Leo Ryzhenko

What clearly stood out to me was that this was not a conversation about “shopping for technology.” It was a dialogue about operational reality. Palmer was deeply focused on how combat-proven AI systems are deployed, integrated, and trusted - and how they solve real operational needs in mission environments.

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🇦🇲🛩️ Armenia confirmed its purchase of V-BAT drones — developed by US company Shield AI — during US Vice President JD Vance’s visit to the Caucasus country. Details: 👉 Acquired through the US foreign military sales program 👉 Follows three consecutive years of joint “Eagle Partner” military exercises 👉 Intended to serve as a foundation for deeper cooperation with Washington 💡 The V-BAT is a VTOL drone built for ISR missions.

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U.S. Awards XTEND Contract for AI-Driven Swarm Attack Drones Introduction The U.S. Department of Defense has selected Israeli startup XTEND to develop modular, AI-enabled one-way attack drones tailored for close-quarters combat. This award signals a broader shift toward affordable, autonomous, and swarm-capable systems designed for irregular warfare in dense and complex environments. Key Program Highlights Contract scope and mission profile • XTEND will deliver the Affordable Close Quarter Modular Effects Drone Kit, a VTOL platform with interchangeable munitions and payloads. • Configurations include day/night reconnaissance, reusable distraction devices, inert training munitions, and lethal payloads. • XTEND’s ESAD high-voltage fuse—currently the only U.S.-approved fuse in its class—is integrated into the system. Operational advantages • Designed for confined urban and rural terrain where manned operations are high-risk. • Enables operators to remotely command multiple drones simultaneously, leveraging resilient fiber-optic plus RF communications for zero-latency control. • The system is battle-tested, having been deployed across multiple real-world conflict zones. Scaling U.S. drone capabilities • The U.S. Army aims to scale from purchasing 50,000 drones annually to acquiring millions per year. • Defense leadership emphasizes low-cost loitering munitions to expand “affordable lethality” and match the rapid proliferation seen in Ukraine. • XTEND’s domestic production hub in Tampa strengthens supply-chain sovereignty and accelerates fielding timelines. AI-enabled swarm warfare • XTEND’s XOS operating system integrates sensors, radars, payloads and third-party applications into a unified mission stack. • The contract represents the first global multi-dimensional swarm program where one operator can control multiple autonomous robots from anywhere in the world. • Swarm-based operations improve survivability, precision, and tactical overmatch while minimizing risk to personnel. Why This Matters This contract reflects a fundamental evolution in modern warfighting: drones are becoming the “new bullets,” enabling scalable, precise and cost-effective effects at the tactical edge. XTEND’s swarm-enabled platform strengthens U.S. military lethality, improves operator safety, and aligns with the global move toward distributed robotic warfare. As the U.S. accelerates mass drone adoption, partnerships like this will define the next generation of battlefield dominance. I share daily insights with 33,000+ followers across defense, tech, and policy. If this topic resonates, I invite you to connect and continue the conversation. Keith King https://lnkd.in/gHPvUttw

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WE ARENT THE SAME. Dozens of Flag Officers and hundreds of staff officers spend countless hours crafting airspace deconfliction plans. About two dozen staff officers attempt to deconflict the Electromagnetic spectrum. And the results speak for themselves. 👇👇👇 Association of Old Crows

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Orqa announces global manufacturing program to expand drone production to 1 million units annually. OSIJEK, Croatia, Dec. 23, 2025 Orqa, Europe's leading developer of FPV (first-person view) and unmanned aerial systems (UAS), today announced the launch of its Global Manufacturing Partnership Program, a strategic initiative to expand Orqa's production capacity to more than one million drones per year through collaborations with trusted partners worldwide. Building on its proven ability to produce 280,000 drones annually at its European headquarters in Osijek, Croatia, Orqa is now extending this production model globally through a decentralised network of strategic manufacturing partners. Partnerships are already established across key territories in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific, with additional agreements in progress to further expand Orqa's global footprint. Together, these facilities will form a distributed and resilient production network that meets rising global demand for defence-grade UAS platforms while supporting re-industrialisation and creating high-value manufacturing jobs in local markets. "We are a rapidly growing business with the capacity to produce 280,000 drones at our headquarters alone," said Srdjan Kovacevic, CEO of Orqa. "Our Global Manufacturing Partnership Program extends this capability by enabling allied markets to produce the same high-performance systems using Orqa's standardized components. The agreements we've already secured put us on track to achieve our target capacity of one million drones per year, a significant milestone at a time when global security challenges are evolving rapidly."

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Amazon’s new agentic AI framework lets robots autonomously plan and execute complex logistics tasks, boosting efficiency like never before. https://lnkd.in/ddyJPB_2

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𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗧-𝗕𝗟 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀. ✅ VS✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅✅ We previously compared the T-BL with the American Switchblade 300, the Israeli Hero-30, and the Polish Warmate. The T-BL stands out in terms of versatility, range, payload capacity, ease of operation, swarm coordination capabilities, and optional fiber-optic control. Most importantly, it offers a 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲. 💰vs 💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰💰 When I saw that the Polish Ministry of Defence had signed a framework agreement with the WB Group to procure 10,000 Warmate loitering munitions—at a price several times higher than that of our T-BL—I was genuinely shocked. How are these drones manufactured? Why are the costs so high? We are open to know-how transfer for very strategical partners. Feel free to reach out 🤝 Link: https://lnkd.in/dBJQ5s8H #drone #uav #technology #cooperation #AI #swarm #defense

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ParaZero & Steadicopter Receives Israeli Ministry of Defense Marketing Approval for a fully integrated DropAir- Precision Airdrop System! "Receiving DECA’s export approval is a direct result of our continued efforts to develop and deliver mission-ready aerial solutions,” said Ariel Alon, CEO of ParaZero Technologies Ltd. “This authorization validates the strategic collaboration with Steadicopter, and empowers us to deliver innovative, high-precision aerial solutions for critical missions worldwide—whether saving lives on the battlefield or supporting complex operations in area beyond conventional reach.” “These enhanced capabilities demonstrate our drive to expand the mission potential of unmanned helicopters,” says Noam Lidor, VP Sales, Marketing & Business Development at Steadicopter. The integration between Steadicopter and ParaZero enables precise and safe aerial delivery of life-saving civilian and military equipment to remote and hard-to-reach areas, thanks to Steadicopter’s advanced flight performance. From critical resupply missions to search and rescue support at sea and on land, our systems provide significant value to forces operating in the most demanding environments.” SIBAT - Israel Ministry of Defense DDR&D (MAFAT) Israel Export Institute מכון היצוא Read More>> https://lnkd.in/dhTD3gDT

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Pulsar Fusion Thruster Test Campaign - Data Drop 🎆📊 500W LEOBEAR Hall Effect Thruster (HET) with Krypton Propellant We’re happy to share the results from our recent test firing campaign of our 500W LeoBear Hall Effect Thruster (HET) using Krypton (Kr) as the propellant. Conducted in early July 2025 at PULSAR in Chamber 3, this campaign delivered the following performance metrics, showcasing the potential of our thruster technology. Here’s a look at the key results: 🔹 Thrust: Achieved up to 27.46 mN, with a standout performance at 299.8V and 2.31A with a 24 sccm Kr flow rate. 🔹 Specific Impulse (Isp): Reached a peak of 2149.7 seconds at 299.8V and 2.5A, demonstrating excellent efficiency for long-duration missions. 🔹 Anode Efficiency: Hit a high of 43.66% at 249.8V and 2.29A, highlighting the thruster’s ability to convert power into thrust effectively. 🔹 Power Range: Operated seamlessly between 384W and 749.5W, showcasing versatility across various operating conditions. Our team tackled challenges like sensor resolution and pressure variations, upgrading to a confocal sensor with 0.25 µm resolution for precise measurements. We also made strides in addressing drift issues, ensuring reliable performance. These tests, conducted at flow rates of 16, 20, and 24 sccm, underline the robustness and adaptability of our HET design. This campaign marks a significant step toward our in-orbit demonstration in 2026. Stay tuned as we continue to innovate and publish our data. Note: Data collected on 2-3 July 2025. Cathode data was excluded as we aim to integrate our proprietary solution for total efficiency calculations. PULSAR will shortly be publishing a white paper on this test 📄 #SpaceTech #ElectricPropulsion #HallEffectThruster #KryptonPropellant #PulsarFusion #AerospaceInnovation

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𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐰-𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭! Why? - 1. ParaZero Technologies Ltd. DropAir mechanism enables a low-altitude parachute opening. This brigns forth a simple yet highly effective solution for accurate cargo delivery. 2. The DropAir does not require the host aircraft / drone to land at the delivery spot thus removing the BLOS limitations, ground proximity requirements and most of all survivability. 3. The integration with Steadicopter enables a long range fast cargo delivery capability exceeding current multirotor drones. The rotary UAS capabilites, from low and slow (with consistent hovering) to high and fast produces a wide range of operational capabilites. Amazing job!

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Today we announced new contracts with South Korea and the UAE, along with an MOU for local co-production with Romania. To support upcoming global demand, we’re standing up new regional offices in Europe and Asia. Allied forces are facing a growing threat from weaponized drones. They need solutions that are affordable, scalable, and field-ready. Bullfrog is exactly that: the only viable near-term option for close-in kinetic drone defeat at scale. Soon, Bullfrog will give our partners a new layer of protection. Read more from Colin Demarest in Axios Future of Defense.

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Great to see DDR&D (MAFAT) sharing the latest insights on Israel’s defense-tech and startup ecosystem . Mafat for Startups We’re proud to be part of this journey as DDR&D (MAFAT)’s innovation center and one of the founders and leaders of the SOSA INNOFENSE program. We recently wrapped up Cohort 5, where 10 companies took part and presented impressive POCs, some of which have already evolved — and others will soon evolve — into follow-on projects with the DDR&D (MAFAT) Now, as we move into Cohort 6, we’re excited to see nearly 100 highly promising companies applying, proving that defense-tech is hotter than ever. Out of these, 6–10 companies will be selected by DDR&D (MAFAT) and the IDF branches to join the program. This program is a core vertical of SOSA HLS & Defense innovation activity, alongside our collaborations with partners such as Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, ELTA Systems Ltd, and HTX (Home Team Science & Technology Agency) Singapore. Exciting times ahead for defense-tech in Israel #Defensetech #Innovation #innovation #OpenInnovation #Startups #SOSADefense #INNOFENSE

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New Wartech Order in the Persian Gulf: "Operation Epic Fury" What are the three lessons for war tech investors? Wartech Venture Insights: https://lnkd.in/dQWUQQT4 Credit: Dep of War

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Amplitech Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMPG) has received approval to list its Series A Rights and Series B Rights on the Nasdaq Capital Market, under the symbols #AMPGR and #AMPGZ, respectively.   I am proud of this milestone, and what it represents for AmpliTech as we keep building our RF and microwave components and ORAN 5G network solutions across satellite, telecommunications, space, defense, and quantum computing. These rights give investors a defined way to participate alongside us.   Press release with the full calendar and subscription details: https://lnkd.in/ek2NpTDb  

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𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐰-𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭! Why? - 1. ParaZero Technologies Ltd. DropAir mechanism enables a low-altitude parachute opening. This brigns forth a simple yet highly effective solution for accurate cargo delivery. 2. The DropAir does not require the host aircraft / drone to land at the delivery spot thus removing the BLOS limitations, ground proximity requirements and most of all survivability. 3. The integration with Steadicopter enables a long range fast cargo delivery capability exceeding current multirotor drones. The rotary UAS capabilites, from low and slow (with consistent hovering) to high and fast produces a wide range of operational capabilites. Amazing job! Noam Lidor Oren Aviram Amir Lavi Eliran Fadida Ariel Alon FEMA

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🇪🇪 🇰🇷 South Korean defense industry giant Hanwha Aerospace has announced a major direct investment package of nearly €100 million to support Estonia's defense industry and technological independence. According to the company, the goal is to strengthen Estonia's technological sovereignty and establish a regional center for territorial defense systems in the country. Including associated economic impacts and joint research and development projects, the total value of the package is projected to reach up to €260 million. One of the central elements of Hanwha's investment is a contribution of approximately €25 million toward establishing a 40 mm ammunition production unit in Estonia. The factory is planned to operate in cooperation with a local manufacturer and is expected to have a production capacity of more than 300,000 rounds per year. Just before the turn of the year, Estonia signed a contract worth nearly €290 million with Hanwha Aerospace to purchase at least six Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers, along with three different types of rockets. Last year, Hanwha also delivered six new K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers (full contract total is 36). ERR https://lnkd.in/eJTS9mpg Picture: K9 Thunder. Source: Hendrik Tali/RKIK

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