France's Naval Group has signed a memorandum of understanding with Lithuanian research centers to establish the Shield Lab, a maritime defense innovation laboratory in Lithuania, aiming to strengthen naval forces and boost the Baltic state's innovation potential.
Berlin and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will jointly establish an innovation center for aerospace, defense, and security technologies. The center aims to support startups, strengthen Berlin's innovation ecosystem, and create skilled jobs.
India's Army is converting T-72 tanks into remotely operated vehicles using IP-based interfaces for manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T). The initiative, part of the iDEX Aditi 4.0 challenge, aims to enhance survivability and combat power by deploying these unmanned tanks for high-risk missions, drawing inspiration from global trends in autonomous military technology.
India has successfully tested its long-range hypersonic anti-ship missile (LR-AShM), boasting a strike range exceeding 1,500 km and speeds of Mach 10. This advanced weapon, capable of evading modern defenses and engaging large targets, significantly enhances India's maritime capabilities. The successful flight test marks a major stride in indigenous defense innovation, bolstering national security and self-reliance.
India successfully test-fired a long-range hypersonic anti-ship missile (LR-AShM) off the Odisha coast, achieving a 1,500 km range at speeds up to Mach 10. Developed by DRDO, the indigenous missile enhances India's A2/AD capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region.
Google quietly withdrew from a Pentagon competition to build voice-controlled autonomous drone swarms—after initially being selected as a successful submission. The $100 million contest, run by Special Operations Command and the Defense Innovation Unit, seeks technology to direct drone swarms in real-time battlefield scenarios. Google cited "resourcing" issues, but the exit is said to be followed by an internal ethics review. OpenAI, Palantir, and xAI remain in the running.
Google submitted a proposal for a Pentagon prize challenge to build voice-controlled autonomous drone swarms but withdrew weeks after being selected, notifying the Defense Department on February 11. The company cited lack of resourcing, though an internal ethics review preceded the exit. Over 600 Google employees, many from DeepMind, signed an open letter this week urging CEO Sundar Pichai to reject classified military contracts. OpenAI, Palantir, and xAI remain in the competition for the $100 million prize.
Google has withdrawn from a Pentagon drone swarm competition after an internal ethics review, despite being initially selected. The move follows employee protests against military AI contracts and highlights ongoing friction between Google's workforce and its defense partnerships.
