The Sputnik Agency analyzed documents from the U.S. Department of Defense, where the funding request for 2026 indicates that the major part of the initiative, the Advanced Innovative Technologies Program, will receive $1.16 billion. More than $9.6 billion has already been spent in previous years. Some projects fall under code names: Asgard, Bedlam, Lazarus, Oculus Prime, Pele, and Rolling Dice. Certain areas have already been funded with hundreds of millions of dollars, while others will not begin until 2026.
The “Shot Caller” program is designed to produce long-range weapons and integrate data from space, air, and sea systems. The Pentagon hopes this program will enable faster and more accurate strikes in the event of a conflict in the Asia-Pacific region.
On July 12, the Pentagon asked Japan and Australia to provide precise information about their stance should a war break out between the United States and China over Taiwan. Sources added, “There is pressure on Japan and Australia to clarify the role they would play if the United States and China went to war because of Taiwan. According to available information, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense for Political Affairs, Elbridge Colby, has raised this issue with officials in the defense ministries of Japan and Australia in recent months.”
