34 SMT007 MAGAZINE I JANUARY 2026
MIL/AERO007
Boeing, United Airlines Test Advanced
Digital Communications for the Future
of Flight ⊲
Boeing and United Airlines have conducted flight
tests to evaluate a modernized data communica-
tion system designed to improve information flow
between the flight deck, air traffic control and
airline operation centers.
Teledyne FLIR Wins $42.5M Drone
Contract for USMC OPF-L Program ⊲
Teledyne FLIR Defense will deliver more than 600
of its advanced Rogue 1™ lethal loitering munition
systems, along with ground control stations and
training kits, for fielding to Marine Corps units start-
ing this summer.
Lockheed Martin, Diehl Defence
Announce Strategic Collaboration ⊲
Lockheed Martin and Diehl Defence have signed
a Memorandum of Understanding to explore the
expansion of integrated air and missile defense
(IAMD) capability to our partner nations around the
world.
Vartis Space Unveils 'Vartis Space
Clock'—An Open-Source Framework for
Independent Deep-Space Time
Synchronization ⊲
The Vartis Space Clock represents an early but
critical milestone in establishing a new temporal
infrastructure for deep-space missions. By pro-
viding a method to align "zero-time points" that
conceptually exist outside physical location, the
framework offers a foundation for future timing
systems capable of supporting satellites, etc.
across the Solar System.
BAE Systems Marks Key Milestone With
Successful Launch of UK-Built RF and
SAR Satellite Cluster ⊲
Three BAE Systems designed and built Azalea radio
frequency (RF) satellites, have been successfully
launched via Exolaunch as part of the Transporter-15
rideshare mission with SpaceX on Nov. 28, 2025.
The Government Circuit: USMCA
Review—A Crucial Opportunity to Fortify
North American Electronics ⊲
On behalf of the Global Electronics Association,
we are "all in" on the USMCA—or any comparable
or improved successor agreement—because pre-
dictable, rules-based trade is good for our mem-
bers, for all three countries, and for the world.
Beyond the Board: Why More Defense
Primes Are Moving Toward Rigid-flex for
Lighter, More Reliable Systems ⊲
In an industry where every gram, cubic inch, and
potential point of failure matters, rigid-flex isn't just
a design evolution, it's a system-level strategy.
Increasingly, major defense primes are rethinking
traditional rigid board assemblies interconnected
by harnesses and connectors instead of rigid-flex
architectures that combine structural rigidity with
the flexibility to bend, fold, and integrate seam-
lessly within constrained enclosures.
Research Insight: Direct-to-Device
Poised to Redefine Mobile-Satellite
Integration ⊲
As low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite deployments
accelerate and 5G standards continue to evolve,
direct-to-device (D2D) technology is emerging as
the cornerstone for integrating mobile and satel-
lite communications. The architecture extends
terrestrial network coverage into space, address-
ing connectivity gaps in remote, maritime, and
disaster-stricken regions, while also creating new
business opportunities for telecom operators and
satellite providers.
VORAGO Launches Radiation-
Tolerant Chips for Next-Gen Satellite
Constellations ⊲
The booming satellite industry just received a cost-
saving injection paired with ease of integration.
VORAGO Technologies launched four radiation-
tolerant microcontrollers purpose-built for low
Earth orbit (LEO) markets at a fraction of the cost of
traditional space-grade components.
