Chemical and nuclear threat detector sensor data processing 

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. – U.S. Army armored combat vehicles experts needed chemical and nuclear threat detector and protection systems for the Stryker combat vehicle. They found a solution from Teledyne FLIR Detection Inc. in Stillwater, Okla. Officials of the Army Contracting Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., announced a $168.3 million contract to Teledyne FLIR Detection in September for low-rate initial production to upgrade the M1135 Stryker’s nuclear, biological, and chemical reconnaissance vehicle threat detector and sensor processing suite.

Boeing Could Sell Space Business to Blue Origin 

While Boeing’s past in the space industry is undeniable, it’s the company’s present and future that’s the problem. Most notably, the aerospace giant’s cash issues have the company looking to raise $19 billion in a stock offering while still pursuing other sources of revenue. The company lost $6 billion in the third quarter and has already begun selling off assets, like the deal that sent small defense subsidiary, Digital Receiver Technology, to Thales Defense & Security last week.

Source: Boeing Could Sell Space Business to Blue Origin | Manufacturing.net

How scientists are keeping the Orion spacecraft safe from radiation

When NASA’s Artemis I mission launched on its journey around the moon in 2022, there weren’t any astronauts aboard — but there were two torso-shaped dummies, named Helga and Zohar, who were designed to test how much radiation astronauts can expect to be exposed to when they do eventually fly on the Artemis II and III missions.

Source: How scientists are keeping the Orion spacecraft safe from radiation

Lockheed Martin to build another three GaN based air-defense radar systems

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – U.S. Air Force tactical radar experts needed an air-defense radar system intended to detect, identify and track enemy missiles as well as manned and unmanned aircraft. They found their solution from the Lockheed Martin Corp. Rotary and Mission Systems segment in Liverpool, N.Y.

Source: air-defense radar gallium nitride (GaN) | Military Aerospace

Anduril Opening 5MM Square-Foot Facility to ‘Hyperscale’ Defense Manufacturing 

Anduril Industries announced it has secured $1.5 billion of funding for its Series F round to hyperscale defense manufacturing. This funding will enable Anduril to increase hiring, enhance processes, upgrade tooling, increase resiliency in its supply chain and expand infrastructure.

Source: Anduril Opening 5 Million-Square-Foot Facility to ‘Hyperscale’ Defense Manufacturing | Manufacturing.net

Varadis Radiation Detection Sensors to Land on Moon

Varadis, the leading provider of high-energy radiation detection sensors, is pleased to announce that its radiation detection sensors have been chosen by the Center for Astronautical Physics and Engineering, National Central University in Taiwan to measure ionized radiation via its Deep Space Radiation Probe (DSRP). The DSRP probe is planned to be launched to the moon aboard a lunar lander in 2024.

Source: Varadis Radiation Detection Sensors to Land on Moon | Varadis

RTX awarded $677 million US Navy contract for SPY-6 family of radars 

ANDOVER, Mass., June 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, was awarded a $677 million contract to continue to produce AN/SPY-6(V) radars for the U.S. Navy. This is the third option exercised from the March 2022 hardware, production and sustainment contract that is valued up to $3 billion over five years. Under this contract, the U.S. Navy will receive seven additional radars, increasing the total amount of radars under contract for procurement to 38.”SPY-6 provides the fleet with superior air surveillance, electronic warfare protection and enhanced detection abilities,” said Barbara Borgonovi, president of Naval Power at Raytheon. “This contract is a significant step forward in ensuring this technology is delivered to ships to improve the overall self-defense of the fleet.”

Source: News | RTX awarded $677 million US Navy contract for SPY-6 family of radars | RTX

Defense tech startup Blue Halo makes lasers that shoot drones out of the sky

It’s the kind of patriotic mission statement echoed by plenty of eager young defense startups. But for Blue Halo CEO Jonathan Moneymaker, it’s personal. “I’m a gold star brother, which means my brother was killed in the Navy,” Moneymaker told Business Insider. “Technology could have saved his life. And part of this is making sure that others have that opportunity.” Moneymaker is now five years into running Blue Halo. In that time, and with the backing of private equity firm Arlington Capital Partners, it has designed, tested, and fielded the Army’s first major laser weapon system. It’s a rapid rate of turnaround, practically unknown to the bigger, more established defense contractors. After securing a $1 billion contract from the Pentagon this year, Blue Halo is now delivering its Palletized High Energy Laser (P-HEL) system to the Army, enabling them to blast drones out of the sky with AI-powered pinpoint accuracy.

Source: Defense tech startup Blue Halo makes lasers that shoot drones out of the sky. This is how it got the Army to buy them.

Researchers seek to use IR light to keep on-duty sleep-deprived warfighters alert

ARLINGTON, Va. – U.S. military researchers will brief industry next month on an upcoming project to develop a combination drug and device to help sleep-deprived warfighters to stay alert without side-effects like anxiety, irritability, or euphoria. Officials of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va., will brief industry in-person and by webinar on 12 and 14 June 2024 on the Alert Warfighter Enablement (AWARE) project.

Source: drugs near-infrared light sleep-deprived | Military Aerospace

RTX’s SM-6 intercepts ballistic missile target at sea

PACIFIC MISSILE RANGE FACILITY, Hawaii, March 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — A Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) built by Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, intercepted a medium-range ballistic missile target at sea in its final seconds of flight, after being fired from the USS Preble (DDG 88). This test verified some of the missile’s enhanced capabilities when launched from a Baseline 9.C2 variant of the Aegis Combat System.

Source: News | RTX’s SM-6 intercepts ballistic missile target at sea | RTX

Sikorsky to build hybrid tilt-wing aircraft 

Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky unit will build new hybrid, tilt-wing aircraft, the company announced this week. The hybrid-electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft will feature wings that tilt at different stages of a flight. The Stratford-based helicopter manufacturer said the aircraft is the first in a series of next-generation vehicles that will utilize more electrical motors and have the ability to fly without a pilot.

Source: Sikorsky to build hybrid tilt-wing aircraft | Hartford Business Journal

Military seeks to start domestic research center for 3DHI microelectronics development

ARLINGTON, Va. – U.S. military electronics experts are reaching out to industry for information to help them establish a domestic research center for fabrication of three-dimensional heterogeneously integrated (3DHI) microsystems. Officials of the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in Arlington, Va., issued a request for information on Friday (DARPA-SN-23-84) for the Establishing a Domestic Center for R&D and Manufacturing 3-D Heterogeneous Integration (3DHI) Microsystems project.

Source: research center 3DHI manufacturing | Military Aerospace