"'Autonomy does not mean removing human judgment from warfare': U.S. Special Operations Command examines autonomous warfare"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Zona Militar
19 September, 2026
"'La autonomía no consiste en eliminar el juicio humano de la guerra': el Comando de Operaciones Especiales de EE. UU. analiza la guerra autónoma"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Zona Militar
19 de Setiembre del 2026
"AFA 2026: USAF examines uncrewed cargo aircraft for contested logistics"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Shephard
Air Warfare
16 September, 2026
Published: https://www.shephardmedia.com/news/air-warfare/afa-2026-the-us-air-force-africom-and-cargo-drones/
The US Air Force is evaluating demonstrators for uncrewed cargo missions as it considers logistics requirements across the Pacific and other contested environments.
"AFA 2026: Swarm Aero eyes 2027 Gamera flight as Textron/Merlin reveal SkyCourier UX"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Shephard Group
15 September 2026
Two new uncrewed aircraft concepts target very different US military requirements, from massed long-range strike to autonomous logistics. Shephard spoke with executives from Swarm Aero, Textron Aviation and Merlin Labs at this year’s AFA Air, Space and Cyber conference to learn more about their capabilities.
" The requirements and future of US Africa Command "
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Future Warfare Magazine
15 September, 2026
Published: https://www.fw-mag.com/shownews/1241/the-requirements-and-future-of-us-africa-command
Several discussions about US Africa Command (AFRICOM) were held at the recently concluded Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference & Exhibition in Washington, DC, along with a virtual presentation by General Dagvin Anderson, AFRICOM commander. The General and other personnel (military and civilian) assigned to AFRICOM explained this Combatant Command’s requirements and future.
" Washington: NATO’s Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Transformation discusses arctic warfare and new strategies"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Future Warfare Magazine
14 September, 2026
Two parallel events occurred in two very different locations in early September: from 8-10 September, the Emerging Technologies for Defense Conference & Exhibition took place in downtown Washington, DC. One speaker was General Aurelio Colagrande, Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Transformation at NATO. Meanwhile, in Greenland, exercise ARCTIC SHIELD has begun, bringing over 400 soldiers from 11 countries to train in Arctic warfare.
"The Russia-China-North Korea defense partnership"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Modern Diplomacy
28 August, 2026
Published: https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2026/08/28/the-russia-china-north-korea-defense-partnership/
Understanding global geopolitics is complicated and challenging, especially today. Governments have complex relationships with each other at both the bilateral and multilateral levels. This situation certainly applies to the Russian Federation, the People’s Republic of China, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea). These countries have strong bilateral relations, but trilateral cooperation (or lack thereof) also needs to be considered. Given the war in Ukraine and tensions across the Asia-Pacific, defense relations between these three nations must be understood in this evolving landscape.
"Central Asia’s growing appetite for drones"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Warsight
26 August, 2026
Published: https://warsight.com/2026/08/26/central-asias-growing-appetite-for-drones/
The militaries of the five Central Asian countries– Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan – inherited a large inventory of platforms and systems after gaining independence from the Soviet Union. Three and a half decades later, the five militaries are modernising their equipment and these countries are turning to extra-regional suppliers.
For example, Kazakhstan has received its first Airbus A400M transport aircraft in December 2024, while in February 2026 Embraer announced the sale of two C-390 Millennium transport aircraft to the Uzbekistani Air Force. Domestic industries are also developing ground vehicles such as armoured personnel carriers (APCs), and modernising legacy systems. Moreover, drone fever has arrived in the region.
"SOUTHCOM looks to acquire Special Mission Vessel ‘mothership’ for maritime operations"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Warsight
5 August 2026
Published: https://warsight.com/2026/08/06/southcom-plans-special-mission-vessel/
US Southern Command has stepped up its efforts to acquire a new Special Mission Vessel that would essentially function as a mother ship for helicopters and unmanned systems involved in operations such as counter-illicit drug trafficking missions.
"US Southern Command retrains for operations in the jungle"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Warsight
5 August, 2026
Published: https://warsight.com/2026/08/05/southern-command-goes-back-into-the-jungle/
Over the past year-and-a-half the US military has increased its presence across Latin America and the Caribbean. While the US possesses the most powerful military in the world, Latin American and Caribbean armed forces have a skill that US troops will find useful to (re)learn: jungle warfare.
"The CCA and beyond: The future of companion drones looks bright"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Zona Militar
25 July, 2026
In the future of aerial warfare, aircraft will have companion aerial uncrewed platforms to support them. Or so the US military wants to see. In addition to the well-known Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program for the US Air Force, the defense manufacturer Anduril has recently unveiled Thunder, a rotor uncrewed aerial system (UAS) designed as a companion for the US Army’s Cheyenne helicopter and future rotary aircraft.
"Del CCA a los helicópteros de combate: el futuro de los drones colaborativos de combate comienza a tomar forma"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Zona Militar
26 de Julio, 2026
En el futuro de la guerra aérea, las aeronaves contarán con plataformas aéreas no tripuladas que las acompañarán y les brindarán apoyo. O, al menos, eso es lo que busca alcanzar el Ejército de Estados Unidos. Además del conocido programa de Aeronaves de Combate Colaborativas (CCA) de la Fuerza Aérea de Estados Unidos, el fabricante de defensa Anduril presentó recientemente Thunder, un sistema aéreo no tripulado (UAS) de rotores diseñado como plataforma de acompañamiento para el helicóptero Cheyenne del Ejército estadounidense y futuras aeronaves de ala rotatoria.
" BAE to deliver naval guns for Brazilian patrol ships "
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Future Warfare Magazine
22 July 2026
Published: https://www.fw-mag.com/shownews/1179/bae-to-deliver-naval-guns-for-brazilian-patrol-ships
BAE Systems announced on 16 July the sale of two “state-of-the-art” Bofors 40Mk4 naval gun systems for Brazil. The guns will be installed aboard patrol vessels being built for the Brazilian Navy’s Patrol Vessel Construction Project (Programa de Obtenção de Navios-Patrulha: PRONAPA).
In its press release, the company explained that the guns are effective against a variety of targets, including drones, missiles, helicopters, swarming boats, surface vessels, and land targets. According to the company, the gun can switch “seamlessly” among ammunition types to deliver “versatile” targeting of air-, land- and sea-based threats. BAE also noted that Brazil already operates “dozens of Bofors 40 mm guns.”
"Black Recon: Teledyne Flir Defense’s new Reconnaissance Micro-Drone"'
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Zona Militar
21 June, 2026
Teledyne Flir Defense has launched the Black Recon micro-drone; the unveiling took place during the recent Eurosatory expo in Paris. Zona Militar spoke with a Teledyne Flir Defense spokesperson to learn about the latest addition to the company’s family of uncrewed aerial systems (UASs).
"Black Recon: el nuevo microdrón de reconocimiento de Teledyne FLIR Defense presentado en Eurosatory 2026"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Zona Militar
21 de Junio, 2026
Teledyne FLIR Defense presentó su nuevo microdrón Black Recon, cuya presentación tuvo lugar durante la reciente edición de la feria Eurosatory celebrada en París. Zona Militar dialogó con un portavoz de la compañía para conocer más detalles sobre esta nueva incorporación a la familia de sistemas aéreos no tripulados (UAS) de la empresa.
"South American MBTs: upgrades and payload modernisation could shape procurement paths"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Land Warfare
Shephard
8 June, 2026
While South American geopolitics are complicated, the likelihood of inter-state warfare is low, calling into question the future of the venerable main battle tank.
"Operations in the Amazon: The Peruvian Military’s Riverine Operations"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Irregular Warfare Initiative
20 May, 2026
This article is a Focus Area self-published piece, and the content has not undergone standard editorial review. IWI hosts these pieces to facilitate rapid dialogue among practitioners, but the analysis, research, and original thought within the article remain the sole responsibility of the author.
The United States military is in the middle of a hard pivot to focus on the Western Hemisphere, as codified by the recent publication of the 2026 National Defense Strategy, which identified securing U.S. interests “from the Arctic to South America” as critical to its lines of effort. The capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in Operation Absolute Resolve was confirmation that the United States military will become more involved in South America. And if further evidence were needed, in January 2026, the Army redesignated the 1st Security Forces Assistance Brigade as the Army Security Cooperation Group – South, and it will take over the Combined Jungle Operations Training Course in Panama.
This increasing focus on operations in the Western Hemisphere will require closer integration with allies and partners in the region – as well as a better understanding of the region’s geography and how it shapes those allies and partners. This analysis will focus on the Peruvian military’s riverine operations, their importance, and their unique contributions to Amazonian military operations.
"Why the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation isn’t Nato for Iran"
By Cao Jiaxuanin Beijing
South China Morning Post
30 May, 2026
Central Asia is tilting more decisively towards China as geopolitical uncertainty deepens, with Beijing’s expanding influence recasting the former Soviet states’ strategic orientation. In the final instalment of a three-part series, Cao Jiaxuan examines how Central Asian members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation have shaped the bloc’s response to the US-Iran conflict. Read the first part here and the second part here.
"Partnerships will be critical for future projects at Latin American shipyards"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Naval Warfare
Shephard
21 May, 2026
Multiple Latin American navies are modernising their fleets by prioritising domestically manufactured surface vessels and even submarines via international partnerships.
"Are counter-drone systems for dismounted troops emerging as the next procurement battle?"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Land Warfare
Shephard
20 May, 2026
As uncrewed aerial systems and loitering munitions evolve, it is increasingly necessary for counter-uncrewed solutions to keep pace in order to protect not only military facilities and platforms but also dismounted troops.
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
17 May, 2026
Zona Militar
Polaris is known for producing a family of reliable MRZR tactical vehicles, including several variants. Recently, Zona Militar spoke with company executive John LaFata about the company’s ongoing contracts, projects, and long-term objectives.
Mi analisis: "SOF Week: Polaris se prepara para anunciar contratos y avanza con el ULTV para los #Marines de EE.UU. y el MRZR Alpha 6×6"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
17 Mayo, 2026
Zona Militar
"Southern Command will operate Tsunamis USV and test autonomy systems"
Alejandro Sanchez
Janes
15 May, 2026
Textron Systems announced, in a 30 April statement, that its Tsunami uncrewed surface vessels (USV) will be operated by US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) and its naval component, 4th Fleet, for three months.
" MDM 2026: Marines discuss short-term goals of UGV technology, Forterra & AM General unveil prototypes"
Wilder Alejandro Sanchez
Future Warfare Magazine
6 May 2026
Keep autonomy technology simple and focus on logistics: that was the overall message at the Autonomy/ Collaborative Autonomy/ Autonomy Afloat panel at the recently concluded Modern Day Marine (MDM) expo in Washington, DC. The speaker, US Marine Colonel Kenneth Jones, Division Director for Science & Technology at the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory (MCWL), specifically referred to uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs) and how industry should start by focusing on logistics and then evolve the technology.
