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	<title>Industry - Army Times</title>
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	<description>Independent News For Soldiers &#124; Army Times</description>
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	<item>
		<title>US Army queries industry’s ability to build 21,000 Infantry Squad Vehicles</title>
		<link>https://www.armytimes.com/industry/2026/10/27/us-army-queries-industrys-ability-to-build-21000-infantry-squad-vehicles/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Michael Peck]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2026 19:22:30 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Daily News Roundup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Newsletters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Your Army]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[army]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[contractor]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[defense industrial base]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dn dnr]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[General Motors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Infantry Squad Vehicle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ISV-9]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ISV-U]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[market survey]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false"></guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The U.S. Army published a market survey Monday in an effort to learn whether the defense industrial base could deliver 9,000 ISV-9s and about 12,000 ISV-Us.]]></description>
		
		
		
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The U.S. Army is asking whether the defense industrial base can deliver and support nearly 21,000 <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/10/12/us-army-gm-defense-agree-to-add-12000-infantry-squad-vehicles-to-fleet/">Infantry Squad Vehicles</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">An Army <a href="https://sam.gov/workspace/contract/opp/4b14f7606884428c8338e3c0c8ba1711/view">market survey</a> published Monday focuses on two ISV versions: the ISV-9, which carries nine passengers, and the ISV-Utility, which carries five passengers plus a utility bed to haul cargo.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“The estimated total requirement is for 20,787 vehicles (9,003 ISV-9 and 11,784 ISV-U), subject to fund availability and requirements from the U.S. Army, other sister services and potential Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers,” the survey said.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“To ensure the most streamlined, competitive, and cost-effective approach, the government is utilizing the results of this market survey to determine the feasibility of several procurement pathways.&#8221;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The ISV, from GM Defense, is based on General Motors’s commercial Colorado and Silverado pickups. GM Defense was awarded a $697.7 million contract modification last month for engineering changes to the ISV-U and the ISV-U Utility Winch Kit, bringing the cumulative value to $915.6 million.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">GM Defense announced Oct. 12 that the Army expanded orders for the ISV from an initial 649 to nearly 12,000.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In the market survey, contractors are asked to provide the Army with manufacturing cost estimates based on “varying annual production volumes (e.g., 100, 500, 1,000, and 1,500+ units per year) to evaluate economy-of-scale thresholds.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The survey also includes a timeline that begins in fiscal 2028 with an acquisition of 106 vehicles. The acquisition continues to fiscal 2036, with the Army receiving around 2,000 to 2,100 vehicles per year.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The survey also listed numerous technical specifications. The ISV-9 and ISV-U will have a maximum vehicle curb weight of 5,200 pounds, plus an operational payload of 5,000 pounds for the ISV-9 and a payload capacity of 5,000 pounds for the ISV-U. Both versions will have a gross vehicle weight rating of up to 10,200 pounds, the survey said.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Both vehicles require baseline military modifications, including blackout lights, 24V electrical systems, main power disconnect, run-flat tires, the ability to ford both salt and fresh water, MIL-STD-814/MIL-STD-209K life and tie-down provisions, 24V NATO slave receptacles on the front and rear bumper, an integrated winch and Military Petroleum, Oils, and Lubricants (POL) compatibility.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The ISV-9 and ISV-U will have full rollover protection for their passengers. The ISV-U will also have a winch, a 4,000-watt inverter with multiple electrical outlets, towing capacity of up to 6,500 pounds and the capability to carry “non-ambulatory patients as a kit.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The vehicles should be capable of traveling up to 55 miles per hour on good paved roads and 17 miles per hour cross country. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Both the ISV-9 and ISV-U shall be capable of traversing longitudinal grades up to 60% and must reliably meet stringent mobility profile requirements across improved, secondary, and un-improved surfaces (trails and cross-country) without fatiguing the occupants when the platform is operating at GVW [gross vehicle weight],” the Army said.</p>
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		<title>Congressmen launch bipartisan military range, test facility caucus</title>
		<link>https://www.armytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2026/10/27/congressmen-launch-bipartisan-military-range-test-facility-caucus/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Cristina Stassis]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2026 18:11:13 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Daily News Roundup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Newsletters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pentagon & Congress]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Your Army]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Congress]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Congressional Military Range and Test Facility Caucus]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[test ranges]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vince Fong]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false"></guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A bipartisan group of U.S. representatives launched the Congressional Military Range and Test Facility Caucus in an effort to highlight the role of those ranges in advancing research and test missions for the military.]]></description>
		
		
		
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A bipartisan group of U.S. representatives launched a caucus focusing on educating Congress and the public on military ranges and test facilities in an effort to further encourage the federal government to <a href="https://x.com/Rep_Whitesides/status/2115105938051158350" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">invest</a> in its associated infrastructure, land and workforce.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Congressional Military Range and Test Facility Caucus was formed with the purpose of highlighting the role military ranges and test facilities play in advancing research, technology development and test missions for the military, according to a <a href="https://fong.house.gov/media/press-releases/fong-launches-bipartisan-congressional-military-range-and-test-facility-caucus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tuesday announcement</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“America&#8217;s military ranges and test facilities are where our nation&#8217;s warfighters get their edge, and I am proud to represent some of the most critical in the world,” Rep. Vince Fong, R-Calif., who launched the caucus, said in the release.&nbsp;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“This caucus will ensure that Members of Congress understand what is at stake, fight for the resources these facilities need, and protect the missions that keep America ahead of our adversaries,&#8221; he continued.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The caucus was formed by Fong alongside co-chairs Reps. Ken Calvert, R-Calif., George Whitesides, D-Calif., and Gabe Vasquez, D-N.M. Other members include Reps. Jay Obernolte, R-Calif., Julia Brownley, D-Calif., and Mike Haridopolos, R-Fla., per the statement.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The caucus news comes after the Army announced earlier this year that it is opening five of its <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/08/12/army-opens-test-ranges-to-private-industry/?_gl=1*1ie18sp*_ga*MTMwNzI1NzQ0OS4xNzkwNzkxOTM5*_ga_Q4JHRC4HMG*czE3OTMxMTk2MzckbzkkZzEkdDE3OTMxMjE3MDIkajU2JGwwJGgw*_ga_4T1PF6SQLK*czE3OTMxMTk2MzgkbzkkZzEkdDE3OTMxMjE3MDIkajU3JGwwJGg4OTg2NjAzNzc." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">test ranges</a> to private industry, aiming to quicken the development and testing of drones, counter-drone systems, long-range fires and cheap interceptors. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Army isn’t the only service that eyed opening up its ranges to approved companies. Earlier this month, <a href="https://www.armytimes.com/industry/techwatch/2026/10/08/us-air-force-army-eye-industry-access-on-test-ranges/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Air Force leaders</a> said they were working with the Army to understand how they could also apply the concept.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Although the Air Force has yet to open any ranges, Brig. Gen. Mark Massaro, the commander of the Air Force Test Center, said at an October Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies forum that in a previous posting he worked with officials and contractors to coordinate smaller-scale test range access for specific tests, which gave him insight into how opening the ranges to industry could work. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"></p>
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		<title>US Army looks to high-flying balloons to help see, strike along front lines with China</title>
		<link>https://www.armytimes.com/news/2026/10/27/us-army-looks-to-high-flying-balloons-to-help-see-strike-along-front-lines-with-china/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Christopher Woody]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2026 17:22:47 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Daily News Roundup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Industry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MilTech]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Newsletters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Your Army]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[attack balloons]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AUSA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ausa 2026]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Balloon warfare]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dn dnr]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HABs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[high-altitude balloons]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false"></guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Amid renewed interest in high-altitude balloons, soldiers are looking to them to extend their reach along the first island chain.]]></description>
		
		
		
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">To burst China’s anti-access/area-denial bubble, the U.S. Army is looking at using high-flying balloons with payloads that can monitor the battlefield, relay communications and strike adversaries.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Army has tinkered with high-altitude balloons for some time, but <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/industry/techwatch/2026/10/15/killer-balloons-an-option-as-us-army-seeks-to-exploit-the-stratosphere/">interest and experimentation have grown</a> in recent years. Against <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2026/10/22/us-army-long-range-fires-make-a-splash-on-the-frontline-with-china/">China’s growing arsenal in the vastness of the Pacific</a>, those balloons could provide a cheaper, lower-signature platform that can be employed from dispersed positions, Maj. Gen. Bernard Harrington, commander of the Army’s 7th Infantry Division/Multi-Domain Command-Pacific, or MDC-P, said at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference in Washington, D.C., earlier this month.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Harrington’s command was <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2026/06/19/army-launches-new-indo-pacific-multi-domain-command/">recently established</a> to merge the ground-maneuver elements of the 7th Infantry Division and long-range capabilities of the 1st Multi-Domain Task Force. Part of the unit’s mission is to operate in space, cyberspace and the electromagnetic spectrum and use long-range fires to help the rest of the Joint Force maneuver, including by opening gaps in China’s <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/land/2026/10/14/disrupt-strike-assault-and-endure-the-4-pillars-of-the-us-armys-new-warfare-guidance/">anti-access/area-denial network</a> — the <a href="https://thedateline.substack.com/p/china-kj600-early-warning-aircraft-adds-another-link-to-military-kill-chain">air, sea</a> <a href="https://thedateline.substack.com/p/china-kj600-early-warning-aircraft-adds-another-link-to-military-kill-chain">and land-based sensors and weapons</a> designed to keep U.S. forces at bay.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“For us in the Pacific, we really are looking at a specific pacing threat and an anti-access/area-denial network,” against which MDC-P aims to create “windows of opportunity for that Joint Force, whether it be a carrier strike group that&#8217;s going to pulse into <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2026/07/10/us-marines-successfully-test-fire-new-medium-range-air-defense-system/#:~:text=weapons%20engagement%20zone">the weapons engagement zone</a>, whether it be a bomber task force, whether it be a ground unit doing a joint forcible-entry operation,” Harrington said.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">High-altitude balloons, or HABs, could facilitate that by carrying “launched effects” — <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/land/2025/09/08/us-army-soldiers-kick-the-tires-on-a-new-class-of-multipurpose-drones/">the Army’s term</a> for an aerial system deployed from crewed and uncrewed vehicles for reconnaissance, communications, strikes and other missions. HABs would give MDC-P soldiers more ways to employ attack drones and munitions that are cheaper than “exquisite” missiles, available in greater numbers and harder for adversaries to spot.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Interest in HABs has grown in part due to technological improvements that allow them to stay aloft for weeks or months at a time and give operators more control over where they go. That enhances balloons’ value as platforms for radars and other sensors which, at operating altitudes above 60,000 feet, can see far into rival territory while remaining in international airspace. They also offer a cost-effective complement to satellites, which are more expensive and whose orbits limit their time over any one area.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Harrington described high-altitude balloons as part of “an ecosystem” of data-collecting assets in space, in the air, on land and at sea. HABs in particular could compensate if space-based assets <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/space/2025/09/26/china-remains-no-1-threat-in-space-space-force-general/">are taken out</a>, Harrington said. “So our ability to employ HABs [and] have HABs be persistent enables both our collection and targeting as well as us [to] provide that information to the Joint Force for their collection and targeting.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Harrington also described a role for balloon- or unmanned surface vessel-launched effects in kinetic strikes. With the right timing and enough precision, those strikes may not even need to eliminate their target to create an opening. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Maybe I don&#8217;t necessarily need to sink a ship, but if I take out certain systems on that vessel, well, then it creates this temporal window of opportunity,” Harrington said.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“We saw great value [in] that maybe I don&#8217;t have to use specifically or unmask an exquisite system to achieve that effect. If I can achieve effect of mass utilizing lower-cost systems, maybe that will get me there,” Harrington added. “So we modeled that, and what we saw was — particularly with our unmanned surface vessels, long-range one-way attack, long-range launched effects — the ability to synchronize and mass that could potentially get us to achieve that effect.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Harrington’s command experimented with some of those systems during Bayonet Quest 26, an exercise held in Michigan and on Lake Huron from late September to early October. An official <a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/video/1025690/bayonet-quest-2026">video</a> showed soldiers working with air and maritime drones, including a quadcopter launched from a surface vessel and a fixed-wing drone hooked up to a balloon. Harrington said Bayonet Quest tested MDC-P’s ability to “orchestrate those systems” by launching them, gathering data from their sensors, and using AI and LLMs to process that data and produce tasking orders.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“If you see [a potential target], then task a UAS to be able to come over and actually validate if that meets the target folder,” Harrington said, describing the approach. “Then I can task long-range one-way attack [or] an attack USV to be able to achieve that effect or I could send that as a potential fire mission to a more exquisite munition to be able to close that kill chain.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That reduces the need for a large, easily targetable ground presence, Harrington added: “This is all about integration: Integrate multiple systems into one data layer, be able to lay something like a large language model on top of it, and allow orchestration so we don&#8217;t have a lot of soldiers in fixed sites on ground control stations.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Harrington’s comments come amid a flurry of HAB-related experiments by the Army in <a href="https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2026/06/u-s-army-landing-craft-launches-drone-dropping-high-altitude-balloons/">North Africa</a>, the <a href="https://breakingdefense.com/2026/10/army-sent-balloon-swarms-to-middle-east-to-support-centcom-operations/">Middle East</a>, Europe and the Pacific.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">At exercise Valiant Shield in Guam this summer, soldiers experimented with HABs and launched effects “within an island-chain operational construct.” One test sent a HAB aloft <a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/image/9893975/army-soldiers-pioneer-high-altitude-systems-during-valiant-shield-26">towing</a> a long-endurance drone “to evaluate stratospheric payload deployment capabilities.” Soldiers <a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/image/9952754/japan-united-kingdom-australia-observe-us-micro-high-altitude-balloon-and-drone-launch-during-exercise-orient-shield">tested</a> the same balloon-drone combo in Japan during Orient Shield in September.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Army’s Multi-Domain Command-Europe has <a href="https://www.army.mil/article/294699/learning_with_every_launch_inside_exercise_cold_raptor">done dozens</a> of HAB launches over the past year to examine the logistics of employing balloons and to test sensing and communications capabilities using “<a href="https://www.army.mil/article/292416/multi_domain_command_europe_test_stratospheric_balloons_in_baltic_exercise">experimental payloads</a>.” </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Speaking alongside Harrington this month, MDC-E commander Brig. Gen. Steven Carpenter said HABs have a role, alongside other sensors and weapons, in opening “windows of opportunity” against anti-access/area-denial networks, in particular by providing resilient communications and additional strike platforms.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“We like to proliferate the stratosphere with high-altitude balloons, but I mean 200, 300 at a time. We like to use them as drones, [communications retransmission], electromagnetic sensing, electronic attack, and then to drop them down and have air-launched effects,” Carpenter said. “During different seasons, the flight paths are different. We study that. We understand during what seasons, where the best places are to launch those high-altitude systems and then, again, to hold enemy cities and capabilities at risk at any time.”</p>
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		<title>Defense startup wants to make genetically enhanced military dogs</title>
		<link>https://www.armytimes.com/industry/techwatch/2026/10/26/defense-startup-wants-to-make-genetically-enhanced-military-dogs/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Daniel Terrill]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:32:46 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Daily News Roundup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Industry]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Newsletters]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[anduril]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ausa 2026]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[dog cloning]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[military news]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[warhound]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[working dog]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false"></guid>

					<description><![CDATA[A new defense tech startup aiming to produce genetically enhanced dogs for military and law enforcement use launched Friday with $200 million in seed funding. Texas-based Warhound was conceived by Anduril Industries founder Palmer Luckey and entrepreneur Ben Lamm, who started Colossal Biosciences, a company best known for its efforts to revive extinct species. In [&#8230;]]]></description>
		
		
		
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A new defense tech startup aiming to produce genetically enhanced dogs for military and law enforcement use launched Friday with $200 million in seed funding.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Texas-based Warhound was conceived by <a href="https://www.anduril.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Anduril Industries</a> founder <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/industry/techwatch/2026/10/13/andurils-palmer-luckey-envisions-missiles-made-in-car-factories-underground-battles/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Palmer Luckey</a> and entrepreneur Ben Lamm, who started <a href="https://colossal.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Colossal Biosciences</a>, a company best known for its efforts to revive extinct species.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In a <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/warhound-launches-with-200-million-to-rebuild-americas-military-working-dog-supply-using-advanced-genetics-and-defense-technology-302917498.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">press release</a>, Warhound chief executive <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2019/09/27/socom-ramps-up-efforts-to-develop-cutting-edge-data-techniques-opens-new-data-engineering-lab/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">David Spirk</a> said the company aims to reduce the United States’ dependence on a “shrinking” European supply chain for <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/05/26/the-pentagon-wants-to-improve-medical-care-for-wounded-military-dogs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">working dogs</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Our long-term goal is simple: healthier dogs, better-prepared teams, and more service members and first responders coming home safely,” Spirk said, adding that he cares deeply about “protecting people and helping the animals who support them.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Before joining Warhound, Spirk held several defense-related positions, including senior counsel at Palantir Technologies and chief data officer at both the Defense Department and U.S. Special Operations Command, or SOCOM.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">According to the announcement, Luckey and Lamm conceived the idea for Warhound years ago at the annual Moonshots Summit, a gathering where entrepreneurs discuss ambitious ideas.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">They recognized two challenges with military working-dog programs: Most of the canines never complete training, and the U.S. relies heavily on a foreign supply chain. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">According to Warhound, overseas suppliers provide 80% of military working dogs. The company also says the United States must train roughly 200 dogs to field 100, in part because so many fail to complete training.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Warhound plans to combine the founders’ respective areas of expertise to address those problems.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Colossal&#8217;s science will help produce healthier dogs with characteristics suited to demanding missions, while Anduril&#8217;s technology will give dogs and their handlers greater awareness and protection in the field,” the company said.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Warhound also said it will work with the American Humane Society to safeguard the animals’ health and welfare. The company said its goal is to reduce training washouts, limit the number of dogs entering intensive training unnecessarily and enable safer, more effective missions.</p>
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		<title>Timing to roll out US Army’s NGC2 depends on funds, commander says</title>
		<link>https://www.armytimes.com/industry/techwatch/2026/10/21/timing-to-roll-out-us-armys-ngc2-depends-on-funds-commander-says/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Riley Ceder]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Oct 2026 13:59:36 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Daily News Roundup]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[The head of the Army formation responsible for fielding the Next Generation Command and Control system said the timeline depends on resources available.]]></description>
		
		
		
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The head of the U.S. Army formation leading the charge for fielding the service’s next-gen command-and-control system said Oct. 13 that the timeline of implementing the tech hinged on factors above his pay grade.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Commander of I Corps Lt. Gen. Matt McFarlane told reporters at a media roundtable in Washington that the desire to see the platform deployed across the formation by the end of fiscal 2027 was dependent on what the service was able to provide.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Scaling and speed up is based on resources available,” said McFarlane. “That’s not in my job jar.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Army’s NGC2 platform will permit technologies, weapons, sensors, devices and applications from across the force to co-exist on the same network, streamlining decision-making during combat environments.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">As the service expands the new platform across the I Corps, which oversees troops across the Indo-Pacific, the Army will get a close-up look at how the system allows military personnel and machines to communicate with each other over vast geographical distances and in communication-contested environments.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Among its many responsibilities, the I Corps works with Security Assistance Group-Ukraine, a U.S.-led joint military command headquartered in Germany that provides weapons and training support to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I Corps uses SAG-U to digest lessons learned from the unique military dynamics of the war in Ukraine and determine how to apply them to other potential conflicts worldwide.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Army recently <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2026/10/13/anduril-awarded-contract-to-expand-us-armys-next-gen-battlefield-command-system/" target="_blank" rel="">awarded</a> defense tech company Anduril Industries a contract worth up to $1.8 billion to continue developing NGC2’s common data baseline, or software foundation.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Anduril, along with Palantir, Raft and Striveworks, has been refining the technology to help the service move NGC2 from the experimental phase to fielding.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The resources McFarlane referred to include funds, which are currently up in the air as the Senate still works to pass the National Defense Authorization Act.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">With Congress currently in recess, the timeline for approval of those funds is murky.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Army’s proposed budget for fiscal 2027 <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/08/04/armys-new-battlefield-command-system-ready-to-scale/" target="_blank" rel="" title="https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/08/04/armys-new-battlefield-command-system-ready-to-scale/">includes</a> a $904 million request for the research, development and scaling of NGC2.</p>
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		<title>Pentagon, BAE sign deal for up to 25,000 precision-guided munition kits a year</title>
		<link>https://www.armytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2026/10/19/pentagon-bae-sign-deal-for-up-to-25000-precision-guided-munition-kits-a-year/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Michael Scanlon]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 19 Oct 2026 18:50:11 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Daily News Roundup]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[The Pentagon and BAE Systems signed a framework agreement for up to 25,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System, or APKWS, guidance kits a year.]]></description>
		
		
		
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Defense Department has signed a framework agreement with BAE Systems to buy up to 25,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System, or APKWS, guidance kits a year for as long as seven years, <a href="https://www.war.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4628487/department-of-war-and-bae-systems-sign-framework-agreement-to-surge-counter-dro/" target="_blank" rel="">the department announced Monday</a>. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">APKWS kits convert unguided 2.75-inch rockets into laser-guided munitions. All four services field them, and the weapon has become a <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/08/24/italy-eyes-us-tech-for-souping-up-dumb-missiles-into-drone-interceptors/" target="_blank" rel="">cheaper alternative</a> to air-to-air missiles for shooting down drones. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Congress still has to approve and fund the buy, the department said. <a href="https://www.baesystems.com/en/article/bae-systems-us-department-of-war-sign-long-term-agreement-to-increase-apkws-production" target="_blank" rel="">BAE said it will increase production</a> while the two sides work out a multiyear contract. Neither side announced the deal’s cost. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The framework also outlines a path to increase output to 35,000 kits a year for U.S. allies. The department said that added capacity will come online as partner nations formally request kits through the Foreign Military Sales program. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“By securing multi-year demand, this agreement keeps production lines running at capacity, provides our forces with interceptor inventory, and flips the cost calculus in the taxpayer’s favor,” Michael Duffey, the Pentagon’s undersecretary for acquisition and sustainment, said in the announcement. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">BAE, which builds the kits in Hudson, New Hampshire, and Austin, Texas, said in February that it had <a href="https://www.baesystems.com/en-us/article/bae-systems-delivers-100000th-apkws-laser-guidance-kit" target="_blank" rel="">delivered its 100,000th kit</a>. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The 25,000 figure in this framework agreement matches capacity BAE has cited before. <a href="https://www.army-technology.com/news/bae-systems-apkws-tested-in-precision-guided-rockets-milestone/" target="_blank" rel="">A company official said in 2023</a> that APKWS was in full-rate production with room to grow to 25,000 units a year. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“APKWS delivers proven, reliable and affordable precision at scale to counter evolving threats and ensure our warfighters maintain a decisive advantage,” said Tom Arseneault, president and CEO of BAE Systems Inc. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Navy’s current five-year APKWS contract with BAE, <a href="https://www.war.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/4289452/" target="_blank" rel="">awarded in August 2025</a>, is worth up to $1.74 billion. It covers up to 55,000 kits for the Navy, the Army and foreign customers, with work expected to be completed by December 2031. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Among allied buyers, Saudi Arabia won State Department approval in July for a possible <a href="https://www.state.gov/releases/bureau-of-political-military-affairs/2026/07/kingdom-of-saudi-arabia-advanced-precision-kill-weapon-systems/" target="_blank" rel="">$1.96 billion package</a> that includes up to 20,000 APKWS kits, split evenly between air-to-air and air-to-ground versions. <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/08/24/italy-eyes-us-tech-for-souping-up-dumb-missiles-into-drone-interceptors/" target="_blank" rel="">Italy is also weighing a buy of 5,031 kits</a> for counter-drone defense. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The APKWS agreement is the latest in <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2026/03/25/pentagon-announces-major-surge-in-missile-production/" target="_blank" rel="">a series of framework deals</a> the Pentagon has signed this year to boost munitions production. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In January, Lockheed Martin agreed to <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/newsletters/2026/01/06/lockheed-to-triple-production-of-interceptor-missiles-in-pentagon-deal/" target="_blank" rel="">more than triple production</a> of the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement, or PAC-3 MSE, interceptor.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In March, BAE and Lockheed agreed to <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2026/03/25/pentagon-inks-deal-with-bae-lockheed-to-quadruple-thaad-seeker-production/" target="_blank" rel="">quadruple production of seekers</a> for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, interceptor. A separate THAAD framework signed in January led to a <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/industry/techwatch/2026/06/25/lockheed-martin-wins-over-35-billion-contract-to-quadruple-thaad-production/" target="_blank" rel="">June contract worth more than $35 billion</a> for the interceptors themselves.</p>
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		<title>US Army competition explores military uses for humanoid robots</title>
		<link>https://www.armytimes.com/industry/techwatch/2026/10/19/us-army-competition-explores-military-uses-for-humanoid-robots/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Daniel Terrill]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 19 Oct 2026 16:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Daily News Roundup]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[They're still a long way off from mass-producing Terminators.
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The U.S. Army’s program for accelerating new technologies announced the winners of a <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/video/2026/07/20/could-humanoid-robots-be-used-to-fire-mortars-defense-dollars/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" title="https://www.defensenews.com/video/2026/07/20/could-humanoid-robots-be-used-to-fire-mortars-defense-dollars/">humanoid</a> robot <a href="https://www.war.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4613847/robotics-competition-winners-advance-military-exploration-of-humanoid-capabilit/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" title="https://www.war.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4613847/robotics-competition-winners-advance-military-exploration-of-humanoid-capabilit/">competition</a>, which assessed how the emerging technology could contribute to future military operations. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">According to the<a href="https://xtech.army.mil/announcement/xtechhumanoid-winners-advance-military-exploration-of-emerging-humanoid-capabilities/" target="_blank" rel=""> Sept. 29 announcement</a>, the five winners of the Army’s xTechHumanoid competition include ACES Group, IHMC Robotics, Hydroplane Limited, Ras Labs and Velocity Explorations.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Alex Miller, the Army’s chief technology officer, explained that through the program, the service tried to identify “the problems, mission needs, and opportunities” humanoid robots could best be used. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“xTech is our method of surveying the industry landscape and fast-tracking promising technology rather than falling victim to years-long studies,” Miller said.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Humanoid robots are part of a broader autonomy push to increase the depth and breadth of robotic platforms and components industry can provide for a range of missions,” he added.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The expectation</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">For the competition, Army officials reviewed each company’s white paper proposal for its humanoid robot. They evaluated the concepts based on several criteria, including military utility, technical merit and technological maturity.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Of the 103 submissions, the Army selected 10 finalists, each of which received $25,000. The service then identified five winners through a live experimentation event.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">According to the<a href="https://xtech.army.mil/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/xTechHumanoid-Competition-RFI.pdf" target="_blank" rel=""> 2025 competition announcement</a>, the event tested the robots on a series of collective tasks “in the context of a military small unit mission conducted in a combat situation.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">During the event, officials also reviewed the baseline system capabilities and advanced subsystems. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Examples of the former include checkpoint security, gap crossing or obstacle clearing and firefighting. Whereas the latter included technologies like thermal sensors, battery life and autonomy. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The reality</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">However, Robert Griffin, a senior researcher at <a href="https://robots.ihmc.us/" target="_blank" rel="">IHMC Robotics</a>, told Military Times that the competition’s individual requirements exceeded what current technology could achieve.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“The individual things that were outlined were, in any one element, beyond what is possible given the current state of the art,” Griffin said.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/9970579.jpg.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-122194"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Companies compete in the U.S. Army&#8217;s xTechHumanoid finals at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, on Sept. 10, 2026. (Connor Taggert/U.S. Army)</figcaption></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“For example, you don’t have a robot that can run 28 miles an hour while carrying 50 pounds and operating for 24 hours,” he said. “It’s not a thing that exists in the world.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Because the Army’s “actual full desirements were beyond what can currently be done,” Griffin said, developers had to prioritize different elements of their robots’ capabilities for the demonstrations.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Griffin’s team focused on baseline capabilities. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“The big thing for us was to have the robot show up at the competition, move around in the world, unsupported, at a reasonable pace, and then respond to commands,” he said.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/video/1024774/xtechhumanoid-finals-2026" target="_blank" rel="">Video</a> of the competition shows IHMC’s robot “Alex” following voice commands directing it to walk through a field and then, under the control of a human with a remote, through the woods and across gravel. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Alex also grasps a small shovel, begins to dig and attempts to pour dirt into a bucket. Although it doesn’t succeed, it demonstrates the movement. And finally, Alex collapses and has to be transported out on a gurney. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Testing subsystems</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Other competitors focused on subsystems.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://hydroplane.us/hydroplane-named-u-s-army-xtechhumanoid-competition-winner-for-advanced-power-system/" target="_blank" rel="">Hydroplane</a> and <a href="https://lnkd.in/p/gyykxxw2" target="_blank" rel="">ACES Group</a> competed with their batteries, while <a href="https://velocityexplorations.com/news/xtechhumanoid-finalist-echo-hmi/" target="_blank" rel="">Velocity Explorations</a> entered software that enabled its robot to listen to radio traffic between people and understand their movements and tasks. Using that information to develop an understanding of the broader battlespace, the platform could then determine how to act.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://raslabs.com/" target="_blank" rel="">Ras Labs</a> tested highly sensitive fingertip tactile sensors that allowed a robot to handle delicate objects. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">While multiple companies said they participated because it was a chance to test their products, Dr. Anita Sengupta, Hydroplane’s founder and chief executive, explained that her company has traditionally done work for large structures and aircraft, but recently started working on smaller and portable systems.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“We saw a good overlap between developing a power system for a humanoid, whether it’s a person or a robot, as well as the drone use case, so it just seemed like an interesting use case for us to take our technology to,” she said. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">For the competition, her company adapted a 10-kilowatt system originally designed for the Marine Corps in 2024, but made it smaller because the humanoid only needed a few kilowatts. The device utilizes a fuel cell similar to what a generator uses, but instead of using diesel fuel, it uses hydrogen. Sengupta explained that the benefits are that it has about three times the energy density and a higher conversion efficiency.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Although Hydroplane didn’t directly power a humanoid robot with its fuel cell, the Army tested it to see if it could power a humanoid robot. In turn, Hydroplane helped establish those standards, with the intent to eventually collaborate with a humanoid robot team. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The future</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In the recent announcement, the Army said the competition revealed a clear picture of “both the progress commercial industry has made in humanoid robotics and the technical challenges that remain.” The findings, the service said, will help it direct research toward technologies that offer the greatest return for warfighters.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/9970562.jpg.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-122195"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Companies compete in the U.S. Army&#8217;s xTechHumanoid finals at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, on Sept. 10, 2026. (Connor Taggert/U.S. Army)</figcaption></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">But while humanoid robots might eventually take on more complex military tasks, Griffin said the industry is still a long way from developing machines like Arnold Schwarzenegger’s T-800 from <i>The Terminator</i> franchise.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“I don’t think that any person who has a modicum of ethics is going to say that we need to be having these robots making life or death decisions,” he said, noting how easily current AI models can be confused or manipulated.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Instead, Griffin said the future of humanoid robotics will depend in part on what investors want the machines to do. Industrial companies, for example, may see opportunities to automate tasks typically performed by humans.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Our goal is to be able to make robots that remove people from having to do harmful tasks,” he said about his company, pointing to scenarios such as first responders entering burning buildings and nuclear cleanup.</p>
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		<title>US Army Cyber Command charts course for human-AI equilibrium</title>
		<link>https://www.armytimes.com/industry/techwatch/2026/10/19/us-army-cyber-command-charts-course-for-human-ai-equilibrium/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Riley Ceder]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 19 Oct 2026 13:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Daily News Roundup]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[U.S. Army Cyber Command is constantly refining human oversight of artificial intelligence, Lt. Gen. Christopher Eubank said last week.]]></description>
		
		
		
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The head of <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/10/14/disrupt-strike-assault-and-endure-the-4-pillars-of-the-us-armys-new-warfare-guidance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" title="https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/10/14/disrupt-strike-assault-and-endure-the-4-pillars-of-the-us-armys-new-warfare-guidance/">Army</a> Cyber Command said last week that the service was constantly observing and refining human oversight of <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/10/14/us-army-expands-drone-marketplace-to-33-nations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" title="https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2026/10/14/us-army-expands-drone-marketplace-to-33-nations/">artificial intelligence</a>, with the possibility of releasing computer agents to do some work by themselves.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Speaking at the Association of the United States Army Conference in Washington, Lt. Gen. Christopher Eubank described an iterative human-in-the-loop process in which <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/industry/techwatch/2026/10/15/us-army-eyes-developing-soldier-worn-drone-detection-gear/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" title="https://www.militarytimes.com/industry/techwatch/2026/10/15/us-army-eyes-developing-soldier-worn-drone-detection-gear/">military personnel</a> learn in real time how to balance giving AI agents autonomy and exercising control over them. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“It’s occurring daily and weekly inside of the headquarters as we watch agents learn and grow, and then determine what we should let them do on their own versus have a human in the loop,” Eubank said. “All work right now is safeguarded human-in-the-loop as we continue to learn across this very important emergent technology.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Military personnel currently watch AI agents perform routine tasks, with a governance board within Army Cyber Command making decisions on whether that agent should be allowed to continue performing a task without human intervention or whether it should be allowed to work unsupervised.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">During its current human-in-the-loop iteration, every machine AI team checked in with the human team daily and was not operating alone.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Every AI agent was also assigned the same work role as a human, so Army Cyber command trained those agents to be masters of their craft in the same way the Army did with the humans.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">As the service worked through the iterative process, the uptick in speed that AI ushered in was drastic.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In two days, an AI agent could complete work that took an analytics support officer six months, Eubank said.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Army Cyber Command used artificial intelligence to operate, secure, defend and attack networks, and make sure that technology works hand in hand with the human workforce, according to Eubank.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Artificial intelligence also enabled the command to move faster than it had ever moved and sift through mountains of data at machine speed, which allowed humans to focus on solving critical problems.</p>
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		<title>US Army showing interest in G/ATOR missile-killing radar, Northrop says</title>
		<link>https://www.armytimes.com/industry/techwatch/2026/10/19/us-army-showing-interest-in-gator-missile-killing-radar-northrop-says/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Hope Hodge Seck]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 19 Oct 2026 11:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
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					<description><![CDATA[Northrop Grumman’s new multi-mission radar system has earned high marks from Marine Corps leadership. The U.S. Army has taken notice.]]></description>
		
		
		
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2026/10/06/northrop-grummans-yfq-48a-cca-completes-first-fully-autonomous-flight/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" title="https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2026/10/06/northrop-grummans-yfq-48a-cca-completes-first-fully-autonomous-flight/">Northrop Grumman’s</a> new multi-mission radar system has earned effusive praise from <a href="https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2026/10/08/future-cost-use-of-marine-corps-acvs-scrutinized-in-congressional-report/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" title="https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2026/10/08/future-cost-use-of-marine-corps-acvs-scrutinized-in-congressional-report/">Marine Corps</a> leaders as it surges well past the halfway point in fielding. On the heels of that success, officials said this month, other potential customers, including the U.S. Army, have expressed interest in the system.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar, or G/ATOR, is the Marine Corps’ solution for defending against a broad range of <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/04/08/polish-firm-teams-with-northrop-st-engineering-to-tap-polands-massive-ammo-spending/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" title="https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/04/08/polish-firm-teams-with-northrop-st-engineering-to-tap-polands-massive-ammo-spending/">airborne threats</a>, particularly in the Pacific littorals. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It replaces five older radar systems, and last year received an extended-range software upgrade that boosted its capability and advanced its ability to differentiate friends or foes in the air. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">In a call with reporters Oct. 7, <a href="https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/07/07/nato-to-add-up-to-five-northrop-grumman-triton-drones-for-maritime-surveillance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" title="https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/07/07/nato-to-add-up-to-five-northrop-grumman-triton-drones-for-maritime-surveillance/">Northrop</a> Director of Mission Systems Paul Weaver said the company had delivered 43 of the 60 G/ATOR systems the Marine Corps has ordered, of which five are designated for the Air Force and one for Navy test and evaluation.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Demand for the system in theater right now is high, and it’s based on that performance,” Weaver said. “We’ve been making modifications to the system based on customer input for the last four or five years. We’ve made some hardware modifications that extended its range, and we’re constantly making software improvements to adapt to the specific threat environment, whether that be [unmanned aerial systems], from the smallest to the largest, and other potential threats that they face.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Weaver said the company was “actively engaged at the headquarters level” with the Marine Corps and the Air Force about how best to employ G/ATOR and had recently begun engagements with the Army as well. While he deferred on saying whether the Army had interest in acquiring the radar system, he said its capabilities had broad appeal across the services.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“When you put a number of these systems in the field, operating in a complementary way, you can stay in constant movement and complicate the adversary’s target cycle,” Weaver said. “That is of interest to every service that’s currently in conflict right now. So, to the level that we’re engaged with the Army and the Air Force, it all comes back to its current performance and the agility that this advanced platform potentially offers.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">At 9,000 pounds, G/ATOR is small and light enough to be transported by C-130 Hercules or MV-22 Osprey aircraft. It can be set up and emplaced by a four-person crew in under ten minutes, and can flex in power settings from 60 kilowatts for medium-range targets to 75 kilowatts for longer-range kills. Initial fielding to the Marine Corps began in 2018, and service leaders have suggested more recently that they might soon expand their acquisition plan.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“We learned that it’s much more capable than we thought,” Brig. Gen. Christopher Haar, now commander of the 3rd Marine Logistics Group, told Military Times last December. “And now there’s a demand for us to get that in more units, and to potentially increase the number of those systems that we buy.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://www.twz.com/sea/usmc-used-its-expeditionary-operations-playbook-in-combat-for-first-time-during-epic-fury" target="_blank" rel="">The War Zone</a> reported last month that the Corps’ Pacific-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit had employed the service’s Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) concept for the first time in combat during operations in support of the Operation Epic Fury conflict with Iran. It’s not clear if the G/ATOR system was part of that concept employment. But Weaver did suggest that the current conflict is highlighting its strengths.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">With its lightweight footprint and capable 360-degree active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, the system, he said, can be flown into an austere location to establish an expeditionary air base, allowing the establishment of a surveillance perimeter while also enabling airspace control. According to the company, the system can identify launch points of hostile fires ranging from mortars to artillery and serve as a ground-based air traffic control manager. Drone warfare, Weaver said, brings out other strengths.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“It’s proving in recent conflicts and around the globe to perform exceptionally well in clutter, which makes it very helpful in identifying all classes of UASs and cruise missiles,” he said. “It’s not only providing awareness of what’s in the airspace around it at all altitudes. It provides weapons quality data and that performance, which means the warfighter can not only see it but also connect it to any available countermeasure that it has, whether that be kinetic or non-kinetic, and address it appropriately.”</p>
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		<title>US Army fields new system for sweeping munitions planning, management</title>
		<link>https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2026/10/19/us-army-fields-new-system-for-sweeping-munitions-planning-management/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Cristina Stassis]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 19 Oct 2026 09:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Daily News Roundup]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MilTech]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[The service expects this first increment of TACTMIS to replace the previously used TAMIS system once it retires on Oct. 30.]]></description>
		
		
		
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<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The U.S. Army released the initial modernized munitions system meant to be the official source for the service’s upgraded munitions requirements and expenditure reporting.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Total Army Combat and Training Munitions Information System, or TACTMIS, is meant to replace the previously used Total Ammunition Management Information System, or TAMIS, once it retires on Oct. 30. TACTMIS aims to update how the Army plans, manages and reports munitions for training, testing, operational and combat activities, according to a <a href="https://www.army.mil/article-amp/295935/army_fields_tactmis_to_modernize_enterprise_munitions_management" target="_blank" rel="">recent release</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“TACTMIS is a foundational step in modernizing how the Army manages the munitions that enable readiness and warfighting,” Army Chief of Munitions and G-3/5/7 Deputy Chief of Staff John C. Hinnant said in the release. “It gives the Total Army a more authoritative, integrated and accountable way to generate requirements, manage authorizations and maintain trusted visibility of munitions data across the force.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">TACTMIS, developed under the Software Acquisition Pathway, was built using the Appian Platform to be a cloud-enabled, low-code “Software-as-a-Service” capability, the announcement says. The system supports a variety of inputs such as requirements calculations, authorization management, request processing and enterprise reporting.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Using a common organizational framework, the system is meant to reduce manual workload, improve data integrity and increase the visibility of munitions demand and fulfillment across the service and its joint partners.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The upgraded system can coordinate workflows across enterprise systems while maintaining the commanding role of the Army systems and data sources it interacts with, per the statement, supporting readiness planning while providing timely data to inform decision-making for senior leaders and defense industrial base requests.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“TACTMIS moves the Army from fragmented and manual munitions-management processes toward a modern digital capability built for the scale and speed of today’s force,” CW3 Deidre Burgos, TACTMIS program manager, said in the release. “Our focus is ensuring commanders and staffs have reliable tools to manage munitions requirements, authorizations, forecasts and expenditures with greater accuracy, transparency and confidence.”</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The system is also aligned to support the Army’s broader modernization efforts such as Ammo360, which is a software initiative meant to boost ammunition accountability and unify the operating picture within the service’s network.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">TACTMIS is designed to support over 10,000 users across the globe and operate without dedicated unit-level administrators. The system’s platform allows for TACTMIS to evolve in increments as the Army’s requirements, policies and mission needs change so redesigns are unnecessary for future enhancements.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Planned enhancements include a classified capability intended to support real-time combat munition requirements and expenditure reporting for readiness and logistics operations, the announcement reads.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">“Delivering this initial release is an important milestone, but it is also the beginning of an enduring modernization effort,” Burgos said. “TACTMIS provides the digital foundation the Army needs to evolve alongside future operational requirements while maintaining uninterrupted support to the force’s ability to arm, train, and sustain.”</p>
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