U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)

The Defense Department’s majority stake in MP Materials raises questions about government ownership in the defense industrial base.

Lynas Rare Earths’ Pentagon-backed Texas plant is struggling even as the Australian company is expanding elsewhere to reduce dependency on China for strategic metals.

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) will continue independently reporting to the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD).

The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory has issued two study contracts this month related to its Rocket Cargo vision to speedily transport equipment around the globe using commercial launch vehicles.

Tensions within the U.S. Air Force have come to the boil, leading to the surprise announcement that the service’s top officer is handing in his uniform.

U.S. launch diversity returns with the United Launch Alliance Vulcan rocket’s first Space Force flight.

The U.S. military recently used its new Protected Tactical Waveform (PTW) to successfully demo some of the key elements of the modernized anti-jam waveform.

Rocket propulsion startup X-Bow Systems will develop a second production source for the motor that powers the Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System.

the US Army signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with satellite operator Globalstar to explore a battlefield covered in sensors.

Grid Aero is developing an autonomous cargo UAV that can fly thousands of miles and carry thousands of pounds of payload for the U.S. military.

KBR hopes tech and tools developed for its Iron Stallion space domain awareness monitoring platform will enable it to play a key role in Golden Dome.

The Missile Defense Agency is targeting a new launcher for Golden Dome under layer interceptors to be operational within two years.

United Launch Alliance successfully launched its Vulcan rocket on Aug. 12.

The U.S. Air Force faces a looming question with its plan to retire the E-3 AWACS and cancel the E-7 Wedgetail.

Archer has announced a pair of strategic acquisitions that it says will accelerate efforts to field a hybrid VTOL aircraft for the U.S. military.

The U.S. military and several key allies have developed the first multinational concept of operations for space domain awareness.

The Pentagon has awarded up to $10 million under the Defense Production Act (DPA) to a subsidiary of critical minerals firm NioCorp to develop a scandium supply chain in Nebraska.

L3Harris Technologies is ready to start manufacturing new missile defense satellites for the SDA after completing key milestones, the company said Aug. 5.

The Pentagon on July 31 awarded Lockheed Martin a $9.5 billion contract award for the two variants of its AGM-158 long-range missile.

Joby Aviation has partnered with L3Harris to develop a hybrid eVTOL aircraft for defense applications—an optionally piloted, turbine hybrid version of its S4.

Germany is preparing to deliver two further Patriot air and missile launchers to Ukraine as Western countries look to help Kyiv protect itself.

Advocates for more scientific rigor in studying unidentified anomalous phenomena have renewed calls for wider data collection and proliferated sensor systems.

Beijing’s two-year export control campaign has laser-focused on the most important raw materials for the Pentagon.

The U.S. Space Force is increasingly exploring commercial options to provide space domain awareness on orbit.

This snapshot of activities illustrates how joint ventures have been quickly established to address emerging needs.