Yorktown Heights, N.Y. – September 15, 2026 -- IBM and NASA released the open-source NASA-IBM Lunar Foundation Model, one of the first publicly available foundation models built for scientific exploration of the Moon, outperforming widely used detection methods by up to 23% in identifying craters, ice deposits and volcanic formations.

Washington – September 15, 2026 -- Exiger has compressed what was estimated as a three-year, $180 million platform overhaul into a four-month, $20 million sprint, launching an AI-native version of its 1Exiger supply chain and trade compliance platform with backing from Carlyle, Insight Partners, and JMI Equity.

ZURICH – September 15, 2026 -- IBM and Lockheed Martin have established a quantum innovation hub at ETH Zurich under an offset agreement with armasuisse, Switzerland's Federal Office for Defence Procurement, bringing the country its first IBM Quantum System Two.

Pittsburgh – September 15, 2026 -- MSA Safety has launched the A1X, a next-generation WinGrip vacuum anchor that weighs 7 kg -- 35% lighter than its predecessor -- and cuts its diameter to 350 mm from 480 mm, aiming to speed up aircraft maintenance checks.

Boston – September 15, 2026 -- Aerospace & Defense M&A deal value jumped 37% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2026 to $47.1 billion in disclosed enterprise value, according to Capstone Partners' annual Aerospace, Defense, Government & Security (ADGS) Industry M&A Report.

Huntsville, Ala. – September 15, 2026 -- Radiance Technologies has secured a position as an awardee on the $14 billion Contract Operations for Missile Evaluation and Testing (COMET) Multi-Award Task Order Contract, extending its support of the Missile and Space Intelligence Center (MSIC).

Garland, Texas – September 15, 2026 -- Garrett Metal Detectors confirmed that its Paragon walk-through metal detector has completed testing under the UK National Protective Security Authority's Discriminative Metal Detection Systems Test Method, with results now publicly available on the NPSA website.

DeLeon Springs, Fla. – September 15, 2026 -- Sparton DeLeon Springs, LLC and Logos Technologies have combined operations under a new name, Twenty-Six Defense Maritime, marking a rebrand tied to the launch of parent company Twenty-Six Defense, formerly known as Elbit Systems of America.

Palo Alto, Calif. – September 15, 2026 -- SandboxAQ has completed what it calls the world's first reported test of a magnetic navigation (MagNav) system on an attritable drone platform, integrating its AQNav software into Northrop Grumman's Lumberjack Group 3 unmanned aircraft system.

Fort Worth, Texas – September 15, 2026 -- Elbit Systems Ltd.'s U.S. operating segment will now operate as Twenty-Six Defense, a rebranding that reinforces the Israeli defense contractor's long-term commitment to domestic manufacturing amid U.S. government pressure to expand industrial capacity.