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- 🔷 Saved Rounds 2.4.25
🔷 Saved Rounds 2.4.25
Welcome to Tuesday's Saved Rounds, where we send out all the goodies we couldn't squeeze into our Sunday newsletter.
of the Week
Foreign Military Financing: FMF is a foreign policy tool that provides grants and loan guarantees for acquiring US defense equipment to strategic partners and allies who otherwise may not be able to afford it or where the US wants to boost region-specific national defense capabilities.
Why It Matters: The US paused all FMF while it conducts a review of all foreign assistance.
They Said It
“We will fly MQ-25 in 25. You can quote me on that. We will fly that platform in 25 and get that thing on a carrier in 26 and start integrating [it].”
— Vice Adm. Daniel Cheever, commander of Naval Air Forces, showing optimism on the MQ-25 Stingray tanker drone despite some program setbacks.
In related news, the Navy started building a drone runway in New Jersey to support carrier testing and integration of the MQ-25 and it’s C2 system.
Zoom in
Despite the rising popularity of defense tech and supporting the war in Ukraine, companies are still running into regulatory issues with financial support from Western banks.
Zoom in here to learn more.
In that Number
$2 Billion loss
Lockheed Martin reported a $2 Billion loss on 2 classified programs last year, with $1.7B of those losses occurring in the last quarter.
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Saved Rounds
Dufour Aerospace flew a large VTOL tilt-wing hybrid-electric drone for the first time (video!)
Australia’s future MC-55A Peregrine Gulfstream ISR jet was spotted in flight test with RAAF markings
Landing Zones Canada revealed its developed and flight tested a stratospheric balloon-launched supersonic drone that glides from 100k feet to strike targets (concept video)
Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 broke the sound barrier for the first time, hitting Mach 1.1 (the first civilian aircraft to go supersonic since the Concorde)
Textron’s T-6 won Japan's pilot training fleet modernization contract
OpenAI is rolling out a specialized version of ChatGPT tailored for US government agencies, dubbed ChatGPT Gov, and will support non-public, sensitive info
Supernova won a contract to 3D print military-grade energetics
Harmonia acquired cybersecurity company Maveris for expansion
The Pentagon’s Replicator tranche 1 effort is on track to deliver on its August fielding goal
Denmark announced a $2B package for Arctic defense enhancements
ULA is projected to ULA will outpace SpaceX national security launches (11 to 7), pending ULA’s Vulcan rocket passes certification
Spain may convert its aircraft carrier for drone use
Diehl Defence was tapped to lead the IRIS-T Block II missile modernization
The Coast Guard received its 17th HC-130J Combat King II
Array Labs, Raytheon, and Umbra established a space-based 3D mapping partnership
Argentina received its 2nd Beechcraft TC-12B Huron aircraft
The Space Force may pause or eliminate funding for in-space servicing mobility and logistics in the upcoming budget
Elbit won an $80M contract for EW system upgrades for Israel’s F-16s
Singapore’s F-16D+ was spotted armed with Python 5 missiles for the first time
Northrop Grumman is selling off its training services business to Serco for $327M
Lockheed Martin delivered Greece's 30th upgraded F-16 Viper
Bulgaria received its first F-16 Block 70 fighter
Dassault unveiled UAE's first Rafale F4 fighter jet
Textron's first international sale of the Beechcraft King Air 260 will support Canadian Air Force training, part of Canada’s $8.1B fleet modernization (70 new aircraft in total)
Sweden pledged $1.2B in military aid to Ukraine
Sikorsky conducted the first ground test of GE’s new H-60 Black Hawk engine
Adarga received a UK contract worth up to $14.8M for its AI product that informs decision-making
Boeing received the first 737 fuselage for the Air Force’s E-7A prototype
Japan was approved to buy SM-6 Block I missiles
Australia is spending $400m to buy more AARGM-ER missiles
New Zealand retired its C-130H Hercules fleet after 6 decades of service
The Netherlands plans to purchase 22 Skyranger 30 air defense systems for $1.3B
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