32 SMT007 MAGAZINE I MARCH 2026
MIL/AERO007
Ukraine Expands Partnership With ICEYE ⊲
This agreement ensures that the Ministry of
Defence continues to receive a high volume of
high-resolution satellite imagery through ICEYE's
world-leading SAR constellation, supporting the
Ukrainian Armed Forces with persistent situational
awareness on tactical timelines.
NASA's SunRISE SmallSats Ace Tests,
Moving Closer to Launch ⊲
When the six tiny spacecraft of NASA's SunRISE
(Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment) mis-
sion settle into their orbits high above Earth after
launching later this year, they'll function as one
giant radio dish to track the rumbles of radio bursts
coming from deep within the Sun's corona.
Is Washington Ready to Get Serious
About PCBs? ⊲
Years of advocacy, the shock of COVID-era supply
chain disruptions, and the long road to the CHIPS
Act have helped to reshape the federal mindset
on industrial policy. How have those years of effort
made a difference for electronics manufacturing?
New Studies for Manufacturing
Advanced Materials in Orbit ⊲
The UK Space Agency has awarded contracts to
three UK companies to investigate producing these
advanced materials in Low Earth Orbit, where the
conditions, including microgravity, natural vacuum,
and extreme temperatures, can create products that
are difficult, expensive, or impossible to manufac-
ture on Earth.
Defense Speak Interpreted: The New
Railgun Is Big News, But Can It Work? ⊲
President Trump announced two new battleships,
each equipped with a railgun. This is not just any
railgun; it's a 32-megajoule, with the same electri-
cal power requirements as I recently reported.
The battleships will also be equipped with laser
weapons—again, the ones I discussed in my
November column.
US Navy, Marines Select
L3Harris T7
Robots to Enhance Ordnance Disposal
Capabilities ⊲
L3Harris T7 robots help keep troops out of harm's
way by neutralizing explosive threats from a safe
distance. The company designed the robotic
systems for high-risk missions, providing mobility,
manipulation, and intuitive control.
Salient Motion Announces Collabora-
tions to Transform Aircraft Systems
Manufacturing ⊲
Salient Motion has developed motion control
systems for commercial aircraft that can achieve
certification in months rather than years, marking a
significant departure from traditional aerospace
development timelines.
Teledyne Demonstrates Autonomous
System for Anti-Submarine Warfare to
NATO Members in the North Atlantic ⊲
The Teledyne team was able to deploy the autono-
mous underwater gliders into the North Atlantic in
the Greenland-Iceland gap from a Coast Guard
Ship. The Sentinel Glider towed a passive acoustic
thin-line hydrophone array specifically designed to
identify surface and subsurface vehicle noise in
the water.
MDA Space, Hanwha Sign MOU to
Pursue Korean Military Constellation
Program ⊲
Through this MOU, MDA Space and Hanwha will
explore opportunities to collaborate on the devel-
opment of Korea's sovereign Low Earth Orbit
(K-LEO) defence constellation, leveraging MDA's
AURORA™ software-defined digital satellites.
PCBAA Sets Its Priorities for 2026:
Support in the House and Senate ⊲
David Schild, executive director of PCBAA, talks
about the ways his organization is aligning its
priorities with Washington, in particular, the
Executive Branch.
