🌌 Space and Defense #1

Happy Monday 👋

This week’s highlights include NASA awarding SpaceX a $112.7M contract to launch the JPSS-4 mission in 2027, which will support weather research. India is launching a $120M space venture capital fund, and the UK Space Agency is investing $42.6M in space projects. India and Russia have signed a MoU for co-producing defense ammunition, while Japan and Taiwan conducted their first joint Coast Guard exercise despite Chinese objections. Additionally, China and Russia completed a joint naval exercise in the South China Sea. Textron Systems secured a $312M contract for Ship-to-Shore Connectors, and Hanwha Ocean obtained a Master Ship Repair Agreement with the US Navy. Australia is also building 18 medium landing craft.

🚀 Space

🚀 NASA awarded SpaceX a $112.7M contract to launch the JPSS-4 mission for NOAA in 2027. The spacecraft, part of the JPSS program, will use a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg to support weather and climate research.

⚔️ Indian government to establish $120M venture capital fund for space sector.The investment aims to boost space technology advancements, promote private sector involvement, and improve India's global space industry position, supporting innovative startups and addressing funding gaps.

🔫 UK Space Agency announces $42.6M funding for space projects. The UK's National Space Innovation Programme will fund various projects, including a sounding rocket launch and climate observation instrument, to stimulate growth, create jobs, and advance space technology.

🛰️ Defense

🤝 India and Russia signed an MoU for co-production of Defense ammunition. Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Russian company Rosoboronexport would co-produce high explosive incendiary ammunition under India's 'Make in India' policy. The agreement includes 30 mm HEI & HET ammunition, 40 mm VOG-25, and 30 mm VOG-30D grenade ammunition. 

🚐 Japan and Taiwan conducted the first joint Coast Guard exercise. To counter China's "grey zone" tactics and despite China's objections, Japan and Taiwan affirmed the necessity of the drills, including maritime rescue training, for regional stability, complementing existing joint exercises among the US, Japan, the Philippines, and Australia.

🛰️ China and Russia conclude joint naval exercise and patrol operation maritime monitoring and economic protection, with advanced vessels participating in tactical drills.

🚢 National Intelligence

🌐 Los Alamos National Laboratory is integrating AI technologies into scientific research, impacting national security. Using massive language models and supercomputers, AI deployment in weapons science, national security, climate change, and molecular dynamics research will increase simulation speed and accuracy.

🔐 A global IT outage last Friday affecting millions of Windows computers was traced to a February update of CrowdStrike's cyber activity classification system. The Falcon platform experienced a validation bug, allowing a faulty update with incorrect data to pass through checks, leading to an outage affecting multiple federal agencies and disrupting business operations.

🛡️ The FBI and Mandiant are tracking APT45, a North Korean hacking group stealing U.S. intelligence and defense secrets. APT45 targets nuclear facilities, healthcare, and financial institutions. It funds North Korea's missile projects and answers to the Reconnaissance General Bureau.

💰 Deals of the Week

🔒 Convergint, a global systems integrator, has acquired Helinick, a Romanian electronic security and safety company, for an undisclosed amount to extend Convergint's essential technological and service capabilities throughout Europe.

⚡ Minuteman Security & Life Safety has acquired Secuni, an integrator with a managed services team, for an undisclosed amount to increase its presence in the U.S. East Coast region.

Thank you for reading. Have a great week ahead!
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