# Defense Agencies Advance Emerging Weapons Programs

The Navy is considering commercial leases for some medium unmanned surface vessels (MUSVs), while Army programs are advancing electronic-warfare, counter-UAS, and directed-energy prototypes. On September 30 (year not specified), the Army awarded five Other Transaction Authority agreements totaling **$66.6 million** for space-related electronic-warfare prototypes. Northrop Grumman also received an **$18.8 million** award for counter-UAS interceptor propulsion, and a planned December directed-energy shoot-off could lead to production contracts worth more than **$200 million**. Shield AI’s X-BAT is also associated with an emerging production and testing footprint in Utah and Kansas.

- The Army prototype awards create near-term work for the five selected firms and potential subcontracting opportunities in electronic-warfare systems supporting counter-surveillance and reconnaissance for space operations.
- The directed-energy shoot-off is a possible gateway to more than $200 million in production work; relevant suppliers can assess how their systems and capabilities align with the Army’s test and follow-on production needs.
- Northrop Grumman’s propulsion award and the Navy’s consideration of commercial MUSV leasing point to opportunities in counter-UAS technology and commercial maritime services, respectively. The signals do not identify a solicitation or response deadline.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Topics:** Contracting Vehicles
**Published:** October 02, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Army (Army)
- U.S. Navy (Navy)
- U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)

### Vendors
- Northrop Grumman (awardee)
- Kellogg Brown & Root (awardee)
- Ideas, Commitment, Results (awardee)
- RTX (awardee)
- Shield AI ()

### Key Quotes
> While Sightline has developed powerful target recognition capabilities through AiTR, mission-specific performance ultimately depends on access to mission-specific data.
> — Stephen Bornstein, Chief Product Officer at Sightline Intelligence

### Sources
- [Defense Watch: Possible MUSV Lease, CBO and Golden Dome, X-BAT Sites - Defense Daily](https://www.defensedaily.com/defense-watch-possible-musv-lease-cbo-and-golden-dome-x-bat-sites/defense-watch) - defensedaily.com