AUTOWAR25 No. 21A · Morning Edition
France signed Naval Group to build a large oceangoing uncrewed combat submarine with autonomous decision-making, and the Navy's top officer told its new robotic systems office not to let bureaucracy delay fielding drones. The U.S. cleared Jordan for 1,500 APKWS drone-killing rockets, soldiers trained with a laser and Anduril sensors on the southern border, and General Atomics laid out its next autonomous jets. Saronic put its second Marauder autonomous ship in the water.
1. France signs Naval Group to build an operational demonstrator of a large oceangoing uncrewed combat submarine, with sea trials in 2028
France's Defense Innovation Agency signed a contract with Naval Group for an uncrewed combat underwater vehicle (UCUV) demonstrator that must show both endurance and autonomous decision-making, the Armed Forces ministry said late Tuesday, Defense News reports.
- Missions range from intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to "more offensive neutralization actions," the ministry said.
- A "controlled autonomous decision-making system" will let it adapt to tactical situations, the environment and breakdowns, alone or with other systems.
- It must be air transportable and deployable from a pier or a surface vessel; it builds on Naval Group's self-funded 10-ton ocean-going drone demonstrator.
- The contract follows this week's launch of France's naval drone pact with industry; the 2026 budget set aside €30 million in commitments for the demonstrator.
2. The Chief of Naval Operations tells the Navy's new robotic and autonomous systems office to field drones now: "Don't let perfect requirements, endless experimentation, or bureaucratic processes delay useful combat power"
Adm. Daryl Caudle met with leadership of the Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Robotic and Autonomous Systems (DRPM RAS) on Tuesday and stressed delivering capability with urgency, his office said.
- "Identify what we can field today, what we can rapidly improve, and what must be developed for tomorrow," Caudle said.
- DRPM RAS was set up in August to speed uncrewed systems directly to the fleet, the CNO's office said.
- The office is also planning a January cargo-drone demonstration for the Marine Corps (see #13).
Sources: CNO on X3. The U.S. clears Jordan to buy up to 1,500 APKWS laser-guided rockets, a cheap drone killer, for $100 million
The State Department approved the possible sale under congressional notification Transmittal 26-95, published Nov. 2, with BAE Systems as principal contractor, Defence Blog reports.
- The rockets can be configured for air-to-air, ground-to-air or air-to-ground use; the notice calls them "additional," so Jordan already flies APKWS.
- The State Department says they strengthen Jordan's air defense under the Middle East Air Defense pillar and protect U.S. forces in the kingdom.
- Jordan has repeatedly intercepted Iranian drones crossing its airspace; an APKWS guidance section costs roughly $15,000, far less than an air-to-air missile.
- It is the smallest of a run of 2026 APKWS approvals for Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Italy.
Sources: Defence Blog4. 101st Airborne soldiers train on the Army's AMP-HEL laser at the Texas border, a 20-kilowatt drone killer already used against cartel drones
Troops from the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment operated the Army Multi-Purpose High Energy Laser on an Infantry Squad Vehicle near Fort Hancock, Texas, on Nov. 2, according to Department of War photos reported by Defence Blog.
- The military says AMP-HEL, built around AeroVironment's LOCUST laser, is now in use for counter-drone operations on the border under Operation Ardent Vanguard.
- Northern Command put its tally at 11 cartel-linked drones downed by Sept. 4; it has not said how many laser vehicles the task force has.
- In a 30-day span ending in late September, Joint Task Force-Southern Border logged 378 drone detections and 15 takedowns.
Sources: Defence Blog5. General Atomics lays out a family of autonomous jets beyond its FQ-42 CCA, including a 60-hour armed flying wing, as AFRL flies the XQ-67A in a new autonomy test program
General Atomics is working on NextGen, a large uncrewed flying wing for intelligence and strike missions with hybrid-electric propulsion for more than 60 hours aloft, spokesman C. Mark Brinkley told Air & Space Forces Magazine.
- NextGen work will feed a cheaper flying wing, Gambit 4; a Gambit 5 for carriers and a Gambit 3 "red air" adversary trainer are also in the works.
- General Atomics plans a live-fire event with a Gambit 6 ground-strike drone in early 2027.
- AFRL and the Air Force's Experimental Operations Unit flew the XQ-67A over Nevada under a new program called Demon APE, testing mission systems for collaborative reconnaissance drones.
- AFRL says the flight showed its autonomy architectures can reliably process and relay combat data over beyond-line-of-sight links.
Sources: Air & Space Forces Magazine6. Saronic puts its second 180-foot Marauder autonomous ship in the water, built with 8% fewer labor hours than the first, and Hegseth calls it the "Arsenal of Freedom"
Saronic CEO Dino Mavrookas said Tuesday the second Marauder medium uncrewed surface vessel is in the water and running under its own power at the company's Franklin, Louisiana, shipyard.
- The hull took 8% fewer labor hours than the first, he said; fully ramped, Franklin will build 20 Marauders a year.
- When Saronic took over the yard "it was shutting down and capacity was trending towards 0," Mavrookas said; it is now active and expanding.
- Secretary of War Pete Hegseth quoted the post from his personal account: "Arsenal of Freedom."
7. Shield AI shows the first full-scale X-BAT prototype, its jet-powered, tail-sitting stealth combat drone backed by $200 million in Navy funding
Shield AI released video of X-BAT 001, the first of two full-scale prototypes of its vertical takeoff and landing combat drone, as it moves from Frisco, Texas, to the company's flight test site in Newton, Kansas, TWZ reports.
- The prototype has the F110 engine and full propulsion path, with a thrust-vectoring nozzle derived from the 1990s AVEN F-16 test program.
- The Navy has put $200 million into the effort under its Runway Independent Maritime Expeditionary Strike (RIMES) program, run by the Navy's Rapid Capabilities Office with DIU; Shield AI matched it.
- Testing starts on its launch-and-recovery trailer, then crane-suspended flight in Kansas, before untethered flights; Shield AI's Hivemind software will fly it.
- The company aims to fly a fully missionized X-BAT in 2028 and start series production in 2029.
Sources: TWZ8. Army soldiers set up Anduril's Heimdal counter-drone sensor trailer on the New Mexico border to spot cartel drones
Troops from the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment put a Heimdal Mobile Trailer Kit in place near Chaparral, New Mexico, on Oct. 21 for Joint Task Force-Southern Border, according to military photos reported Wednesday by Defence Blog.
- Heimdal combines radar, thermal cameras and a continuously turning pan-and-tilt unit that find and track drones automatically.
- It is the sensor core of Anduril's counter-drone fly-away kit, which pairs it with Anvil interceptors, Pulsar EW and Wisp infrared sensors.
- The military didn't say how many units the task force has or whether it has detected real drones; most border drones are commercial quadcopters scouting for smugglers, officials say.
Sources: Defence Blog9. Troops at the southern border train with the Bumblebee V2 interceptor drone, which knocks smuggling drones out of the sky by collision
U.S. Northern Command's Joint Task Force-Southern Border, Airmen and contractors trained on the Bumblebee V2 counter-drone interceptor near Chaparral, New Mexico, on Oct. 21, according to NORTHCOM material reported by Unmanned Airspace.
- Bumblebee V2 is a first-person-view quadcopter built to physically intercept small hostile drones; a DOD photo shows a test drone it brought down.
- The training aims to expand interoperability and test interdiction of illegal drone activity at the border.
- Bumblebee maker Perennial Autonomy holds a $500 million JIATF-401 ceiling contract; NORTHCOM earlier tested the drone at Falcon Peak 26.2 in September, Defence Blog reported.
10. Russia launches 310 drones at Ukraine overnight; Ukraine's Air Force says 272 were shot down or suppressed
The attack began at 6 p.m. on Nov. 3 with Shahed-type drones, 81 of them jet-powered, plus Gerbera and Parodiya decoys, the Air Force said.
- By 8 a.m., air defenses had downed or suppressed 272, including 64 jet-powered Shaheds; more than 20 were still airborne.
- Hits were recorded at 19 locations and falling debris at 15.
- Aviation, missile units, EW, unmanned systems units and mobile fire groups took part in the defense.
Sources: Interfax-Ukraine (Air Force report) · Ukrinform11. Iran's Revolutionary Guard now claims it shot down a U.S. Switchblade 600 loitering munition over Minab, after claiming two LUCAS shootdowns
The IRGC claimed Tuesday afternoon that it shot down an AeroVironment Switchblade 600 one-way attack drone over Minab in Hormozgan province, according to a report citing the IRGC.
- Locals in Hormozgan reported hearing explosions; there is no independent confirmation that a drone was downed, or of its type or origin.
- It came the same day as the IRGC's claims of two LUCAS shootdowns over Bandar Khamir.
- Separately, U.S. officials told the Wall Street Journal the IRGC fired a surface-to-air missile at a U.S. fighter near Qeshm Island on Nov. 2, ISW notes.
12. The Army runs five vendors' autonomous breaching drones through minefield drills at Fort Hood, with a downselect planned for early 2027
Army engineers tested five companies' drones last week for the XM123 Autonomous Breaching System, which aims to keep soldiers out of minefields, Inside Defense reports.
- The effort marked its one-year point on Oct. 29 at its fifth industry touch point.
- Vendors brought drop munitions, one-way strike concepts and mothership drones that can clear buried mines.
- Results will shape a downselect and possible contract awards in early 2027.
Sources: Inside Defense13. The Navy's robotic and autonomous systems office plans a January demo of cargo drones for the Marine Corps' tactical resupply mission
The Navy's Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager for Robotic and Autonomous Systems will hold the demonstration starting the week of Jan. 25 in Huntsville, Alabama, according to a Friday notice, Inside Defense reports.
- It will evaluate aircraft and enabling technology for the Marine Corps' Unmanned Logistics System-Air (ULS-A) distribution mission.
- The Marines want an organic aerial drone to move supplies to small, dispersed units.
Sources: Inside Defense14. Explosive-laden drones hit Iranian Kurdish opposition groups in Iraq's Sulaymaniyah province and east of Erbil
Two explosive-laden drones attacked Iranian Kurdish opposition groups on Wednesday, security sources told Reuters.
- Iran has repeatedly struck the bases of Iranian Kurdish opposition groups in Iraq's Kurdistan region, accusing them of attacks inside Iran, Reuters notes.
- The initial Reuters report gave no casualty figures and named no attacker.
Sources: Reuters via Radio USA15. Naval Group unveils SCX26, a stealthy 8,000-ton destroyer concept built as a drone mothership with an onboard drone workshop
The SCX26, unveiled at Euronaval, is a research concept with a large internal mission bay for aerial, surface and underwater drones that Naval Group describes as a small onboard drone factory, TWZ reports.
- The 558-foot ship has split superstructures carrying a new UHF radar and Sea Fire-derived AESA radar.
- Weapons include up to 96 Sylver VLS missiles, an electromagnetic gun and a proposed 100 kW laser.
- An AI-enabled, data-centric combat system would coordinate uncrewed systems; crew is about 150.
- Naval Group also showed mass-launcher boxes for drones on an FDI frigate.
Sources: TWZ16. Turkey's MKE debuts an armed PIRANA uncrewed surface vessel that carries eight tube-launched drones and controls kamikaze boat swarms
MKE revealed the PIRANA Armed USV at its Euronaval debut, with three times the weight and ten times the payload of earlier variants, Naval News reports.
- It acts as a command-and-control node with RF, SATCOM and LTE links for swarming attacks by PIRANA kamikaze boats carrying 100 kg warheads.
- The payload bay holds 1,000 kg; the Euronaval model showed eight tube-launched UAVs.
- Range is 400 nautical miles at more than 35 knots, for patrol, EW and communications roles.
- The design draws on trials with the Turkish Navy.
Sources: Naval News17. South Korea's defense technology institute warns the country's counter-drone systems can't keep up with swarms of cheap attack drones
A report from the state-run Korea Research Institute for Defense Technology Planning and Advancement says fielded systems are limited against swarms of medium-sized attack drones like those used in the U.S.-Iran war, The Korea Herald reports.
- The problem is cost: cheap drones can drain expensive interceptors; the report cites CSIS estimates that U.S. Patriot stocks fell about 65% from February to late July.
- Jamming-based systems are weak against autonomous drones; lasers struggle with weather, as when the Cheongwang laser downed only two of four targets on Oct. 1.
- It calls for layered defense with EW, interceptor drones, lasers and high-power microwave weapons.
- Authors are researchers Jung Yoon-sik, Kim Ji-hoon and Kim Tae-won.
Sources: The Korea Herald18. The Houthis claim drone and missile strikes on Saudi Arabia's Abha airport and King Khalid Air Base as Riyadh reports another drone downed over Mecca province
The Houthis claimed they hit Abha International Airport with one drone and King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait with one ballistic missile on Nov. 3, ISW and the Critical Threats Project report.
- Saudi Joint Forces Command spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki al-Maliki separately said air defenses intercepted a Houthi drone over Mecca province the same day.
- The Houthi claims are a warring party's and were not confirmed by Saudi Arabia.
Sources: ISW Iran Update, Nov. 319. ParaZero unveils TillOnAIR, a reusable net-capture interceptor drone guided from the ground to catch fiber-optic and autonomous drones
The system pairs a ground control unit, a quadcopter interceptor and ParaZero's DefendAir net launcher to detect, engage and capture hostile drones without jamming or a warhead, NextGen Defense reports.
- Detection and guidance run on the ground, so the interceptor needs no GPS, camera or seeker.
- It protects a 50 to 100 meter radius, weighs about 15 kg and sets up in about 20 minutes; only the net pod is replaced after a catch.
- One ground station can direct several interceptors; demos for Israeli military and security groups are planned this month.
Sources: NextGen Defense20. KNDS and SeaOwl team up on a fast uncrewed surface vessel armed as a naval loitering munition
KNDS and SeaOwl Technology Solutions signed a cooperation agreement at Euronaval to develop and test a USV carrying a qualified KNDS warhead for offensive and defensive missions, KNDS said.
- The craft is rated at 35 knots with a 30 kg payload and a combat range of up to 200 km, with reduced radar and optical signatures.
- It navigates autonomously, but the decision to engage and fire stays with a remote operator, the company said.
- This is a company announcement; no customer was named.
Sources: KNDS release21. MBDA and UAE firm SIRBAI agree to explore AI targeting and swarming for MBDA's UAE-built loitering munition
The memorandum of understanding, signed at Euronaval, covers feasibility studies, technical requirements and demonstrations for integrating SIRBAI's AI into MBDA's Diamond-Shaped loitering munition, the companies said.
- Proposed functions include automatic target detection and swarm intelligence, with human supervision.
- It could lead to follow-on agreements; SIRBAI calls it UAE-Europe industrial cooperation.
- This is a company announcement.
Sources: Zawya (release) · SIRBAI on X22. The IDF starts installing anti-drone nets at Gaza border posts to stop explosive and fiber-optic drones
The Israel Defense Forces launched a pilot to put protective netting over three Gaza border positions against explosive and fiber-optic suicide drones, the Tazpit Press Service reports.
- Nets are meant to catch drones or set them off early; fiber-optic drones can't be jammed.
- The aim is to get ahead of a tactic Hezbollah has used widely in Lebanon.
- Remaining southern outposts are to be covered within months, building on thousands of square meters of netting in the north.
Sources: World Israel News (TPS)23. Photos appear to show a Russian Infauna electronic warfare vehicle, built to jam radios and roadside-bomb triggers, with the Africa Corps in Mali
An open-source account posted a photo on Oct. 31 that it identified as an RB-531B Infauna serving with Russia's Defense Ministry-controlled Africa Corps, Defence Blog reports.
- The BTR-80-based Infauna jams VHF radio and radio-controlled mines and IEDs and fires aerosol screens.
- A second image, from June 2025, shows a similar vehicle that may be an Infauna or the larger Borisoglebsk-2 jammer used heavily in Ukraine.
- Neither Russia nor Mali has commented, and the newer photo's date and place are unconfirmed.
Sources: Defence Blog24. Kalashnikov demonstrates a layered counter-drone system linking radar, Krona missiles and an automated turret through AI decision support
The Nov. 2 test, run in dense fog, combined radar, the Krona anti-aircraft missile system and the Kalitka-KA automated turret, Russian defense media reported, according to Unmanned Airspace.
- Kalashnikov claims Kalitka-KA systems alone destroyed more than 200 drones over three months in one sector; the claim is the company's.
- Its longer-range Zveroboy launcher carries nine Kraken interceptor drones.
- TASS says the Uzor AI system can simulate drone attacks to test how well a site is protected.
Sources: Unmanned Airspace25. Israeli firm Airwayz says its OVERWATCH software tied together more than 45 sensors, effectors and C2 systems in a NATO counter-drone drill
As drones crowd low-altitude airspace, Airwayz is selling command-and-control software that fuses radar, camera and RF data into one picture rather than building its own sensors, The Jerusalem Post reports.
- In a recent NATO exercise, OVERWATCH integrated more than 45 sensors, effectors and C2 systems, the company said.
- It is aimed at militaries, police and infrastructure operators without airspace specialists.
- "You need to make sense of the information you get," said Airwayz's Rosen.
Sources: The Jerusalem Post
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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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