The Hatch Report (Issue #3)
Legislative updates and content from the past week that caught my eye. Also included are 20 industry updates, 11 DoD opportunities, and 5 upcoming events that might be of interest.
Legislative Updates
Taxpayers for Common Sense compiled a helpful database of Congressional adds. Over $14B for projects DoD didn’t fund in its FY25 request. Over $5B in program increases related to the UPLs.
Great CRS roll-up of FY25 C-UAS-related NDAA legislation. Includes helpful House/Senate side-by-side.
HASC hearing today at 12pm EST on acquisition pathways and innovation efforts. Witnesses include CEOs/executives from Skydio, Shield AI, Palantir, Applied Intuition, and Saildrone. I’ll be listening for mentions of requirements reform, contracting capacity/issues, anything as a service, portfolio approach/budgeting, and CCMD / Operational Unit influence on procurement decisions. Last year, HASC CITI held a similar hearing that included the CEOs of Lockheed, Anduril, and Saildrone. You can read my summary of that hearing - HERE.
Top Stories
1. Buy-EU pressure mounts - Major report calls on member nations to coordinate/consolidate on R&D/Procurment to drive aggregate demand. Report lays out 10 recommendations. Tracking progress toward their implementation could foreshadow subsequent hits to U.S. FMS/DCS. Any increase in Buy-America legislation/requirements would likely fuel the buy-EU movement.
2. Office of Strategic Capital (OSC) - Seeking info from lenders and other private credit investors to inform the design and implementation of the DoD Loan Program Office. Responses due by 22 OCT.
3. Could Cargo Ships Become Armed Battle Platforms with Anduril’s Barracuda-M Missiles? - Op-ed by John Konrad. DIU already eyeing one Barracuda design as part of its Enterprise Test Vehicle program (a cheap, effective missile that can be mass-produced in a crisis). “While Anduril hasn’t explicitly stated that the Barracuda could be mounted on commercial vessels, the possibility is hard to overlook. The missiles are designed to be modular and can be launched from various platforms...”
4. Primes Met Just 64.4% of Small Business Subcontracting Goals in FY23 - Insightful and data-rich piece from Steven Koprince. FY23 is not an outlier. Important for SBA to start collecting/publishing enforcement data. Will help “determine whether the answers lie in stricter enforcement of existing rules, regulatory changes, or both”.
5. Moneyball Approach to Army Gunnery Training - Army’s 4th ID / 1st S-BCT tasked to correlate vast troves of gunnery data with predictors of success. Unexpectedly, Table Three - where gunners shoot lasers instead of live ammo - proved to be the biggest predictor. Next step is improving data collection to expand the model.
6. Outgunned, outranged: The Ukraine war illustrates where fires modernization is needed - Regarding ERCA requirement, Army leadership is purportedly willing to accept foreign-built systems for the first two years of production and then it has to be moved onshore.
7. Ukraine OKs Robotic Stretchers for Military Distribution - Will move military equipment and injured personnel from the battlefield and into safe areas. Remote controlled, up to 2,297 feet of connectivity, 6.2-mile power reserve.
8. Army to test out 30 new drones and launched effects during EDGE 24 - Recent AROC-approved internal ACDD revealed that the Service is officially moving forward with the hunt for a short-range launched effect, studying lethal payloads for the medium-range option, and in a holding pattern for a long-range precision munition. Fate of of a helicopter-launched, long-range precision munition (LRPM) unclear. Army fielding Spike NLOS as an interim solution for the AH-64s.
9. China’s counter space developments and force posture in space - Thought-provoking / highly detailed research paper. Main point is PRC softkill counter-space capabilities, e.g., EW, cyber, DE, etc increasing in quantity/quality. Importantly, much lower employment threshold vs hardkill (difficulty of attribution / Kessler syndrome). PRC also developing a Starlink rival LEO-based system of 13,000 satellites.
10. New MITRE report “Buy the Way we Fight” - One of the recommendations calls for DoD 5000.80 and 5000.87 to be updated to explicitly direct programs using the Middle Tier and Software pathways to plan for coalition partners and at least consider issues of international interoperability.
11. FCC rule grants drone operators spectrum access for navigation - Assigning spectrum access in the 5GHz band is an initial step toward integrating drones into the National Airspace System.
12. Army FTUAS Program Updates - Recently completed MOSA compliance evaluations and flight demonstrations of competing prototypes from Griffon Aerospace and Textron Systems. The VTOL FTUAS will provide BCTs with an organic ISR capability.
Industry Activity
13. Anduril / PDW - Selected by Army for the Company-level SUAS Directed Requirement (DR) for BCTs. The DR was approved back in June 2023. DIU funding helped accelerate the effort. The award is for Tranche 1 of the DR with a value of $14.4M using DLA’s Tailored Logistics Support 10-Year IDIQ. Took 5 months from SSN to selection decision.
14. Second Front Systems - Raises $70M in Series C funding led by Salesforce Ventures. 2F’s Game Warden deploys commercial and government solutions to classified, air gapped, regulated, and government environments around the world.
15. Inversion Space - Three-year-old company awarded a $71M SpaceWERX STRATFI, i.e., $17.75M from SpaceWERX, $17.75M from USG end-users, and $35.5M of private capital. Will fund a demonstration by 2026 of its reentry capsule. Eventual goal is autonomously landing anywhere on Earth to a football field-sized degree of accuracy.
NOTE - See similar TRANSCOM CRADA with SpaceX and XArc to study the use of space launch vehicles to transport supplies in an emergency…“Think about moving the equivalent of a C-17 payload anywhere on the globe in less than an hour…”
16. Terra Analytics - ERDC intends to issue a sole source award for modeling nuclear warfare on a global scale that would lead to the destruction of agriculture systems such as farms. The work includes expanding AgriShock's geographic coverage to include former Eastern Block countries and to regions beyond Eastern Europe and Western Russia. Work will ensure the Agrishock software can be implemented on existing and/or new secure Linux-based ERDC HPC computing environments.
17. Echelon AI - Acquires UAS company Skyfire Consulting. The combined entity, to be known as SkyfireAI, will focus on integrating bleeding-edge AI with UAS technologies.
18. Darkhive, Inc - Focused on open architecture UAS integrated with a secure software delivery system. Secured $21M series A investment led by Ten Eleven Ventures. Has previously been awarded an SBIR Phase III IDIQ with AFWERX Autonomy Prime, three SBIR Phase IIs, an STTR Phase II with the University of Alaska, an RDT&E contract with the OUSD RE, and an OTA contract with DIU NSIC.
19. Amazon - New report says Project Kuiper (global satellite broadband network) to cost $16.5B to $20B — significantly higher than the $10B figure cited four years ago.
20. Rare Earth Salts - Awarded a $4.2M contract by the Defense Production Act Investment (DPAI) office to expand production of terbium oxide from recycled fluorescent light bulbs. The DPAI office has issued more than 50 program awards in FY24 across multiple areas, totaling $518.7M. DPAI is overseen by the ASD(IBP)'s Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization (MCEIP) directorate.
21. Ask Sage - The generative AI platform will be implemented onto the Army’s cloud environment known as cArmy. The capability leverages Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI — a suite of AI services that allows users to apply OpenAI models onto preexisting data. The platform will be available to users up to an IL 5 environment.
22. Orbital Composites - Wins AFWERX TACFI to develop and scale production of its modular UAS, Starfighter X. Their patented Additive Manufacturing Compression Molding (AMCM) process allows for rapid production of complex aerospace components.
23. Iron EagleX, Inc. - Acquired by GDIT. Iron EagleX is a leading provider of AI/ML, cyber, software development, and cloud services for SOCOM and the IC.
24. Infleqtion - Awarded an Australian Army contract to develop intrinsic and logical quantum physically unclonable functions (QPUFs) by generating prototype codes and designs. Working with Diraq, a Sydney-based quantum computing company.
25. IntelliGenesis LLC - Announces CRADA with DISA to jointly develop a Generative AI cybersecurity platform to elevate the analytical capabilities of DISA's Security Operations Center.
26. GDIT - Expands its commercial partnership with GitLab through a new Strategic Collaboration Agreement. GDIT will enhance its Coral Software Factory Digital Accelerator by integrating GitLab’s AI-powered DevSecOps platform to improve automation and security of application development. GitLab security features enable developers to integrate security earlier in the software development lifecycle.
27. IonQ - Signs $9M partnership with UMD to provide state-of-the-art quantum computing access at the National Quantum Lab at Maryland (QLab). QLab allows UMD-affiliated students, faculty, researchers, staff, and partners to work closely with IonQ’s scientists and engineers.
28. Strider Technologies - Raises $55M in series C funding led by Pelion Venture Partners. Will continue advancing its AI-driven capabilities into its integrated global intelligence platform, expand operations in Europe / Asia, and more aggressively address the public sector market. Since launching in May 2019, Strider has secured $110M in VC funding and grown to nearly 200 employees.
29. Accelalpha - Acquired by IBM. Expands IBM's Oracle consulting expertise in supply chain and logistics, finance, enterprise performance management (EPM) and customer transformation.
30. PsiQuantum - Partnering with the state of Illinois to build the largest US-based quantum computing facility. Aims to house a quantum computer containing up to 1 million quantum bits, or qubits, within the next 10 years. At the moment, the largest quantum computers have around 1,000 qubits. Will include a collaboration with the University of Chicago, and several other Illinois universities. PsiQuantum also breaking ground on a similar facility in Australia next year and hopes that the facility will be fully operational by 2027.
31. Kubota North America - Acquired Pittsburgh-based Bloomfield Robotics, Inc. Bloomfield's cameras are the foundation for a new SaaS that provides plant-level health and performance assessments for growers of specialty crops. Bloomfield's purpose-built cameras are easily mounted on tractors and other vehicles common to farming and allow for the capture of detailed plant-level, geo-located images of the entire farm. These images are then translated into crop data such as color, maturity, and size of the fruit using Bloomfield's AI. The result is unprecedented insights into harvest timing and yield, which enables meaningful operational efficiencies, better-timed harvests, reduced labor costs, and increased asset utilization.
32. Rafael - IMILITE and FIRE WEAVER systems now available on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). OCI delivers the same services in any deployment model—from a command outpost to the tactical edge. OCI is the only cloud that offers AI at every layer of the stack. IMILITE is a proven, AI-based IMINT and GEOINT system that provides actionable intelligence based on real-time visual data from its multiple sensors. FIRE WEAVER provides shared, real-time situational awareness, automatically selecting relevant targets for multiple precision strikes.
Government Opportunites
DARPA RFI // Responses due by 18 OCT
Seeks to provide opportunities to connect top-tier investors with DARPA PMs, R&D performers, and other DARPA personnel that may result in investment opportunities.
Respondents to this RFI may include family offices, angel investors, VC firms, corporate venture capital firms, and PE or buyout firms.
Productization, scale, and transition of DARPA-funded technologies may include DARPA retaining certain rights to IP that may be subject to export, field of use, or geographic use restrictions.
NSWC Crane (in support of OSD R&E) SSN // Responses due by 15 OCT
Requesting submissions for participation consideration in the Silent Swarm 2025 Experimentation Event (SS25). Targeting, but not limited to, technologies in the TRL 2-5 range.
Silent Swarm is a series of events focused on experimentation with early development Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (EMSO) capabilities that can be employed on attritable, multi-domain Unmanned Systems.
Selected participants will be able to further develop their technologies while operating in an operationally relevant sandbox environment alongside SMEs from joint operational and technical communities.
35. eXtended Range Counter-sUAS Missile (XRC)
DEVCOM AVMC RFI // Responses due by 31 OCT
Exploring a new missile compatible with the Stinger Vehicle Universal Launcher (SVUL), addressing operational challenges posed by Group 2 and Group 3 UAS. Effort expected to culminate in an All-Up-Round prototype demonstration before FY30. This is a mid to long-term effort.
18 SEP Industry Day at Redstone Arsenal with in-person and virtual sessions. 16 SEP registration deadline.
36. Medical Modeling & Simulation Research Planning Tools (PT)
Naval Health Research Center (NHRC) RFI // Responses due by 9 OCT
Wants to determine the data elements/relationships for forward resuscitative care and theater hospitalization required to conduct a risk assessment, configure medical capabilities, evaluate emerging requirements, conduct mission rehearsal, and deliver training. The tasks also include developing medical manpower analytical methodologies, implementing a died of wounds (DOW) due to delay of treatment algorithms, mapping capabilities, optimizing simulation engines, and migration of tools to a cloud environment.
37. Strategic Catalyst Announcement for AI-BTO
DARPA Solicitation // Responses due by 25 NOV
Wishes to catalyze future efforts in the topics of Prediction and Health; Autonomous Science; Simulation; Biomanufacturing and Synthetic Biology; Challenges with Scale; and Frontier topics through the generation and/or processing of data sets.
The Government seeks limited rights to the technical data produced through the AI BTO opportunity. Performers will retain ownership for commercial use of the intellectual property and data sets created during performance under this solicitation.
Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace Special Topic // Responses due by 30 SEP
Desired objectives include determining the ML framework utilized in an AI model within an executable (e.g. TensorFlow or PyTorch); Automatically identifying the characteristics of the embedded AI model; Determining the purpose of the AI model; and determining and extracting the training data used to train the mode
39. Soldier Virtual Trainer (SVT) – Weapons Skills Development (WSD)
Army RFI // Responses due today (posted on 9/11)
Wants to understand industry capabilities from potential vendors for virtual marksmanship training. Anticipated this RFI will lead to an RFS that may result in one or more OT Agreement(s) prototype system solution(s).
40. Sync program
DARPA Solicitation // Offers due by 15 OCT
Objective is to investigate orthogonal approaches to counter UUVs that do not rely on the complex detection and localization of the UUV to defeat the adversary. Sync will investigate different approaches to defeat the UUV, starting with modeling and simulation eventually moving to hardware in the loop and pool testing. Breakthrough technologies demonstrated in the lab will lead to follow-up expansion efforts.
Accelerator Program // Applications due by 1 NOV
Approach includes 10 challenge statements developed in collaboration with key stakeholders. Designed to identify dual-use solutions that address regional needs in California and the Pacific Northwest, as well as Naval S&T more broadly.
42. PRAD (POWER Receiver Array Demonstration)
DARPA Proposers Day // 17 Sep (Virtual) // Registration deadline today
The PRAD program will demonstrate a ground-based receiver array for optical laser power to address challenges in the Persistent Optical Wireless Energy Relay (POWER) Program. Optical laser power beaming technology delivers energy over long distances via transmission by laser beam.
43. Space Security and Defense Program (SSDP)
SDA RFI // Responses due by 14 NOV
Submitted concepts may impact FY25 SDA force design analysis. SSDP/SDA seeks both proven and innovative SDA concepts for use between 2030 and 2040 focusing on (in priority order): support to fires, surveillance (of man-made objects), intelligence and reconnaissance, and environmental monitoring.
Events
44. TRIBE: Capital Convergence - 17 SEP at 5 pm at Capital Canopy at National Harbor, right along the pier, offering stunning views as you make your way toward the Ferris wheel. Meet and mingle with leaders from all your favorite DOD innovation organizations and OSD, along with cutting-edge startups, venture capitalists, primes, corporate executives, and government officials.
44. AIA/NDIA Technical Data Rights Forum - 25 to 26 SEP at the Lockheed Martin Global Vision Center in Crytal City. This will be a joint industry-government discussion on the newest regulatory and legislative developments, emerging trends, and mutual pain points.
45. Scaling to Program of Record in the Federal Marketplace - 19 SEP at 2 pm EST / Virtual. Dcode conversation with Brendan Karp, Founder and CEO of Obviant. Companies will learn about techniques and core competencies in market research and business development required to escape the SBIR cycle into program of record.
46. FATHOMWERX SUMMIT 2024 - 17 to 18 SEP at the Port of Hueneme / CA. FATHOMWERX Summit, with participation from ANTX Coastal Trident Open House and Venture Ventura has the goal of encouraging collisions at the intersections between industry and the Department of the Navy. Good looking agenda.
47. Contested Logistics Industry Week - 19 to 20 SEP at the Army Sustainment University / Fort Gregg-Adams, VA. Key Stakeholders include TRADOC’s CASCOM, AFC’s CL-CFT, and the S-CDID. Notice has some helpful descriptions of what the Army is looking for.
Infographics of Interest
New Defense SBIR/STTR BAA solicitation schedule launching next month.
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