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• [India] ![Inside America’s New Defence Tech Ecosystem] Commentaries|23 December, 2025

Inside America’s New Defence Tech Ecosystem

Author:**

• Aravind Sathishkumar** Emerging technologies, private capital, and startups are reshaping US defence planning, as AI, autonomy, and software redefine modern military power Emerging technologies are now at the heart of modern geopolitics and defence planning. The race for dominance is most evident between the United States (US) and China, with both regarding Artificial Intelligence (AI) and autonomy as elements in future conflicts. While the US[Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall has described it] as a technology-driven arms race, a[2024 Department of Defence (DOD) report] to Congress and a[Congressional Research Service study on emerging military technologies] note that China has already made significant gains in AI and autonomous systems. This has sharpened the urgency for the US to maintain an edge.

This growth is less about a sudden surge and more about how private innovation is aligning with state priorities, fueling the broader US-China technology rivalry. The private sector is also deeply involved in this competition. While the private sector’s engagement in defence is not new, the scale and focus have shifted. For example, in the US, the number of startups working on autonomous systems alone has grown to 110, start-ups working on space technology to 84, and start-ups in Advanced computing and software to 134 in 2023. This growth is less about a sudden surge and more about how private innovation is aligning with state priorities, fueling the broader US-China technology rivalry. Figure 1: Defence Tech Start-up Proliferation ![] Source:[McKinsey & Company]

Understanding the New Defence Tech Landscape

Figure 2 below compiles a catalogue of products developed by some of the leading US-based defence tech companies. These products are categorised by their primary functions, such as command and control, communications, or execution. Products with multiple roles are also highlighted to reflect their cross-functional capabilities. Figure 2: Catalogue of Products by New Defence Tech Companies and their Categorisation ![] **Source.**Author’s compilation Three focus areas emerge for the weapon systems from the above figure:

• **Dominance of Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Multi-Function Platform