The Pentagon’s Tradewinds program gives AI companies a faster route to defense contracts. Managed by the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO), the initiative requires companies to s
The U.S. Army is testing counter-drone systems along the U.S.-Mexico border to address increasing cartel use of commercially available drones and to accelerate military innovation modeled on Ukraine’s
Longshot is developing reusable, ground-based acceleration infrastructure intended to improve hypersonic testing and eventually reduce the cost of space access. Its approach shifts more fuel, energy,
Joint Interagency Task Force 401 is using artificial intelligence to analyze data collected during Falcon Peak 26.2, a month-long exercise testing commercial counter-drone technologies along the U.S.
Army awards up to $7B in sprawling counter-drone IDIQ
news
breakingdefense.com
IrregularChat: Counter UxV
1w ago
The U.S. Army has awarded multiple contracts worth up to $7 billion to expand counter-drone capabilities across the military and federal government. Announced by Army acquisition leaders and Joint Int
A Reddit post in r/army discusses a Douyin image showing Chinese PLA OPFOR soldiers wearing imitation U.S. Army uniforms. The image draws attention to several inaccuracies, including “U.S. Army” name
The article describes the rapid deployment and development of US military laser weapons, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz and along the southern border. These systems use concentrated photons to d
The Defense Department’s enterprise generative AI platform, GenAI.mil, has expanded rapidly since its launch in December. Approximately 1.7 million of the department’s roughly 3 million personnel—incl
The Pentagon is introducing a Joint Warfighter Evaluation (JWE) for Army, Air Force and Marine Corps colonels and Navy captains competing for promotion to one-star rank. Announced by Defense Secretary
As artificial intelligence and autonomous weapons become more common in warfare, military experts and chaplains are preparing for their potential psychological and moral effects on service members. A
Spider Silk: The New Material Used in Body Armor
news
bodyarmornews.com
IrregularChat: Tech
2w ago
The article examines spider silk as a potential next-generation material for military body armor. Spider silk is lightweight, flexible, highly elastic, and exceptionally strong relative to its weight.
Trump says he will create 'AI Force,' name AI czar
news
ground.news
IrregularChat: AI & Autonomy
2w ago
President Donald Trump announced plans to create an “AI Force,” modeled on the Space Force established during his first term, and to appoint an artificial intelligence czar to lead the administration’
A Reddit post discusses MILPER 26-350, which establishes or reinforces accelerated promotion opportunities for Army drill sergeants and recruiters.
Under the new policy, Sergeants (SGTs) selected or
Alabama martial arts instructor Johnny Lee Smith has sued the U.S. Army in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, alleging that Army personnel copied his copyrighted self-defense and gunfighting training m
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach announced plans to strengthen the defense of U.S. air bases, arguing that the service can no longer assume it will operate from secure “sanctuaries.” Speakin
Witnesses before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission warned that human approval may not provide meaningful control over AI-assisted military decisions. As AI increasingly supports target identifica
New photographs obtained by CBS News reportedly show extensive damage to U.S. military facilities, aircraft, vehicles and buildings across the Middle East following Iranian missile and drone attacks.
The U.S. Army is preparing to launch a new mobile app called AFT Go this fall to simplify how Army Fitness Test results are recorded and added to soldiers’ official training records. According to the
The post announces the release of a new report on AI decision-support systems (AI-DSS) in coalition military operations, timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and the start of two decade
The passage examines how Western analysts have theorized Russian “hybrid,” “political,” and “cognitive” warfare, using Stephen Dayspring’s 2015 thesis as a starting point. It argues that once disparat
The U.S. Air Force is exploring a new ground-based, medium-caliber anti-aircraft gun system to defend air bases worldwide against drones and subsonic cruise missiles. A recent Request for Information
The article reports that the US Army has received advanced 20kW-class high-energy laser systems designed to counter enemy drones. The weapon, known as the LOCUST LWS, comes from Applied Visuals (AV) a
The US Army and Navy have successfully tested a hypersonic missile designed to travel at speeds above Mach 5, marking another step toward faster long-range strike capabilities. The weapon is intended
The U.S. Army is developing a Laser-Induced Plasma Channel (LIPC) system that could use laser-guided lightning bolts to destroy targets. The technology is designed to strike objects that conduct elect
The Army has selected software firm Striveworks to build the baseline AI layer for its Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) architecture, officials told Breaking Defense. The announcement comes
The Army is opening several of its most advanced test ranges to private companies so they can test emerging military technologies before entering the prototype phase. The effort is aimed at accelerati
The Army is opening several of its most advanced test ranges to private companies so they can test emerging military technologies before entering the prototype phase. The effort is aimed at accelerati
The Army is opening several of its most advanced test ranges to private companies so they can test emerging military technologies before entering the prototype phase. The effort is aimed at accelerati
The Army is opening several of its most advanced test ranges to private companies so they can test emerging military technologies before entering the prototype phase. The effort is aimed at accelerati
Northrop reveals 50mm gun built to beat drone swarms
news
ukdefencejournal.org.uk
IrregularChat: Modern Warfare
Aug 12
Northrop Grumman has unveiled the name of its new 50mm gun-based air defence system, Raid Hunter, designed to defeat cruise missiles and drone swarms. The company says testing will continue through th
Northrop reveals 50mm gun built to beat drone swarms
news
ukdefencejournal.org.uk
IrregularChat: Counter UxV
Aug 12
Northrop Grumman has unveiled the name of its new 50mm gun-based air defence system, Raid Hunter, designed to defeat cruise missiles and drone swarms. The company says testing will continue through th
Urban Warfare Project - Modern War Institute
news
mwi.westpoint.edu
IrregularChat: IWAR
Aug 8
The Modern War Institute’s Urban Warfare Project is a special series focused on the realities, challenges, and lessons of fighting in cities. It is framed by Gen. Mark A. Milley’s warning that the U.S
The U.S. Army is seeking a new counter-drone missile under its Next Generation Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft System Missile (NGCM) program, with a strict cost target of under $150,000 per round and
The article argues that the Army’s plan to merge Information Operations (IO) and Psychological Operations (PSYOP) into one branch is not a true transformation, but mainly an administrative reorganizat
Lockheed Martin says high-energy laser weapons are no longer a distant concept and could be operational for the Pentagon before the end of the decade, potentially by 2030. Speaking at the Farnborough
The Pentagon has awarded $86 million in other transaction agreements to nLIGHT Defense and Lockheed Martin Aculight to advance directed energy weapons for the Joint Laser Weapon System (JLWS) program.
The document presents counter-UAS (C-UAS) as a national security “systems” problem requiring a first-principles approach rather than a single technology fix. It frames the drone threat at the system l
3D-printed interceptor aircraft counters drone swarms at 350 mph
news
interestingengineering.com
IrregularChat: Counter UxV
Jul 8
SkyDefense, a Colorado-based company, has unveiled CobraJet, an autonomous interceptor aircraft designed to stop hostile drones before they reach critical targets. Built for counter-drone defense, the
U.S. Army Maj. Gen. William Zana retired on June 1, 2024, after completing a final guard shift at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. The watch marked the end of a 37-year
ARCYN Defense has signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center (DEVCOM) to advance counter-unmanned aeria
The Army bought 10,000 IVAS headsets they will never use
news
taskandpurpose.com
IrregularChat: Modern Warfare
Jun 12
The Army’s Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), a mixed-reality headset program meant to improve soldiers’ situational awareness in combat, has effectively been shelved after costing the Defe
The U.S. Army has approved the M111 Offensive Hand Grenade (OHG) for Full Material Release, making it the first new lethal hand grenade to reach that milestone since the Mk3A2 entered service in 1968.
The U.S. Army launched the Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Marketplace on March 24, 2026, a new online storefront designed to speed up drone acquisition for Soldiers. Based at Redstone Arsenal, Alabam
The Defense Department is seeking nearly $30 billion in fiscal 2027 to modernize its AI computing infrastructure and expand its use of next-generation supercomputers. The proposed $29.5 billion invest
U.S. Northern Command's Gen. Gregory Guillot announced that the southern border has become a key area for counter-drone technology development, inviting industry partners to test their systems against
Army orders rifle-mounted smart scopes to down small drones
news
link.defensenews.com
IrregularChat: Counter UxV
May 18
The U.S. Army is expanding its counter-drone capabilities by purchasing rifle-mounted smart scopes that help soldiers detect, track, and shoot down small drones. Smart Shooter announced a $10.7 millio