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.
US Navy shifts mine countermeasures to expeditionary teams on vessels of opportunity
The US Navy is formalizing a shift from dedicated mine-countermeasure ships to Expeditionary Mine Countermeasure Companies operating from “any vessel of opportunity,” including commercial platforms, aligned with distributed maritime operati…
Exail unveils Advans Vega SL inertial nav for GNSS-denied amphibious ops
Exail introduced the Advans Vega SL, a self-contained inertial navigation system designed to maintain continuous positioning and fire-control readiness across the sea-to-land transition without GNSS. It targets contested littoral environmen…
US Navy adopts Vessel Construction Manager model after Constellation cancellation
The post describes the US Navy creating a new procurement/execution approach—the Vessel Construction Manager (VCM) system—where a hired manager holds the prime contract, oversees shipyard performance, and controls subcontracts to reduce cha…
US explores 2,000lb JDAM-ER as winged bunker-buster for low-angle strikes
Pentagon/DTRA budget documents indicate interest in enhancing 2,000lb-class JDAM-ER (GBU-64) for hard-target defeat, potentially pairing wing kits with penetrator warheads (e.g., BLU-109) and enabling longer-range releases. The novel aspect…
Teledyne FLIR unveils Black Recon microdrone with ~1-hour endurance
Teledyne FLIR unveiled the Black Recon microdrone system, a sub-450g UAV claimed to fly up to about an hour and reach ~55 mph. If fielded, this pushes endurance/speed in the microdrone class, improving small-unit reconnaissance reach and pe…
Australia to forge M795 155mm shells domestically at Maryborough
Australia awarded a contract to establish a domestic production line for M795 155mm artillery projectile bodies at Rheinmetall Nioa Munitions' Maryborough facility—the first time M795 forging will occur outside North America. While not a ne…
US Army validates GA-EMS maneuvering 155mm extended-range artillery round
General Atomics is developing a maneuvering 155mm artillery projectile (ERAP) with deployable wings and redundant guidance to reach ~74+ miles from legacy guns like the M777. The novelty is extended range without rocket assist plus a non-GP…
Claim of first use of 'Banderoli' weapons in strike on Kyiv
The post claims that during a combined mass strike on Kyiv, Russia for the first time launched a weapon/system referred to as “Banderoli.” If accurate, this indicates a newly introduced strike munition or variant being trialed against dense…
UK conducts first VBSS interdiction of Russian 'shadow fleet' tanker
The UK carried out its first boarding/interdiction (VBSS) of a Russian 'shadow fleet' oil tanker in international waters, using an integrated package of Royal Marines/NCA teams supported by multiple helicopters, a P-8A maritime patrol aircr…
Thales adds LiDAR terminal sensor to laser-guided rocket for anti-drone use
Thales Belgium says it integrated a new LiDAR sensor behind the guidance kit of its laser-guided rocket, activating near the target to improve engagement of drones. This is a notable seeker/guidance upgrade aimed at counter-UAS performance,…