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.

CHINA LAKE, California. Lockheed Martin conducted a demonstration of a 90-degree vertical launch of a Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) from its JAGM Quad Launcher (JQL) at China Lake, California, the company announced in a statement.

SAN DIEGO. Long-endurance autonomous surface vessel (ASV) developer Seasats announced its selection by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to receive a $24 million contract under the Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT) program.

SAN DIEGO, California. BAE Systems won a $62 million U.S. Navy contract to establish a service depot capability at Fleet Readiness Center Southwest to support the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye AN/APX-122A Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) interrogator system, the company announced in a statement.

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. Abaco Systems introduced the SBC3518, what it terms a rugged, SOSA aligned 3U VPX single-board computer built on Intel’s Core Ultra Series 3 processors (formerly Panther Lake) that is intended for use in extremely demanding defense, aerospace, and commercial applications. 

WINDSOR, Colo. Slingshot Aerospace reports it won a $27 million contract with the U.S. Space Force to modernize its artificial intelligence (AI)-driven scenario training environment activities.

SAN DIEGO, California. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and the U.S. Navy conducted a flight test to evaluate an expanded Sonobuoy Dispensing System (SDS) for the MQ-9B SeaGuardian uncrewed aerial system (UAS), the company announced in a statement.

WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, New Mexico. Lockheed Martin completed the first in a planned series of flight tests for its Next-Generation Short-Range Interceptor (NGSRI), which the company is developing as a potential replacement for the Stinger missile, the company announced in a statement.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. Defense research and development company SRC, Inc. won a $24 million contract with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to develop next-generation embedded artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) capabilities across ground, air, and space domains.

PATUXENT RIVER, Maryland. The U.S. Navy conducted a second demonstration aimed at advancing artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled autonomy and multi-platform coordination for future Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), the Navy announced in a statement.

SAN DIEGO, California. Germany and the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) are procuring eight MQ-9B SeaGuardian remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., the company announced in a statement.

ASHBURN, Va. and SANTA BARBARA, Calif. Curtiss-Wright and Green Hills Software announced the availability of a new high-performance commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) joint hardware/software solution leveraging the 13th-gen Intel Core i7 process that is intended for use in safety-critical avionics. 

ORLANDO, Florida. EIZO Rugged Solutions Inc. won a U.S. Navy contract to provide Talon RGD2802 2K x 2K rugged LCD monitors for integration into the AN/SYY-1 shipboard air traffic control (ATC) processing and display system, the company announced in a statement.

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. The global market for small satellites used for Earth observation is projected to grow from $2.64 billion in 2025 to $5.52 billion by 2030 at a combined annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.9%, according to a study Earth Observation Small Satellite Market: Global Forecast to 2030," from MarketsandMarkets.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. Parry Labs announced it is teaming with AeroVironment to design, develop, and integrate modular open systems approach (MOSA) aligned digital engineering, software, and mission system hardware for the U.S. Army's P550 uncrewed aerial system (UAS), a key part of the Army's Long Range Reconnaissance (LRR) program.