Aerospace & Defense

Plano, Texas – October 13, 2026 -- Communications & Power Industries (CPI) has won a multimillion-dollar contract to supply an antenna system for a U.S. government intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) program.

CPI to deliver quadband RF antenna with multi-motor drive on each axis

The system combines a quadband radio frequency (RF) design with a multi-motor drive architecture on each axis. CPI said the award draws on its RF engineering, motion control and system integration expertise to meet demanding mission requirements.

CPI cites 50 years supplying large-aperture antennas

The company describes itself as a major global supplier of large-aperture antennas for 50 years. Its installed base includes hundreds of ISR antennas, ranging from small tactical and transportable systems to large-aperture systems exceeding 30 meters in diameter.

San Francisco – October 13, 2026 -- Schemata has been awarded $3.25 million in fully funded, milestone-based contracts through the U.S. Air Force innovation arm AFWERX to deliver AI-enabled virtual training for Air Force equipment. The total comprises an initial $1.25 million award and a $2 million extension, which funds training for members of the 97th Air Mobility Wing.

Altus pilot spreads to nine installations at no added cost

Schemata began with two civilian equipment platforms at Altus. Each module is a photorealistic, interactive 3D copy of the real equipment, paired with an AI Instructor that guides Airmen through inspection procedures and answers their questions. Airmen use the modules to prepare for the hands-on inspection portion of equipment certification, and can practice on their own schedule without the physical equipment or an instructor present.

Ashburn – October 13, 2026 -- CIS Secure has achieved AS9100:2016 Rev. D certification for its quality management system, giving the defense communications supplier the aerospace quality credential that prime contractors and government program offices increasingly require from suppliers.

American Global Standards certifies Ashburn operations after audit

American Global Standards, a U.S.-based independent registrar, awarded the designation following an audit of the company's Ashburn, Virginia, facilities. The certified scope covers design, manufacture and assembly of repackaged commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) computer and networking components. These products are used in both secure and non-secure communications environments.

Tucson – October 13, 2026 -- Raytheon, an RTX business, was awarded $729 million to deliver key components of the LIDS counter-drone system to the U.S. Army, Qatar and Jordan. The contracts include the first international sales of both the Ku-band Radio Frequency Sensor (KuRFS) and the Coyote effector.

LIDS contract covers fixed-site and mobile configurations

LIDS, the Low, slow, small, unmanned aircraft Integrated Defeat System, incorporates KuRFS and Coyote. The award includes a mix of fixed-site and mobile LIDS configurations.

KuRFS provides 360-degree threat detection within the U.S. Army's LIDS program. Coyote's low-cost kinetic and non-kinetic effectors defeat individual drones as well as swarms, and have recorded hundreds of intercepts in combat.

Austin, Texas – October 12, 2026 -- Aeon Industrial has placed more than 10,000 of its MERC high-voltage electronic safe-and-arm devices into production, one of several milestones behind its selection to the inaugural 2026 Austin Deep Tech 50.

Aeon wins eight-figure defense contract and Army interceptor selection

The vertically integrated defense manufacturer secured a key eight-figure defense contract in recent weeks. It was also selected for the U.S. Army's interceptor challenge with its layered air and missile defense architecture.

The MERC production order followed successful performance at the Department of War's Drone Dominance initiative. MERC is a low-cost safe-and-arm device that supports time, proximity, and impact fuzing across drones, missiles, and interceptors.

Aeon also delivered ahead of schedule on a complex U.S. Army contract covering development of an all-up weapon system and warhead, including successful live testing.

Reston – October 12, 2026 -- Leidos has completed Jailbreak Sprint 1.5 at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, bringing its ALPS surveillance system into the U.S. Army's new Reveille Forge integration and testing environment, following three Leidos systems tested at the first sprint in June.

Reveille Forge follows the Army's Operation Jailbreak exercise held earlier this year. It is intended to surface system interoperability problems earlier in development, before technologies reach soldiers in the field.

Reveille Forge replaces periodic events with a persistent integration model

The Army designed the environment to move integration from periodic events to a persistent "integrate-first" approach. Government, industry and academia can test earlier how technologies work together.

Bozeman – October 12, 2026 -- Reveal Technology Inc. launched Farsight 2.0, its 3D mapping and terrain intelligence platform, alongside a new $9.5 million U.S. Army purchase order under its existing GSA IDIQ contract.

The second delivery order covers procurement, distribution, training and sustainment of Farsight for additional infantry brigades.

Farsight 2.0 fuses imagery from all available sources into one global world model

The update pulls drone, satellite and sensor imagery into a single terrain picture that refreshes as new data arrives. This includes imagery crossing command and control networks. Units no longer depend solely on what they collect themselves, so operators can start from the most current terrain available and spend their time on analysis rather than on building the picture.

Newington, N.H. – October 12, 2026 -- SIG SAUER will begin fielding the XM8 carbine to the U.S. Army's Close Combat Force in December, after ramping up production to meet the Army's schedule, the company said as it prepares to exhibit at the AUSA trade show in Washington, D.C., October 12-14.

The company is also doubling the square footage and workforce at its North Carolina facility through a multi-million-dollar expansion covering R&D, engineering, manufacturing and training. The source does not disclose the investment figure or a completion date.

Washington – October 12, 2026 -- Performance Drone Works (PDW) and Revenant Technologies have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to identify, evaluate and speed the U.S. production of selected battle-proven Ukrainian defense technologies, with manufacturing anchored at PDW's 90,000-square-foot Drone Factory 01 in Huntsville, Alabama.

The companies will initially evaluate mutually selected opportunities across five areas: unmanned systems, counter-UAS, electronic warfare, sensors and mission-critical components. Opportunities may include complete systems as well as critical components.

Prineville, Oregon – October 12, 2026 -- Cv International, Inc. (Cvi) has won a U.S. Air Force contract to design, fabricate, test and install a modular maintenance work stand system at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma. The system will support the 76th Aircraft Maintenance Group's Program Depot Maintenance mission, with the aim of speeding aircraft servicing and improving mission-capable rates. The company did not disclose a contract value.

New stands will be interchangeable with existing Tinker equipment

The system will be compatible and interchangeable with current maintenance stand sets, including the Conect/Crown and Staircase Stands. Design features include electrically powered height adjustment, recessed hardware and collapsible engine stand railings. Integrated electrical power, compressed air and lighting will run throughout each stand.