Michael Brown, a previous Wash100 awardee who used to lead the Department of Defense’s innovation arm, was appointed as full-time partner at Shield Capital after serving as venture partner at the private equity firm since October 2022. He brings to the role his deep understanding of the firm’s artificial intelligence, autonomy, cybersecurity and space investments and his […] More

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency completed the first flight tests of artificial intelligence algorithms on a Lockheed Martin-built modified F-16 fighter jet, dubbed X-62A Variable In-flight Simulator Test Aircraft, in December. The AI algorithms developed through DARPA’s Air Combat Evolution program were uploaded into VISTA at the Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards […] More

Vannevar Labs, a developer of defense and national security technologies, has raised $75 million in a series B funding round led by Felicis and backed by venture capital firms, and will use the fresh capital to advance its Decrypt software platform. Decrypt is designed to help military and government customers understand foreign actors and has […] More

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona will support TriWest Healthcare Alliance in delivering Tricare health care services to service personnel, retirees and their families across 26 states in the West region under a contract with the Department of Defense. TriWest won a $65.1 billion managed care support contract from the Defense Health Agency for the […] More

In pursuing a stronger presence in federal contracting, SpaceX has launched the Starshield satellite network, which is geared towards national security support for government organizations. Utilizing the company’s existing Starlink technology, the Starshield business aims to focus on the areas of earth observation, communications and hosted payloads. Starshield’s website states that the satellite network provides secure data […] More

Lockheed Martin handed over to the Air Force Research Laboratory an airborne laser weapon system in February as part of AFRL’s Self-protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator program, Breaking Defense reported Monday. The company developed the directed energy weapon, also known as the Laser Advancements for Next-generation Compact Environments or LANCE, under a contract awarded in […] More

Lockheed Martin and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command jointly demonstrated command and control technology capabilities designed to support multidomain operations during the biennial Valiant Shield military exercise. The defense contractor said Tuesday its DIAMONDShield battle management system integrated with four virtualized Aegis weapon system nodes to gather and analyze operational data from air, land, sea and space […] More

Seventeen companies and the National Security Space Association have forged an alliance to fundraise for humanitarian aid and relief efforts to help people in Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion. The Space Industry for Ukraine consortium said Tuesday it has raised almost $1 million to date and aims to deploy medical and food supplies, mobile refugee clinics […] More

Leidos‘ Dynetics subsidiary has selected Benchmark Electronics to produce electronic components of a ground-based weapon system meant to help the U.S. Army deter aerial threats. Benchmark said Thursday it will manufacture advanced electronics for the Enduring Shield system at a Huntsville, Alabama-based facility near locations of Dynetics and U.S. Army missile defense projects. Enduring Shield, […] More

Shield Capital has launched its first venture capital fund to support startups that are developing technologies for national security and commercial customers. The venture capital firm said Tuesday it exceeded the $120 million fund goal for Shield Capital Fund I. Shield Capital’s investment strategy is focused on early-stage companies working on technologies in artificial intelligence, […] More

Matt McCrann has been promoted to serve as CEO of DroneShield‘s U.S. subsidiary, where he previously functioned as vice president of sales, Australian Defence Magazine reported Tuesday. He will now oversee efforts to grow the U.S.-based organization’s footprint in the defense, homeland security and law enforcement markets as a counter-drone technology provider. McCrann joined DroneShield […] More

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruptions in the supply chain of various industries—from a shortage of shipping containers, rail congestion to the shift in consumer habits. At a webinar, Jeff Jorge, a principal and leader of international services at global advisory firm Baker Tilly, said that such challenges altogether place the aftermarket services industry […] More