Defense News Digest: November 2024

Welcome to IDGA’s monthly news roundup. For over two decades, the Institute for Defense and Government Advancement has served as a non-partisan events and thought leadership organization connecting the Defense and Security communities interested in solving high-level challenges. Now, through this weekly series, we look to educate the community on the latest research, program updates and news in the defense and government sector.

This month, we will examine five stories you might have missed, including a RFP for a $15 billion AI contract, updates on the Pentagon’s Replicator initiative, and much more.

Pentagon Gathering Feedback for $15 Billion AI Contract

The Department of Defense (DoD) is seeking industry feedback on a draft request for proposal (RFP) for a potential $15 billion contract aimed at advancing its Advana initiative. This multi-domain analytics and AI platform, managed by the Pentagon's Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO), is designed to enhance decision-making and efficiency across the department by integrating data from various sources.

The draft RFP for the Advancing Artificial Intelligence Multiple Award Contract (AAMAC) was released on November 20, with responses due by December 20. Structured as a 10-year contract with an optional extension through July 2035, the AAMAC is intended to scale Advana’s data backbone, introduce new digital tools, and improve interoperability with other AI platforms.

The Advana initiative, launched in 2021, previously operated under a single-vendor model, supported by Booz Allen Hamilton through a $674 million contract. The new approach broadens access by incorporating small businesses and non-traditional contractors, with plans to issue between 50 and 70 awards under the contract. 

Replicator Initiative Updates

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has awarded prototype contracts to seven software vendors as part of the Pentagon’s ambitious Replicator initiative. Selected vendors include Viasat, Aalyria, Higher Ground, IoT/AI, Swarm Aero, Anduril Industries, and L3Harris Technologies. These companies were chosen from over 100 contenders who submitted proposals for two commercial solutions openings focused on enhancing autonomous systems' capabilities and resilience.

Replicator aims to accelerate the deployment of thousands of autonomous platforms across multiple domains, including drones, loitering munitions, and maritime systems. The selected vendors will provide critical software solutions to improve command-and-control resilience, swarm coordination, and collaborative autonomy. This software will enable the integration of disparate systems into a cohesive network, ensuring continued operation in challenging environments with limited connectivity.

The initiative also focuses on broader applications of collaborative autonomy and networking, beyond just counter-drone systems, to include a wide range of robotic platforms. These advancements are intended to enhance the U.S. military’s operational capabilities in contested spaces such as the Indo-Pacific, laying the groundwork for more integrated and autonomous defense systems. 

Canada and Australia Partner on Hypersonic Missile Research

At the Halifax International Security Forum in November, Canada’s Minister of National Defence, Bill Blair, announced a joint initiative between Canada and Australia to develop hypersonic missile defense technologies. The two nations will invest up to $474 million over the next five years to counter the growing threat of advanced missile systems.

The collaboration will focus on researching and developing detection, monitoring, targeting, and countermeasure technologies through partnerships between Defence Research and Development Canada and Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Group. While specific capabilities were not detailed, the agreement underscores the rising importance of hypersonic defense in global security. 

Anduril Awarded Contract for Space Surveillance Network

Anduril Industries has been awarded a $99.7 million contract by the U.S. Space Force to modernize the aging Space Surveillance Network (SSN). The five-year agreement aims to enhance space domain awareness using the company’s Lattice software, which autonomously processes and distributes data from a global array of military space sensors. The upgrade integrates cutting-edge AI to facilitate real-time machine-to-machine communication across various sensors, including radars and telescopes. This advanced architecture will improve satellite tracking, space debris monitoring, and early detection of potential ballistic missile launches.

Building on prior SSN upgrade contracts worth $33.5 million, Anduril is also implementing SDANet, a mesh network leveraging commercial internet services such as SpaceX’s Starlink to ensure high-speed connectivity among surveillance platforms.

To hear from defense leaders on this topic, be sure to register for this year’s Space Operations Summit in London. From May 25-27, space professionals and senior military leaders will come together to share the challenges they face and their possible solutions in order to encourage progress in the space domain.

AeroVironment Acquires BlueHalo

Unmanned systems manufacturer AeroVironment announced the acquisition of BlueHalo in a $4.1 billion all-stock transaction. The merger is set to create a formidable player in defense technology, with the combined entity projected to generate over $1.7 billion in annual revenue. BlueHalo alone reported revenues exceeding $900 million for 2024.

AeroVironment, known for its loitering munitions like the Switchblade family, plans to integrate BlueHalo’s advanced capabilities in space, counter-UAS, directed energy, and electronic warfare into its platforms. The merger aims to redefine defense technology by delivering next-generation solutions with significant military value.

View the agenda for Future Indirect Fires!

The 2025 Future Indirect Fires Summit will bring together leaders from the indirect fire community to discuss the latest innovations in indirect fire systems, support systems, munitions, and challenges presented by the current conflict in Ukraine. Our discussions will focus on achieving enhanced lethality, survivability, precision, and range.

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