🚀 Space and Defense #7

Happy Monday 👋

Multiple national defense partnerships were established over the past week. Notably, the Philippines and Vietnam will sign a defense MOU this year amid South China Sea tensions. Japan seeks $2.2B for a satellite constellation to boost missile guidance and surveillance in its 2025 defense budget. NASA's SBIR Ignite Phase II grants nine small businesses up to $850,000 each for technologies in space and exploration. Safran has acquired AI company Preligens for $240M to boost its capabilities in military, space, and civil sectors.

🤝 National Defense Agreements

👥 The Philippines and Vietnam plan to sign an MOU on defense cooperation. The most comprehensive security pacts between the countries significantly strengthened relations between the two Southeast Asian nations.

💪 The Australian and Indonesian defense ministers signed a new Defense Cooperation Agreement. The agreement will enhance military collaboration, joint exercises, and personnel exchanges. It underscores the importance of their bilateral relationship for regional security and prosperity.

⚔️ Indonesia and Cambodia enhanced their defense partnership, with Cambodia showing interest in Indonesian military equipment. The discussions included broader political, economic, and cultural cooperation and joint efforts to combat human trafficking.

✈️  Defense Contracts

💥 The U.S. government has awarded a $1.3 billion contract to boost production of Javelin anti-tank missiles. This follows a $7.2 billion deal from the previous year, reflecting ongoing support for Ukraine amid its war and heightened tensions with Taiwan.

🔧 Japan's Defense Ministry has requested $2.2B to develop a "satellite constellation" for missile guidance as part of an initial $57.8B budget for fiscal 2025. This investment aims to enhance counterattack capabilities, including improved surveillance and hypersonic missile production.

🪐 Space Tech Evolution

🛰️ Alabama-based Outpost Technologies signed a $33.2M contract to equip the US Air Force's Joint Precision Orbital Cargo spacecraft. The project includes a heat shield, payload bus, and paragliding system to support hypersonic testing and reduce risks for military personnel.

🔬 MagniX revealed a De Havilland DHC-7 retrofitted with electric powertrains for NASA's Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration program, aiming to reduce fuel consumption and promote sustainable aviation.

🌍 NASA's SBIR Ignite Phase II program awarded grants to nine small businesses, each receiving up to $850K to develop technologies for future missions, such as wildfire detection, lunar mining, and space debris detection. This initiative supports advancements in deep space exploration and other critical missions.

💰 Space Deals

💵 Nucleus Security, which automates vulnerability management, in a series A funding round, has secured investment from Dcode Capital. The funding will enhance its unified vulnerability management platform, which consolidates data and simplifies cybersecurity for federal organizations

🪙 NxtQube, a Nashik-based drone infrastructure company, raised $2M in seed funding led by Venture Catalysts. The funds will enhance its operations in defense and enterprise sectors, focusing on autonomous drone docking stations and a battery-swapping module.

💸 Safran acquired Preligens, a French AI company, for $240M. This acquisition aims to enhance Safran's AI capabilities in military surveillance, space communication, and civil aeronautics.

Thank you for reading. Have a great week ahead!
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