Government Accountability Office

Navy picks three firms to build 30 uncrewed vessels before proving weeks-long endurance

Uncrewed ships have shown they can navigate oceans. The Navy is buying thirty before showing they can run for weeks without anyone aboard to fix them.

AnalysisOct 7, 2026

AI & Autonomy

Magnetic navigation flies on C-17 and airliner tests, but few results give error in meters

Magnetic, visual, celestial and borrowed-signal navigation have all flown. Buyers still get percentage gains over drifting inertial units instead of error figures they can specify.

ExplainerOct 7, 2026

Maritime

Navy budgets for 16 more Orca undersea drones after cost growth, skipped reviews

The Navy ran an urgent mine-laying requirement as a research project. Before it buys sixteen more Orcas, it should hold the reviews it skipped.

AnalysisOct 3, 2026

Policy & Industry

Maven users pass 100,000, but Pentagon has published little on its accuracy

Maven’s user counts show demand, not accuracy. Program offices should label every AI claim by its evidence and contract for revalidation after each update.

CommentaryOct 2, 2026

Counter-UAS

Army turns to 30-kilowatt counter-drone lasers after soldiers pan 50-kilowatt Strykers

Low-power, fixed-site lasers have reached troops and production. Mobile 50-kilowatt lasers and swarm-killing microwaves have not, and nobody publishes availability data.

AnalysisOct 1, 2026

Navy picks three firms to build 30 uncrewed vessels before proving weeks-long endurance

Magnetic navigation flies on C-17 and airliner tests, but few results give error in meters

Navy budgets for 16 more Orca undersea drones after cost growth, skipped reviews

Maven users pass 100,000, but Pentagon has published little on its accuracy

Army turns to 30-kilowatt counter-drone lasers after soldiers pan 50-kilowatt Strykers

The Defense Autonomy Review briefing