60 SMT007 MAGAZINE I JUNE 2024
Big Win for Defense Production Act
Budget Allocation in FY24 Budget E
e U.S. FY24 budget allocations passed
with a whopping $874.2 billion approved in
defense spending, including $587.9 million
for all Defense Production Act (DPA) pur-
chases. In this interview, Rich Cappetto dis-
cusses this big budget win, the difficult pro-
cess to get there, and what to expect in the
coming months.
USPAE to Springboard U.S. Technology
Forward E
e proposed USPAE's Printed Circuit Board
Market Catalyst program is a unique public-
private partnership (PPP) designed to deliver
five core benefits to the U.S. industry and gov-
ernment: UHDI capability; catalyze demand
for UHDI; technology transfer to U.S. compa-
nies; workforce development; delivering leap-
frog technologies.
Boeing Validates Software
for Future Manned Unmanned
Refueling Missions E
Boeing has advanced its manned-unmanned
teaming (MUM-T) technology. e testing
shows the soware is maturing for future U.S.
Navy use and a potential to deploy on both
F/A-18 Block II and III Super Hornets.
U.S. Air Force Secretary Kendall Flies
in AI-Piloted X-62A VISTA E
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works joined the U.S.
Air Force Test Pilot School and other govern-
ment and industry partners in hosting U.S. Sec-
retary of the Air Force Frank Kendall to fly in
the X-62A Variable In-flight Simulation Test
Aircra (VISTA), a one-of-a-kind aircra
modified to test artificial intelligence (AI) and
autonomy capabilities.
Airbus Expands its Earth Observation
Constellation with Pléiades Neo Next E
Airbus has launched the Pléiades Neo Next
programme to expand its very high resolution
Earth observation constellation. is new pro-
gramme will result in new satellite assets and
capabilities, including enhanced native resolu-
tion.
QinetiQ Achieves UK's First Jet-to-Jet
Teaming Between Aircraft and
Autonomous Drone E
QinetiQ has successfully trialled the UK's first
Crewed-Uncrewed-Teaming demonstration
between a crewed aircra and an autonomous
jet drone. QinetiQ's Airborne Command and
Control for Swarm Interoperable Missions
(ACCSIOM) technology, allows the drone to
communicate using the standard NATO Link
16 datalink.
Redwire Announces Development
of New European-Built Very Low Earth
Orbit (VLEO) Spacecraft Platform
called Phantom E
Redwire Corporation announced Phantom, a
new European Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO)
spacecra platform. Phantom is designed to
carry out a wide array of intelligence, Earth
science, and communications missions. Phan-
tom joins Redwire's American-built VLEO
spacecra platform, SabreSat.
