A Readier Air Force; Pulse Space Lands $40M Space Force Contract to Develop Laser Tech

INNOVATION

Soldier insights help advance Cheyenne development

The Project Office for the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft recently executed a critical design iteration of the Army’s next-generation assault aircraft, the MV-75 Cheyenne, at Redstone Arsenal during a special user evaluation. Over the course of a week in mid-May, a team of operators from the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB), engineers and trainers gathered to focus on a critical aspect of modern aviation: the pilot display system and its impact on cognitive workload.

NATO and Brave1 Open Apps for Joint Air Defense

The program—first announced in late 2025—is designed to “bring together Ukrainian defense companies and companies from NATO member states to develop cutting-edge technologies for the battlefield.”

INVESTMENT

Northrop Secures $1.8B US Air Force Deal to Continue Litening Pod Support

The award builds on a $1.3-billion agreement from 2019 that provided comprehensive support for the program through 2023.

TECHNOLOGY

Taiwan’s defence plans are up in the air

Greyzone harassment from China and disagreement in government ranks are buffeting the country's drone strategy

US Wants to Win the GPS War With ‘Hammer of the Gods’

Hammer of the Gods uses portable electronic warfare technology to disrupt positioning, navigation, and timing signals.

SPACE

Pulse Space Lands $40M Space Force Contract to Develop Laser Tech

While officials didn’t share which specific applications were included in the OTA agreement, the company is developing lasers to perform a range of services for commercial and government customers.

STARTUPS

EXCLUSIVE: Eric Trump-backed defense technology company Space-Eyes to go public in $638 million SPAC deal, sources say

Defense technology company Space-Eyes has agreed to go public through a merger with special purpose acquisition company McKinley Acquisition Corp, in a deal valuing the combined business at $638 ‌million, according to four people familiar with the matter.

MARITIME

HII’s sea drone business is growing, but revenue is ‘modest,’ CEO says

The nation’s largest military shipbuilder sees maritime drones producing “modest” revenue now, but expects that to grow as the Navy builds its unmanned fleet, HII’s chief executive said during Thursday’s earnings call.

Seasats USV Records Chinese Warship in ‌the Philippines' Waters

Earlier this month, a Lightfish unmanned surface vessel (USV) made by San Diego-based startup Seasats ran into a Chinese destroyer operating in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and recorded what the company says is the first such video captured by a US company.

ARMY

US Army Trials Hybrid Power to Make Battlefield Assets Less Detectable

EPIQ is a hybrid system to power command-and-control, intelligence, fires, communications, and sustainment operations.

AIR FORCE

Fly, Fix, Defend: Wilsbach Aims for a Readier Air Force

When Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach became Chief of Staff of the Air Force in November 2025, he coined a simple motto: “Fly and Fix”—so you can fight if necessary. In the nine months since, Airmen have been flying, fixing, and fighting—a lot.

STRATEGY

Taiwan’s Tech Hurdles Threaten Military Capability and Potential Coalition Defense

Taiwan produces the world’s most advanced semiconductors, yet the island’s own military is only in the opening stages of adopting artificial intelligence systems. This mismatch bears directly on Taiwan’s ability to deter Chinese aggression.

The Future of NATO

With U.S. pulling back, European partners face an urgent call to fill in the gaps—especially in the air.