Defense News

Two U.S. tanker aircraft left Bulgaria’s Bezmer air base after a temporary deployment that had occurred nearly a month earlier. The United States requested this deployment under an agreement, but Iran protested, arguing it constituted complicity in "aggression and war crimes." Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov stated the flights were training missions over allied countries.

The US Army is ending an experiment with a dedicated drone battalion in Europe, returning the unit to its airborne infantry mission. This move comes as Acting Chief of Staff Gen. Christopher LaNeve issued The Army Azimuth roadmap, emphasizing that the military must counter enemies who use stand-off weapons and unmanned systems.

The Swiss government is requesting 970 million CHF (US$1.2 billion) for air defense in the 2026 budget to address a heightened threat situation and long equipment delivery times. The funding will cover advance payments for short-range and medium-range systems, as well as radar and drone-counter technologies. These appropriations aim to secure production capacity and ensure timely deliveries of critical defense equipment.

A Congressional Budget Office report estimates the Trump-class battleship program will cost $275 billion, with the first ship priced at $23.4 billion and subsequent units at $18 billion each. The program would produce 15 nuclear-powered battleships by 2056, the largest surface combatants since World War II, but faces challenges including increased shipyard tonnage demands and industry delays highlighted by the Government Accountability Office.

Firestorm Labs 3D-printed drones and parts aboard the USS Essex to support RIMPAC 2026, using a containerized microfactory to reduce resupply logistics. The Navy aims to expand modular, deployable capabilities through initiatives like the containerized capability campaign and the Low-Cost Containerized Munitions program.

The US Navy awarded Saildrone a $16.3 million task order to expand operations of its Voyager unmanned surface vehicles in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific for counternarcotics missions. The USVs have supported drug interdiction efforts since 2023, including a recent seizure of $81 million in cocaine. The Trump administration's counternarcotics strategy includes military strikes against alleged drug-carrying vessels, with 66 strikes reported as of June 22.

Taiwan conducted major military drills to test commanders' ability to adapt to unexpected enemy scenarios, incorporating new tactics like a U.S.-style backbrief approach and simulated internet disruptions. The 10-day Han Kuang exercise included emergency deployments and simulations of China disrupting command centers and supply lines.

Lockheed Martin is negotiating to purchase scandium and germanium from U.S. mines to reduce reliance on China, following pressure from President Trump. The deals aim to build domestic mineral supply chains but face challenges like lower Chinese prices and limited U.S. production capacity.

The U.S. Army has used nearly all of its long-range precision missiles, including ATACMS and PrSM, during a five-month conflict with Iran, raising concerns about military readiness. These missiles, critical for long-range strikes, have also been used by Ukraine against Russia, and their depletion could impact deterrence capabilities against adversaries like China.

The U.S. Air Force is addressing significant challenges in jet engine manufacturing, including production delays, quality control issues, and supply chain problems, by seeking new engines and manufacturers through a Request for Information with an August 28 deadline. The initiative aims to resolve delays and cost overruns in programs like the F-35 and B-52, prioritizing supply chain resilience, lifecycle costs, and scalable production.

The Pentagon has signed framework agreements with Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin to triple Patriot and quadruple THAAD interceptor production, aiming to replenish strained U.S. missile inventories due to increased demand from conflicts in Iran and Ukraine. The initiative involves direct collaboration with component suppliers to enhance production capacity and supply chain resilience.

Chinese military researchers have leveraged outputs from U.S. AI models like OpenAI and Anthropic to train domestic systems via 'model distillation,' advancing defense capabilities. U.S. officials accuse China of extracting capabilities to bypass export controls, while China denies reliance on foreign models.

The U.S.-made Patriot system is being challenged by new cheaper anti-ballistic projects like Ukraine's Freyja, developed through a European-Ukrainian coalition, as global demand for cost-effective missile defenses surges. Lockheed Martin has also introduced a cheaper Patriot variant and received a $53.86 billion Pentagon contract to boost production.

The U.S. Air Force’s F-47 program has entered the engineering and manufacturing development phase, with a first flight scheduled for 2028. The program aims to replace the F-22 Raptor fleet and includes test aircraft production and integration of advanced technologies. President Donald Trump announced the sixth-generation F-47’s development under the NGAD program in March 2025.

The U.S. Navy awarded $76.6 billion in contracts to build 14 submarines, including five Columbia-class and nine Virginia-class vessels, emphasizing undersea superiority and nuclear triad recapitalization. The Columbia-class, replacing Ohio-class submarines, faces delays despite a 2020 start, while Virginia-class submarines continue replacing Los Angeles-class vessels.

The U.S. has depleted 65% of its Patriot missile interceptors and 38% of THAAD interceptors during the conflict with Iran, according to a CSIS analysis, raising readiness concerns for future conflicts. The Pentagon awarded Lockheed Martin a $58.6 billion contract to produce Patriot missiles through 2032 to rebuild stockpiles.

The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $58.6 billion contract to produce Patriot interceptor missiles over seven years, addressing strained stockpiles due to conflicts in Iran and Ukraine. The deal expands a previous $4.7 billion agreement and aims to triple PAC-3 MSE production capacity by 2030 while increasing jobs at a facility in Arkansas.

DARPA's inaugural Lift Challenge aims to revolutionize heavy vertical-lift aviation by finding a drone capable of lifting four times its own weight. The $6.5 million competition, part of the Defense Department's Drone Dominance initiative, seeks to reduce costs for industries like agriculture and logistics by advancing payload-to-weight ratios in drone technology.

The Pentagon is seeking robot boats capable of launching attack drones to counter unmanned threats in contested waters like the Persian Gulf. The SWAP-USV project, backed by a $100 million prize, aims to deploy these systems within 120 days, focusing on detecting and neutralizing low-cost maritime threats such as smuggling boats and semi-submersibles.

The Pentagon has begun a review of U.S. military troop presence, force posture, and basing across Europe, announced by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and confirmed by Under Secretary Elbridge Colby. The process, part of a broader effort to align with U.S. strategic goals and NATO’s conventional defense responsibilities, will involve consultations with allies, Congress, and military commands, but no immediate troop changes or timelines have been specified.