Latest news with #BlueHalo
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Why AeroVironment Stock Raced 4% Higher Today
AeroVironment's (NASDAQ: AVAV) latest news item fueled something of a rally in the stock on Wednesday. The drone manufacturer essentially got the shareholder green light to proceed with an acquisition, and the market greeted this by pushing the stock more than 4% higher on the day. This was more than good enough to top the bellwether S&P 500 index's 0.7% rise. Just after market close Tuesday, AeroVironment announced that a stockholder vote approved a fresh issue of the company's common stock to help fund its acquisition of privately held peer BlueHalo. According to management, over 99% of the votes were in favor of the measure. Last November, AeroVironment agreed to purchase BlueHalo in an all-stock transaction valued at around $4.1 billion. The latter is in the portfolio of private equity firm Arlington Capital Partners, and concentrates on next-generation defense technology such as laser weapon systems. At the time, AeroVironment said that the move "will create a diversified defense tech company with a highly complementary and differentiated portfolio of solutions" in a range of modern combat systems. With the shareholder approval for the stock issue, the company said it expects the BlueHalo deal to close next month. BlueHalo is certainly a big swallow for AeroVironment, so the buyer is to be commended for carving out a deal involving only stock (rather than precious cash). BlueHalo is a sizable company relative to its acquirer, and it's reasonable to assume it'll be quite a bit of work to fuse it with AeroVironment. Many eyes will be on the latter's management gauging how that process unfolds. Before you buy stock in AeroVironment, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and AeroVironment wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $675,119!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 817% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 163% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of April 1, 2025 Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends AeroVironment. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Why AeroVironment Stock Raced 4% Higher Today was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
Miami Herald
31-03-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Hoverfly and BlueHalo Partner to Elevate Passive Counter-UAS and Electronic Warfare Technologies
The "Cloak and Dagger" Counter-UAS solution was recently assessed by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering SANFORD, FLORIDA / ACCESS Newswire / March 31, 2025 / Hoverfly Technologies, the leader in tethered unmanned aerial systems (TeUAS), announced today its latest integration partnership with BlueHalo, the company transforming the future of global defense, which brings BlueHalo's Titan-SV passive RF sensing solution onto Hoverfly's Blue List Certified Spectre TeUAS, augmenting Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) operations with uninterrupted signal detection and threat monitoring. NEW WEAPONS FOR NEW WARFARE "As unmanned technology continues to evolve, so do the challenges associated with countering adversarial drone threats on the modern battlefield", said Bruce Tuftie, Chief Strategy Officer of Hoverfly Technologies. "The proliferation of low-cost, easily accessible unmanned systems has created an urgent need for advanced Counter-UAS tools capable of detecting, tracking, and neutralizing potential threats." BlueHalo's Titan-SV delivers comprehensive 360° surveillance, efficiently localizing malicious UAS to keep operators and installations safe via remote and automated alerting and tracking. Its integration onto Hoverfly Spectre establishes a new benchmark for passive electronic warfare and signals intelligence (SIGINT) by providing persistent, real-time situational awareness from 200 feet in the air. Titan-SV's passive RF sensing capabilities identify and geolocate electromagnetic signals without emitting detectable RF energy, while Spectre provides an uninterrupted 200 ft platform with zero RF emissions. This combined deployment is an elevated cloak and dagger, ensuring operational security while delivering critical intelligence to warfighters and security personnel. A CRITICAL TACTICAL ADVANTAGE During the recent assessment with the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (OUSD R&E), Hoverfly Spectre flew in challenging conditions - including heavy rain and 25 mph winds - highlighting the resilience and reliability of the Blue List Certified TeUAS. At 200 ft, the tethered drone was able to mitigate tree and terrain interference and extend the range of the passive Titan-SV system, successfully detecting Group 1-3 UAS at further distances. While this integration represents a crucial step forward in the development of a robust, layered, and persistent Counter-UAS capability, it remains a work in progress for further optimization. The recent demonstration with OUSD R&E was an important milestone in proving the concept, but additional refinement and testing are still required to fully mature the solution for operational deployment. "This partnership marks a significant advancement in the future capability set of our Spectre TeUAS," said Steve Walters, President and CEO of Hoverfly Technologies. "By elevating BlueHalo's field-proven and highly effective Titan-SV technology above limiting factors such as terrain and vegetation, we can provide warfighters with a powerful, persistent Counter UAS solution that greatly enhances electronic warfare capabilities while maintaining zero RF signature." A PERSISTENT AERIAL GUARDIAN As adversaries increasingly leverage complex RF-based threats, the need for persistent and passive Counter-UAS solutions has never been greater. The Spectre TeUAS, already recognized for its rugged reliability, will gain an additional force-multiplying capability through this ongoing integration with BlueHalo's Titan-SV solution, and offer a resilient and rapidly deployable tool for defense and homeland security missions. For more information about Hoverfly Technologies and BlueHalo's integrated solutions, visit and SOURCE: Hoverfly Technologies press release
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Defense contractor BlueHalo hopes to join GrandSky's Project ULTRA
Mar. 18—EMERADO, North Dakota — Another defense contractor is bringing its technology to GrandSky in hopes of joining the Project ULTRA drone initiative. Unmanned systems and cybersecurity contractor BlueHalo has signed a memorandum of understanding with the aviation park that allows GrandSky to "test-drive" its VigilantHalo software. "Our plan is to establish a local presence at the site, to expand our presence there at the site and to be, locally, part of the evaluation and improvements to the system to address the vision the state has," said BlueHalo executive Larry Lloyd. Project ULTRA is the $18.25 million public-private partnership exploring military applications for drones. VigilantHalo is an air traffic control software designed specifically to enable unmanned drones to fly BVLOS, or beyond-visual-line-of-sight, flights. That's one of the leading goals of Project ULTRA. "In the simplest terms, they've got a show to put on, we've got a stage to put it on," GrandSky President Tom Swoyer said. The company announced the MOU at a Tuesday visit to the aviation park alongside U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D. University of North Dakota President Andy Armacost, Grand Forks Air Force Base commander Col. Tim Monroe and representatives from the city of Grand Forks and Grand Forks County were among those in attendance. Hoeven, GrandSky's longtime patron in the governor's office and the Senate, said the partnership between the two groups was "tremendous." "It's really important for the development, not only for counter-drone and aerospace technologies, but also for reaching out into space," Hoeven said. "We're doing all of those things here, and BlueHalo is an absolute leader in that technology development." BlueHalo already has an existing relationship with the GrandSky-based Test Resource Management Center, a Defense Department project to convert old RQ-4 Global Hawk and MQ-9 Reaper unmanned planes into a testing and detection system for hypersonic missiles. Those aircraft use BlueHalo's phased array antenna to detect airborne objects like missiles. The company is also hoping to partner with UND to further develop its phased-array technology and solicit engineers to work for the company. Scott Snyder, UND's vice president of research and economic development, said the university had not yet inked a deal with the defense contractor but that BlueHalo employees had met with UND's satellite and radar experts. "I'm fully certain we will be able to develop some exceptional research collaboration and educational collaboration for developing their need for engineers," he said.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Defense contractor BlueHalo hopes to join GrandSky's Project ULTRA
Mar. 18—EMERADO, North Dakota — Another defense contractor is bringing its technology to GrandSky in hopes of joining the Project ULTRA drone initiative. Unmanned systems and cybersecurity contractor BlueHalo has signed a memorandum of understanding with the aviation park that allows GrandSky to "test-drive" its VigilantHalo software. "Our plan is to establish a local presence at the site, to expand our presence there at the site and to be, locally, part of the evaluation and improvements to the system to address the vision the state has," said BlueHalo executive Larry Lloyd. Project ULTRA is the $18.25 million public-private partnership exploring military applications for drones. VigilantHalo is an air traffic control software designed specifically to enable unmanned drones to fly BVLOS, or beyond-visual-line-of-sight, flights. That's one of the leading goals of Project ULTRA. "In the simplest terms, they've got a show to put on, we've got a stage to put it on," GrandSky President Tom Swoyer said. The company announced the MOU at a Tuesday visit to the aviation park alongside U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D. University of North Dakota President Andy Armacost, Grand Forks Air Force Base commander Col. Tim Monroe and representatives from the city of Grand Forks and Grand Forks County were among those in attendance. Hoeven, GrandSky's longtime patron in the governor's office and the Senate, said the partnership between the two groups was "tremendous." "It's really important for the development, not only for counter-drone and aerospace technologies, but also for reaching out into space," Hoeven said. "We're doing all of those things here, and BlueHalo is an absolute leader in that technology development." BlueHalo already has an existing relationship with the GrandSky-based Test Resource Management Center, a Defense Department project to convert old RQ-4 Global Hawk and MQ-9 Reaper unmanned planes into a testing and detection system for hypersonic missiles. Those aircraft use BlueHalo's phased array antenna to detect airborne objects like missiles. The company is also hoping to partner with UND to further develop its phased-array technology and solicit engineers to work for the company. Scott Snyder, UND's vice president of research and economic development, said the university had not yet inked a deal with the defense contractor but that BlueHalo employees had met with UND's satellite and radar experts. "I'm fully certain we will be able to develop some exceptional research collaboration and educational collaboration for developing their need for engineers," he said.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Defense tech firm BlueHalo's CEO sees an opportunity for Trump's 'Golden Dome' project to be more than a missile shield
Trump's 'Golden Dome' is a missile shield, though exactly what the project will look like is still a mystery. Legacy and new defense companies are vying for opportunities within the 'Golden Dome' initiative. There have been arguments for the project to focus on a range of threats beyond missiles. President Donald Trump envisions his "Golden Dome for America" as a next-generation missile shield, but defense companies see other opportunities amid the heightened focus on fending off threats to the homeland. What exactly the project will entail remains to be seen, but industry partners are curious to see if it will include less conventional systems like counter-drone capabilities and electronic warfare. The "Golden Dome" effort is being eyed closely by legacy defense companies and smaller, younger companies alike. Lockheed Martin, an established player in integrated missile defense, has said that it is "ready to answer the call." Other big defense companies, like RTX and Northrop Grumman, have also shown their interest in the project. But other defense firms want a piece of the action as well. BlueHalo, a Virginia-based defense contractor, has said the project, which is already set to be a massive undertaking as the Trump administration effectively revives the Reagan-era Strategic Defense Initiative, will ultimately require "the full might of the Defense Industrial Base to achieve success." In an interview with Business Insider, BlueHalo CEO Jonathan Moneymaker said that a comprehensive Golden Dome could become an all-encompassing threat response with buy-in from all areas of the defense tech and AI industries. BlueHalo develops cost-effective counter-drone systems, among other defense technologies. The company developed the Palletized High Energy Laser system that uses directed energy and AI to eliminate drones for the Army and is working on a next-generation counter-drone missile that it recently tested. Moneymaker said the defense industry will need greater clarity for companies to begin fielding potential "Golden Dome" solutions. Right now, there are still a lot of questions about the scale and how extensive the White House wants this to be. And those are not the only uncertainties. Agencies like NORTHCOM, Space Command, and the Missile Defense Agency may all have requirements and varying levels of ownership, raising responsibility questions. Leading agencies will also have to hash out how the potential inclusion of electronic warfare and signals intelligence will work on American soil and balance citizens' privacy rights. Some of these issues are likely being addressed now as the first planning deadline fast approaches. In late January, the White House gave the Pentagon 60 days from the president's executive order to develop a plan for the new shield. The executive order for what Trump initially called "Iron Dome for America" was focused on the threat of ballistic, hypersonic, and advanced cruise missiles. But it also mentioned without specificity "other next-generation aerial attacks." The White House did not respond to Business Insider's request for clarity on whether it would want the new project to focus on more than missile threats. Moneymaker said when it comes to the dangers the US is facing, there are "a lot of varying degrees of technology that are ranging from very unsophisticated threats to very, very sophisticated threats." He said potential threats include everything from complex and maneuverable hypersonic missiles to cheap, off-the-shelf drones with munitions taped to them. The Ukraine war has seen the revolutionary employment of drones and loitering munitions. The threats to the nation can range from missiles to cyberattacks to drone swarms. "That is a very wide swath of threat vectors," the CEO said. Former military officials have argued the original focus of the Trump administration's shield project was too narrowly focused on missiles. Glen VanHerck, a retired Air Force General who previously served as the head of NORAD, and Pete Fesler, another retired Air Force general and former NORAD official, argued last month in The National Interest that plans for Trump's "Golden Dome" are stuck in a bygone era focused primarily on legacy systems. The former military officials called for "a comprehensive and holistic approach to homeland defense — one that addresses the full spectrum of current and future threats." That approach could include electronic warfare, cyber-resilience, and improved counter-drone capabilities. "The Pentagon cannot afford to simply buy more of yesterday. Instead, it must dynamically adapt for tomorrow," they wrote. Getting to a fully operational Iron Dome within the US will be a heavy lift, one that demands organization and a "whole of government" approach. "This will be clearly a collaborative effort across a lot of players," Moneymaker said. "Both government and industry alike." Read the original article on Business Insider
