USS Spruance disabled the Iranian-flagged cargo vessel Touska, which is under U.S. Treasury sanctions, by firing its 5-inch gun into the ship's engine room after the crew ignored warnings for six hours. Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit then boarded and took full custody of the vessel.

The seizure marks the first direct action against a ship since the U.S. announced its naval blockade of Iranian ports. The military had previously forced more than 20 ships to turn back, but this was the first time American forces fired on and boarded a vessel attempting to breach the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.

The incident follows Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps gunboats firing on two Indian tankers in the strait the previous day, with Iran announcing it would reimpose "strict control" over the waterway. The USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and USS Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group with approximately 2,200 Marines are operating in the area.

U.S. firm AIRCO has developed the Mobile, Adaptable, and Dynamic (MAD) Fuel System, which fits inside two 40-foot containers and converts carbon dioxide and hydrogen into synthetic jet fuel or diesel. The output is a "drop-in" fuel, meaning it works with existing military vehicles and aircraft without modification.

The system is designed to produce fuel at the point of need rather than relying on vulnerable supply convoys. It can operate independently of traditional supply chains by using locally available CO2 and power sources such as solar or nuclear energy, with future versions expected to adjust production based on fuel type required.

Backed by the Air Force through its AFWERX innovation program, AIRCO is targeting the first deployable unit by 2027. The concept reflects a broader military shift toward distributed, on-demand energy production in contested environments where conventional logistics are most exposed to disruption.

Hanwha Defense USA and autonomous maritime company Magnet Defense are signing an MOU at Sea-Air-Space to co-develop the H38, a 38-meter medium unmanned surface vessel (MUSV). Magnet's existing M48 platform completed a 32,000-nautical mile autonomous trip from Miami to American Samoa and weathered Sea State 9 conditions.

The companies will also establish AI-driven robotic shipyards across the country where robots handle all cutting, welding, and assembly. Humans operate the robots remotely, trained through augmented reality, with the first facilities expected to open by end of next year.

The partnership targets the Navy's new MUSV marketplace and aligns with Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle's "containerized capability campaign" for modular payloads. HDUSA's Kevin Schoonover said the goal is developing affordable, disruptive products as the Navy focuses on weaponized MUSVs.

Boeing's Digital Automated Flight Control System (DAFCS) enabled a CH-47F Chinook to touch down on all wheels with no pilot input, marking the first fully automated landing for the Army's heavy-lift helicopter. The system forms the foundation of Boeing's Approach-to-X (A2X) technology.

Since integration in January, A2X has completed over 150 approaches at final altitudes of 100 feet with position error under 5 feet. Pilots select the landing zone, altitude, approach angle, and start speed; the software handles the rest, with real-time override available if conditions change.

Boeing plans additional flight tests to refine the system and integrate it into future Army aviation platforms. The company's Heather McBryan noted the Army wants to add "optimally crewed capability quickly," and Boeing is working alongside the service to deliver those upgrades.

The Army's ME-11B High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES), built on the Bombardier Global 6500 business jet, will carry drones with ranges of 620 miles or more on four underwing pylons. The capability keeps the ISR aircraft safely outside enemy air defense range while its launched effects penetrate deep into hostile territory.

Army officials describe HADES as useful for routine intelligence gathering 99.9% of its operational life, with the air-launched drone capability providing survivable, penetrative sensing for that remaining 0.1% of high-threat scenarios. The combination delivers what the Army calls "a bit of a utopia" for surveillance and sensing operations.

Flight testing of the first ME-11B prototype starts this summer with delivery expected by year-end. The fleet is capped at six production aircraft plus three prototypes due to budget constraints, but Army officials say the combination of HADES range, onboard sensors (including the U-2's ASARS-2B radar), and long-range launched effects will make each platform a force multiplier.

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