Scientific Systems Unveils VENOM, Hadrian Raises $260M, MSBAI Wins DoD Contract - Defense AI Brief #1
July 21, 2025 -
Defense AI Brief
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Welcome to this week's edition of Defense AI Brief.
Scientific Systems has introduced VENOM, a 9-meter-long autonomous small unmanned surface vehicle designed for the U.S. Navy. The vehicle features a durable HDPE hull and a 300HP engine, suitable for long-range missions and autonomous navigation. Meanwhile, California-based startup Hadrian has raised $260 million to enhance its AI-powered manufacturing for U.S. defense, including a new factory in Arizona and job creation.
MSBAI has been awarded a $2 million Phase III contract by the U.S. Department of Defense to advance its GURU Generation 2 platform, aimed at enhancing hypersonic flight simulations. The contract highlights the platform's importance in national defense by improving simulation efficiency and reducing setup times. Additionally, investment group MITS Capital has invested $3.74 million in Tencore, a Ukrainian developer of unmanned ground vehicles, to boost its R&D and manufacturing capabilities.
Welcome to this week's edition of Defense AI Brief.
Scientific Systems has introduced VENOM, a 9-meter-long autonomous small unmanned surface vehicle designed for the U.S. Navy. The vehicle features a durable HDPE hull and a 300HP engine, suitable for long-range missions and autonomous navigation. Meanwhile, California-based startup Hadrian has raised $260 million to enhance its AI-powered manufacturing for U.S. defense, including a new factory in Arizona and job creation.
MSBAI has been awarded a $2 million Phase III contract by the U.S. Department of Defense to advance its GURU Generation 2 platform, aimed at enhancing hypersonic flight simulations. The contract highlights the platform's importance in national defense by improving simulation efficiency and reducing setup times. Additionally, investment group MITS Capital has invested $3.74 million in Tencore, a Ukrainian developer of unmanned ground vehicles, to boost its R&D and manufacturing capabilities.
Scientific Systems Launches VENOM for U.S. Navy
Scientific Systems has introduced VENOM, a 9-meter-long autonomous unmanned surface vehicle designed for the U.S. Navy. It features a durable hull, powerful engine, and capabilities for autonomous navigation and threat monitoring. Read more
Hadrian Secures $260M for AI-Driven Defense Manufacturing Expansion
California-based startup Hadrian has raised $260 million to enhance its AI-powered manufacturing for U.S. defense, including building a new factory in Arizona. Read more
MSBAI Secures $2 Million DoD Contract for GURU Gen 2
MSBAI has been awarded a $2 million Phase III contract by the U.S. Department of Defense to advance its GURU Generation 2 platform, aimed at enhancing hypersonic flight simulations. Read more
MITS Capital Invests $3.74 Million in Tencore
Investment group MITS Capital has invested $3.74 million in Ukrainian robotics company Tencore to boost its R&D and manufacturing capabilities for unmanned ground vehicles. Read more
Pentagon Awards AI Contracts to Tech Giants
The Pentagon has granted contracts worth up to $200 million each to Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, and xAI to enhance AI capabilities for national security purposes. Read more
Norwegian Defence Chooses Skydio Drones in $9.4M Deal
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Defence has selected Skydio for a 101 million NOK tender to supply X10D autonomous drones, enhancing military capabilities. Read more
xAI Secures $200M Defense Contract for AI Tools
xAI has launched 'Grok for Government', an AI suite for U.S. federal agencies, and secured a $200 million contract with the Department of Defense. The tool is available through the General Services Administration for all federal agencies. Read more
Estonia Uses AI Vessel for Border Patrol
Estonia plans to improve its border security with Russia by deploying an AI-powered robotic vessel. The project, funded by the EU, will monitor river sections along the border. Read more
Firestorm Labs Secures $47M for San Diego Expansion
Firestorm Labs, a defense technology startup, has raised $47 million in Series A funding to expand its operations in San Diego. The company plans to hire additional staff and has received significant federal contracts. Read more
Quadsat Secures €5 Million for Defense Sector Enhancements
Quadsat, based in Odense, Denmark, has raised €5 million to improve its spectrum intelligence and RF geolocation solutions for defense, focusing on NATO countries. Read more
Visionary Machines Secures $3.5M for Defence Tech
Sydney-based startup Visionary Machines has raised $3.5 million to advance its defence technology, focusing on its product Pandion Sentinel for autonomous military vehicles and drone detection. Read more
Stark to Open Drone Factory in UK
German company Stark is set to open a new factory in Swindon, UK, creating approximately 100 jobs. The facility will focus on producing AI-assisted military drones, boosting the local economy and the defense sector. Read more
The Fourth Law Secures Funding for Autonomous Defense Drones
The Fourth Law, a Kyiv-based autonomous robotics company, has secured funding from investors in the EU, USA, and Canada to enhance its scalable drone autonomy technology for defensive FPV drones. Read more
Palantir Partners with Knightscope and Velocity Clinical Research
Palantir Technologies has announced partnerships with Knightscope and Velocity Clinical Research to enhance AI solutions in public safety and clinical trials. The collaboration aims to deploy autonomous security robots and improve clinical trial payment processes. Read more
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