FlightGlobal
• Dominic Perry
The UK Ministry of Defence is preparing to issue an invitation to tender for a drone designed to operate alongside Apache attack helicopters. The move will advance the country’s ‘loyal wingman’ program into its next procurement phase, with bidders now preparing their proposals.
UAV Development & Drone Programs
Latest source-backed stories
The UK Ministry of Defence is preparing to issue an invitation to tender for a drone designed to operate alongside Apache attack helicopters. The move will advance the country’s ‘loyal wingman’ program into its next procurement phase, with bidders now preparing their proposals.
The Air Force Research Laboratory is developing an autonomous shotgun designed to help counter drones, while also advancing a blood-recirculation machine intended to provide lifesaving battlefield support. The projects reflect AFRL’s focus on pairing AI-enabled defensive systems with technologies aimed at improving combat casualty care.
The Pentagon is introducing a new performance evaluation metric for one-star generals while upgrading a one-way drone used for supply delivery to extend its range. The paired developments signal attention to both senior-leader accountability and logistics capabilities for contested or remote operating environments.
Anduril says its Barracuda system is the first to receive verification under the U.S. military’s Weapons Open Systems Architecture framework, following a detailed assessment. The company characterized the milestone as an advance for open architecture and scalable mass production of defense systems.
Drone manufacturer Unusual Machines, backed by Donald Trump Jr., and an unnamed U.S. asset management company have invested $10 million in Canadian drone services firm Draganfly. The deal highlights accelerating private-sector capital flows into defense-related unmanned systems amid persistent geopolitical tensions.
Elroy Air has expanded its previously announced private investment in public equity commitments to $175 million. Existing investors, including Lockheed Martin Ventures and Inflection Point, are participating in the increased financing, providing additional capital to the aircraft developer.
Residents near Poland’s border with Ukraine are preparing for the possibility of further Russian hybrid operations after drones violated Polish airspace during an attack on Ukraine. The incident, which damaged a home in Wyryki near Lublin, underscores the spillover risk from the war beyond Ukraine’s borders.
The Space Force is bringing laser-based counter-drone systems to Cape Canaveral, where launch operations involve explosive propellants, costly spacecraft and national-security payloads. The deployment underscores the growing focus on protecting spaceports from unmanned aircraft threats that could disrupt or endanger launches.
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