Top 7 must-read military technology stories of 2025

In 2025, military technology advanced rapidly as global powers sought to reshape warfare through smarter weapons, autonomous systems, and resilient logistics amid intensifying US-China-Russia rivalry. Key developments included the US reviving the Cold War-era Subic Bay naval base in the Philippines into the world’s largest weapons manufacturing and storage hub, enhancing ammunition production and shipbuilding capabilities near China. The US Navy also honored Pearl Harbor history by naming a new 10,200-ton Virginia-class nuclear submarine USS Utah, emphasizing undersea dominance with advanced sensors and Tomahawk missiles. Additionally, the Pentagon contracted General Dynamics Electric Boat to build five massive 20,800-ton Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines, designed for stealth and nuclear deterrence well into the 2080s. Technological breakthroughs extended to autonomous and directed-energy weapons, exemplified by the unveiling of the Leonidas Autonomous Robotic, a high-power microwave-armed unmanned ground vehicle capable of disabling hostile drone swarms rapidly and with minimal collateral damage.