Unmanned in the air and at sea at World Defense Show 2026
Middle East Bureau Chief Agnes Helou gets up close and personal with some American unmanned platforms in Saudi Arabia.
Air Force flight tests drone wingman carrying (inert) weapons, competitors reveal new names
Anduril’s YFQ-44A drone wingman under development for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program has begun testing flights with a missile underwing, according to an Air Force press release.
Modernizing defense enterprise IT without disrupting the mission
Government can’t stop to update systems, so modernization has to happen without interruptions.
LongShot program eyes new target for early flight tests
The first flight test for the X-68A was originally set to begin in December of 2023, Breaking Defense previously reported.
DIU, Navy seek long-range drones for maritime strikes
A new solicitation from the Defense Innovation Unit asks for unmanned systems capable of carrying 1,000-pound-class munitions that can fly in a 600-nautical-mile radius.
The drone wingman race kicks into high(er) gear: 2026 preview
Sometime in 2026, the Air Force will make a decision about what designs to produce for the first round of its drone wingmen program. The service is also expected to home in on what it wants next.
CCA Round 2: Air Force picks 9 vendors for next batch of drone wingmen
The designs selected for the next group of Collaborative Combat Aircraft represent a “broad spectrum” of concepts, which will be narrowed down at a later date for prototyping, an Air Force spokesperson told Breaking Defense.
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From backlogs to breakthroughs: Why the defense industrial base is turning to agentic AI
Agentic AI helps defense manufacturers speed up production, cut complexity and improve decision-making across global supply chains.
Army launches ‘challenge’ to find division-level Gray Eagle replacement
Service leaders are looking to find industry solutions for short/vertical takeoff and landing (S/VOTL) drones, ones that don’t require a runway, in the Group 4 or above category.
General Atomics executive breaks down CCA demand, MQ-9 plans and standoff strategy
Dive into how General Atomics Aeronautical Systems plans to protect MQ-9s, adapt for peer threats and evolve its unmanned systems portfolio over the next five years.
In a first, F-22 pilot controls wingman drone from cockpit, General Atomics says
“We already know the F-22 will play a critical role in crewed-uncrewed teaming operations, and General Atomics is in a unique position to get this started now,” company spokesman C. Mark Brinkley told Breaking Defense.
General Atomics launches Gambit 6 drone wingman for air-to-ground operations
International customers will be able to acquire Gambit 6 from 2027, ahead of European “missionized versions” eligible for delivery in 2029, according to General Atomics.
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Interoperability becomes the price of entry for next-gen warfighting tech
AI, autonomous systems, cyber, and EW converge as industry targets faster battlefield effects.
Anduril drone wingman prototype makes first flight, Air Force says
The tech startup’s YFQ-44A is the second of two drone prototypes to take flight under the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program.
Trump says he’ll sign order to direct Navy to use steam for aircraft carrier catapults
It’s not the first time Trump has fixated on the technology.
Netherlands joins US for drone wingmen development
The agreement unlocks "total access" for the Netherlands into the US Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, said Dutch State Secretary for Defense Gijs Tuinman.
Air Force shields CCA drone wingman program from effects of government shutdown
The service has permitted furloughed employees to return to work “to ensure continuity of operations and avoid any potential delay” for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft program, according to an Air Force official.