Via Satellite
• Mark Holmes
Azerbaijan’s national satellite operator Azercosmos has launched Platerra, an AI-driven platform that automates satellite imagery processing and turns imagery into geospatial intelligence. The company says the platform is intended to support decision-making across a range of applications; the announcement did not specify customers or operational deployments.
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Azerbaijan’s national satellite operator Azercosmos has launched Platerra, an AI-driven platform that automates satellite imagery processing and turns imagery into geospatial intelligence. The company says the platform is intended to support decision-making across a range of applications; the announcement did not specify customers or operational deployments.
The Joint Interagency Task Force 401 is expanding its options against evolving unmanned-aircraft threats, including directed-energy weapons, AI-enabled systems, kinetic and non-kinetic tools, and measures to harden defenses. The mix points to a layered approach rather than reliance on a single counter-drone capability.
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Rheinmetall ICEYE has begun production of dedicated SPOCK 1 synthetic-aperture radar satellites for Germany, while Lithuania has received its first Switchblade 600 loitering munitions. Separately, the Pentagon plans an urban counter-drone exercise, DroneShield won a U.S. contract worth up to $500 million, and Russia reported intercepting nearly 900 Ukrainian drones.
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Coverage from 2026 aerospace events spans hybrid testing, AI and data at the Aerospace Test & Development Show; Boeing’s view that Middle East traffic will rebound, with widebody demand remaining strong; South Africa’s record company presence at IAC; and Elbit Systems’ planned showcase of unmanned, ISR, precision-fire and electronic-warfare capabilities in Marrakech.
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SpaceX is seeking to raise $40 billion in a financing led by Apollo Global Management to purchase Nvidia chips, according to the Financial Times, citing people familiar with the matter. The reported fundraise underscores the scale of computing demand among AI developers.
Northrop Grumman says its YFQ-48A Talon Blue collaborative combat aircraft has completed its first fully autonomous flight, as the U.S. Air Force targets 500 autonomous aircraft in service by 2032. Separate milestones include a Navy–GA-ASI mission-planning demonstration and delivery of a digital autonomy test-range framework to Australia.
Jeppesen has deployed initial AI agents for its ForeFlight Airflow Operations System, with airlines the first intended users. The company plans to extend use cases to business aviation and defense, though the available announcement does not detail the agents’ capabilities or deployment scale.
At DroneX 2026, Ukraine’s Phantom Defense presented a counter-UAV system combining detection, electronic warfare and fixed-wing interception. Separately, the U.S. 7th Air Force sought new capabilities to modernize point defense in South Korea, while the Pentagon selected AeroVironment, Epirus, Kord and Boeing for a directed-energy counter-drone pilot.
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