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Technology

Emerging defence technology — AI, autonomy, cyber and next-generation systems.

How China’s State-Owned Telecom Firms Stayed Inside America’s Internet

How China’s State-Owned Telecom Firms Stayed Inside America’s Internet

The United States spent years restricting three Chinese state-owned telecom carriers from its regulated communications market. A bipartisan congressional investigation says they nevertheless retained significant positions inside American internet infrastructure. Between 2019 and 2022, the Federal Communications Commission denied China Mobile USA’s application for international Section 214 authority

Why the US Navy Is Reclassifying 19 Virginia-Class Submarines

Why the US Navy Is Reclassifying 19 Virginia-Class Submarines

The US Navy is now classifying 19 planned Virginia-class submarines as guided-missile submarines, although nothing about their design has changed. Announced on 3 August, the new designation applies to boats equipped with the Virginia Payload Module. Until now, they had been classified as nuclear-powered attack submarines, carrying

Pentagon Commits $820 Million to Performance Drone Works to Cut China Reliance

Pentagon Commits $820 Million to Performance Drone Works to Cut China Reliance

The United States Department of War has offered up to $820 million in loan financing to Performance Drone Works to build domestic manufacturing capacity for critical drone components, part of a federal push to rebuild American supply chains for unmanned systems. The Office of Strategic Capital announced the conditional loan

Australia’s Prototype Missile Shield Could Draw on the Navy’s Arsenal

Australia’s Prototype Missile Shield Could Draw on the Navy’s Arsenal

Australia’s prototype land-based missile shield could eventually fire some of the same missiles carried by the navy’s Hobart-class destroyers and planned for its future Hunter-class frigates, according to Lockheed Martin. The claim points to a potential shortcut in Canberra’s effort to build a medium-

US Marines Test Satellite-Independent Link Between Philippines and Australia

US Marines Test Satellite-Independent Link Between Philippines and Australia

US Marines have established a direct high-frequency radio link between the Philippines and northern Australia, demonstrating how two increasingly important forward forces could remain connected if satellite communications were disrupted. The test linked Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia in Manila with Marine Rotational Force-Darwin, approximately 3,200 kilometres

US Targets PAC-3 and THAAD Propulsion Bottleneck in Missile Production Push

US Targets PAC-3 and THAAD Propulsion Bottleneck in Missile Production Push

The United States has signed two seven-year framework agreements with L3Harris to expand propulsion production for PAC-3 MSE and THAAD interceptors, bringing a critical node in the missile supply chain into Washington’s wider production drive. The agreements extend the strategy below prime contractor Lockheed Martin and into

BAE Systems Unveils Brontanax as Britain Re-enters Combat Drone Race

BAE Systems Unveils Brontanax as Britain Re-enters Combat Drone Race

BAE Systems has unveiled Brontanax, Britain’s first domestically designed Collaborative Combat Aircraft, with a first flight planned for 2027 and availability for Royal Air Force service targeted before the end of the decade. The aircraft gives Britain a tangible route back into a global competition it had appeared to