The Pentagon has formed the Science, Technology and Innovation Board by merging the Defense Innovation Board and the Defense Science Board to unify efforts that address technological and scientific challenges. The move comes as the Pentagon faces criticism for cutting funding for basic research and reducing oversight, potentially undermining future innovation and scientific progress.

The US Space Force's Space Development Agency is seeking industry input on optical communications terminal technology for aircraft to connect with the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. The technology must be ready for demonstration within 12 months and capable of supporting high-bandwidth, secure communications between aircraft and low-Earth-orbit satellites.

The Pentagon recently announced the appointment of six senior officials to lead its newly restructured critical technology areas. Each appointee brings Defense Department or military experience to their respective technology domain, including applied AI, biomanufacturing, contested logistics, quantum and battlefield information dominance, scaled directed energy and scaled hypersonics. These leaders are tasked with accelerating the delivery of advanced capabilities to warfighters through focused, rapid technology sprints.

MIT engineers have developed a method to turn raw plastic waste into high-strength floor trusses using large-scale 3D printing. The trusses, made from recycled PET polymer pellets reinforced with glass fibers, have demonstrated the ability to support 4,000 pounds of pressure, surpassing US federal housing standards. The project aims to address the global housing crisis by providing a sustainable alternative to wood and concrete, with the potential for micro-factories to produce building components from local plastic waste.

Amazon Leo has requested a 24-month extension from the FCC to deploy the first half of its 3,236-satellite constellation, citing launch delays, technical issues and weather. The company has invested more than $10 billion in the project and has contracts for 102 launches with Arianespace, Blue Origin, United Launch Alliance and SpaceX.

General Dynamics has been conducting tests on the Mining Expendable Delivery Unmanned Submarine Asset, an underwater drone designed to enhance the US Navy's offensive mine warfare capabilities. The tests are being conducted off the coast of Massachusetts. The Navy requested the system in response to the growing capabilities of the Chinese Navy.

The Army Reserve is integrating robotics into combat engineering to enhance agility and operational experimentation, as demonstrated in Exercise Northern Strike 2026. This shift aims to reduce soldier risk and improve maneuverability in contested areas, supported by recent successful trials of unmanned systems. The Army Reserve's efforts are aligned with Transformation in Contact, which focuses on rapid prototyping and testing of new technologies to inform future force design.

Pittsburgh International Airport has integrated workforce development into its $1.7 billion terminal project, creating opportunities in aviation and construction through the PIT2Work program, which began in 2023 and has graduated more than 100 people. The airport has partnered with International Union of Operating Engineers Local 95 to provide classroom instruction and on-the-job training, and the program has received more than $400,000 from organizations including the Heinz Endowments and Citizens Bank.

The IEEE-USA Congressional Electric Grid Policy Fellowship seeks to augment the capabilities of congressional staff by selecting and placing qualified Fellows with relevant technical expertise in offices or on committees actively working on grid policy. Deadline to apply is 23 February 2026. Learn more. 

Qualified IEEE Student Members can spend next summer in Washington DC learning how government officials make decisions on complex technological issues, and how engineers and scientists can contribute to the process. The deadline to apply for Summer 2026 is 1 March 2026. Learn more.