China claims Death Star like directed energy weapon
Defense and dual-use technologies
Good morning!
The incoming administration has wasted no time in shaking up D.C. and the DoD. Expect to see the Senate hold its confirmation vote on whether Pete Hegseth will be the 29th Secretary of Defense. Building our Future predicts that Hegseth will be confirmed by a very narrow margin: 51-49 with Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Susan Collins (R-ME) joining Democrats in their opposition of Hegseth’s confirmation. Hegseth’s nomination was nearly withdrawn a month ago over numerous allegations of domestic abuse and alcoholism, calling into question Hegseth’s character and competence to serve as the highest levels of national service.
Until the Senate confirms a SECDEF, Robert Salesses will serve as the Acting Secretary. Salesses has served as the deputy director of the Washington Headquarters Services, which oversees administrative and managerial support to numerous DoD entities across the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia areas.
Similarly, quite a few other Pentagon positions are being temporarily held, waiting for nominations and confirmations. Building our Future appreciates those career civil servants that have waded into the political waters to ensure the Department continues to operate as smoothly as possible through the transition periods.
Okay! There’s not been a ton of new developments in DefenseTech news this week—at least not out of the United States. This is likely due to several factors including the Presidential transition consuming the focus of many in the industry and the historic winter storm that hit the Southeast.
China on the other hand has continued marching forward in their pursuit of novel technologies that could increase their relative combat power over the U.S. To that end, they are launching aerial drones from submarines, claiming to be able to monitor the entirety of the electromagnetic spectrum, commissioning new ships, and—perhaps most interestingly—claiming to have developed a new directed energy weapon (DEW). This DEW combines several DEW beams into one, amplifying it into a powerful capability, akin to Star Wars’ Death Star. It should be noted that China does at times exaggerate certain capabilities as part of their information warfare campaigns against the West.
Finally, China has conducted its first major exercises of 2025, encircling Taiwan as a stark reminder of its intent to forcibly reunite the country if coaxing and coercion fail. It has also launched its first patrol of the year into the South China Sea. We say ‘Game on!’
Alright, enough yapping, let’s dig in to the news!
News Headlines
Executive order authorizes military deployment to border, directs NORTHCOM to plan to seal borders (TH)
China, U.S. partners move closer towards each other as Trump's unilateralism returns (AP)
France slams 'unacceptable' Russian targeting of Baltic patrol flight (DN)
SecDef nominee allegedly abused second wife, according to Hegseth's former sister-in-law (AP)
Senate Republicans balk at new Hegseth allegations (POL)
Hegseth clears Senate test vote with two republicans voting against it; confirmation vote likely tomorrow (NBC)
Mexico defends sovereignty as U.S. seeks to label cartels as terrorists (AP)
Stefanik pledges 'America First' agenda at the UN and a review of U.S. funding (AP)
Pentagon to send 1,500 troops to border to start Trump-ordered surge (MT)
Judge blocks executive order on birthright citizenship, calls it 'blatantly unconstitutional' (ABC)
Xi and Putin hail tightening ties in call hours after President Trump's inauguration (CNN)
White House sends 160 national security staffers home as it aligns team to President's agenda (AP)
White House staff 'furious' after Musk trashes AI project (POL)
Defense & Dual-Use Technologies
DOD names officials temporarily helming key tech offices as the Pentagon awaits new leadership (DS)
Pentagon acquisition reform is possible, but won't be easy (DO)
F-15E with new EPAWSS electronic warfare suite heads to frontline unit (TWZ)
Congressional Research Service releases report to Congress on next-gen air dominance fighter (NI)
Same threats drive Air Force, marines to different visions of future war (ASF)
Army prepares to release unified network plan 2.0 (DS)
Navy ramping up production of autonomous GARC vessels (DS)
Navy aims to expand vendor pool for COCO drones and ISR support (DS)
'Ferocious' U.S. Typhon missiles relocated within Philippines (EAT)
Aesir Technologies secures Navy contract to expand battery production (SS)
Threat Tech
Trump's DHS nominee: CISA should abandon disinformation fight (DO)
Trump admin fires security board investigating Chinese hack of large ISPs (AT)
How TikTok grew from a fun app for teens into a potential national security threat (AP)
China's submarine-launched drones can do more than the U.S. military thinks: study (SCMP)
China commissions new-generation frigate as competition rises with U.S. (DN)
Chinese scientists claim to develop real-time monitoring of entire electromagnetic spectrum (SCMP)
China encircles Taiwan with 41 military aircraft, warships in exercise (FOT)
Chinese scientists claim success in creating converged energy beam weapon (SCMP)
Foreign Defense Tech
Sweden unveils drone swarm to be paired with ground troops (DN)
Taiwan aims to war-proof its communications networks, with or without outside help (SCMP)
Taiwan may cut its defense spending as Trump returns (WP)
Poland received its first shipment of state-of-the-art Abrams tanks from the U.S. (SS)
Ukraine to hand combat units $60M monthly for new drones (DN)
Defense Industry
Western defense companies size up Vietnam's military market (DN)
Boeing's defense unit takes $1.7B loss in fourth quarter; blames fixed-price contracts still (DO)
GE Aerospace sees 2025 profits surge as it announced beating earnings in Q4 (RT)
Autonomous Systems
Drone boats being rushed to help prevent Baltic seafloor cable sabotage (TWZ)
U.S. Navy to simplify drone ship plans, focus on containerized payloads that look alike (TWZ)
Paralyzed man flies virtual drone using brain implant (N)
DoD eyes tactical drones to accompany troops surging to the border (DS)
Finance & Deal Flow
VC
Shield AI reaches $5B valuation as it expects to close a $200M late stage round likely to include Palantir, Airbus, L3Harris, a16z, Point72, and Riot Ventures as investors (TT)
Defense tech startup r4 exits stealth to streamline software licensing for non-production environments following $1M seed round funded by undisclosed investors (PRN)
PE / M&A / Exits / Other
Recently rebranded space and defense tech company Voyager Technologies has filed paperwork to go public. The company, which has raised $215M+ from VCs like Afterburner Capital and Balerion Space Ventures is seeking a $2-3B valuation (TC)
Redwire announces $925M acquisition of Edge Autonomy, creating a multi-domain, scaled and profitable space and defense tech company (BW)
Exciting Opportunities
The Navy has released a BAA for advanced submarine and surface combat system sensors and signal processing technologies (SAM)
Army DEVCOM has updated its BAA for emerging weapons and munitions systems and soldier lethality related technologies (SAM)
The Army is seeking potential vendors that can help provide launched effects capabilities integrated onto high altitude systems (SAM)
The Army is looking for a bridge making robot to help in future gap crossing operations (SBIR)
Editor's Picks
Retired Admiral James Stavridis thinks that Trump's top military priority needs to be fixing the Navy.
Former OSD China country desk director Joseph Bosco wants Trump to threaten to use the big stick more loudly.
Cyber expert Jason Healey questions just how effective cyber effects are in modern warfare.
Lighter Side
Keep Building,
BOF