Saildrone USV Successfully Fires Lockheed Martin JAGM Missile During RIMPAC Exercise

Today’s defense news includes advancements in autonomous naval warfare, new counter-drone capabilities, and updates on ongoing conflicts.

Saildrone USV Fires Missile

A Saildrone Surveyor Unmanned Surface Vehicle successfully launched a Lockheed Martin Joint Air-to-Ground Missile during the US Navy’s RIMPAC exercise off Hawaii, marking the first-ever missile launch from a Saildrone USV, Naval News reports. The operation involved two JAGM launches and demonstrated interoperability by acting on target data for a surrogate high-speed surface craft. This achievement, sponsored by the US Navy Fleet Experimentation Program, significantly advances autonomous naval warfare capabilities and follows a strategic partnership between Saildrone and Lockheed Martin.

USMC Acquires Tempest Counter-Drone Vehicles

The U.S. Marine Corps has secured a $19 million contract for Tempest counter-drone vehicles, Defence Blog reports. V2X confirmed the award on September 8, 2026, which includes maintenance, software, and training. The Tempest, built on a modified Can-Am Maverick X3, is equipped with dual missile launchers and a sensor package to spot and track drones, firing radar-guided AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire missiles against Class 2 and Class 3 unmanned aircraft. This acquisition addresses the urgent need for mobile and effective counter-UAS solutions, leveraging the Tempest’s combat record in Ukraine where it has reportedly shot down 21 Iranian-designed Shahed drones.

Australia Declares NASAMS Combat Ready

Australia’s Army has declared its National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS) combat ready, Defence Blog reports. The Final Operational Capability was announced on September 9, 2026, confirming the ground-based air defense system is prepared to support Australian Defence Force operations. NASAMS is designed to detect, track, and destroy cruise missiles, aircraft, helicopters, and drones, and was delivered under the Short Range Ground Based Air Defense project. Soldiers from Adelaide’s 16th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, are the first operational unit to field the system, which integrates Norwegian NASAMS design with locally built CEA Technologies radar and is mounted on Hawkei protected mobility vehicles.

Russian Glide Bomb Strikes Reach Record High

Russian aircraft dropped 8,766 glide bombs on Ukrainian front-line positions in August 2026, marking the highest monthly total recorded since the invasion began, Defence Blog reports. This averages 283 bombs per day, representing a 5% increase over July, according to Ukrainian General Staff figures compiled by the OSINT monitoring group Oko Gora. The weapon is a Soviet-era FAB gravity bomb fitted with a UMPK kit, which adds pop-out wings and a satellite-guidance unit, transforming it into a stand-off weapon. This allows launch aircraft, such as the Su-34, to release bombs from tens of kilometers away, staying further back from Ukrainian air defenses.

SBU Foils Assassination Plot

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has thwarted an alleged Russian plot to assassinate a prominent civic activist in the Kyiv region, Kyiv Post Defense reports. The SBU detained a 19-year-old suspect allegedly recruited by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) through social media. The suspect reportedly tracked the activist’s movements, retrieved a pistol with a silencer from a weapons cache, and planned to ambush the activist during a morning dog walk. SBU officers uncovered the plot in advance and apprehended the suspect during his preparations, with the teenager now facing charges including treason and preparation for a contract killing.

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