Welcome to today's Defense Business Briefing, your weekly roundup of the latest defense industry news.
BAE protests Air Force's $511 million Cobra Dane radar award to Raytheon
BAE Systems has filed a bid protest with the Government Accountability Office, arguing it is better qualified than Raytheon to serve as the operations and sustainment contractor for the Air Force's Cobra Dane radar system.
Kratos opens new facility in Australia
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has opened a new facility in Australia to support that government's military unmanned aerial systems efforts.
Orolia to acquire Talen-X
French company Orolia has agreed to acquire Talen-X, a U.S. company that specializes in Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) solutions.
Mattis meets with defense company executives to discuss priorities
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis hosted a group of defense company executives at the Pentagon last week to discuss the Defense Department's key priorities, including the security of classified information.
General Dynamics completes CSRA purchase
General Dynamics has completed its multibillion-dollar acquisition of CSRA.
Navy selects Ingalls Shipbuilding to build LX(R)
The Navy late last week quietly announced it has selected Ingalls Shipbuilding to build the dock landing ship replacement beginning with LPD-30.
Northrop Grumman hires new lobbyist
Northrop Grumman has hired Gabrielle Batkin, a former senior Senate staffer, as vice president of legislative affairs.
Esterline names new control & comms systems business marketing chief
Esterline Control & Communication Systems has selected Denise Millard as the business group's vice president for sales and marketing.
Pentagon bringing on executive known for JPMorgan cloud push
The Pentagon is enlisting Dana Deasy, a longtime corporate executive known for pushing large companies to embrace innovation, to tackle some of the Defense Department's most pressing technology challenges, including cloud computing.
The week ahead
The week ahead will be driven by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' appearance on Capitol Hill, but it is also packed with other congressional hearings and Washington-area defense conferences.
Army Research Lab opens regional partnership in Boston
The Army Research Laboratory has established a new outpost designed to leverage academic and private-sector resources to advance the service's science and technology priorities.
Lockheed has not built prototype for MQ-25 competition
Lockheed Martin does not have a prototype of its offering for the MQ-25 Stingray competition but will use "a solution that’s very representative" in an upcoming test with the Navy, according to a company executive.
Boeing unveils MQ-25 prototype, teams with Rolls Royce for engine
ST. LOUIS -- After years of development, Boeing unveiled its prototype for the Navy's MQ-25 Stingray unmanned tanker competition and revealed the air vehicle uses the same engine as the RQ-4 Global Hawk and MQ-4C Triton.
Boeing submits Block III Super Hornet for Indian navy fighter competition
ST. LOUIS -- Boeing has pitched its Block III F/A-18E/F Super Hornet to the Indian Navy and is prepared to build a facility in the country to comply with the prime minister's "Make In India" initiative, according to a company executive.
NASSCO recommends efficiencies to speed up surface ship maintenance
SAN DIEGO -- General Dynamics NASSCO, the only design, new-construction and ship-repair facility on the West Coast, is recommending various efficiencies to the Navy for getting vessels out of dry-docking availabilities faster.
Intel chief working with DOD to protect defense industrial base
The Pentagon and the intelligence community are in near constant contact on a host of issues, but the protection of defense contractors' classified data has become an area of increased focus, according to Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats.