Friday, October 16, 2026

Defense Business Brief: A day at DIBX 2026 in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA—The Trump administration is dialed in on increasing domestic production of critical minerals needed for military weapons. But getting private investment in the industry is tough because of how long it can take for companies to start making money. “We all know the critical minerals issue is front and center. It's the president's maybe No.…

US military bought commercial satellite images of alleged narco airstrips, Chinese naval fleet

The U.S. military purchased satellite images that identified Chinese aircraft carrier positions and Ecuadorian airstrips allegedly used for drug trafficking, a new report from the Government Accountability Office revealed. But despite those and other examples of prior use, the Space Force still hasn’t fully embraced commercial intelligence, the watchdog said. “Some Space Force officials told…