Innovations
Tactical and technological innovations in drone warfare — what showed up first, where, and what it changes. Each entry is sourced, dated, and linked to the drones involved.
Akhmat unit recovers and reuses captured enemy drones after teardown
The post describes a frontline practice where Akhmat fighters shoot down enemy UAVs, recover them, disassemble to study countermeasures, and then send the drones back for reuse rather than keeping them as trophies. The novelty is the explic…
F-15EX flies with MQ-28 Ghost Bat in Valiant Shield 26 human-machine teaming demo
Photos from Valiant Shield 26 show a USAF F-15EX operating alongside the MQ-28 Ghost Bat, illustrating an emerging concept where the two-seat F-15EX acts as a controller/battle manager for Collaborative Combat Aircraft. While integration de…
Drones: Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat · Kazhan heavy FPV bomber
US Navy explores AESM as alternative to AGM-88G AARGM-ER anti-radiation missile
The post describes the U.S. Navy issuing an RFI for an AARGM-ER-equivalent missile under the AESM effort, seeking a mature (TRL>6) extended-range anti-radiation weapon compatible with F-35/F/A-18/EA-18G. Earlier AESM language also hinted at…
Report alleges Russian shadow-fleet ships used to launch/recover UAVs over Europe
An IISS report assesses it is highly likely Russia ran a coordinated UAV campaign over Europe (Aug 2024–Feb 2026) using Russian-linked/shadow-fleet commercial vessels as launch and recovery platforms. This maritime basing concept would exte…
Drones: Orlan-10
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…
US Navy plans high-rate production of Advanced Emission Suppression Missile
The US Navy is soliciting industry capacity to produce up to 600 Advanced Emission Suppression Missiles per year, indicating accelerated fielding of a next-generation anti-radiation weapon. The requirement emphasizes an advanced wideband an…
US startups speed solid rocket motor output using auto parts and new mixing/3D printing
The article describes manufacturing and supply-chain innovations for missiles/rocket motors: repurposing automotive FPGAs for guidance electronics, using fracking-grade high-pressure tubes for rocket motor hardware, adopting pharmaceutical-…
Pentagon centralizes unmanned systems under new DRPM-UxS office
The US DoD is creating a new direct-reporting portfolio manager (DRPM-UxS) to centrally integrate, fund-shift, and gate unmanned/autonomous systems and counter-drone programs across air/ground/sea domains. While not a battlefield gadget, th…
MBDA unveils LCM/NCM Mk2 ground-launched cruise missile concept
MBDA presented the LCM–NCM Mk2, a new variant that adapts the proven Naval Cruise Missile into a mobile land-launched system with a stated range over 1,000 km. The innovation is the sovereign European ground-launch capability plus upgrades …
Report claims Russia used jet-powered strike UAVs in mass attack on Kyiv
The post claims Russia conducted a mass strike on Kyiv using missiles plus strike UAVs, including “reactive” (jet-powered) drones, which allegedly complicated Ukrainian mobile air-defense groups’ work. If accurate, this points to increased …