WASHINGTON, March 25, 2026 — The National Service Animals Monument (NSAM) today announced it has received an unrestricted $1 million donation, paid in full this month, accelerating efforts to build the nation’s first federally authorized monument honoring service animals and their handlers.

This landmark effort, led by NSAM—the nonprofit leading the initiative—and lead sponsor, the United States War Dogs Association , unites military, law enforcement, and assistance-animal communities in a historic national tribute in the Washington, DC region.

The announcement comes on the heels of a major legislative achievement. In 2023, bipartisan legislation signed by Joe Biden authorized the construction of the National Service Animals Monument on federal land in Washington, DC. Once completed, the monument will stand as a permanent tribute to the animals and handlers who have served—and sacrificed—throughout American history.

“This is a great kickoff to our capital campaign,” said Susan Bahary , founder and chair of NSAM and a renowned sculptor of national monuments honoring military and service animals. “We’re deeply grateful to the U.S. War Dogs Association for their leadership, vision, and support of this national monument that will be a tribute to those who served, both human and animal kind.”

NSAM has set an ambitious goal of raising $25 million and is inviting individuals, corporations, and foundations to support the creation of what leaders describe as a lasting national treasure.

“These animals are silent heroes of American service,” Bahary added. “They didn’t just assist—they protected, rescued, and saved lives. This monument will give them a permanent place in our nation’s heart.”

Chris Willingham , president of the United States War Dogs Association and a retired U.S. Marine Corps Master Sergeant who dedicated much of his 20-year career to the Military Working Dog Program, emphasized the importance of national recognition for both animals and handlers across all branches of service.

“For US War Dogs, a national monument that raises the status of our military K-9s is an essential education tool and a way to honor the legacies of MWDs past, present and future,” said Willingham. “We admire all that the board at NSAM is doing to bring this monument to life and feel privileged to play a small part in this significant project.”

The National Service Animals Monument will be the first of its kind to honor service animals and their human partners across the military, law enforcement, and assistance sectors—past, present, and future. It will highlight the extraordinary human-animal bond, including the life-changing impact of guide and assistance dogs that enable independence and transform the lives of veterans, first responders, and civilians.

Beyond recognition, the monument aims to serve as an enduring educational and cultural landmark—one that reflects core American values of service, sacrifice, duty, courage, and partnership. NSAM leaders believe its placement in a prominent, accessible location in the nation’s capital will create a powerful space for public reflection and national remembrance.

Through this initiative, NSAM seeks to elevate national awareness of the profound ways animals and humans serve one another under extraordinary circumstances, contributing meaningfully to the broader conversation about American values and the meaning of service.

New multi-orbit SATCOM terminal expands capabilities for autonomous and mobile command and control operations

Offers best-in-class durability in small form factor, ruggedized casing, rapid water shedding, and high IP rating

Redmond, WA – March 24, 2026: Kymeta Corporation, the world-leading flat-panel satellite terminal manufacturer, today announces its new Kestrel™ u5 – the smallest and most capable multi-orbit SATCOM terminal to the unmanned systems and national security sectors. 

The Kestrel u5 provides a new and reliable way for modern warfighters and government teams to stay connected and adapt to multiple mission profiles, offering seamless connectivity (switching between beams in under 1 millisecond) across networks, constellations, and LEO, GEO, HEO, and Elliptical orbits. Designed to keep pace with the rapidly evolving technological landscape, this rugged terminal offers future-ready capabilities, including full-duplex functionality and support for remote upgrades.  

Purpose-built for operations across land and sea, the Kestrel u5 offers a comprehensive solution for unmanned systems and other platforms. The terminal’s lightweight, low-profile and rugged design have been engineered to match the intense demands of modern warfare, where factors like constant movement, RF jamming, and shock damage continuously threaten the integrity of connectivity systems.

Flexible and easy-to-install, the terminal is comprised of a no-moving-parts architecture that mounts easily to the top of unmanned sea vessels and other next-generation vehicles. Its durability-first design incorporates shock absorption and patent-pending radome technology for optimal water-shedding speed and the ability to withstand, and recover from, periods of submersion in water.

With critical Low Probability of Detection/Interception features (LPD/LPI), the Kestrel u5 offers a best-in-class low thermal signature, underpinned by the terminal’s low power consumption (less than 100 W typical) and passive cooling system. To top its survivability advantage, the terminal’s use of Kymeta’s unique metamaterials-based antenna surface provides a narrow beam, reducing the risk of RF jamming or interference. 

The Kestrel u5’s advanced connectivity features are encased in a durable yet highly compact and lightweight form factor (less than 11kg), freeing up valuable turret-top and hull space. Designed to adapt to modern conflict scenarios, the terminal’s slimline, easy-to-integrate form factor combines maximized uptime with flexible installation.

“The evolution of modern warfare has exposed the stark need for resilient, conflict-ready connectivity solutions,” said Tom Goebelbecker, SVP of National Security Programs at Kymeta. “Conflict scenarios are more data-driven and interconnected than ever before. As a result, for modern fighters, losing access to real-time communications and accurate data can mean the difference between success and failure for critical operations.”

“With the Kestrel u5, we have brought to market a connectivity solution that addresses key demands of the rapidly evolving battlefield. With our multi-network approach to LEO and GEO connectivity, this terminal takes a proactive approach to downtime, seamlessly switching across networks and enabling commanders with a redundant PACE plan. This innovative multi-orbit capability is protected by the terminal’s rugged outer layer. And this advanced connectivity and ruggedized form factor is delivered in a package with unmatched SWaP-C. All these factors combine to deliver an entirely new SATCOM capability that is set to change the game in how distributed teams connect, command, and survive.”

The terminal is available for order, with production units expected to become available in the next month. Broader availability is expected following this initial release period, as Kymeta continues to scale production to meet growing customer demand. 

At Satellite x GovMilSpace 2026, in Washington D.C., Kymeta and partner SES will be offering live demonstrations of the Kestrel u5 and its advanced capabilities including operation on both GEO and LEO networks.  The demonstration will take place on Tuesday, March 24, and Wednesday, March 25, on the rooftop of the Courtyard by Marriott Washington Downtown/Convention Center, marking the first public live viewing of the Kestrel u5 in action.

For further information, visit KymetaCorp.com

The MOD Placard features MOLLE on all exterior surfaces with built in slots for magazines inserts. Constructed from a single piece of nylon laminate with bartack bonding, it can be configured from a slick placard to a complete rig.

Universal Plate Carrier Attachment System

Ride Height Adjustable

FirstSpear TUBES Compatible

Berry Compliant and offered in MultiCam.

haleystrategic.com/mod-plus-placard-multicam

haleystrategic.com/mod-placard-multicam

Large uncrewed aerial vehicle manufacturer to accelerate development and deployment of aircraft at volumes not seen since WW II

OXNARD, Calif.–Swarm Aero (Swarm), a developer of large uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) swarms, today announced the opening of its Advanced Manufacturing Center from a ribbon cutting event at the new 80,000 square foot facility in Fayetteville, Arkansas at Drake Field. Swarm, headquartered in Oxnard, California, will use this facility to accelerate the development and deployment of the company’s large UAV. Its Arkansas operations will have the ability to produce 1,000s of UAVs and will create hundreds of high-skill aerospace jobs over the next decade.

“We looked at over 20 states before deciding to put down manufacturing roots in Fayetteville, Arkansas. We chose Northwest Arkansas because of the exceptional talent and partners, and we’re thrilled to continue our growth here,” said Danny Goodman, CEO and Co-Founder, Swarm Aero. “Large UAVs are the future of armed conflict. When paired with our swarm command and control software, they can achieve major combat objectives by cooperating with superhuman dexterity while being several times cheaper than traditional aircraft. This is one of the most consequential developments in modern conflict and we have built an exceptionally talented engineering team to bring this vision to life.”

Swarm’s mission is to renew American air power by making large uncrewed aircraft that allow the U.S. to defend itself and its allies without putting pilots in harm’s way. Its Advanced Manufacturing Center is where this ambition becomes reality. Swarm’s pioneering approach to producing composite airframes allows manufacturing at volumes not seen since World War II.

“Swarm’s decision to open their manufacturing facility in Northwest Arkansas reinforces what we know to be true: our region is a destination for advanced manufacturing and next-generation aerospace innovation,” said Nelson Peacock, President and CEO, the Northwest Arkansas Council. “Swarm’s presence here will create meaningful, high-quality jobs while opening new pathways for collaboration with our universities, technical schools, and workforce programs. Just as importantly, Swarm’s mission strengthens the role our region can play in supporting technologies that are critical to America’s national security and industrial resilience. We are proud to welcome Swarm to Northwest Arkansas and look forward to supporting their growth as part of our community.”

Swarm intends to double its aircraft team in 2026 and is actively hiring across the organization. To learn more and apply to open roles, please visit: job-boards.greenhouse.io/swarmaero

Where Capital Gets TacticalSOFWERX, in collaboration with USSOCOM, will host an Private Capital Investor Cohort (PCIC) Assessment Event to identify private capital organizations with novel technology companies that align with the Special Operations Forces Acquisition Technology and Logistics (SOF AT&L) portfolio.

USSOCOM requires a private capital cohort to help accelerate capability development across all USSOCOM Program Executive Offices. Private capital organizations must understand markets and technologies aligned with SOF interests and have expertise in academic and accelerator services. Understanding that awardee maturity can happen through commercial revenue, Prime partnerships, Phase III contracts, private investment, and other government opportunities, a solution provider must have expertise on all means to actualize the capability.

Objective
The objective is to provide a purpose-driven community around accelerating SOF capability to solve operational problems. This program will host in-person and virtual events focused on best practices to deliver new capabilities at speed and scale to the SOF warfighter.

Who Should Submit?
Criteria for inclusion in the Cohort are:  

Company should have a record of investing in defense technology. A record of investments in technologies aligned with the SOF AT&L portfolio of programs is highly desirable. A record of investing in defense technology companies who have had successful exits (merger, acquisition, initial public offering etc.), is also highly desirable.

Company may have a record of investing at the Seed and Series A stages of company growth.

Company may have a record of later stage investing; Series B and beyond.

Company may be considered growth equity and/or traditional banking.

Company should have raised an investment fund and be in the process of deploying capital over the period of performance.

The Company need not meet the definition of a Venture Capital fund as given meaning by the Investment Advisors Act of 1940 (15 USC 80b), though Companies must be accredited investors as defined by Rule 501 of Regulation D of the Securities Act of 1933.

The General Partnership and employees of the Company must be U.S. Citizens.

Passive Limited Partners that are non-U.S. entities will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis but may not be otherwise prohibited or restricted from doing business with the Government. For example, entities on the DoD “Section 1260H” list (P.L. 116-283), the Office of Financial Asset Control Specially Designated National list, or the Bureau of Industry and Security Entity List.

Why You Should Participate
USSOCOM seeks to enter into non-FAR or FAR-based agreements with Industry, Academic, and National Lab partners whose solutions are favorably evaluated by USSOCOM Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). As such, the follow-on Assessment Event (AE) is considered competitive and solutions will be evaluated independently of one another primarily for technical merit. This serves dually as notification of the intent to research the feasibility of an agreement under 10 U.S. Code, Section 4022 and/or Section 4022(f), and as notice of pre-solicitation activities IAW FAR 5.204.

To learn more, visit events.sofwerx.org/pcic26

Submit NLT 27 February 2026 11:59 PM ET