supply “several hundred” K-St er expendable underwater drones to multiple navies. The 50-kg vehicles are designed for one-way missions to destroy naval mines, enhancing crew safety.
Virginia startup Electra is marketing its EL9 hybrid-electric aircraft as the Pentagon’s “Sprinter van of the sky.” With a 3,000-pound capacity and runway-agnostic design, it aims to solve the military’s last-mile logistics puzzle for dispersed operations.
In a high-stakes operation, the U.S. Coast Guard seized the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera in the North Atlantic after a two-week naval pursuit. The move, supported by the UK, risks confrontation with Moscow, which reportedly sent a submarine to protect the sanctioned vessel.
The British Royal Navy has taken delivery of the massive XV Excalibur autonomous submarine. The 12-metre, 19-tonne XLUUV, key to the Atlantic Bastion strategy, was remotely controlled from 10,000 miles away and has tested a groundbreaking quantum navigation clock underwater.
Rheinmetall and MBDA Germany are launching a joint venture to supply the German Navy with operational laser weapons. Born from a proven naval demonstrator that executed over 100 successful tests, the system can precisely track a target the size of a One-Euro coin, offering a revolutionary defence against drone swarms.
Ukrainian media reports that Russian forces have modified a Shahed-type attack drone to carry a man-portable air defence system (MANPADS), a first in the conflict. The adaptation aims to counter Ukrainian aircraft, marking a dangerous new phase in drone warfare.
Texas-based HGP Intelligent Energy wants to solve AI’s energy crisis by repowering U.S. Navy aircraft carrier nuclear reactors on land. Their CoreHeld Project could deliver 520 MW to data centers by 2029, offering a faster, cheaper nuclear alternative.
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