Member Info for LythamSlim8

Think the details & funding of EU plans for military intelligence satellites is key here.

Kubilius last week mentioned the idea of a “temporary commercial approach" with EU countries, as the project would be time-consuming and expensive.

Musk now controls 15% of FTC.

I sense a bidding war.

Blessed are the peacemakers.

Leyen has said the funds should be spent on European products.

Kubilius said countries included within that remit would include Norway and “I hope” the UK.

Turkey was “still under discussion”, he said. But he pointed out that Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland, which holds the rotating chair of the EU, met Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on March 13, which was a “visible symbol”.

He said the funds could also be used to buy weapons from Ukraine for its armed forces. They were half the price of western ones and “and of course it supports the Ukrainian economy”, he said.

Kubilius said the plan would highlight strategic areas in which EU countries are too dependent on the US. These include airlift capacity, air-to-air refuelling, and air warning and control.

He would also prioritise a missile defence system, which could cost €500bn.

“We are naked,” he said. “Are we going to develop that air defence each country alone or collectively? I feel it’s better to have a joint system to co-ordinate to cover the whole territory. But that is not for us to decide.”

The last thing FTC needs is to get caught up in some politically motivated bidding war..

Right.?

https://www.ft.com/content/9683206a-1abb-4fae-9de8-0e3104a2cc21

Nice but even good news isn't helping the SP at present.

Needs a washout to close the gap down to 92p

Don't forget Jeff Bezos. Amazon's low earth orbit satellite project Kuiper is playing catch up.

Good write up in Moneyweek of the current situation at Filtronic:

'The company is also a prime acquisition target'

https://pressreader.com/uk/money-week/20250221/281831469464717

Bounced off 101p which acted as resistance last month - possibly now support.

Nothing much in the way up to 180p.

Bottoming here?

Negligible volume over the last 4 days of this pullback.

Has SpaceX acquired other companies?

Yes, SpaceX has acquired other companies. Notably, they acquired:

Swarm Technologies in September 2021 for $524million , a company developing a constellation of satellites for internet of things services.

Pioneer Aerospace in November 2023, a company specializing in parachutes for spacecraft, particularly for the Dragon capsules. The purchase was out of bankruptcy for $2.2 million.

Additionally, there are mentions of other acquisitions:

Space Micro in 2022, which focuses on hardened space electronics.

Zin Technologies in 2023, involved in R&D management across space and defense sectors, including work related to the International Space Station.

These acquisitions reflect SpaceX's strategy to integrate key technologies and capabilities into its operations to support its space exploration and satellite internet ambitions.

Elon Musk favours vertical integration.

Not new but an interesting read in light of the warrants controlling 10% of Filtronic shares.

https://www.businessinsider.com/learn-from-elon-musk-vertical-integration-leadership-spacex-tesla?op=1

Tesla produces a majority of its own supplies through vertically integrated manufacturing. The company follows the century-old approach of Ford Motor Co. by controlling its supply chain to make its products more affordable. And just this week, Tesla shares eclipsed the $400 mark — a record high.

But Musk has been moving to try to broaden the scope of vertical integration to support interrelated, and sometimes controversial, research and technologies across his companies, including battery packs at SpaceX and Tesla, solar energy at Tesla and SolarCity (the two merged a few years ago), and artificial intelligence at OpenAI and Neuralink.

"He basically created an infrastructure of diversified assets that he can combine in different ways to optimize his companies as needed," Irina Cozma, an organizational psychologist and executive coach, said. "Another example is the use of the SpaceX campus to start The Boring Co. He creates synergies across these different companies and industries."

So Cannaccord trimmed their holding by around 0.8% of the total equity.

Down from just over, to just under 10% - Probably accounts for most of the late reported trades after the bell, yesterday.

Onwards and upwards.

Away from supplying SpaceX, there appears to be a nascent relationship involving the MOD and Amazon.

And you've gotta wonder if Filtronic will get nvolved in the nexus developing between the MOD, defence contractors and Amazon again on the Skynet 6 programme.??

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/02/09/bezos-wins-first-military-satellite-contract-concern-musk/

The space race is hotting up.

Said yesterday it would be great if Kuiper ordered some kit..

https://advanced-television.com/2025/02/11/amazons-kuiper-1-launch-brought-forward/

Would be good if Project Kuiper worked with Filtronic.

The Federal Communications Commission granted Amazon approval to deploy a constellation of 3,236 satellites into low Earth orbit.[4] Deployment is planned in five phases, and internet service will begin once the first 578 satellites are launched. Under its granted FCC license, Amazon is required to launch and operate half of its satellites no later than July 30, 2026, and must launch and operate the remaining satellites no later than July 30, 2029.[5] As of January 2025, only two prototype satellites have been launched.

Some way to go compared to SpaceX but promising - any whiff of an order from Bezos and this rockets again.

Dead cat bounce?

Amounting to UAH157b or $3.76b which in £3bn

Yes. The art of the deal.

👀

Another sign the end is in sight...

https://www.eurointegration.com.ua/eng/news/2025/02/4/7204147/