Weekly News Update: Dec 15, 2023
8 - 15 Dec 2023
Good morning,
In recognition that we’re all incredibly busy, I’m trying to make some changes and shorten the newsletter. We’ll be a bit more selective about what information makes it in to the news roll-up moving forward. We’re also testing a new “Defense Tech Opportunities” section where we’ll hopefully link to contracting opportunities.
The big news this week is the passing of the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act, authorizing $886B for national security.
The notion of great power competition continues to solidify, with Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea circle their wagons and cozy-up with one another. Iran is continuing to seek expanded influence across the Middle East and is backing rebel groups, including the Houthis in Yemen. Several former CENTCOM commanders have suggested that a US attack against the Houthis may be appropriate, in response to their attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. For my part, I think we missed the boat and backed the wrong horse with the Republic of Yemen Government (ROYG) over the past decade. Since the fall of Sanaa, the ROYG has proven ineffective and largely unwilling to fight the Houthis. Instead, the Southern Transition Council (STC) has taken on a more active role in containing the Houthis. It’s important for Defense Technology enthusiasts to watch this arena, as many low-cost, innovative, technological solutions have been tested there before export to other areas. Examples include weaponized FPV drones, the IR-SA-7 drone used as anti-aircraft missiles, and unmanned surface and underwater vessels (USV/UUVs).
Let’s dive in to these and other issues surrounding aerospace and defense technology. I strongly suggest reading this one in your browser as it’s a long one.
Weekly News Round Up
Military
U.S. Defense modernization and innovation
Congress has passed the $886B FY24 National Defense Authorization Act (DN)
GAO wants SOCOM to rethink Armed Overwatch plane buy (DN)
US Navy gets new Acquisition Chief, Nickolas Guertin (USNI)
Senate confirms NSA veteran Coker as national cyber director (FdT)
Air Force considering major command structure revamp for ‘great power competition’ (BD)
Army prototypes platoons with robots integrated (AT)
Army looks to field loitering munitions next year, under Project LASSO (DO)
The Army also looks to overhaul its theater-level SIGINT tools (DS)
Marines prepare to release new information operations publication (DS)
Secretary of the Navy: US, Allies must prioritize electronic warfare (BD)
Defense Tech Opportunities
Pentagon eyes successor to joint warfighting cloud capability contract (C4)
Nat’l Geospatial Intelligence Agency expected to solicit for GEOINT data services in the next 120 days (BD)
Space Development Agency released a draft RFP for Tranche 2 Transport Gamma Program as part of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (SAM)
US Navy released a solicitation for commercial EO satellite data (SAM)
Air Force Research Lab opens broad agency announcement seeking white papers supporting the funcional materials and applications mission area (SAM)
The US Navy is requesting information from potential vendors about unmanned surface vehicles (USV) and unmanned undersea vehicles (UUV) (SAM)
Europe, Russia, the Arctic, NATO, and the war in Ukraine
Putin doubles down on Ukraine goals, admits 617,000 Russians are fighting in his Special Military Operation (AP)
US intelligence: ‘Russia has lost 87% of troops it had prior to start of Ukraine war’ (CNN)
Ukraine has relied on innovation to blunt Russia’s mass (C4)
Hungary blocks $55B EU Ukraine aid deal (CNN)
U.K., Norway to lead naval task force in Black Sea to secure Ukrainian shipping (DN)
China, Korea, and Asia
S. Korea, Japan scramble jets as China, Russia warplanes enter Seoul’s defense zone (RT)
Middle East and Africa
Houthi rebels continue to FAFO, attacking container ships in the Bab al-Mandab strait (AP)
Israeli defense minister says war on Hamas will last months (AP)
U.S. Defense Industry News
BAE to keep managing Tennessee ammunition plant in $8.8B deal (WSJ)
Boeing picks a frontrunner to be its next CEO (WSJ)
The Army receives first long-range Precision Strike Missiles from Lockheed (DN)
Lockheed’s helicopter-borne jammer ‘defeats threats’ in Navy test (C4)
Millennium to apply Victus Nox lessons to missile warning satellites (C4)
Northrop Grumman launches innovation campaign, fires new solid rocket motor (BD)
Cost overruns threaten US Air Force’s new LGM-35 Sentinel ICBM program—manufactured by Northrop Grumman, (BBG)
Greg Hayes is out, Chris Calio is in as RTX’s chief executive (C4)
Stratolaunch’s Roc set to launch Talon-A on first hypersonic flight (C4)
Westinghouse, in partnership with Northrop Grumman and and Astrobotic secured a USAF contract to explore powering satellites with nuclear energy (WH)
Foreign Defense Industry News
Neutron Star Systems receives ESA contract for electric propulsion tech (SWG)
Austria taps Rheinmetall to bolster drone, missile defenses (C4)
Estonia looks to kick-start domestic ammunition industry (DN)
Finland to double ammunition production, build new factories (DN)
Germany spends $2.3B on Airbus light attack helicopters (DN)
Saab to provide semi-autonomous Double Eagle undersea system to Kuwait (C4)
Leonardo, KNDS forge European industry alliance for next-gen tanks (DN)
Norway to provide more air defense systems to Ukraine (DN)
South Korea to spend $262.8B on defense over next five years (DN)
UK, Italy, Japan ink GCAP stealth fighter treaty, reveal new program details (BD)
Space
Space Force’s new, classified ‘threat warning’ sensors now delivering intel on ‘foreign capabilities’ (BD)
SpaceX delays launch of Military’s X-37B spaceplane (RT)
China is challenging the US dominance in space (NBC)
China launches mysstery reusable spaceplane for third time (SN)
US, UK, Australia agree to new space tracking system (ASF)
Blue Origin aims to launch first New Shepard rocket in over a year (CNBC)
UK invests $8.5M to boost domestic launch industry (PS)
Amazon’s Project Kuiper completes successful tests of optical mesh network (AA)
Dawn Aerospace completed a full-duration hot fire test of its spaceplane engine
Nuclear Power & Weapons
NDAA requires US to buy domestic nuclear fuel (BBG)
Kairos Power wins approval for US’ first non water-cooled nuclear reactor (For)
AI, Energy, Robotics, and other Tech
DIA signs AI strategy, works to create governance model (BD)
Congress wants alerts on any DOD autonomous weapons policy revamps (DS)
A&D-Focused Finance
True Anomaly, a startup developing hardware and software systems to ensure the sustainable security of space, raised a $100M Series B led by Riot Ventures (PRN)
Dimensional Energy, a sustainable aviation fuel producer, raised a $20M Series A led by Envisioning Partners (TC)
OurSky, a developer platform for space data applications, raised a $9.5M seed round led by Upfront Ventures and Venrex Investment Management (FN)
Helicity raises $5M for in-space fusion propulsion led by Airbus Ventures (SN)
NorthStar Earth and Space, an in-situ space situational awareness company, raised a $14.7M Sereies D round (PS)
Satellite Manufacturer Terran Orbital seeks a buyer, 18 months after SPAC (WSJ)
Elon Musk's SpaceX will sell $500M-$750M of insider shares through a tender offer at an increased valuation of ~$180B (BBG)
Important Reads
Matt MacGregor of Defense Tech and Acquisition breaks down what is known about the Replicator initiative, so far.
Lighter Side
Keep building!
Andrew