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6K Energy and CRG Defense sign seven-year deal to support domestic battery supply for US defense systems
6K Energy and CRG Defense have announced a seven-year collaboration to establish a domestic supply chain for high-performance cathode active materials for US defense applications. The agreement, effective immediately, involves 6K Energy supplying single-crystal NMC811 cathode material from its North Andover, Massachusetts facility to CRG Defense. The partnership aims to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains in compliance with upcoming FCC bans and NDAA provisions regarding foreign-produced unmanned aerial system components. Additional capacity is expected from 6K Energy's Jackson, Tennessee facility starting in early 2028.
Panthalassa develops wave-powered AI data centers at sea
Washington state startup Panthalassa is developing Ocean-3 floating platforms that generate electricity from ocean waves to power AI data centers offshore. The self-propelled systems operate without anchors, using wave motion to drive turbines and process computing workloads before transmitting results via satellite. CEO Garth Sheldon-Coulson predicts ocean energy will become the cheapest source, aiming for operational status by August 2023. While challenges like corrosion and repair costs exist, the project seeks to replace fossil fuels and reduce strain on land-based power grids.
Microsoft revenue rises 18% to $82.9 billion in quarter
Microsoft reported an 18% increase in quarterly revenue to $82.9 billion, driven by a 29% rise in cloud services and a 40% growth in Azure. The company faces challenges from component price increases and silicon shortages. CFO Amy Hood noted increased spending on AI and data center technology, with a commercial backlog reaching $627 billion. Microsoft expects 2026 capital expenditure to reach approximately $190 billion. The company has over 20 million paying customers for Microsoft 365 Copilot, with Accenture being the largest client.
Northrop Grumman selected by Australian Government for solid rocket motor engagement
On May 1, 2026, Northrop Grumman Corporation was selected by the Commonwealth of Australia to participate in a formal engagement aimed at establishing sovereign solid rocket motor manufacturing capabilities in Australia. The structured process will explore production requirements and integrate Australian suppliers into the supply chain. This initiative supports the Albanese Government's goal of strengthening self-reliance, supporting the industrial base, and creating local jobs for long-range strike systems.
Huawei expects 60% rise in AI chip revenue this year
Huawei anticipates a 60% increase in AI chip revenue to nearly $12 billion in 2026, driven by strong demand for its Ascend 950PR processors from major firms including Tencent and Alibaba. This growth follows the chip's successful deployment with the DeepSeek V4 models, positioning it as a key alternative to Nvidia H20 processors. The company aims to advance China's technological capabilities independently of US products.
Critical pre-authentication SQL injection vulnerability discovered in LiteLLM
A critical SQL injection vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2026-42208, was discovered in LiteLLM, an open-source AI gateway. The flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to extract API keys and cloud credentials by injecting malicious payloads into the Authorization header. Exploitation began within 36 hours of disclosure. The vulnerability affects versions v1.81.16 to v1.83.6 and is fixed in v1.83.7 and later. Organizations are advised to upgrade and rotate compromised credentials.
Apple beats revenue estimates as Musk admits to AI model distillation
Apple reported second-quarter fiscal revenue of $111.18 billion, a 17% year-on-year increase, surpassing analyst expectations of $109.66 billion. Net income rose 19% to $29.6 billion. Meanwhile, in a legal dispute with OpenAI, Elon Musk admitted that xAI's use of model distillation is 'partially' true. The White House is also restricting access to Anthropic's Mythos model due to national security concerns. Samsung reported a 69% revenue increase driven by AI memory demand. The technology sector continues to see significant capital expenditure growth for AI infrastructure.
York Space Systems acquires All.Space for $355 million to integrate satellite communications
York Space Systems announced on April 30 its acquisition of UK-based satellite communications terminal maker All.Space for approximately $355 million. The deal, structured as $155 million in cash plus up to 5.9 million shares, is expected to close in the third quarter. This marks York's second acquisition since going public, aiming to create a vertically integrated business spanning spacecraft, ground stations, and user terminals. The acquisition targets the Pentagon's demand for resilient, single-vendor solutions in contested environments.
Northrop Grumman delivers sensor for missile-warning satellite as Pentagon cancels program
Northrop Grumman received a sensor for the Next-Gen OPIR Polar satellite program on April 30, days before the Pentagon proposed cancelling the initiative in its fiscal year 2027 budget. The Space Force intends to terminate the polar component, citing a strategic shift toward distributed constellations in lower orbits rather than large bespoke satellites. The program, projected to cost $3.4 billion with $2.1 billion already spent, faces potential legal challenges from Congress which has prohibited funding cuts for the program in the 2026 appropriations bill.
Bentley Systems secures FedRAMP Moderate authorisation for ProjectWise and OpenGround
Bentley Systems announced that its ProjectWise and OpenGround platforms have achieved FedRAMP Authorisation at the Moderate Impact Level. Sponsored by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, this approval enables wider adoption by U.S. federal agencies for secure cloud collaboration and geotechnical intelligence. The milestone addresses the need for robust digital tools to manage ageing infrastructure under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, reducing procurement friction and supporting faster deployment across transport, defence, and water sectors.
Huawei AI accelerator sales in China to rise 60% this year
Huawei is projected to increase revenue from AI accelerator sales in China by at least 60% this year, potentially reaching $12 billion. This growth is driven by government efforts to promote domestic technology substitution and large orders for the Ascend 950PR family. While Nvidia faces export restrictions in China, Huawei aims to dominate the local market, with Morgan Stanley forecasting Chinese players will control 86% of the AI chip market by 2030.
US lawmakers probe Chinese AI firms over exploitation and security risks
US House Select Committee on China and House Committee on Homeland Security have launched a joint investigation into national security and cybersecurity threats posed by Chinese-developed artificial intelligence models. The inquiry focuses on firms such as DeepSeek, Alibaba, Moonshot AI, and MiniMax, specifically regarding their use by American companies like Airbnb and Anysphere. Lawmakers cite concerns over data exposure, hidden vulnerabilities, and the potential for Chinese firms to share collected data with the Chinese government. The investigation also addresses allegations of unauthorised model distillation and intellectual property violations by Chinese entities against US technology.
US Marine Corps unveils GCE 2040 blueprint integrating AI and autonomous systems
The US Marine Corps announced the 'Ground Combat Element 2040' (GCE 2040) concept at the Modern Day Marine Expo in Washington. The plan integrates AI, drones, and autonomous systems into combat units, designating them as 'battlefield teammates'. Key changes include decentralising air defence capabilities to the squad level to counter low-cost drones and establishing a distributed AI sensor network. The strategy aims to enhance decision speed and operational efficiency in high-intensity conflicts, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, while maintaining human-centric command decisions.
Samsung plans AI glasses expansion amid global memory shortage
Samsung Electronics announced plans to expand its wearable device portfolio to include AI glasses during its first-quarter 2026 earnings call. The company warned that a deepening global memory shortage, driven by AI data centre build-outs, will intensify through 2027, raising costs for consumer electronics. While Samsung reported record quarterly operating profits, the memory squeeze poses inflation risks for downstream manufacturers and could impact profitability in its mobile and display divisions due to higher component costs.
Air Force Special Warfare tests kinetic drone interceptor in counter-UAS exercise
Air Force Special Warfare Airmen conducted a counter-small unmanned aircraft system proof-of-concept event on April 7 at the Arizona Army National Guard Florence Military Reservation. The exercise evaluated the Guardian-1 Interceptor from Powerus, a kinetic counter-drone system designed to engage small UAS targets. Airmen under the Air Force Repair Enhancement Program built target aircraft for the event. The Arizona Army National Guard and the Southwest Mission Acceleration Center participated as partners. Powerus plans to scale production of the Guardian-1 units.
Marvell Technology reports Google co-development talks for custom AI chips
Marvell Technology is in talks with Alphabet to co-develop custom AI chips, including a memory processing unit and a next-generation Tensor Processing Unit. The company has secured 18 design wins with hyperscalers, including Microsoft and Amazon. Marvell recently acquired Celestial AI for $3.25 billion to integrate photonic interconnect technology. Revenue grew 42% in fiscal 2026 to $8.2 billion, with projections of $15 billion by fiscal 2028. The stock rose over 13% following the news.
North Korea accounts for 76% of 2026 crypto hack losses
A new report from TRM Labs indicates North Korean hacking groups were responsible for 76% of cryptocurrency attack losses in 2026. Two specific incidents, the Drift Protocol breach and the KelpDAO bridge exploit, accounted for $577 million in total losses. The attacks utilized AI tools and social engineering to target DeFi protocols with single points of failure. Compliance teams are advised to monitor THORChain flows and implement multi-hop monitoring to detect fund movements.