DEFENSE PULSE Weekly \\ 0090

Army cancelled planned M1A2 SEPv4 upgrade and approved M1E3 Engineering Change Proposal in FY2026 acquisition program, officially designating next Abrams variant as fifth-generation tank incorporating AbramsX demonstrator technologies. The $2.9 billion seven-year redesign reverses decades of weight growth through 10-ton reduction achieved via unmanned turret reducing crew from four to three soldiers, while hybrid-electric propulsion delivers 50% fuel efficiency gains over current gas turbine powerpack. Advanced networking enables manned-unmanned teaming and AI-assisted threat detection, with autoloader integration enhancing survivability against top-attack threats.

Army leaders concluded SEPv4's incremental approach would have added weight and complexity without delivering operational flexibility required for sensor-saturated battlefields where thermal, acoustic, and electromagnetic signatures determine survivability. M1E3 positions the platform as digitally connected combat node capable of dominating high-intensity conflicts against advanced adversaries through 2030s, addressing lessons from Ukraine where mobility constraints and detection vulnerabilities limit legacy armor effectiveness. Decision follows 2019 Army Science Board study recommending fundamental redesign over continued upgrades to aging M1A2 architecture.

\\ Army Recognition

PowerLight's laser power beaming system passed development milestone enabling continuous in-flight drone recharging through ground-to-air wireless power transmission at 5,000 feet. Ground-based autonomous laser transmitter uses optical tracking to maintain alignment with 6-pound airborne receiver converting laser energy to electricity for continuous battery recharging during flight. Eliminates landing vulnerability for battery recharge in contested environments where "platform that doesn't need to land is one that never blinks.” Flight demonstrations on K1000ULE drone early 2026 under CENTCOM PTROL-UAS program designed for forward-deployed mobile operations.

Danish startup Acodyne developing autonomous eVTOL cargo aircraft family carrying 100-500kg payloads at 450 km/h cruise speeds over 500km ranges using fixed-wing ducted-fan design. eThor AI suite enables autonomous flight without onboard pilots, targeting "middle-mile" logistics between short-range drones and conventional cargo aviation. Modular design accommodates standard cargo units or mission-specific payloads operating from helipads and clearings without runways.

GPS interference incidents triggered quantum navigation research acceleration. Multiple companies exploiting the quantum nature of light and atoms to build ultra-sensitive sensors enabling satellite-independent navigation. Infleqtion tested quantum gyroscopes and accelerometers on British military aircraft plus Tiqker atomic clock on US Army vehicles, drones, and submarines. DARPA and Defense Innovation Unit awarded contracts in August preparing for operational deployment, with Q-CTRL's machine learning-enhanced magnetometers achieving 94x accuracy improvement over strategic-grade inertial systems in Cessna trials by filtering vehicle noise from Earth's magnetic field variations.

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