The DIU solicitation comes amid a raft of other Navy-led efforts to bring more unmanned surface vehicles into operations.
The FY23 total marked a 55 percent hike in weapon sales and deliveries to foreign countries over the previous year.
Tech giants and venture capitalists are pouring billions into developing quantum computers. But related tech of special interest to the military — quantum sensing, navigation and communications — needs stepped-up federal funding, the Air Force Association says.
“We can’t expect to bridge the valley of death through S&T programs, and industry accelerator programs. … We need to identify and prioritize resources, funding and personnel,” said Diane Howard, National Space Council head of commercial space policy.
On Jan. 25, DoD announced that Lockheed Martin and Boeing have each won 15-month contracts worth $66 million to develop a new, more modern satellite design, with the service then deciding on which to use in building the two new MUOS birds.
“We’ve proven this works, we’ve proven the goodness,” Scott Belanger, capabilities integration team lead for Boeing Global Services, told reporters. “Now, where do we take it? How do we really scale it?”
“What was different about this attack is where it landed: It did impact… where living quarters are,” said Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh, a day after three soldiers were killed in an attack.
