Anduril Unveils Voyager 1 for Mobile Compute, Comms; Europe Has No Rival to Palantir’s War AI

INNOVATION

Anduril Unveils Voyager 1 for Mobile Compute and Comms

Compute is, like, so hot right now.

Yesterday, teeny-tiny startup Anduril (they’ve had like, no news lately) unveiled the Voyager Gateway 1, a new “rugged, body-worn compute and communications system designed to fit within an operator’s kit.”

Britain turns on Borealis orbital defence network amid growing space threats

The UK has brought its new Borealis space surveillance platform online six months ahead of schedule as officials warn that hostile activity and orbital congestion are turning space into an increasingly contested military domain

The Pentagon Still Cannot Manage Cyber Talent at Scale. Here’s the Fix.

The Department of Defense does not primarily have a cyber recruiting problem — it has a cyber talent management problem. The military already possesses serious qualification frameworks, scholarship programs, credentialing systems, and selection tools. What it still lacks is a system tying assessment, training, assignment, performance, and retention together across an entire cyber career.

INVESTMENT

SubSea Craft selects Virginia Beach for US expansion

U .K.-based maritime technology and defense company SubSea Craft plans to expand operations into Virginia Beach as the company grows its presence in the U.S. maritime and defense market.

The company said Virginia Beach will serve as a strategic hub for engagement with U.S. defense agencies, maritime industry partners, and technology collaborators. SubSea Craft develops surface, subsurface, and autonomous maritime platforms for naval and defense applications.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Pentagon taps Shield AI for low-cost missile program

The U.S. government is partnering with defense tech startup Shield AI as it seeks more affordable drones to combat soaring materials costs amid the war with Iran.

The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering on Tuesday said it will integrate Shield AI’s autonomous Hivemind software to power low-cost uncrewed combat attack systems, or LUCAS drones.

TECHNOLOGY

Inside Ukraine’s Battlefield Innovation Loop

American and allied defense companies often speak about testing their products in Ukraine, but few have consistently done so. Why are these companies so hesitant — and why should venture-backed defense companies test more in Ukraine?

The sea change in defence tech

A wave of maritime startups bet that the future of naval power looks nothing like the past

Smart Shooter to provide Israel's Defense Ministry anti-drone SMASH Hopper

SMASH Hopper can be used for multiple mission scenarios including force protection, border security, anti-drone, remote ambush, and low profile operations

Silentium Defense appoints North America CEO

Silentium Defense has announced the appointment of Matthew Ratnesar as Chief Executive Officer, North America and the establishment of the company's new US headquarters in Apex, North Carolina.

The move signals Silentium Defense's expansion into the US defence market at a moment when current global conflicts are exposing critical vulnerabilities in traditional radar and air defence systems.

POLICY

Key Army efforts pinned to lawmakers’ taste for a new reconciliation bill

White House puts funding for munitions, industrial development in precedent-breaking request.

OUTER SPACE

ESA Chief Calls on Europe to Double Funds for Space

Europe has made huge strides increasing public funds to grow its space economy, but to some in the industry, enough is not enough.

“If we’re not making big changes, we will never catch up. We will always run behind [the US],” ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher told Politico at the GLOBSEC forum yesterday.

His rationale—laid out in a detailed op-ed published Monday—hinged on the idea that if Europe wants sovereign space exploration capabilities, it has to act now—before the EU finalizes its Multiannual Financial Framework for 2028-2034.

EUROPE

Poland joins Pentagon’s counter-drone marketplace amid unexpected US deployment cancellation

Even as the Army abruptly cancelled a planned deployment to Poland earlier this year, the service is continuing to expand military cooperation with the country through the Pentagon’s counter-drone initiative, the Army announced on Wednesday.

Europe Has No Rival to Palantir’s War AI, NATO Says

A NATO commander has warned that Europe currently has no viable alternative to Palantir’s battlefield artificial intelligence technology, highlighting the alliance’s continued dependence on U.S. defense systems.

Adm. Pierre Vandier, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, told POLITICO that the alliance moved quickly to adopt Palantir’s Maven Smart System in March 2025, purchasing it to improve intelligence gathering, targeting, battlespace awareness, planning, and AI-assisted military decision-making.

He said NATO chose an “off-the-shelf” solution already used by the United States because it was the fastest way to meet urgent operational needs. According to Vandier, there is currently “no real competitor” to Palantir capable of delivering similar capabilities quickly enough for NATO’s requirements.

STARTUPS

Mach Industries just spent $50M to solve a major defense tech problem

Three-year-old Mach Industries has acquired solid rocket motor startup Exquadrum in a $50 million cash-and-equity deal, the Huntington Beach-based defense startup tells TechCrunch. Exquadrum — now rebranded as Mach Energetics — has been fully folded into Mach’s operations, giving it direct control over one of the most important, and constrained, components in modern unmanned systems.