Latest news with #SHIELD
Yomiuri Shimbun
21 hours ago
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Defense Ministry to Request Record ¥8.8 Tril. Budget for Fiscal 2026 Amid Concerns over China's Expanding Influence
The Defense Ministry plans to request a record-breaking budget of about ¥8.8 trillion for fiscal 2026, amid growing concerns over China's expanding influence. This increase is intended to bolster Japan's defense capabilities in the face of mounting regional security challenges, according to government sources. The focus will be on countering China's growing military presence by deploying uncrewed aircraft and defending the Nansei Islands. The initial budget for fiscal 2025 was ¥8.7 trillion, which included costs for the realignment of U.S. forces. Under the Defense Buildup Program, approved by the Cabinet in December 2022, the government set the total defense budget at about ¥43 trillion for the five years from fiscal 2023 to 2027, which excludes the costs associated with the realignment of U.S. forces. Fiscal year 2026 marks the fourth year of this program. The ministry will include in its budget request expenses related to the coastal defense initiative 'SHIELD,' under which unmanned vehicles will be used in the air, at sea and underwater. The initiative is planned to be established in fiscal 2027. The expenses are for the purchase of the unmanned vehicles and a system to simultaneously control the operation of a number of such vehicles. To defend the Nansei Islands, the ministry has allocated funds in its budget request to upgrade the Ground Self-Defense Force's 15th Brigade, located in Naha, to the 15th Division in fiscal year 2026. This upgrade is expected to include the deployment of an additional infantry regiment. It also specified plans to launch the first Space Domain Awareness (SDA) satellite in fiscal 2026 to enhance space surveillance capabilities.
Yomiuri Shimbun
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Govt Eyes Drones for Coastal Defense by Fiscal 2027; New Initiative Dubbed ‘SHIELD' Will Operate on Air, Sea and Underwater
The Defense Ministry has decided to establish a new initiative to use unmanned vehicles in the air, at sea and underwater for coastal defense by fiscal 2027, according to government sources. Called 'SHIELD,' the plan seeks to deter foreign forces attempting to invade Japan, according to the sources. As unmanned vehicles can be introduced in large numbers due to being relatively inexpensive, the ministry aims to establish a cost-effective defense system. Under the plan, unmanned aircraft will be launched from naval vessels, with unmanned surface vessels and unmanned submarines to intercept enemy ships on the water and underwater, respectively. Small unmanned aircraft will be launched from land to attack enemy ships approaching the coast. The ministry also plans to begin experiments on introducing a control system to manage the simultaneous operation of a large number of unmanned vehicles. In April, the ministry set up a team to examine future combat methods, including the use of unmanned vehicles, and has been considering approaches how to attack and conduct reconnaissance against targets. In light of the large-scale deployment of unmanned vehicles in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the ministry has determined that the establishment of a multi-layered defense system including such vehicles is an urgent priority. Separately from the SHIELD initiative, the ministry is also advancing research on AI-equipped unmanned aircraft to support the next-generation fighter jets being jointly developed with Britain and Italy. It plans to acquire the U.S.-made 'MQ-9B SeaGuardian' as an unmanned aircraft designed for long-endurance flights for maritime surveillance. The ministry intends to include the costs required for the initiative in its budget request for the next fiscal year.
Yahoo
13-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Palantir Nears Record High As Trump's $175 Billion Missile Defense Plan Opens Door To Massive SHIELD Contracts
Defense contractor Palantir Technologies' (NASDAQ:PLTR) stock trended on Wednesday as it traded close to its 52-week high of $190. President Donald Trump's $175 billion Golden Dome missile defense plan could create new contract opportunities for companies like Palantir by opening bids under the Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD) initiative. Palantir's software could support missile tracking, cybersecurity, and data integration across the system's satellite and ground-based defense layers, aligning with the Pentagon's push to strengthen national security by 2028. Also Read: Palantir stock gained over 147% year-to-date, driven by its performance in the AI sector and increased government contracts. Also this week, Palantir expanded its long-term partnership with SOMPO Holdings through a new multi-year deal via Palantir Technologies Japan KK, deepening the use of its Foundry platform across multiple SOMPO subsidiaries. The integration now spans elder care, insurance claims, and underwriting, with AI-driven tools streamlining fraud detection, claims processing, and risk evaluation. By embedding Foundry deeper into core operations, SOMPO expects to boost efficiency, accuracy, and annual financial results by about $10 million. Analysts expect Palantir's growth to accelerate after its strong second-quarter results and guidance that topped expectations. Piper Sandler's Brent Bracelin cited record revenue gains in government and commercial segments, including a $10 billion Army deal and 93% year-over-year U.S. commercial growth. Bank of America's Mariana Perez Mora noted that Palantir remains best in class for operationalizing AI in enterprises and aligns with the Trump administration's 'Winning the Race' AI plan. Both analysts view Palantir as uniquely positioned to capture share in two $1 trillion-plus markets. Price Action: PLTR shares are trading 1.11% higher at $189.02 as of the last check on Wednesday. Read Next:Image: Shutterstock UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES (PLTR): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Palantir Nears Record High As Trump's $175 Billion Missile Defense Plan Opens Door To Massive SHIELD Contracts originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. 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
TechCrunch
29-07-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Golden Dome may not be the golden ticket Silicon Valley is hoping for
Golden Dome, the Trump administration's gambit to build a next-generation missile defense system, has startups and longstanding defense contractors preparing to duke it out for a piece of a $151 billion multi-year contract. The process to qualify for the $151 billion contract vehicle, essentially an umbrella program, is stacked against most startups – not because of their tech. Instead, smaller companies may be thwarted by a multi-layered, expensive bureaucratic process used to ensure a company can meet security and other compliance requirements. Ultimately, Golden Dome may not be the zero-sum battle of emerging tech versus incumbents. The startups that do breakthrough will be those that are able to convince the biggest defense contractors to take them on as subcontractors. The Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency released last week a draft solicitation for a $151 billion, multi-award contract, the prelude to the government's forthcoming defense tech-buying spree. The 10-year contract, called SHIELD, or Scalable Homeland Enterprise Layered Defense, acts as an umbrella that will be used to buy technology for the Golden Dome system. That program, which the White House likened to Israel's Iron Dome, will encompass systems that span space, land, and sea to protect the continental United States against a variety of missile threats. In order to build out this system, the government will be looking to purchase a range of cutting-edge technology, like space-based interceptors, ground-based radars, and terrestrial and sea-based systems capable of taking out an enemy missile in flight. The first hurdle for companies hoping to win one of the contracts is to qualify for the umbrella program, or vehicle. Getting onto the $151 billion vehicle doesn't guarantee federal dollars; instead, companies will compete for contracting work on individual task orders. The final request for proposals will be released sometime in the fourth quarter of this year, though that hasn't stopped companies from already starting their lobbying efforts. Techcrunch event Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They're here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don't miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise. Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They're here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don't miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise. San Francisco | REGISTER NOW Bryce Dabbs, CEO of consulting firm Approach Venture, told TechCrunch that he estimates between 5% and 10% of the pot could realistically go to non-traditional vendors – not by startups competing as a prime contractor, but rather through 'teaming and subcontracting arrangements,' he said, noting that not all startups are equal. For instance, SpaceX and Anduril, while backed by venture capital, are already at the scale of small primes, and the opportunity for smaller startups will likely look considerably different. A startup with a compelling technology would need to collaborate with a defense prime, like Northrop Grumman or Lockheed, to provide a capability that the prime doesn't currently offer in-house. That's because many early-stage companies lack facility clearances, personnel, IT security, or other requirements to perform highly classified government work – and the pre-solicitation warned that these barriers to entry will be in place for would-be suppliers. Venture-backed companies like Anduril and SpaceX will be able to meet these security and compliance requirements, but everyone else will likely need to sub under a prime in order to compete. Dabbs said his firm is seeing more early-stage founders reference Golden Dome in their decks, and that the program is frequently referenced when VCs do diligence on startups Approach supports. But the investors 'may not fully understand how government procurement or larger contracts work,' he said. Meanwhile, more mature and cash-rich startups like SpaceX and Anduril are better poised to compete with the legacy defense contractors, also sometimes called, such RTX (formerly Raytheon), Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and L3 Harris. Reuters reported earlier this year that a team composed of SpaceX, Palantir, and Anduril has already started meeting with federal officials. Lockheed, meanwhile, launched a 'Golden Dome for America' page on its website highlighting how it might contribute to the effort. FAR, not fair William Greenwalt, senior fellow at American Enterprise Institute and former deputy undersecretary of defense industrial policy at the DOD, was less optimistic. 'I am not overwhelmed by the prospects for non-traditionals to gain anything at all from this,' he said. That's because of the structure of the contract, which is being run under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the Competition in Contracting Act (CICA). While FAR requires 'full and open competition,' the pathway's high compliance standards implicitly keep newcomers out. Instead, Greenwalt said the program should be done as an Other Transaction Authority (OTA), which gives the DOD more flexibility to work with non-traditional vendors and fund prototypes with follow-on production opportunities. 'A CICA IDIQ contract is about the dumbest way to do this if you want innovation as it will preclude non-traditionals from bidding. This should be done as an OTA — plain and simple,' he said. Trump appointed General Michael Guetlein, second in command of the U.S. Space Force, to spearhead the initiative. He will be in charge of finalizing the program's final architecture, which the White House wants to be in place in just three short years. That timeline favors technologies that are ready to be deployed now, not still being worked out in R&D labs. 'Golden Dome is a bold and aggressive approach to hurry up and protect the homeland from our adversaries,' he said in May.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Tagomics awarded £860k grant for colorectal cancer diagnostic
Tagomics has been awarded £860,000 ($1.1m) from Innovate UK to develop a test for diagnosing early-stage colorectal cancer (CRC). The Cambridge, UK-based company said the money from the UK government innovation agency's Biomedical Catalyst programme would help fund a £1.2m project that is applying its Interlace multiomics workflow platform towards the detection of genetic and epigenetic mutations associated with CRC. This includes the development of new models for analysing patients' multiomic profiles to identify new disease biomarkers. Once the project concludes, a pilot study of the diagnostic test will be undertaken with the UK National Health Service (NHS). Led by Dr Arash Assadsangabi, consultant physician and gastroenterologist at Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, in collaboration with the Northern Care Alliance Research Collection biobank, the study will profile 250 patients suspected of having CRC to validate identified biomarkers and demonstrate multiomic profiling's efficacy in the early detection of the disease. Tagomics' chief scientific officer and co-founder, Dr Robert Neely said: 'We believe that the unique, information-rich dataset that Interlace provides us will be pivotal in detecting CRC at the earliest possible stages of development, enabling treatment of the cancer when it is most vulnerable to modern therapeutics, with the aim of dramatically improving patient outcomes.' Upon completion of the project, Tagomics will look to further expand the capabilities and applications of its Interlace platform with the support of Agilent Technologies, building on an established partnership that was key to the early development of the platform, Dr Neely added. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be 107,320 new cases of colon cancer and 46,950 new cases of rectal cancer in 2025. According to GlobalData analysis, with early detection of CRC critical in reducing the disease's mortality rate, in vitro diagnostic (IVD) tests have a critical role to play in bridging the disease's screening gap, with company's such as Guardant Health at work on developing patient-first tests to create solutions that make patient care more accessible. Guardant's SHIELD test, which was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a primary screening option for CRC in 2024, is intended to detect alterations in the blood associated with CRC. "Tagomics awarded £860k grant for colorectal cancer diagnostic" was originally created and published by Medical Device Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. 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
