Norwegian Deal. Naval supplier Fairbanks Morse Defense (FMD) last week acquired Norway’s Vestdavit, a supplier of davits and advanced handling systems used by international navies and offshore operators. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Wisconsin-based FMD said Vestdavit’s dual-point lifting systems, automated boat-handling technologies, and advance launch and recovery systems for unmanned surface and sub-surface vessels are important for the U.S. Navy’s Large unmanned surface and undersea vessels. Vestdavit’s customers include European navies, the U.S. Navy, and Canadian Coast Guard. The deal also gives FMD a manufacturing facility in Poland, and service centers in the Netherlands and Seattle.
750 REMUS. HII on Sept 10 announced it completed production of the 750th REMUS unmanned undersea vehicle (USV) for the Germany navy, a REMUS 300 model. The UUV was made at its facility in Pocasset, Mass. REMUS UUVs are fielded by over 30 countries and HII underscored over 90 percent of the units delivered over 23 years are still in service. HII acquired former REMUS builder Hydroid in 2020.
Torpedo Cable. L3Harris Technologies on Sept. 9 announced its torpedo cable for the Improved Post-Launch Communications System (IPLCS), meant to be used with the MK-48 (Mod-8) torpedo, cleared Proof of Design (PoD) and is not transitioning from development to manufacturing phases. The company said the IPLCS fiber-optic guidewire connects the submarine to the torpedo and allows users to steer MK-47 torpedoes using real-time data and communication. The IPLCS replaces older copper wire to add thousands of times more bandwidth and a larger range. L3Harris said completing PoD got it through sea trials and testing of performance in marine environments, testing the high-speed and maneuverability the tether is set to experience when connected to an active torpedo during conflict.
Navy 3D Printing Powder. Velo3D, Inc., an additive manufacturing company for mission-critical metal parts, announced on Sept. 8 it and Linde AMT company focused on metal powders and coatings signed an agreement to supply domestically produced CuNi (70-30 Copper-Nickel) powder in support of the Navy and its Maritime Industrial Base Program, supporting shipboard modernization. Velo3D said this will provide an entire U.S.-based solution to produce corrosion-resistant copper-nickel components used in naval systems. The agreement will have Velo3D operate a dedicated Sapphire XC large-format printer using Linde AMT’s CuNi powder to support year-round production at no cost to participating Navy and MIB stakeholders. Linde AMT produces these additive metal powders at its Indianapolis powder manufacturing facility.
Navy Superalloy Order. Elmet Technologies on Sept. 8 announced it secured a $5.1 million order from the Navy to develop domestic extrusion capabilities for two high performance superalloys engineered for Navy submarine systems, Inconel and Monel. Elmet boasts itself as the last and only fully integrated U.S. owned and operated tungsten and molybdenum manufacturer. It argued this initiative will leverage the company’s 5,500-ton extrusion press at its Coldwater, Mich. facility, safeguarding a “critical asset” in support of U.S. Navy shipbuilding and strengthens the resiliency of the U.S. defense industrial base. The order is part of a larger collaboration among the company, the Navy, the MIB program and nonprofit BlueForge Alliance to secure the Navy’s industrial base supply chain. Elmet added the government funds will be used to develop and qualify extrusion and rotary forging processes for the high-performance alloys, which it said are necessary for corrosion resistance and high-temperature strength in naval propulsion and submarine systems.
Blue UAS Distinction. Kraus Hamdani Aerospace’s K1000ULE drone in August was added to the Defense Innovation Unit’s Blue UAS Cleared and Select Lists, making it the longest-endurance unmanned aircraft system to be on the lists. “This achievement validates the aircraft and the complete autonomy and software stack behind it,” Stefan Kraus, co-founder and chief technology officer of the California-based company, said in a statement. The electric-powered fixed-wing K1000ULE can take-off and land vertically and has flown for more than 75 hours in a single flight.
AV in Europe. AeroVironment last week announced two moves to support its commitment to the European market. The company opened a new office in the United Kingdom that includes employees representing various product lines, including Tomahawk Ground Control Systems, small and medium drones, and ground-based systems. AV also launched a co-production agreement with TIA Group to begin manufacturing operations in the U.K. TIA Group will produce the Tomahawk control station Grip 23 TE controller for all-domain uncrewed operations.
…Shield AI Too (and Taiwan). Shield AI last week also announced a new office, this one in Oslo, Norway, to support what it says are its “growing partnerships” around engineering and program integration with the country’s defense industry, and advance its efforts with allies and partners in Europe. The U.S.-based drone and autonomy company has existing partnerships with Radionor Communications, Teleplan Globe, and Ubiq Aerospace in Norway. Shield AI also announced a formal teaming agreement with Taiwan defense prime contractor Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation in the areas of “sustainment, training, autonomy integration, and other technical initiatives to ensure Shield AI’s products can be deployed, supported, and scaled in Taiwan.” Shield also said the agreement will accelerate the island nation’s local drone and aerospace industry.
Missile Partnership. Rocket motor developer X-Bow Systems said it has partnered with tactical missile developer AEON Industrial to explore testing and producing solid rocket motors for AEON’s modular Zeus missile system. The companies will also explore other missile and munitions designs for potential joint development under a memorandum of understanding.
Stock Raise. AIRO Group Holdings priced its planned upsized public offering of additional stock, saying it expects to generate gross proceeds of nearly $78 million. The aerospace and defense company will use net proceeds to fund growth initiatives, acquire complementary businesses, products, services, and technologies, and repurchase shares. AIRO’s RQ-35 drone is used in Ukraine and the New Mexico-based company is developing electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft for urban air mobility.
Real Estate. BAE Systems last week opened a 247,000 square-foot engineering and product development facility near Minneapolis, Minn., that will focus on the design of naval guns, launching systems, advanced munitions, submarine components, and combat vehicles. Parsons has opened a new 27,000 square-foot facility in Huntsville, Ala., near Redstone Arsenal to bolster its support of Defense Department space and missile defense missions. The facility includes 21,000 square-feet of high-bay space to support advanced programs. Finally, Red Cat Holdings said its Blue Ops, Inc., maritime division has leased a 155,000 square-foot facility in Valdosta, Ga., to be the hub for manufacturing its unmanned surface vessels (USVs). Blue Ops has partnered with Maine-based Hogdon Shipbuilding to produce the company’s first five USV prototypes. Blue Ops also plans to open a headquarters in West Palm Beach, Fla., that will support customer engagements and USV demonstrations.
Drone Rebrand. Drone manufacturer AgEagle Aerial Systems, which has two unmanned aircraft systems on the Defense Innovation Unit’s Blue UAS Cleared List, has rebranded as EagleNXT. The Kansas-based company said the rebranding showcases its “sharpened strategic focus, and its mission to deliver the intelligence that safeguards and empowers the world.”
NINJA. The U.S. Air Force and Navy have lagged behind in their fielding of counter drone systems in-depth, according to a new Center for a New American Security report, Countering the Swarm: Protecting the Joint Force in the Drone Age. “By 2023 the Air Force had deployed 99 Negation of Improvised Non-State Joint Aircraft (NINJA) systems at priority air bases, but this system, which consists of sensors and nonkinetic disruptors, does not offer protection against the full range of drone threats,” the study said. “NINJA was primarily designed to protect air bases from incursions by small and commercial off-the-shelf drones; it has limited defeat and divert capabilities against Group 3 systems, and it does not provide the layers required for effective air defense.”
NATO AWACS. As the Air Force moves to retire its Boeing E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system (AWACS) fleet to replace them with Boeing E-7 Wedgetails and/or space systems, RTX’s Pratt & Whitney says that it has received an $18 million contract from the NATO Support Procurement Agency for sustainment of the TF33 engine on the NATO AWACS. “Pratt & Whitney will provide a materials management program to include part forecasting, procurement and technical support,” RTX said. “The contract duration is for three years, with an option to extend it for an additional two years. Work on this contract will be conducted at several locations, including the Geilenkirchen NATO Air Base, depots in Turkey and Greece, and Pratt & Whitney’s East Hartford, Conn. facility.”
SBMC Partner. Gentex said on Sept. 9 it’s a partner on Anduril’s team selected for the Army’s Soldier Borne Mission Command (SBMC), and it will provide helmet and communications integration work for the program to develop new mixed-reality headsets. “As part of the SBMC ecosystem, Gentex will leverage its industry-leading Ops-Core helmet systems and AMP communication headsets to provide the scalable, modular foundation required for optimal HUD integration,” Gentex said in a statement. The Army announced on Sept. 8 it had selected Anduril and startup firm Rivet to build prototypes for SBMC, the service’s follow-on effort to the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS).
Fuchs JAGM. Germany’s Rheinmetall and Lockheed Martin unveiled their new Fuchs JAGM platform on Sept. 9 at the DSEI trade show in London. The companies noted the capability involves integrating Rheinmetall’s Fuchs Evolution 6×6 armored transport vehicle with 24 of Lockheed Martin’s AGM-179 Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) or AGM-114L HELLFIRE Longbow guided missiles. “In combination with its state-of-the-art sensor package, it can detect and engage multiple threats on the battlefield at any time. The Fuchs JAGM is thus capable of engaging up to 24 battle tanks, as well as air targets in rapid succession without reloading,” the companies said in a statement, noting this is the first vehicle to be equipped with two dozen of the Lockheed Martin-built missiles.
Michigan Investment. American Rheinmetall, the German firm’s U.S.-based business, also announced on Sept. 11 a new $31.7 million investment in its Michigan facilities, to include moving into a new 168,000-square foot facility in Auburn Hills. The company said the move will consolidate its existing operations in Troy and Sterling Heights, Michigan and is intended to provide “enhanced support” for its work on programs such as the Army’s XM30 effort to develop a Bradley replacement. “This expansion represents a major step forward in strengthening our ability to deliver critical defense technologies to the U.S. military,” Matt Warnick, CEO of American Rheinmetall, said in a statement. “It’s a direct investment in American manufacturing capacity and the skilled workforce that powers it.”
HADES. SNC said on Sept. 9 it has received the second Bombardier Global 6500 jet that it will integrate for the Army’s High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) aerial intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance program. The Army in August 2024 picked SNC as the lead systems integrator for the HADES program, awarding the firm a contract worth up to $991.3 million. Bombardier Defense was previously to provide up to three Global 6500s for HADES’ prototyping, with SNC currently working on building out the first aircraft to support operational testing in late 2026. “SNC is leveraging hundreds of thousands of hours of design and integration experience to deliver the kind of mission-specific solution that will give our soldiers the tactical advantage they need in today’s near-peer environment,” Josh Walsh, SNC’s vice president of programs, said in a statement.
Labor At HII. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer visited another Navy-related shipyard on Sept. 9, the HII Newport News Shipbuilding facility. This follows a similar visit last month to the public-owned Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine. HII said the visit included a tour of the shipyard and roundtable discussion with community leaders at the Newport News Shipbuilding Apprentice School focused on workforce development and national security. The company noted it uses federal programs managed by the Department of Labor to help find and hire skilled tradespeople to build nuclear-powered submarines and aircraft carriers.
