Military Vehicles, Ordnance, Munitions, Ammunition & Small Arms

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Army unveiled a $253 billion budget request aimed at accelerating a sweeping transformation of the force, focusing on developing next-generation weapons, strengthening its industrial base, and improving quality-of-life for Soldiers, all while committing to greater fiscal responsibility.

"This budget reflects the Army’s steadfast commitment to ensuring it remains the world’s most capable and ready land force," said Maj. Gen. Rebecca McElwain, Director of the Army Budget.

The request seeks funding increases across personnel, operations, procurement, and research to build a more lethal and agile force prepared for future conflicts. Army leaders framed the budget as a crucial investment in keeping a competitive edge and ensuring peace through strength. It directly supports the core defense priorities of rebuilding the military, reestablishing deterrence, restoring the warrior ethos, and driving fiscal reform.

The Army stressed that its "greatest asset" remains the American Soldier. The budget proposes a 5.3 percent increase in military personnel funding, with reconciliation, supporting a five to seven percent pay raise for all service members and an end-strength growth of 18,300 Soldiers across the active and reserve components.

A central theme of the budget is also "transformation," which includes aggressively reforming the acquisition process to get technology into Soldiers' hands faster. The plan calls for a 28.7 percent discretionary increase in procurement funding, including a $3.1 billion request to modernize the Army’s government-owned Organic Industrial Base sites, which are critical to munitions and equipment production.

The request also boosts the research and development discretionary budget by 12.9 percent to keep a technological advantage. Key investments include funds for the MV-75 Cheyenne tilt rotor aircraft, the advanced M1E3 Abrams tank, Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-sUAS), and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.

Amid the proposed budget increases, Army officials emphasized commitment to fiscal responsibility and accountability. They highlighted acquisition reforms and technological efforts to drive efficiency and ensure every dollar is spent effectively.

“This budget was forged to meet the challenges of a complex global security environment all while honoring our commitment to our people and the American taxpayer," said McElwain. "Every dollar in this request is deliberately allocated to create a more lethal, modern, and resilient force."

Source: U.S. Army
Associated URL: https://www.army.mil/article/291830/army_unveils_fy27_budget_request_focused_on_soldiers_and_transformation

POINT MUGU SEA RANGE, Calif. - The U.S. Navy successfully demonstrated the new GBU-75 Joint Direct Attack Munition Long Range (JDAM-LR), a standoff strike weapon designed to extend the reach of carrier-based fighter aircraft. Deployed from an F/A-18 Super Hornet at the Point Mugu Sea Range in California, the munition builds upon existing Boeing-developed JDAM guidance kits by incorporating a Kratos turbojet engine and Ferra Engineering deployable wings. This propulsion upgrade extends the precision-guided weapon's range from approximately 15 nautical miles to hundreds of miles, while still allowing for rapid integration with existing JDAM-capable aircraft.

During the flight demonstrations earlier this month, the JDAM-LR validated safe aircraft separation, controlled flight, and system compatibility. In an April 1 test, the weapon traveled approximately 200 nautical miles in 34 minutes and struck within meters of its target, followed by a separate maneuvering and altitude test on April 3. Navy and Boeing officials noted that the system provides a low-cost, mass-producible long-range strike capability that builds on existing inventory, allowing pilots to engage targets from safer distances in contested environments. The program is now advancing through additional testing and integration toward operational deployment.

Source: Defense News
Associated URL: https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2026/04/21/us-navy-successfully-tests-new-long-range-winged-jdam-out-to-200-miles

TEL AVIV, Israel - The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have employed the Ro’em 155mm self-propelled howitzer for the first time to support operational missions in Lebanon.

The IDF’s 282nd Artillery Brigade used the howitzer to hit targets in southern Lebanon in recent weeks amid wider IDF operations against the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. According to the military, the howitzer successfully targeted Hezbollah’s rocket and anti-tank positions.

Ro’em, also known as SIGMA 155, entered service last year. The Elbit Systems-made wheeled howitzer is fully automated and can hit targets up to 40 kilometers away.

Israel plans to gradually replace its M109 tracked howitzers with the system. The IDF presently has around 250 M109s in service.

Source: Defence Blog
Associated URL: https://defence-blog.com/israel-uses-roem-howitzer-in-first-combat-strikes-in-lebanon/