‘Step by step’: BAE eyes yearlong AMPV ramp up, new prototypes

‘Step by step’: BAE eyes yearlong AMPV ramp up, new prototypes
‘Step by step’: BAE eyes yearlong AMPV ramp up, new prototypes

At this week’s AUSA Global Force symposium, the company is showing off its new AMPV NxT prototype, a vehicle featuring Elbit’s UT30 Mk2.

Army, CENTCOM ask Congress for spending jump for counter-drone mission

Army, CENTCOM ask Congress for spending jump for counter-drone mission
Army, CENTCOM ask Congress for spending jump for counter-drone mission

The Army has sent lawmakers a $2.2 billion unfunded priority list for FY25, while US Central Command says it would happily funnel an additional $450 million towards regional security.

Exclusive: Army Vice Chief talks network evolution, possible C-UAS shakeup and other priorities

Exclusive: Army Vice Chief talks network evolution, possible C-UAS shakeup and other priorities
Exclusive: Army Vice Chief talks network evolution, possible C-UAS shakeup and other priorities

The Army’s new Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Mingus recently sat down with Breaking Defense to discuss a few of his priorities that include network changes to include transitioning from a ‘C2 Fix’ to ‘C2 Next.’

‘Transforming in contact’: Army units to test out new equipment on deployments

‘Transforming in contact’: Army units to test out new equipment on deployments
‘Transforming in contact’: Army units to test out new equipment on deployments

“We’re actually getting [soldiers] involved in how we’re helping to design the force….My view is that we are going to see a lot of refinements from the field that will really help us figure out how we need to adjust,” said Army Chief Randy George.

Air warfare in 2023: The year of the drone and the shadow of AI

Air warfare in 2023: The year of the drone and the shadow of AI
Air warfare in 2023: The year of the drone and the shadow of AI

From more sophisticated systems like the Air Force’s collaborative combat aircraft to cheap kamikaze weapons, the drone had its heyday in 2023 — and promises, coupled with AI, to be a much bigger part of future warfighting.

Amid Ukraine and Israel conflicts, Pentagon acquisition chief sees counter-drone ‘crisis’

Amid Ukraine and Israel conflicts, Pentagon acquisition chief sees counter-drone ‘crisis’
Amid Ukraine and Israel conflicts, Pentagon acquisition chief sees counter-drone ‘crisis’

“It is an urgent issue. … We need counter UAS capabilities at scale,” said Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Bill LaPlante. “We need lots of money, we need production lines to go up fast.”

Anduril unveils VTOL Roadrunner-Munition for aerial defense, one US customer buying in

Anduril unveils VTOL Roadrunner-Munition for aerial defense, one US customer buying in
Anduril unveils VTOL Roadrunner-Munition for aerial defense, one US customer buying in

The start-up declined to identify its American customer, but budget documents show that Special Operations Command is investing in counter-UAS technology bearing the “Roadrunner” name.

US, Saudi Arabia conduct ‘biggest, most complex’ live fire CENTCOM c-UAS exercise

US, Saudi Arabia conduct ‘biggest, most complex’ live fire CENTCOM c-UAS exercise
US, Saudi Arabia conduct ‘biggest, most complex’ live fire CENTCOM c-UAS exercise

“Our objective during this live fire exercise was to shoot down UAS from dawn to dusk,” Col. Robert McVey told Breaking Defense.

Fighting with lasers: Army to experiment with 50kw laser combined with kinetic air defenses

Fighting with lasers: Army to experiment with 50kw laser combined with kinetic air defenses
Fighting with lasers: Army to experiment with 50kw laser combined with kinetic air defenses

“What we don’t know yet from directed energy systems, necessarily, is… how to fight [with] lasers on the battlefield, how to integrate kinetic and non-kinetic effectors,” said Lt. Gen. Robert Rasch.

Maintaining lasers for counter-drone protection can be a struggle in remote locations: Officials

Maintaining lasers for counter-drone protection can be a struggle in remote locations: Officials
Maintaining lasers for counter-drone protection can be a struggle in remote locations: Officials

“Lasers are complicated. This is not a humvee that’s sitting in the motor pool,” said Lt. Gen. Daniel Karbler.

Spurred by Ukraine conflict, US Army conducts new tests of kinetic, microwave counter-UAS systems

Spurred by Ukraine conflict, US Army conducts new tests of kinetic, microwave counter-UAS systems
Spurred by Ukraine conflict, US Army conducts new tests of kinetic, microwave counter-UAS systems

“The threat is always going to evolve. We actually see this every day when we watch what’s happening in Ukraine and Israel,” said Col. Michael Parent, the lead for the RCCTO’s Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems office.

Regulus Cyber unveils Ring ARM-V, an EW system to protect vehicles and troops from drones

Regulus Cyber unveils Ring ARM-V, an EW system to protect vehicles and troops from drones
Regulus Cyber unveils Ring ARM-V, an EW system to protect vehicles and troops from drones

Company CEO Yonatan Zur described the spoofing system, which the firm says has been in operation for a couple years, to Breaking Defense.

Aussie firm jumps in high-energy laser game, aiming for deals down under

Aussie firm jumps in high-energy laser game, aiming for deals down under
Aussie firm jumps in high-energy laser game, aiming for deals down under

Matt Jones, an executive at Electro Optic Systems, told Breaking Defense the company’s container-based 36-kilowatt laser is ready to deploy.

US Army’s evolving counter-UAS M-LIDS plan puts foreign military sales on backburner

US Army’s evolving counter-UAS M-LIDS plan puts foreign military sales on backburner
US Army’s evolving counter-UAS M-LIDS plan puts foreign military sales on backburner

“It’s been a little bit slower than we would have liked… but I think their view is they really want to get to the single vehicle counter UAS, and then they want to proliferate that worldwide,” said Michael Coulter, the president of Leonardo DRS International.