News, deep dives, and analysis — every Anduril story, newest first.
Germany plans to award contracts worth up to €900 million ($950 million USD) for kamikaze drones to two defense start-ups and an established contractor, even as one company’s systems failed spectacularly during recent military trials. The Financial Times reports that Helsing, Stark, and Rheinmetall will each receive approximately €300 million ($317 million USD) to supply…
Anduril Industries successfully flew its YFQ-44A jet-powered combat drone for the first time on October 31, 2025, marking a significant milestone in the U.S. Air Force’s effort to field autonomous “loyal wingman” aircraft that can operate alongside fighter jets. The Los Angeles-based defense tech company and the Air Force confirmed the semi-autonomous flight demonstrates rapid…
A German defense drone startup valued at $500 million suffered a catastrophic public failure during October 2025 military trials when its AI-powered strike drones missed all targets across four separate attempts, raising serious questions about whether venture capital can replicate battlefield-proven innovation. Stark Defence’s Virtus loitering munitions—marketed as autonomous strike drones capabl
German defense giant Rheinmetall has accelerated loitering munitions production to full capacity at its Italian facilities, securing over $213 million in orders from eight European countries as the Ukraine war drives unprecedented demand for precision strike drones. The company announced that series production is now operating at “full speed” at two plants in Sardinia operated…
Harmattan AI, a Paris-based defense drone startup, is seeking a billion-dollar valuation in its latest funding round, just 18 months after launching, according to reporting by Sifted. The ambitious raise comes as the company has already secured major contracts with French and UK military forces, positioning it as a rising force in Europe’s surging defense…
The Pentagon’s ambitious Replicator Program—designed to deploy thousands of AI-enabled drones against China in a potential Taiwan conflict—has fallen significantly behind schedule due to widespread technical failures and procurement missteps. The Wall Street Journal reported September 26 that the troubled program has been transferred to a new Defense Autonomous Warfare Group (DAWG) in a bid…
German defense AI startup Helsing has unveiled its autonomous combat drone “CA-1 Europa,” marking a significant milestone in Europe’s push toward next-generation unmanned warfare systems. The four-tonne aircraft was presented at a factory outside Munich on September 25, with the company targeting a first flight in 2027. This development signals Europe’s growing ambition to compete…
Iran’s low-cost Shahed-136 drone has sparked an international arms race, with militaries worldwide scrambling to develop copycat versions of the weapon that has proven devastatingly effective in Ukraine, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The Iranian-designed drone, costing just tens of thousands of dollars and capable of flying over 1,000 miles, has fundamentally changed…
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