AUTOWAR25 Afternoon Edition
1. DIU and the Navy's DRPM RAS open SWAP-USV Sprint 2, a prize challenge for drone boats armed with hard-kill counter-air weapons, with proposals due Nov. 30
In "We are scaling distributed maritime air defense" (Oct. 23), the Navy's Direct Reporting Program Manager for Robotic and Autonomous Systems says it has launched SWAP Sprint 2 with DIU and DRPM UxS, and DIU's solicitation seeks production-ready USVs paired with mature counter-air effectors that can be fielded forward within 120 days.
- Four weapon tracks: Hellfire/JAGM, APKWS rockets, remote weapon stations with Stinger, machine guns or high-power lasers, and other mature effectors.
- Thresholds: 200 nautical miles of range, a 10-knot cruise and engagements beyond 3 nautical miles against Group 1–3 drones and helicopters, under human-in-the-loop control.
- Up to $40 million in prizes for Sprint 2, with $200 million budgeted for follow-on prototype or production deals; in-water testing is planned for early 2027 at Little Creek, Va.
- Project AVO (Autonomous Vehicle Orchestrator) is the primary command-and-control software.
2. AUKUS partners run more than 40 crewed, uncrewed and autonomous systems off Southern California in Maritime Big Play Pacific, "from seafloor to space"
In "U.S., Australia, U.K. Launch Maritime Demonstration to Enhance Interoperability" (war.gov, Oct. 22), the Pentagon says the demonstration runs Oct. 5–26 and is testing how the three nations jointly operate uncrewed maritime systems and share maritime data in real time.
- Assistant Secretary of War for Critical Technologies Michael Dodd: "It's certainly all autonomous systems ... in the domains from seafloor to space."
- Dodd says the goal is to "deter major conflicts by creating a disparity of technological capability."
- Maritime Big Play was the first project under AUKUS Pillar 2's new model and led to its first signature project, announced in May: payloads and enabling systems for uncrewed undersea vehicles.
- Missions named include seabed infrastructure protection, anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, mine countermeasures, electronic warfare and contested littoral maneuver.
Sources: war.gov · Royal Navy3. Owen West: Project Agincourt will establish AUTOWARCOM and "prototype the fusion of development and operations," pushing money and decisions to operational units
Owen West (DoW), personal X account, restated Project Agincourt's plan on Oct. 23, two days after the open letter that laid out the roadmap for the Autonomous Warfare Command (AUTOWARCOM).
- West: Agincourt will "prototype the fusion of development and operations, pushing money and decisions to operational units."
- The Oct. 21 war.gov release says the model measures success by how fast an operational problem gets a fielded, scalable solution.
- The open letter was signed by West and Senior Chief Max Strasiser.
Sources: war.gov release (Oct. 21) · @OwenWest91 post4. JIATF-401 lays out its first-year counter-drone model: one buyer for the military and interagency, a drones.mil marketplace and layered "systems of systems"
In "JIATF-401 leads a new era in counter-sUAS defense" (Army Acquisition Support Center, Oct. 22), the Joint Interagency Task Force 401 describes how it buys and fields counter-drone systems for the services and federal partners.
- Col. Tony Lindh leads the task force's rapid acquisition work, using the drones.mil marketplace to move vetted systems to units quickly.
- The task force favors layered sensors, effectors and command-and-control over single-point solutions.
- Interagency partners, including CBP, the FAA, the FBI and DHS, are embedded with the task force to handle domestic authorities.
Sources: asc.army.mil5. The Pentagon's APKWS framework would buy up to 25,000 drone-killing rocket kits a year for up to seven years; Duffey says it "flips the cost calculus"
Air & Space Forces Magazine's "Pentagon Bets Big on Drone-Killing APKWS Laser-Guided Rockets" (Chris Gordon) details the BAE Systems framework and why the services want it.
- Up to 25,000 kits a year, plus up to 10,000 more for international customers, at roughly $35,000 each.
- Under Secretary Michael Duffey says the cheap guided rockets "flip the cost calculus" against one-way attack drones.
Sources: Air & Space Forces Magazine6. The Army is putting cyber and jamming payloads on small drones for its 11th Cyber Battalion to deliver "tailored cyber effects"
In "Army unit experimenting with small drones for 'tailored cyber effects'" (Breaking Defense, Oct. 22), Col. David Bergmann, the Army's project manager for cyber warfare, describes tests of the Radiofrequency Delivery Effects Platform (RDEP) on small drones.
- RDEP lets operators load exploits onto cards and deliver "digital bullets" to blind or gain access to adversary systems.
- The tests mix government-built and commercial payloads for spectrum monitoring and non-kinetic effects at the tactical edge.
- The results will shape standard equipment for the 11th Cyber Battalion and a forthcoming 12th Cyber Battalion.
Sources: Breaking Defense · @BreakingDefense post7. The Army takes four retired Navy MQ-8C Fire Scout drone helicopters to use as sensor testbeds, saving about $70 million
Defence Blog's "U.S. Army takes over retired U.S. Navy drone helicopters" relays a Navy release: the Redstone Test Center will fly the MQ-8Cs to test sensors and payloads.
- The aircraft will operate from Dugway Proving Ground, Utah; the transfer took about 14 months.
- The Navy's Fire Scout program office (PMA-266, Col. Leigh Irwin) says reusing the airframes avoids about $70 million in new costs.
- Army CW4 Taylor Kiel is quoted on the testbed plan.
Sources: Defence Blog · @Defence_blog post8. Ukraine's Defense Ministry says it has neutralized more than 400,000 Russian drones so far in 2026
Unmanned Airspace ("Ukraine neutralises more than 400k enemy drones, looks to expand air defence capabilities") relays Ukraine's Defense Ministry tally and its push for more air defense.
- The ministry's breakdown: about 248,000 fixed-wing drones, 25,000 multirotors and more than 35,000 Shahed-type drones.
- The DELTA battlefield system is used to coordinate detection and interception.
- Ukrainian officials also discussed air defense with Norway and met Lockheed Martin about F-16 and PAC-3 support.
Sources: Unmanned Airspace9. Sen. Blumenthal opens a probe into the restrictions on Ukraine's Starshield service and asks Hegseth for answers by Nov. 5
The Kyiv Independent's "US Senator Blumenthal opens probe into Ukraine Starshield restrictions" reports his letter to the Secretary of War.
- A Ukrainian official says a 161 km/h speed cap on terminals, which affects drones, is still in place.
Sources: Kyiv Independent10. DIU's Drone Dominance program lines up orders for 60,000 small attack drones from nine companies after Gauntlet II, with Neros the only firm to place in both categories
Defence Blog's "U.S. orders 60,000 attack drones from nine companies" (11:40 AM ET) breaks down DIU's published Gauntlet II leaderboard: 30,000 drones in Deep Strike and 30,000 in Close Quarters Battle, scaled by rank.
- Deep Strike: Perennial Autonomy 8,000 (80.1 points), Hyperscale 7,000, Neros 6,000, Skycutter 5,000, Swarm Defense Technologies 4,000.
- Close Quarters Battle: Neros 8,000 (88.1 points), ORQA US 7,000, XTEND 6,000, Vector 5,000, ModalAI 4,000. Final quantities are set at contract award.
- Neros says it is "delivering 14,000 drones and explosive payloads" and adds: "Onward to Gauntlet III."
- Deep Strike lanes required hits at 15 km, against 10 km in Gauntlet I; scores also counted operator evaluations, production scale and supply-chain security.
11. DARPA tests a four-vehicle autonomous robot strike team at Fort Knox for EUCOM, which wants robots ahead of troops on NATO's eastern flank
In "US military tests robot strike teams to operate ahead of troops in Europe" (Stars and Stripes, Oct. 23), the Army and DARPA describe an Oct. 15 demonstration in which four uncrewed ground vehicles scouted, found a target and coordinated a simulated rocket strike about 300 yards away.
- DARPA adviser Jason Gregory: "All the mobility, all the movement, all the detections, all of that is autonomous ... But they don't pull the trigger until a human says pull the trigger."
- The lead vehicle carried a drone that could scout or be armed; photos show an Anduril drone over an Overland AI vehicle.
- EUCOM asked for the test under the Eastern Flank Deterrence Initiative, which envisions robots taking the first punch of an invasion.
- DARPA plans another round in December with soldiers giving feedback.
Sources: Stars and Stripes · MilitarySpot (DARPA release)12. A Ukrainian drone raid shuts all four Moscow airports; Moscow's mayor says 17 drones were shot down
In "Ukrainian drone attack triggers shut down of Moscow airports" (Kyiv Independent, Oct. 23), Russia's aviation authority halted flights at Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo, Vnukovo and Zhukovsky during an afternoon drone raid on the capital.
- FlightRadar24 counted 85 cancelled and 229 delayed flights at Sheremetyevo; photos allegedly show drone debris on the tarmac (unverified).
- Mayor Sergey Sobyanin said 17 drones were shot down heading for the city.
- Separately, a missile reportedly hit the Proton electronics plant in Oryol, about 350 km southwest of Moscow.
- Ukraine had not commented as of publication.
Sources: Kyiv Independent · The Moscow Times13. Breaking Defense: Kyiv eyes ICEYE and Nokia "sovereign" communications satellites as Starshield limits on its drones persist
In "Kyiv eyes purchase of planned ICEYE, Nokia 'sovereign' communication sats" (Breaking Defense, Oct. 23), Ukraine's Defense Ministry letter of intent with the two Finnish firms is framed as a bid for comms it controls after the U.S. throttled Starshield.
- Zelensky: "We must all rely on capabilities that we can control."
- ICEYE says the letter "does not imply an ordering of any system for Ukraine"; the first satellite is planned for 2028.
- Zelensky told ABC News that Ukraine's Starshield speeds remain limited despite U.S. assurances.
- ICEYE supplies the satellite platform and Nokia the onboard secure networking.
Sources: Breaking Defense · Kyiv Independent14. Long War Journal: Ukraine's intelligence service details Russia's Filin, a low-cost cruise missile built from drone parts that can outrun today's interceptor drones
In "Ukrainian intelligence details new low-cost Russian cruise missile" (FDD's Long War Journal, Oct. 23), John Hardie relays HUR's findings on the ground-launched Filin and what it means for Ukraine's interceptor drones.
- HUR: 1,200 km claimed range, 800 km/h, a 50- or 100-kg warhead and anti-jam satellite-inertial navigation; electronics share layouts with Russia's Garpiya Geran-2 drones.
- Russia builds about 4,000 jet-powered Geran-4/5s a month plus 2,000 Geran-2s; Ukraine downed just 55% of Geran-4/5s in September versus over 90% of Geran-2s.
- Ukraine's Air Force says faster interceptor drones won't be available in enough numbers until the end of November at the earliest.
- Some interceptors rely on Starshield, which Ukraine says is still disrupted.
Sources: Long War Journal15. A cargo ship sinks off Romania's Constanța after a suspected drone strike; one crew member is dead and three are missing
Romanian authorities say the Comoros-flagged bulk carrier Khoryv sent a distress call around 10 a.m. local time Friday about 13 nautical miles off Constanța, Euronews and BTA report.
- Nine of 13 crew were rescued; the crew included 10 Ukrainians and three Azerbaijanis.
- The drone cause is reported and suspected; Romanian authorities have not officially attributed the sinking.
- It adds to a string of attacks on Black Sea shipping that drew new NATO patrols this week.
16. Ukraine launches F7 Litavr interceptor drones from Mi-8 helicopters, up to 12 per aircraft, in footage first shown by the New York Times
LB.ua ("NYT video shows Ukrainian F7 Litavr interceptor drones launched from Mi-8") says the F-Drones interceptors hang from the helicopter's hardpoints, letting crews engage Russian drones from tens of kilometers away.
- Litavr uses automatic terminal guidance (Last Mile or Pixel Lock): in the final approach the pilot controls only speed.
- Stated performance: 350 km/h top speed, 40 km radius, 9 km ceiling.
- @front_ukrainian's post of more footage drew more than 110,000 views.
Sources: LB.ua · @front_ukrainian post17. NATO's main buying agency opens its contracts to Ukraine's defense industry, including its drone makers
In "NATO opens its contracts to Ukraine's defense industry" (Defence Blog, Oct. 23), the NATO Support and Procurement Agency says Ukraine has joined a procurement partnership that lets Ukrainian companies bid on agency contracts.
- The NSPA announced the move Oct. 22; Ukraine, not a NATO member, is the partnership's seventh member.
- It joins five allies and NATO headquarters in the partnership.
Sources: Defence Blog · @Defence_blog post18. USNI News: October has the most attacks on ships in and near the Strait of Hormuz since the war began, with 27 so far
In "October Marks Highest Number of Strait of Hormuz Attacks" (Heather Mongilio, Oct. 22), USNI News cites International Maritime Organization counts: 27 attacks on commercial ships this month, against 22 in March.
- Analyst Noam Raydan says Iran aims to "hit as much as they can" to keep the route looking unsafe.
- CNA's Joshua Tallis says cheap one-way attack drones threaten pipelines as much as ships.
- Transits continue: 104 non-Iranian-linked vessels sailed Oct. 5–11, per Lloyd's List.
Sources: USNI News19. A U.S. drone boat runs a naval intercept demonstration at MCAS Iwakuni during the U.S.-Japan exercise Keen Sword 27
Defence Blog's "U.S. drone boat runs naval intercept demo in Japan" says Splash Industries' Typhoon, an 11-foot autonomous jet boat, ran the demo on Oct. 21.
- Typhoon tops 50 knots and has been tested past 70 knots, according to the article.
- It earlier made an autonomous well-deck entry into USS Essex at RIMPAC.
- Keen Sword runs Oct. 19–29 with about 45,000 Japanese and 12,000 U.S. personnel.
Sources: Defence Blog · @Defence_blog post20. Kyiv Independent analysis: longer-range Russian FPV drones now reach all four cities of Ukraine's Donetsk "fortress belt"
"Analysis: Ukraine, Russia set stage for climax of Battle of Donbas" (Oct. 23) says Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka and Kostiantynivka have been within range of Russian first-person-view drones for about a year.
- Ground advances plus technology extending FPV range have made Ukrainian logistics across the area noticeably harder in 2026.
- Drone pressure has also driven many remaining civilians from their homes.
Sources: Kyiv Independent21. Qatar's Barzan unveils FPV and VTOL drones and two drone boats at Milipol 2026, and a counter-drone joint venture with Ukraine's Carmine Sky
In "Qatari Barzan unveils aerial drones, unmanned surface vessels at Milipol 2026" (Breaking Defense, Oct. 23), the state-owned firm shows more than a dozen platforms in Doha.
- Three FPV quadcopters (7-, 10- and 15-inch, up to 4 kg payload and 20 km range) and an ISR VTOL-400.
- The Rasid jet-ski-style USV and a coast guard boat that runs crewed or uncrewed.
- A joint venture with Ukraine's Carmine Sky targets layered air defense against drones from FPVs to jet-powered UAVs.
Sources: Breaking Defense22. Red Cat's Blue Ops launches a B-Series of drone boats, including an 18-foot one-way attack model designed for launch from littoral combat ships
Naval Today ("New B-series uncrewed surface vessels emerge in US market") covers the company announcement: the B-18, the B-26 (formerly Variant 7) and the 39-foot B-39, which is in low-rate production.
- The B-18 is for reconnaissance, shipboard launch and recovery, and one-way attack; the B-26 is in full-rate production in Valdosta, Georgia.
- Blue Ops President Barry Hinckley: the Navy needs "affordable, reliable systems that perform in real-world conditions and are available today."
- These are company claims; no new Navy contract was announced.
Sources: Naval Today23. Silynx is developing a wearable AI drone detector that listens for drones, including fiber-optic-guided ones that don't emit radio signals
Unmanned Airspace ("Silynx developing AI-enabled wearable drone detection device") says the prototype analyzes acoustic signatures on the device and alerts the wearer.
- It works without tactical radios but can connect to them.
- A mesh capability in development would share one soldier's alert across a platoon.
Sources: Unmanned Airspace24. arXiv: one swarm controller handles six mission types for 10 to 100 drones, and transfers zero-shot to real quadrotors in GPS-denied woodland
"Probabilistic Energy Modeling Unifies Versatile Swarm Control" (Sun Yat-sen University) encodes behaviors such as cohesion, collision avoidance and formation as reusable energy terms, then gates trained policies into one controller without retraining.
- Simulation success rates of 0.96 to 1.00 with 1–10 ms per-agent inference that doesn't grow with swarm size.
- Hardware tests ran up to 16 quadrotors, including GPS-denied woodland; the authors say 100-drone physical tests remain future work.
Sources: arXiv25. arXiv: MIT's WarpWeaver lets robots negotiate near-optimal joint plans in real time, cutting team travel time up to 37% against a decentralized baseline
"Dispersive Tree Agreements for Multi-Robot Coordination" (Shashank Deshpande, Blake Edwards, Jonathan How) has each robot search its own plans while the team negotiates prices on shared space.
- It cuts travel time up to 22% against centralized offline planners and keeps a team connected for communications better than a dedicated planner.
- Six ground robots ran it onboard over Wi-Fi in hardware tests.
Sources: arXiv
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How AUTOWAR25 ranks
Every edition, we scan official channels, news, industry, research, and social posts for the 25 most important developments in autonomous warfare: drones, counter-drone systems, uncrewed vessels and vehicles, and military AI.
Stories rank by source first:
- Official means governments, militaries, and their leaders speaking on the record.
- Premium/Press means established news outlets.
- Industry/Research means companies, think tanks, and published research.
- Social means notable posts from analysts, reporters, and practitioners.
Within each group, newer stories rank higher and engagement breaks ties. A company press release stays out of the top 10 until someone else reports on it. Ongoing marks a developing story, and Carryover marks one from a previous edition that's still moving. Claims from warring parties are labeled as claims, and anything we couldn't independently confirm is marked unverified.
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