5 Emerging Defense Technologies Transforming Special Operations Today

INNOVATION

Top Five Emerging Defense Technologies Transforming Special Operations Today

Special operations forces are no strangers to chasing the bleeding edge. But in 2025, the technological knife fights have moved far past sharper knives and faster bullets. Today’s evolving battlefield is a seething fever dream of algorithms, robots, and synthetic realities where the man with the most information and the fewest volts running through his brain might just walk away clean. Here are the five defense technologies rewriting the SOF playbook right now—each one as strange and dangerous as the times demand.

Australia to spend $1.1 billion on undersea drone fleet

Anduril began working with Australia's defense force on the development of the Ghost Shark in 2022

What comes next in defense tech?

Commercial innovation is driving rapid advancements in defense technology, but maturity and readiness vary.

INVESTMENT

Blue Cloud Softech Signs LOI to Acquire Defense Tech Firm 3P Vision

Blue Cloud Softech Solutions Limited, a fast growing AI & Cybersecurity Indian company focused on delivering innovative IT and IT-enabled services across global markets, with a strong foundation in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, data analytics, cybersecurity, and enterprise solutions, has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to acquire 3P Vision, a defense technology company renowned for its deep-tech expertise in AI, drones, and integrated surveillance systems.

TECHNOLOGY

A Skeptic’s View of the Hype Machine and Business Model of Neo-Defense Tech

Anduril, the $30 billion defense startup, is on a roll. In May, it partnered with Meta to build virtual reality devices for the U.S. Army. In July, it won a $100 million contract to build the Army’s command-and-control software. On Aug. 5, 2025, it became the third supplier of rocket motors to the U.S. government. It is a leading contender to help build the “Golden Dome” missile-defense system. It has recently gone global, establishing offices in Seoul and Taipei.

As Trust in America Wavers, Can Defense Technology Fill the Gap?

Japan and South Korea are doubling down on defense technology as they adapt to demographic decline, regional threats, and an unreliable United States.

Defense Technology Gains Momentum in Greater Chattanooga

Greater Chattanooga, long celebrated for its scenic beauty and revitalized urban core, is now gaining recognition for its emerging defense technology sector – fueled by a potent mix of local ingenuity and strategic international investment.

Two compelling examples highlight this growing momentum: the recent success of homegrown startup One-Off Robotics, and the decision by Amaero Ltd. to relocate its headquarters and manufacturing hub from Australia to nearby Cleveland, Tennessee.

Russian Radar Base on America’s Wrangel Island

Wrangel Island, in the Arctic Ocean between the Chukchi Sea and East Siberian Sea, is positioned 310 miles northwest of Alaska, and only 88 miles from the Siberian coastline of Billings, Russia. It measures 92 miles long by 50 miles wide. On August 14, 1867, American whaling ship captain Thomas W. Long discovered the island and named it for Baron Ferdinand von Wrangel, Baltic-German explorer and admiral in the Imperial Russian Navy, although Baron von Wrangel never actually visited the remote island.

POLICY

Bipartisan Bill to Foster Defense Tech Innovation Via Hubs

Sens. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo, and John Hickenlooper, D-Co, have introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at encouraging defense technology innovation and investment in 10 regions across the country.

EUROPE

Ukraine’s Ukroboronprom Cracks Global Top 50 Defense Companies With $3 Billion Revenue

Ukraine’s state-owned defense conglomerate Ukroboronprom has for the first time broken into the global Top 50 defense companies, ranking 49th in Defense News’ annual Top 100 list for 2025, CEO Herman Smetanin announced on September 9.

Germany buys $451m of defense tech from Israel's Rafael, despite Gaza tensions

German parliament approves purchase of 90 Litening 5 targeting pods for Eurofighter Typhoon fleet, after Berlin suspended sales of arms to Israel that could be used for war on Hamas