Weekly News Update: Dec 22, 2023
16 - 22 Dec 2023
Good morning and Happy holidays!
There will be no Building our Defense editions next week. It will be tough, but I’m sure you’ll all be able to muddle through without it.
A relatively quiet week as the DoD, VCs, and nearly everyone else in the ecosystem prepare for the holidays. Plenty of action still in the Red Sea as the Houthis achieve strategic effects using cheap tactical weapons. Still, they’re about to the “find out” part of the FAFO cycle.
Let’s dive in to these and other issues surrounding aerospace and defense technology.
Weekly News Round Up
Military
U.S. Defense modernization and innovation
In race to support DoD, startups are making progress against defense primes (RT)
Without proper support, Replicator Initiative will falter and possibly fail (DN)
The economics of technological superiority don’t make sense, Houthi drones provide case study (Pol)
CSIS: Military needs ‘persistent’ INDOPACOM hypersonic missile tracking (BD)
Congress demands quicker fielding of hypersonic missile interceptor (DN)
Army to field new rifle, machine gun, and optic in 2024 (AT)
Army launches interceptor missile in test of new indirect fire protection system (DN)
Defense Tech Opportunities
DoD looking to award another $280M for microelectronics projects (DS)
DARPA is soliciting innovative concepts for their Adaptive Warfighter Architecture. Responses are due Jan 31 (SAM)
Dept Army is soliciting white papers for blue force tracking concepts from LEO. Responses are due Dec. 22 (SAM)
Space Systems Command released an RFI for refueling and mobility for space operations. Responses are due Jan. 3 (SAM)
Europe, Russia, the Arctic, NATO, and the war in Ukraine
Netherlands boost North Sea surveillance, will spend up to $274M (DN)
Sweden, Denmark to send more CV90 vehicles to Ukraine (DN)
British Army runs armed drone test campaign (BD)
Crude ground robots appearing on battlefield in Ukraine (C4)
China, Korea, and Asia
Russia’s Gazprom says gas flow to China set new daily record (BBG)
Marco Rubio calls for sanction on Chinese chip firm, Brite (RT)
China vows to continue harassing the Philippines over disputed waters (AP)
Chinese maritime militia swarms Second Thomas Shoal (USNI)
Middle East and Africa
The Pentagon heard me, they’re creating a US-led multinational task force to defend the Red Sea, named Operation Prosperity Guardian (DN)
Tech from Navy’s Unmanned Task Force supporting Operation Prosperity Guardian (DS)
USS Carney takes out drone swarm in Red Sea (NT)
US in diplomatic push to avoid having to veto UN Gaza aid resolution (AP)
Egypt attempts to broker peace, as Israel, Hamas ramp up attacks (RT)
US conducts first air strike in Somalia in 4 months (TP)
U.S. Defense Industry News
Navy begins testing of Boeing-made robot sub, named Orca (DO)
Lockheed Martin preps souped-up HIMARs demo for Germany (DN)
Neya Systems, Robotic Research Autonomous Industries and Carnegie Robotics selected for prototyping of Army autonomous logistics system (C4)
Northrop attempts to triple production of E-7 Wedgetail Radar systems (DO)
Northrop to upgrade DIA system in ‘Neptune Phoenix’ deal worth $700M (C4)
Ben Fitzgerald named CEO at Rebellion Defense (DN)
RTX wins $10M to build DARPA’s power-beaming energy web system (DO)
Foreign Defense Industry News
Rheinmetall to deliver 300 more trucks to Austrian military (TDP)
Czechia wants to piggyback on German Leopard 2A8 tank buy (DN)
Japan locks in funding for 2 Aegis destroyers (USNI)
Germany orders $400M worth of artillery shells for Ukraine (DN)
Space
NASA’s next moon landing will include a non-American (Pol)
US Space Command is finally fully operational (C4)
Rocket Lab launches Japanese Earth-imaging satellite (C4)
L3Harris gets green light to produce 16 space-based hypersonic missile trackers (SN)
Nuclear Power & Weapons
IAEA: Second N. Korean nuclear reactor appears operational (RT)
A&D-Focused Finance
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Cerberus both made bids for United Launch Alliance, the Boeing and Lockheed Martin-backed launch company that competes with SpaceX; Jefferies estimates ULA could be worth $2-3B (WSJ)
Czech ammo maker Colt CZ to buy Brazilian-owned competitor Sellier & Bellot for $350 million (DN)
Aviation company AAR will acquire aerospace supplier Triumph Group’s components aftermarket business for $725M (RT)
Axelspace, a satellite data startup, raised a $44M Series D from Sumitomo Mitsui Banking, Mitsui Fudosan, YAMATO, EPSON, and others (BW)
South African aerospace startup Cloudline raised a $6M seed round from Schmidt Futures (TC)
Important Reads
Jeffrey Bialos highlights how the NDAA missed a generational opportunity to foster technology sharing through AUKUS.
Wilson Beaver and Jim Fein explain the precariousness of our current ammunition stockpiles and production rates, particularly in the face of an emboldened China.
The New York Times discussed how the situation in the Red Sea will disrupt trade.
Lighter Side
Keep building!
Andrew