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06 Feb 26. Only months after the initial procurement announcements, Riga-based defence technology company Origin Robotics has begun delivering its BLAZE interceptor system to the armed forces of Latvia, Belgium, and Estonia. This handover makes these three countries the first in Europe to field a domestically produced, fully autonomous, warhead-equipped drone interception system. The rapid delivery underscores how agile defence companies like Origin are helping governments respond more quickly to evolving airspace threats. Across Europe, NATO countries have reported a growing number of unauthorized drone flights near borders, military sites, and critical infrastructure, reflecting the wider spread of low-cost unmanned systems linked to regional security tensions. These incidents have accelerated efforts such as the “drone wall,” a coordinated initiative to strengthen surveillance and counter-UAS capabilities along NATO’s eastern flank, as governments seek faster and more autonomous ways to protect their airspace. Latvia was the first to announce its order for Origin’s interceptor systems in early October, followed by the Belgium Ministry of Defence, which publicly announced a €50 million allocation for counter-drone systems in November, with Estonia ordering shortly thereafter. As of January 2026, all three nations have begun receiving the first batches of the BLAZE system, with deliveries continuing in several batches over the coming weeks. The BLAZE system, entirely developed and manufactured by Origin in Latvia, is an autonomous drone interceptor designed to neutralize hostile UAV threats with speed and precision. Designed for NATO interoperability and built for real-world use, BLAZE is the first NATO-codified autonomous interceptor drone equipped with a STANAG-compliant warhead module and available for immediate deployment. Latvia’s Autonomous Systems Competence Center (ASCC) will be responsible for evaluating the system and determining how the newly acquired capabilities should be integrated into the National Armed Forces. Comparable national evaluation and integration processes are underway in Belgium and Estonia.
Major Modris Kairišs, Head of the Latvian Autonomous Systems Competence Centre: “The rapid deployment of systems like Origin Robotics’ BLAZE is essential to strengthening national air defence. At the same time, hands-on use at scale allows us to build a precise, real-world understanding of their capabilities, limitations, and tactical applications. This ensures new technologies are not only fielded quickly, but also integrated effectively into the armed forces.”
Agris Kipurs, co-founder and CEO of Origin Robotics: “The Baltic states have acted with urgency and foresight in strengthening their aerial defence posture amidst growing threats, and Belgium has shown the same determination. These deliveries prove that rapid procurement cycles are possible when governments work with agile, technology-driven defence companies like Origin. That speed matters when drone technology evolves faster than traditional procurement timelines.”
Unlike traditional defence procurement cycles that can stretch into years, the BLAZE deliveries come within months of contract announcements. The systems are operational and ready for immediate integration, and the delivery will take place over the next weeks in several batches. Further details of the order, including quantities and operational roles, remain confidential. Additional deliveries to several other European NATO nations are already underway and will be announced in due course. Together, these deployments reflect growing institutional adoption of Origin’s technology across multiple NATO and partner countries.
05 Feb 26. Sig Sauer to begin flight tests of armed UAS quadcopter. Sig Sauer and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will begin flight tests for a weaponised quadcopter unmanned aircraft system (UAS) in the third quarter (Q3) of 2026, according to an internal Sig Sauer document recently obtained by Janes . The Fire Storm 250 – unveiled at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) conference in October 2025 – is a long-endurance, armed quadcopter with a stabilised weapon station and precision targeting system being developed for US and international customers. Live demonstrations of the system are expected in Q3 of fiscal year 2026, according to the document. The quadcopter integrates Sig Sauer’s new Micro-Remote Controlled Weapon System (RCWS) mounted with the Sig Sauer M250 multicalibre light machine gun (LMG). Sig Sauer’s airborne LMG can be loaded with 200 rounds of conventional or hybrid 7.62×51 and 6.8×51 mm ammunition. IAI is providing the Aerotor APUS 60 for the base platform. The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has passed initial engineering milestones with the powertrain, and weapons have been successfully integrated and tested. The Fire Storm 250 can stay airborne for up to three hours using its internal combustion engine and patented transmission design, according to the document. The Aerotor quadcopter in the APUS family is understood to be capable of operating on Jet-A1, JP5, and JP8 fuels being refuelled at unit level between missions, according IAI’s website. The three-hour flight time will enable the UAV to fulfil multiple mission roles including direct precision fire support, border defence, airborne suppressive fire, maritime interdiction, and force overwatch. (Source: Janes)
05 Feb 26. Pioneering the future of ultra heavy-lift UAVs: Hybrid Drones marks major milestone, completing first successful flight ahead of investment drive. The HYDRA-400 Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) drone, created by Hybrid Drones Limited, has successfully completed its first flight, marking a major milestone for the British-made uncrewed platform and an exciting step in the future of ultra heavy-lift drones. All eyes were on HYDRA-400 as its rotors began to spin and the drone left the ground in its first flight test, surrounded by the very engineers who developed it. Throughout the test flight, HYDRA-400 was put through its paces as it proved not only its ability to fly reliably, but also that it can carry a stretcher, highlighting its potential for casualty evacuation and humanitarian roles in the future.
Dr Stephen Prior, Founder of Hybrid Drones Ltd, said: “This is our 3rd generation aircraft – all have flown in the UK with CAA permissions and set new standards of lift capability, offering many opportunities for dual use applications from firefighting, delivery and rescue missions.”
Alfie Lockrey, Lead Engineer for Hybrid Drones Ltd, said: “HYDRA-400 has performed exactly as we hoped in its first flight tests, demonstrating a stable, capable platform across both mechanical and electrical systems. Seeing it lift off for the first time was a proud moment for the entire engineering team, whose hard work has made this milestone possible. These results give us real confidence as we move into the next phase of development and testing.” The HYDRA-400 is a new generation of ultra heavy-lift uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) using a hybrid combination of electric rotors and micro jet turbines for lift and propulsion. Compact and portable, HYDRA-400 can be transported in the back of a flatbed truck and assembled ready for flight in minutes. It is also configurable as fully electric or as a hybrid using two, four or six jets.Built by a small team of British engineers, HYDRA-400 is leading the way in the future of ultra heavy-lift drones, able to lift up to 400 kg whilst remaining compact and portable, whereas its competitors in the heavy-lift space are failing to keep up with this payload alongside cost and portability. This significant milestone offers a positive outlook for the continued development of the HYDRA-400 and its proven ability to be utilised in casualty evacuation scenarios and humanitarian disasters, as well as cargo or weapon systems delivery on the battlefield. HYDRA-400’s success follows its recent ground-run test programme at Thruxton Aerodrome in November, highlighting the rapid technical progress from Hybrid Drones, as well as building anticipation among investors as the company moves toward its next phase of commercial readiness. HYDRA-400 is the result of only £1.1m of investment over six years, showcasing the significance of the achievement. Hybrid Drones has now entered its next capital investment round and is working to raise £4 m to complete the final research and development phase for HYDRA-400 and to prepare the drone for industrialisation and mass production.
04 Feb 26. Pentagon must consider force structure in mass drone rollout. The US aim to field “hundreds of thousands” of OWA drones by next year, but there is no discernible plan to integrate them into its force structure.
- The US Department of Defense selected 25 vendors to compete in producing “hundreds of thousands” of low cost one-way attack uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) by 2027
- But this time last year, the Army alone assigned up to 400 UAS among units in its Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs); just one of these tactical level units comprise more than 4,000 troops
- The figure indicates the challenge to deliver so many units quickly
The US Department of Defense has initiated its Drone Dominance Programme (DDP) for the first time with a selection of 25 vendors. The industrial competition, loosely conceived in an executive order in June 2025, and referenced again in a memo released by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth a month later, will see companies with a presence in the United States showcase their UAS capabilities. The first “Gauntlet” phase will conclude in early March 2026, when the government intends to allocate $150m prototype delivery orders. Companies include traditional military contractors and emerging start-ups from Kratos SRE, a subsidiary of its familiar namesake, to the Israeli company XTEND Reality, as well as the Ukrainian Defense Drones Tech Corp.
The programme amounts to $1.1bn over four phases to incite competitive and iterative development cycles “measured in months, not years”, according to the government release.
Reality-check
But the DDP is not quite the breath of fresh air it seems. Until now, UAS production figures have indicated limited industrial output. This time last year, the US Army alone assigned somewhere between 300 and 400 UAS to combat units in its BCTs (a tactical unit that comprises more than 4,000 troops) under the auspices of the Replicator 1 initiative, which launched in August 2023. Success will hinge on the Acquisition Transformation Strategy (ATS), published in early November last year, which implements provisions that enable industry. The real question is whether these provisions, which go so far as to put industry on a “war footing” – whatever that looks like – will succeed in producing systems at a rate not seen for decades.
“Nothing’s fundamentally changed until it’s fundamentally changed,” said Dr Jerry McGinn, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, in conversation with Army Technology at the time the ATS was published in November.
“Implementation is going to be a bear,” he continued, “ending a big requirements process means you have to replace it with something.”
Integrating drones in the force structure
Details of the DDP, which are scant at this stage, only address the industrial scale required for UAS, a market in which the analytics firm GlobalData projects considerable growth from $15bn in 2025 to $28bn in 2035. While the ambition for scale is a laudable one, the Department has not set out how it will integrate these “hundreds of thousands” of combat UAS – at least 300,000 projected – into the force structure by next year.
“The operative question is whether drones positioned somewhere further up the logistical chain from the BCT troop level are included in those ‘hundreds of thousands’,” considered GlobalData defence analyst James Marques.
There is also the question of how it will deploy these disposable attack drones, which programme details do not currently specify.
“I suspect the most likely scenario for the DDP based on requirements for low-cost OWA is the development of ‘manpack’ drones that can be carried and launched by a single soldier,” contemplated Fox Walker, another GlobalData defence analyst.
“It will be worth watching which suppliers the DoD takes interest in to determine what specifications the US is taking an interest in, but with 25 initial suppliers, it’s probably too soon to say,” Walker concluded. (Source: army-technology.com)
05 Feb 26. UK Will Not Send Watchkeeper Drones to Ukraine – Fleet to Be Decommissioned. The UK Ministry of Defence has decided not to deploy Watchkeeper reconnaissance drones to Ukraine and will instead decommission the fleet. In a written reply to Conservative MP Mark Francois, Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the government is moving to newer, more cost-effective drone systems to replace Watchkeeper. He confirmed that the retired drones will not be transferred to Ukraine. Pollard said the UK and its partners would continue supporting Kyiv by providing the equipment needed to defend its territory and strengthen its position in any future peace talks. He added that the department had focused on “more cost-effective drones that deliver comparable capability and can operate in the most demanding environments,” rather than older platforms such as Watchkeeper Mk1. Further answers provided new clarity on the financial tail of the programme following its cancellation. Pollard confirmed that the total budget allocated to Watchkeeper between November 2024, when retirement was announced, and March 2027 amounts to £115.9 m. He said this funding supports the managed withdrawal of the system while the Army transitions to a replacement capability. That replacement, Project Corvus, is expected to be delivered in November 2026, ahead of Watchkeeper’s planned out-of-service date of March 2027. Pollard said that “with the retirement of Watchkeeper Mk1, the Army will transition rapidly to a new, advanced system that draws on the latest operational lessons and technological innovations.” Valued at around £130m, the programme aims to deliver a next-generation uncrewed aerial system capable of providing 24-hour persistent intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance in contested environments. The system is designed to support divisional- and corps-level operations and to be operated by 47 Regiment Royal Artillery, the unit currently responsible for Watchkeeper. Requirements for Corvus include real-time land and maritime ISTAR, low-latency data sharing across joint and coalition networks, and the ability to operate in GNSS-denied conditions. (Source: UAS VISION/UK Defence Journal)
05 Feb 26. Singapore Airshow 2026: Singapore progresses Hermes 900 UAV towards full operationalisation. Singapore’s Hermes 900 UAV, seen here at Singapore Airshow 2026. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat) The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has embarked on efforts to operationalise the Elbit Systems Hermes 900 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) amid ongoing deliveries. Speaking to Janes at Singapore Airshow 2026, an RSAF personnel confirmed that the service began taking delivery of the Hermes 900 system in late 2025 to replace its fleet of older Hermes 450 UAVs that have been in service for more than 20 years. Delivery of subsequent Hermes 900 units is ongoing, although further details on these, including unit numbers, cannot be revealed. One of these Hermes 900 UAVs is on display at Singapore Airshow 2026, marking the system’s public debut in the country. The RSAF first disclosed in November 2025 that it has acquired the Hermes 900 UAV system. “Through robust and thorough evaluations, the [Hermes 900] UAV was assessed to best meet the SAF’s [Singapore Armed Forces’] operational needs. Singapore joins a list of countries around the world that operate this advanced system for military and civil uses,” the RSAF said in its statement then. According to information provided by the RSAF at Singapore Airshow 2026, the Hermes 900 UAV has a cruise speed of 60–70 kt, a maximum range of more than 300 km, and an endurance of up to 36 hours. It is powered by a Rotax 914 engine, driving a pusher propeller, and its payload options include electro‑optical and infrared sensors, a laser designator, and satellite communication equipment for extended‑range operations. (Source: Janes)
05 Feb 26. Singapore Airshow 2026: ST Engineering debuts small, explosive payload-capable UAV. An indoor variant of the ARTOS UAV, seen here at the Singapore Airshow 2026, with a simulated explosive payload. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat) ST Engineering has unveiled a small, autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that can be equipped with an explosive payload. The system, known as the ARTOS, made its debut at the Singapore Airshow 2026, signalling the company’s continuing push into compact, autonomous platforms for urban and close‑quarters combat operations. Positioned as a high‑performance, low‑SWaP (size, weight, and power) multimission UAV, the ARTOS is designed to support forces operating in dense, cluttered, or contested environments. According to system specifications displayed at the show, the UAV features a maximum take‑off weight (MTOW) of up to 1.8 kg, a payload capacity of up to 500 g, and a compact 328×383×116 mm airframe. Speaking to Janes at the airshow, a company representative described the ARTOS’ payload suite as fully modular and can be configured to meet a wide spectrum of mission demands. While it can carry an explosive charge for anti-personnel and anti-vehicle operations, other payload possibilities include non‑lethal options such as smoke grenades, the representative said. For indoor operations, ST Engineering has developed a variant of the ARTOS that is equipped with propeller guards to reduce the risk of damage when manoeuvring close to walls or obstacles. This version also incorporates a software‑stitched camera system that provides operators with a wider combined field-of-view – an important feature when navigating tight interior spaces where situational awareness is often limited. In addition to the software-stitched camera system, the ARTOS can be equipped with a small pan-tilt-zoom camera for outdoor missions. Alongside the ARTOS, ST Engineering is debuting two other new hand-launched UAV systems known as the ARTEX and the ARES respectively. (Source: Janes)
05 Feb 26. Singapore Airshow 2026: China’s AVIC introduces WL-X UCAV to Asia-Pacific market. The Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) has made a debut of its Wing Loong‑X (WL‑X) unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) at Singapore Airshow 2026. A company representative at the show confirmed to Janes that the WL-X is making its first Asia-Pacific appearance outside China in a bid to fulfil the region’s requirements for a persistent maritime strike platform. In particular, AVIC is targeting Asia-Pacific operators seeking a long‑endurance UCAV capable of wide area maritime surveillance with the ability to prosecute surface vessels and submarines. According to details provided at the show, the WL‑X has a length of 12.2 m, a height of 4.3 m, and a wingspan of 24 m. While the AVIC representative declined to disclose a maximum payload capacity, they said the air vehicle is “capable of carrying a heavy payload” including torpedoes and missiles, although no details on these were provided. The WL‑X’s maritime role was first outlined at Airshow China 2024 in Zhuhai, where AVIC displayed the aircraft with a complete suite of maritime mission systems and weapons. The UCAV was shown carrying four underwing sonobuoy dispenser pods, an ET‑60 lightweight electric‑propulsion torpedo, a YJ‑9E lightweight anti‑ship missile, and two PL‑108 Lite air‑to‑air missiles across its eight underwing pylons. Additional weapons displayed alongside the airframe included PL‑10 and PL‑12 air‑to‑air missiles, an LD‑8A anti‑radiation missile, a CM‑400AKG anti‑ship missile, and LS‑6 250 kg and 500 kg precision‑guided munitions. The AVIC representative declined to discuss further details of the WL-X including its service ceiling and speed. (Source: Janes)
03 Feb 26. Draganfly, DelMar Aerospace to deliver Flex FPV drone training to US AFSOC. Initial training covers FPV UAS instruction, including assembly, repair, flight operations, and advanced mission planning. Draganfly, in collaboration with DelMar Aerospace, has secured an award to deliver its Flex FPV drones and training to units within the US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), according to an announcement released on 2 February 2026. The contract involves delivering foundational First Person View (FPV) uncrewed aerial system (UAS) training using Draganfly’s Flex FPV. Training activities will be conducted at DelMar Aerospace’s Camp Pendleton UAS range, a facility designed to support instruction simulating battlefield conditions. The first group of trainees is slated to begin the programme in mid-February. The curriculum covers FPV assembly and repair, flight operations, as well as advanced mission planning and execution. DelMar Aerospace will handle the delivery of instruction, curriculum development, and alignment with government standards and security protocols. Draganfly CEO Cameron Chell said: “Our shared focus is on readiness and combat capability. Partnering with DelMar Aerospace helps ensure operators are training on systems and tactics designed for real-world conditions, with the Flex’s modularity and reliability required to adapt as missions and threats evolve.” (Source: airforce-technology.com)
03 Feb 26. Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY) today announced that, from January 17 through January 22, it conducted an Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) demonstration in Icelandic waters using its state-of-the-art autonomous underwater vehicles:
- Slocum Sentinel Glider with a 60-meter-long passive acoustic towed array
- Slocum G3 Glider with integrated Teledyne Benthos acoustic communications
- Two Advanced Profiling Explorer (APEX) floats fitted with ambient noise Passive Acoustic Monitoring
Several NATO members were in attendance to witness the trials which were conducted from the Teledyne Gavia facility located in Kópavogur, Iceland. “We are pleased to be demonstrating this technology which helps address a critical issue for global security,” said George Bobb, President and Chief Executive Officer of Teledyne. “We are excited to show what is possible with proven, mature, commercial technology currently in use by NATO militaries.” With assistance from the Icelandic Coast Guard, the Teledyne team was able to deploy the autonomous underwater gliders into the North Atlantic in the strategic Greenland – Iceland gap from the Coast Guard Ship ICGV Þór. The Sentinel Glider towed a passive acoustic thin-line hydrophone array specifically designed to identify surface and subsurface vehicle noise in the water. The silent autonomous gliders, transversing the water column to 1,000 meters and equipped with the sensitive passive acoustic array, create a formidable barrier for subsea adversaries. In addition to acoustic payloads, Teledyne demonstrated the ability for its glider to acoustically exfiltrate data from a sea-bottom node, deployed as part of the demonstration. Simulated mission data was recovered from the node in real-time and later transmitted via satellite to the shore-based Mission Operations Control Centers in Iceland and the United Kingdom. “This result showcases our ability to meet a large percentage of existing requirements for conducting ASW with autonomous systems in the North Atlantic,” said Dan Shropshire, Vice President of Business Development for Teledyne Marine Vehicles and project lead. “The combination of our platforms with advanced sensor technologies, including the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning, allows us to bring a force multiplier to militaries world-wide, but at a fraction of the operational expense.” In addition to the technical demonstration, Teledyne highlighted the ability to establish a Remote Operations Center with help from its long-time partner at the National Oceanographic Centre (NOC) in the United Kingdom, where Teledyne has a European Glider service and repair center. The gliders were piloted in tandem with Iceland from the NOC. Data was retrieved and displayed from the subsea node for use simultaneously at both Operations Center locations. “Teledyne already has a large footprint in the U.K. with 18 principal facilities and approximately 2,600 employees,” said Brian Maguire, Teledyne Marine Chief Operating Officer. “We are investing even more significantly to bring autonomous technology to the Ministry of Defense and the Royal Navy.” (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
03 Feb 26. War Department Announces Vendors Invited to Compete in Phase I of the Drone Dominance Program. When Secretary of War Pete Hegseth took office a year ago, matching new technologies to threats was one of his core priorities. He commissioned an acquisition strategy to swiftly outfit our combat units with lethal drones. The War Department today announced the 25 vendors invited to compete in Phase I of the Drone Dominance Program (DDP), an acquisition reform effort designed to rapidly field low cost, unmanned one way attack drones at scale as part of strengthening America’s Arsenal of Freedom.
“Drone dominance is a process race as much as a technological race,” Secretary of War Pete Hegseth wrote in his July 2025 memorandum, Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance. “We are buying what works—fast, at scale, and without bureaucratic delay. Lethality will not be hindered by self imposed restrictions.”
The Phase I evaluation—the Gauntlet—will begin 18 February at Fort Benning, where military operators will fly and evaluate vendor systems. The Gauntlet will conclude in early March, when approximately $150 m in prototype delivery orders will be placed, with deliveries beginning shortly thereafter and continuing over the following five months. Drone Dominance operationalizes the Secretary of War’s acquisition reform priorities by sending a clear demand signal to industry—$1.1 bn over four phases, placing warfighters at the center of evaluation, and driving competitive, iterative cycles measured in months, not years. Across the program’s four phases, unit prices decrease, production volumes increase, and operational capability rises. By 2027, the Department will be fielding hundreds of thousands of weaponized, one way attack drones ready for combat. The Drone Dominance Program is sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of War and executed by the Defense Innovation Unit, the Test Resource Management Center, and Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division. The funding is ready and steady. The timeline to build combat power is compressed. The competition begins now. The Department has invited 25 companies to Gauntlet I, listed below alphabetically.
ANNO.AI, INC.
ASCENT AEROSYSTEMS INC
AUTERION GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS INC
DZYNE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
EWING AEROSPACE LLC
FARAGE PRECISION, LLC
FIRESTORM LABS, INC.
GENERAL CHERRY CORP
GREENSIGHT INC.
GRIFFON AEROSPACE, INC.
HALO AERONAUTICS, LLC
KRATOS SRE, INC.
MODALAI, INC.
NAPATREE TECHNOLOGY LLC
NEROS, INC.
OKSI VENTURES, INC.
PALADIN DEFENSE SERVICES LLC
PERFORMANCE DRONE WORKS LLC
RESPONSIBLY LTD
SWARM DEFENSE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
TEAL DRONES INC
UKRAINIAN DEFENSE DRONES TECH CORP
VECTOR DEFENSE, INC
W S DARLEY & CO
XTEND REALITY INC.
(Source: U.S. DoD)
03 Feb 26. The French Navy to become first operator of Airbus’ Aliaca vertical uncrewed aerial system. The French Directorate General of Armament (DGA) has ordered a new version of the SMDM (“Onboard Mini Aerial Drone Systems for the Navy”) from Airbus Helicopters (via its subsidiary Survey Copter). This UAS will now be delivered in the new vertical take-off and landing configuration (VTOL). The DGA has ordered a total of 34 Aliaca systems for the French Navy since 2022. Deliveries of this new version will begin in May 2026, following a qualification campaign.
“We are proud to be able to deliver the VTOL version of the Aliaca to the French Navy for the first time,” said Christophe Canguilhem, Aliaca programme director at Airbus Helicopters. “The French Navy has successfully operated the Aliaca from its ships and from land for several years. The SMDM, as it is named in the French Navy, has demonstrated its full potential in operation,” he added. “With the VTOL version, the French Navy will be able to operate the Aliaca with even more flexibility. This amendment to the initial contract demonstrates that our solution is now mature and available for our customers worldwide.”
The Aliaca VTOL was tested on land and at sea at the end of 2024 and throughout 2025. Unveiled in April 2025, the Aliaca VTOL was developed in less than a year from a version already proven in operations within the French Navy. This tactical mini-drone is equipped with four propellers, allowing for vertical take-off and landing while maintaining its fixed-wing propulsion mode during the mission. It has a maximum take-off weight of 25 kg, a wingspan of 3.5 m, and a length of 2.1 m. With an endurance of two hours, a range of 50 km, Aliaca is equipped with a camera, a high-performance gyro-stabilised electro-optical/infrared system, and an Automatic Identification System that is capable of identifying a ship within a radius of several hundred kilometres. This evolution of the SMDM maintains the performance and architecture of the existing system while offering faster deployment and a reduced logistical footprint due to the absence of launch-and-recovery systems. Operators retain the same ground station, which is already proven and recognised for its ease of use. Qualified by the DGA and operational since 2022 as the “remote binoculars” of the French Navy, the SMDM currently equips patrol vessels (PHM – high-sea patrol vessels and POM – overseas patrol vessels) and surveillance frigates. Since the summer of 2023, it has also been deployed from the French coast for search and rescue missions in the English Channel. The vertical take-off and landing version will equip other types of French Navy vessels to perform various missions: maintaining tactical situational awareness, combating illegal activities, traffic and coastal surveillance, search and rescue, and detection of suspicious behaviour. In the long term, the system is also expected to be operated from land to support the coastal surveillance network. This new configuration of the SMDM will enter a qualification phase by the DGA in early 2026 for land and sea trials before being declared operational. The SMDM, in its “fixed-wing” version, will continue to be implemented on equipped ships and maintained in operational condition for a period of at least seven years.
30 Jan 26. XTI Aerospace, Inc. (Nasdaq: XTIA) (“XTI Aerospace,” “XTI” or the “Company”), an aerospace technology company focused on building and scaling its newly acquired subsidiary, Drone Nerds, LLC (“Drone Nerds”), and its comprehensive unmanned aircraft system (“UAS”) platform for enterprise and government customers, today announced the expansion of Drone Nerds’ enterprise payload offerings with the addition of the Freefly Systems FLUX LiDAR series. Drone Nerds, LLC, a subsidiary of XTI Aerospace, Inc. (Nasdaq: XTIA), provides comprehensive drone solutions for enterprise, private, and recreational needs. (PRNewsfoto/XTI Aerospace, Inc.) The FLUX LiDAR series from Freefly Systems includes multiple payload options designed to support professional aerial mapping, inspection, and measurement workflows. Through Drone Nerds, enterprise and public sector customers can now access LiDAR payloads that address a range of operational requirements, including high-precision data capture, long-range coverage, and deployment in regulated environments.
“LiDAR remote sensing technology is a critical tool for many enterprises,” said Jeremy Schneiderman, CEO of Drone Nerds. “By adding the Freefly Systems FLUX LiDAR series to our payload portfolio, Drone Nerds believes that it will strengthen its role as the partner enterprise customers rely on to select, integrate, and deploy LiDAR solutions that align with their aircraft, workflows, and operational requirements.”
“The FLUX LiDAR series was developed to support professionals who need reliable, high-quality data capture across a wide range of operational scenarios,” said Matt Isenbarger, CRO at Freefly Systems. “Working with Drone Nerds allows us to make these payloads more accessible to enterprise and public sector customers who value performance, flexibility, and practical integration into existing aerial workflows.”
Powerful LiDAR Solutions for Efficient Data Capture
The Freefly Systems FLUX LiDAR lineup includes three payload options for different mission priorities. The FLUX H1 is optimized for lightweight, high-precision mapping workflows. The FLUX O1 is built for regulated and policy-driven environments that require NDAA-compliant hardware and dense point cloud capture. The FLUX L1 supports long-range and wide-area mapping applications where coverage efficiency is critical.
Together, the lineup will provide organizations with flexibility to select the LiDAR payload that best aligns with their operational requirements, platform configuration and deployment environment.
The FLUX LiDAR payloads are compatible with Freefly Systems Smart Dovetail platforms, including Freefly Astro and Freefly Alta X, and support integration with DJI Skyport-enabled aircraft. This compatibility allows organizations to deploy FLUX payloads across mixed fleets and existing aerial operations. (Source: PR Newswire)
31 Jan 26. UK Royal Navy Tests Wildcat Helicopter Drone Teaming for Martlet Missile Strikes. The British Royal Navy says it has completed Eagle’s Eye trials in Cornwall, linking a Wildcat helicopter with multiple drones and ground sensors to support simulated missile strikes. The activity highlights how the service is preparing for faster, more resilient decision-making in contested maritime environments. The British Royal Navy confirmed on 30 January 2026 that it has carried out a series of integration trials at the National Drone Hub at Predannack Airfield on Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsula, testing how crewed aircraft can work more closely with uncrewed systems. During the activity, known as Eagles Eye, an AgustaWestland Wildcat HMA2 from 815 Naval Air Squadron conducted simulated Martlet missile engagements against moving targets, using live targeting data supplied by two light drones and ground-based sensors, according to a Navy statement. In British service, the Wildcat HMA2 is configured for anti-surface warfare and the engagement of fast threats, including light craft, mobile coastal targets, and asymmetric threats (Picture source: UK MoD) Predannack is no longer only a helicopter training airfield, but an increasingly central site for uncrewed systems experimentation in the United Kingdom. The trials take place shortly after the maiden flight of Proteus, an autonomous helicopter programme presented as a milestone in the development of crewed-uncrewed teaming. This proximity points to a broader intent: accelerating a model in which the crewed platform is not the only relevant sensor, but a mobile command node able to receive, fuse, and redistribute data from multiple sources.
The AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat is one of the Royal Navy’s core embarked helicopters, operated in the Wildcat HMA2 (Helicopter Maritime Attack) configuration for surveillance, armed reconnaissance, and support to naval operations. Designed to deploy from British frigates and destroyers, it combines a compact format with performance suited to maritime operations: two LHTEC CTS800-4N turboshaft engines rated at 1,361 shp each, a maximum speed of around 311 km/h, a range of 777 km (up to 963 km for ferry flights) and a standard endurance of 2 hours 15 minutes, which can reach 4 hours 30 minutes with auxiliary fuel tanks. Crewed by two pilots, the Wildcat is intended for rapid and flexible operations in support of a naval task group, with the ability to detect, identify, and track surface contacts in a complex littoral environment. This agility, combined with avionics designed for targeting, supports the concept of the Wildcat as a platform able to exploit external sensors. In British service, the Wildcat HMA2 is configured for anti-surface warfare and the engagement of fast threats, including light craft, mobile coastal targets, and asymmetric threats. It can carry up to 20 Thales Martlet missiles (Lightweight Multirole Missile), suited to precision engagements against light targets, and up to four MBDA Sea Venom missiles, intended to disable or destroy vessels up to 1,000 tonnes. Its sensor suite includes the Seaspray 7400E AESA X-band radar for air-to-surface search and tracking, complemented by the Wescam MX-15Di electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) turret for identification and targeting. The Royal Navy operates 28 AW159 Wildcat HMA2 helicopters within its naval aviation force, organised across two squadrons, forming the backbone of its embarked light attack helicopter capability.
In this scenario, the Wildcat is not used as a passive receiver. Embarked personnel from 700X NAS, a specialist uncrewed unit operating from nearby RNAS Culdrose, directly control the RQ-20 Puma from inside the helicopter while also receiving, in parallel, a live video feed and situational data from the Providence. The different sources are integrated through a mesh network designed to combine heterogeneous inputs and present them to the crew without requiring separate interfaces. The aim is to move away from the legacy approach in which each new drone, sensor, or system comes with its own dedicated control chain, with bespoke gateways that can be slow to integrate and difficult to sustain. The RQ-20 Puma illustrates the approach adopted. In service with the Royal Navy since 2020 and recently deployed as part of Carrier Strike Group 25, it is an operational system rather than a laboratory demonstrator. In these trials, its role goes beyond collecting imagery, as it helps build a track that can be exploited directly from within the Wildcat cabin, while also supporting the option of tactically controlling the system from the crewed aircraft. The demonstration includes simulated Martlet engagements, with Martlet described as a Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM), a light guided weapon suited to attacks against fast and lightly protected threats. The most structuring element remains the conduct of simulated strikes in BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) and OTH (Over The Horizon) conditions, indicating a doctrinal shift: the helicopter can engage using external sensors rather than relying solely on its own direct detection. The mesh network is central to the demonstration. Unlike a point-to-point link, the MESH architecture relies on multiple nodes through which data can pass, with automatic rerouting if a segment is degraded. This self-healing characteristic is explicitly linked to lessons drawn from Ukraine, where communications resilience has become critical under jamming and rapid sensor attrition. In contested conditions, the value lies not only in collecting information, but in transmitting, sharing, and sustaining it over time without a single node failure breaking the chain. The trial brings together a broad ecosystem, reflecting British choices in open integration. Alongside 815 NAS, 700X NAS and support from 847 NAS, several industry partners are involved: MarWorks, TeleplanForsberg, General Dynamics, C3IA, UAV Aerosystems and Collins Aerospace. This composition reflects a pragmatic approach in which capability development is not limited to acquiring additional drones, but includes industrialising a data-sharing architecture compatible with existing platforms. At this stage, the priority is establishing initial tactics and then progressively expanding the number of sensors and participants connected to the network. The Wildcat and Martlet combination is already oriented toward countering fast threats, including fast attack craft (FAC) and moving targets in constrained environments. By placing drones forward to observe without exposing the crewed platform, the helicopter can approach with a lower signature, maintain its preferred altitude and tactical profile, and engage based on a consolidated track. The cognitive burden of search is reduced while decision speed increases. Within a distributed combat approach, the Wildcat becomes a coordination and action node, orchestrating multiple sensors rather than relying only on its own perception. Lessons from Eagles Eye are intended to feed into upcoming exercises. Further trials are planned when Wildcat crews deploy to Norway for Exercise Tamber Spring in the coming months, in the demanding environment of the fjords. This theatre, where terrain can fragment lines of sight and where asymmetric threats are central, is well suited to assessing mesh network robustness and refining distributed targeting procedures in a constrained littoral environment. The expansion of the National Drone Hub, reflected in the construction of two larger new hangars, is intended to support testing of larger drones, with released renderings referencing platforms such as the MQ-9 Reaper. In December 2025, an agreement was concluded between the National Drone Hub, operated jointly by WholeShip Ltd and the Royal Navy, and Spaceport Cornwall at Cornwall Airport Newquay, to expand the segregated test areas off the Cornish coast. New airspace zones off the north coast are intended to enable testing from Newquay, whose 9,000-foot runway offers potential for larger and higher-speed uncrewed aircraft beyond the optimal scope of Predannack’s shorter runways. A Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) is being established to support the development of this testing area. The Hybrid Air Wing concept aims to turn the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers into hubs for crewed and uncrewed aircraft, increasing ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) depth while preparing for integrated kinetic missions. In a context where Russia, among other strategic competitors, invests heavily in electronic warfare and layered defences, maintaining resilient links and distributing sensors becomes a factor of operational credibility. For NATO, the implications are also political: the more advanced network interoperability becomes, the more the coalition can share sensors and compress decision cycles. Over time, a Wildcat connected to a flotilla of drones represents not only a technical evolution, but a model that complicates disruption through jamming, reduces the exposure of crewed platforms and supports deterrence in increasingly contested environments. (Source: NewsNow/armyrecognition.com)
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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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