Latest news with #NDAA
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Military veterans of US' 'toxic soup' Uzbekistan base fighting for proper care 20 years after its shutter
At the former Soviet base-turned-CIA black site and U.S. military base in Uzbekistan, researchers knew early on danger lingered not just from the enemy but from the ground itself. Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, known as K2, was a launchpad for U.S. operations into Afghanistan after 9/11. But for thousands of American troops who served there, it may have been a death sentence. Matthew "Nick" Nicholls, an Army environmental technician and preventive medicine specialist, was part of an early team that assessed the environmental hazards at K2. "It is probably the most toxic soup of chemicals that any service member has ever been exposed to," Nicholls told Fox News Digital. Yellowcake uranium oozed from the ground. Jet fuel and volatile chemicals from decaying Soviet rocket bunkers polluted the soil and air. Dangerous fumes hung over the base like the fog of forgotten war. Nicholls and his team warned commanders, providing recommendations like laying down gravel to suppress toxic dust and restrictions on how long personnel could work in high-risk zones. Some precautions were taken, others weren't. Read On The Fox News App "People that I am friends with are actively dying from cancer right now," Nicholls said. "These are weird ontologies that are striking down people who are very young, people in their 20s, 30s, 40s, in the prime of their life." K2 veterans have reported a disturbing trend of rare and aggressive cancers, reproductive organ diseases, osteoarthritis and sudden, unexplained deaths. Victim Speaks Out After Navy Denies Fuel-contaminated Water Caused Injuries: 'Affected In Nearly Every Way' "These are not the cancers that young people normally get," Nicholls said. "Their stories are not really able to be told. That's the tragedy of it." "These people went there right after 9/11 to avenge the deaths of those who were murdered," Nicholls said. "Yet we had this launching pad in Uzbekistan that was left in such derelict condition by the Soviets." Between 2001 and 2005, more than 15,000 U.S. service members passed through K2. Thousands more served as contractors. Many now find themselves struggling to get adequate medical care or recognition from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The VA recognizes such veterans "may have encountered several hazardous exposures," and the Department of Defense conducted an initial study to look at cancer outcomes. But that study was based only on a few cases of each type of cancer and should not be viewed as "definitive evidence of an association with service at K-2," the VA says. But a spokesperson for Rep. Mark Green said he does not believe these studies were enough, that they did not take the full extent of contamination into account and did not appropriately inform occupants of the base of their exposure risk or account for the full range of diseases that can result from toxic exposures. "That is why Rep. Green's NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act) amendment calls for a new, fully rigorous epidemiological study to cover these blind spots," the spokesperson said. "There are too many unknowns to call it a case closed." Fox News Digital has reached out to the VA for comment. Green, R-Tenn., and Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-Mass., introduced a provision in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act requiring the Pentagon to complete a study on K2 exposure within 180 days. Four years later, that study remains unfinished. "This is unjust," Green told Fox News Digital. "There were repeated warnings that service members were being exposed to toxins, and yet their health and safety were ignored by Pentagon leadership of that day." In a letter first obtained by Fox News Digital that went out late Friday, Green is pressing the Pentagon to complete the long-overdue study, a step he argues is essential to ensure K2 veterans receive the care they deserve. "Because this study has yet to be completed (as far as Congress is aware), many K2 veterans are still waiting to receive much needed care," he wrote. "This is unjust. There were repeated warnings at Camp Stronghold Freedom that servicemembers (sic) were being exposed to toxins, and yet their health and safety were ignored by the Pentagon leadership of that day." The Pentagon told Fox News Digital it would respond to Green privately. 'Like A Car Crash': Navy Fighter Pilot Describes Brain Injury Phenomenon Now At Center Of Congressional Probe In 2024, the VA moved to expand access to disability for K2 veterans and lower the burden of proof for the veterans to link their illnesses to their service. But advocates say it wasn't enough. "The VA is dragging its feet," Green said. "I think it really purely comes down to cost. I get that the VA wants to be judicious, but my God, the numbers here are so convincing. This is long past due." Green has also introduced new legislation requiring the VA to formally recognize links between K2 toxic exposure and diseases like cancer, ensuring affected veterans qualify for care and benefits. Toxins at K2 included petrochemicals, volatile organic compounds, depleted uranium, burn pits and tetrachlorethylene, all chemicals associated with long-term health risks. But K2 veterans are not specifically named in the PACT Act, which expanded coverage for other toxic exposures like Agent Orange and burn pits. Green, a physician and Army veteran, sees disturbing echoes of past delays. Click To Get The Fox News App "Bureaucrats come and go, and bureaucrats have their own agendas," he said. "I want to make sure that it's written in stone and that these guys are not forgotten."Original article source: Military veterans of US' 'toxic soup' Uzbekistan base fighting for proper care 20 years after its shutter
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mobilicom and ARK Electronics Partner to Develop and Launch Cybersecure Solutions for Mass-Market Drone and Robotics Platforms
Partnership combines Mobilicom's groundbreaking OS3 cybersecurity software with ARK's made-in-the-USA, BLUE UAS listed, NDAA compliant, NVIDIA AI-driven hardware ARK joins Mobilicom's booth at XPONENTIAL 2025, a gathering of global leaders and end users in the uncrewed systems and robotics industry, to feature the companies' upcoming joint products First product expected to launch H2 2025 Palo Alto, CA and Salt Lake City, Utah, May 20, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mobilicom Limited (Nasdaq: MOB), a provider of cybersecurity and robust solutions for drones and robotics, and ARK Electronics, a provider of cutting-edge made-in-the-USA technologies for drones, today announced a strategic partnership to jointly develop and offer mass-market, affordable cybersecure solutions for mini and small-sized drones and robotics platforms. The first product under this partnership is expected to launch in the second half of 2025. Mini and small sized drones play a vital role in both commercial and defense markets, representing a $5.8 billion market in 2023, projected to grow at a CAGR of 8.6% to $10.4 billion by 2030. On May 19-22, 2025, ARK joins Mobilicom's booth at XPONENTIAL 2025, where more than 7,500 of the world's top experts in autonomous technology from over 20 industries and 60 countries are coming together to change the course of the industry. 'By combining Mobilicom's OS3 with ARK's made-in-the-USA mission critical hardware, we can offer manufacturers complete solutions for small-sized modern uncrewed systems,' said Oren Elkayam, CEO of Mobilicom. 'With 11 Autonomy and flight computers hardware products on the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Defense Intelligence Unit's Blue UAS Framework, ARK is a leading provider of critical drone and robotics solutions cleared for purchase by the DoD. We are pleased that they have selected our OS3 as their cybersecurity solution.' 'Together, we aim to create scalable, secure, cost-efficient technologies that are suitable for a broad range of programs and procurements from the U.S., Europe, NATO member nations and allies. By partnering with the best in the business in each domain, we at Mobilicom are rapidly expanding our product portfolio, broadening our end-to-end solutions offering, and expanding our addressable markets.' Through this strategic partnership, Mobilicom's OS3 (Operational Security, Safety, and Standards compliance) platform, which provides innovative cybersecurity for next-generation AI-driven drones through continuous monitoring, detection, alarm, and threat prevention, will be combined with ARK's made-in-the-USA, NVIDIA-based, AI-driven drone electronics. As an NVIDIA partner, ARK has a strong track record of launching mass-market, affordable, electronics built on the NVIDIA platform. ARK's hardware is National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) compliant, built in line with U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) objectives for Modular Open Source Architecture (MOSA), based on AUVSI cybersecurity industry standards, and optimized for high-volume mini and small size drones used in first-person view (FPV) and loitering munitions that meet and exceed standards for military, commercial, industrial, and hobbyist markets. Both companies have products on the Blue UAS Framework, which provides a prestigious shortlist of rigorously vetted products available for procurement by the DoD and others. 'Mobilicom is a leader in drone and robotics cybersecurity, and we are very pleased to work with them,' stated Ike Atkinson, Chief Operating Officer of ARK Electronics. 'Their OS3 is the first solution on the market to provide comprehensive security, safety and standard compliance for secure operations of autonomous drones and robots. We are eager to co-develop products that meet the needs of the market and expect to rapidly gain market traction with OEMs that prioritize both performance and security.' About ARK Electronics ARK Electronics is dedicated to designing and manufacturing made-in-the-USA drone electronics with a focus on providing cutting-edge technology through products ranging from autopilots and GPS systems to optical flow sensors and other advanced sensors. About Mobilicom Mobilicom is a leading provider of cybersecure robust solutions for the rapidly growing defense and commercial drones and robotics market. Mobilicom's large portfolio of field-proven technologies includes cybersecurity, software, hardware, and professional services that power, connect, guide, and secure drones and robotics. Through deployments across the globe with over 50 customers, including the world's largest drone manufacturers, Mobilicom's end-to-end solutions are used in mission-critical functions. For investors, please use For company, please use Forward Looking StatementsThis press release contains 'forward-looking statements' that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. For example, forward-looking statements in this press release include statements relating to how the first product under this partnership is expected to launch in the second half of 2025, the expected growth of the mini and small sized drones market, Mobilicom's aim to create scalable, secure, cost-efficient technologies that are suitable for a broad range of programs and procurements from the U.S., Europe, NATO member nations and allies, how Mobilicom is rapidly expanding its product portfolio, broadening its end-to-end solutions offering, and expanding its addressable markets, statement relating to the co-development of products that meet the needs of the market and expectations to rapidly gain market traction with OEMs that prioritize both performance and security. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this press release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as 'anticipate,' 'believe,' 'contemplate,' 'could,' 'estimate,' 'expect,' 'intend,' 'seek,' 'may,' 'might,' 'plan,' 'potential,' 'predict,' 'project,' 'target,' 'aim,' 'should,' 'will' 'would,' or the negative of these words or other similar expressions, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are based on Mobilicom Limited's current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and Mobilicom Limited undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law. For more information on Mobilicom, please contact: Liad GelferMobilicom in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Associated Press
08-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Envirotech Vehicles, Inc. Enters Into Agreement To Receive U.S.-Made Heavy Lift Agricultural Drone And Plans To Commence U.S. Drone Manufacturing
HOUSTON, TX / ACCESS Newswire / May 8, 2025 / Envirotech Vehicles, Inc. (NASDAQ:EVTV) ('Envirotech' or the 'Company') today announced that through its subsidiary, AG Drones Inc. ('AG Drones'), it has entered into a Consulting and Manufacturing Agreement with a U.S. drone manufacturer for the manufacture of a U.S.-made heavy lift drone and that, following delivery of the drone and its associated intellectual property, Envirotech plans to open its previously announced drone manufacturing facility in the United States. The Consulting and Manufacturing Agreement provides for the design and build of a heavy lift U.S.-made electric unmanned aerial system ('UAS') for AG Drones in accordance with AG Drones' detailed specifications. Upon delivering the drone to AG Drones, the design-manufacturer will also transfer all accompanying intellectual property to AG Drones in connection with which Envirotech intends to open its U.S. drone manufacturing facility. The delivery of the heavy lift agricultural drone to AG Drones is part of Envirotech's recently announced plan of creating an electric drone division. The initial heavy lift drone is purpose-built for the agricultural market, with advanced spraying and mapping functionality. U.S. made, with no reliance on Chinese parts, AG Drones will be National Defense Authorization Act ('NDAA') compliant. 'In accordance with Envirotech's plan to create a drone division, the delivery of a heavy lift agricultural drone is a big step forward,' said Jason Maddox, President and Interim Chief Financial Officer of Envirotech. 'Our AG Drones division is expected to build a U.S.-based production facility and begin generating revenue in 2025. We believe that this strategic move will rapidly expand Envirotech's revenue base beyond commercial land-based vehicles this year.' The heavy lift agricultural drone is expected to be delivered to AG Drones during the second quarter of 2025. Business owners and potential strategic partners interested in learning about Envirotech's technology offering are invited to visit the Company's new website and can contact the Company through the website at About Envirotech Vehicles Envirotech Vehicles, Inc. (NASDAQ: EVTV) is a technology company dedicated to revolutionizing the electric vehicle landscape by designing and manufacturing electric commercial vehicles that offer sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective transportation solutions. Committed to driving the future of mobility, Envirotech is pushing the boundaries of innovation and sustainability. For more information, visit Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Statements made in this press release that relate to future plans, events, financial results, prospects, or performance are forward-looking statements. While they are based on the current expectations and beliefs of management, such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations expressed in this press release, including the risks and uncertainties disclosed in reports filed by Envirotech with the Securities and Exchange Commission, all of which are available online at All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including statements containing the words 'will,' 'estimated,' 'planned,' 'expected,' 'believes,' 'strategy,' 'opportunity,' 'anticipated,' 'outlook,' 'designed,' and similar words. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, Envirotech undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, changed circumstances, or unanticipated events. Contact: Envirotech Vehicles, Inc. Merrick Alpert, Chief Communications Officer Telephone: (870) 970-3355 Email: [email protected] SOURCE: Envirotech Vehicles, Inc. press release
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
F-15 Eagles Win Big In Supersized Defense Spending Bill
Tactical airpower, and specifically the F-15E Strike Eagle and F-15EX Eagle II, are big beneficiaries of recently proposed legislation put forward by the Republican leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees. Of the roughly $150 billion in potential extra investments into defense, the spending package includes $7.2 billion set aside for tactical aircraft procurement and modernization. It should be noted that the Democrats still have the opportunity to amend the bill before it is sent to the House Budget Committee, although the packaging of the deal under the 'reconciliation' process is designed to speed its progress and avoid a filibuster. Of the $7.2 billion for tactical airpower, the biggest winner is the F-15EX, with this program earmarked to get an additional $3.1 billion 'to increase production.' The F-15EX, which at this stage of its career is primarily an air superiority platform, was approved for full-rate production in June of last year. Most recently, the Air Force had said it wants to buy 98 F-15EX aircraft, although the numbers have been subject to various changes throughout the life of the program. The 98-aircraft fleet is just about sufficient for five operational squadrons of 18 aircraft, plus a handful of training and test aircraft. Previously, there were plans to cap the number of F-15EXs at 144 jets. We have reached out to the Air Force for clarity on the wording in the bill, since it's not immediately clear if the funds allocated are for additional aircraft production, beyond the 98, or whether they will be used to accelerate production of the aircraft already in the program of record. The unit cost of an F-15EX has been pegged at between $90 and $95 million in recent years. If the money in question is strictly for more airframes, it would buy between 32 and 34 jets, but funds for additional personnel and infrastructure would also have to come from other sources. In addition to being good news for the F-15EX, the proposed spending plan includes $127.46 million 'to prevent the retirement of F–15E aircraft.' What exactly this entails is immediately clear, as the annual defense policy bill, or National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), for the 2025 Fiscal Year, which was signed into law in December 2024, already blocked the retirement of any F-15Es Strike Eagles until October 1, 2027, at the earliest. That came in response to an Air Force plan to retire 119 of its 281 F-15Es, or roughly half of the Strike Eagle fleet, by Fiscal Year 2028, which quickly proved to be controversial, to say the least. The Fiscal Year 2025 NDAA does make exceptions for 'individual F-15E aircraft that the Secretary of the Air Force determines, on a case by case basis, to be no longer mission capable and uneconomical to repair because of aircraft accidents, mishaps, or excessive material degradation and non-airworthiness status of certain aircraft.' Additional funding could help the Air Force pay to maintain the F-15Es it is now legally required to keep in inventory, or avoid divesting individual jets it might otherwise decide are too costly to keep flying. It might also allow the service to upgrade and sustain the aircraft beyond 2027. The F-15Es that had been on the chopping block were the surviving examples powered by the older Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220E turbofan engines, with the remaining 99 aircraft being equipped with more powerful F100-PW-229s. As far as the Air Force is concerned, it needs to retire older F-15Es to help free up resources for its future modernization plans, but lawmakers have been concerned about dwindling numbers of available tactical aircraft if this were to happen. At the same time, the F-15Es are arguably the Air Force's most in-demand tactical jets thanks to their highly desirable blend of speed, range, payload capacity, crew size, and other capabilities. Furthermore, with the F-15EX entering service primarily in the single-pilot air-to-air role, there's no like-for-like replacement in the pipeline. In the meantime, work continues to upgrade the F-15E, with the most significant recent development involving the installation of a sophisticated new radar warning and electronic warfare suite, the AN/ALQ-250 Eagle Passive/Active Warning Survivability System, or EPAWSS, which you can read more about here. Aside from funds for the F-15EX — the Air Force's newest in-service fighter — and the well-established F-15E, the newly proposed spending package also adds funds for next-generation airpower programs. Both the F-47 crewed sixth-generation fighter and the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drone program get more funds to accelerate development and production: $678 million and $400 million, respectively. The Navy's sixth-generation fighter, the F/A-XX, also gets a boost from lawmakers, with another $500 million to accelerate that program. In terms of older assets, the bill on the table now also allocates just over $361 million to prevent the retirement of older block F-22s. Like the F-15E, the F-22 has long been threatened with axing a portion of its fleet as the Air Force seeks to prioritize other programs. In the past, the Air Force has argued that upgrading its 32 older Block 20 F-22s — almost a fifth of the current Raptor fleet — would be prohibitively expensive, but this proposal has been met with notable pushback. Last summer, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) made clear its concerns about the Air Force's plans to discard those older F-22s in a report that we discussed at the time. Beyond tactical jets, the proposed legislation includes $4.5 billion to help accelerate the B-21 Raider stealth bomber program. There has been growing talk in recent months about potentially increasing purchases of the bombers beyond the current program of record for 100 aircraft. This also follows Northrop Grumman's disclosure earlier this month of a $477 million loss on the B-21, which was described as 'largely relating to higher manufacturing costs.' The company announced a nearly $1.2 billion loss on the Radier last year, which was blamed on a combination of 'macroeconomic disruptions' and 'higher [than] projected manufacturing costs.' Elsewhere, the bill includes $440 million to increase C-130J production and $474 million to increase EA-37B Compass Call production. Finally, lawmakers propose to allocate $160 million to accelerate nacelle improvements for the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. Returning to the F-15EX and F-15E portions of the reconciliation bill, there remain questions about exactly how these funds will be used. In particular, there is a lack of clarity about F-15EX production numbers and how long a portion of the F-15E fleet will be protected from retirement. Overall, however, lawmakers have firmly made their position clear when it comes to the continued utility of the two closely related tactical air assets. Contact the author: thomas@
Associated Press
28-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
USNDA Launches DroneWERX White List Program: "The Warfighter's Reddit for Emerging Drone Technologies" Set to Pilot in 2025 Events
WASHINGTON, April 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. National Drone Association (USNDA) today announced the launch of its DroneWERX White List Program, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at breaking down bureaucratic barriers to innovation by directly connecting warfighter-identified challenges to American-made drone and counter-drone solutions from academia, startups, and industry. Nicknamed 'The Warfighter's Reddit,' the USNDA's DroneWERX White List Program reignites and amplifies the success of DroneWERX program originally launched in 2017 as a U.S. Special Operations Command initiative funded through the Special Capabilities Office, reinvigorating a transparent, collaborative ecosystem for sourcing operational problems, crowdsourcing solutions, and accelerating field-ready capabilities—all with the goal of igniting the American drone industrial base and reducing reliance on China's drone supply chain. Accelerating Hands On Evaluation Department of Defense (DoD) programs currently governing small drone acquisition remain complex and restrictive, resulting in a systemic bottleneck. Warfighters across the country are unable to access or experiment with new technologies at the speed of relevance, stifling both operational adaptability and domestic innovation. 'Congress has handed the DoD two difficult simultaneous tasks; to prepare for a drone war with China by 2027, and to develop a strong U.S. drone industrial base' said Nathan Ecelbarger, USNDA President. 'It should not require a General Officer or Senior Acquisitions Manager's signature to allow warfighters to access and train with emerging NDAA compliant, American-made drone technologies while they await final 'approvals'. The DroneWERX White List will give the operational community the technology toolbox they need and clear the runway for innovators—creating transparency and consistency across the board. We look forward to working with our industry, academic, and operational unit partners to spearhead this effort in the State of Florida.' Not a Gating Mechanism — A Live, Open Repository The DroneWERX White List will not be a traditional down-select process or approval threshold. It will be structured as a living, transparent repository that crowdsources feedback from operational end users and creates transparency for problem-solvers with potentially viable solutions. As the DoD works to loosen policy and delegate approvals, operational commanders will have direct access to emerging solutions to integrate into their training and experimentation. There is no 'didn't make the list.' If you: 1) Identify a legitimate operational UxS problem, 2) Offer a solution from academia, startup firms or commercial industry, and 3) Are committed to pursuing NDAA compliance and scaling to meet DoD needs— Then you belong on the list. How the DroneWERX White List Works: Ready to Pilot in 2025 USNDA Drone Crucible In July 2025 the U.S. Army Special Operations Command's 75th Ranger Regiment is set to take on the U.S. Marine Corps Attack Drone Team at the first USNDA Drone Crucible, a closed competition that will bring both mature and early prototype American made drones to the same field, to help the service teams develop TTPs and identify the best emerging technologies. The USNDA will pilot this program directly with Special Operations Command (SOCOM) UxS Task Force as the lead DoD partner, evaluating emerging technology on behalf of operational requirements. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Labs (MIT LL ) will participate as the lead academic partner alongside several other universities, leveraging the SOCOM Ignite model to bring operational prototypes to the field. Timeline of Launch The DroneWERX White List Program initial design architecture will be designed through a hackathon event in partnership with Dr. Eric Schmidt's Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP) during the AI+ Expo for National Competitiveness, taking place June 2–4, 2025 in Washington, D.C. 'The DroneWERX White List is an important step toward highlighting and accelerating the incredible work being done by American industry and academia to restore our national competitiveness. It brings visibility to the innovators who are helping to rebuild a resilient domestic supply chain and reduce our dependence on foreign—particularly Chinese—drone technology. This is exactly the kind of mission-aligned initiative the U.S. needs right now.' - Ylber Bajraktari, Senior Advisor, Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP). The program will enter a live prototyping and collaboration phase over the summer and fall, with a soft launch and public showcase planned during the USNDA National Drone Conference in December 2025 hosted at Full Sail University in Orlando. Set to Pilot in the State of Florida The USNDA has selected the State of Florida to pilot this initiative, given the deep intersection of industry, academia, and DoD stakeholders in the region. 'Under Governor DeSantis' leadership, Florida has become the most military-friendly state in the nation—home to more than 20 major military installations, three combatant commands, and numerous military-friendly universities and industry partners,' said Florida Secretary of Commerce J. Alex Kelly. 'We are committed to establishing Florida as best state in the nation to lead in drone manufacturing and R&D—serving our nation's warfighters and supporting a growing industry creating opportunities for Florida's job seekers and job creators.' 'From talent to technology solutions, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) works to get the best solutions from students and startups from across the country in key technology areas like autonomy. Unmanned systems like drones have changed the battlespace and DIU is excited about this new opportunity to be an onramp to emerging technologies and systems that help provide the lethality our warfighters need."- Beverly Seay, Southeast Regional Director, Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) Supplementing, not Replacing, Critical Vulnerability Analysis The DroneWERX White List program is not designed to be a replacement for critical 'last mile' analysis of systems being recommended and authorized for use in operational contexts. This initiative is recognizes the urgency of democratizing access to operational problems and promising solutions in real time for the purpose of training and evaluation in benign environments, giving operational commanders the ability to go hands on with emerging technology at the speed of relevance. The DroneWERX White List Program aims to become a cornerstone of America's drone modernization strategy and rapid acquisition strategy. Through this new platform, the USNDA is building a resilient and self-reinforcing ecosystem—one that gives the warfighter a voice, the innovator a pathway, and the nation a competitive edge. About the USNDA The U.S. National Drone Association (USNDA) is volunteer-led, mission-driven nonprofit advancing drone innovation, workforce development, and defense-industrial collaboration across the nation. Through its DroneWERX innovation platform, Drone Crucible competitions, and academic-industry partnerships, the USNDA accelerates national competitiveness in drone and counter-drone capabilities. Press and media inquiries can be sent to [email protected] View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE United States National Drone Association
