The business of defense, November 9

The Department of War lacks complete records for its F-35 parts, the Government Accountability Office found in a Nov. 9 report.^1–2

over $85 millionLost parts GAO reported in 2023; status unknown to the F-35 Joint Program Office

approximately $28 millionParts losses incurred from 2012 through 2025 and submitted by a prime contractor

The F-35 Joint Program Office could not determine whether the $28 million included any of the $85 million.

Source: Government Accountability Office, GAO-27-108713, November 9, 2026. Status as of March 2026.

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The Global Support Solution Reset calls for about $13.7 billion in increased investment to meet F-35 program performance objectives, including bringing parts supplies to needed levels.²

GAO found the program’s property records inaccurate, incomplete and not reflecting real-time changes.¹ Its fiscal 2025 physical inventory used data from a prime contractor whose property management system the Defense Contract Management Agency had rated disapproved, indicating noncompliance with contract requirements.²

The parts are spread across more than 700 contractor- and government-managed facilities; contractor-managed sites hold about 30 percent.^1–2

GAO reported lost parts valued at over $85 million in 2023. As of March 2026, the F-35 Joint Program Office did not know their status.¹ By then, a prime contractor had submitted approximately $28 million in losses. The submissions covered losses incurred from 2012 through 2025, but program officials could not determine whether they included any of the earlier losses.²

The Defense Contract Management Agency has so far determined that the contractor should be held financially liable for approximately $6 million of the reported $28 million.²

The department concurred with GAO’s four recommendations covering loss monitoring and accountable property officers’ procedures, training and organizational structure; all remain open.¹

Onodrim Industries announced a $300 million Series A on Nov. 9 to finance acquisitions of established aerospace, defense and industrial manufacturing businesses. Lux Capital led the round, with participants including General Catalyst, Lakestar and Altimeter.¹

Stated use of capitalacquire established businessesplanned

Onodrim will use the capital to acquire established businesses across aerospace and defence, and industrial manufacturing.

controlling stakespermanent capital

Onodrim takes controlling stakes with permanent capital

Onodrim expects to announce its first acquisitions in the coming months.

Source: Onodrim Industries release via PR Newswire. As of Nov. 9, 2026.

Sources

• www.prnewswire.com ↗

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Onodrim's acquisition model centers on controlling stakes backed by permanent capital. The company says it targets dual-use businesses across supply chains, services and products that address bottlenecks for Europe's defense industry.¹

The company says the round values it at $1.3 billion; it follows a $45 million seed round announced earlier this year. Onodrim expects to announce its first acquisitions in the coming months.¹

Onodrim is also opening offices in Munich and Turin, joining its existing offices in Amsterdam, London and Vilnius. Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Alexander Blessing invited approaches from owners of defense, aerospace, manufacturing and industrial businesses.¹

Five federal departments have established an interagency process to evaluate and deploy counter-drone technologies, with the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct safety risk assessments of proposed systems.¹

The partieswill collaborateplanned

technical requirements, field testing, and data sharing to help safely introduce new counter-drone systems

The FAAwill quickly reviewplanned

conduct safety risk assessments of proposed systems to make sure safety protocols and airspace deconfliction measures are adequate

If the FAA believes additional risk mitigation is needed it can implement its own protective measures, including restricting airspace.

Source: Department of War. As of November 9, 2026.

Sources

• www.war.gov ↗

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Under the agreement, participating agencies will work with the FAA and Federal Communications Commission when developing new systems that detect, track, stop or take control of dangerous or unauthorized drones. They will collaborate on technical requirements, field testing and data sharing to help introduce those systems safely.¹

The Departments of Transportation, War, Homeland Security, Energy and Justice announced the effort under a memorandum of understanding led by the White House Task Force to Restore American Airspace Sovereignty.¹

Under the agreement, the FAA will review proposed systems and conduct safety risk assessments to check whether safety protocols and airspace deconfliction measures are adequate. It will provide any technical data showing unsafe conditions and recommend ways to reduce risk. If the FAA considers further risk mitigation necessary, it can implement its own protective measures, including restricting airspace.¹

The effort builds on a temporary flight restriction along the southern U.S. border and a completed safety assessment of the Department of War’s high-energy laser counter-drone system.¹

Defense industry groups are urging Congress to replace right-to-repair provisions in the fiscal 2027 National Defense Authorization Act with an intellectual-property dispute process, Breaking Defense reported Nov. 9.¹

House and Senate versionsdefault government purpose rightscontingent

for technical data and software

Section 842Intellectual Property Ombudsmancontingent

would provide “independent, non-binding guidance” to contracting officers and companies on intellectual property matters

Reported by Breaking Defense

Sources

• breakingdefense.com ↗

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The House and Senate versions would give the Department of War default government purpose rights to technical data and software. Those rights would allow equipment repairs and data sharing with third parties doing work on government contracts. Companies seeking more restrictive rights would have to establish their entitlement through clear and convincing evidence.¹

The Professional Services Council’s Nov. 4 letter supported Section 842 of the House Armed Services Committee chairman’s mark. It opposed House Section 861 and Senate Section 804. Fifteen industry organizations had backed the alternative in a Sept. 1 letter.¹

That alternative would require an intellectual property ombudsman to provide independent, nonbinding guidance to contracting officers and companies. It would also establish mediation for intellectual-property disputes without going to court.¹

House Section 861 would apply only to future contracts and does not explicitly exclude commercial items. Senate Armed Services Committee-approved Section 804 would allow funding clawbacks if the government found that a company unjustly obtained more restrictive rights that resulted in a sole-source contract.¹

Lawmakers are working on a compromise version of the legislation. Breaking Defense’s unnamed sources said the final decision would likely rest with the armed services committees’ chairmen and ranking members.¹

Raytheon reported Nov. 9 that its DeepStrike JR3 completed a third successful flight test for the Army's Joint Reduced Range Rocket program. The company said it fired multiple rounds during a recent test at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona.¹

Up to threeCandidate systems for competitive prototyping

FY 2027Planned down-select to a single solution

The Army plans follow-on qualification beginning in fiscal 2027 to inform a future production decision.

Source: Army FY2027 RDT&E budget justification, April 2026. As of Nov. 9, 2026.

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The Army's fiscal 2027 budget request lays out competitive prototyping of up to three candidate systems. It plans a down-select to a single solution that year. A follow-on qualification phase is planned to begin in fiscal 2027 to inform a future production decision.²

At Yuma, Raytheon said it demonstrated range, trajectory, accuracy, marking visibility and launch pod container reusability and maintainability. Raytheon's solution is designed to carry 24 rockets per pod, and the company says its team is preparing additional flight tests ahead of qualification.¹

Raytheon's team includes Combined Systems, Corvid Technologies, L3Harris Technologies, Northrop Grumman and Letterkenny Munitions Center.¹ Lockheed Martin also demonstrated a JR3 prototype: in August 2025, it reported launching its training round for the first time at White Sands Missile Range.³

Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions (RISS) has selected Manufacturo's software as its integrated management system for production and quality control.¹ The selection, announced Nov. 9, 2026, supports the venture's ramp-up in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite manufacturing in Neuss, Germany.^1–2

Manufacturoend-to-end traceability

Manufacturo says it was selected for end-to-end traceability, support for a rapidly scaling environment, and integration of production, inventory and quality management in one system; each satellite's as-built record can be maintained from supplier receipt to final test

Rheinmetall states the aim is to build and certify several dozen satellites each year at Neuss

Sources: Manufacturo release, Nov. 9, 2026; Rheinmetall release, Oct. 6, 2026. As of Nov. 9, 2026.

Sources

• www.prnewswire.com ↗
• www.rheinmetall.com ↗

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The venture aims to build and certify several dozen satellites there each year.² Manufacturo says its platform can maintain each satellite's as-built record from supplier receipt through final test, combining production, inventory and quality management in one system.¹

The announcement follows Rheinmetall's Oct. 6 announcement that production had started at the site.^1–2 Neuss brings production, integration, testing and quality assurance together.² The software supplier already works with ICEYE, Rheinmetall's partner in the venture.^{1, 3}

RISS head of production operations Andreas Unruh explained the importance of traceability as manufacturing scales in Manufacturo's Nov. 9 release, calling it “a critical foundation for consistent quality and operational readiness.”¹

The Marine Corps opened a request for information Nov. 9 on a multi-channel manpack radio capability. It seeks commercial or non-developmental items, with a primary interest in technologies at Technology Readiness Level 8 or higher to support rapid fielding.¹

Proprietary waveforms

Notice asks about licensing, data rights and feasibility of Government Purpose Rights for proprietary waveforms

Source code

Notice asks for a rough order of magnitude cost for source code

Depot-level repair

Notice asks for a rough order of magnitude cost for a technical data package sufficient for depot-level repair

RFI is informational, not a solicitation or government commitment

Source: Marine Corps request for information, SAM.gov. As of Nov. 9, 2026.

Sources

• sam.gov ↗

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The request asks about data rights and long-term support costs alongside the radio itself. Vendors are asked about licensing and intellectual property restrictions on proprietary waveforms, including the feasibility of granting Government Purpose Rights. The Marine Corps also wants rough cost estimates for source code and a technical data package sufficient for depot-level repair and maintenance.¹

The Marine Corps wants a radio that meets National Security Agency high-assurance communications security modernization requirements and has improved size, weight and power attributes. Configurations would cover tracked and wheeled vehicles as well as dismounted use. The technical requirements are in a restricted attachment.¹

The request asks for lifecycle cost estimates covering radios, kits, accessories, training, waveforms, software and communications security upgrades, and repairs. Vendors are also asked to price three-year and five-year extended warranties and provide current certifications alongside a roadmap for future certifications.¹

Responses are due Dec. 11, 2026.¹ The deadline is 4 p.m. Eastern. The government may follow up with meetings and demonstrations.¹

The Air Force added a Medical Systems call to its Business and Enterprise Systems (BES) Commercial Solutions Opening in a Nov. 9, 2026, SAM.gov posting.^1–2

Medical Systems

The Nov. 9 notice lists Call 0003 Medical Systems with questions due Nov. 13, 2026 and white papers due Nov. 19, 2026

eFOIA

The Nov. 9 notice lists Call 0002 eFOIA with questions due Nov. 16, 2026 and white papers due Nov. 30, 2026

BES Marketplace

The Nov. 9 notice lists Call 0001 BES Marketplace as an open call with white papers collected monthly on an indefinite basis

Source: Department of the Air Force, SAM.gov. As of Nov. 9, 2026.

Sources

• sam.gov ↗

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Medical Systems questions are due Nov. 13 and white papers Nov. 19. The BES Marketplace's open call collects white papers monthly on an indefinite basis.¹

Air Industries Group reported third-quarter 2026 sales of $14.6 million. Sales rose 41.1% from a year earlier. The company makes landing gears, flight controls and engine mounts for large aerospace and defense prime contractors.¹

net sales41.1%

Air Industries Group third-quarter 2026 net sales were $14.6 million, up 41.1% from $10.3 million in the third quarter of 2025

gross profit61.4%

Third-quarter 2026 gross profit was $3.7 million, up 61.4% from $2.3 million in the same period in 2025

Source: Air Industries Group, Exhibit 99.1, Nov. 9, 2026

Sources

• www.sec.gov ↗

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Third-quarter gross profit grew 61.4%, faster than sales, with gross margin reaching 25.5%. Management attributes the margin improvement to its focus on a stable shipping cadence and minimizing disruptions from production schedule changes.¹

Quarterly net income reached $946,000, compared with a $44,000 loss a year earlier. Nine-month sales through September rose 8.7% to $38.2 million. The nine-month net loss narrowed to $902,000 from $1.5 million a year earlier.¹

The results also include costs associated with the pending merger with Tenax Aerospace Acquisition, LLC. Stock compensation and merger-related expenses together totaled $539,000 in the quarter. Nine-month operating expenses included $1.704 million in merger-related expenses.¹