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12 Jun 25. Breakthrough Battery Chemistry for Aerospace and Defense. American Lithium Energy (ALE) is revolutionizing energy storage with advanced lithium-metal and solid-state batteries, delivering higher energy density, enhanced safety, and superior performance for defense and aerospace applications. American Lithium Energy (ALE) discusses groundbreaking developments in lithium-metal and solid-state battery technology. As the global shift toward electrification accelerates, ALE is leading the charge with innovations that are already transforming sectors ranging from electric vehicles to aerospace and defense systems.
Advancing Energy Density and Safety with Lithium-Metal Batteries
Traditional lithium-ion batteries have served as a cornerstone of mobile energy, but limitations in energy density, safety, and charging performance have prompted the need for next-generation alternatives. ALE’s lithium-metal battery technology delivers a significant leap forward by replacing conventional graphite anodes with lithium metal. This enhancement can provide up to 10 times the energy density of standard lithium-ion cells. In partnership with a leading electric vehicle manufacturer, ALE has successfully integrated lithium-metal batteries into advanced EV platforms, resulting in a 40% increase in driving range and substantial reductions in vehicle weight, achieved without compromising safety or performance. These capabilities are equally valuable across defense and unmanned systems applications, where compact, high-capacity power is essential.
Solid-State Battery Innovation for Mission-Critical Applications
ALE is also at the forefront of solid-state battery development, a transformative technology that replaces volatile liquid electrolytes with solid materials. The benefits are enhanced safety, longer lifecycle, higher voltage capability, and faster charging. ALE’s proprietary solid-state platform is currently being piloted in high-reliability environments, including aerospace and defense. In collaboration with a major aerospace partner, ALE’s solid-state batteries are being tested in unmanned aerial systems (UAS). These trials have demonstrated a 30% improvement in endurance, confirming the platform’s viability in mission-critical scenarios where failure is not an option.
Designed for Integration and Real-World Impact
What sets ALE apart is its systems-level approach to innovation. Every advancement in chemistry is engineered for seamless integration into real-world platforms, whether it’s an electric truck fleet, a tactical UAS, or a remote microgrid. This philosophy ensures that ALE’s batteries don’t just deliver on technical benchmarks, they provide tangible, scalable value for users across defense, aerospace, and industrial sectors. From stabilizing field-deployed power systems to enabling extended-range robotics, ALE’s next-generation energy solutions are designed to meet the evolving demands of modern defense operations.
Empowering the Future of Defense Technology
In an increasingly electrified and connected world, the need for safe, high-performance, and adaptable energy storage has never been greater. ALE’s commitment to pioneering next-gen battery chemistry, grounded in real-world applications and strategic partnerships—is powering progress across some of the most demanding domains.
Represented by KT Technical Solutions
KT Technical Solutions is the trusted representative of American Lithium Energy and a premier provider of forward-thinking technology and equipment solutions. KTTS partners with world-class suppliers to deliver innovative, proven, and future-ready capabilities tailored to operational needs across defense and industry. (Source: https://www.defenseadvancement.com/)
12 Jun 2025. Thales strengthens its European leadership in resilient navigation, for air, land and sea, by enhancing its Châtellerault and Valence industrial sites in France.
- The Group will invest €55m in order to meet growing demand for secure navigation solutions for both the civil and military sectors.
- This industrial ramp-up will quadruple the production capacity of the Châtellerault site, while in Valence, the serial production of TopStar-M GNSS receivers and the TopShield anti-jamming solution will be launched, and a new sovereign production line for inertial micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) will be established.
Thales, the European leader in resilient navigation, today announces a major €55 million investment to strengthen its industrial sites in Châtellerault and Valence, France. This investment, which will be made between 2025 and 2028, will meet the growing demand for high-performance navigation solutions, both civilian and military, and will strengthen its sovereign and cutting-edge industrial base.
A comprehensive range of solutions for resilient navigation
In a context of increasing jamming and spoofing of GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) signals, Thales is deploying a complete range of resilient navigation solutions that combine precision, autonomy, and security. These technologies are essential to ensure operational continuity, whether for critical military missions or civil aviation safety. By integrating two technological pillars combining inertial systems and GNSS signal reception, Thales enables reliable navigation even in contested environments. Autonomous navigation capability is maintained at all times due to the high performance of the TopAxyz inertial navigation systems. Signal reception integrity is ensured by combining the encrypted, multi-constellation TopStar-M receiver with the TopShield anti-jamming solution. These innovations are supported by France’s Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) under the OMEGA (Operation for the Modernization of GNSS Equipment of the Armed Forces) programme. The performance and unique combination of these solutions make Thales the European leader in resilient navigation.
A strengthened, sustainable, and sovereign industrial base
At Châtellerault, the production capacity of inertial navigation systems will be increased fourfold, with a gradual ramp-up through 2028. This site, with sixty years of expertise in laser gyroscopes, and as the only European supplier equipping civil aircraft, will thus be able to meet growing demand and to provide solutions for aircraft, land vehicles, ships, and munitions. In Valence, mass production of TopStar-M receivers and TopShield systems will begin in 2026. A new production line dedicated to inertial MEMS sensors—a breakthrough technology combining compactness and high performance—will be created, establishing the site as the spearhead of France’s sovereign MEMS technology sector for defense. The launch of this new production line will be accelerated with the support of Tronics Microsystems for certain industrial expertise.
A strong human and regional commitment
More than 800 employees are currently working at the two sites, and 150 new hires are planned by 2028. These investments strengthen Thales’ regional footprint and actively contribute to positioning France at the forefront of the navigation industry.
“Thales, a leader in resilient navigation, is reinforcing its industrial base in France, and thanks to this investment, it will have a sovereign and sustainable industrial capability, delivering the most advanced and competitive solutions to meet growing needs across both civil and military customers” said Yannick Assouad, Executive Vice-President, Avionics, Thales.
11 Jun 25. Altitude Angel Awarded US Patent for Groundbreaking ARROW UTM Technology. Altitude Angel has announced that it has been awarded a United States patent for its pioneering ground-based detect and avoid (DAA) technology, ARROW, the foundational innovation behind the UK’s first drone superhighway. The newly U.S. patented ARROW system enables drones to safely operate Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) without the need for onboard sensors or, critically, visual observers. Instead, ARROW leverages a network of strategically positioned ground-based sensors—including radio frequency detectors and high-resolution cameras. The data collected is then ‘fused’ through Altitude Angel’s air traffic management software to provide a high-resolution, real-time, airspace picture at significantly lower cost and with comparable characteristics to RADAR. This ground-breaking technology allows drones to seamlessly integrate into shared airspace with traditional aircraft, unlocking transformative applications in emergency response, medical logistics, infrastructure inspection, and more. Further, the technology is designed to provide automated air traffic control to commercial drones who want to use the service, independent of other airspace users: this means there is no burden on traditional airspace users, GA pilots, paragliders and the like, to change their operations or carry new equipment.
“Receiving this U.S. patent is a major milestone for Altitude Angel and a testament to the ingenuity of our team,” said Richard Parker, CEO and founder of Altitude Angel. “ARROW is not just a technology – it’s a seismic shift in how we think about airspace access and drone operations. With this patent, we’re one step closer to making scalable, automated drone flight a global reality, by enabling our partners to licence and deploy their own scalable infrastructure.”
The U.S. patent strengthens Altitude Angel’s global IP portfolio, which includes two UK patents awarded in 2020 – for ARROW, and Conflict Resolution Service – Tactical, and positions Altitude Angel to expand the use of ARROW internationally by enabling trusted, regional, partners to build their own infrastructure on which local drone economies can be developed. Project Skyway, part of Innovate UK’s Future Flight Challenge, concluded in January 2025 and was led by Altitude Angel in collaboration with BT and other key partners. The project demonstrated how ARROW can deliver “Separation-as-a-Service,” enabling safe, inclusive, and efficient, multiple drone operations (and operators) without segregating airspace or requiring costly onboard equipment. The patents confirm Altitude Angel’s commitment, ingenuity and push for innovation, to support the next generation of urban air mobility and autonomous aviation. (Source: UAS VISION/Altitude Angel)
11 Jun 25. Scotland to host UK’s national supercomputer as Chancellor confirms £750m investment. Scotland will become home to the UK’s most powerful supercomputer, with up to £750m for the project confirmed in the Spending Review.
Scotland to host the UK’s most powerful supercomputer.
- Up to £750m for a new supercomputer in Edinburgh will be confirmed by the Chancellor at Spending Review – giving scientists across the UK access to compute power found in only a handful of other nations.
- Commitment follows the Prime Minister committing an extra £1 bn of funding to ramp up the UK’s AI compute power twenty fold as he opened London Tech Week.
- AI Research Resource coming into operation soon, as Isambard supercomputer named one of the most powerful in the world.
Scotland will be home to the UK’s most powerful supercomputer to drive forward innovations that grow our economy and ensure people are better off, putting Edinburgh at heart of the UK’s plans to unlock a decade of national renewal through artificial intelligence. The news comes after the Prime Minister kicked off London Tech Week by unveiling £1bn of extra funding to scale up the country’s AI compute power twenty-fold. Following that announcement, the Chancellor has now confirmed up to a further £750m to build the UK’s new national supercomputer at the University of Edinburgh, strengthening Britain’s position as an AI-maker and research power, with researchers and start-ups backed to deliver new waves of innovations and discoveries. Edinburgh’s new supercomputer will give scientists from across the UK the compute power they need for cutting edge research and making the next big breakthrough – whether that’s personalised medical treatments, making air travel more sustainable, or modelling climate change. This will form part of the Chancellor’s commitment to investing in Britain’s renewal at the Spending Review today (Wednesday), ensuring the British people are better off – from better health to economic growth. The supercomputer will work alongside the AI research resource, a network of the UK’s most powerful supercomputers that were built to bolster scientific research. The AI Research Resource, which is due to come into operation soon, is already being used to research Alzheimer’s vaccines and treatments for cancer by simulating how drugs work inside the body and ‘testing’ millions of potential drugs virtually to speed up the creation of new medicines. Ahead of that moment, the Isambard system has this week been ranked in the top ten globally and top 5 in Europe for publicly available supercomputers. According to the latest Top500 rankings, it also ranks as a leader in terms of efficiency, setting a clear benchmark of how the UK government is delivering on its AI ambitions while driving forward its mission to become a clean energy superpower.
UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Technology, Peter Kyle said: “From the shipyards of the Clyde to developments in steam engine technology, Scottish trailblazers were central to the industrial revolution – so the next great industrial leap through AI and technology should be no different. Basing the UK’s most powerful supercomputer in Edinburgh, Scotland will now be a major player in driving forward the next breakthroughs that put our Plan for Change into action.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “We are investing in Scotland’s renewal, so working people are better off. Strong investment in our science and technology sector is part of our Plan for Change to kickstart economic growth, and as the home of the UK’s largest supercomputer, Scotland will be an integral part of that journey.”
Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray said: “This is a landmark moment and will place Scotland at the forefront of the UK’s technological revolution. The £750 m investment in Edinburgh’s new supercomputer places Scotland at the cutting edge of computing power globally. This will see Scotland playing a leading role in creating breakthroughs that have a global benefit – such as new medicines, health advances, and climate change solutions. This is the Plan for Change – delivering real opportunities and economic growth for communities across Scotland.”
Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, Professor Sir Peter Mathieson said: “This significant investment will have a profoundly positive impact on the UK’s global standing, and we welcome the vast opportunities it will create for research and innovation. Building on the University of Edinburgh’s expertise and experience over decades, this powerful supercomputer will drive economic growth by supporting advancements in medicine, bolstering emerging industries and public services, and unlocking the full potential of AI. We look forward to working alongside the UK government and other partners to deliver this critical national resource.”
The new supercomputer will vastly exceed the capacity of the UK’s current national supercomputer, ARCHER2. The government will set out more details about the system in our upcoming Compute Roadmap, which we will publish this summer. It will outline the government’s strategic approach to building world-class compute infrastructure in the UK – which will include the new national supercomputer in Edinburgh and our investment to expand the AI Research Resource by at least 20 times by 2030. DSIT and UKRI will work to ensure that the Edinburgh supercomputer’s system size represents value for money on our investment and meets the needs of the diverse user groups of the UK’s compute infrastructure. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
11 Jun 25. Saab, Helsing progress Project Beyond to equip Gripen E with AI. Saab has flown a series of test beyond-visual-range (BVR) engagements of its Gripen E combat aircraft equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) that is geared at redefining air-to-air combat of the future. Speaking to Janes and other defence media on 11 June, officials from the joint Saab-Helsing team performing the work under Project Beyond outlined the background behind the efforts to revolutionise aerial combat, and the recent flight-test campaign to validate the concept. “For Project Beyond, on 28 May a Gripen E took off with the BVR AI agent onboard, developed by Helsing and Saab together. I would say it’s a quite big step for air combat worldwide, because with the speed and the way we have developed it and integrated it, there is no comparison in my mind,” Peter Nilsson, Saab Aeronautics’ head of Advanced Programs, said. First briefed at the IQPC International Fighter Conference (IFC) in November 2024, Project Beyond is geared at exploiting in the near term the advanced capabilities AI has to offer, rather than going through the usual long development cycles that can take years or decades. It is part of a wider drive within Saab to reduce pilot workload through software that can be turned around in days and weeks rather than months and years. In this case, it involves the integration of Helsing’s ‘Centaur’ AI agent aboard the Gripen E. (Source: Janes)
10 Jun 25. Indra Group Advances Europe’s Leadership in Quantum Communications for Defence and Space. The company contributes for the strengthening of Europe’s strategic autonomy with trusted, quantum-resilient technologies, delivering secure communications across defence, space and critical infrastructure domains. Indra Group is reinforcing its leadership in secure communications and quantum technologies, responding to the growing need for robust, sovereign solutions to protect critical infrastructure across Europe. The company is accelerating the deployment of quantum-secure technologies for both defence and civil use, ensuring the resilience and trustworthiness of communication networks in a rapidly evolving threat landscape. With the integration of the capabilities of its Space subsidiary in Portugal into those already existing in the company, Indra Group is leading the development and integration of Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) technologies, which provide tamper-proof communication by enabling secure key exchange over quantum channels. These efforts are part of several high-profile European initiatives, including the DISCRETION project and participation in the NATO-led REPMUS exercise series. DISCRETION, a €6m project funded under the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP), successfully demonstrated a quantum-secure network for military use. The system integrates Software-Defined Networking (SDN) with QKD technologies to secure tactical and strategic communications across domains and borders. The demonstration, held in Brussels, showcased encrypted messaging capabilities, resilience against cyber threats and operational flexibility—key requirements for future-proof European defence infrastructures. DISCRETION brings together key European players, including institutions from Portugal, Spain, Austria and Italy, and exemplifies European collaboration in quantum-secure networking. Indra’s quantum-secure capabilities were also successfully validated in the international REPMUS exercise, reinforcing its strategic commitment to NATO and other allied frameworks. These demonstrations highlighted quantum-encrypted messaging, key management and multi-node network resilience—cornerstones of the emerging secure communications architecture. The company is also leading the NATO working group on military use cases for QKD, underlining its relevance in strategic defence dialogues. In parallel, Indra Group is equipping the European Commission’s cyber risk management centre with COMSec, a secure communication system developed in-house to withstand future quantum computing threats, and is developing a technological framework in the PQReact project to facilitate the transition to post-quantum cryptography in critical infrastructures. These further underscores Indra’s commitment to protecting critical assets in the face of evolving technological risks. Indra Group participates in the European Quantum Communications Infrastructure (EuroQCI), coordinating the Portuguese Quantum Communications Infrastructure (PTQCI) and taking part in the deployment of the infrastructure in Spain (EuroQCI Spain), where it is integrating its key manager (KMS) adapted to this type of technology. In the Space sector, the company brings comprehensive expertise in QKD technology in both LEO and GEO orbits, ranging from system architecture and key exchange protocols to optical terminals and network integration. The company’s work spans both terrestrial and space domains, ensuring compatibility and performance in future quantum-enabled environments. With the creation of Indra Space, Indra Group is advancing to become one of the largest space companies on the continent, covering the complete value-chain of a space project, from mission design through satellite development and manufacturing, ground segment design, deployment and mission operations. By bringing together its long-standing engineering and systems integration capabilities under Indra Space, the company is well positioned to deliver secure, scalable and sovereign communications for a post-quantum world. Its continued investment in advanced communications ensures Europe remains at the forefront, guaranteeing its technological sovereignty and defence readiness. (Source: ASD Network)
10 Jun 25. Leidos Using Quantum Technology to Thwart GPS Jamming. Susceptibility to jamming is a significant military vulnerability of the Global Positioning System (GPS) signal. Through a Defense Innovation Unit contract, Leidos (NYSE: LDOS) is developing an alternative navigation technology that measures variations in the Earth’s magnetic field and harnesses the quantum properties of nitrogen in diamonds.
“With magnetic navigation (MagNav) there’s no signal to jam,” said Aaron Canciani, manager of the Leidos Transition of Quantum Sensing (TQS) team and a former Air Force scientist who is a pioneer of the technology. “The one thing MagNav does need is a very sensitive magnetometer, which is where quantum comes in.”
Quantum sensing uses microscopic particles that can simultaneously exist in multiple states to more accurately detect aspects of geophysical properties like magnetic fields. Leidos has been doing quantum work for years, applying it to a variety of cyber security and sensing applications.
“Quantum magnetometers have the potential to greatly increase position and attitude accuracies in magnetic navigation systems,” Canciani said. “Nitrogen vacancy-diamond magnetometers use the crystal structure of a diamond to define a sensing axis in which quantum measurements of the complete vector field can be known to exquisite accuracies.”
The sensor is being developed by Frequency Electronics, Inc. under subcontract to Leidos and in collaboration with MIT Lincoln Lab. Compared to classic magnetometers, which tend to drift due to reliance on relative measurements, Canciani adds, “These quantum measurements are linked to the magnetic field through fundamental physics-based constants.” Ultimately, Leidos intends to fly a MagNav system with the new magnetometer. If successful, the technology has the potential to significantly advance navigation technology for military use. (Source: ASD Network)
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Oxley Group Ltd
Oxley offer a range of Military Marine NVG friendly LED lighting that includes navigation lights and controls, flight deck landing lights and interior compartment lighting. Our lighting products are used by Navies around the world including our own Royal Navy on UK Aircraft Carriers, Canadian Frigates, Swedish Submarines, Australian Surface vessels and Submarines, on board French Naval Carriers and in Naval Gun Turrets.
https://oxleydevelopments.cmail20.com/t/t-l-cdhkulk-yujhutkljd-r/
The technology is extremely energy efficient and built robustly, with proven long life. The lighting is NVG friendly, dimmable and programmable to allow for operations with aircraft pilots using military night vision goggles. They offer superior design giving high reliability for the most demanding environments with high sealing and the ability to meet the most stringent EMC standards.
https://oxleydevelopments.cmail20.com/t/t-l-cdhkulk-yujhutkljd-y/
Oxley are proud to say that we are working in partnership with SeaKing to enable a control panel to be offered with our LED Navigation Lighting. All of Oxley navigation lights have been specifically developed for vessels over 50 metres.
Contact Marcus Goad on 07850 917 263 for more information or to arrange samples.
Oxley specialises in the design and manufacture of advanced electronic and electro-optic components and systems for air, land and sea applications within the military sector. Established in 1942, Oxley has manufacturing facilities in the UK and USA and enjoys representation worldwide. The company’s products include night vision and LED lighting, data capture systems and electronic components. Oxley has pioneered the development of night vision compatible lighting. It offers a total package incorporating optical filters, equipment modification, cockpit and external lighting along with fleet wide upgrade services including engineering, installation, support, maintenance and training. The company’s long experience of manufacturing night vision lighting and LED indicators, coupled with advances in LED technology, has enabled it to develop LED solutions to replace incandescent and fluorescent lighting in existing applications as well as becoming the lighting option of choice in new applications such as portable military hospitals, UAV control stations and communication shelters.
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