Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons News

SpaceNews.com • Sandra Erwin

Pentagon accelerates directed-energy: Lockheed/nLIGHT high-energy lasers; Space Force funds Pulse Space $40M for laser power and

The Pentagon awarded Lockheed Martin and nLIGHT Defense contracts to transition high-energy laser weapon systems into field-ready, production-oriented platforms to defeat drones and cruise missiles. Separately, the Space Force funded Pulse Space’s $40 million effort for laser-based power beaming and orbital tracking. The Space Force also finalized an acquisition-structure reform creating nine mission-area portfolio acquisition executives.

19 Sources

2026-07-09T06:15:31.858085-07:00

AeroTime

Ukraine claims Su-35S kill using modernized air defense assets; Firebolt Engineering reports first Griffen jet-powered drone int

6 Sources

2026-07-09T04:17:26.080439-07:00

SpaceNews.com

Golden Dome missile-defense program becomes a startup magnet as technical details remain unsettled

1 Source

2026-07-09T05:14:38.368961-07:00

AeroTime

US Army launches xTech|Apex Intercept, an $8M prize competition for lower-cost missile interceptor tech

1 Source

2026-07-09T03:16:43.566653-07:00

Missile Systems & Strategic Weapons News Timeline

SpaceNews.com

19 sources

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Pentagon accelerates directed-energy: Lockheed/nLIGHT high-energy lasers; Space Force funds Pulse Space $40M for laser power and The Pentagon awarded Lockheed Martin and nLIGHT Defense contracts to transition high-energy laser weapon systems into field-ready, production-oriented platforms to defeat drones and cruise missiles. Separately, the Space Force funded Pulse Space’s $40 million effort for laser-based power beaming and orbital tracking. The Space Force also finalized an acquisition-structure reform creating nine mission-area portfolio acquisition executives.

2026-07-09T06:15:31.858085-07:00

Pentagon accelerates directed-energy: Lockheed/nLIGHT high-energy lasers; Space Force funds Pulse Space $40M for laser power and

SpaceNews.com

1 source

Golden Dome missile-defense program becomes a startup magnet as technical details remain unsettled With many technical and program specifics for Israel’s Golden Dome still unresolved, the missile-defense effort has nonetheless emerged as a focal opportunity for space and defense startups seeking new markets. The cluster highlights how uncertainty in delivery and architecture has not deterred companies from positioning for future demand.

2026-07-09T05:14:38.368961-07:00

Golden Dome missile-defense program becomes a startup magnet as technical details remain unsettled

AeroTime

6 sources

Ukraine claims Su-35S kill using modernized air defense assets; Firebolt Engineering reports first Griffen jet-powered drone int Ukrainian pilots and multiple outlets report the downing of a Russian Sukhoi Su-35S, with Russian sources not denying the incident. Separately, British-Ukrainian Firebolt Engineering says its Griffen jet-powered interceptor drone has shot down a Shahed (Geran-2) kamikaze drone for the first time.

2026-07-09T04:17:26.080439-07:00

Ukraine claims Su-35S kill using modernized air defense assets; Firebolt Engineering reports first Griffen jet-powered drone int

AeroTime

1 source

US Army launches xTech|Apex Intercept, an $8M prize competition for lower-cost missile interceptor tech The US Army has launched xTech|Apex Intercept, a new $8 million prize competition aimed at accelerating development of low-cost technologies spanning interceptors, seekers and rocket motors. The initiative seeks to reduce cost while advancing key subsystem performance for missile defense.

2026-07-09T03:16:43.566653-07:00

US Army launches xTech|Apex Intercept, an $8M prize competition for lower-cost missile interceptor tech

AeroTime

None source

Germany to buy Tomahawk cruise missiles after deal with US, Merz says

2026-07-09T01:44:36.646580-07:00

Germany to buy Tomahawk cruise

AeroTime

1 source

Germany to buy and station Tomahawk cruise missiles on its soil after US deal, Merz tells Bundestag Chancellor Friedrich Merz told the Bundestag that Germany has agreed with the US to purchase Tomahawk cruise missiles and station them in Germany. The statement signals a concrete step in upgrading Germany’s long-range strike posture through a US-aligned procurement arrangement.

2026-07-09T01:44:36.646580-07:00

Germany to buy and station Tomahawk cruise missiles on its soil after US deal, Merz tells Bundestag

AeroTime

2 sources

UK commits £1.4B over four years to Stratus deep-strike missile under €50B European initiative The UK will invest £1.4 billion over four years in Stratus, a deep-strike missile jointly developed with France and Italy, as part of a broader European deep strike effort estimated at $50 billion. The funding signals sustained UK backing for next-generation long-range precision strike capability.

2026-07-08T06:29:16.663933-07:00

UK commits £1.4B over four years to Stratus deep-strike missile under €50B European initiative

Vertical Mag

6 sources

Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky land major European and U.S. Army rotorcraft/air-defense support awards as Trump signals expanded P At a NATO meeting, President Trump said Ukraine would receive a “license” to make Patriot interceptors, but without details. Separately, the U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $502M contract (through 2031) for AH-64 Apache M-TADS/PNVS post-production support, and Lockheed said it will create a Patriot complex maintenance facility in Europe. LMS also won work with Sikorsky to modernize the UH-60M fuel quantity gauging system.

2026-07-08T05:00:25.201987-07:00

Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky land major European and U.S. Army rotorcraft/air-defense support awards as Trump signals expanded P

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