Kevin Macmellon is an independent defense writer covering military technology, modern warfare, and global security. He specializes in analyzing weapons systems, defense developments, and open-source intelligence (OSINT).
The U.S. Army is moving forward with the HERO 120 loitering munition under a major $982 million multi-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract awarded to Mistral Inc. and UVision Inc. The agreement falls under the Army’s Lethal Unmanned Systems (LUS) program and covers procurement, fielding, training,
The U.S. Army is expanding its industrial base for the Hydra-70 family of 70mm (2.75-inch) aviation rockets, awarding contracts to four companies as part of a broader effort to increase domestic ammunition production capacity. The move comes as the Army seeks additional industrial sources capable of
Aurelius Systems, a San Francisco-based defense technology company developing autonomous counter-drone systems, has raised $40 million in Series A funding as it moves to expand development and production of its defense platform. According to Axios Pro Rata, the round was led by Draper Associates and KAS Venture Partners,
The U.S. Navy’s Conventional Prompt Strike (CPS) hypersonic missile program is facing significant production and schedule challenges, according to a July 2026 Government Accountability Office (GAO) assessment. The Navy’s lifecycle cost estimate has increased from about $31 billion for 262 missiles in 2020 to roughly $41 billion
Rheinmetall has warned that increasing ATACMS production will take considerably longer than two years, as the United States works to replenish depleted stocks of long-range precision missiles. The German defense company is preparing to establish an ATACMS production capability at its Unterlüß facility in northern Germany through a planned
Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has signed seven-year, performance-based production agreements with Path Robotics and GrayMatter Robotics that could generate up to $900 million in shipbuilding work. The agreements are aimed at bringing advanced robotics and physical-AI technologies into U.S. Navy shipbuilding programs, with the potential to
Boeing has received a $75 million U.S. Air Force undefinitized contract action (UCA) for initial production of the BSU-111/B Payload Delivery Unit (PDU) for the Joint Direct Attack Munition–Long Range (JDAM-LR). Boeing announced the award on August 5, describing it as a major milestone for
A new analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the proposed Trump-class battleship program could cost approximately $275 billion to build a fleet of 15 nuclear-powered guided-missile battleships over the coming decades. The estimate is substantially higher than earlier Navy projections and highlights the financial,
The FP-5 "Flamingo" is a Ukrainian ground-launched long-range cruise missile developed by the defense company Fire Point to conduct deep-precision strikes against high-value military and industrial targets. Designed for large-scale domestic production, the missile combines a long operational range with a heavy
Northrop Grumman has signed more than $3 billion in multi-year missile production agreements with the U.S. Department of Defense and Lockheed Martin to significantly expand the manufacturing of critical components for America's air and missile defense systems. The agreements are designed to accelerate production, strengthen the
Rheinmetall has secured a major contract to supply 72 remote-controlled 155 mm L/52 weapon systems for the British Army's RCH 155 wheeled self-propelled howitzers, marking another milestone in the United Kingdom's artillery modernization program. The contract follows the UK's decision to
GE Aerospace has completed the world's first high-altitude hybrid-electric flight demonstration, marking a significant milestone in the development of next-generation aircraft propulsion technologies. The achievement demonstrates the company's progress toward more efficient and sustainable aviation systems by integrating conventional turbine power with advanced