Radar Sweep
Israel’s Strikes Are Shifting the Power Balance in the Middle East, with US Support
Israeli military strikes are targeting Iran’s armed allies across a nearly 2,000-mile stretch of the Middle East and threatening Iran itself. The efforts raise the possibility of an end to two decades of Iranian ascendancy in the region, to which the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq inadvertently gave rise.
Israel Defense Minister Cancels Visit with Pentagon Chief
Israel has canceled a planned meeting between its Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the Pentagon confirmed Oct. 8. Austin was set to meet with his Israeli counterpart at the Pentagon on Oct. 9 as the U.S. ally was debating how to respond to Iran’s attack last week. Gallant was also supposed to meet with White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.
How to Wield Better Data in Defense
Whether it’s perfecting supply chain logistics, sorting out the intricacies of a complex wargame, or planning key operational moves in a campaign, data holds the key to better decisions for the U.S. Air Force. Learn more about how industry and the military are better using data to improve outcomes.
AFRL Moves Toward Flight Testing Satellite Internet Radios Under Global Lightning
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is planning flight tests in late 2025 and early 2026 of prototype antennas and radio receivers capable switching between multiple commercial satellite internet constellations—a capability that would both make them more difficult to jam and serve as an enabler of the Pentagon’s planned Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) network.
3 Airmen Awarded Purple Hearts for Injuries During Deadly Tower 22 Attack in Jordan
Three Airmen who were injured during a January drone attack on a remote base in Jordan, which killed three service members and injured dozens more, have received Purple Hearts, according to the National Guard.
Anduril Lands $250 Million Pentagon Contract for Drone Defense System
The Pentagon awarded Anduril Industries a contract worth $250 million to counter drone attacks against U.S. forces with the company’s recoverable Roadrunner interceptor. Under the deal, which Anduril announced on Oct. 8, the Defense Department will buy 500 Roadrunner all-up rounds as well as the firm’s portable Pulsar electronic-warfare capability, which can be integrated with aircraft to jam enemy systems.
How to Build a Multi-Sensor Air Defense Dashboard in Just Two Weeks
It takes just a moment to add a new app to your phone, but adding a sensor to a military radar display takes years. That’s why air defense troops must bounce between multiple systems, wasting precious seconds as they scramble to identify incoming drones. But it doesn't have to be that way, according to a recent experiment led by U.S. Central Command.
Space Development Agency Unveils Plans for Next 200-Satellite Procurement
The Space Development Agency is gearing up for the next major procurement of satellites for the military’s low Earth orbit satellite constellation, known as the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA). Last week, satellite vendors were notified of an upcoming solicitation for an estimated 200 satellites and associated ground services under Tranche 3 of the PWSA.
New Vision for Lift Fan Aircraft Family Grows from Special Operations X-Plane Program
Aurora Flight Sciences has released new renderings of an uncrewed fan-in-wing vertical take-off-and-landing capable demonstrator aircraft it is currently working on, as well as of a revised vision for a scaled-up cargo aircraft based on the same technology.
US, Taiwan Eyeing Defense Co-Production, Panelists Say
It is not a question of if the U.S. and Taiwan will co-produce defense systems, but how and when, panelists at an Atlantic Council event said on Oct. 8. Co-production with allies and partners is increasingly intertwined with U.S. efforts to revitalize the defense industrial base.
A Military Airlift Could Be Needed for IV Fluids After Helene, Hospital Group Says
A week after Hurricane Helene knocked out a factory that produces more than half of the country’s intravenous solutions, the president of a group that represents about 5,000 hospitals is suggesting that the U.S. military might need to fly in IV fluids from around the world as U.S. supplies rapidly dwindle.