Defense & Military
AFRL and SpaceX Test Rocket Cargo Delivery With Starfall Capsule
AFRL and SpaceX tested military cargo delivery via a Starfall reentry capsule on Oct. 20, 2026, under the Rocket Cargo Vanguard program.
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) successfully tested point-to-point military cargo delivery using a Starfall reentry capsule launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on October 20, 2026.
The commercial rideshare mission advances the Department of the Air Force’s Rocket Cargo Vanguard program, an initiative designed to evaluate the viability of using large commercial liquid-propellant rockets to transport heavy military materiel globally in under one hour. The test focused on evaluating payload survivability and recovery systems during atmospheric reentry and splashdown.
Payload survivability and capsule specifications
In a press release detailing the October 20 launch, AFRL confirmed that the Starfall capsule carried specialized agile cargo pods designed by military researchers. These pods were equipped with instrumentation to measure temperature, shock, and vibration throughout the launch, reentry, and recovery phases. The data collection is critical for validating that sensitive military electronics and medical supplies can survive the extreme thermal and acoustic environments generated during atmospheric reentry.
The payload included representative mission equipment to simulate a real-world tactical delivery. Inside the pods, engineers packed a satellite communications tracker, batteries, a reverse osmosis desalinator, survival gear, and emergency medical equipment. The mission also included a fit check of a UNI-PAC III life raft inside the capsule, evaluating the system’s potential for future maritime rescue operations.
According to technical specifications reported by The Defence Blog, the uncrewed SpaceX Starfall reentry capsule is designed as a squat disk measuring approximately 3.1 meters (10 feet) in diameter and 2.5 feet thick. The vehicle has an approximate total weight of 2,100 kilograms (4,600 pounds) and is capable of returning up to 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds) of payload to Earth under a parachute recovery system.
Brig. Gen. Douglas P. Wickert, Department of the Air Force Technology Executive Officer and AFRL commander, highlighted the operational focus of the test.
“Today’s launch was another demonstration of how AFRL is partnering with industry to burn down risk, collect hard data and deliver war-winning technologies for the operational force,” Wickert stated.
Regulatory clearance and the Rocket Cargo Vanguard program
The October 2026 test builds upon regulatory and technical milestones achieved earlier in the year. The San Antonio Express-News reported that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) concluded an environmental review in June 2026, determining that landing Starfall reentry vehicles in the Pacific Ocean would have no significant environmental impact. This regulatory clearance paved the way for SpaceX to test the uncrewed discs for both military Cargo aircraft delivery and commercial in-space manufacturing returns.
The planned splashdown zone for the Starfall capsule is located approximately 700 nautical miles off the United States West Coast in the Pacific Ocean. SpaceX previously flew the first Starfall demonstration mission in June 2026 following the FAA approval.
The Rocket Cargo program operates as an AFRL Vanguard initiative. The Air Force Research Laboratory serves as the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force, and Vanguard programs are specifically structured to rapidly advance emerging weapon systems and warfighting concepts through prototyping and experimentation. The primary objective of the Rocket Cargo effort is to determine the viability of using commercial space launch architecture to deliver materiel anywhere on the globe on tactical timelines.
Unlike smaller cargo delivery efforts, the initiative is designed to carry heavy payloads per launch. Potential applications identified by military planners include routine military resupply, expeditionary operations, disaster relief, and rapid responses to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear hazards.
Future testing and operational readiness
The successful fit check of the UNI-PAC III life raft during the October 20 launch establishes a foundation for specialized mission profiles. Future tests are expected to involve dropping rescue kits directly to downed aircrew or stranded maritime personnel located far from established military bases.
Despite the successful launch, the Rocket Cargo program remains firmly in the research and development phase. AFRL and its commercial partners must complete extensive additional testing before establishing operational readiness. Future efforts will focus on evaluating system reliability, payload protection during extreme reentry heating, landing and recovery logistics, cost per flight, and overall mission repeatability.
Wickert noted the broader significance of the milestone for the research laboratory. “Any day you launch a rocket is a good day, but today was more than just another big rocket launch,” he said.
AirPro News analysis
The successful integration of AFRL cargo pods into the SpaceX Starfall capsule represents a material step toward operationalizing space-based logistics. For decades, the United States military has relied on traditional airlift platforms like the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III and Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules for rapid global mobility. While highly capable, these aircraft require permissive airspace and established runway infrastructure, both of which are increasingly vulnerable in contested environments.
By leveraging commercial space launch architecture, we see the Department of the Air Force attempting to bypass traditional anti-access and area denial networks entirely. A point-to-point delivery system capable of moving 1,000 kilograms of critical supplies anywhere on Earth in under an hour fundamentally alters tactical logistics. The reliance on a commercial partner like SpaceX underscores a broader procurement shift. Rather than funding bespoke military launch vehicles, the defense establishment is adapting commercial systems to military requirements, significantly reducing development timelines and taxpayer risk.
Photo Credit: Air Force Research Laboratory
Defense & Military
Do228 NXT Gains ARGOS-15 EO/IR Gimbal in GA-ATS Partnership
GA-ATS and HENSOLDT South Africa integrate the AI-enabled ARGOS-15 gimbal onto the Do228 NXT for ISR missions.
General Atomics AeroTec Systems (GA-ATS) and HENSOLDT South Africa have partnered to integrate the ARGOS-15 electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) gimbal onto the Do228 NXT, expanding the aircraft’s intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.
Announced in a press release on October 22, 2026, the collaboration pairs the short take-off and landing (STOL) performance of the modernized twin-turboprop with HENSOLDT’s artificial intelligence-powered, multi-spectral imaging system. The integration provides special mission operators with a new sensor configuration designed for maritime patrol, border surveillance, and search-and-rescue operations in austere environments.
Expanding special mission configurations
Mounted in front of the retractable main landing gear, the 15-inch ARGOS-15 gimbal provides the Do228 NXT with a 360-degree unobstructed view. The system features a single Line Replaceable Unit (LRU) design and incorporates multi-spectral sensors, including thermal, daylight, and short-wave infrared (SWIR) cameras.
HENSOLDT officially launched the ARGOS-15 at the Africa Aerospace and Defence Expo on September 19, 2024. The system utilizes artificial intelligence for object detection, classification, and tracking. It succeeds the ARGOS-II, which has been integrated onto 34 different platforms worldwide. HENSOLDT South Africa, which employs approximately 800 people across four sites and serves as the group’s largest industrial site outside of Germany, specializes in electronic warfare, optronics, radar, and spectrum management. The subsidiary developed the ARGOS-15 to support complex targeting and surveillance requirements.
The addition of the ARGOS-15 aligns with a broader strategy by GA-ATS to offer multiple pre-integrated sensor options for the Do228 NXT. In August 2026, the manufacturer announced a similar partnership with TRAKKA Systems to offer the TrakkaCam TC-375 as an integrated equipment option, allowing operators to select the sensor package that best fits their specific mission profiles.
Modernizing a proven STOL platform
The Do228 NXT is the next-generation iteration of the Dornier 228, a utility aircraft originally manufactured between 1981 and 1998. GA-ATS, a German subsidiary of United States-based General Atomics, acquired the rights to the aircraft in 2020. The company, based in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, holds the type certificate for the Do228 and provides maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services for the aircraft and NH90 Helicopters.
The updated NXT program features a glass cockpit equipped with Universal Avionics displays, a digital autopilot, and Honeywell TPE331-10 engines. The aircraft is designed to operate from unpaved or short runways, maintaining a minimum patrol speed of 78 knots and a maximum speed of 260 knots for short ferry times. The platform can sustain a maximum patrol time of eight hours, making it suitable for extended surveillance missions.
GA-ATS officially rolled out the first Do228 NXT demonstrator aircraft on June 8, 2026, in Oberpfaffenhofen. The aircraft subsequently made its international debut at the Farnborough International Air shows in July 2026. The first production Do228 NXT is scheduled for delivery to an undisclosed humanitarian group launch customer in early 2027.
AirPro News analysis
The integration of advanced, AI-enabled sensors like the ARGOS-15 onto legacy-derived STOL airframes highlights a distinct trend in the special missions market. Operators are increasingly seeking cost-effective alternatives to larger, jet-powered maritime patrol aircraft. By offering multiple pre-integrated gimbal options from suppliers like HENSOLDT and TRAKKA Systems, we see GA-ATS positioning the Do228 NXT as a highly customizable, turnkey ISR platform. This modular approach lowers integration risks for operators and allows the aircraft to compete aggressively for border security and humanitarian contracts where infrastructure is limited but sensor requirements are stringent.
Photo Credit: General Atomics AeroTec Systems
Defense & Military
Kratos TDI-J85 Engine Passes Multi-Config Flight Tests
Kratos validates TDI-J85 turbojet across three launch configurations, targeting 10,000 engines annually by 2029.
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has completed a series of flight tests for its TDI-J85 turbojet engine across three distinct launch configurations, validating the propulsion system for a range of low-cost cruise missiles and unmanned aerial systems.
Announced in an October 12, 2026, press release, the tests demonstrated the engine’s viability in lugged launch, palletized launch, and surface-to-surface applications. The milestone aligns with the company’s aggressive manufacturing scale-up to meet surging military demand for mass-producible precision-strike capabilities.
Flight test validation and production scale-up
The recent flight tests evaluated the TDI-J85, part of the Kratos Spartan engine family, in diverse operational scenarios. By successfully deploying the engine via lugged launch, palletized systems, and surface-to-surface methods, Kratos aims to prove the platform’s adaptability for various tactical munitions and decoy systems.
“Our successful flight tests across diverse deployment methods prove the versatility and reliability of the TDI-J85 engine,” said Joseph Kovasity, Senior Vice President of Kratos TDI.
The technical validation coincides with a major industrial expansion. Kratos confirmed it has secured a 3,000-engine component order for 2027 production. The company is actively building out its manufacturing infrastructure to support an annual production capacity of more than 10,000 engines by 2029.
Kovasity noted that pairing operational success with high-rate manufacturing transforms the industry approach to affordable propulsion, demonstrating a commitment to delivering mass and capability at an unprecedented scale.
TDI-J85 specifications and the Spartan family
The TDI-J85 is a small turbojet engine designed to provide military-grade propulsion for tactical missiles and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). The powerplant produces up to 200 lbf of maximum sea-level static thrust. It also features an integral generator capable of delivering up to 1.5 kW of continuous power to host vehicle systems.
Kratos President and CEO Eric DeMarco positioned the Spartan engine family as a direct response to shifting military procurement priorities, which increasingly favor volume and affordability over exquisite, low-density platforms.
“Kratos’ Spartan Family of small turbojet engines for low-cost jet drones and cruise missiles is a recent example of the success of our strategy to make the internally funded investments necessary to deliver technology rich national security systems, products, hardware, and software at the right time, with the key performance, and in the high quantities demanded to rebuild the U.S. defense inventory,” DeMarco said.
Building the affordable mass supply chain
The development of the TDI-J85 traces back to 2020, when Kratos acquired small turbojet manufacturer Technical Directions Inc. (TDI). The acquisition brought specialized small-turbine expertise in-house, allowing Kratos to vertically integrate propulsion for its own UAS platforms and offer engines directly to prime contractors.
A key application for the TDI-J85 emerged on October 16, 2023, when The Boeing Company and Kratos signed a Memorandum of Understanding. Under the agreement, the TDI-J85 provides propulsion for Boeing’s Powered Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM). The Powered JDAM combines a standard 500-pound ordnance with a wing kit and the Kratos turbojet, creating a low-cost, long-range strike weapon.
Anticipating demand for systems like the Powered JDAM, Kratos announced on June 9, 2026, that it was initiating internally funded long-lead material procurement to support the 3,000-unit production run in 2027. The strategy relies on a fully domestic U.S. supply chain to avoid geopolitical bottlenecks and ensure rapid scalability.
AirPro News analysis
We view Kratos’ target of 10,000 engines annually by 2029 as a stark indicator of where munitions procurement is heading. Traditional aerospace prime contractors typically measure turbine engine production in the hundreds per year. Scaling to 10,000 units requires automotive-style manufacturing techniques and a fundamental departure from bespoke aerospace engineering. If Kratos can achieve this volume while maintaining the reliability demonstrated in the October 12 flight tests, the company will be uniquely positioned to dominate the propulsion market for the next generation of attritable, mass-deployed munitions. The idiosyncratic reference to the “Department of War” in the company’s press materials underscores a wartime-footing mentality that is increasingly driving internal investment decisions across the mid-tier defense sector.
Photo Credit: Kratos Defense & Security Solutions
Defense & Military
USAF Renews PTC Servigistics Contract for ESCAPE Program
The U.S. Air Force renewed its Servigistics contract with PTC to manage a $76 billion service parts network using AI.
PTC Inc. and the United States Air Force (USAF) have renewed a contract to utilize the Servigistics supply chain optimization platform, integrating artificial intelligence to manage a $76 billion global service parts network.
The agreement, announced in an October 15, 2026 press release, extends the military branch’s Enterprise Supply Chain Analysis, Planning, and Execution (ESCAPE) program. The latest phase of the partnership focuses on exception-based management to automate routine workflows and align inventory decisions directly with aircraft availability objectives.
Advancing the ESCAPE program with artificial intelligence
The renewed contract enables the USAF to deploy artificial intelligence and exception-based management tools across its logistics network. These capabilities allow supply chain planners to automate standard inventory workflows and focus their attention on critical interventions that directly impact fleet readiness.
Abigail Strobell, Deputy Chief of the USAF, emphasized the operational necessity of the software upgrade in managing global defense logistics.
“Readiness depends on our ability to anticipate requirements and make effective supply chain decisions in an increasingly complex operational environment,” Strobell said. “Our continued use of Servigistics enables us to build on the progress we have made in modernizing service parts planning and strengthen the supply chain capabilities that support aircraft availability.”
A decade of supply chain modernization
The relationship between the Boston-based software provider and the USAF spans nearly ten years. The military branch initially selected the Servigistics Software as a Service (SaaS) solution on January 31, 2017. At that time, the platform was tasked with optimizing a global supply chain encompassing over 5,000 aircraft and 650,000 individual items distributed across 1,500 locations.
The partnership deepened on January 18, 2022, when PTC announced a five-year expansion contract valued at up to $95 million. That agreement formally integrated Servigistics into the ESCAPE program, which is managed by the 3,000 personnel of the USAF Sustainment Center’s 448th Supply Chain Management Wing.
While the October 15, 2026 announcement confirmed the continuation of the ESCAPE program integration, PTC did not disclose the specific financial value or the exact term length of the renewed contract.
Broader aerospace and defense adoption
The USAF renewal highlights the established role of Servigistics within the aerospace and defense sector. Beyond the Air Force, the platform is currently deployed by the United States Navy and the United States Coast Guard to manage complex military logistics.
Major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and defense contractors, including Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Boeing, also utilize the software to optimize their service supply chains.
PTC employs over 7,000 people and provides digital transformation and product lifecycle solutions to more than 30,000 customers globally.
AirPro News analysis
The USAF decision to integrate artificial intelligence into the ESCAPE program illustrates a necessary shift in military logistics from reactive tracking to predictive management. Managing a $76 billion parts inventory across thousands of aging and next-generation aircraft requires processing data at a scale that manual planning cannot sustain. By shifting to exception-based management, we see the USAF acknowledging that human planners are best utilized for resolving critical bottlenecks rather than executing routine reorders. This contract renewal suggests that the Department of Defense views commercial off-the-shelf AI supply chain solutions as a faster route to improved fleet readiness than developing bespoke internal systems.
Photo Credit: PTC Inc.
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