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.
Pentagon seeks AI target recognition for CROWS and small arms vs drones
The DoD/DIU is soliciting prototypes for AI-aided target recognition to speed detection/track/engagement of small drones, first on CROWS remote weapon stations and later on moving ground/maritime platforms. A notable planned phase extends A…
Russian UAVs drop PSYOP leaflets over Sumy
The post reports a new batch of Russian information-operations (IPSO) leaflets being dispersed over Sumy using UAVs. The novelty is the continued/renewed use of drones as a leaflet-delivery payload for psychological operations, indicating i…
Report claims 'V2U' drone swarm over Kharkiv during strikes
The strike log includes an unusual entry: "V2U" and specifically "a flock (staiyka) of V2U over Kharkiv," implying coordinated multi-drone employment rather than single Shahed/Geran launches. If accurate, this suggests a new or newly-noted …
US approves potential sale of 1,500 JDAM-ER guidance kits to Ukraine
Post describes a new approved package of JDAM-ER kits that convert unguided bombs into precision glide munitions with extended range (claimed up to ~80 km). While JDAM use in Ukraine is not new, the ER-range variant and a large replenishmen…
Claimed Ukraine UAV route via Baltics to use Starlink over NATO/waters
The post claims Ukrainian long-range UAVs use a now-standard flight corridor via the Baltics to reach ports in the Gulf of Finland, allegedly to maintain Starlink connectivity outside Russia where it does not work. It also alleges possible …
Drones: FP-1
Russian assault troops use buried pipes to bypass positions in Sumy sector
The post describes Russian troops emerging from underground buried pipes to обходити Ukrainian positions and launch assaults, indicating a recurring infiltration method using subterranean infrastructure. While not a new technology, it is a …
L3Harris IPMS selected for Poland’s Miecznik-class frigates
Poland’s new Miecznik-class frigates will use L3Harris’ Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) to manage and optimize shipboard systems, improving reliability, safety, efficiency, and potentially range/endurance. While IPMS is a matur…
U.S. Army practices island-hopping HIMARS deployments in Philippines
The post describes a renewed tactic of using Army watercraft to rapidly move ("island hop") HIMARS between austere island sites and conduct live fires, creating a distributed long-range strike network. While HIMARS itself is not new, the em…
Balikatan 2026 rehearses multi-nation coastal anti-ship kill chain in Philippines
Exercise Balikatan 2026 featured a landmark maritime-strike live-fire with Japan firing Type 88 anti-ship missiles from Luzon at a sea target, alongside US/Philippine systems (HIMARS live fire; NMESIS present and simulated). The novelty is …
HAVELSAN unveils ADVENT-AI decision-support layer for ADVENT naval CMS
HAVELSAN presented ADVENT-AI, an AI-enabled decision-support layer added to its fielded ADVENT combat management system, aiming to improve real-time data fusion, anomaly detection, and object classification under EW/jamming. If deployed to …