🚀 Space and Defense #14

Happy Monday 👋

This week, Australia announced a $4.7B deal to buy advanced missiles from the U.S. The UK and Germany signed a "milestone" defense agreement. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries introduced two AI-powered combat drones at a Japanese aerospace event as part of Japan’s military modernization. Turkey will donate loitering munitions to Albania, enhancing their defense partnership. Ex-SpaceX engineers raised $14M to scale an innovative 3D metal printing method. Space Solar partners with Transition Labs for Iceland to bring space-based solar energy by 2030. Lastly, Flock Safety acquired Aerodome for $300M, aiming to launch law enforcement drones next year. In upskilling initiatives, GE Aerospace donated $50,000 to Ayrshire College in Scotland to support aerospace training.

🛡️ National Defense

🚀 Australia to Buy Advanced US Missiles in $4.7B Deal. Australia announced a $4.7B deal to purchase advanced missiles from the United States for its navy amid rising military tensions in the Asia-Pacific region.

🤝 UK and Germany Seal 'Milestone' Defence Deal. The UK and Germany sealed a significant defense deal, which Germany described as an 'expression of the new British orientation towards Europe.' The deal is seen as a milestone in a bilateral treaty between the two countries.

🪖 BAE Systems and Kongsberg Collaborate on Integrated Combat Solution for U.S. Forces. BAE Systems entered into a teaming agreement with Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace to bring an integrated combat solution to U.S. forces.

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🛫 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Unveils AI Combat Drones. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) revealed two AI-powered combat drones at an aerospace exhibition in Japan as part of Japan's military modernization efforts.

🤝 Turkey to Donate Kamikaze Drones to Albania. Turkey will donate a significant number of loitering munitions (kamikaze drones) to Albania, highlighting the strengthening ties between the two countries.

🛡️ Teledyne FLIR Defense Unveils New Counter-Drone System at AUSA 2024. Teledyne FLIR Defense, a company specializing in security solutions, introduced its new Cerberus® XL C-UAS air domain monitoring and counter-drone platform at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) 2024 event.

🪐 Space Innovation

☀️ Space Solar to Bring Space-Based Solar Energy to Iceland by 2030. Space Solar, a U.K. company, has agreed with Transition Labs to bring space-based solar energy to Iceland by 2030.

🧑‍🚀 Space-ng Unveils AstroVision at Silicon Valley Space Week. Space-ng, a technology company, unveiled AstroVision, a computer vision solution for autonomous spacecraft navigation.

🛰️ Aptos Unveils AI-Powered Satellite Communication Platform. Aptos has announced a new AI-focused satellite communication (SATCOM) platform that allows satellites to process and transmit data more efficiently without relying on traditional ground stations.

🛠️ Skills and Workforce

With reskilling and upskilling playing a key role in closing workforce gaps, HolonIQ is now tracking these impactful initiatives shaping the space industry. Read on for this week’s insights.

🚀 GE Aerospace and its foundation have donated $50,000 to Ayrshire College in Scotland as part of a $2.3M global workforce initiative. This funding will support new aerospace and manufacturing training programs, including an evening class and a training center at Glasgow Prestwick Airport. The partnership aims to expand skilled talent locally, address industry needs, and support economic growth.

HolonIQ has launched the Green Skills Map, an open-source framework initiated to catalog, evaluate, and contextualize the components of the rapidly expanding field of green jobs. This comprehensive taxonomy will serve as a resource for understanding the full spectrum and complexity of green skills required across various sectors, thereby enabling a cohesive approach toward achieving net zero and decarbonizing the global economy. Green Skills Map spans 11 areas, 54 sub-areas, and 243 green skills clusters. A snippet of the map covering four areas has been included above. Explore the full map on greenskills.org.

💰 Space Deals

🖨️ Ex-SpaceX Engineers Secure $14M for Innovative Metal 3D Printing Method. They raised $14M from Nvidia and Boeing to scale up a new 3D metal printing method, aimed at producing a variety of components, including rocket engine parts and exhaust systems for Formula 1 cars.

🚁 Flock Safety Acquires Drone Company Aerodome. Flock Safety, a public safety tech firm, acquired Aerodome for approximately $300M, a company specializing in drones for law enforcement, as part of its plans to launch drone products in the upcoming year.

📡 ETL Systems Acquires SpacePath Communications. ETL Systems, a U.K.-based satellite amplifier supplier, acquired SpacePath Communications, another U.K.-based satellite amplifier supplier.

Thank you for reading. Have a great week ahead!
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