💥 Pentagon releases National Defense Strategy, with homeland defense as top priority

📬 In Today’s Defense Brief

💥 Pentagon releases National Defense Strategy, with homeland defense as top priority

🪖 US Navy Chooses Gentex’s PURSUIT as Its Next-Gen Fixed-Wing Headgear

🇬🇧 UK Typhoons sent to protect Qatar amid fears of Iranian strike

🚁 V-BAT Reborn: Shield AI Drone Gets Lethal Muscle From LIG Nex1

🤖 SteerAI Moves Battlefield Autonomy Off the Road With ‘xRift’

🎱 Plus 7 other news stories you may like

📰 Full Breakdown

💥 Pentagon releases National Defense Strategy, with homeland defense as top priority — Read More

• The Pentagon’s unclassified 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS) elevates homeland defense as the department’s top priority, ahead of the Indo-Pacific, and signals allies should expect sharper burden-sharing expectations. The document was released with little fanfare—emailed on a Friday evening—yet frames the NDS as the key mechanism for implementing the White House’s National Security Strategy.

• The NDS lists four priorities in order: defend the U.S. homeland; deter China in the Indo-Pacific “through strength, not confrontation”; increase burden-sharing with allies/partners; and “supercharge” the U.S. defense industrial base. The homeland section stresses border security, counter-narcoterrorism, protection of U.S. skies, and highlights “Golden Dome” missile defense and counter-drone focus.

• The strategy repeatedly emphasizes the Western Hemisphere, invoking a stronger interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine and naming “key terrain” such as the Panama Canal, the “Gulf of America,” and Greenland. Breaking Defense also notes the document appears to foreshadow potential force cuts in Europe and South Korea, while explicitly rejecting a turn toward “isolationism.”

🪖 US Navy Chooses Gentex’s PURSUIT as Its Next-Gen Fixed-Wing Headgear — Read More

• Gentex will supply the U.S. Navy with its PURSUIT helmet system for fixed-wing aircrew, positioning it as a next-generation “headborne protection” solution built to support modern helmet-mounted displays. The system uses a lightweight carbon-shell frame and an optimized center of gravity to reduce neck and spine strain and lower injury risk during high-G maneuvers and long-duration flights.

• The helmet design includes a redesigned ventilation system to prevent heat buildup, plus heat-resistant, sweat-absorbing pads to improve comfort and readiness during extended sorties. The article also notes the helmet comes in four sizes for a snug out-of-the-box fit, and says PURSUIT meets both U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force standards.

• PURSUIT is being fielded under a 5-year contract tied to the Navy’s Next Generation Fixed Wing Helmet initiative. The service is investing roughly $22M for more than 5,000 units as part of broader aircrew flight-gear modernization, with Gentex leadership framing the award as a milestone and emphasizing safety, comfort, and mission performance improvements.

🇬🇧 UK Typhoons sent to protect Qatar amid fears of Iranian strike — Read More

• The UK Ministry of Defence said the RAF’s joint Typhoon squadron with Qatar, No. 12 Squadron, deployed to the Gulf for “defensive purposes,” citing regional tensions and operating under the UK-Qatar Defence Assurance Agreement.

• The MoD described the deployment as part of a long-standing defense partnership, noting that 12 Squadron regularly deploys to Qatar for joint training and experience-sharing intended to enhance national and regional security. The announcement highlights recent RAF participation in exercises such as EPIC SKIES and SOARING FALCON to reinforce interoperability and operational integration with Gulf partners.

• Reporting adds that four Typhoons from No. 12 Squadron deployed at Qatar’s request, with coverage pointing to an elevated readiness posture amid wider regional strain. Taken together, the official language and the wider context emphasize deterrence, reassurance, and rapid defensive reinforcement rather than a new permanent basing decision.

🚁 V-BAT Reborn: Shield AI Drone Gets Lethal Muscle From LIG Nex1 — Read More

• Shield AI is integrating South Korea’s LIG Nex1 laser-guided L-MDM (Multi-purpose Drone-launched Missile) onto its VTOL V-BAT drone, shifting the platform from ISR-only roles toward compact precision strike. The article describes L-MDM as an air-to-ground weapon designed for integration with ISR drones and emphasizes its modularity and laser-guided standoff engagement.

• NextGen Defense highlights V-BAT’s hybrid approach—vertical lift and fixed-wing cruise—enabling launches from constrained locations such as ship decks, forest clearings, and improvised forward bases. It lists representative figures: a 3.8-meter span, up to 75 kg takeoff weight, and up to 18 kg payload depending on configuration, positioning it as a deployable strike/ISR asset for small units.

• Autonomy is framed as a core enabler: Shield AI’s Hivemind is described as handling navigation, sensors, and recovery with minimal operator input, including in GPS-denied or electronic warfare conditions. The article says UMEX 2026 served as the public kickoff for the integration contract, with the next phase focused on flight tests and real-world performance validation.

🤖 SteerAI Moves Battlefield Autonomy Off the Road With ‘xRift’ — Read More

• SteerAI’s xRift is presented as an unmanned off-road platform designed to take on military missions in harsh environments, reducing personnel risk. The vehicle features a modular utility deck and is described as capable of carrying payloads up to 500 kg, positioned as an “all-in-one” option for tasks typically performed by crewed vehicles, with a focus on reliability and mission versatility.

• The autonomy stack is SteerAI’s CoreX driving system, which combines modular hardware with AI-driven software to perceive surroundings, navigate obstacles, and make driving decisions autonomously. The article says CoreX can be integrated into different vehicle platforms with minimal modifications and is intended to handle desert and rocky terrain—an explicit nod to operational needs in environments like the UAE.

• NextGen Defense provides key “numbers behind xRift,” including a reported 2,250-horsepower engine, a top speed of ~50 km/h, and a 47-liter fuel tank. It lists the platform at 1,350 kg and just over 4.2 meters long, framed as compact for stability during off-road operations while remaining scalable and customizable to end-user requirements.

🌏 Other Important News

✈️ Air

• First MC-55A Peregrine surveillance and electronic warfare jet arrives in Australia — Read More

• UK reveals one-way attack drone — Read More

• Austria rocket-armed helicopter — Read More

• Inside Anduril’s BOLT-M kamikaze drone program — Read More

• Ukraine drones mission control — Read More

🌊 Sea

• Two killed in U.S. strike on suspected narco-boat in eastern Pacific — Read More

🏭 Industry

• “Buzz Kill” to make cocaine less potent: Colombia looking to modify gasoline supply — Read More

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