AeroVironment received a prototyping contract for the Army's Low-Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance (LASSO) program, entering its Switchblade 400 "Lightweight Tank Destroyer" into competition. The man-portable, anti-armor loitering munition now joins Uvision's Hero 90 and Textron's Damocles system, which received their prototyping awards in January and February, respectively.

LASSO is designed to equip Mobile Brigade Combat Teams with a man-portable weapon capable of destroying tanks, light armored vehicles, and hardened targets with minimal collateral damage across varied terrain. All three competing systems offer modular open-architecture designs that support both kinetic and non-kinetic payload configurations.

The Army budgeted $67.8 million for 103 LASSO systems in FY26 and plans to scale to $109.5 million for 95 systems in FY27, reflecting a shift toward per-unit capability as the program matures. No contract dollar amounts were disclosed by any of the three awardees.

ThinKom Solutions announced Alecto, a self-funded mobile High-Power Microwave (HPM) directed-energy system designed to defeat unmanned aircraft system (UAS) swarms without firing a single round. Built on the company's patented VICTS (Variable Inclination Continuous Transverse Stub) phased-array antenna, paired with vacuum electronics, the system delivers peak power densities that the company describes as orders of magnitude higher than those of conventional gallium nitride-based active electronically scanned arrays.

Alecto's defining feature is its compact footprint: the system is small enough to mount on an Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) or Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV), a dramatic reduction in size, weight, power, and cost compared to traditional HPM systems that have historically required large dedicated vehicles or fixed installations. It was demonstrated alongside Echodyne's EchoShield radar at the Army's Cross Domain Fires Concept Focused Warfighting Experiment earlier this year.

The system's operational value centers on a deep magazine limited only by its power supply, not a finite stock of munitions, making it well-suited for swarm engagements. ThinKom says Alecto complies with U.S. military HERO, HERP, and HERF electromagnetic safety standards, and the company intends to develop follow-on HPM variants for base defense, maritime, airborne, and Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) applications.

President Trump announced "Project Freedom" Sunday afternoon, directing U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) to begin guiding trapped merchant vessels through the Strait of Hormuz beginning Monday. CENTCOM confirmed the mission, committing more than 100 land and sea-based aircraft, several guided-missile destroyers, multi-domain unmanned platforms, and 15,000 service members to coordinate commercial transit through the waterway.

The effort comes amid a dual blockade: Iran blocked maritime traffic through the strait at the outset of the war on Feb. 28, while the U.S. imposed its own blockade of Iranian ports on April 13. As of Sunday, U.S. forces had redirected 49 commercial ships under the Iranian port blockade; two additional cargo vessels were attacked near the strait over the weekend.

CENTCOM chief Adm. Brad Cooper stated the U.S. will simultaneously support Project Freedom and "maintain the naval blockade," complicating any clean framing of the mission as purely defensive. Iran's parliamentary security committee head said American involvement in managing strait traffic would violate the three-week-old ceasefire, adding a new pressure point as peace negotiations remain ongoing.

Tokyo-based Digital Media Professionals (DMP) and India's ideaForge signed an agreement to co-develop next-generation unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) capable of autonomous operation even when cut off from communications networks. DMP is contributing its Di1 edge AI chip, a compact single-silicon system integrating a CPU, memory, and AI processor capable of processing four simultaneous camera feeds for 360-degree situational awareness.

Under the partnership, ideaForge will integrate the Di1 chip onto its vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drone platforms, while DMP handles demonstrations, distribution, user training, and after-sales support in Japan. The collaboration targets defense, border security, and industrial applications at a time when Japan's drone market is projected to grow from $2 billion in 2025 to $5.1 billion by 2034.

The agreement reflects broader momentum in Indo-Pacific defense technology cooperation, with both countries seeking to develop autonomous capabilities to operate in signal-denied and electronically contested environments. For ideaForge, whose platforms are already field-proven in India, the deal provides an entry point into Japan's rapidly expanding defense market as Tokyo increases its defense spending and loosens arms export restrictions.

Israel's Ministry of Defense announced the acquisition of a fourth squadron of F-35I Adir fighters and a second squadron of F-15IA jets, 25 aircraft each, in a deal valued at "tens of billions of NIS" that includes full fleet integration, sustainment, spare parts, and logistics support. The buy would bring Israel's total F-35I fleet to 100 aircraft, placing it among the largest operators of the fifth-generation fighter alongside the United States, the UK, Italy, and Japan.

The purchases are explicitly framed as a response to lessons from the Iran campaign, with Defense Minister Israel Katz citing the need to "keep pressing forward on force buildup" to maintain air superiority for decades. The acquisitions are the first major step in a 350-billion-NIS force-development plan, with Defense Ministry Director General Amir Baram noting a responsibility to secure military advantages 10 years out.

The announcement coincided with U.S. approval of 10,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems (APKWS) laser-guided rockets for Israel at an estimated cost of nearly $1 billion, reflecting a continued high operational tempo for restocking Israeli strike inventories. Prime Minister Netanyahu also said Israel is developing "groundbreaking Israeli-made aircraft," without elaborating on the program.

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