Analysis & Reports

The U.S. Space Force has established nine Portfolio Acquisition Executives (PAEs) to enhance its capabilities in space control and orbital warfare. Four PAEs have been officially announced, focusing on areas such as Missile Warning and Tracking and Infrastructure. The Integration PAE will develop new technologies, including cislunar capabilities, in collaboration with NASA and the Air Force Research Laboratory.

The U.S. Space Force has established seven new acquisition portfolios focused on space control and orbital warfare in Washington. These portfolios aim to implement reforms in military procurement and enhance capabilities, including missile warning, infrastructure, and battle management. The Space Force plans to integrate cislunar capabilities and collaborate with NASA and the Air Force Research Laboratory for technology advancements.

The U.S. Navy signed a $54 million contract with Gecko Robotics to enhance maintenance for 18 ships in the U.S. Pacific Fleet. This initiative employs drones and robotic systems to streamline repairs and reduce delays, aiming for 80% fleet readiness by 2027. Gecko's technology reportedly expedites maintenance processes significantly, addressing ongoing readiness challenges.

The U.S. Navy is losing 616 Tomahawk missile cells due to the retirement of four Ohio-class SSGNs and Ticonderoga-class cruisers, creating a strategic strike gap. The Virginia-class Block V submarines, which carry fewer missiles, cannot compensate for this loss. The Navy's current production rate of submarines is inadequate to meet future operational demands, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region where deterrence is critical.

The U.S. Army is currently facing readiness issues, as stated by Army Undersecretary Michael Obadal at a defense conference in Washington. The Army is addressing these challenges through public-private partnerships and is working on legislation to improve equipment maintenance. Obadal emphasized the need for industry to help fill capability gaps, particularly concerning major weapons systems and magazine depth.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and the U.S. Air Force conducted an autonomy flight exercise in San Diego on March 17, 2026, demonstrating the MQ-20 Avenger's capabilities in Collaborative Combat Aircraft operations. The exercise highlighted the use of infrared sensing and advanced targeting systems, enabling stealthy operations in contested environments. This event showcased significant advancements in drone technology and autonomous mission execution.

The Pentagon increased its Golden Dome spending plan by $10 billion to enhance space capabilities for homeland defense against aerial threats. U.S. Space Force General Michael Guetlein emphasized the need for scalable and affordable solutions. The initiative, which now totals $185 billion, involves nine companies working on the command and control layer, with recent demonstrations showing comparable effectiveness to legacy systems.

The U.S. Navy has extended the service lives of the USS Ohio and USS Florida to maintain undersea strike capabilities amid delays in the Columbia-class submarine program. The USS Georgia successfully launched over two dozen Tomahawk missiles at Iranian nuclear sites during Operation Midnight Hammer, demonstrating the effectiveness of Ohio-class submarines. This extension aims to prevent a capability gap while the Navy evaluates the future roles of these submarines.

The United States Marine Corps announced that Marines can now complete handgun qualifications using M17 Romeo red dot optics, provided they are issued by their unit. This policy change is part of a broader initiative to enhance marksmanship training and combat effectiveness. Additionally, select Marines may qualify with Glock pistols instead of the standard M17 or M18 handguns.

The U.S. Navy sent the dock landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46) to sea trials from Naval Station Norfolk, marking its first time underway since 2014. The trials aim to verify the ship's upgraded systems and combat readiness following a multi-year modernization program. The vessel's certification for operational deployment will depend on the successful completion of these tests.

The U.S. Navy is partnering with Gecko Robotics to implement drones and AI for ship inspections, aiming to enhance fleet readiness to 80 percent by 2024. This $71 million initiative will allow for faster and more accurate identification of repairs, significantly improving maintenance processes across various naval vessels. Gecko Robotics is already engaged in maintenance efforts for aircraft carriers and submarines, addressing the Navy's ongoing repair challenges.

The U.S. Navy awarded a five-year IDIQ contract to Gecko Robotics to employ hull-scaling robots for inspecting 18 ships in the Pacific Fleet over the next nine months. This initiative aims to enhance the Navy's combat surge readiness to 80 percent by 2027, utilizing technology that detects repairs significantly faster than traditional methods. The contract is valued at up to $71 million.

The U.S. Navy is partnering with Gecko Robotics to enhance ship maintenance through the use of AI and drones, aiming for 80% fleet readiness by 2024. This $71 million initiative will allow for faster and more accurate inspections of ships and equipment. Currently, 52 of the Navy's 290 battle-force ships are undergoing repairs, highlighting ongoing maintenance challenges.

The U.S. Navy plans to pursue a sole-source contract with Boeing for software updates to the Harpoon missile support system, announced on March 16. This effort aims to enhance the Common Munitions BIT/Reprogramming Equipment Mission Application Program, ensuring operational readiness. Recent successful tests of the Harpoon Block II Update missile were conducted at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and Point Mugu Sea Range, validating its effectiveness against various targets.

On March 5, 2026, Dominion Dynamics announced a $50 million investment to develop the Autonomous Collaborative Platform (ACP), an uncrewed aircraft designed to operate alongside the Royal Canadian Air Force's F-35 and Gripen jets. This initiative aims to enhance surveillance, electronic warfare, and strike capabilities while reducing risks to human pilots. Canada has already committed to purchasing 30 F-35A airframes, with the first deliveries expected soon at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.

The U.S. Army awarded Anduril an $87 million task order for its Lattice software, which will serve as the command and control backbone for counter-drone operations. This award is the first in a potential $20 billion enterprise contract over the next decade, aimed at enhancing the Army's capabilities against UAS threats. The initiative is part of a broader strategy to consolidate contracts and improve procurement efficiency across the Department of Defense.

AeroVironment announced its acquisition of Empirical Systems Aerospace (ESAero) for about $200 million, enhancing its capabilities in uncrewed systems and loitering munitions. ESAero will continue operations in California as a subsidiary, focusing on advanced prototyping and manufacturing. This acquisition follows AeroVironment's previous purchase of BlueHalo for $4.1 billion, indicating a strategic expansion in the defense technology market.

Lockheed Martin conducted the first flight test of the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) Increment 2 in Washington, successfully demonstrating its capability to target moving maritime threats. The missile, launched from a HIMARS system, has a range of 500 km and is currently in the technology-maturation phase. Additional flight tests are planned for later this year as the program progresses towards operational capability.

The U.S. Army plans to establish a research and manufacturing center at Blue Grass Army Depot, Kentucky, to enhance the production of explosives, specifically RDX and HMX. The facility is expected to be completed before 2031 and may adopt either an integrated or distributed model. This initiative is driven by the urgent need to supply explosives to U.S. allies amid ongoing global conflicts.

Ukrainian forces intensified their medium and long-range strike campaign against Russian military infrastructure in March 2026, targeting locations such as Krasnodar Krai and Belgorod City. France committed to supplying Ukraine with SAMP/T NG air defense systems for battlefield testing. Ukrainian operations included strikes on oil facilities and air defense systems, while Russian forces launched a significant number of drones and missiles. The situation indicates a strategic effort by Ukraine to degrade Russian capabilities ahead of anticipated offensives.

Dmitri VolkovMon Mar 16 2026Loading...