Aerospace and defense startup Auriga Space completed the first in-field launch of its Hermes containerized electromagnetic platform in the Mojave Desert on August 25, 2026, achieving projectile speeds exceeding Mach 1.

The test demonstrates the viability of the company’s proprietary linear electric motor and magnetic levitation technology outside laboratory conditions. According to company statements, Auriga Space is developing these systems to provide a propellant-free alternative to traditional solid rocket motors for defense applications, hypersonic testing, and dedicated space access.

Transitioning electromagnetic launch to the field

The Hermes system is designed as a mobile counter-unmanned aerial systems (counter-UAS) platform housed entirely within a 10-foot shipping container. During the August 25 test, the system operated on internal battery power recharged by solar panels.

Auriga Space Founder and CEO Winnie Lai stated the test met expectations with multiple repeatable supersonic launches.

“For the first time, we took Hermes out of the lab and deployed it where it will actually be used: on a dirt road, away from existing infrastructure, in real weather,” Lai said in a press release.

Lai also noted the system’s payload flexibility, stating it can accommodate different types of projectiles and effectors. This capability aligns with the company’s July 2026 partnership with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Armaments Center (DEVCOM AC) to operationalize electromagnetic launch technology for drone defense.

Scaling from hypersonic testing to orbital launch

Beyond the Hermes platform, the Garden Grove, California-based company is developing three other distinct product lines: Prometheus, Thor, and Zeus.

Prometheus serves as a lab-scale hypervelocity track, while Thor is designed as an outdoor full-scale hypersonic test solution. On July 1, 2026, Auriga Space launched its hypersonic materials testing capability with Axiom Materials as a pilot customer. Lai noted that the hypersonic testing community has long needed better ground-truth data on material performance.

The Zeus platform is the company’s planned orbital launch complex. Auriga Space states the Zeus system is designed to enable responsive space missions with a turnaround time of one hour.

To guide its defense applications, the company appointed former Missile Defense Agency Director Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Henry “Trey” Obering III to its advisory board in August 2026.

Government contracts and venture backing

Founded in 2022, Auriga Space emerged from stealth in October 2023 with $5 million in initial funding. The company subsequently raised an additional $6 million in a seed round led by OTB Ventures in July 2025.

The startup has also secured multiple defense contracts to advance its technology. In August 2024, AFWERX and SpaceWERX awarded Auriga Space a $1.25 million Direct-to-Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract. This was followed by a Phase 1 Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contract from the Missile Defense Agency on January 7, 2026.

AirPro News analysis

We view the successful field test of the Hermes system as a critical proof of concept for mobile electromagnetic launch technology. The aerospace and defense sectors are currently facing significant constraints within the solid rocket motor industrial base. By eliminating the need for onboard propellant during the initial launch phase, Auriga Space’s technology offers a scalable, repeatable alternative. If the company can successfully scale this technology from the 10-foot Hermes container to the proposed Zeus orbital launch complex, it could substantially lower launch costs and alleviate supply chain bottlenecks for both tactical defense systems and dedicated space access.

Sources: Auriga Space Press Release

VulcanForms Inc. and Specter Aerospace have formed a strategic partnerships to establish a dedicated domestic manufacturing base for airbreathing hypersonic weapons, aiming to scale production of munitions, interceptors, and cruise missiles for the U.S. Department of War (DoW).

Announced in a press release on September 15, 2026, the collaboration responds to growing demands from Congress and defense officials for resilient supply chains capable of delivering all-up-round (AUR) hypersonic systems. The companies are currently conducting a nationwide site evaluation to select a location for the new production facility.

Integrating advanced manufacturing with hypersonic design

The partnership pairs VulcanForms, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology-born advanced manufacturing company specializing in metal additive manufacturing and precision machining, with Specter Aerospace’s propulsion expertise. Specter, formerly known as FGC Plasma Solutions, focuses on ramjet and scramjet technologies.

Specter Aerospace Chief Executive Officer Felipe Gomez del Campo stated that the company has spent nearly a decade building airbreathing hypersonic missiles and targets in collaboration with the DoW.

“Today, in response to the urgency of delivering hypersonic munitions to the U.S. Joint Force to deter our adversaries, Specter is partnering with VulcanForms to build America’s first dedicated hypersonic manufacturing capacity from the ground up to deliver affordable and lethal hypersonic weapons to fighter aircraft and joint operations,” Gomez del Campo said.

VulcanForms Executive Vice President Matthew Rose emphasized the need for a resilient defense industrial base, noting that the company’s experience across multiple commercial industries accelerates its learning curve.

“Partnerships that win embrace physical AI and leverage lessons from commercial industries. Our north star is to bridge the digital and physical worlds,” Rose said.

Accelerating flight test timelines

The manufacturing agreement follows a period of rapid expansion for Specter Aerospace’s defense partnerships. On February 20, 2026, the company signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) to develop supersonic aerial launched effects, combining Specter’s propulsion systems with SNC’s mission integration capabilities.

According to reporting by Aviation Week, Specter expects to conduct test-flights of a plasma-assisted, ramjet-powered supersonic missile in 2026. This will be followed by tests of a larger dual-mode ramjet-scramjet-powered hypersonic cruise vehicle targeted for the 2027 to 2028 timeframe. The new manufacturing partnership with VulcanForms is positioned to support the production requirements of these upcoming test phases and subsequent fielding.

AirPro News analysis

We view this partnership as a direct response to one of the most persistent bottlenecks in the U.S. hypersonic weapons program: transitioning from bespoke prototyping to scalable production. While research and development have yielded successful flight tests across various DoW programs, manufacturing the complex geometries required for scramjet engines and thermal protection systems at scale remains a significant hurdle. By integrating VulcanForms’ industrial-scale additive manufacturing infrastructure early in the development cycle, Specter Aerospace is positioning itself to bypass traditional supply-chain constraints. If the nationwide site selection results in a dedicated, high-throughput facility, it could serve as a blueprint for the broader Defense Industrial Base 2.0 initiative.

Sources: VulcanForms

The U.S. Department of State has formally approved an estimated $24.3 billion Foreign Military Sale to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, clearing the transfer of 48 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter Military-Aircraft and 49 Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engines.

Announced in a press release on September 17, 2026, the approval represents a major shift in U.S. defense export policy. Saudi Arabia is now the first Arab nation cleared to purchase the advanced stealth fighter.

Strategic implications and regional balance

Historically, the United States has restricted the export of its most advanced stealth aircraft to Arab states to maintain Israel’s qualitative military edge in the Middle East. The State Department addressed this dynamic directly in its September 17 announcement.

“This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major non-NATO ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf region,” the State Department stated, adding that the equipment “will not alter the military balance in the region.”

A previous U.S. attempt to sell F-35s to the United Arab Emirates collapsed after Abu Dhabi withdrew from negotiations. The UAE cited difficult conditions imposed by Washington to safeguard the technology, according to reporting by The War Zone.

Congressional review and security concerns

The formal notification triggers a 30-day period during which the U.S. Congress can review or block the sale. The State Department previously forwarded a preliminary package covering the 48 aircraft to congressional committees for early clearance in June 2026. This followed a November 2025 announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump that Saudi Arabia would be permitted to purchase the fighters following a strategic defense agreement.

Lockheed Martin welcomed the formal notification and the progression of the export process.

“The government-to-government agreement to provide F-35 aircraft exemplifies our shared commitment to enduring security, stability, and long-term cooperation,” a Lockheed Martin spokesperson told Breaking Defense. “Lockheed Martin looks forward to continued collaboration as the U.S. Congressional review process advances.”

The congressional review may face friction over intelligence assessments. According to reporting by EurAsian Times, the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) has circulated internal assessments raising concerns about potential Chinese espionage. The reports highlight China’s military access to Saudi bases and the kingdom’s reliance on Chinese telecommunications technology, questioning whether F-35 sites in Saudi Arabia can be kept secure from Beijing.

Ongoing conflict context

The approval comes amid Saudi Arabia’s ongoing armed conflict with Houthi rebels in Yemen. Just one day prior to the State Department announcement, on September 16, 2026, Houthi rebels claimed to have shot down a Saudi Air Force F-15SA fighter jet using air defense systems over the city of Marib, according to Al Jazeera.

AirPro News analysis

We anticipate the 30-day congressional review period will be highly scrutinized. The executive branch is prioritizing strategic alignment with Riyadh and defense industrial base expansion. Lawmakers are likely to focus heavily on the DIA assessments regarding Chinese telecommunications infrastructure. The collapse of the UAE deal demonstrates that technology safeguarding requirements can be a terminal hurdle for F-35 exports to the Gulf, even after State Department approval.

Sources: U.S. Department of State