Top defense insights from 2024

Top defense insights from 2024
Top defense insights from 2024

A curated look at standout opinions and analysis covering topics like uncrewed systems, NATO partnerships, US-Saudi defense dynamics, and evolving warfare strategies, spotlighting key issues shaping the global defense landscape.

Preparing the industrial base for when the Army’s FLRAA tiltrotor is built at scale

Preparing the industrial base for when the Army’s FLRAA tiltrotor is built at scale
Preparing the industrial base for when the Army’s FLRAA tiltrotor is built at scale

The program manager for the Future Long Range Attack Aircraft breaks down what the supply chain needs to be doing now for production.

Cutting losses? Assad, Syria, and Russia’s strategic flexibility

Cutting losses? Assad, Syria, and Russia’s strategic flexibility
Cutting losses? Assad, Syria, and Russia’s strategic flexibility

Russia’s failure to intervene as Bashar al-Assad’s regime fell may signal less about the Kremlin’s weakness than its cold strategic calculus.

Cost, payload and EW defense: Israel’s Aeronautics CEO talks the future of tactical UAVs

Cost, payload and EW defense: Israel’s Aeronautics CEO talks the future of tactical UAVs
Cost, payload and EW defense: Israel’s Aeronautics CEO talks the future of tactical UAVs

Dan Slasky said he sees plenty of opportunity in the niche market of smaller, but not too small, drones.

Aussie annual defense report stripped of data: ‘Kind of useless now’

Aussie annual defense report stripped of data: ‘Kind of useless now’
Aussie annual defense report stripped of data: ‘Kind of useless now’

“I simply see this as the latest step in defense’s endless quest to see it is not held accountable for its chronic poor performance,” Marcus Hellyer, respected Australian defense acquisition expert, said about what he called the “gutting” of the annual report.

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Setting national security priorities in a changed world

Setting national security priorities in a changed world
Setting national security priorities in a changed world

In an unpredictable world, a strong and innovative military is essential to protect the United States and its economic interests.

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Providing an asymmetric advantage with quadcopters and fixed-wing VTOLs

Providing an asymmetric advantage with quadcopters and fixed-wing VTOLs
Providing an asymmetric advantage with quadcopters and fixed-wing VTOLs

The American-made Teal 2 quadcopter and Edge 130 Blue, a VTOL fixed-wing system, are both on the Defense Innovation Unit’s Blue List for acquisition by U.S. forces.

Raytheon, Ursa Major log successful solid rocket motor flight test

Raytheon, Ursa Major log successful solid rocket motor flight test
Raytheon, Ursa Major log successful solid rocket motor flight test

“In this particular program, we went from concept and design to firing and flight on the range in just under four months, which is lightning fast,” said Ursa Major CEO Dan Jablonsky.

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Integrating commercial off-the-shelf computing on military platforms

Integrating commercial off-the-shelf computing on military platforms
Integrating commercial off-the-shelf computing on military platforms

Technology insertion into legacy platforms and electronics requires creativity in designing computer systems that can communicate with them.

Hypersonic missile defense deserves predictable and sustainable funding

Hypersonic missile defense deserves predictable and sustainable funding
Hypersonic missile defense deserves predictable and sustainable funding

Keeping the Glide Phase Interceptor program on track needs to be a priority for the new administration and Congress, writes former NORTHCOM officer Howard “Dallas” Thompson.

Lithuania agrees to purchase 44 Leopard 2 tanks in country’s largest-ever defense deal

Lithuania agrees to purchase 44 Leopard 2 tanks in country’s largest-ever defense deal
Lithuania agrees to purchase 44 Leopard 2 tanks in country’s largest-ever defense deal

While costs and delivery dates were not made public in the statement, the Lithunian minister told the Baltic News Service that the goal is to have the tanks by 2030. 

Poland acquires General Atomics MQ-9B SkyGuardian in $310M deal

Poland acquires General Atomics MQ-9B SkyGuardian in $310M deal
Poland acquires General Atomics MQ-9B SkyGuardian in $310M deal

The SkyGuardian purchase comes months after Kosiniak-Kamysz announced the creation of a so-called “Drone Force,” following the model that Ukraine created earlier this year.

The ‘technology stack’ driving the Army’s next-gen C2 plans

The ‘technology stack’ driving the Army’s next-gen C2 plans
The ‘technology stack’ driving the Army’s next-gen C2 plans

This week Army officials revealed new details about its plans for a new command and control capability, and how industry can keep up.

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DoD authorizes first C2 gateway to modernize and update on its own for CJADC2

DoD authorizes first C2 gateway to modernize and update on its own for CJADC2
DoD authorizes first C2 gateway to modernize and update on its own for CJADC2

Managing the level of data needed for multi-domain operations necessitates a C2 system that enables interoperability between fielded and new systems.