7:51 PM
Raytheon is buying Applied Signal Technology for $490 million in cash. Applied Signal Technology has great expertise in collecting and processing communications signals for tactical and strategic intelligence missions. This is great for former students that I have at Applied Signal and for one of their founders who I got to know well when his wife was recruiting me to join Santa Clara University (when he tried to hire me for his company right in front of his wife) and in the years I spent in Santa Clara. Boeing bought Applied Signal's rival, Argon ST, for $775 million in August:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-20/raytheon-agrees-to-buy-applied-signal-for-490-million-update2-.html
Raytheon, Cobham, and L-3 were known to have submitted bids for Applied Signal earlier this month and several other strategic parties also bid for Applied Signal (believed to be from BAE, Lockheed, Northrop, and/or SAIC):
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKN0314711020101203
Interesting analysis about how Boeing, L-3, and Lockheed may have underpriced stock right now since companies their size are selling for about 1x annual revenue, while smaller companies that are growing (like Argon ST and Applied Signal) are selling for 2.25x to 2.5x revenue:
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2010/12/20/how-much-is-boeing-worth.aspx
The Navy had its first successful launch of an F/A-18E using its new electromagnet-powered catapult. This first test was crucial because the Navy's next-generation aircraft carrier is currently designed to only have electromagnetic catapults instead of the steam-powered catapults that are currently used. Not only do electromagnetic catapults use much less energy, they can launch a wider variety of aircraft including UAVs (steam catapults cannot launch UAVs):
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/12/video-navys-electromagnetic-plane-launch/
The Homeland Security Secretary announced that Homeland Security is creating a task force to battle the effects of climate change on domestic security operations. They will address issues such as how FEMA can work with state and local partners to plan for increased flooding or hurricane activity that is more serious than ever and how climate change will affect US citizens living in rural areas:
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/napolitano-says-dhs-begin-battling-clima
Nearly 260,000 people were killed by natural disasters in 2010, the deadliest year in more than a generation. Only 15,000 people died from natural disasters in 2009. Twice as many people died from natural disasters this year than have been killed by terrorist attacks in the past 40 years combined:
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=12434149
Saudi Arabia is forecast to be the second largest market for homeland security (the US is #1), with $97 billion in spending from 2010-2018. They are spending a lot of money on their borders with Iraq and Yemen and to protect their oil installations:
http://homelandsecuritynewswire.com/saudi-arabia-be-worlds-second-largest-market-homeland-security
The Office of Science and Technology Policy has issued federal guidelines to secure scientific integrity, public communications about science, the use of advisory committees, and the professional development of scientists:
http://www.rdmag.com/News/2010/12/Government-Policy-New-federal-guidelines-intended-to-secure-scientific-integrity/
The population of the US is now 308.7 million according to the 2010 US Census, with gains in the South and West and losses in the Northeast and Midwest. There are significant political implications in this result, especially with Texas gaining 4 seats on the House of Representatives and New York and Ohio losing 2 each. This is the first time in California's history that it did not gain House seats after a Census:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-21/u-s-population-grows-9-7-over-decade-as-south-west-gain-most-in-census.html
The FCC voted to approve net neutrality rules for wireless and wired networks, ending the lobbying and infighting that has gone on for more than a year. The rules are pretty light on wireless carriers, but they passed despite the Republicans on the FCC voting against it (saying it was not needed) and the Democrats on the committee saying that it doesn't go far enough:
http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/fcc-approves-light-net-neutrality-rules-wireless/2010-12-21
Microsoft said that a combined 1.5 million Windows Phone 7 devices have shipped during the first 6 weeks that Windows Phone 7 has been available. Microsoft says that there are more than 4,000 Windows Phone 7 apps available. Microsoft spent a reported $1 billion to advertise Windows Phone 7, so they are heavily invested in its success:
http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/microsoft-15m-windows-phone-7-devices-shipped-6-weeks/2010-12-21
Sony Ericsson apparently is releasing a phone next year with a *16 Megapixel* camera phone:
http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/sony-ericsson-16mp-cameraphone-snapped-and-detailed-917004
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-20/raytheon-agrees-to-buy-applied-signal-for-490-million-update2-.html
Raytheon, Cobham, and L-3 were known to have submitted bids for Applied Signal earlier this month and several other strategic parties also bid for Applied Signal (believed to be from BAE, Lockheed, Northrop, and/or SAIC):
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKN0314711020101203
Interesting analysis about how Boeing, L-3, and Lockheed may have underpriced stock right now since companies their size are selling for about 1x annual revenue, while smaller companies that are growing (like Argon ST and Applied Signal) are selling for 2.25x to 2.5x revenue:
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2010/12/20/how-much-is-boeing-worth.aspx
The Navy had its first successful launch of an F/A-18E using its new electromagnet-powered catapult. This first test was crucial because the Navy's next-generation aircraft carrier is currently designed to only have electromagnetic catapults instead of the steam-powered catapults that are currently used. Not only do electromagnetic catapults use much less energy, they can launch a wider variety of aircraft including UAVs (steam catapults cannot launch UAVs):
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/12/video-navys-electromagnetic-plane-launch/
The Homeland Security Secretary announced that Homeland Security is creating a task force to battle the effects of climate change on domestic security operations. They will address issues such as how FEMA can work with state and local partners to plan for increased flooding or hurricane activity that is more serious than ever and how climate change will affect US citizens living in rural areas:
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/napolitano-says-dhs-begin-battling-clima
Nearly 260,000 people were killed by natural disasters in 2010, the deadliest year in more than a generation. Only 15,000 people died from natural disasters in 2009. Twice as many people died from natural disasters this year than have been killed by terrorist attacks in the past 40 years combined:
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=12434149
Saudi Arabia is forecast to be the second largest market for homeland security (the US is #1), with $97 billion in spending from 2010-2018. They are spending a lot of money on their borders with Iraq and Yemen and to protect their oil installations:
http://homelandsecuritynewswire.com/saudi-arabia-be-worlds-second-largest-market-homeland-security
The Office of Science and Technology Policy has issued federal guidelines to secure scientific integrity, public communications about science, the use of advisory committees, and the professional development of scientists:
http://www.rdmag.com/News/2010/12/Government-Policy-New-federal-guidelines-intended-to-secure-scientific-integrity/
The population of the US is now 308.7 million according to the 2010 US Census, with gains in the South and West and losses in the Northeast and Midwest. There are significant political implications in this result, especially with Texas gaining 4 seats on the House of Representatives and New York and Ohio losing 2 each. This is the first time in California's history that it did not gain House seats after a Census:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-21/u-s-population-grows-9-7-over-decade-as-south-west-gain-most-in-census.html
The FCC voted to approve net neutrality rules for wireless and wired networks, ending the lobbying and infighting that has gone on for more than a year. The rules are pretty light on wireless carriers, but they passed despite the Republicans on the FCC voting against it (saying it was not needed) and the Democrats on the committee saying that it doesn't go far enough:
http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/fcc-approves-light-net-neutrality-rules-wireless/2010-12-21
Microsoft said that a combined 1.5 million Windows Phone 7 devices have shipped during the first 6 weeks that Windows Phone 7 has been available. Microsoft says that there are more than 4,000 Windows Phone 7 apps available. Microsoft spent a reported $1 billion to advertise Windows Phone 7, so they are heavily invested in its success:
http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/microsoft-15m-windows-phone-7-devices-shipped-6-weeks/2010-12-21
Sony Ericsson apparently is releasing a phone next year with a *16 Megapixel* camera phone:
http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/sony-ericsson-16mp-cameraphone-snapped-and-detailed-917004