Colton Jones
Colton Jones is the deputy editor of Defence Blog.
Australian-built Ghost Bat clears new flight milestone
On Saturday, Defence Australia announced that the MQ‑28A Ghost Bat conducted its first flight outside the Woomera Training Area during Exercise Carlsbad. The milestone marks a crucial development in the country’s modern air combat capabilities. According to Defence Australia,...
Final Independence-class ship clears trials
The U.S. Navy’s final Independence-class littoral combat ship, the future USS Pierre (LCS 38), has successfully completed its acceptance trials, according to shipbuilder Austal USA. The milestone occurred in June 2025, as the vessel departed the company’s Mobile,...
U.S. Army tests new drone defense radar
The U.S. Army is testing advanced radar technology to counter low-flying drones, as Soldiers from the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment mounted an EchoShield cognitive radar system on a Stryker vehicle during a recent exercise at the...
UK solar-powered drone to stay airborne for months
Lincad, a UK-based battery systems specialist, has secured a contract with Prismatic, a subsidiary of BAE Systems, to develop high-voltage lithium-ion battery packs for the PHASA-35 high-altitude unmanned aerial system. The project aims to expand the operational capabilities...
U.S. greenlights $211M missile deal with Italy
The U.S. State Department has approved a potential foreign military sale to Italy involving advanced air-to-air missile systems worth approximately $211 million, according to a notification issued to Congress by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on...
OpenAI to develop military AI under new Pentagon award
OpenAI Public Sector LLC has secured a $200 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to develop prototype artificial intelligence systems aimed at strengthening national security, according to a newly released announcement. The Office of the Secretary...
US Marine Corps tests autonomous AW139 helicopter
Near Earth Autonomy has completed the first autonomous test flight of a Leonardo AW139 helicopter as part of the U.S. Marine Corps' Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) program. The flight, conducted in May in Phoenix, Arizona, marks a key...
T-6A trainer to get new avionics in $2.2B deal
The U.S. Air Force has awarded a $2.18 billion contract to Borsight Inc. for a comprehensive avionics upgrade across the T-6A Texan II training fleet, the Department of Defense said in a release. The 10-year contract will cover...