Author: Defenceline Webdesk

WASHINGTON — On this day one year ago, President Donald Trump declared that a “chronic trade deficit” had become a national emergency, resulting in the need for the United States to impose retaliatory tariffs on American allies and foes alike to “make America wealthy again.” The announcement created shockwaves through global markets and set off a scramble from partners and allies to try and work out less punitive agreements. The volatile shifts that followed — in which the administration repeatedly paused or modified how it would employ tariffs, followed by the Supreme Court overturning the tariffs in February — seemed…

The Navy doesn’t want robot boat prototypes, so it nixed its existing unmanned surface vehicle program in favor of an already-made-or-being-built strategy. That move rattled industry last week, but it could bring the Navy closer to getting what it says it needs in medium unmanned surface vessels. Wargames showed the larger Modular Attack Surface Craft vehicle as having “too short a range (2,500 [nautical miles]) to be useful, and sometimes it was hard to effectively use its 16 missiles before the vessel was destroyed by counter-battery fire,” said Bryan Clark, who leads the Hudson Institute’s Center for Defense Concepts and Technology.…

NASA’s Orion spacecraft has transitioned seamlessly from concept to operational reality. On 1 April, it launched successfully atop the Space Launch System (SLS), propelling four astronauts on the Artemis-II mission. This marks humanity’s first crewed voyage around the Moon in over half a century.The mission has unfolded without significant hitches, bolstering faith in NASA’s ambitions for deep-space travel. A brief toilet malfunction surfaced shortly after launch, underscoring the human elements of spaceflight. Mission specialist Christina Koch, with her trademark wit, dubbed herself the crew’s “space plumber” after swiftly rectifying the waste management issue.With essentials sorted, Orion has proven itself a…

Conversation An Iran-linked group calling itself Handala

WASHINGTON — Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman has signed off on the creation of a new staff organization at service headquarters that would, in effect, take the place of the Space Force’s previously planned Space Futures Command. The new SF/S9 Force Design and Analysis staff group will be established on April 21 to support the Space Force chief in his “statutory role as Force Design Architect for Space for the Armed Forces,” according to a March 31 memo signed by Saltzman and obtained by Breaking Defense. Asked for comment about the status of the plan, a Department of…

The Pentagon is negotiating to buy Ukrainian interceptor drones, having concluded that no American manufacturer can match the price, delivery times, and battlefield-tested reliability. A drone developed by UK firm Skycutter with Ukraine’s SkyFall recently scored 99.3 out of 100 in the Pentagon’s own Drone Dominance evaluation, beating every U.S. competitor by more than ten points. Before Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine had about seven domestic drone manufacturers. It now has roughly 500. Last year, they produced a rough total of four million drones, exceeding by far the combined output of all NATO members; in 2026, they are aiming to make seven…

A render of the future ICBM silo. Credit: Northrop Grumman. Construction has commenced on a full-scale prototype launch silo for the LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in Promontory, Utah. The project, managed by Northrop Grumman in partnership with Bechtel, is intended to validate a modular and repeatable approach to silo construction, which officials say will help reduce costs and accelerate deployment. Discover B2B Marketing That Performs Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms. Find out more Northrop Grumman strategic deterrent systems vice president and general manager Sarah Willoughby said: “Sentinel is…

Astra Rafael Comsys Private Limited (ARC), a collaborative venture between Hyderabad’s Astra Microwave Products Limited and Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, has clinched a significant contract worth ₹250.58 Crores from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).This substantial agreement focuses on the provision of advanced Software Defined Radios (SDR), a cornerstone of modern military communication. The contract is inclusive of all taxes and is slated for completion within an 18-month window commencing from 1st April 2026.This development serves as a powerful endorsement of the joint venture’s technical prowess and its ability to service high-profile domestic clients. For Astra Microwave Products Limited (AMPL), the…

Anthony Capaccio, Bloomberg The Pentagon’s proposed fiscal 2027 budget blueprint is seeking 85

With active conflict in the Middle East ongoing, it may seem premature to consider implications for the defense sector and defense industrial cooperation. But the conflict will force regional powers to rethink funding, procurement, and partnerships for what is likely to be a complex and costly process of defense capability realignment—leading to longer-term impacts on a key defense market.   Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and others will need to cast a wide net to replenish and redevelop their defense capabilities. As a result, despite the formidable display of American military might and an impressive legacy of defense industrial ties, US…