Raytheon received a contract from the Office of Naval Research to develop advanced software that allows each building block within a naval radar to operate as its own independent software-defined aperture, enabling a single radar to conduct multiple missions simultaneously without reconfiguring hardware.

By treating every radar module as individually programmable, the architecture can rapidly adapt to changing operational demands and share congested spectrum bands with commercial 5G networks, addressing a core challenge as the electromagnetic environment grows more crowded.

Once software development is complete, Raytheon will conduct a series of demonstrations to validate independent module control, multi-mission performance, and spectrum-sharing capability before the technology transitions into fielded naval radar systems.

Picket Defense Systems is showcasing the Inferno RTC at SOF Week 2026, a counter-drone turret that mounts multiple munition barrels at fixed elevation angles on a spherical frame that rotates continuously through a full hemisphere, eliminating the slew-to-target delay that leaves conventional single-barrel systems exposed to fast-moving or swarming drones.

The system detects threats passively through a fused acoustic microphone array and camera sensors, generating zero radar emissions and no electronic signatures that adversaries can detect, jam, or home in on; both variants weigh between 45 and 90 pounds and use 3D-printed resin components to keep unit cost and weight below those of traditional machined alternatives.

The design directly addresses a documented gap against fiber-optic drones, for which electronic warfare provides no defeat mechanism; a system capable of engaging kinetically in any direction, without delay, holds a structural advantage against that specific threat category that conventional counter-UAS (C-UAS) turrets cannot match.

Armada closed a $230M oversubscribed Series B at a $2B pre-money valuation, co-led by Overmatch, 8090 Industries, and BlackRock, with new strategic investors including Johnson Controls, NightDragon, Mitsui, and Singtel Innov8; the company reported 540% customer booking growth from FY25 to FY26 and a 2,000% year-over-year spike in Q1 FY27.

Alongside the raise, Armada and Johnson Controls announced Galleon Forge One, a 400,000-square-foot Arizona manufacturing facility expected to create more than 500 jobs and begin continuous production of Leviathan megawatt-scale modular data centers this summer; Johnson Controls' 40,000 field personnel provide global reach for deployment and sustainment.

Armada's modular Galleon data centers are already in use by the U.S. military and across industrial sectors where centralized cloud infrastructure cannot reach; the U.S. Navy has deployed a Galleon aboard a vessel to enable real-time at-sea AI decision-making, providing the platform's most significant operational validation to date.

Joint Interagency Task Force (JIATF) 401 awarded Perennial Autonomy a potential $500M indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide enterprise-wide counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) operations support; the three-year deal is intended to accelerate the deployment of low-cost drone interceptors that protect warfighters and force projection platforms from adversary unmanned systems.

The contract covers three platforms already operating within U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM): Merops interceptors, Bumblebee quadcopters, and Hornet midrange strike drones; all three use computer vision, radio frequency sensing, and secure communications while keeping human operators in control of lethal-force decisions.

The award builds on a $5.2M Bumblebee V2 evaluation contract from February and aligns with JIATF 401's broader strategy to integrate interoperable sensors, effectors, and mission command systems across the joint force through its C-UAS marketplace, scaling counter-drone procurement at enterprise speed.

SOCOM's deputy director for acquisition, David Breede, told reporters at SOF Week 2026 that the command is pursuing deliberate, purpose-driven speed in technology fielding rather than iteration for its own sake, distinguishing between situations that demand rapid fielding and those that benefit from taking the time to get the requirement right.

When asked which capability gap is most urgent, Breede identified the inability of autonomous systems to share data and algorithms across platforms, specifically citing the challenge of moving an automated target recognition algorithm from a Group 1 UAS to a medium unmanned surface vessel (USV) and enabling both systems to share information in real time.

The remarks reflect a command-level push to build interoperability across unmanned platforms, a gap that limits the tactical value of systems that function effectively in isolation; SOCOM is using SOF Week 2026 to communicate those requirements directly to industry.

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