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09 Jan 26. US Navy in Middle East Employs Attack Drone at Sea for First Time. Personnel assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet (NAVCENT/C5F) have successfully launched a one-way attack drone from a ship at sea for the first time. The Independence-class littoral combat ship USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32) achieved the historic milestone in the Arabian Gulf while launching a Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS).
“This first successful launch of LUCAS from a naval vessel marks a significant milestone in rapidly delivering affordable and effective unmanned capabilities to the warfighter,” said Vice Adm. Curt Renshaw, commander of NAVCENT/C5F. “This achievement demonstrates the power of innovation and joint collaboration in this critical region.”
On Dec. 3, U.S. Central Command announced the deployment of the U.S. military’s first one-way-attack drone squadron to the Middle East. The LUCAS drone that took off from USS Santa Barbara’s flight deck is part of the Task Force Scorpion Strike squadron formed to equip U.S. service members with the latest cutting-edge tools. The LUCAS platforms operated by U.S. forces in the Middle East have an extensive range and can be launched with different mechanisms to include catapults, rocket-assisted takeoff, and mobile ground and vehicle systems.
“This platform will undoubtedly enhance regional maritime security and deterrence,” said Renshaw.
NAVCENT/C5F’s unmanned and autonomous operations task force, Task Force 59, executed the successful LUCAS drone launch from USS Santa Barbara on December 16th. NAVCENT/C5F is the maritime component of U.S. Central Command, whose area of responsibility encompasses about 2.5 m square miles of water area and includes the Arabian Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman and parts of the Indian Ocean. This expanse, comprised of 21 countries, includes three critical chokepoints at the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal, and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait at the southern tip of Yemen. (Source: UAS VISION)
08 Jan 26. DARPA call on industry to design a powerful heavy-lift drone. The US Armed Forces want to close the enduring trade off between payload and weight with logistical drones.
- The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has initiated a $6.5m industrial competition to design and develop a heavy-lift drone
- Tenders will provide a vertical lift capability, solving the enduring payload-to-weight ratio problem
- Each uncrewed aerial system (UAS) must weigh no more than 55 pounds and be able to carry exactly double its own total weight across a five-nautical mile course.
DARPA has initiated a $6.5m industrial competition to design a concept for a vertical heavy-lift drone, aiming to overcome what has hitherto been an unavoidable trade off between payload and weight. The programme manager of the Lift Challenge, Phillip Smith, said that a successful system would “redefine” vertical lift aviation entirely, while summing up their goal to “dramatically” increase the useful load and drive down the cost per pound of transported cargo. DARPA, which funds high-risk but high-reward defence technology projects, set out its criteria, stating the UAS cannot be more than 55 pounds/25 kilos (including fuel or power source) and must be capable of lifting a minimum payload of 110 pounds – exactly double the total weight of the drone itself – across a five-nautical mile circuit course. It is said that teams will go head-to-head in live performance trials in the summer of 2026.
US military introduce logistical drones
It is telling that the agency stipulates that tendered systems must lift for a distance of five nautical miles. The criterion indicates an ambition to deploy logistical UAS across a maritime space. For years, the US defence doctrine has been pivoting to the vast Indo-Pacific expanse to contain a militarily aggressive China, a reality that was difficult for Europe to swallow when the second Trump administration entered office last year. This was encapsulated by an American tirade of Nato leaders in Brussels in February 2025. According to intelligence from the leading analytics firm GlobalData, the global military uncrewed maritime vehicles market, valued at $1.8bn in 2025, is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.9% over the next decade. It is expected to reach $4.2bn by 2035. In particular, the US Marine Corps (USMC) has made strides in their efforts to utilise future drone technology for what it is known as ‘last-mile logistics’ – the final leg of the supply chain that is typically in a hostile, complex and contested environment, making it the most challenging and dangerous part of the resupply process. In such an environment the US military no longer want to ‘trade blood for first contact’ as they lean on autonomous uncrewed systems (UxS) to do the job for them. To this end, the USMC – the forward deployed and amphibious element of the Navy – all manner of of UxS above, on and below the surface of the ocean. This includes the Autonomous Low-Profile Vessel, Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft, and the Tactical Resupply Unmanned Aircraft System (TRUAS).
Close, but no cigar
The latter, it seems, is one of the closest drone resupply capabilities the service currently operate at this time. Although the autonomous TRUAS needs two Marines to operate still, the drone is also capable of carrying somewhere between 120 to 150 pound payload of items like batteries, medical supplies, food, and ammunition over a nine-mile range (or 7.8 nautical miles). However, this does not resolve the payload-to-weight problem as the drone is said to weigh 125 pounds – that is 70 pounds more than the Lift Challenge requirement. Meanwhile, industry have understood the US military requirement for drone logistics at sea with Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, having recently unveiled its own unique concept: the S-70 UAS, nicknamed the U-Hawk. The U-Hawk is a converted UH-60L Black Hawk utility helicopter made autonomous with the Matrix autonomy stack. As a UAS, the platform has 25% more usuable cabin space to be used for mission requirements, whether that involves launched effects, sensor systems, or space for supplies. But of course this is still far too heavy a drone weighing more than 20,000 pounds. (Source: naval-technology.com)
08 Jan 26. Oman unveils UAV. The Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) is operating a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); it was revealed when Sultan Haitham bin Tariq visited Al-Musannah Air Base to the west of Muscat on 7 January. The Oman News Agency released a photograph that partially showed the UAV behind the sultan and senior RAFO officers as they toured a hangar where a C295 maritime patrol aircraft was undergoing maintenance. Its undercarriage matched the seemingly unique one used on the Chinese CH-4. Omani television coverage of the visit showed the sultan and crown prince inspecting the facilities of 2 Squadron, which operates the C295s, where he was shown a CAE 700 series flight simulator for the aircraft and a mission simulation room. He was then taken outside to inspect a C295, an NH90 helicopter, a Super Lynx helicopter, and a C-130 transport on the apron. He then went into the hangar where the C295 was undergoing maintenance but the footage did not show the UAV. (Source: Janes)
08 Jan 26. US exempts some foreign-made drones from Trump import ban on new models.
- Summary
- FCC exempts some foreign drones from import ban until 2026
- FCC’s decision follows Pentagon recommendation
- Concerns raised over impact on U.S. farmers and industry
The U.S. Federal Communications Commission said on Wednesday it is exempting imports of some new models of foreign-made drones and critical components from a sweeping import ban adopted in December. The telecommunications regulator acted on a Pentagon recommendation to exempt some components and drones from the restrictions through the end of 2026. The list of imported drones allowed for import includes models from Parrot, Teledyne FLIR, Neros Technologies, Wingtra, Auterion, ModalAI, Zepher Flight Labs and AeroVironment and imports will be allowed until the end of 2026. The FCC also said it was approving a list of imported critical components for drones produced by companies including Nvidia, ModalAI, Panasonic, Sony, Samsung and ARK Electronics. Last month, the FCC said it was adding all foreign-made drones and critical components to the “Covered List”. That means DJI, Autel and other foreign drone companies will not be able to obtain the necessary FCC approval to sell new models of drones or critical components in the United States as they pose unacceptable risks to U.S. national security. The FCC designation issued last month does not prohibit import, sale or use of any existing drone models the agency previously authorized, and does not impact any previously purchased drones and consumers can continue to use any drones they previously purchased legally. The FCC also said U.S. government agencies purchasing new drones are not covered by the restrictions. Drones on the covered list purchased outside the United States cannot be operated in the country. A number of groups had raised concerns about the breadth of the FCC order. The American Soybean Association said last month that “sudden restrictions on their use without available domestically manufactured alternatives risk adding new financial and operational burdens for farmers already facing tight margins and market uncertainty.” The 14 Republicans on the Senate Armed Service Committee led by Senator Roger Wicker said in a joint statement that Trump was “right to ban the import of drones and components from those adversaries to protect American industry” and added it gives time “to transition to American-made drones and allows us to continue working closely with allies and partners to rebuild free-market supply chains for small drone parts.” China-based DJI, the world’s largest dronemaker, criticized the decision last month, noting more than 80% of the United States’ 1,800-plus state and local law enforcement and emergency response agencies that operate drone programs use DJI technology. (Source: Reuters)
06 Jan 26. US Air Force eyes autonomous Northrop Grumman drone for CCA program. The Air Force in December said Northrop Grumman’s new autonomous drone wingman, known as Talon, is a leading contender to join its collaborative combat aircraft program. The service also said in a Dec. 22 release that it gave Northrop’s Talon drone the designation YFQ-48A, making it the third CCA to receive an official designation. The Air Force in early 2025 dubbed the first round of CCAs, made by Anduril and General Atomics, the YFQ-44A and YFQ-42A, respectively. The Air Force wants to create a fleet of CCAs to fly alongside aircraft such as the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter and the next generation F-47 as a way to affordably extend the reach of its manned fighters. CCAs are intended to be semi-autonomous, meaning they can fly and attack on their own with minimal direction from nearby pilots. CCAs could carry out strike missions, conduct reconnaissance, jam enemy signals or communications, or even act as decoys to lure enemy attacks away from piloted fighters. The Air Force wants CCAs to be affordable enough that it could lose some in combat without breaking its budget. The service has adopted an acquisition strategy focusing on “continuous competition,” to allow defense contractors multiple points to be added to the CCA program. The Air Force in April 2024 awarded Anduril and General Atomics contracts to develop the first increment of CCAs. Flight tests for those drones began in 2025. Contracts for the second increment of CCAs could be awarded this year. In the statement, the Air Force said Talon’s designation “highlights the ongoing partnership between the Air Force and Northrop Grumman and acknowledges the continued progress of the YFQ-48A as a strong contender in the CCA program.”
“We are encouraged by Northrop Grumman’s continued investment in developing advanced semi-autonomous capabilities,” Brig. Gen. Jason Voorheis, the Air Force’s program executive officer for fighters and advanced aircraft, said in the Air Force’s statement. “Their approach aligns with our strategy to foster competition, drive industry innovation, and deliver cutting-edge technology at speed and scale.”
The Air Force traditionally uses the F designation to refer to its fighter aircraft, and Q for drones. The prefix Y indicates these CCAs are prototypes, and will be dropped when they move into production. Northrop Grumman announced Project Talon on Dec. 4, touting its advanced modular manufacturing techniques and improved versatility in the kind of missions it could fly. The company said it would provide advanced collaboration between crewed and uncrewed aircraft, and act as a “force multiplier” in operational missions. Northrop is also eying Talon for international customers and said it would give the U.S. and other nations “the ability to project power in dynamic threat environments.” Northrop said it designed, built and got Talon ready to fly in less than two years. The company used its autonomous testbed ecosystem, called Beacon, to test Talon’s avionics software in real-world environments and speed up the aircraft’s development. Air and Space Forces Magazine reported in December that Northrop Grumman officials said they pitched a CCA design for the Air Force’s first increment, but was not selected, perhaps because of the original design’s cost. Northrop officials told reporters in California that Talon is significantly different from what it first pitched, weighing about 1,000 pounds lighter, using half as many parts and requiring a construction time that is 30% faster, Air and Space Forces magazine reported. (Source: Defense News)
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EOS
Electro Optic Systems (EOS) is an Australian technology company with a global presence, delivering advanced solutions across defence and space. With operations in Australia, the United States, Europe, Singapore, the Middle East and New Zealand, EOS has been designing and manufacturing precision technologies for more than four decades.
In defence, EOS is a leader in remote weapon systems, with more than 2,500 delivered and proven in operational service with allied forces. The company designs, develops and manufactures highly accurate counter-drone solutions for force and asset protection. These include both kinetic and high energy laser options that defeat drone threats effectively and at a comparatively low cost per shot. In August 2025, EOS secured the world’s first export contract for a 100 kW-class high energy laser weapon, with delivery scheduled between 2025 and 2028.
In the space domain, EOS is internationally recognised for its expertise in space domain awareness and space control. Its ground-based optical systems track and characterise satellites and debris to support both defence and commercial operations worldwide. Through its New Zealand subsidiary, EOS also designs and manufactures precision optics for space and astronomy applications.
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