The Official Newsletter of The National Defense Transportation Association
February 25, 2026
Save the Date
May 18-21, 2026
NDTA-CAS
Surface Force Projection Meeting
Check out the daily agenda
Join the National Defense Transportation Association (NDTA) and Christopher Newport University’s Center for American Studies (CAS) Surface Force Projection Meeting (SFPM), May 18-21, 2026, at Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA. Connect with top U.S. government and industry experts to tackle deployment and sustainment challenges and address this year’s theme, “Projecting Power in a Globally Contested Environment — Ideas into Action!” Network with peers, attend insightful sessions, and hear from renowned speakers. NDTA, along with CAS, partners with the U.S. Army Transportation Command (ARTRANS), Military Sealift Command (MSC), U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD), the U.S. Coast Guard, logistics and transportation industry, and academia to provide the SFPM. Mark your calendar and don’t miss out! Details on agenda, lodging, and registration will be available on our website starting December 18, 2025. Registration opens on January 29, 2026. Become an NDTA member today for exclusive benefits!
FMCSA Plans to Restore ‘Integrity of American Trucking’
The U.S. Department of Transportation has released more details about its plans to rid the trucking industry of bad actors.
On Friday, Feb. 20, DOT Secretary Sean Duffy and FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs outlined a variety of efforts to clean up the trucking industry, including taking unsafe truck drivers and motor carriers out of operation, improving driver training and cracking down on fraud.
“When we get on the road, we should expect that we should be safe,” Duffy said. “And that those who drive those 80,000-pound big rigs, that they are well-trained, they’re well-qualified, and they’re going to be safe.” […READ MORE…]
Self-driving Bill Greenlights Revenue-Generating Rigs
By
(freightwaves.com) The Self-Drive Act of 2026 has officially cleared a significant hurdle for autonomous trucking: the ability to earn while you test.
The official version, introduced on February 5 by U.S. Rep. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, gives the Secretary of Transportation explicit authority to allow manufacturers and fleets to engage in “limited commercial operations” while under a testing permit. […READ MORE…]
U.S. Airports Suspend Most Flights Along East Coast Amid Blizzard
A powerful winter storm sweeping the U.S. East Coast shut down the vast majority of flights out of the region’s largest airports on February 23, including in the New York area and in Boston.
More than 5,300 flights in, out or within the U.S. were scrapped at the start of the week, according to FlightAware as of 2 a.m. New York time February 23. The impact on the region’s airports are at least as severe as the late-January winter storms. […READ MORE…]
Apply for 2026 NDTA Foundation Scholarships,
now through Wednesday, April 15, 2026
As we recognize the New Year and wish you all the best in 2026, NDTA wants to remind you that we are accepting applications for the 2026-2027 academic year. Applications are being accepted through April 15 via e-mail at ndtahq@ndtahq.com for our four academic scholarship programs for members and their children:
- Program A – for currently enrolled college students
- Program B – for soon-to-be high school graduates accepted at an accredited institution
- Program C – for currently enrolled, distance learning college students
- Program D, The Denny Edwards Graduate Scholarship – for graduate (master’s degree) students
NDTA offers all scholarship winners a unique opportunity to join our Industry Connect Program (ICP). The ICP links interested students with an industry mentor to help them bridge to the future. More information can be found here.
NDTA is excited about the education and development of our Nation’s future logistics and transportation leaders! Providing scholarships and the ICP helps us promote learning and professional development. To learn about scholarship qualification details and how to apply, go to www.ndtahq.com/foundation/, call us at 703-751-5011 or send us an email at ndtahq@ndtahq.com. Read student testimonials from previous scholarship recipients to learn about the impact it has had on their studies and their career paths.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Editor’s Picks
Marine Corps’ Project Dynamis Wants to Bring the Benefits of AI and Automation Downrange
(USNI.org) From massive formations to four Marines in a dune buggy, the Marine Corps is working with the joint force to craft a single network to prepare the service for a digitized battlefield.
Project Dyanmis recently connected live, decentralized networks to support fire missions – a first in the service’s effort to connect with the joint force into a single network with artificial intelligence, automation, and cloud environments.
USMC’s Old F/A-18 Hornets to Get Drone Swatting Laser Guided Rockets
(TWZ.com) U.S. Marine Corps legacy F/A-18C/D Hornets are in line to add air-to-air optimized versions of the 70mm Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) rocket to their arsenal. This will give the jets an important, lower cost boost in their ability to take down drones, as well as certain cruise missiles. APKWS II has already become a principal air-to-air counter-drone weapon for the U.S. force, which began using the rockets in this way on F-16 Vipers in 2024.
How Commercial Drones Make the Pentagon’s ‘Blue UAS Select’ List
(marinecorpstimes.com) The Defense Department this week began testing for the initial phase of its Drone Dominance Program, an effort to expand the use of commercial drones across the military. Dubbed “the Gauntlet,” military operators will fly and evaluate uncrewed aerial systems, or UASs, at Fort Benning, Georgia, to determine which of the 25 competing vendors will advance to the next phase of the program.
U.S. Navy Test Launches Interceptor Lightfish Drone from Seychelles Coast Guard Ship
(USNI.org) The U.S. Navy test launched the Lightfish, an interceptor drone, from a partner nation’s ship for the first time Monday in the Indian Ocean. Commander Task Force 66 launched the Lightfish unmanned surface vessel (USV) from a Seychelles Coast Guard ship as part of Cutlass Express 2026, an exercise with the Seychelles Navy designed to test the drones’ abilities in open ocean with limited connection.
Marines Bring Amphibious Vehicles Back to Life with One Simple, Critical Component
(war.gov) When a shortage of critical single-use consumable suspension washers resulted in multiple amphibious combat vehicles being taken out of service, Marines assigned to the Fabrication Platoon, 2nd Maintenance Battalion, at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, stepped in and turned a potential yearlong delay into a one-hour fix.
Please join NDTA in welcoming its newest members.
Chairman’s Circle:
Sustaining:
Sustaining:
CSX Announces $670M Locomotive Fleet Upgrade with Wabtec
(csx.com) CSX announced that it has signed a $670 million deal with Wabtec Corporation to upgrade its fleet with 100 new Evolution Series locomotives, 50 modernized locomotives, and a suite of digital solutions and services.
The new Evolution Series locomotives will support CSX’s fleet by improving fuel efficiency, tractive effort, and overall reliability. The locomotives are designed to reduce fuel consumption while maintaining performance for long-haul and heavy-duty operations.
Gartner Survey Finds 91% of Customer Service Leaders Under Pressure to Implement AI in 2026
(gartner.com) Customer service and support leaders are facing increased executive expectations to invest in AI, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc. Ninety-one percent of service and support leaders surveyed reported pressure from executive leadership to implement AI – marking a sharp increase in urgency for AI-enabled transformation. The Gartner survey of 321 customer service and support leaders conducted in October 2025 found leaders identified improving customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and self-service success as their top priorities for 2026.
Southwest Airlines Brings Starlink Ultra-Fast WiFi Onboard
Southwest Airlines® is taking in-flight connectivity to new heights with Starlink. Engineered by SpaceX, Starlink will deliver next-generation WiFi across Southwest’s network of 11 countries, allowing customers to stream, share, and scroll in the sky at lightning-fast speeds. Southwest® plans to rapidly integrate Starlink into its fleet. The first Starlink-equipped aircraft enters service this summer.
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