R&D - latestdefencenews.com

May 18, 2026
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R&D

US Army Advances RangeHawk Drone for Hypersonic Test Operations

The US Army has selected Northrop Grumman to develop the RangeHawk prototype, a modified RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft intended to enhance the efficiency and frequency of hypersonic weapons...

May 18, 2026
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R&D

UK Shortlists Four Companies for Apache Drone Wingman Initiative

The UK Ministry of Defence has selected four companies to continue developing drone concepts intended to serve as autonomous wingmen for the British Army’s AH-64E Apache helicopter fleet under...

May 18, 2026
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R&D

Lockheed Martin Tests NGC2 System During Balikatan 2026 Exercise

During Exercise Balikatan 2026, Lockheed Martin demonstrated its Next Generation Command and Control (NGC2) prototype as American and Philippine forces explored how integrated digital battle networks could improve operational...

May 16, 2026
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R&D

Hermes Drone Family Continues to Shape Modern Battlefield Surveillance Operations

Before drones became synonymous with modern warfare, one UAV family had already begun transforming how militaries conduct surveillance and gather battlefield intelligence. The Elbit Hermes series has gradually become...

May 15, 2026
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R&D

M1301 Infantry Squad Vehicle Prioritizes Speed, Mobility, and Rapid Deployment

The M1301 Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) was created around a modern battlefield requirement: move infantry units faster, farther, and with greater flexibility than traditional foot-mobile operations allow. Prioritizing agility...

May 15, 2026
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R&D

L3Harris Upgrades Tactical Radios With AI-Enabled Counter-Drone Detection

L3Harris is expanding the role of tactical communications systems with the introduction of Wraith Shield, an AI-driven RF sensing upgrade that converts combat radios into distributed counter-drone detection platforms....

May 15, 2026
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R&D

Kopin Brings OLED Microdisplay Manufacturing In-House for Defense Programs

Kopin Corporation is moving to fully internalize OLED microdisplay manufacturing operations at its Westborough, Massachusetts, facility. The initiative follows the procurement of a new OLED deposition system and supporting...

May 15, 2026
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R&D

Israel Awards Contract for External Fuel Tanks to Boost F-35I Range

Israel has signed a $34-million agreement with Elbit Systems subsidiary Cyclone for the development of external fuel tanks intended for the Israeli Air Force’s F-35I “Adir” stealth fighters. The...

May 14, 2026
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R&D

First India-Assembled Airbus C-295 Transport Aircraft Approaches Rollout

The first India-assembled Airbus C-295 aircraft appears to be approaching rollout at the Tata-Airbus military transport production facility in Gujarat, signaling a major milestone for the country’s aerospace manufacturing...

May 14, 2026
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R&D

Diehl Defence Conducts Successful Spike LR Missile Firing From Ziesel UGV

Diehl Defence has successfully completed the first live firing of Spike LR guided missiles from its Ziesel uncrewed ground vehicle during a five-day testing campaign. The robotic platform launched...