After watchdog slams understaffing, AI to vet Pentagon-backed professors’ China ties

AI’s confusion over the nature of DOD research partnerships may mask real espionage if humans are not the final judge of foreign influence, experts warn.
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https://www.defensenews.com/news/2026/04/20/after-watchdog-slams-understaffing-ai-to-vet-pentagon-backed-professors-china-ties/

Boeing lands Chinook without a pilot at the controls

Boeing used its A2X software to autonomously guide an Army CH-47 Chinook through its final approach and landing.
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https://www.defensenews.com/news/your-military/2026/04/20/boeing-lands-chinook-without-a-pilot-at-the-controls/

US Army turns to Ukraine-tested drones to counter Iranian UAV threat

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll told lawmakers the service has purchased 13,000 low-cost interceptor drones to counter Iranian-made Shahed drones.
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https://www.defensenews.com/unmanned/2026/04/20/us-army-turns-to-ukraine-tested-drones-to-counter-iranian-uav-threat/

US Army wants doctrine for landing helicopters on Arctic ice

The Army Corps of Engineers’ research and development component is working to disprove old assumptions about the risks of landing on frozen lakes.
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https://www.defensenews.com/news/your-military/2026/04/20/us-army-wants-doctrine-for-landing-helicopters-on-arctic-ice/

Australia signals greater defense investment, but is urgency still lacking?

“All the things are positive, but I think what we’ll need to do is move faster and acquire capability more quickly," one analyst commented.
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https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2026/04/20/australia-signals-greater-defense-investment-but-is-urgency-still-lacking/

L3Harris announces $1 billion expansion in Virginia

The expansion will more than double manufacturing space at the Virginia site, which currently spans 256,000 square feet.
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https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2026/04/20/l3harris-announces-1-billion-expansion-in-virginia/

CNO denies reports of poor food service aboard Navy vessels

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle disputed reports that sailors were experiencing food shortages aboard vessels stationed in the Middle East.
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https://www.defensenews.com/news/your-navy/2026/04/20/cno-denies-reports-of-poor-food-service-aboard-navy-vessels/

US Navy wants helicopter sonar that can detect subs – and mines

Instead of separate tech to spot mines and subs, the Navy is exploring the convenience of having one sonar that allows a single helicopter to do both.
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https://www.defensenews.com/news/your-military/2026/04/20/us-navy-wants-helicopter-sonar-that-can-detect-subs-and-mines/

For Germany, the plot thickens toward a US-optional nuclear deterrent

All discussion formats must be expanded to include other European states as soon as possible, argues guest author Karl-Heinz Kamp.
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https://www.defensenews.com/opinion/2026/04/20/for-germany-the-plot-thickens-toward-a-us-optional-nuclear-deterrent/

Space Force’s 15-year vision calls for more personnel, simulators and survivability

A new Space Force vision document grapples with the future of space warfare and how the service can prepare for it.
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https://www.defensenews.com/news/your-military/2026/04/20/space-forces-15-year-vision-calls-for-more-personnel-simulators-and-survivability/