INNOVATION
Army turns to ‘hackathons’ to better connect dozens of weapons, systems
The Army is opening a new front in its battle to get contractors to make their weapons and systems easier to connect: “hackathons.”
Later this month, the service will host some of its biggest vendors for the first of a series of one-day brainstorming sessions about how to integrate the command-and-control software for dozens of military systems.
defenseone.com
The Pentagon Wants Innovation. Small, Nimble Businesses Want to Deliver. So What’s the Problem?
Defense tech’s hot and the Pentagon’s changed how it buys weapons. And yet, ‘there’s a huge strain’ on the defense supply chain, as one CEO says. How smaller contractors are fighting to avoid the valley of death.
inc.com
INVESTMENT
Orqa Launches Independent US Company
Everyone really is making that great, grand leap across the pond.
This morning, Croatian drone giant Orqa FPV announced in an exclusive release to Tectonic that it’s spinning out an independent US entity called Orqa US, focused on building end-to-end UAV systems for Drone Dominance.
The US company is teaming up with defense contractor By Light and will produce drones (derived from OG Orqa designs) out of the company’s 180,000-square-foot production facility in Port Orange, FL.
tectonicdefense.com
TECHNOLOGY
China’s War Wolves: From Commercial Tech to Combat Power
China is not just modernizing its military. It is reimagining how future wars will be fought. The People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA’s) embrace of “intelligentized warfare” (智能化战争) reflects a systematic effort to integrate artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and unmanned systems into frontline operations. Robotic quadrupeds — often described in Chinese reporting as “robotic wolves” — sit at the center of this shift. These robots are not propaganda props. They offer a clear window into how China is converting commercial innovation into combat power.
fdd.org
Fortra Launches Defense Tech Unit to Deliver Advanced Cyber Capabilities Across Allied Nations
Fortra today announced the launch of its new Defense and Intelligence Unit (DIU), a dedicated business focused on delivering advanced, integrated cyber capabilities to critical infrastructure, defense, intelligence, and national security organizations around the world. Building on its strong momentum in this space, the DIU will operate with its own leadership and a dedicated operating model.
"Defense and intelligence organizations are facing unprecedented complexity – from cyberattacks on critical infrastructure to operational challenges in some of the most demanding environments on earth," said Matt Reck, Chief Executive Officer, Fortra. "The creation of the DIU reflects Fortra's commitment to supporting these communities with the advanced capabilities, unique use cases, and experience they need."
Defense Tech Newsletter
EUROPE
How Europe is building its own DARPA to counter the drone threat
Germany and Sweden are teaming up to fast-track anti-drone technology, creating a new model for European defense innovation.
fastcompany.com
Why defense tech startup Destinus is partnering with Rheinmetall
Joint production of cruise missiles and rocket artillery is set to begin later this year. Destinus hopes this will enable it to enter the German market.
table.media
Estonia is setting up a new ‘rare drone’ tech testing lab to ease the European bottleneck
With existing facilities "heavily overbooked", Metrosert's €7M lab will help take tech from prototype to commercial reality
resiliencemedia.co
SECURITY
As space gets more dangerous, resilience matters more than ever
How can we defend against a nuclear attack above the Karman Line?
resiliencemedia.co