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Tag: surveillance

Federal Contractors | Technology 2023: JOHN SERAFINI

Serafini founded his geospatial analytics company in 2015. From its constellation of satellites, HawkEye 360 collects radio frequency data that can identify and track human activity and trends for military, maritime and intelligence clients. It has helped detect illegal fishing for the Australian government, and in Ukraine, it tracked Russian troop movements.

Last year, Serafini helped organize the Space Industry for Ukraine (SIFU), an initiative that saw 23 companies donate nearly $900,000 in capital to aid victims and refugees from the war in Ukraine.

Also in 2022, HawkEye 360 opened a 19,000-square-foot satellite production facility. In January, Rocket Lab USA deployed three HawkEye 360 satellites into orbit from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility. 

Serafini was previously senior vice president of Allied Minds, the venture capital firm that helped launch HawkEye 360. He serves on the board of advisers for the National Security Space Association and is a board member for the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation.

A former Army infantry officer in the 82nd Airborne Division, Serafini graduated from West Point and has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

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Northrop Grumman wins $341M contract to develop deep space radar

Falls Church-based Fortune 500 defense contractor Northrop Grumman Corp. has won a $341 million contract from the U.S. Space Force to develop and test a ground-based surveillance radar in support of its Space Domain Awareness mission, the contractor announced Wednesday.

The Deep-Space Advanced Radar Capability is expected to enhance the military’s space surveillance by increasing capacity to monitor deep space objects and will eventually provide full global coverage via three sites, Northrop Grumman said in a news release. The initial contract includes design, development and delivery of a system to be located in the Indo-Pacific and is expected to be complete in 2025.

“The DARC program will field a resilient ground-based radar providing our nation with significantly enhanced space domain awareness for geostationary orbit,” Pablo Pezzimenti, vice president of integrated national systems for Northrop Grumman said. “While current ground-based systems operate at night and can be impacted by weather conditions, DARC will provide an all-weather, 24/7 capability to monitor the highly dynamic and rapidly evolving geosynchronous orbital environment critical to national and global security.”

 

Vienna-based Spire Global to buy Canadian company for $161.2M

Vienna-based space-focused data and analytics company Spire Global Inc. has entered into a $161.2 million deal to purchase exactEarth Ltd., a Canadian maritime data provider, the two companies announced Tuesday.

Spire, which is set to close on the cash and stock purchase late this year or in early 2022, will operate Ontario-based exactEarth as a fully-owned subsidiary, with the company’s CEO, Peter Mabson, reporting to Spire CEO Peter Platzer.

Formed in 2009, exactEarth uses a satellite network to provide data for ship tracking and situational awareness, and its operations will continue to be based in Cambridge, Ontario, according to the news released. At least two-thirds of exactEarth shareholders must approve the transaction at a special meeting in November for it to take place.

The deal will include $103.4 million in cash and $57.8 million in Spire Class A common stock, and its plan of arrangement falls under the Canada Business Corporations Act. Holders of exactEarth common shares will receive about $1.98 in cash and 0.1 share of Spire Class A common stock for each exactEarth common share held.

“Peter and I share a vision about the opportunity for space-based maritime data and the digitalization of the global maritime industry, and I look forward to pursuing that vision together,” Platzer said in a statement.

“We look forward to joining forces with the Spire team to not only have an impact on the maritime industry,” Mabson said in a statement, “but also to have an impact on the planet, through offering customers enhanced data solutions that are designed to impact not only a company’s bottom line, but also its environmental footprint.”

A month ago, Spire Global completed its merger with Reston-based special purpose acquisition company NavSight Holdings Inc. to become a public company. Although financial terms of the contract were not disclosed, the combined company was valued at $1.6 billion and was expected to produce $475 million in gross proceeds. As of Wednesday afternoon, Spire’s stock was trading at $9.76 per share, up 0.60 points from Tuesday. The company has more than 110 satellites in orbit, as well as ground stations in 16 countries.

 

ManTech lands $260M Navy task order

The U.S. Department of Defense awarded Herndon-based ManTech, a technology contractor for U.S. defense, intelligence and federal civilian agencies, a four-year, $260 million task order to update the U.S. Navy’s mission systems for its maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft.

Under the task order, ManTech will work to modernize the P-3C Orion and P-8A Poseidon aircraft flown by the Navy that carry out intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, anti-submarine and electronic warfare operations, according to the company. 

Work will be conducted for the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane Division on behalf of the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) PMA 290.

“This win will deliver ManTech’s advanced digital engineering capabilities to enhance mission support and extend our role as our customers’ most trusted partner,” Andrew Twomey, executive vice president and general manager of ManTech’s defense sector, said in a statement.

The Department of Defense Information Analysis Center’s (DoD IAC) awarded the task order through the U.S. Air Force’s 774th Enterprise Sourcing Squadron. It is a follow-on award to work ManTech has been doing since 2018, which has included engineering analyses for total lifecycle management and logistical support.

Founded in 1968, ManTech, a Fortune 1000 company, reported more than $2 billion in revenue last year.

 

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