Trump, Hegseth Announce New Maryland Shipyard

Oct. 6, 2026 | By C. Todd Lopez, Pentagon News |

President Donald J. Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth today announced the development of a new shipyard, to be called "Arsenal-2," during a ceremony at the future site in Sparrows Point, Maryland.

The project will include a $6.6 billion investment from the Navy and Anduril Industries, which will build and operate the site. 

The shipyard is expected to be the largest of its kind in the United States and will be designed to produce submarines, submarine components and autonomous underwater vessels.

"Today, we're officially launching the construction of the largest new shipyard in the United States," Trump said while speaking in front of the USS Billings. "Since World War II, there's been nothing like what we're doing today."

The new shipyard, made possible by both private and public investment, will provide great value to Baltimore, the president said, especially with the number of jobs it brings.

"In a tremendous victory for our country and for the city of Baltimore, Anduril is investing $3.7 billion dollars in a state-of-the-art shipyard that will be known forever as Arsenal-2," Trump said.

The president said the shipyard will build next-generation American submarines on the site, including autonomous submarines, torpedo tubes, and critical components for the Virginia-class attack submarines. The Navy is also contributing $2.9 billion to help develop the shipyard.

"This massive project will create over 3,100 new jobs right here in Maryland and will support an additional 11,000 jobs across the nation," he said.

The president said workers at Sparrows Point will lead the way into a "golden age of shipbuilding" for the United States.

"When you come back [here] in two years, you're not going to believe what you see," he said. "Generations ago, these grounds hummed with the sound of hammers and saws carving out some of the most beautiful wooden ships. ... Now, with the men and women of Anduril, the workers of Maryland, and the warriors of the U.S. Navy ... this place will roar with the sound of high-tech manufacturing, building ships and submarines. "

Hegseth said the new shipyard will be an integral part of the arsenal of freedom initiative to rebuild the U.S. military industrial base.

"In order to make America great again, you need to make your Navy great again," Hegseth said. "You need to make shipbuilding great again, our manufacturing great again, our defense industrial base strong and robust again."

The secretary said the president has been consistent since his first day in office about what is needed from the military, and that he has worked to make that happen.

"From day one, President Trump has demanded from the War Department speed, scale and urgency to build an arsenal of freedom befitting our warriors and considering the threats of the 21st century," he said. "That's why today we're here to proudly announce construction of the largest U.S. shipyard since World War II."

In the shipyard, the president said, industrial workers of Baltimore will contribute to that arsenal of freedom for decades to come.

"With American hands, American heart and American grit, we will build the future of America's Navy right here in Baltimore, and it will be a future of peace through strength," Trump said. 

Systems Selected for JIATF 401 Directed-Energy Counter-Drone Pilot Program

Oct. 5, 2026 |

The Department of War announced the directed-energy systems selected following the Joint Interagency Task Force 401's (JIATF-401) counter-unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) directed energy pilot program, marking the next phase of efforts to expand the operational use of high-energy laser (HEL) and high-powered microwave (HPM) capabilities across the homeland.

Systems selected for the pilot include:

• AeroVironment Palletized High-Energy Laser system
• Epirus Leonidas High-Powered Microwave system
• Kord Firefly High-Energy Laser system
• Boeing Compact Laser Weapon system

"High-energy lasers and high-powered microwave systems are tools that can be effectively used in a layered drone defense," said U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, director of JIATF 401. "This pilot program will test these capabilities in an operational environment so we can understand how best to integrate and sustain them to defend the homeland."

Directed by the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, the pilot will evaluate these systems' performance providing real-time data and feedback on the systems' requirements, costs, and best practices.

JIATF-401 is conducting this pilot program in close coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), U.S. Northern Command and the Services. Earlier this year, JIATF-401 partnered with the FAA to conduct a safety risk assessment during a live-fire HEL demonstration at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. As a result of this testing, the FAA determined that the system posed minimal risk to the National Airspace System and established a framework for continued coordination.

"There is no silver bullet, or one size fits all solution to countering the threat of drones," Ross said. "Directed energy gives commanders another option within a layered defense, complementing existing counter-UAS capabilities with a scalable, safe, and effective way to respond to drone threats. This pilot program will give us vital information in a real-world environment so we can employ these systems to protect the homeland."

While these systems represent the first capabilities selected for the pilot program, the DoW and JIATF-401 will continue to evaluate additional directed-energy technologies. In December, the Department will host a directed-energy shoot-off at Dugway Proving Ground to assess additional high-energy laser and high-powered microwave systems to identify promising capabilities for future operational use.

DoW and U.S. Navy Announce Contract With Raytheon to Accelerate Standard Missile-6 Production

Oct. 1, 2026 |

Today, the Department of War announces a U.S. Navy award of $24.4 billion to Raytheon, an RTX business, to accelerate production of the Standard Missile-6 (SM-6), a critical anti-air and anti-surface warfare munition. This five-year agreement, with two additional option years, will drive faster production, increase manufacturing throughput, and deliver significant cost savings across the defense industrial base.

"Our mission is to ensure our warfighters never enter a fair fight," said Michael P. Duffey, Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment. "This multi-year award locks in the magazine depth and lethal dominance our forces need to prevail, while demanding our industrial base produce at war-speed."

This agreement, coupled with the recent Tomahawk weapon system award, provides the defense industry with the long-term predictability needed to expand workforce capacity and secure critical supply chains. Together, these strategic investments ensure our warfighters remain equipped with the advanced capabilities required to maintain global maritime superiority.

About the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment:
The Office of the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment (A&S) equips the Joint Force and Allies with secure, resilient, and decisive capabilities. Driven by an unwavering commitment to the warfighter, A&S executes a portfolio-driven strategy to field advanced technologies at speed and scale. By accelerating acquisition and modernizing critical infrastructure, A&S is actively rebuilding the Arsenal of Freedom and securing our nation's enduring military advantage against any pacing threat.

Department of War's Critical Technologies Office Partners With In-Q-Tel to Accelerate Technology From Non-Traditional Performers to the Warfighter

Oct. 2, 2026 |

The Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering (R&E), through the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Critical Technologies (CT), has announced an agreement to partner with the Central Intelligence Agency and In-Q-Tel (IQT), a not-for-profit strategic investor that has served the national security community since 1999.

The partnership gives the Department's research and engineering enterprise structured access to IQT's global technology-scouting platform and its portfolio of early-stage companies, with the explicit objective of compressing the timeline to transition and rapidly field mature commercial solutions from non-traditional performers to the warfighter.

The Department of War has mandated six Critical Technology Areas (CTAs) as the focus of its investment and transition efforts: Applied Artificial Intelligence, Biomanufacturing, Contested Logistics Technologies, Quantum and Battlefield Information Dominance, Scaled Directed Energy, and Scaled Hypersonics. Under the agreement, IQT will conduct technology scouting and technical due diligence across all six CTAs, as well as across enabling technology areas, while the Department identifies transition sponsors and pathways for validated technologies.

"In a contested global threat environment, technological superiority will not be determined by who invents a capability first, but by who delivers it to the warfighter fastest. The Department is fundamentally shifting its posture: we are moving from acting solely as a long-cycle technology developer to operating as an agile, credible, and rapid customer for America's most innovative non-traditional performers. Our partnership with In-Q-Tel eliminates bureaucratic friction across our six CTAs. Over the next 12 months, our benchmark for success is simple and unambiguous: moving validated commercial prototypes out of the lab and into active operational field evaluations with our combatant commands," said Hon. Michael Dodd, Assistant Secretary of War for Critical Technologies.

The integration leverages In-Q-Tel's proven venture capital methodology to vet early-stage commercial solutions that align directly with the Department's urgent mission requirements. By combining CT's strategic transition pathways with IQT's deep-tech scouting infrastructure, the partnership aims to significantly de-risk the integration of commercial hardware and software for national security applications, signaling to the commercial tech sector that the Department of War is open for business.

Joint pilot programs under this new partnership will begin in the coming weeks, targeting immediate battlefield bottlenecks. By aligning IQT's venture ecosystem with the Department's rapid transition pipelines, both organizations aim to establish a permanent bridge that converts commercial ingenuity into deployed military capability at the speed of relevance.

Department of War Champions 'Brilliant at the Basics' for Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Oct. 1, 2026 |

Arming warfighters, workforce, and industry partners with actionable cyber defense practices to strengthen security posture and safeguard the mission.

The Office of the Chief Information Officer today launched the Department of War's "Brilliant at the Basics" campaign for Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The monthlong initiative reinforces core cybersecurity fundamentals across both Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) environments to provide best practices for navigating an evolving threat landscape while maintaining a decisive digital edge.

"Cybersecurity starts with the basics," said Honorable Kirsten Davies, Department of War chief information officer. "This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are sharing foundational, actionable steps for our warfighters, civilian workforce, and defense industrial base partners to protect our technology ecosystem, both IT and OT. As we pursue innovative technologies, and reintegrate our industrial base, we must also maintain strong cyber fundamentals that protect our people, systems, and mission. Being 'Brilliant at the Basics' is not just a slogan; it is a mission imperative."

The campaign will deliver daily posts, actionable tips, and practical resources structured across four weekly themes:

• Be Aware: Understand digital environments and identify vulnerabilities across connected IT networks, OT infrastructure, and government-furnished equipment.
• Be Vigilant: Practice proactive security measures including strong authentication, credential hygiene, and anti-phishing tactics to reduce cyber risk.
• Be Secure: Protect mission-critical data and systems by reducing internet-facing systems, encrypting connections, patching, and ensuring only authorized equipment connects to defense networks. 
• Be Connected: Champion a culture of collective defense by promptly reporting suspicious cyber activity and promptly responding to cyber tasking orders.

Recognizing that small, medium, and nontraditional businesses drive critical innovation for our warfighters, the campaign provides tailored guidance and accessible resources directly to DIB partners. The initiative will also spotlight low-cost and no-cost cybersecurity support programs that align with the IT and OT best practices issued by the Department in July 2026 to support the hardening of the Department's broader industrial base.

For more information, daily campaign updates and event schedules, follow the official DoW CIO social media channels and the CIO's website at dowcio.war.gov.

Government AI Models Advancing, Increasing Productivity

Sept. 30, 2026 | By David Vergun, Pentagon News |

The War Department is working with industry partners to deploy the latest and greatest American artificial intelligence models and platforms, officials said today during GenAI.mil Excite Day at the Pentagon. 

Some 1.7 million users are currently using artificial intelligence within the department, said Deya Banisakher, acting director for Frontier AI at the Chief Digital Artificial Intelligence Office and program manager for GenAI.mil.

Banisakher and others spoke today during GenAI.mil Excite Day at the Pentagon. 

Some 1.7 million users are currently using artificial intelligence within the department, Banisakher said. Everyone with a common access card can access Google's Gemini, Starshield AI's Grok for Government and OpenAI's ChatGPT Mil. 

"We've recently gotten closer and closer to parity with commercial models and platforms, where we started releasing models on the same day as public releases," Banisakher said. 

The models are increasing productivity throughout the department.  

"People are able to research, summarize and extract information from droves of data that they previously couldn't do," he said, adding that AI is saving billions of man-hours. 

Warfighters can code applications on the fly. It's aiding graphic designers, operations research, acquisition and finance professionals, as well as warfighters across the services, he said. 

For example, within the Navy, Banisakher said a project would take developers two to three years to code manually, costing upward of $10 million. However, three Navy developers recently used GenAI.mil to modernize that coding in 30 days. 

The goal is to accelerate AI adoption throughout the department by putting the right tools and platforms in warfighters' hands and plugging into their workflows at all classification levels. 

The next step will be putting AI on the Secret Internet Protocol Router Network and on the Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System. 

Jonathan Buchanan, the authorizing official for the GenAI.mil platforms, said the three AI platforms soft-launched to ensure they could be scaled for the department and be monitored for security and performance.  

"I think we're just scratching the surface with what is totally possible with these platforms. I feel like we are headed in a very good trajectory with how these platforms directly affect the warfighter and the capabilities that will bring to bear in the future," he said. 

Gerard Connolly, a Starshield AI Grok for Government technician, said that as large language model databases improve over time, AI will become even more useful and powerful. 

Grok focuses on four things, Connolly said. It can create teams and share work. Automations in Grok have been trained to do certain tasks and provide timely updates. Grok's projects mode lets teams upload files, collaborate within a workspace and train others on those files. The AI platform's skills mode rapidly generates recurring administrative documents like executive summaries and battlefield updates. 

More than 300,000 people in the department have been using Grok since it launched last month, and Connolly said he expects that number to rise. 

ChatGPT Mil launched concurrently and is seeing similar numbers. 

"We are excited because that tells us that the users are not only sort of onboarding but are staying, and they're finding value in the product that we have," said Jonathan Bal, lead for the War Department portfolio at OpenAI. 

Bal added that as AI is integrated into workflows, the hope is that it accelerates warfighter productivity. 

Gemini for Government, which launched in December 2025, was the first AI platform deployed throughout the department. Joshua Marcuse, director of defense strategy at Google Public Sector, said the workforce uses it for tasks such as coding, designing chips, recruiting, hiring, promotions, retention, finance, cybersecurity and detecting insider threats. 

Marcuse said national security is a passion for people at Google Public Sector, adding, "We're so proud to serve this mission." 

Army Nears Crucial Brain Health Testing Milestone

Sept. 30, 2026 | By Joe Lacdan, War Media Activity |

About 97% of soldiers have used the Neurocognitive Assessment Tool, helping medical professionals combat the effects of blast overpressure and low-level blast exposure, the Army's top leader overseeing safety and occupational health said.

"It demonstrates our commitment to cognitive safety, medical readiness and warfighting capability," said Jordan Gillis, the assistant secretary of the Army for installations, energy and environment.

The War Department established the NCAT as a required cognitive baseline assessment to monitor and track soldiers' brain health and support recovery from traumatic brain injuries.

Soldiers in impacted career fields, including those operating heavy weapons systems such as field artillery, combat engineers and explosive ordnance disposal technicians, must take the assessment under a War Department directive.

Troops in these fields must take the assessment upon entering the military, before deployment and following an injury or suspected concussion. The Army requires soldiers in high-risk military occupational specialties to complete the assessment annually and for all soldiers to take the test every three years.

According to studies published by the National Institutes of Health, continuous exposure to blast shockwaves has been linked to traumatic brain injuries.

As the Army's designated agency safety and health official, or DASHO, Gillis oversees the Army's safety and occupational health program.

The NCAT is part of a broader overpressure program that the Army will soon publish in a servicewide directive, he said. The core tenets of the program include hazard assessment, risk assessment and exposure tracking, risk mitigation, cognitive monitoring, information management, illness and injury reporting, and training and education.

The Army identified blast overpressure and low-level blast exposure as critical occupational safety and health hazards.

"It affects everyone differently," Gillis said. "The takeaway is we are trying to take care of soldiers and monitor their health. And if there is an impact, we'll be able to treat them."

Soldiers from across the force — active duty, Army National Guard and Army Reserve — must complete the NCAT; they began taking it in 2024. To further set an example for soldiers, Gillis recently took the test himself at the Pentagon Special Missions Auxiliary Clinic.

"This was the perfect time to be wearing both my DASHO hat and my Army Reserve hat and to meet the requirement that I have in the reserve [component] but also set the example for everyone across the force," he said.

Gillis, a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve, serves as a field artillery officer, which places him in the high-risk category for blast overpressure effects.

During his years on active duty, he suffered injuries while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, for which he received a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star Medal. He knows firsthand the impact of exposure to heavy weapons fire and improvised explosive devices.

"I am from the era of soldiers who grew up in the height of the global war on terror, and many of us were exposed to blast overpressure through things like IED attacks," Gillis said. "I myself experienced several IED attacks, and so I believe from personal experience that this is important to do."

Gillis said managing soldier cognitive health and preventing potential traumatic brain injury and side effects remains a top readiness priority.

"[The NCAT] is an important part of taking care of soldiers, but what this does is, it sets a baseline for reaction times and for memory," he said. "By establishing a baseline for all soldiers, we're able to monitor brain health, as well as … let medical providers help with treatment, if required."