Colton Jones

Colton Jones serves as Deputy Editor of Defence Blog, with a specialization in the U.S. defense industrial base. A former member of the United States Air Force, Colton brings firsthand military experience to his analysis of procurement, defense manufacturing, and Pentagon policy. He is one of the blog’s lead writers and most respected defense experts.

NATO warships hunt Russian subs in Arctic

Amid ongoing instability in Europe and the war in Ukraine, naval forces from the United States, Germany, and Norway conducted joint anti-submarine warfare drills in the Barents Sea, an area marked by increased Russian undersea activity. According to...

U.S. Army aims to turn squad vehicles into drones

The U.S. Army has awarded three agreements valued at approximately $15.5 million to Forterra of Clarksburg, Maryland, Overland AI of Seattle, Washington, and Scout AI of Sunnyvale, California, as part of an effort to accelerate autonomous mobility...

U.S. Army secures largest Patriot missile order

The U.S. Army has signed the largest contract in its history for the production of Patriot missiles, awarding Lockheed Martin a $9.8 billion agreement to manufacture nearly 2,000 PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptors through fiscal year...

Pentagon seeks low-cost missile interceptors

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has opened a new effort to develop a class of low-cost interceptors designed to counter massed missile attacks, with the goal of producing modular weapons priced at less than $750,000 each. On...

U.S. unveils futuristic tricopter during Egypt drills

The U.S. military has unveiled a new small unmanned aircraft system during multinational drills in Egypt. According to the U.S. Air Force, the 1st Special Operations Wing launched the Edge 130 Blue small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) during...

Legendary UH-1s continue to guard America’s nuclear arsenal

A formation of UH-1N Iroquois helicopters flew over Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, in August 2025, underscoring the enduring presence of the Vietnam-era aircraft in one of America’s most sensitive nuclear missions. According to the U.S. Air...

U.S. Army prepares for next-gen tank production

The U.S. Army has moved a step closer to fielding its next-generation main battle tank, the Abrams M1E3, by issuing a comprehensive market survey to American industry. The request, released by the Program Executive Office for Ground Combat...

Robotican develops armed hybrid drone for urban missions

Robotican, a leading Israeli developer of autonomous robotic and drone technologies, announced September 2 the introduction of a new armed configuration for its ROOSTER hybrid drone system, adding a precision-guided warhead designed for urban and indoor operations. The...