Brig. Gen. David Phillips said PEO Aviation’s mission is unchanged but the office is “doubling down” on Army priorities as ATI and an acquisition reorg advance. Top focus areas: FLRAA, drones, launched effects, and HADES ISR, with Congress and senior leaders removing barriers to accelerate delivery.

Funding shifts under ATI are pressuring legacy efforts: halting Gray Eagle buys, shelving AH-64D airframes, ending FTUAS competition, and potentially curtailing HADES quantities and GE’s ITEP engine. Phillips noted ITEP testing continues with a potential preliminary flight test in FY26.

For HADES, the Army may procure six aircraft vs. 12 originally, with SNC already receiving the second airframe. Phillips framed HADES as a model of agile acquisition, aiming for an initial aircraft by late 2026 or early 2027 pending final direction.

PEO Missiles & Space chief Maj. Gen. Frank Lozano said the “glass is half full” for restoring LTFI, targeting program-of-record execution as soon as next year after a 2024 cancellation over cost. New funding plus global air-defense demand have reopened a path.

The Army is exploring a middle-tier acquisition approach for rapid prototyping and a minimum viable capability within 3–5 years, while casting a wider net beyond prior Lockheed and Raytheon bids to attract new entrants.

Interest is buoyed by heightened Patriot demand following conflicts from Ukraine to the Middle East; planners are drafting courses of action to move quickly once green-lit.

Textron’s Damocles LE is a modular launched-effect that pairs AI-assisted targeting with a “human-in-the-loop,” supporting top-attack strikes via a GEN2 explosively formed penetrator or alternate payloads for EW and ISR missions. It can be ground- or air-delivered and emphasizes a low acoustic signature.

Built on a modular open systems architecture, Damocles can swap payloads to match mission needs while incorporating safety features to mitigate UXO risks. The design aims to balance autonomous tracking speed with operator control for precision effects.

Textron positions the system for rapid, scalable production to support U.S. and allied forces, pitching cost-effective, reconfigurable effects for peer conflict scenarios.

Rafael’s L-Spike 4X “Launched Effect” can fire from Spike NLOS launchers, then loiter and attack like a kamikaze drone. The rocket-powered design blends “high-speed transit, seeker precision and mission persistence” for contested environments.

The company cites engagements out to ~40 km, with the missile able to reach that distance in about five minutes—faster than most electric loitering effects—then loiter for up to 25 minutes before strike.

Two warhead options—tandem HEAT and multi-purpose—plus hardened comms for GPS-denied, jammed airspace target Army and allied interest in launched-effects portfolios.

Aselsan’s GÖKSUR 100-N system achieved its first live intercept of a sea-skimming target, using an imaging-infrared seeker to hit a drone just above wave-tops at ~11 km range during the trial.

The vertical-launch system leveraged the GUDU data link for mid-course guidance, then autonomous terminal homing. Designers tout AI-driven fire control, 360° ship defense, and multi-target engagement in cluttered maritime environments.

GÖKSUR is pitched as a point-defense layer against cruise missiles, helicopters and UAS, with a stated 15 km engagement envelope and modular integration across naval combat systems.

Patria opens F-35 engine MRO facility in Finland, boosting Nordic sustainment capacity Read More

Serco lands contract to support RAF Typhoon operations and training Read More

A-10 Warthogs sport new UAS kill markings after drone shoot-downs Read More

Viewpoint: Quantum sensing and compute as the next frontier for airborne surveillance Read More

Army upbeat on potential revival of Lower-Tier Future Interceptor Read More

Pentagon and industry push for affordable, mass-produced counter-drone weapons Read More

SOCOM’s new commander brings deep special operations experience to the role Read More