Sponsored by EOS
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Sponsored by EOS
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18 Mar 26. 101st Airborne Division Tests Next-Generation Drones During Live-Fire Exercise.
The 101st Airborne Division tested its ability to integrate unmanned aircraft systems to support ground forces during a live-fire exercise, March 12 at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
“We are no strangers to innovation here on Fort Campbell,” said Army Brig. Gen. Travis McIntosh, deputy commanding general of operations for the division. “Drones are reshaping the geometry of the battlefield in real time and we must adjust. Distance and sanctuary no longer provide the protection they once did, and mass and speed of decision-making will increasingly be enabled by autonomy and [artificial intelligence]. This event tested and proved these assumptions for us.”
Advancing Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s directive for drone dominance, the division used UAS operators assigned to its 1st Mobile Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team and 101st Combat Aviation Brigade to fly multiple UAS alongside the 5th Special Forces Group.
The sortie, which consisted of an MQ-1C Gray Eagle, C100 small UAS and Attritable Battlefield Enabler 1.01 drone, provided aerial clearance for the Special Forces soldiers during the exercise.
“Drones are a great tool for over-the-hill reconnaissance,” said Army Spc. Basil Holland, an infantryman and small UAS operator assigned to the 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment. “They have a lot of ability to identify short- and medium-range targets and get eyes on whatever you need. It’s proven to be super useful.”
U.S. Army Reserve Command representatives attended to learn more about how the 101st incorporates emerging technologies.
“We wanted to get a clear understanding of how the big Army is integrating UAS,” said Sammy Stevens, a counter-UAS lead planner for USARC. “We want to try and replicate their efforts with the [Army] Reserve. During counterinsurgency operations, everyone was used to looking down to identify improvised explosive devices; now we have to look up in the air.”
Partnering with USARC highlights the division’s commitment to improving lethality for the entire Army.
“The 101st has been very gracious in supporting us,” said Army Master Sgt. Bryan Pettaway, USARC senior enlisted advisor for operations and logistics. “By showing us what has worked, and what hasn’t, they have helped us avoid those same mistakes.”
The exercise validated the division’s ability to operate UAS in a kinetic, multidomain setting. This successful pairing of systems and soldiers ensures the 101st Airborne Division remains at the forefront of Army transformation efforts.
“Today’s demonstration was a direct answer to the secretary of war’s directive,” said Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Page Frazier, the exercise coordinator and member of the 101st Robotics and Autonomous Integration Directorate. “We did some unorthodox things and always made first contact with a machine. … And I don’t think any other exercise has done that. We leveraged modern technology to set conditions for a safe employment of a ground force.”
“I am superbly proud of the teamwork, from both the operational and institutional sides of the Army, as well as the conventional [forces] and Special Forces on Fort Campbell,” McIntosh said. “This exercise demonstrates one of the many ways we will dominate in tomorrow’s fight
(Source: U.S. DoD)
11 Mar 26. On Land and in the Air: Daimler Truck Enters Partnership with German Drone Manufacturer Quantum Systems.
Daimler Truck has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the German company Quantum Systems. The goal is close cooperation in the field of unmanned aerial and ground systems for defence operations. Through Quantum Systems’ software MOSAIC, information from air and ground systems will be integrated. By integrating its vehicles into MOSAIC, Daimler Truck aims to improve the operational picture and thereby enhance the protection of personnel involved. A Mercedes‑Benz Arocs integrated into MOSAIC is currently being presented at the military specialist conference Log.Net 2026 in Koblenz.
Daniel Zittel, Head of Defence Sales at Daimler Truck AG: “By integrating our vehicles into MOSAIC, we will be able to seamlessly network them with other ground-based systems and unmanned aerial systems. At the same time, we are developing our trucks into partially autonomous and unmanned vehicle platforms.”
Defence strategy: cooperation with selected partners
As one of the world’s largest manufacturers of commercial vehicles, Daimler Truck can produce military vehicle solutions at large scale. Unmanned vehicles are also expected to be provided with industrial scalability in the future.
To achieve this, Daimler Truck combines its development and manufacturing expertise with the technological know-how of specialized partners and start-ups. Cooperation with technology partners is a central component of Daimler Truck’s defence strategy, enabling new capabilities to be integrated into vehicles reliably and quickly.
Contribution to Europe’s technological sovereignty
Beyond the operational collaboration, the partnership also has strategic significance for Germany and Europe. It strengthens European automotive, autonomy, and AI capabilities as key technologies in the defence sector. At the same time, the partners contribute to reducing technological dependencies and expanding resilient supply chains for security-relevant capabilities and manufacturing.
19 Mar 26. Soldiers Assist Air Force Squadron With Drone Warfare Training
More than 200 airmen training with the Air Force’s 368th Training Squadron spent Feb. 27 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, learning about unmanned aerial systems during an exercise designed to cultivate Air Force airmindedness and the warrior ethos.
The training squadron, based at Fort Leonard Wood, provides initial skills and advanced level training in the areas of ground transportation, engineering, emergency management and pavements and construction equipment.
According to Air Force Tech. Sgt. Christopher Moss, a specialty code instructor assigned to the training squadron, airmen at various specialty schools on base usually train separately, but this day was unique because it brought them all together.
“It allows them to integrate with our other schoolhouses, bringing them together as one force instead of each person learning just their craft,” Moss said. “Producing more well-rounded airmen for the force.”
Air Force Capt. Nathan Elking, 368th Training Squadron director of operations, said the unique training event is called Bracer Forge and is an operational readiness exercise.
“It is a continuation of the training airmen receive at basic training,” Elking said. “Both exercise initiatives are designed to instill airmindedness and warrior ethos in our airmen.”
The squadron’s exercise topics vary, but the current unmanned aerial system focus was driven by the unit’s specialty codes, which according to Elking play a key role in airfield damage assessment and rapid airfield damage recovery.
“Before each iteration of Bracer Forge, we provide the participating airmen with an operation order for the day and reporting instructions with a training scenario to recover a damaged airfield,” he said.
Squadron instructors prepared four stations for the airmen to rotate through.
At the airfield damage assessment challenge, Elking said teams conducted an assessment on a simulated airfield and relayed the information to their teammates in an emergency operations center.
“The airmen in the EOC were tasked with creating a map of the airfield using the details their counterparts called in over the radio,” he said.
While at the UAS reporting challenge, teams established defensive fighting positions and reported UAS activity to their teammates in the EOC by consolidating the information into a report to send up.
The other two stations were a high intensity physical fitness event and a UAS capabilities overview. Soldiers assigned to the Maneuver Support Center of Excellence Combat Training Company gave the UAS portion of the training.
“We are not subject matter experts on counter-UAS and UAS employment. Being able to leverage our Army partners at played a significant role in the exercise’s success,” Elking said.
According to Army Sgt. 1st Class Austin Priebe, Combat Training Company UAS chief, his mission was to introduce small UAS threats, and teach the basics of identifying, reacting to and reporting small UAS threats.
Priebe said most trainees he instructs have watched or controlled a simulated UAS in video games, but being able to experience a UAS in person, see and hear a drone up close, is “essential to prepare service members for what they will see in current and future conflicts.”
“We conducted practical exercises on scanning for UAS, completing a report and showed the airmen what they look like from an elevated viewpoint,” Priebe said.
This was the training company’s first time facilitating interservice UAS training.
“I’ve largely been focused on enabling training and instruction to the Army units here on Fort Leonard Wood since the inception of our UAS program this past fall,” Priebe said.
As the battlefield changes rapidly, so does our training requirements. If our organization can provide more realistic and in-depth training to our brothers and sisters in other branches, we only stand to benefit as a military.”
Priebe said his team is looking forward to conducting more interservice training events in the future.
At the end of the day, the exercise was a catalyst for innovation, Elking said.
“By exposing airmen to the dual nature of UASs — both as a threat to counter and a tool to master — we challenge them to rethink their mission sets and pioneer new solutions for the modern battlefield,” he said.n(Source: U.S. DoD)
23 Mar 26. Steadicopter, a leading developer and manufacturer of rotary unmanned aerial systems (UAS), has announced the launch of its dedicated Steadicopter UAS Academy, a comprehensive training program designed to equip customers with the operational expertise required to maximize the capabilities of the company’s advanced rotary UAV platforms.
The academy provides structured training programs delivered by Steadicopter’s expert instructors, many of whom bring extensive operational, aviation, and unmanned systems experience. The courses are designed to provide operators, mission commanders, and technical teams with deep knowledge of rotary UAS operations, enabling them to effectively deploy the systems across a wide range of operational environments.
The curriculum places a strong emphasis on fully leveraging the unique advantages of rotary UAS, including persistent hovering, precision deployment, and operational flexibility. Trainees learn how to apply these capabilities across a broad spectrum of mission applications such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), maritime operations, border security, tactical deployment, and special missions.
To ensure highly effective learning outcomes, the Steadicopter UAS Academy integrates state-of-the-art digital training tools and simulation-based learning aids, supported by an advanced LMS (Learning Management System). This digital infrastructure allows operators to develop mission planning, system operation, and decision-making skills within realistic digital environments before transitioning to live operational scenarios—significantly reducing training time while optimizing resource utilization.
A key feature of the academy is its global accessibility, enabled through Steadicopter’s robust LMS. This allows customers to conduct training, qualification, and ongoing personnel currency programs from virtually anywhere in the world, minimizing the need for travel, reducing operational downtime, and delivering a highly cost-effective training solution while accelerating time-to-readiness.
“Modern unmanned operations require more than advanced platforms – they require highly skilled personnel who understand how to fully exploit the capabilities of those systems,” said Noam Lidor, CEO of Steadicopter. “The Steadicopter UAS Flight Academy, supported by our advanced LMS, was established to ensure our customers gain the operational knowledge, mission expertise, and confidence needed to maximize the unique advantages of rotary UAS across a wide spectrum of missions. By combining expert instruction with advanced digital training technologies, we are enabling operators and technicians around the world to achieve operational readiness faster, more efficiently, and with significantly reduced training overhead – regardless of their location.”
The launch of the academy reflects Steadicopter’s ongoing commitment to supporting its customers not only with advanced unmanned systems, but also with the knowledge and operational expertise required to fully realize their potential in the field.
About Steadicopter
Steadicopter Ltd. specializes in the design, development, and production of rotary tactical unmanned aerial systems for military, homeland security, and civilian applications. Its VTOL UAV platforms are known for endurance, operational flexibility, and advanced sensor integration across a wide range of mission environments worldwide. The company maintains ISO-certified development, manufacturing, and marketing capabilities.
23 Mar 26. Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE: LMT), announced the successful flight testing and delivery of the U.S. Army’s experimental UH‑60MX Black Hawk® helicopter fully integrated with the company’s MATRIX™ autonomy suite. The delivery of the UH-60MX aircraft, owned and operated by the Army, marks a milestone in the Army’s pursuit of open‑architecture, mission‑supported autonomy and optionally piloted flight.
“The Army now has a new tool that furthers its vision laid out in the Army Transformation Initiative to mature and qualify pilot‑supported autonomy,” said Rich Benton, vice president and general manager, Sikorsky. “This capability will enhance mission effectiveness and survivability for warfighters today and lay the groundwork for tomorrow’s networked systems.”
The MX aircraft mirrors Sikorsky’s UH-60A fly-by-wire Optionally Piloted Black Hawk helicopter, which has been tested by Sikorsky and Army aviators over hundreds of flight hours and was commanded by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in November 2025. Sikorsky’s MATRIX autonomy kit has been installed on all three Army Black Hawk models, the 60A, 60L and 60M. The delivery to the U.S. Army is the first full authority fly-by-wire and optionally piloted UH-60 in the U.S. Army’s fleet.
The Army and Sikorsky worked collaboratively to install fly-by-wire flight controls to the MX aircraft and then integrate the MATRIX autonomy system in 2025. The Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) will use the MX aircraft to test and evaluate autonomy capabilities, underscoring the Army’s commitment to fielding platforms that can seamlessly transition between manned, optionally piloted and fully autonomous modes.
Key Benefits
Sikorsky’s MATRIX autonomy suite is one of the priorities in the company’s autonomy strategy and Lockheed Martin’s 21st Century Security® vision, which includes modernizing the Black Hawk helicopter and introducing the S-70UAS™ U-Hawk™ to stay ahead of new and emerging threats.
MATRIX enables:
Improved Mission Effectiveness – Automated landing‑zone detection and obstacle‑avoidance enable safe operations in degraded visual environments, expanding the tactical envelope for Army missions.
Improved Aircraft Survivability – Real‑time terrain and obstacle awareness helps pilots and autonomous systems avoid threats, reducing exposure to hostile fire and hazardous terrain.
Improved Sustainment – The open architecture design reduces maintenance hours, delivering a measurable reduction in lifecycle costs.
Reduced Pilot Workload – Automation of routine flight‑control tasks allows pilots to focus on mission critical decisions, increasing overall sortie effectiveness.
Foundational Infrastructure for Future Autonomy – MATRIX establishes a scalable baseline for emerging capabilities such as launched effects, contested logistics and fully optionally‑piloted or uncrewed operations.
Looking Forward
The UH-60MX will assist the Army in the development of techniques, tactics and procedures (TTPs) for the use of optionally piloted and fully autonomous systems. The Army’s human-machine integrated formations conduct a wide variety of combat and combat support missions across the Army and joint force.
The MATRIX autonomy system forms the core of DARPA’s ALIAS (Aircrew Labor In-cockpit Automation System) program.
13 Mar 26. Airbus is preparing two uncrewed combat aircraft from Kratos for first flight with a European mission system. Airbus is working at full throttle to offer the German Air Force an operational Uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft (UCCA) system by 2029. In Manching, near Munich, the company is currently preparing the first two Valkyries it acquired from its US partner Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: KTOS) for their maiden flight with a sovereign European mission system. They are scheduled to fly later this year. The two companies are bringing their respective industry-leading capabilities to integrate, missionise, and ultimately produce and deliver the Airbus UCCA system.
Airbus is currently equipping the UCCAs with its sovereign European mission system, the Multiplatform Autonomous Reconfigurable and Secure (MARS) system. MARS also contains an AI-supported software brain called MindShare which not only replaces the missing pilot, but is also capable of coordinating entire mission groups by being distributed across many manned and uncrewed platforms.
“By combining the Kratos Valkyrie with our MARS mission system, we are offering the German customer exactly what Germany and Europe urgently need in the current geopolitical situation: a proven flying uncrewed combat aircraft with a sovereign European mission system that does not have to be developed from scratch in a time-consuming and costly manner,” said Marco Gumbrecht, Head of Key Account Germany at Airbus Defence and Space. “Our objective is to deliver credible combat capability in time of relevance, while assuring key sovereign aspects. And we are confident that we can do this at a very affordable price – which is a key driver for UCCAs.”
Steve Fendley, President of Kratos Unmanned Systems Division, said, “We couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity, the capability we’re providing, and the teaming relationship with Airbus. By taking the flight-proven and in-production Valkyrie and integrating the Airbus MARS mission system, the Airbus-missionised Valkyrie UCCA is a multi-mission, affordable system that can operate independently, in teams of UAS, or in Manned-Unmanned-Teaming operations. Along with the technical and production backing Airbus and Kratos bring, we are realising an optimal capability system that can be bought and deployed as ‘affordable mass’; the consistent discriminator identified in today’s peer to peer wargames.”
To enable the Eurofighter to act as a “command aircraft” with cross-platform connectivity performance, Airbus and Rafael are enhancing the Litening 5 Advanced Targeting Pod, already contracted for the Eurofighter fleet, with a connectivity capability. Along with minor updates to the Eurofighter’s avionics, these enhancements will significantly increase the aircraft’s lethality in combat.
Key technical data and areas of operation
The Kratos Valkyrie has a length of 9.1 m, a wingspan of 8.2 m, and a range of over 5,000 kilometres. The maximum take-off weight (MTOW) is around three tons. It can fly at an altitude of up to 45,000 feet. The maiden flight of the Valkyrie already took place in the USA in 2019; and additional aircraft have been flying regularly since that time. The maiden flight of the Airbus variant is scheduled for 2026.
Fully autonomous or commanded by a Eurofighter, the Valkyrie will be able to take on sensitive mission tasks that would pose too great a danger to the pilot. The UCCA can service kinetic and non-kinetic mission sets in several roles. For the German customer, Airbus and Kratos are initially focusing on a specific role to deliver credible combat air power on time and on target.
17 Mar 26. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and the U.S. Air Force held another autonomy flight exercise yielding new and important developments in the operation of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). The February 24 demonstration featured the latest government Autonomy Start Kit (ASK) and a GA-ASI MQ-20 Avenger® uncrewed jet was used as a testbed CCA. The demonstration proved the aircraft’s ability to use a tactical proliferated low-earth orbit data link for seamless coordination with autonomy behaviors with complex infrared sensing as part of a large force exercise.
The MQ-20 performed Infrared (IR) sensing with Single Ship Ranging (SSR) and engagement using GA-ASI’s TacPad Pilot Vehicle Interface (PVI). GA-ASI’s TacACE® (Tactical Autonomy Ecosystem) — built with and aligned with ASK — demonstrated passive target localization using SSR with an Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor, enabling the uncrewed jet to autonomously estimate target range and track airborne threats without active radar emissions. This capability enables stealthy sensor-to-shooter kill chains, allowing GA-ASI aircraft to detect, classify, and localize targets while remaining fully passive, which is critical for operations in denied and contested electromagnetic environments.
“Integrated within the TacACE’s modular skills library, SSR supports autonomous mission execution, cooperative targeting, and distributed kill chains, advancing the role of autonomous aircraft in future air combat and CCA operations. This flight was part of a large forces exercise and allowed internal investment to showcase GA-ASI’s capabilities,” said Mike Atwood, Vice President of Advanced Programs for GA-ASI.
GA-ASI’s MQ-20 Avenger uncrewed jet has served as a surrogate CCA for more than five years, both before and since the arrival of its purpose-built XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station and YFQ-42A CCA jets.
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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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