# Defense Services Expand Unmanned Systems Procurement

The Navy scheduled its classified Global-21 threat briefing at Fort Belvoir for Nov. 13, but registration closed Nov. 6. Separately, the Air Force added approximately $17 million to Joby Aviation’s autonomy work, raising the contract ceiling to $50 million, and the Marine Corps ordered two Textron Systems Ripsaw M3 vehicles for experimentation and integration testing. Leidos also reported a $6.6 billion ceiling across its OTA portfolio. The developments point to continued defense demand for autonomous and unmanned capabilities, but the signal identifies no open solicitation or procurement contact.

- The Joby expansion and Ripsaw order show near-term government activity in air and ground autonomy; firms with relevant capabilities can assess where their products or support services fit into these programs.
- Leidos’ reported OTA portfolio ceiling reflects the scale of activity through that contracting approach, while its CEO said customers are interested in OTAs to field capabilities quickly. Contractors should distinguish this portfolio-wide ceiling from a single available award.
- The Global-21 briefing registration deadline has passed. The signal provides no remaining registration route or open solicitation, so it does not identify a current bid action.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Defense & Military
**Topics:** Contracting Vehicles
**Published:** November 06, 2026

### Government Entities
- United States Navy (Navy)
- United States Air Force (USAF)
- United States Marine Corps (USMC)
- United States Department of Defense (DoD)

### Vendors
- Leidos (OTA contract holder)
- Joby Aviation (Air Force contract recipient)
- Textron Systems (Marine Corps contract awardee)

### Key Quotes
> OTAs are increasingly of interest to our customers as they want to field critical capabilities quickly.
> — Tom Bell, CEO of Leidos

### Sources
- [Defense Watch: Marauder, CVN-65, Leidos OTAs, Joby USAF Contract, S-92 to Korea - Defense Daily](https://www.defensedaily.com/defense-watch-marauder-cvn-65-leidos-otas-joby-usaf-contract-s-92-to-korea/defense-watch) - Defense Daily