View our archive of recent and past issues of the McHale Report e-mail newsletter.

The U.S. Space Force announced the development of a software package to track and monitor objects in space. The branch's Space Command and Control Program Office called the operational platform — named Kobayashi Maru, for a training exercise depicted in a "Star Trek" episode — a breakthrough of particular use to a five-nation coalition of space observers.

Israel's Ministry of Defense ordered 6.6-pound drones for its ground forces working in urban areas, maker Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. announced. The Spike Firefly is a loitering munition, also known as a kamikaze drone or suicide drone, a category in which the single-use munition loiters airborne in a target area, searches for targets, and attacks once one is located, exploding on contact.

SparkCognition, company specializing in artificial intelligence (AI), announced the creation of SparkCognition Government Systems (SGS), full-spectrum AI company devoted to government and national defense, a first according to the company. SGS, a wholly owned subsidiary of SparkCognition, intends to offer next-generation, AI-powered systems to address national security needs.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has partnered with Australia-based Conflux Technology on the development of a heat exchanger. The part is being developed using a metal Additive Manufacturing process for possible integration onto GA-ASI’s line of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS).

Elements of the Sensor Open System Architecture (SOSA) technical standard are leveraging standards developed by the VITA Standards Organization, specifically VITA 65, also known as OpenVPX. This harmonization between the services, industry, and industry standardization bodies helps drive the SOSA initiative’s strong momentum within the defense community. This webcast titled, "SOSA and VITA: Enabling Open Standards for Improved Capability," to be held on Wednesday, June 24, at 2 pm Est., will cover how the SOSA Consortium is working with VITA to enable standardization of VITA-based standards within the SOSA Technical Standard.

Amphibious transport dock ship USS Portland (LPD 27) disabled an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a Solid State Laser - Technology Maturation Laser Weapon System Demonstrator (LWSD) MK 2 MOD 0 on May 16 in a U.S. Navy test.