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DefenseNews.com • Daniel Terrill

Pentagon identifies preferred munitions for one-way attack drones, including Northrop Grumman among competing suppliers

The Pentagon has revealed a set of preferred munitions for one-way attack drones, naming Northrop Grumman alongside multiple startups competing to supply low-cost payloads compatible with any drone design. The move points to standardized, scalable loitering/attritable payload sourcing for future uncrewed strike fleets.

2026-06-09T07:15:49.423679-07:00

FlightGlobal

ShinMaywa amphibious uncrewed aircraft demonstrates submerged-vehicle data retrieval after ocean landing

2026-06-09T02:13:55.153465-07:00

Airbus

Airbus Helicopters’ U145 unmanned cargo helicopter: first flight later in 2026, service entry targeted for early 2030s

2026-06-08T01:13:18.943116-07:00

Breaking Defense

U.S. State Department clears ~$1.98B Anduril counter-UAS FMS for Kuwait amid renewed Iran-linked drone pressure

2026-06-08T06:41:49.927045-07:00

News Timeline

DefenseNews.com

Pentagon identifies preferred munitions for one-way attack drones, including Northrop Grumman among competing suppliers The Pentagon has revealed a set of preferred munitions for one-way attack drones, naming Northrop Grumman alongside multiple startups competing to supply low-cost payloads compatible with any drone design. The move points to standardized, scalable loitering/attritable payload sourcing for future uncrewed strike fleets.

2026-06-09T07:15:49.423679-07:00

Pentagon identifies preferred munitions for one-way attack drones, including Northrop Grumman among competing suppliers

FlightGlobal

ShinMaywa amphibious uncrewed aircraft demonstrates submerged-vehicle data retrieval after ocean landing ShinMaywa reports an experimental uncrewed amphibious aircraft successfully landed on the ocean and communicated with a submerged vehicle to retrieve data. The test supports Japan’s efforts to develop technologies for rapid underwater surveys, demonstrating an end-to-end surface-to-underwater information link.

2026-06-09T02:13:55.153465-07:00

ShinMaywa amphibious uncrewed aircraft demonstrates submerged-vehicle data retrieval after ocean landing

Breaking Defense

U.S. State Department clears ~$1.98B Anduril counter-UAS FMS for Kuwait amid renewed Iran-linked drone pressure The U.S. Department of State has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale to Kuwait for USD 1.98 billion worth of counter-unmanned aircraft systems built by Anduril. The package includes Roadrunner-M and Anvil kinetic interceptors, Pulsar electronic warfare, Sentry surveillance towers, Latice C2 software, and Menace tactical ops center elements.

2026-06-08T06:41:49.927045-07:00

U.S. State Department clears ~$1.98B Anduril counter-UAS FMS for Kuwait amid renewed Iran-linked drone pressure

AeroTime

Thales UK RapidDestroyer radio-frequency effector neutralizes 80 drones in upgraded four-panel trial Thales UK says its RapidDestroyer radio-frequency weapon neutralized 80 drones in new trials, using an upgraded four-panel effector. The test result positions the system as a kinetic-free counter-UAS option aimed at improving effectiveness against high drone volumes while supporting scalable defensive deployments.

2026-06-08T05:42:35.336311-07:00

Thales UK RapidDestroyer radio-frequency effector neutralizes 80 drones in upgraded four-panel trial

Payload

Ukraine-era lessons: defeating drone swarms with “mass” requires hard coordination across sensing, targeting and interception The cluster highlights a shift in counter-drone strategy: when adversaries can field cheap drones by the thousand, expensive “exquisite” interceptors are less effective on economics alone. The response pivots to scaling mass while solving the harder problem—coordinating find, track, and engage timelines.

2026-06-08T04:01:46.719973-07:00

Ukraine-era lessons: defeating drone swarms with “mass” requires hard coordination across sensing, targeting and interception

Airbus

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Airbus Helicopters’ U145 unmanned cargo helicopter: first flight later in 2026, service entry targeted for early 2030s Airbus Helicopters is developing the U145, an uncrewed, autonomous derivative of the H145 light twin optimized for high-risk cargo missions. Airbus says the program will fly for the first time later this year, with service entry planned for the early 2030s, targeting risky logistics roles beyond conventional rotorcraft operations.

2026-06-08T01:13:18.943116-07:00

Airbus Helicopters’ U145 unmanned cargo helicopter: first flight later in 2026, service entry targeted for early 2030s

AeroTime

French Rafale NATO Baltic Air Policing jet shoots down drone over Latvia amid recurring eastern-border UAS incursions A French Rafale operating NATO Baltic Air Policing shot down an unannounced drone after it entered Latvian airspace from Russia. The incident is the latest in a pattern of cross-border drone violations across Europe’s eastern frontier, raising concerns about further spillover of the Ukraine war.

2026-06-08T00:56:58.974829-07:00

French Rafale NATO Baltic Air Policing jet shoots down drone over Latvia amid recurring eastern-border UAS incursions

FlightGlobal

Avilus completes milestone long-range test of optionally piloted Bussard with safety pilot control from ~430nm German UAS developer Avilus says it has finished a milestone flight test of its in-development Bussard system in an optionally-piloted configuration. Control was achieved remotely from a distance of around 430nm with a safety pilot on board, validating long-range operations for the aircraft’s operator model.

2026-06-05T03:23:28.061761-07:00

Avilus completes milestone long-range test of optionally piloted Bussard with safety pilot control from ~430nm

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UAV Development & Drone Programs News

Pentagon identifies preferred munitions for one-way attack drones, including Northrop Grumman among competing suppliers

ShinMaywa amphibious uncrewed aircraft demonstrates submerged-vehicle data retrieval after ocean landing

Airbus Helicopters’ U145 unmanned cargo helicopter: first flight later in 2026, service entry targeted for early 2030s

U.S. State Department clears ~$1.98B Anduril counter-UAS FMS for Kuwait amid renewed Iran-linked drone pressure

News Timeline