Rocket Lab launches hypersonic test mission for DoD
Rocket Lab flies an Electron-family rocket on a classified military hypersonic test for the Defense Department, cementing its position as the primary small-rocket provider for suborbital DoD missions.
Army locks in sole-source drone contract with Alabama maker
Griffon Aerospace won a $67.9M firm-fixed-price Army contract for Outlaw Gen 3 target drones tied to Operation Epic Fury, signaling concentrated supplier control over threat-replication capability.
Mach Industries wins Navy strike drone contract, closes $300M Series C
Mach Industries won a DIU contract to build the Navy's runway-independent strike aircraft while closing a $300M Series C at $1.8B valuation, signaling venture capital's bet on autonomous weapons manufacturing reaching scale.
Saronic Wins $392M Navy Contract for Autonomous Surface Vessels
Texas startup Saronic Technologies secured a $392M+ Navy production contract for autonomous maritime drones by mid-2031, marking the largest scale-up yet for a non-traditional vendor in undersea autonomy.
Echodyne radar locked into $490M Air Force counter-drone program
Echodyne's EchoShield radar becomes primary sensor across Trust Automation's SUADS platform under $490M Air Force IDIQ, marking first SOSA-compliant counter-UAS architecture with no prime contractor.
Anduril's Copperhead-500M Changes the Undersea Autonomy Game
Anduril released footage of its Copperhead-500M autonomous underwater munition hitting speed records in April 2026, six weeks after winning a Navy CAMP contract to deploy it from its Dive-XL submarine — the first credible link between carrier vehicle and payload in commercial undersea autonomy.
Air Force names first microreactor bases, targets 2030 deployment
The U.S. Air Force selected Buckley SFB and Malmstrom AFB to host nuclear microreactors by 2030, marking the first permanent on-site reactors at operational military installations and signaling a strategic pivot away from grid dependence.
Hermeus Gets FAA Supersonic Green Light, Closes $350M Series C
Hermeus closed a $350M Series C and received FAA authorization for supersonic flights within 48 hours, positioning itself as the Pentagon's first commercially operated hypersonic testbed.
Hermeus hits $1B valuation on $350M Series C, Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 in flight
Hermeus closed $350M Series C led by Khosla Ventures, reaching unicorn status days after successfully flying Quarterhorse Mk 2.1—a delta-wing hypersonic demonstrator the size of an F-16—positioning the startup to move from prototype to DoD-ready production.