The Official Newsletter of The National Defense Transportation Association

July 22, 2026

Register Today
October 26 – 29, 2026
Early Bird rates available until August 27, 2026

The 14th Annual NDTA-USTRANSCOM Fall Meeting returns this year, and will be held in Grapevine, Texas, bringing together leaders from government, military, and industry for a premier transportation and logistics event. This world-class gathering offers unparalleled opportunities to learn, connect, and collaborate with professionals who are shaping the future of global mobility, sustainment, and logistics.

The NDTA-USTRANSCOM Fall Meeting will feature keynote, fireside chat, and roundtable sessions, Transportation Academy, networking opportunities, meetings, and a dynamic EXPO all focused on the 2026 Fall Meeting theme, “Delivering Hope, Projecting Lethality – Theater to Globe!”  Visit the NDTA website for the evolving agenda and register today! […READ MORE…]

Trump’s Transportation Secretary Duffy, White House OMB Director Vought Celebrate Christening of ‘Lone Star State,’ Announce $2 Billion Investment to Build Two New Military Ships in Philadelphia

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought today announced a $2 billion investment from the Working Families Tax Cut Act to build two new military ships at the Hanwha Philly Shipyard as part of President Trump’s Executive Order to Restore America’s Maritime Dominance.

The two new military ships, known as Missile Range Instrumentation Vessels (MRIV), will replace two 50-year-old ships in the Department of War’s Missile Defense Agency fleet. In building these state-of-the-art vessels, the Trump Administration is equipping our military with advanced tracking capabilities to observe missile interception tests over the Pacific Ocean, gather mission-critical data, and support range safety operations. […READ MORE…]

POWERING THE FUTURE OF MILITARY MOBILITY

August 26-27, 2026
Mission Training Complex (MTC)
Fort Hood, Texas

Military Community Engagement Event
Wednesday, August 26

Join us for a complimentary military networking event at the MTC before the NDTA Texas Regional Meeting starts on August 27. Here, you can connect with service members and military families with industry partners, educational institutions, veteran-focused organizations, and career transition services.

Registration is not required to participate.

2026 NDTA Texas Regional Meeting

Thursday, August 27

The 2026 NDTA Texas Regional Meeting, hosted collaboratively at the MTC by the NDTA Texas Chapters, will bring together military leaders, government agencies, transportation professionals, and industry partners to discuss military mobility, logistics, infrastructure, and innovation. The event will highlight modernization efforts, emerging technologies, transportation operations, and public-private partnerships that support mission readiness across Texas and beyond.

Registration is required to attend this meeting. For information regarding registration, speakers, sponsorship opportunities, and agenda topics, click here.

Editor’s Picks

Marine Corps Selects New Robotic Weapon System for L-MADIS Integration

(www.breakingdefense.com) The Marine Corps has tapped defense technology company Allen Control Systems’ Bullfrog M240 autonomous weapon for the service’s Light Marine Air Defense Integrated System (L-MADIS).

L-MADIS is part of the service’s Ground Based Air Defense program (GBAD). Similar to the larger Marine Air Defense Integrated System, which is mounted on two Joint Light Tactical Vehicles that work in tandem to detect and counter aerial threats, L-MADIS is comprised of two Polaris MRZR all-terrain vehicles.

Thunderstruck: Anduril Unveils Autonomous Attack Rotorcraft

(www.defensenews.com) The U.S. military will soon field a drone wingman that expands well beyond the fixed wing platforms of the Combat Collaborative Aircraft program.

Anduril started the 2026 Farnborough Airshow with a splash on Monday when it unveiled an autonomous attack rotorcraft, dubbed Thunder, designed to operate with current and next-generation crewed attack helicopter platforms.

YFQ-44A Fury ‘Fighter Drone’ Has Fired Its First AIM-120 AMRAAM Missile

(www.twz.com) Anduril’s YFQ-44A Fury Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) has live-fired a munition at a simulated target for the first time in a test conducted from Edwards Air Force Base in California. The launch of the AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) is also a first for any U.S. CCA-type drone. This is a major step forward in the development of Fury and for the U.S. Air Force’s CCA program.

Navy Wants 1,000 Mile Combat Radius for Carrier Based Tactical Drone Fleets

(www.twz.com) The U.S. Navy is envisioning a future force of carrier-based uncrewed aircraft capable of attacking enemy forces at least 1,000 nautical miles away from the ship. They would also have to be able to do this without needing to refuel in mid-air, though tankers could further extend their reach. This, along with other details, offers the first real sense of the combat drone capabilities the Navy wants to add to its future carrier air wings.

Navy Teases Next Step in Key Drone Boat Program

(www.defenseone.com) The Navy plans to launch the next phase of its marketplace for high-capacity, medium-sized drone boats on August 1, according to a contract notice.

The medium unmanned surface vessel, or MUSV, program “uses modular design principles to create adaptable and resilient solutions that can effectively counter evolving threats,” the July 7 notice states.

CSX Named to TIME’s 2026 List of America’s Most Iconic Companies

(www.csx.com) CSX has been named to TIME’s 2026 list of America’s Most Iconic Companies. The list evaluated 250 companies based on recognition, cultural significance, emotional connection, resilience, and market presence. For CSX, the honor reflects nearly two centuries of service to the nation and the essential work its employees perform every day to move the goods that power homes, businesses, and communities across America.

FedEx Spreads Shipping Fees to EU, More ZIP Codes 

(www.freightwaves.com) FedEx is introducing, but not widely advertising, a series of new charges and fees over the next two weeks that could catch customers by surprise, building on a recent pricing strategy aimed at boosting revenue without touching base rates that shippers tend to focus on. Over an 18-month span, FedEx has implemented or announced more than 50 pricing changes, according to parcel spend management firm LJM.

Travelport and Aeroitalia Sign Multi-year Content Agreement

(www.travelport.com) Travelport, the intelligent infrastructure travel technology company driving bookings for millions of travelers worldwide, and Aeroitalia, the Italian airline connecting mainland Italy with Sicily and Sardinia, have signed a new multi-year content agreement. The agreement will see Aeroitalia’s content made available through Travelport, expanding access to finer, more relevant content in the local market, with rich content and branding capabilities set to be activated from year two of the agreement.

The Source is a free educational publication for NDTA members, conference attendees, and associates.