Defense Business Briefing -- March 30, 2021

Welcome to today's Defense Business Briefing, your weekly roundup of the latest defense industry news.

This week's top story

DOD leaders to meet with industry executives

Senior Pentagon acquisition officials are scheduled to meet March 31 with defense industry associations to discuss a range of issues, according to a Defense Department spokeswoman.

News & notes

ST Engineering ups bid to acquire Cubic

ST Engineering said it has increased its proposal to acquire Cubic to $78 per share in cash, up from $76 per share last week.

SAIC says COVID-19 cut annual sales by about $250 million

Science Applications International Corp. reported the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic reduced sales in its most recent fiscal year by about $250 million.

Leonardo postpones DRS initial public offering, citing inadequate valuation

Leonardo said it will postpone the initial public offering of shares of U.S. subsidiary DRS.

Redwire to become public company

Redwire, a company formed by private-equity firm AE Industrial Partners last year, is now set to become a publicly traded company.

Ondas Networks forms partnership to pursue defense work

Ondas Networks has formed a strategic partnership with Rogue Industries, which specializes in getting emerging technologies to government, as it pursues more work with the Defense Department.

Appointments & promotions

Exiger adds Lord to board

Exiger, a compliance and risk management company, said it has named Ellen Lord strategic senior adviser and chair of its advisory board.

Voyager names Lord to board

Voyager Space Holdings said today it has appointed former Pentagon acquisition chief Ellen Lord to its board.

What's happening

The week ahead

Senior Army leaders discuss the service's role in the Indo-Pacific region this week.

For Inside Defense subscribers

Pentagon's controversial overseas war chest faces uncertain fate in Biden's new budget

The Pentagon's Overseas Contingency Operations account, derided by critics for years as a "slush fund," has become the subject of renewed scrutiny on Capitol Hill and could be headed toward a reckoning this week when the White House proposes President Biden's first defense budget.

Pentagon launches joint development environment for artificial intelligence

The Pentagon's joint development environment for artificial intelligence applications is up and running, according to the leader of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, who says the platform will be key to sharing data and connecting systems across the military services.