The War Zone
• Howard Altman
The Army’s clip-on MALET kit is designed to let soldiers rapidly adapt existing mortars for use as small bombs carried and released by drones. The approach links an established munition to unmanned aircraft, offering a way to add a new delivery method without replacing the mortar itself.
UAV Development & Drone Programs
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Vector introduced a ready-to-go one-way attack drone package called the Warfighter’s Stack. The company says it includes the drone, an HV-ESAD to hold an explosive payload, and a remote control; the announcement identifies the package’s components but provides no further performance or procurement details.
The Army’s clip-on MALET kit is designed to let soldiers rapidly adapt existing mortars for use as small bombs carried and released by drones. The approach links an established munition to unmanned aircraft, offering a way to add a new delivery method without replacing the mortar itself.
Sierra Nevada Corp. has withdrawn its Freedom Jet from the competition to replace the Navy’s T-45 Goshawk, leaving Textron’s M-346N as the only known major contender. Separately, the Air Force is placing its retired A-29 Super Tucanos in storage at Edwards Air Force Base and wants SNC to maintain them there.
Slovenia’s Valhalla Turrets says its ASGARD system, armed with a Dillon Aero M134D 7.62 mm Gatling gun, completed several days of live-fire testing and fired thousands of rounds. Separately, an Israeli defense company says its Arbel electromechanical device is programmed to set a firing cadence optimized for engaging drones.
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Zipline plans to use the funding to scale U.S. drone manufacturing and delivery operations, alongside expanded partnerships with Walmart and Uber. Reports differ on the terms: most put the raise at $1.5 billion and the post-money valuation at $21.5 billion, while one reports $1 billion at a $20 billion valuation.
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Deutsche Aircraft has pushed the D328eco’s expected entry into service to late 2029, about two years beyond its prior target. Separately, Wheels Up ordered six new Embraer Phenom 300Es for delivery in the second half of 2027, while electric-aircraft start-up Vaeridion raised €30 million and was selected for a €94.5 million EU grant.
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The European Space Agency has awarded OHB a €554 million contract to develop the first Sentinel-3 Next Generation Topography satellite for the Copernicus program. The mission is intended to improve radar altimetry, extending Europe’s satellite capabilities for measuring ocean and land surface topography.
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