Weapons & Technologies

U.S. Army Commences 2025 Production of IFPC Increment 2 to Strengthen Mid-Tier Air Defense

U.S. Army Commences 2025 Production of IFPC Increment 2 to Strengthen Mid-Tier Air Defense

The Army has given the green light to start low-rate production of its Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 system this October. Defense officials confirm that the signed acquisition decision memorandum cleared the final gate after a quick turn-around review on 28 June. According to industry sources, Dynetics, a Leidos company, received the first production task order hours later. The order covers eight launchers, two battle management kits, and initial spares worth about $385 million.

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U.S. Navy’s SM-6 Missile Line at Risk Without Reconciliation Bill Funding

U.S. Navy’s SM-6 Missile Line at Risk Without Reconciliation Bill Funding

The U.S. Navy built its Fiscal Year 2026 weapons plan around one assumption. Congress will pass a one-time reconciliation bill that adds billions to the base defense budget. Inside that bill sits most of the money for 139 Standard Missile-6 interceptors. The service’s own accounts cover only ten rounds. Navy comptrollers describe those ten as “placeholders,” not a viable production lot.

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Why DARPA Cancelled Its DRACO Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Project

Why DARPA Cancelled Its DRACO Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Project

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has closed the books on its Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations program. Defense officials confirm the termination order went out late Monday. The move ends a five-year push to field a nuclear-thermal upper stage able to sprint between Earth and the Moon. According to industry sources, the agency pulled remaining funds into other space access lines once it judged the return on investment had vanished.

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How the Air Force Is Using Sentinel Funds to Convert a Qatari 747-8 into Interim Air Force One

How the Air Force Is Using Sentinel Funds to Convert a Qatari 747-8 into Interim Air Force One

The Air Force just pulled part of its Sentinel missile budget and pointed it at a different job: turning a Qatari Boeing 747-8 into a stop-gap Air Force One. The switch appeared in a Senate hearing on June 26. Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink told lawmakers the dollars came from “early-to-need” lines that the missile team will not touch this year. Defense officials confirm the move keeps the main Sentinel timeline steady because no planned hardware ships late.

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Milestone for AIR 5391

Milestone for AIR 5391

The Systems Division of Tenix Defence Systems today closed the Critical Design Review for the ELTA EL/L-8222 electronic-countermeasures pod Software Support Facility. Built at Mawson Lakes, South Australia, the new suite will stand ready for the Royal Australian Air Force’s Electronic Warfare Squadron in June 2001. The work finishes on time and within contract cost.

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Three UV Stimulators Ordered

Three UV Stimulators Ordered

Ian Will, Manager of Electro-optic EW Systems at Tenix Defence Systems, confirmed today that a foreign customer has placed an order for three Mallina long-range ultraviolet stimulators. Each unit will ship from the company’s Welshpool facility before the end of the calendar year. The deal, while modest in quantity, marks the first export sale of the Mallina series and signals growing confidence in Australian-designed threat-emulation equipment.

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Why Airbus Led Order Books and Defense Dominated Exhibits at Paris Air Show 2025

Why Airbus Led Order Books and Defense Dominated Exhibits at Paris Air Show 2025

Paris closed the gates of Le Bourget last night. Crowds went home with ringing ears and packed phones. When we look at the tally, two facts stand out. Airbus walked away with the bulk of commercial orders. The defense sector filled almost half of every hall. Those two forces shaped a show that felt different from any edition in recent memory.

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