Latest news with #ORION
Mid East Info
2 days ago
- Business
- Mid East Info
EDGE Signs Agreements with Hungary's 4iG SDT to Localise Defence Solutions for European and African Markets
EDGE & 4iG SDT to localise and co-develop advanced autonomous, air defence, and air traffic control systems in Hungary. The collaboration supports EDGE's expansion into NATO member states, while enabling both companies to build on their respective networks – EDGE across African markets, and 4iG SDT throughout Central and Eastern Europe. Abu Dhabi, UAE:July 2025 – EDGE, one of the world's leading advanced technology and defence groups, and 4iG Space and Defence Technologies (SDT), one of the leading telecommunications, IT, and space and defence industrial groups in Hungary and the Western Balkans, have signed three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to establish significant and expansive industrial cooperation between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Hungary. During an official UAE state visit to Hungary, EDGE and 4iG SDT signed three MoUs aimed at enabling a broad technology partnership to jointly develop, localise, and market advanced defence systems, including EDGE's SKYKNIGHT air defence missile system, SHADOW 25 and SHADOW 50 loitering munitions, and VEGA and ORION unmanned air traffic control solutions. Hamad Al Marar, Managing Director and CEO, EDGE, said: 'Our goal with partners such as 4iG SDT is to aid nations in developing and achieving advanced sovereign defence technology and industrial capabilities. The global security landscape has necessitated modernisation programmes to capitalise on the latest autonomous technology and address rapidly evolving aerial threats. This collaboration strengthens EDGE's ability to deliver competitive, NATO-compatible, and export-ready solutions, not only in support of Hungary's national objectives, but also as a gateway to deeper engagement across Europe and NATO member states.' István Sárhegyi, CEO of 4iG SDT, said: 'The agreements signed today mark a milestone in 4iG SDT international defence industry efforts. Through this partnership with one of the world's fastest-growing defence technology companies, we can develop systems with strong potential for success in both European and African markets on a mutual basis. EDGE's trust and openness provide an opportunity for Hungary to become a strategic player in the global defence innovation ecosystem.' Under the first agreement, the two companies will establish a broad technological partnership to co-develop and explore market opportunities of next-generation unmanned aerial systems (UASs), counter-UAS (C-UAS) solutions, and space technologies in Central and Eastern Europe, and Africa. The agreement also covers the potential establishment of a joint venture. The second agreement is focused on the potential development and production of EDGE's rapidly deployable SKYKNIGHT inner-layer air defence missile system and SHADOW line of precision-strike loitering munitions in Hungary. The final agreement is aimed at offering EDGE's VEGA uncrewed traffic management and ORION drone fleet management systems to the European market, with the potential to jointly develop air traffic control solutions. The MoU also includes the assessment of a joint venture to serve as a European development and sales hub for VEGA and ORION. Following an MoU between EDGE and 4iG SDT signed earlier this year to co-develop UAS and space technologies, the three subsequent agreements underscore EDGE's renewed commitment to strengthening ties with key European defence ecosystems and to delivering jointly developed, export-ready solutions that meet the technological and security requirements of NATO countries. About EDGE: Launched in November 2019, the UAE's EDGE is one of the world's leading advanced technology groups, established to develop agile, bold and disruptive solutions for defence and beyond, and to be a catalyst for change and transformation. It is dedicated to bringing breakthrough innovations, products, and services to market with greater speed and efficiency, to position the UAE as a leading global hub for future industries, and to creating clear paths within the sector for the next generation of highly-skilled talent to thrive. With a focus on the adoption of 4IR technologies, EDGE is driving the development of sovereign capabilities for global export and for the preservation of national security, working with front-line operators, international partners, and adopting advanced technologies such as autonomous capabilities, cyber-physical systems, advanced propulsion systems, robotics and smart materials. EDGE converges R&D, emerging technologies, digital transformation, and commercial market innovations with military capabilities to develop disruptive solutions tailored to the specific requirements of its customers. Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE, EDGE consolidates more than 35 entities into six core clusters: Platforms & Systems, Missiles & Weapons, Space & Cyber Technologies, Trading & Mission Support, Technology & Innovation, and Homeland Security.
Al Etihad
2 days ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
EDGE signs agreements with Hungary's 4iG SDT to localise defence solutions for European, African markets
18 July 2025 16:07 ABU DHABI (WAM) EDGE, one of the world's leading advanced technology and defence groups, and 4iG Space and Defence Technologies (SDT), one of the leading telecommunications, IT, and space and defence industrial groups in Hungary and the Western Balkans, have signed three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to establish significant and expansive industrial cooperation between the UAE and an official UAE state visit to Hungary, EDGE and 4iG SDT signed three MoUs aimed at enabling a broad technology partnership to jointly develop, localise, and market advanced defence systems, including EDGE's SKYKNIGHT air defence missile system, SHADOW 25 and SHADOW 50 loitering munitions, and VEGA and ORION unmanned air traffic control Al Marar, Managing Director and CEO, EDGE, said, 'Our goal with partners such as 4iG SDT is to aid nations in developing and achieving advanced sovereign defence technology and industrial capabilities. The global security landscape has necessitated modernisation programmes to capitalise on the latest autonomous technology and address rapidly evolving aerial threats. "This collaboration strengthens EDGE's ability to deliver competitive, NATO-compatible, and export-ready solutions, not only in support of Hungary's national objectives, but also as a gateway to deeper engagement across Europe and NATO member states.'István Sárhegyi, CEO of 4iG SDT, said, 'The agreements signed today mark a milestone in 4iG SDT international defence industry efforts. Through this partnership with one of the world's fastest-growing defence technology companies, we can develop systems with strong potential for success in both European and African markets on a mutual basis. EDGE's trust and openness provide an opportunity for Hungary to become a strategic player in the global defence innovation ecosystem.'Under the first agreement, the two companies will establish a broad technological partnership to co-develop and explore market opportunities of next-generation unmanned aerial systems (UASs), counter-UAS (C-UAS) solutions, and space technologies in Central and Eastern Europe, and agreement also covers the potential establishment of a joint second agreement is focused on the potential development and production of EDGE's rapidly deployable SKYKNIGHT inner-layer air defence missile system and SHADOW line of precision-strike loitering munitions in final agreement is aimed at offering EDGE's VEGA uncrewed traffic management and ORION drone fleet management systems to the European market, with the potential to jointly develop air traffic control MoU also includes the assessment of a joint venture to serve as a European development and sales hub for VEGA and ORION. Following an MoU between EDGE and 4iG SDT signed earlier this year to co-develop UAS and space technologies, the three subsequent agreements underscore EDGE's renewed commitment to strengthening ties with key European defence ecosystems and to delivering jointly developed, export-ready solutions that meet the technological and security requirements of NATO countries.
Business Insider
5 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
The supply chain's last mile is complex and expensive. AI has the potential to fix its woes.
In the last mile, the part of the supply chain that involves transporting goods from a warehouse to a consumer's home, many things could go wrong. A package could end up at the wrong address, shipments could be late due to traffic, or a thunderstorm could damage a parcel left out in the rain. "You're dealing with humans and the real world and trucks and traffic," said Fred Cook, the cofounder and chief technology officer of last-mile delivery company Veho. In an area long dominated by carriers like UPS, FedEx, and the US Postal Service, Veho and many other software providers are looking to solve the challenges that pervade this notoriously complex and expensive part of the supply chain. They're using AI to design more efficient delivery routes, improve accuracy and the customer experience, and predict errors before they might happen. Erik Mattson, a partner in consulting firm AlixPartners' Manufacturing and Operations practice, sees "a big opportunity for AI to help this industry catch up to other industries." E-commerce sales continue to grow, reaching new highs of $300 billion in the last two quarters. This makes the last mile busier than ever and ripe for a technology disruption. A McKinsey report found that in the last decade, about $80 billion in venture capital went to logistics startups, with on-demand last-mile delivery platforms getting the greatest share of those funds. AI from the road to the front door Last-mile routes typically involve multiple stops and individual small packages — rather than one truck delivering pallets to a single warehouse — making this supply chain segment difficult to manage efficiently and expensive for the businesses involved. Last-mile delivery makes up an estimated 41% of all logistics costs in the supply chain, according to the Capgemini Research Institute. One of the earlier applications of routing technology in the last mile was a machine-learning application that UPS launched in 2013 called ORION, or On-Road Integrated Optimization and Navigation. Four years ago, the parcel company rolled out an upgrade to ORION, which shortened routes by an average of two to four miles per driver and rerouted drivers based on changing conditions. "Historic technologies would be static and run the night before," Mattson said. If orders changed or construction started, the tech wouldn't account for those changes. Today's AI models, on the other hand, adjust in real time. "Compared to pre-AI methods that relied on static routing rules or dispatcher intuition, our platform now responds dynamically to real-world conditions at scale," said Andrew Leone, the CEO and cofounder of Dispatch, a last-mile delivery platform. Dispatch uses AI to plan routes based on factors such as traffic, delivery windows, estimated time per stop, and driver capacity. More efficient routes can lower fuel costs, improve density, and enable more deliveries in a day, increasing revenue for providers. Amazon has been at the forefront of bringing AI into its last mile, said Jett McCandless, the founder and CEO of project44, a supply chain software platform. Last month, Amazon announced an initiative called Wellspring, which uses generative AI to analyze satellite images, apartment building layouts, street imagery, consumer instructions, and photos from past deliveries. It can recommend which parking spot or apartment building entrance a driver should use to drop off a shipment. In a test this past fall, the tech identified parking spots at 4 million home addresses. Veho uses AI for quality assurance on its deliveries. In an ideal world, Cook said, an employee dedicated to quality assurance tasks would look at the geocode of where a parcel was left, examine the delivery photo, gather feedback from the driver, and determine if anything should change for future deliveries. "It's totally infeasible to do that on millions of deliveries. But those are the types of use cases that we see, in the very near term, that AI is ideal for," Cook said. Delivery data also allows last-mile providers to keep consumers informed. Deliveright, a last-mile delivery service, saw customer service calls drop by 80% due to real-time tracking and more accurate ETAs, according to Doug Ladden, Deliveright's CEO. Veho said that its large language model, which it created in-house, answers 60% of customer and driver questions and has cut average response times from 2.5 minutes to 15 seconds. Predicting and preventing package mishaps Veho uses AI to pinpoint commonalities among mishaps that occurred during the logistics process, like the same warehouse associate handling multiple packages that resulted in errors, or a trucking company in the middle mile that had damaged items. The company forecasts the likelihood of issues for specific routes or deliveries. Then it makes decisions based on the patterns, like moving packages to different facilities or increasing rates on a certain route, so drivers will be incentivized to pick them up earlier in the day. "We've taken that a step further now to where we're trying to predict defects," Cook said. Swiped packages are a big issue in last-mile deliveries, with 58 million parcels stolen from doorsteps last year amounting to $16 billion in losses, according to a USPS watchdog report. UPS created an AI-based software, DeliveryDefense, that analyzes historic factors such as loss frequency and delivery attempts. The AI then spots areas that could be targets for porch pirates in the future. McCandless said AI can predict high-risk areas and times of day, allowing companies to plan delivery schedules and routes accordingly to minimize the chance a package might be stolen. "AI could play a key role in identifying patterns, helping to prevent theft before it happens," McCandless said.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
BigBear.ai vs. Palantir: Which AI Defense Stock Is the Smarter Buy?
In the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) and defense technology, two companies have emerged as notable players - Holdings Inc. BBAI and Palantir Technologies Inc. PLTR. Both firms specialize in providing AI-driven analytics and solutions to the government and defense sectors, leveraging cutting-edge technologies to enhance decision-making and operational focuses on delivering predictive analytics and autonomous systems, catering to various defense and intelligence agencies. Palantir, on the other hand, offers comprehensive data integration and analysis platforms, serving a broad spectrum of government and commercial clients. The commonality between these companies lies in their commitment to harnessing AI for national security and defense the increasing emphasis on AI in defense strategies and the substantial government investments in this domain, comparing and Palantir becomes particularly relevant for investors seeking exposure to this dive deep and closely compare the fundamentals of the two stocks to determine which one is a better investment now. is a smaller pure-play in the defense/intelligence AI arena. The company has carved out a niche providing 'decision intelligence' solutions to U.S. government and military clients. It has scored several key government contracts that showcase its capabilities – for example, a 3.5-year, $13.2 million sole-source award to enhance the Pentagon's ORION analytics platform for force management. suite of AI tools (with modules like Observe, Orient, and Dominate) ingests data, identifies patterns, and predicts outcomes at the network edge. These technologies are used in simulations and planning for complex military scenarios, though on a far smaller scale than Palantir's deployments. The recent appointment of a new CEO – former DHS acting secretary Kevin McAleenan – in January 2025 stirred optimism that Washington connections could translate into new contract wins. This niche focus led to significant contract wins and a swelling backlog of orders. At the end of first-quarter 2025, BigBear's contract backlog stood at $385 million, leaping 30% from a year ago, indicating a solid pipeline of future revenue from government the company significantly improved its balance sheet, ending the quarter with $108 million in cash, more than double its cash balance at the end of 2024. The reduction of debt from $200 million to $142 million—primarily through equity conversions—has provided greater financial flexibility and reduced interest burden, enabling BigBear to better weather macro uncertainty and continue funding strategic growth initiatives. A key challenge in first-quarter 2025 stemmed from delays in federal procurement processes. These delays created temporary variability in revenue recognition and underutilization of available resources, pushing up SG&A costs. Management highlighted that while such delays are typical in government contracting, they had a meaningful short-term impact on the company's bottom line, contributing to a wider adjusted EBITDA loss. Additionally, while revenue rose modestly, the company's financials were impacted by higher non-cash expenses, including increased stock-based compensation and derivative fair value adjustments. Palantir Technologies is a far larger and more established player at the intersection of AI and defense. The company built its reputation with Gotham, a platform for U.S. intelligence and defense agencies that integrates vast data sets to enable real-time decision-making. Alongside Gotham, Palantir's commercial-oriented Foundry platform and its new Artificial Intelligence Platform form a comprehensive suite that bridges government and enterprise AI needs. This end-to-end AI strategy, from data integration and preparation to advanced analytics, gives Palantir a formidable competitive continually aligns its technology with defense priorities; for example, it's working on the Pentagon's high-profile Open DAGIR initiative to modernize mission planning with AI, showcasing its ability to upgrade military operations with cutting-edge data solutions. This month, Palantir announced an extension of its Army Project Maven work that brought the total value of that program to over $1 billion, marking Palantir's first billion-dollar contract. This underscores the company's revenue visibility in defense AI at scale, far beyond what a smaller firm like BigBear can achieve. Furthermore, Palantir is expected to be a key beneficiary of the Trump administration's "Golden Dome" missile defense initiative, highlighting its integral role in national defense has also been rapidly expanding its commercial footprint, applying its AI prowess to industries like healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and logistics. Importantly, Palantir is now a profitable and fast-growing business. In the first quarter of 2025, Palantir's revenue surged 39% year over year to $884 million, handily beating expectations. U.S. revenue alone jumped 55%, reflecting strong uptake of its AI solutions domestically. The company has posted multiple quarters of GAAP profitability, with adjusted earnings of 13 cents per share (up from 8 cents a year prior). Off the back of robust demand, Palantir raised its full-year 2025 outlook – now guiding for $3.89–3.90 billion in revenue (about up 36% year over year), well above its initial forecasts. In other words, Palantir's fundamental trajectory is decidedly upward, fueled by booming AI adoption across both its defense and commercial segments. The company's financial position is also a source of strength – Palantir sits on $5.4 billion in cash (as of March 31) and carries no debt, giving it ample flexibility to invest in R&D or acquisitions to maintain its faces challenges, including sustaining its growth rate as a larger company and managing its heavy reliance on government contracts, which exposes it to political and budgetary risks. Despite its innovative offerings, stock's performance has been underwhelming in 2025, with a year-to-date (YTD) decline of 7% and below the Zacks Computer and Technology sector's 1.3% decline. However, the stock has shown signs of recovery, gaining about 21.4% over the past 2025, Palantir's stock has experienced significant growth, with a YTD increase of 63.6% and a modest gain of 4.4% over the past month. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research BBAI is trading at a 6.87X forward 12-month price-to-sales (P/S) ratio, higher than its three-year median of 1.9X and higher than the Zacks Computer and Technology sector's 6.25X. It may need clear signs of improving execution or a shift in federal spending trends to regain bullish valuation has become very stretched after the massive run. Palantir trades at about 66.85X, far above BBAI and the sector. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Over the past 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for PLTR has increased, while for BBAI stock, the loss per share has widened for 2025, as you can see below. The estimated figure indicates 43.9% growth for PLTR. On the other hand, the estimated figure for BBAI indicates a narrower loss from $1.10 per share a year ago. For BBAI Stock Image Source: Zacks Investment Research For PLTR Stock Image Source: Zacks Investment Research While offers a compelling niche in defense-focused AI, its smaller scale, inconsistent financials, and exposure to procurement delays make its growth path less predictable. The company's Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) hints at near-term pessimism. In contrast, Palantir's superior fundamentals, diversified revenue base, and execution strength position it as the more robust investment. After weighing the fundamentals, Palantir — a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company — appears to hold the better upside potential right now, albeit with some valuation-induced caution. All things considered, investors looking for exposure to the AI-defense theme would be better served by Palantir's proven growth and resilience at this point, as it currently offers a more compelling risk-reward profile than its smaller rival. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR) : Free Stock Analysis Report Holdings, Inc. (BBAI) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
THEON presents its Q1 2025 Trading Update
THEON 's integrated fused night vision binocular ORION Press Release Bloomberg (THEON:NA) / Reuters ( 28 April 2025 – Theon International Plc (THEON) today publishes its Q1 2025 Trading Update, achieving excellent performance and continued strong growth, in line with guidance. Financial Summary Q1 2025 Q1 2024 Change Order intake €117.9 m €39.0 m +202.3% Revenue €90.8 m €75.8 m +19.8% Adjusted EBIT €23.0 m €17.2 m +34.2% Adjusted EBIT margin 25.3% 22.6% +2.7 p.p. Earnings per share €0.25 €0.18 +38.9% Capex €3.3 m €2.5 m +33.7 % Mar 2025 Dec 2024 Change Soft backlog €668.6 m €654.2 m +2.2% Net working capital €160.0 m €165.5 m -3.3% Net cash €61.2 m €41.7 m +46.8 % Financial Highlights Strong order intake continues with new orders reaching €117.9 million in Q1 2025, 202% higher than in Q1 2024, coming from multiple countries worldwide. Our order intake represents a book-to-bill ratio of 1.3x, which goes above 2x when including the approximately €100 million of new options, with a very high probability of conversion to backlog. Soft backlog of €668.6 million at the end of Q1 2025, provides solid visibility for the year ahead with an additional €289.0 million of contractual options which provide further headroom for growth. Revenue reached €90.8 million in Q1 2025, a record performance driven by continued strong market demand and consistent new contract wins. Adjusted EBIT of €23.0 million over the same period, 34.2% higher vs Q1 2024, with an Adjusted EBIT margin of 25.3% (vs 22.6% in Q1 2024), maintaining industry leading margins, in line with guidance. Earnings per share grew 39% to €0.25 cents per share. Capex was €3.3 million, in line with our strategy and enabling THEON to continue delivering consistent growth by expanding our capacity and creating innovative new products. Operational Highlights Several recent contract wins, including the one for the German Future Soldier Program (IdZ) where THEON provides its newly launched Heads-Up Display system, part of the A.R.M.E.D ecosystem of products. Continued strong international traction for the A.R.M.E.D products. Participation in several larger tender processes as demand for night vision products continues to increase globally. THEON's majority shareholder placed c.3.2 million shares (4.5% of issued share capital) in March 2025, broadening THEON's investor base and improving stock liquidity. THEON was also included in the FT Europe 1,000 fastest growing companies list for the second year. Finally, THEON initiated the process of becoming a participant in the United Nations Global Compact, demonstrating its commitment to sustainable and ethical practices across its operations. Dimitris Parthenis, CFO of THEON, commented: 'THEON has delivered a strong start to the year, driven by our best-in-class technologies and products and enabled by our strong supply chain. There is significant pent-up demand for night vision goggles globally. At the same time, soldiers increasingly need more advanced 'augmented reality' capabilities in combat, covered by our A.R.M.E.D ecosystem. THEON is well placed to capture this demand, servicing our existing customers and winning new ones. Our Q1 performance and order book provide us with strong visibility and confidence that we remain well on track to deliver FY 2025 results in line with guidance.' FY 2025 Guidance Revenue €410 – 430 m Adjusted EBIT margin Mid-twenties Capex €20 m Dividend (% of Net Income) 30 – 40% THEON's Q1 financial results are now available for download on our website: inquiries, please contact: Investor RelationsNikos MalesiotisE-Mail: ir@ +30 210 6772290 Media ContactElli MichouE-Mail: press@ +30 210 6728610 About THEON GROUPTHEON GROUP of companies develops and manufactures cutting-edge night vision and thermal Imaging systems for Defense and Security applications with a global footprint. THEON GROUP started its operations in 1997 from Greece and today occupies a leading role in the sector thanks to its international presence through subsidiaries and production facilities in Greece, Cyprus, Germany, the Baltics, the United States, the Gulf States, Switzerland, Denmark, Belgium, Singapore and South Korea. THEON GROUP has more than 200,000 systems in service with Armed and Special Forces in 71 countries around the world, 26 of which are NATO countries. ΤΗΕΟΝ ΙΝΤΕRNATIONAL PLC has been listed on Euronext Amsterdam (AMS: THEON) since February Attachments THEON 's integrated fused night vision binocular ORION Press Release_1Q2025 trading update_28.04.2025Sign in to access your portfolio
