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The Pentagon finalized a $281 million no-bid consulting contract in June with Alvarez & Marsal Federal, an affiliate of the private equity firm where a senior Defense Department official, George K. Kollitides II, was a partner for nearly a decade, according to government procurement records reviewed by ProPublica.

Kollitides is the head or holds a senior role in the office that the contract advises. The deal is the second of two contracts that since December have awarded almost $350 million in military spending to Alvarez & Marsal entities — about five times more than the firm had received from all U.S. agencies combined in the two decades before President Donald Trump returned to office, according to federal spending data.

The contracts were signed under an unusual contracting method the Defense Department uses to fund experimental weapons, work that Alvarez & Marsal has never claimed to do, records show. Kollitides was listed on an April securities filing as continuing to work for his old company as a senior adviser, months after he started at the Pentagon. It is unclear if he will benefit financially from the contracts; his employment is under a special classification that allows him to keep his financial disclosures confidential.

Ethics experts said it is generally illegal for executive branch officials to play a role in awarding contracts that would directly affect their own finances, unless they were granted a waiver.

“It looks way too cozy to be legitimate. I think taxpayers should be appalled,” said Virginia Canter, a former federal government ethics lawyer. “There are a million consulting firms in D.C. and New York. Why would you sole-source this contract? They’re not sending replacement parts for a ship that is sinking.”

After ProPublica sent questions to the Pentagon, Kollitides and both Alvarez & Marsal entities, A&M Capital said Kollitides had stopped working there days earlier. The firm said it is “separately capitalized and separately managed” from the consulting business, and that none of Kollitides’ work related to the defense industry or his government service. The consulting business did not answer questions, including how it learned of the contract opportunity and what services it provides.

Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Jacob Bliss said in a statement that Kollitides “is in full compliance with all ethical laws and regulations. Any claims otherwise are false.”

The Pentagon did not respond to a question about whether Kollitides played a role in securing the contracts. The Wall Street Journal on Thursday reported the existence of some of the Alvarez & Marsal contracting.

Sources: DVIDS News · Defense News

BAE Systems has received a contract to produce electronic warfare systems for the F-35’s Block 4 upgrade, according to Air & Space Forces Magazine. The award covers work on the fighter’s electronic warfare suite, a core component of the Block 4 modernization package for the stealth aircraft.

The contract was reported on Oct. 9, 2026. Specific dollar amounts and delivery quantities were not disclosed in the available source material. The Block 4 upgrade is a major capability refresh for the F-35, encompassing improvements to sensors, computing, and electronic warfare systems.

The F-35A has gained customers in Europe, and the Middle East represents a potential new market, according to Shephard Media. A proposed Saudi Arabian purchase of 48 stealth fighters could signal a broader regional opportunity for the F-35 as European programmes mature, the outlet reported.

In a separate development, the U.S. Army’s Combat Training Centers (CTCs) are set to discuss how they integrate emerging technology like small unmanned aerial systems, robotics, and electronic warfare into training scenarios at the Association of the U.S. Army’s annual conference in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 13, according to DVIDS News. The CTCs include the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany; the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, California; the Joint Readiness Training Center in Fort Polk, Louisiana; and U.S. Army Pacific’s Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center.

Brig. Gen. Terry Tillis, commanding general of 7th Army Training Command, said the centers apply lessons observed into lessons learned and rapidly iterate on current capability and innovation efforts to increase the rate of learning for rotational training units. “We replicate the most challenging threat that they will face on the battlefield, iteration after iteration, to ensure that no Soldier or formation goes to combat untrained,” Tillis said.

The CTCs are evolving with the changing character of warfare, incorporating lessons from Ukraine, Africa, and U.S. Central Command into realistic, multi-domain training environments, Tillis said. The opposing forces at the centers are the driving force in experimentation, he added.

Separately, AEVEX Maritime Systems has delivered 350 vessels of the Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC), now called LYNX, a U.S. Navy Program of Record, according to Breaking Defense. The company is revamping the vessels to increase the communications and navigation solution, Craig Anders, senior vice president of growth at AEVEX, told the outlet.

Sources: DVIDS News · Shephard Media

The U.S. Coast Guard announced Oct. 9 that it is purchasing four MQ-9B long-range unmanned aircraft systems, along with ground control stations and supporting equipment, for $247.8 million. The order marks the service’s first acquisition of MQ-9B drones.

The aircraft will support offshore surveillance, search and rescue operations and counter-drug trafficking missions, the Coast Guard said in a news release. They are not expected to carry weapons, a service spokesperson told Breaking Defense.

“The MQ-9B long-range unmanned aircraft systems will expand our reach and strengthen our ability to protect the nation,” Anthony Antognoli, assistant commandant and program executive officer for robotics and autonomous systems, said in a statement. “This investment will give Coast Guard crews a longer-range view of our maritime domain, helping them detect threats earlier, make better-informed decisions and act faster across our missions.”

Funding for the purchase came from the FY25 reconciliation package, which included nearly $25 billion for the Coast Guard, along with FY26 appropriations, the service said. The Coast Guard first revealed plans to buy the drones last year, using funding from President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” passed in July 2025, according to Military Times.

The Coast Guard has previously flown U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s MQ-9A drones for operations out of Texas. In FY26, those aircraft supported CBP in seizing 60,700 pounds of illegal drugs and apprehending roughly 20 smugglers, the Coast Guard said.

General Atomics, which builds the MQ-9B SeaGuardian, says the aircraft is designed for maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions lasting more than 30 hours, with a mission radius of roughly 1,200 nautical miles.

Sources: Naval News · Breaking Defense

Commercial ships have been struck in the Strait of Hormuz nearly every day this month, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Between Oct. 1 and Tuesday, nine ships—mostly crude oil tankers—were hit in the strait or off the coast of Oman, the IMO said. Two additional ships have been struck since, with one hit on Wednesday and another on Friday, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

Wednesday’s attack was on an unnamed tanker off the coast of Madinat ash Shamal, Qatar, in the Persian Gulf. Friday’s attack was on an unnamed vessel, according to UKMTO.

The attacks come as the U.S. and Iran have been engaged in indirect talks for the first time since a memorandum of understanding struck in June fell apart, according to War on the Rocks. On Oct. 8, U.S. President Donald Trump said “productive discussions” were underway. Tehran has offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within a week, but traffic through the chokepoint has trended upward, and Iran is demanding upfront financial returns, which the Trump administration sees as far from satisfactory, the analysis said.

The heightened rate of attacks in recent days is likely Tehran’s way of signaling it can still inject more volatility into the market, according to War on the Rocks, but that won’t be enough to force Washington into accepting Iranian terms. The analysis also noted that a window of opportunity for Iran will soon close, as the Trump administration is less likely to feel pressure to address high oil prices and an unpopular war after the midterm elections on Nov. 3.

In a separate development, the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln returned home Oct. 9 after a long deployment, with families watching as the ship arrived, according to Military.com.

Sources: Military.com · War on the Rocks

The Pentagon has awarded Raytheon a five-year contract valued up to $6.3 billion for the production and sustainment of Standard Missile-3 Block IB (SM-3 IB) interceptors, the company announced Thursday. The contract includes two additional option years.

The deal, signed between Raytheon and the Department of War, supports replenishment of missile defense inventory that has been used in combat, according to a Raytheon press release. Production will be primarily completed at Raytheon facilities in Tucson, Arizona, and Huntsville, Alabama.

“SM-3 Block IB has proven its relevance in combat and this contract helps ensure we can replenish inventories and keep pace with the evolving threats the U.S. Navy, MDA and their partners face around the world,” Raytheon President Phil Jasper said in a statement.

The SM-3 Block IB is a ship-and land-based missile defense interceptor designed to defeat short-to intermediate-range ballistic missiles during the midcourse phase of flight. It uses a “hit-to-kill” method, destroying targets with sheer speed and momentum rather than explosives. The interceptor tracks targets with a two-color infrared seeker and propels itself in short bursts, according to Defense News.

The interceptor was first used in combat in 2024, when U.S. Navy destroyers USS Arleigh Burke and USS Carney fired them to intercept Iranian missiles aimed at targets in Israel, Defense News reported. It is an integral part of the U.S. Navy’s extended-range integrated air and missile defense, together with the SM-3 IIA and the rest of the Standard Missile Family, per Raytheon.

The contract is among five framework agreements Raytheon signed with the Pentagon this February, according to Defense News. The Center for Strategic and International Studies named the SM-3 Block IB among “seven critical munitions” in an April report detailing ammunition shortages, alongside Patriot missiles, Precision Strike Missiles, THAAD missiles, Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles and others.

RTX has made significant investments to expand capacity and accelerate production of critical munitions including the Standard Missile Family, the company said.

Sources: Naval News · Defense News

A total of 81 U.S. military aircraft have been destroyed or damaged during the ongoing war with Iran, according to a new report by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. The losses are valued at up to $3.3 billion, the report states.

The losses come amid growing concerns about the escalating cost of the war, which has exceeded seven months, per Military.com.

In related news, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9 concluded a 10-month combat deployment aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) on Oct. 8, according to DVIDS. The air wing, which embarked Nov. 21, 2025, served as the primary offensive power for the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group during Operation Epic Fury in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

Over the course of the deployment, the air wing completed 14,037 aircraft sorties and accumulated 31,460 forward-deployed flight hours, per DVIDS. Operation Epic Fury was initiated under a direct presidential order Feb. 28. In response, CVW-9 launched into a 38-day air and sea campaign, expending 1,499 precision weapons and delivering over 1.37 million pounds of ordnance against U.S. Central Command priority targets, before an early April ceasefire.

“The rapid mobilization and combat execution of CVW-9 during Operation Epic Fury demonstrated the unmatched flexibility of a U.S. Navy carrier strike group,” said Navy Capt. J.W. Stigi, commander of CVW-9, in a statement. “Pairing fifth-generation F-35C stealth and sensor fusion with fourth-generation workhorse strike and electronic attack platforms, Team Shogun destroyed Iran’s conventional Navy and secured vital maritime chokepoints in support of our commander’s objectives.”

Meanwhile, the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) and destroyer USS Delbert D. Black (DDG-119) departed Thursday from Phuket, Thailand, following a port visit that began on Sunday, per USNI News. Phuket was the carrier’s first port visit since it deployed in March from Norfolk, Va. For the last six months, the carrier and its strike group have supported Operation Epic Fury and the U.S. naval blockade in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

Separately, three Soldiers with the 6th Battalion, 56th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division Artillery, received the Purple Heart medal on Oct. 1 at Fort Hood, Texas, for their actions during a missile attack at Prince Sultan Air Base in Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia, on March 27, per DVIDS. Sgt. Xavier Jones, Staff Sgt. Kalob Mitchell and Spc. Nicholas Cabo rushed to Bunker 100 after the “Alarm Red” warning sounded; seconds later, a 550-pound ballistic missile exploded yards from the bunker, throwing them from their position and knocking all three unconscious. Despite their own injuries, they applied tourniquets, treated another Soldier with a neck injury and helped evacuate the bunker. The Purple Heart approvals were approved by the Department of the Army July 17.

Sources: Military.com · USNI News

The U.S. will livestream the Army’s upcoming firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan, who killed 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas, in a 2009 shooting spree, a Pentagon official said on Oct. 8, 2026. The execution is scheduled for Dec. 3.

Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, is set to become the first person executed by firing squad by the U.S. military since 1945, shortly after the end of World War II, according to the sources. The Pentagon official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, did not offer more information and said details would follow.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier told the Human Events Daily that the execution would be livestreamed, according to the sources. The military hasn’t executed a service member by firing squad since World War II, Military.com reported.

Vice President JD Vance cast doubt on Friday whether the Pentagon will livestream the execution, but told reporters that if it is livestreamed, “I’m not going to be watching it.”

Hasan was convicted of killing 13 people and wounding 31 in a November 2009 shooting spree at Fort Hood, according to the sources.

Sources: Army Times · Navy Times

Galvion, a manufacturer of soldier power and data management systems, announced on October 7, 2026, the launch of its new Nerv Centr SoloPack Arctic, an extreme-cold rechargeable battery designed for Arctic operations. The battery will make its debut at AUSA 2026 in Washington, D.C., from October 12–14.

The SoloPack Arctic was developed in collaboration with South 8 Technologies and is the first product from a partnership announced in November 2025. It integrates South 8’s ARCTIC AE35 18650 cell, which uses the company’s LiGas liquefied gas electrolyte technology. The cell is engineered to deliver power across a temperature range of -60°C to +60°C (-76°F to +140°F).

The battery retains the 98Wh form factor of Galvion’s original SoloPack battery. It weighs 1.2 lbs (544 g) and has an energy density of 178 Wh/kg.

According to Galvion, the AE35 cell also demonstrated in cell-level ballistic penetration testing the ability to evacuate electrolyte following penetration, reducing burn duration to seconds at the individual cell level and reducing the risk of propagation to adjacent cells.

Initial quantities of SoloPack Arctic will be deployed in upcoming U.S. Army field evaluations, including U.S. Army DEVCOM and the International Cooperative Engagement Program for Polar Research (ICE-PPR)’s Operation Mjölnir.

Jonathan Blanshay, founder and executive chairman of Galvion, said: “Arctic readiness is becoming an increasingly important requirement for the U.S. and allied forces, and reliable power is fundamental to operating effectively in those environments. Extreme cold exposes the limitations of equipment that performs well under normal conditions, so we need to ensure that the technologies soldiers depend on are ready to perform wherever the mission takes them.”

Sources: Canada DND Newsroom · Canadian Army Today

Canada’s military is publicly prioritizing counter-drone capabilities, with officials describing the threat as critical as warfare evolves. The Government of Canada has reopened its Defence Drone Initiative Marketplace (DDIM) Request for Supply Arrangement (RFSA), allowing more Canadian companies to pre-qualify to supply autonomous systems capabilities and related services, according to a DND news release from October 7, 2026.

The announcement came during a visit by Minister of National Defence David J. McGuinty and Premier of Alberta Danielle Smith to Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Edmonton on October 7, 2026, to highlight defence investments across Alberta. The ongoing investments are worth approximately $8 billion, the department said.

That total includes nearly $4 billion to support future fighter capabilities at CFB Cold Lake; $750 million for a new Chemical and Biological Laboratory and Blast Assessment Centre at CFB Suffield; $550 million to establish the western operating base for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) CC-330 Husky fleet; and over $580 million over the next three years for maintenance and repair work across CAF bases in Alberta. The investments are estimated to support approximately 29,000 to 38,000 jobs in Alberta over the next five to 10 years, DND said.

Minister McGuinty also announced over $8 million for seven projects to be administered through Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) under the Regional Defence Investment Initiative (RDII), the Regional Tariff Response Initiative, and the Regional Innovation Ecosystems program. The RDII is a $379.2 million, three-year national initiative, DND said. To date, 30 Alberta-based companies have qualified as trusted suppliers under the DDIM, according to the department.

Separately, the Canadian Army has been expanding its use of Cloud TAK, a software suite for situational awareness, personnel and platform tracking, geospatial mapping, and command and control. Beginning in May, first responders across federal and provincial governments will have access to a cloud-based version known as GUARD, or Government Unified Architecture for Response and Defence, according to Canadian Army Today. Shared Services Canada will maintain and deliver GUARD as a service, enabling shared development and broader availability for domestic response partners.

Cloud TAK was launched by the Army as a trial edge network for the opposition force in a brigade exercise in 2023 and has since become a deployed capability on domestic operations, including providing a common operating picture to CAF members and provincial firefighters on Operation Lentus, Canadian Army Today reported. It is also poised to become an additional tool for the Canadian-led multinational brigade in Latvia.

In a related development, AtkinsRéalis and DRAKKAR signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on October 7, 2026, during DEFSEC Atlantic in Halifax, to explore strategic collaboration in support of Canadian defence programs. The companies, both Montreal-headquartered, said they aim to explore made-in-Canada defence solutions across air, land and maritime domains, including acquisition, modernization, mobilization, in-service support, and long-term sustainment of complex defence platforms.

The military’s focus on counter-drone capabilities reflects a broader shift toward addressing evolving threats, with Canada’s military stating that countering drones is critical as warfare evolves.

Sources: Canada DND Newsroom · Canadian Army Today

France conducted the first at-sea firing of its latest submarine-launched ballistic missile on Tuesday. The French Navy’s nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine SNLE Le Vigilant ( S618) launched an M51.3 SLBM — minus its nuclear warhead — off the coast of Finistère, France, according to the French Ministry of the Armed Forces and Veterans Affairs.

The missile landed in the North Atlantic, several hundred kilometers from any coastline, the ministry said in a news release. The launch was the first time the M51.3 had been launched from a submerged SSBN. The M51.3 entered operational service on Oct. 24, 2025.

In other naval news, the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Arleigh Burke ( DDG 51) entered a dry dock at Navantia Shipyard in Cadiz, Spain, on Oct. 8, 2026, according to U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. Sixth Fleet. The dry docking marked the first time a U.S. Navy warship had undergone dry docking in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations since the arrival of Forward Deployed Naval Forces-Europe destroyers, the Navy said. It expands forward-deployed maintenance capability and readiness generation.

The U.S. Department of War and the Missile Defense Agency have awarded Raytheon a multiyear contract worth up to $6.3 billion to build and sustain Standard Missile-3 Block IB interceptors, the ship- and land-launched missiles the U.S. Navy uses to shoot down ballistic missiles in space. The contract runs five years with two additional option years, and was issued as an undefinitized contract action, letting Raytheon start work immediately while final terms are negotiated. Production will take place mainly at Raytheon plants in Tucson, Arizona, and Huntsville, Alabama. The SM-3 Block IB was first used in combat in April 2024, when U.S. Navy ships intercepted Iranian ballistic missiles fired at Israel. Raytheon said the award supports urgent replenishment of missile defense stocks drawn down in combat.

Raytheon President Phil Jasper said the award underscores the company’s commitment to increasing production of critical munitions. Michael P. Duffey, under secretary of war for acquisition and sustainment, said the contract provides production certainty to the defense industrial base, breaks sub-tier manufacturing bottlenecks, and ensures fleets have the interceptors required. The award is the latest under five framework agreements Raytheon signed with the Department of War in February, covering expanded production of Tomahawk cruise missiles, AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, SM-3 Block IB, SM-3 Block IIA and SM-6. Last week, Raytheon received a contract worth up to $24.4 billion for SM-6 production under the same framework.

In a separate development, Yeoman 1st Class Anthony Jaslow was commissioned as a Warrant Officer 1 during a ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, on Oct. 1, 2026, becoming one of the first Sailors selected for the newly established Executive Support Technician (EST) community, designated Designator 7904. The EST program was formally established under NAVADMIN 152/26 in June. Jaslow, who began his Navy career in December 2019 as an undesignated seaman recruit, was selected by the EST board on July 30, 2026, with results published Aug. 21 in NAVADMIN 201/26. He serves as an executive support technician for Commander, Navy Region Hawaii Rear Adm. Rich Jarrett.

Sources: DVIDS News · USNI News