🌎 Trump Calls for “Immediate Negotiations” for Greenland, Ties Island to “Golden Dome”

📬 In Today’s Defense Brief

🌎 Trump Calls for “Immediate Negotiations” for Greenland, Ties Island to “Golden Dome”

🛰️ SDA Taps Starfish for First-of-Its-Kind Satellite Disposal Service

🚀 Lockheed’s JAGM Quad Launcher Proves Full Vertical Launch in Counter-Drone Test

🪖 Army’s Next-Gen Tank Has a “Formula 1” Cockpit, Top General Says

🛠️ Robots Step In as US Air Force Modernizes Aircraft Maintenance

🎱 Plus 11 other news stories you may like

📰 Full Breakdown

🌎 Trump Calls for “Immediate Negotiations” for Greenland, Ties Island to “Golden Dome” — Read More

• Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, President Donald Trump called for “immediate negotiations” to acquire Greenland, framing the island as a strategic national security imperative. He argued the U.S. is uniquely positioned to “protect” and develop the territory, and repeatedly linked Greenland to his “Golden Dome” air defense vision aimed at countering aerial threats.

• Trump said he is not prepared to use force to occupy Greenland “right now,” emphasizing he “doesn’t want” and “won’t” use force, but he also suggested the U.S. could be “unstoppable” if it chose to. He criticized NATO dynamics, questioning whether allies would fully honor Article 5 for the United States, and cast Greenland as a “very small ask” versus U.S. contributions.

• NATO and European leaders at Davos largely avoided public escalation. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said he would not comment publicly so he can work “behind the scenes,” while leaders like Poland’s president urged a diplomatic solution. Others reframed the dispute around Arctic security—especially countering Russian and Chinese influence—while acknowledging allies feel political “curve balls” and are trying to find an “off-ramp.”

🛰️ SDA Taps Starfish for First-of-Its-Kind Satellite Disposal Service — Read More

• The Space Development Agency awarded Starfish Space a $52.5 million contract to dispose of Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture satellites at end of life—structured as an operational service, not just R&D. Starfish says the work will involve “multiple disposals” using its Otter vehicle, with contract options to expand based on on-orbit performance and overall system health.

• Otter is roughly 300 kilograms (described as “about the size of an oven”) and is designed to rendezvous with and safely deorbit satellites without requiring prior modifications—useful for SDA’s mixed-vendor constellations and “unprepared” spacecraft. Starfish also pitches Otter as an external “engine” that can extend satellite life, with the docking capability enabling servicing flexibility beyond simple deorbit missions.

• Starfish plans to begin the SDA service with an Otter launch in 2027, though the launch provider hasn’t been finalized. The award builds on a competitive mission-study effort Starfish executed for SDA through 2024–2025 and follows earlier demo work, including contracts focused on docking and maneuver augmentation. SDA also required commercial viability, positioning the capability for broader government and commercial debris-removal demand.

🚀 Lockheed’s JAGM Quad Launcher Proves Full Vertical Launch in Counter-Drone Test — Read More

• Lockheed Martin demonstrated a major capability step for its Joint Air-to-Ground Missile Quad Launcher by moving from a 45-degree firing profile to a full 90-degree vertical launch. In the test, the launcher—mounted on a Richard Childress Racing 6×6 Mothership vehicle—successfully engaged and neutralized an unmanned aerial system, showing the concept’s relevance for fast-turn counter-drone engagements.

• The engagement took place at China Lake, California, and also showcased the missile’s ability to detect and track drones and other aerial threats. Lockheed framed the event as validation that JAGM can be rapidly deployed from a multi-missile launcher across varied operational scenarios, reinforcing the case for fieldable, modular launch options rather than bespoke integrations for each platform type.

• The demo also underscored multi-domain ambitions: the system is positioned for adaptability across air, land, and sea, including potential use on surface combatants to expand 360-degree defensive coverage. With JAGM’s dual-mode seeker (semi-active laser plus millimeter-wave guidance), Lockheed is signaling a path where one munition and launcher architecture can flex across missions and platforms without redesigning the missile itself.

🪖 Army’s Next-Gen Tank Has a “Formula 1” Cockpit, Top General Says — Read More

• Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George said the M1E3 Abrams is reaching prototype stage six years early, and highlighted a “Formula One cockpit” concept focused on a modern driver interface. He said the controls “look like an X-Box controller,” referencing Fanatec-style F1 simulator hardware, and emphasized the cockpit is modular so it can be updated—an explicit push to keep the platform current without lengthy redesign cycles.

• The M1E3 is designed to shrink crew size from four to three by adding an autoloader, a change Army leaders say helps make the Abrams roughly 25% lighter. Army officials also highlighted AI-powered digital engineering tools, including GenAI, aimed at speeding integration of new technologies. Additional elements cited include a Caterpillar engine, a SAPA transmission, and software from multiple tech firms to boost awareness and effectiveness.

• Reporting around the Detroit display indicated a remote turret with a 120mm smoothbore cannon, a Mk. 19 40mm grenade launcher, and a Javelin launcher. Another reported feature is a hybrid-electric drivetrain aimed at about 50% better fuel efficiency, reducing logistics burden. While M1E3 IOC was once targeted for 2030, officials said prototypes could be inside active formations sometime in 2026.

🛠️ Robots Step In as US Air Force Modernizes Aircraft Maintenance — Read More

• The U.S. Air Force is using GrayMatter Robotics’ autonomous system to automate aircraft canopy repairs—specifically sanding and restoration for aging acrylic and polycarbonate canopies. The pitch is simple: increase consistency, reduce rework, and free skilled maintainers from a time-consuming task so they can focus on higher-value maintenance. The system is intended to preserve structural integrity while restoring optical clarity.

• GrayMatter says its AI-driven platform identifies flaws, adapts to complex canopy shapes in real time, and adjusts sanding based on thickness and optical requirements. It also records repair data to help verify quality standards across different aircraft types. Company leadership argues this reduces variability between technicians and locations—one of the biggest sources of repeat work in precision maintenance tasks like canopy restoration.

• The effort is funded through a Small Business Innovation Phase 2 contract, which includes extensive testing at Air Force facilities and is expected to include prototype demonstrations later this year. GrayMatter says the system is designed to fit into existing depot and field maintenance workflows, making it a scalable option that could extend fleet life by improving repair throughput and standardization while remaining compatible with day-to-day operations.

🌏 Other Important News

✈️ Air

• World’s first hydrogen drone reportedly deployed into a combat zone — Read More

• QinetiQ wins UK RAF Typhoon-related work — Read More

• Ukraine’s new Air Force chief tasked to build an anti-drone shield — Read More

🌊 Sea

• U.S. forces seize sanctioned tanker in SOUTHCOM — Read More

🛰️ Space

• Navy’s future fighter jet program revived with new funding bills — Read More

🏭 Industry

• UMEX opens with $240 million in contracts to EDGE Group — Read More

• Barzan, EDGE team up for first Qatari-Emirati joint defense firm — Read More

• FY26 defense bill boosts budget by $8B, largely bypassing last-minute $28B munitions request — Read More

• Japan reports a 14% decrease in fighter scrambles to shadow Chinese/Russian forces — Read More

🌍 Global

• Iran skips Qatar’s DIMDEX defense show amid external strikes and internal crisis — Read More

• Singapore set to buy U.S. aircraft and torpedoes to boost maritime security — Read More

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