Military Engines

During World War II, the British Royal Navy experimented with building an aircraft carrier out of ice reinforced with wood pulp, a material known as pykrete. Now researchers led by a team at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have extended that 1940s idea by adding plant-based crystals to the material, improving its properties and drawing fresh attention to one of history's more unusual military engineering projects.

The US Army Corps of Engineers' Huntsville Center closed fiscal year 2026 having obligated $2.49 billion across military construction and federal mission contracts. The total reflects the center's role in delivering engineering, acquisition and program management support for the Army, the Defense Department and other federal agencies, and marks another year of large-scale contracting activity out of Huntsville, Alabama.

Engineers have developed a wearable solar device designed to power soldiers' equipment while operating in the field, reducing reliance on batteries carried on missions. The announcement is drawing attention for its potential to lighten soldier loads and extend the operational endurance of electronic gear in remote environments.

The US Army is adopting artificial intelligence tools to strengthen its defenses against biological threats. The effort, reported by DefenseScoop, signals a broader push within the defense establishment to apply machine learning to detection, prediction and response against biological weapons or engineered pathogens, as concerns grow over both natural pandemics and bioweapons risks.

Engineers at Florida International University have developed an ultrathin solar device designed to power soldiers' equipment in the field. The lightweight technology aims to reduce the battery burden troops carry while keeping gear charged during operations. Details on performance and deployment timelines have not yet been widely reported.

French discussions are centring on the Rafale F5 fighter and Safran's M88 T-Rex engine, described as a hybrid-powered upgrade for the aircraft. The topic is circulating alongside themes of French aerospace, military aviation and defence industry capability, with a link to coverage in L'Usine Nouvelle. Details on the engine's performance and timeline remain limited in the posts being shared.

Safran is developing and testing the M88 T-Rex, a hybrid engine variant intended for the future Rafale F5 standard of France's fighter jet. The project is being followed in French defense and aerospace circles as a sign of investment in the country's military aviation industry and the next evolution of the Rafale program.

GM Defense has introduced a driverless military version of the Chevrolet Silverado pickup, built around a powerful engine and a large cargo bed rather than a crew cabin. The autonomous truck is aimed at military logistics and transport duties, removing the need for a human driver in potentially dangerous operations, and it highlights the growing role of commercial vehicle platforms in defense applications.

GM Defense has introduced a new driverless military truck, described as 'all engine and bed,' pointing to a stripped-down, utilitarian design focused on payload and power rather than crew accommodation. The autonomous vehicle is aimed at military logistics and transport roles, and the launch is drawing attention from defense and automotive observers watching unmanned ground vehicles move closer to real deployment.

The Paraguayan Air Force has taken delivery of the first Cessna SkyCourier aircraft in the region, a twin-engine utility plane typically used for cargo and troop transport. Military aviation watchers in Brazil and across Latin America are following the acquisition, which points to renewed fleet modernisation efforts by Paraguay's armed forces. Details on the contract value and planned missions have not been widely reported yet.

Paraguay has added a Cessna SkyCourier to its military fleet, according to aviation news reporting. The twin-engine utility aircraft is typically used for cargo and transport duties, and its arrival points to a modest capability upgrade for the country's armed forces. Few further details, such as the number of aircraft or delivery timeline, are currently available.

Researchers at Xerox PARC have built a chip designed to self-destruct, shattering into tiny pieces when triggered by a command. The technology, demonstrated in 2015, is aimed at protecting sensitive data in defence and security applications, allowing hardware to be destroyed remotely so it cannot fall into the wrong hands or be reverse-engineered.

Ukraine is working to maintain reliable communications links for its growing fleet of unmanned ground and aerial robots used for logistics, reconnaissance and combat tasks on the battlefield. Keeping these systems connected despite jamming and electronic warfare is a key engineering challenge, and discussion is focusing on the technologies and networks needed to sustain the country's robotic forces.

A US Air Force SR-71 Blackbird reportedly reached Mach 3.43, a speed so extreme that both of its engine inlets blew out during the flight, marking a moment of military aviation history. The Air Force has indicated this was not even the fastest speed the Blackbird ever achieved, renewing interest in the legendary reconnaissance aircraft's capabilities.

A report examines the specialized work of manufacturing and maintaining ejection seats used in US military jets and helicopters. The feature highlights the engineers and technicians whose behind-the-scenes craftsmanship keeps pilots safe, detailing the precision and upkeep these life-saving systems require across the American military aircraft fleet.