Reuters
The US Air Force has tested new autonomous mission systems on its XQ-67A demonstrator, while China says its GJ-21 uncrewed combat aircraft has completed takeoff-and-landing trials aboard the Type 076 amphibious assault ship Sichuan. Separately, Saab and GA-ASI tested an unmanned airborne early-warning capability using the MQ-9B.
Space Defense & Militarization
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The US Air Force has tested new autonomous mission systems on its XQ-67A demonstrator, while China says its GJ-21 uncrewed combat aircraft has completed takeoff-and-landing trials aboard the Type 076 amphibious assault ship Sichuan. Separately, Saab and GA-ASI tested an unmanned airborne early-warning capability using the MQ-9B.
MDA Space will build digital phased-array antennas and antenna controllers for the first 66 satellites in Europe’s IRIS² secure-connectivity constellation under an agreement with Thales Alenia Space worth more than $100 million. The satellites are scheduled to launch in 2029.
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Chinese state media says the GJ-21 unmanned aircraft has taken off from and recovered aboard the Sichuan, describing the milestone as a breakthrough in the ship’s amphibious assault program. The reported trial points to an expanding role for embarked unmanned aviation in China’s naval airpower, though the articles provide no operational details.
A sudden restriction on Ukraine’s access to Starshield exposed a strategic vulnerability: critical battlefield connectivity depends on infrastructure whose access can be controlled by a private provider. The episode also raises questions about the consequences of using that control during an active conflict.
The midterm elections could shape the policy and funding environment for military space, with consequences for programs and priorities across the sector. The available article summary does not specify the contests, proposals or potential budget changes at issue.
The agreement gives HEO access to Satellogic spacecraft for imaging objects in space and runs through 2029. Satellogic said the deal carries a minimum annual commitment in the seven figures, extending and expanding the companies’ work in non-Earth imaging and space domain awareness.
European Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis announced that the EU’s first hubs for unmanned and counter-unmanned aircraft technology will be located in Latvia and the Netherlands. The announcement came at a NATO event, as European institutions and allies focus on developing drone capabilities and countermeasures.
At Defence Lab Erding, CIR Maj. Gen. Pötzsch described a German space intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) chain aiming to move from orbital observation to decision in 15 minutes. He identified human processing as the bottleneck in reaching that target.
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