Aerospace & Defense

Scottsdale – October 15, 2026 -- Federal agencies added more than 22,000 Axon body-worn cameras and digital evidence management licenses this year, the Nasdaq-listed public safety technology company said in announcing a set of recent federal contract awards.

DHS selects Dedrone platform for counter-drone work under IDIQ contract

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) chose Axon's Dedrone platform under an indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract. The platform will deliver real-time airspace monitoring, drone identification and threat mitigation for critical infrastructure protection. Axon did not disclose the contract value or ceiling.

VA adds more than 1,600 TASER 10 devices for police at medical centers

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) added more than 1,600 TASER 10 devices to begin equipping VA police officers. The officers protect medical centers, veterans and healthcare staff.

Boston – October 15, 2026 -- The United States Air Force has extended its use of PTC's Servigistics service supply chain optimization solution under its Enterprise Supply Chain Analysis, Planning, and Execution (ESCAPE) program, PTC (NASDAQ: PTC) announced. The renewal continues a relationship that is nearly a decade old and centers on modernizing the Air Force service supply chain and improving aircraft and system readiness.

Air Force first selected Servigistics in 2017 for global service parts planning

The Air Force chose Servigistics in 2017 to transform service parts planning across its global supply chain. Its use has since expanded to cover more sophisticated planning and optimization requirements, consolidate legacy systems, and modernize the supply chain planning environment.

Houston – – October 15, 2026 -- Bristow Group (NYSE: VTOL) has appointed Paul Armstrong as incoming Chief Operating Officer, Government Services, with a start date of February 22, 2027, to succeed retiring COO Alan Corbett.

Armstrong to join Bristow in February 2027 and work from the United Kingdom

Armstrong is expected to start after completing his current professional commitments. He will be based in the United Kingdom.

Corbett stays through March 2027 to run the handover

Corbett, who had previously announced his retirement, will remain with the company throughout the transition period, anticipated through March 2027. The overlap with Armstrong's start date is about five weeks. Bristow says the arrangement is meant to ensure continuity for customers, employees and other stakeholders.

Anaheim – October 15, 2026 -- Crest Coating, Inc. has earned AS9100D certification from Amtivo after an eight-month effort to build a quality system to aerospace standards. The Southern California coating specialist can now pursue aerospace and defense work that commonly requires the credential.

Certification covers five coating processes

The certification applies to powder, Teflon, Xylan®, Halar® and BCS bakeware coatings. CEO Jeff Erickson said the certified work is backed by documented traceability, disciplined inspection and processes designed to catch problems before parts reach customers.

Dallas – October 14, 2026 -- Lockheed Martin plans to create 6,000 jobs across the United States, including 2,000 in Texas, as it expands advanced manufacturing capacity for critical munitions. The company is investing $300 million at its Grand Prairie, Texas, operation and growing the site's footprint to more than 735,000 square feet.

Grand Prairie expansion adds 100,000 square feet of new space

The build-out includes 100,000 square feet of new space and 85,000 square feet of office space being converted for advanced manufacturing. The added room will support automation, digital manufacturing and high-precision machining.

Waltham – October 14, 2026 -- Beacon Interactive Systems CEO and Co-founder ML Mackey has been named to the newly formed Massachusetts Small Business Development Center (MSBDC) Statewide Advisory Council, the company announced.

Council forms under MSBDC's five-year strategic plan

The council brings together business, government, economic development and community leaders. It will advise MSBDC leadership on the emerging needs of small businesses, opportunities for collaboration and programs that support industry growth. Its work will guide the MSBDC's support for entrepreneurs and growing businesses across the Commonwealth.

Mackey said turning a promising idea into a sustainable business takes more than ingenuity, citing the need for guidance, connections and opportunities at each stage of growth. She pointed to the stage when new technologies move beyond the prototype into real-world use.

Delray Beach – October 14, 2026 -- The global drone detection market is estimated at USD 1.14 billion in 2026 and is projected to reach USD 3.34 billion by 2031, a CAGR of 24.0%, according to MarketsandMarkets. The forecast implies the market nearly triples over five years as operators seek to track small and low-flying drones around sensitive sites.

Multi-sensor architectures are the fastest-growing system type

Multi-sensor systems are the fastest-growing segment by architecture. Operators combine radar, RF, EO/IR and acoustic inputs to detect different drone signatures and offset the limits of any single sensor. Adoption spans military, airport and critical infrastructure applications.

Dallas – October 14, 2026 -- XTI Aerospace (Nasdaq: XTIA) has appointed Dr. Allan Evans, CEO of rival-sector drone firm Unusual Machines (NYSE American: UMAC), as director and Chairman of its Board, returning the board to five members.

Jonathan Ornstein has been designated Vice Chairman in connection with the appointment. XTI is the parent company of Drone Nerds, LLC, a drone solutions platform serving commercial, enterprise and government customers.

Evans brings drone supply chain and executive experience from three companies

Evans, 43, has served as CEO and director of Unusual Machines since December 2023. From 2021 to 2023 he was Chief Operating Officer of Red Cat Holdings. He previously led Fat Shark as CEO from 2017 until Red Cat acquired it in 2020. He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Olathe, Kan. – October 14, 2026 -- More than 2,500 aircraft are now equipped with Garmin Autoland, just over six years after the system's first certification, Garmin (NYSE: GRMN) announced. The technology is available on more than 15 aircraft models, spanning piston-powered aircraft and twin-engine jets.

Garmin describes Autoland as the world's first certified autonomous system that activates in an emergency to control and land an aircraft without human intervention. It has won the Robert J. Collier Trophy.

Four 2026 certifications extend Autoland into twin-engine jets

Autoland was first certified in May 2020 on the Piper M600 SLS. In 2026 alone, it gained certification on four more models: the HondaJet Elite II, Embraer Phenom 300EV, Pilatus PC-12 PRO and Epic E1000 AX.

Golden, Colorado – October 14, 2026 -- PlanetiQ's GNOMES-10 satellite launched October 1 at 11:32 a.m. PDT aboard SpaceX's Transporter-18 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base, expanding the company's commercial GNSS radio occultation (GNSS-RO) constellation. Partner ground stations established first contact soon after launch, and spacecraft commissioning began immediately.

GNOMES-10 carries fourth-generation Pyxis receiver built in Golden

The satellite carries PlanetiQ's fourth-generation Pyxis GNSS-RO receiver, built and tested at the company's Golden facility. Pyxis combines a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), high-rate signal sampling, precise timing and an advanced antenna design to retrieve detailed atmospheric profiles from each radio occultation event.