Defense firms unveil new weapons at Sea-Air-Space naval conference
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The Bullseye missile, mounted at the General Atomics booth at Sea-Air-Space 2025. Photo: Colin Demarest/Axios
Some of the world's most influential weapons makers brought their wares to National Harbor, Maryland, this week for the Sea-Air-Space convention.
- Some even unveiled new products.
Why it matters: Defense conferences are a bellwether for U.S. strategy and industry plasticity. This one, hosted by Navy League, is no different.
Here's just a sample of what was announced, offered and on display:
Copperhead-100, -500 and the explosive -M variant, torpedo-like unmanned underwater vehicles made by Anduril Industries.
- The company's Dive-XL can carry "dozens of Copperhead-100Ms or multiple Copperhead-500Ms," according to an announcement.
Bullseye, a missile reminiscent of Ice Breaker, that will be produced by General Atomics and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
- They will be pumped out in Tupelo, Mississippi, according to the companies. Delivery is expected in the backend of this year.
Bofors 40 Mk4, a naval gun capable of firing 300 rounds per minute and taking out aircraft and boats.
- It was the first time it made an appearance in the U.S., according to BAE Systems. Colombia bought one in March; the Netherlands and Belgium committed to eight last year.
Leonidas H20, the latest version of Epirus' electronics-frying microwave weapon.
- The H20 is meant to counter aerial drones and unmanned surface vessels. It was successfully trialed at the Advanced Naval Technology Exercise-Coastal Trident.
Wombat, a sensor-jammer combo made by BlueHalo using internal research dollars.
- The prototype was spurred by the U.S. Navy's persistent elevated sensor needs, chief technology officer Vikram Manikonda told Axios.
An upgraded V-BAT that manufacturer Shield AI said vertically launches and lands unassisted, flies for more than 13 hours and consumes JP-5, a common maritime aviation fuel.
- V-BAT is the first-ever shipboard drone used by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, as Axios exclusively reported earlier this year.
A combo of Saildrone's Surveyor and Thales Australia's BlueSentry towed array, meant to autonomously hunt submarines and monitor subsea conditions.
- The idea was announced at last year's Sea-Air-Space. Since then, "extensive sea trials" were conducted off California, the two said in a press release.
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