Air Force awards contract for Next Generation Penetrator prototype

The Air Force has awarded Applied Research Associates a contract to build a prototype of the planned replacement for the GBU-57/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bomb, the company announced Friday. Under the 24-month contract from the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s (AFLCMC) Eglin Munitions Directorate, ARA will lead overall design and production of test articles for the air-to-ground munition known as the Next Generation Penetrator (NGP). The munition is intended to be a large weapon that can be deployed by Air Force stealth bombers to attack difficult-to-reach targets such as hardened bunkers, tunnels and other structures buried deep underground. https://lnkd.in/ewgtCgYR

MQ-9A successfully launches Switchblade 600 loitering munitions 175 kms (~33 lbs explosives) with assisted “forward pass”. Additional launched effects as repeater perhaps? MQ-9A confirmed: AFSOC successfully demonstrated the air-launch of the ALTIUS 700 from an MQ-9A in early 2024. The armed variant 700M has an explosive mass of ~33 lbs, viable for IADS, C2 nodes, tanks etc. USAF focus: MQ-9A to launch these ALEs to gather intelligence in hostile airspace, keeping the more expensive MQ-9A itself out of harm's way (enhance survivability in contested environments). The ALTIUS 700 ALEs without the warhead offers triple the payload capacity of the ALTIUS 600, which has also been successfully launched from MALEs. The ALTIUS launches have been reported achieving 440 kms for deep sense and strike range. The 600 and 700 ALTIUS and their armed variants “M” appear to have much greater distance compared to the Switchblades without the “forward pass” requirement.

In close-quarters and high-stakes missions, every second matters. The Envision RAIL delivers a decisive tactical edge, allowing operators to quickly cycle through multiple laser modes for full-scene visibility in confined spaces and during room-clearing operations.   Built for Military & Law Enforcement, the RAIL contains an integrated visible laser (available in Green or Red), NIR aiming laser, NIR illumination laser (VCSEL), and a 180 degree NIR-wide-angle LED illuminator for confined spaces or CQB.   #EnvisionTechnology #RAIL #TacticalAdvantage #MilitaryTech #LawEnforcement

Western procurement strategies have long privileged stand-off capabilities—precision strike, long-range artillery, advanced airpower—on the assumption that decisive outcomes could be achieved without exposing ground forces. This emphasis has generated lucrative contracts for primes producing high-value platforms, but it risks creating structural blind spots. Conflicts from Ukraine to the Middle East show that stand-off fires alone cannot secure territory, stabilize populations, or deliver political results. For defence industries, this translates into cyclical revenues tied to platform contracts, often followed by long troughs in procurement. For investors, the financial signal is clear: overexposure to prestige platforms equates to volatility, while the overlooked but continuous demand lies in infantry systems, protective gear, munitions, and close-combat enablers. Adversaries exploiting asymmetry, from Russia’s artillery-centric tactics to non-state actors wielding cheap drones, underscore that resilient demand flows toward soldier-centric solutions. Defence Finance Monitor highlights the strategic and financial lesson: portfolios balanced between stand-off assets and recurring soldier systems offer greater resilience, while those tied exclusively to the illusion of stand-off superiority risk exposure to irregular procurement cycles and geopolitical shocks. #DefenceFinance #StrategicAutonomy #StandOff #Asymmetry #Infantry #Drones #SupplyChains #EDTIB #NATO #DefenceFinanceMonitor https://lnkd.in/duhHeADp

As defense technologies advance, the facilities supporting them must meet higher standards for safety, precision and performance. From the Advanced Munitions Technology Complex at Eglin Air Force Base to a multiyear modernization of the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, we’re helping deliver next-generation federal facilities designed to safely support the research, testing and production of advanced energetic materials. Learn how these facilities are setting a new standard for safe, high-performance design. https://hubs.li/Q03LZvYJ0 #BenchMark #Manufacturing

The U.S. Department of State has approved a potential $1.75 billion sale of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and related precision munitions to Canada. The deal includes 26 HIMARS launchers and a wide array of guided rocket and missile pods, significantly enhancing Canada’s long-range strike capabilities.

Reforming America's Drone Warfare Model The choice facing Congress is fundamental: Will America lead by example in establishing humanitarian standards for modern warfare, or will it continue operating outside the legal and ethical frameworks it helped create? Congressional leadership requires immediate action on three fronts: Pass comprehensive legislation transferring drone authority to military control, establish enhanced oversight mechanisms ensuring democratic accountability, and create transparency frameworks balancing security with public accountability. https://lnkd.in/eNqkX5WH Our insights in the comments below. #innovation #strategy #technology

The second B-21 Raider test jet arrived at Edwards Air Force Base, expanding testing beyond flight checks into mission systems and weapons integration to accelerate the stealth bomber's path to operational readiness.   #USSPACECOM supports transregional missile defense by integrating space-based sensors and command systems with strike platforms like the B-21, providing combatant commands credible deterrence options against threats that cross multiple regions. 👉 https://lnkd.in/gXMWpPj7

The ISR Cell, an end-to-end containerized unit that gives defense forces direct access to space-based tactical Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), has been introduced by ICEYE...https://lnkd.in/g9i8-n8i

Hanwha to Use BAE Systems, Inc.’ Anti-Jam GPS for #K239 #MLRS South Korean Hanwha Group will use the anti-jam GPS of BAE Systems on K239 MLRS’s munitions to meet NATO demands of improved resistance against #GNSS jamming. https://lnkd.in/dvmQ_yuh