AUSA 2025 Day 1 Summary: New U.S. Military Tech Drones - Combat Vehicle and Smart Artillery.

At the AUSA 2025 Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., U.S. defense firms revealed a new wave of battlefield technologies. From mobile drone defenses to hybrid-ready vehicles, the latest systems reflect how the Army is retooling for speed, autonomy, and resilience.

Washington D.C., United States, October 15, 2025 - Day 1 of the AUSA 2025 Annual Meeting & Exposition set the tone for the future of U.S. defense technology. Inside the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, American companies and their partners unveiled a lineup of products designed to make troops faster, safer, and more connected. The new gear ranged from counter-drone systems and autonomous ground platforms to advanced electrification and precision motion technologies, signaling how the Army’s modernization goals are accelerating into real-world solutions.
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U.S. defense industry showcases next-generation defense products and military technologies during Day 1 of AUSA 2025 in Washington, D.C., with Army Recognition providing exclusive on-site coverage of major unveilings and strategic innovations. (Picture source: RTX editing Army Recognition Group)

In a significant unveiling at AUSA 2025, Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky division introduced the S-70UAS “U-Hawk,” an autonomous evolution of the renowned Black Hawk helicopter. Designed to operate without an onboard crew, the U-Hawk maintains full mission capability while advancing the Army’s push toward unmanned rotary-wing aviation. The platform reflects a strategic shift toward greater operational flexibility and resilience in future contested environments.

Meanwhile, General Dynamics Land Systems took center stage with a trio of systems converging on battlefield digitization and layered ground defense. Most notable was the unveiling of NEXUS, a Mission Command-on-the-Move solution mounted on a Stryker platform, designed to deliver uninterrupted C2 connectivity even while maneuvering in contested environments. GDLS also rolled out a Pandur II SHORAD variant equipped with integrated short-range air defense systems, directly responding to the increasing drone saturation in near-peer conflicts. The company further reinforced its commitment to counter-drone dominance with the debut of a new Counter-UAS variant of the XM MUTT robotic vehicle, integrating autonomous navigation with kinetic and non-kinetic defeat mechanisms.

RTX, formerly Raytheon Technologies, amplified the air defense narrative with two major updates. First, the company showcased its enhanced Patriot system equipped with the latest LTAMDS radar, promising expanded detection ranges, faster target tracking, and improved multi-threat handling. RTX also introduced its DeepFires™ launcher, a dual-role system capable of launching both surface-to-surface and surface-to-air munitions autonomously, offering a strategic blend of offensive and defensive capabilities on a single platform.

On the mobility front, GM Defense revealed two new tactical vehicle configurations: an upgraded Infantry Squad Vehicle Utility version, now featuring a modular cargo area and integrated counter-drone system, and a brand-new Heavy Duty Hybrid Tactical Vehicle, blending high payload capacity with low acoustic and thermal signatures for increased survivability in multi-domain environments.

Aerospace innovation took a dramatic leap with Bell Textron’s MV-75 tiltrotor, a next-generation aircraft aiming to surpass the V-280 Valor in agility, speed, and range. With its modular mission payloads and shortened logistics footprint, the MV-75 underscores the Army’s push for flexible, long-range vertical lift solutions that can respond across Indo-Pacific distances or European operational theaters.

Finally, AM General reasserted its tactical artillery relevance with the unveiling of the next-gen Hawkeye 105mm Mobile Howitzer System, now boasting reduced weight, faster deployment times, and enhanced digital fire control. Alongside it stood the upgraded JLTV A2, emphasizing survivability improvements and increased payload capacity while retaining its expeditionary agility.

Day 1 at AUSA 2025 confirms that the U.S. Army and its industrial partners are accelerating the convergence of autonomy, lethality, and mobility. With real-time editorial reporting and exclusive insights, Army Recognition remains the defense community’s frontline source for what matters in military innovation.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.