Department of War Announces $174 Million Investment to Secure Gallium Supply Chain The Department of War (DOW) announced today an estimated $174 million* equity financing investment to construct a new gallium production facility at Alcoa's Wagerup alumina refinery. Executed by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy (OASW(IBP)) via the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program, the initiative is a multinational partnership with Export Finance Australia (EFA), the Government of Japan, and Sojitz Corporation. Alcoa of Australia will operate the facility, which is projected to produce 100 metric tons of gallium metal annually. *Note: Final USD value is subject to exchange rate fluctuations at the time of the transaction. "This landmark agreement with our key allies, Australia and Japan, will secure a vital supply of gallium for our defense industrial base, strengthening our collective security and economic resilience for years to come," said the Honorable Michael Cadenazzi, Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy. Gallium is essential to the high-performance semiconductors underpinning critical defense capabilities. These include advanced radars for aerial and maritime platforms, ground-based missile defense systems, secure satellite and tactical communications, and precision electro-optical/infrared sensors for missile guidance and thermal imaging. Gallium is also critical for the solar cells that power military and civilian satellites. Securing a reliable supply of gallium is essential for the DOW, and this project works to build long-term resilience in the existing global supply chain. Since its inception in 2014, the IBAS program has invested over $2.6 billion across more than 200 projects to restore and strengthen the defense industrial base.

Department of War Announces $35.6 Million Strategic Equity Investment in Trilogy Metals to Secure Critical Copper, Cobalt, and Germanium Supplies in Northwest Alaska Policy (IBP), in partnership with the Economic Defense Unit (EDU), announced today a $35.6 million equity investment in Trilogy Metals Inc. (NYSE: TMQ) through the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program. This strategic partnership establishes a secure, domestic supply of copper, cobalt, germanium, and other critical minerals essential for national defense systems and the broader U.S. Defense Industrial Base. Under the terms of the executed agreement, DoW's $35.6 million investment secures a 10% direct ownership stake in Trilogy Metals, along with 7.5% in penny warrants, representing a total combined U.S. government economic position of 17.5%. These funds will be directed to support exploration, engineering, and infrastructure development at the Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects (UKMP) in Northwest Alaska, a district-scale, under-explored land package managed under a 50/50 joint venture (Ambler Metals LLC) between Trilogy Metals and South32 Limited. "To build a robust Defense Industrial Base, we must secure the foundational materials that enable it," said the Honorable Mike Cadenazzi, Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy. "This partnership with Trilogy Metals is a decisive investment in America's supply chain independence and our long-term national security."

Boeing $BA was just awarded a $131.2 Billion contract with the 🇺🇸 Air Force "For the F-15 Eagle Crest in support of the F-15 Program Office. This contract provides for aircraft production, systems integration, modernization, upgrades, retrofits, sustainment, and the establishment of organic depot maintenance capabilities to deliver and maintain critical F-15 Eagle Weapon System capabilities"

📢 𝗝𝗨𝗦𝗧 𝗜𝗡: Viasat Selects Rocket Lab to Build Anti-Jam Satellite for U.S. Space Force - $VSAT $RKLB 👉 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: ➤ 𝗩𝗶𝗮𝘀𝗮𝘁 selects 𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝗯 for the Space Force 𝗣𝗧𝗦-𝗚 program. ➤ Rocket Lab will build a maneuverable 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶-𝗚𝗘𝗢 satellite bus. ➤ Satellite will use Rocket Lab's 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴-𝗚𝗘𝗢 spacecraft platform. ➤ Viasat will provide a dual-band 𝗫/𝗞𝗮-𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱 communications payload. ➤ System targets secure, resilient, 𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶-𝗷𝗮𝗺 communications in contested environments. ➤ 𝗦𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝟭 covers manufacturing, integration, testing, launch, and on-orbit checkout. ➤ Viasat received its prime 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 contract on May 22. ➤ Award includes 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 of satellite operations and sustainment services. ➤ PTS-G supports the Space Force's shift toward 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 commercial-based architectures. 👉 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: ➤ Expands 𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝗯's role in U.S. national security space programs. ➤ Adds another production opportunity for Rocket Lab's vertically integrated spacecraft business. ➤ Strengthens 𝗩𝗶𝗮𝘀𝗮𝘁's position in protected military satellite communications. ➤ Supports resilient U.S. communications where conventional links face 𝗷𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 threats. 👉 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗴 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿, President, Viasat Government: “This production award represents an important step forward in delivering the next generation of protected satellite communications capabilities for the U.S. Space Force. By combining Viasat's cutting-edge communications payload technology with Rocket Lab's proven spacecraft platform, we are advancing a more agile and resilient GEO architecture designed to support mission-critical communications hot spots in contested environments. We are excited to showcase how low cost, high performance dual-use technology can provide reliable connectivity for evolving missions in an increasingly contested tactical communications environment.” 𝗦𝗶𝗿 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗸, Rocket Lab Founder and CEO: “Moving from design into production marks an important milestone for this program and for Rocket Lab's growing role in national security space. By pairing our vertically integrated spacecraft with Viasat's protected communications payload, we're delivering resilient, space-based communications infrastructure that keeps our forces connected and secure in contested environments.”

Doctrinal shifts in the US military are rare. That's what makes the newly released FY27 NDAA remarkable. Normally a procurement guide, this year Congress told the military: before more drones can be bought, there must be philosophical and operational change in how the entire force does business to integrate this capability. The takeaway for investors: the American drone industrial base is still in its infancy. Doctrine, training, and sustainment all pave the way for a multi-decade build out of capacity.

🚨🇮🇷 IRAN UNLEASHES 2,000-KM ARASH-2 DRONES ON THREE U.S. BASES IN KUWAIT Three of America’s most important military sites in Kuwait were targeted in a single Iranian drone wave. Tehran says its regular army launched long-range Arash-2 one-way attack drones at Camp Arifjan, Camp Buehring and Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base during the 19th phase of Operation Saeqeh, aiming at command, aviation and personnel facilities across the U.S. regional network. 🔸 BUILT FOR LONG-RANGE STRIKES: The Arash-2 is reported to have a strike range of up to 2,000 km and a warhead weighing around 150 kg, allowing launch sites deep inside Iran to threaten American facilities across the Gulf. 🔸 RANGE OVER SPEED: Powered by a piston engine, the Arash-2 emphasizes endurance, payload and long-distance reach rather than missile-like speed—making it suitable for repeated one-way attack waves against fixed infrastructure. 🔸 THREE BASES, THREE FUNCTIONS: Iran says the drones targeted administrative buildings and direction-finding antennas at Camp Arifjan, helicopter parking facilities at Camp Buehring in the Udairi complex, and a building housing U.S. personnel at Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base. 🔸 ARIFJAN IS THE BIG PRIZE: Camp Arifjan is a major U.S. Army command and logistics hub, supporting regional operations through prepositioned equipment, warehouses, communications and sustainment infrastructure. 🔸 U.S. AIRPOWER WAS ALSO TARGETED: Camp Buehring supports Army aviation units operating UH-60 Black Hawks, CH-47 Chinooks and AH-64 Apaches, while Ahmed Al Jaber supports U.S. Air Force operations and logistics in Kuwait. Iranian state media released footage of the launches as proof that the Arash-2 took part in the operation. The wider danger is that Tehran can threaten command, aviation and support nodes in the same wave—forcing U.S. and Kuwaiti air defenses to protect several critical sites simultaneously. How should the U.S. defend its Gulf base network against repeated waves of long-range Iranian drones?