Unmanned Warfare

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® and XTEND have achieved a major milestone in JADC2 by integrating the XOS operating system with the MDCX™ autonomy platform. This technical breakthrough enables a single operator to simultaneously command multiple drone classes, eliminating the friction of mission handoffs. From "marsupial" drone deployments to operating in GPS-denied environments, explore how this collaboration is abbreviating the data-to-decision timeline and redefining autonomous mission execution.

As traditional defense primes face mounting competition from agile “neoprimes” such as Anduril, Palantir and Helsing, the balance of innovation is shifting toward software-defined warfare and scalable, dual-use technologies, while global industry consolidation—marked by Boeing’s integration of Spirit AeroSystems and other strategic mergers—signals an intensified race to secure control over the defense technology value chain. Our Defense-Tech weekly report highlights these trends.

In early October 2025, a coordinated wave of unmanned aerial system (UAS) incursions—widely attributed to Russia—targeted critical infrastructure across at least ten European nations. The unprecedented campaign exposed the fragility of Europe’s air defenses...

WB Group unveiled its Future Task Force (FTF) at MSPO, a new warfighting concept integrating manned, unmanned, and autonomous systems. Combining hybrid-electric vehicles, loitering munitions, and AI-enabled command tools, the FTF is designed to sustain firepower and autonomy while reducing battalion size and logistical footprint.

Turkey is reshaping its defense identity with record exports, KAAN fighter milestones, ALTAY tank deliveries, and the multi-layer “Steel Dome” air-defense concept. IDEF 2025 showcased these advances, alongside naval exports and unmanned systems that position Ankara as an increasingly assertive defense actor regionally and globally.