Top 10 Military Embedded Systems stories of 2025
NewsJanuary 19, 2026
Throughout 2025, Military Embedded Systems readers gravitated toward coverage that reflected how quickly the character of modern warfare is changing -- particularly at the intersection of autonomy, artificial intelligence, open architectures, and attritable platforms. The year’s most-read stories highlighted not only major procurement actions and operational revelations, but also deeper architectural and systems-level shifts shaping how embedded technologies are fielded and sustained.
From loitering munitions and autonomous drone swarms to open systems aboard fifth-generation fighters and evolving radar architectures designed to survive contested electromagnetic environments, these articles collectively paint a picture of a defense ecosystem under pressure to move faster, modularize aggressively, and accept new risk tradeoffs. Below are the 10 most-read Military Embedded Systems stories of 2025, ranked by total online views.
1. Switchblade loitering munition systems to be delivered to U.S. Army by AeroVironment
ARLINGTON, Virginia. AeroVironment won a $288 million delivery order for its Switchblade loitering munition systems under the U.S. Army’s Directed Requirement (DR) for Lethal Unmanned Systems (LUS), the company announced in a statement.
2. BAHA drone inducted into Turkish Land Forces inventory
ANKARA, Turkey. The Turkish Ministry of National Defense announced that the Sub-Cloud Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) BAHA has officially entered service with the Turkish Armed Forces following the completion of inspection and acceptance procedures, manufacturer Havelsan announced in a statement.
3. The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor: MOSA in flight
The F-22 Raptor, a cornerstone of American air dominance, has been a symbol of military prowess for decades. The integration of a modular open systems approach (MOSA) – a strategic initiative that emphasizes and enables the rapid integration of advanced software, sensors, and other capabilities – lies at the heart of its continued relevance.
The contemporary military landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by rapid advancements in electronic warfare (EW) capabilities and the proliferation of uncrewed aerial systems (UASs). This evolution is posing serious challenges to conventional radar systems, as traditional radar solutions struggle to keep pace with emerging threats and tactical requirements. No longer can military forces rely solely on large, centralized radar installations: The battlefield of tomorrow demands a paradigm shift in both radar technology and deployment strategies.
5. Combat management system to be installed on Chilean Navy frigates
SANTIAGO, Chile. Havelsan signed an agreement with the Chilean Navy to provide its ADVENT Combat Management System (CMS) for the upgrade of two naval frigates, the company announced in a statement.
6. SecDef: AI, counter-UAS tech are key focuses for rapid fielding efforts
TAMPA, Florida. Targeting platforms enabled by artificial intelligence and counter-drone systems are some examples of technologies that need to be rapidly introduced to the field, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told attendees during his keynote address at the SOF Week 2025 annual symposium here on Tuesday.
7. One-way attack drone swarm has been used on the battlefield, AeroVironment CEO says
TAMPA, Florida. A one-way attack drone swarm capability developed by AeroVironment has been used on the battlefield, the company's CEO revealed during a media briefing at SOF Week 2025 on Tuesday.
8. Edge AI, counter-UAS, open architecture, and thermal tech set the tone at AUSA 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. AUSA 2025 put embedded technologies at the center of the Army’s modernization push, with show floors and keynotes converging on themes of counter-UAS, edge artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML), open architectures, thermal management for high-power compute, and resilient radio frequency/positioning, navigaton, and timing (RF/PNT).
9. Systems engineering support for U.S. Navy’s Aegis Combat System to be provided by BAE Systems
MCLEAN, Virginia. BAE Systems has been awarded a five-year, $251 million contract to provide systems engineering and technical support for the U.S. Navy’s AEGIS Combat System, the company announced in a statement.
10. Airborne attritable systems and open systems
The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is investing heavily in airborne attritable systems as a cost-effective approach to project force and influence. The DoD’s directive to use modular open systems approach (MOSA)-based solutions positions commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) component vendors to meet the form factor, weight, and cost limit requirements of airborne drones uncrewed aerial systems (UASs). This move toward lower-cost and more easily replaced uncrewed systems opens up new opportunities for suppliers of COTS components.
