Topic
Protecting expeditionary airbases and formations against drones and rocket, artillery, and mortar fire.
US Army awarded $4.15 billion in Domestic Shield counter-drone contracts to 10 companies, within a $7 billion ceiling. The Army requires open architecture, so the test is whether one firm's radar and another's camera work on one base network.
Reality
South Korea's Hanwha Systems-built Cheongwang laser downed two of four drones at its public debut, at 10,000 to 20,000 won of electricity a shot. Its 30-kilowatt Block I is rated for small North Korean drones at two to three kilometres, a narrower job than the US and Chinese lasers it is measured against.
Reality
Backpack Securities put Powerus stock on Solana as a token a day after Powerus closed its Nasdaq merger, drawing $9.1 million of trading by mid-afternoon. The test is whether the Solana price stays tied to the Nasdaq share between sessions.
Reality
At least six countries, most on NATO's Eastern flank, have bought or are buying the $15,000 Merops drone interceptor, a US defense official said. Allies are adding a cheaper layer against Russian incursions, and the Pentagon says it is one part of a wider defence.
Reality
Huntington Ingalls and EO Solutions received a $3.8 million agreement in June for a marinized counter-drone laser. A defense official told Laser Wars the money is likely for experimentation with a system that already exists.
Reality
Xcimer took investment from RTX Ventures and Pacific Fusion signed an agreement with the NNSA. TechCrunch's reporting shows defense interest landing on machines that already exist, with both plant programs still running.
Reality
AV's $464.8M award covers 26 thirty-kilowatt LOCUST X3 units over five years, and the requirement underneath it says a minute of full-power lasing buys up to four minutes of waiting before the next one.
Reality
ONR's $10.25 million draft solicitation treats the laser source and the beam director as separate products joined by fiber. That moves value into connectors, transport, and interface specs.
Reality