Innovations
Technological and operational innovations in the UAS and counter-UAS space — what emerged first, where, and what it changes. Each entry is sourced, dated, and linked to the drones involved.
USAF explores cross-national command of Australia's MQ-28 Ghost Bat in exercises
The post describes emerging command-and-control architectures that could allow U.S. pilots/operators to task Australian MQ-28 Ghost Bat loyal-wingman drones, demonstrated in part through integration during Exercise Valiant Shield 2026. The …
Drones: MQ-9 Reaper · Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat · Kazhan heavy FPV bomber
US Army to field-test NGC2 next-gen command-and-control comms prototype
The post describes the US Army’s NGC2 (Next Generation Command and Control) prototype entering a major Project Convergence stress test ahead of acquisition decisions. The novelty is the integration and evaluation of a next-gen C2/comms “eco…
Dutch Navy tests IDUS software to integrate uncrewed systems into Guardion CMS
The Royal Netherlands Navy demonstrated IDUS, a bespoke C2 software suite that connects and tasks maritime uncrewed systems across air/surface/sub-surface and integrates them into the fleet’s Guardion combat management system. The novelty i…
Drones: Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat
Belgorod air-defense uses radio broadcast interruptions as UAV alerts
The post describes a regional UAV-defense setup combining EW posts and mobile fire groups with an operational public-warning method: interrupting radio broadcasts during drone activity to alert drivers on highways. This is a communications/…
Qatar-donated Boeing 747 refitted as interim Air Force One enters operational use
The post describes a Qatari-donated Boeing 747 rapidly refitted by L3Harris with presidential-grade secure communications, anti-eavesdropping measures, and missile-defense features, then used on an international trip. The novelty is the fas…
Romanian Navy fields HAVELSAN ADVENT networked combat management system
Romania has put HAVELSAN’s ADVENT Combat Management System into operational service on the CAm. ROMAN corvette, the first NATO navy to deploy ADVENT. The novelty is the force-oriented, multi-platform common operational picture approach (and…
NATO launches HALO plan to network national military satellites
Eight NATO allies announced HALO, a project to integrate nationally owned military satellites into a networked “mega-constellation” for higher-speed communications, ISR, and missile tracking. The novelty is the alliance-level, layered const…
India-Japan co-develop UNICORN-based integrated naval radio antenna mast
India and Japan signed an agreement to co-develop a naval integrated mast/radio antenna suite derived from Japan’s UNICORN, which consolidates multiple comms, datalink, IFF, TACAN and ESM-related antennas into a single low-observable mast. …
TKMS SEICAM 7000 IP-based submarine comms and TRITON II multifunction mast antenna
Sponsored article describes TKMS HMK’s SEICAM 7000 integrated, fully IP-based submarine communications management system with centralized control, energy/silent management, and multi-security-domain voice handling. It also highlights TRITON…
US Navy E-130J Phoenix II TACAMO comms aircraft faces integration delays
The post describes the U.S. Navy’s new E-130J Phoenix II “doomsday plane” program to replace E-6B Mercury for the TACAMO mission, highlighting integration of multi-band secure communications (VLF through AEHF), EMP/cyber hardening, and a tr…