In reversal, Hegseth now backs E-7 radar plane
SecDef says previous calls to cancel the program reflected a now-discarded ”divest-to-invest mindset.”
defense systems
Drone boats make debut in Navy’s 30-year shipbuilding plan
Service officials envision a 450-hull fleet by 2031.
Golden Dome plan would cost $1.2 trillion, CBO finds
That’s seven times what Trump initially said, and almost double the congressional office’s first estimate.
Air Force MQ-9 downs aerial targets with cheap air-to-air missiles
The Reaper demo is part of the service’s quest for cost-effective defense against inexpensive drones.
Air Force wants AI in its air-ops command-and-control system
Kessel Run is managing the nascent effort to improve the Air Operations Center Weapon System used by COCOMs.
Army turns to ‘hackathons’ to better connect dozens of weapons, systems
Nine leading vendors are to attend the first brainstorming session at Fort Carson, Colorado.
First B-52s to get new engines this year
Critical design review clears Boeing to upgrade two Stratofortresses in bid to keep them flying past 2050.
Space Force wraps decades-long GPS upgrade—and the next one is on tap
A last-minute rocket swap shows agility in pursuit of faster launches.
Marine Corps considering Army’s MV-75 as an attack helo replacement
Bell unveiled an armed version specifically for the Corps at the Modern Day Marine conference.
Navy’s drone refueler notches first flight—but it won’t be on aircraft carriers until 2029
The MQ-25A delay pushes deliveries another two years past the prior reschedule.