Spurred on by the threat of unmanned boats and small drones in contested waters such as the Persian Gulf, the Pentagon has set out to quickly find a cheap countermeasure. The Defense Department has put out a solicitation for robot boats that are capable of launching small attack drones — with technology mature enough to…
Editor’s note: This story originally appeared on Laser Wars, a newsletter about military laser weapons and other futuristic defense technology. Subscribe here. The U.S. military is closing in on its high-energy laser weapon of choice for counter-drone missions. Now it needs the vehicles to support it. With the demise of its Stryker-based Directed Energy-Maneuver Short…
U.S. forces struck Iranian coastal radar sites on Saturday after shooting down drones launched by Iran toward the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. military said, in the latest escalation complicating efforts to end the war between the two countries. The U.S. military believes the four Iranian drones were targeting regional maritime traffic, a U.S. official…
Within the U.S. Army’s $253 billion budget request is a proposal to boost research and development spending by 12.9%. While officials say that extra $2.1 billion will allow the Army to “keep a technological advantage,” congressional leaders have expressed concern that it could come at the expense of accountability. During the Army’s congressional budget hearing,…
As the U.S. remains at war with Iran, the Pentagon’s fiscal year 2027 budget request has raised the prospect of a significant increase in the monthly stipend paid out to troops in regions that put them at risk of taking hostile fire or other job-related dangers. As first reported by Stars and Stripes, Army and…
At a U.S Army training facility in Germany on Thursday, some senior officers highlighted the benefits of American presence in the country, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was reviewing whether to reduce troop numbers in the country. The benefits of U.S. troops here include deterring adversaries, combat training with allies on…
The four-star generals and admirals who lead U.S. military commands have all requested the support of amphibious ready groups and Marine Expeditionary Units, according to the highest-ranking officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. U.S. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric Smith told audience members at Modern Day Marine in Washington on Thursday that the demand for…
The U.S. Air Force plans to more than double its F-15EX Eagle II fleet to 267 aircraft, up from the previously planned 129, as part of the fiscal 2027 budget request rolled out this week. The revised plan calls for 24 additional Eagle IIs next year at a cost of roughly $3 billion, according to…
The U.S. Marine Corps is looking for a new anti-tank loitering munition to field for the Fleet Marine Force. The service wants the kamikaze drone, called the Organic Precision Fires–Medium, or OPF-M, to have a range of at least around 15 miles and be light enough to be carried by two dismounted Marines. “Marines will…
Editor’s note: This story originally appeared on Laser Wars, a newsletter about military laser weapons and other futuristic defense technology. Subscribe here. The U.S. military is once again pursuing flying directed energy weapons to counter threats to American airspace, according to the Defense Department’s missile defense boss. Speaking to members of Congress during a House…
