Ukraine is stepping up its push to diversify and strengthen frontline capabilities as Kyiv prepares for a high-stakes visit to Washington. The focus is on unmanned systems and weaponry that can be fielded quickly, alongside longer-range defenses that Kyiv has sought since the start of the war. Officials say a formal shopping list will include...

Epirus Leonidas Demonstrates Microwave Counter-Drone Swarm In a field demo that reads like science fiction for aviation safety, Epirus showed how a single high-power microwave beam can neutralize a swarm of drones. During a live-fire exercise at Camp Atterbury in late August, the Leonidas system disabled 61 drones with 100% success, culminating in a dramatic...

High-Power Microwave Defeats 49-Drone Swarm A field demonstration near Camp Atterbury, Indiana, showcased Epirus’s Leonidas system, a high-power microwave directed-energy weapon, taking down 49 drones with a single pulse. The event underscored a shift from traditional kinetic tactics to electronics-focused countermeasures aimed at disabling drones midair rather than chasing them with interceptors. For defense planners...

In a display of speed and precision rather than raw firepower, Epirus Leonidas demonstrated a counter-UAS capability at Camp Atterbury that stunned observers: a single microwave pulse disabled a swarm of drones, including a 49-drone group. The event underscored a growing shift from traditional kinetic interceptors to software-driven, directed-energy solutions that can scale to swarm...

L3Harris Debuts AI Drone-Detection System at TREX In a high profile showcase at the Department of War’s Technology Readiness Experimentation Event, L3Harris Technologies unveiled an AI drone detection system designed to spot and characterize unmanned aircraft in real time. The event, held on September 22, 2025, drew defense tech developers to test capabilities under realistic...

Fresh from Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works, the Vectis stealth combat drone is poised to reshape the U.S. air-power playbook. The program targets a two-year development window to field a high-end platform capable of operating solo or alongside the F-35 Lightning, Lockheed’s premier stealth fighter. Officials describe Vectis as a modular, highly adaptable drone designed for...

In a move that reframes air warfare, Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works unveiled a stealth combat drone named Vectis, designed to extend the reach of American air power without the footprint of a full-size fighter. The platform is pitched as interoperable with existing manned systems, able to conduct precision strikes, ISR missions, electronic warfare, and both...

Auterion Raises $130M to Expand Defense Drone Software Auterion, an eight-year-old software specialist known for fleet management that works across drone brands, has secured $130 million in a Series B round aimed at expanding defense-focused capabilities. The Arlington, Virginia–based company builds software that lets a single operator oversee multiple autonomous unmanned systems at once, regardless...

Kratos Expands With Autonomous Combat Drones and Hypersonics Kratos Defense & Security Solutions is moving from demonstration to industrial-scale output, unveiling a production path for 24 XQ-58A Valkyrie drones. The San Diego company has carved out a dedicated manufacturing line and supply chain to deliver ready-for-service autonomous combat drones, signaling a deeper push into next-generation...

As Russian incursions sharpen security concerns, NATO launches a high-stakes drone tech exercise across allied airspaces, testing autonomy, survivability, and interoperability. The effort underscores NATO drone technology as a framework for modern defense alongside allied sensors and data links. For defense planners, the message is clear: drone systems must operate as a cohesive network, even...