Industry News

FedBid has secured a potential five-year contract to provide reverse auction services and acquisition strategy support across the Commerce Department. The company said Wednesday the contract was issued through the U.S. Patent and Trade Office and can be used by buyers from all Commerce Department bureaus and offices. FedBid has facilitated more than $83.6 million in contract awards for the department […] More

F5 Networks will relocate from a corporate building at Elliott Avenue West to a 516,000-square-foot office space in downtown Seattle in early 2019. The company said Wednesday the new leased space at 801 Fifth Avenue will be called F5 Tower and was selected after the firm evaluated the location against several criteria such as its proximity to […] More

Cubic‘s global defense segment has received a three-year, $35 million contract to continue support and repair work on combat simulation systems installed at two British army training facilities. The company said Thursday it provides support services for the Area Weapons Effects Simulator at the British Army Training Unit Suffield in Alberta, Canada, and the Salisbury Plain Training Area […] More

A team of scientists from IBM‘s research arm and Raytheon‘s BBN Technologies subsidiary has demonstrated an example of quantum computers’ advantage over standard computers. The scientific team published the results of its “Demonstration of quantum advantage in machine learning” study in the Nature Quantum Information journal, IBM said Wednesday. Researchers found that a quantum algorithm could identify an unknown string of bits using […] More

Northrop Grumman has received a one-year, $39.9 million letter contract from the U.S. Air Force to provide Battlefield Airborne Communications Node units for the service branch’s remotely piloted aircraft. The Defense Department said Wednesday that Northrop will modify, integrate and install BACN payloads onto EQ-4B Global Hawk drones. BACNs help pilots exchange data via the payload’s airborne executive processor when […] More

Huntington Ingalls Industries‘ Ingalls Shipbuilding division has rolled out a second America-class amphibious assault ship from a floating dry dock following completion of preparation work on the ship’s hull. HII said Wednesday it launched Tripoli, or LHA 7, for the U.S. Navy approximately 13 weeks ahead of schedule. Ingalls Shipbuilding expects to begin the construction of the service branch’s next amphibious assault ship Bougainville in […] More

The Department of Homeland Security has issued 13 contracts with a combined value of $9.7 million to 12 small businesses for the second phase of DHS’ Small Business Innovation Research program. DHS said Tuesday each contract is worth up to $750,000 and covers the development of a prototype based on technologies demonstrated during the first phase of the SBIR program, which […] More

Geospatial analytics and software company Orbital Insight has secured $50 million in a Series C funding round led by investment firm Sequoia Capital. Orbital Insight said Tuesday the latest investment round brings the company’s total funds raised to $78.7 million and supports its plans to expand analytics technology offerings. The company also looks to broaden its global strategic partnerships and sales presence in the international market. […] More

Boeing has decided not to compete for a U.S. Navy program to provide an over-the-horizon cruise missile designed to be launched from frigates and littoral combat ships due to continuing changes in system requirements, Defense News reported Tuesday. Christopher P. Cavas writes Troy Rutherford, director of cruise missile systems at Boeing’s defense business, said the […] More

Boeing and BAE Systems have concluded a critical design review of an electronic warfare warning platform for the U.S. Air Force’s fleet of F-15 fighter aircraft. The companies wrapped up the CDR phase on the Eagle Passive/Active Warning Survivability System in February as part of the F-15 modernization program, BAE said Monday. EPAWSS is designed to […] More

BAE Systems plans to establish a new office and implement machining and manufacturing systems at a company facility in York, Pennsylvania, as part of efforts to increase its production capacity. Gov. Tom Wolf’s office said Monday that BAE will invest more than $44.5 million to fund the project and expects to create as many as 530 jobs over a three-year period. “We’re […] More

Boeing has added a sixth aircraft to its tanker test program to help expand the company’s capacity to conduct ground and flight-test activities. The company said Tuesday that it conducted test activities on the new KC-46A multi-role tanker to evaluate the aircraft’s capacity to operate through radar- and radio tower-produced electromagnetic fields. “Adding another tanker will help […] More