| San Diego Business Journal

NASSCO Tapped for 6th Expeditionary Sea Base Ship

The U.S. Navy issued a preliminary contract that will let General Dynamics NASSCO build a sixth in a series of ships for expeditionary warfare.

Kratos Has a Spot in Harris Radios

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc. said on Oct. 15 that it has licensed its Common Data Link radio technology to Harris Corp. for use in Harris’ handheld NanoSVDL radios.

Sempra, Activists Agree on 2 Board Members

Sempra Energy, working in conjunction with an activist investor group, named Cynthia L. Walker and Michael N. Mears to its board of directors on Oct. 11.

Planet Home Lending Opens in Chula Vista

Connecticut-based Planet Home Lending LLC announced on Oct. 11 that it has opened a branch office in Chula Vista’s Eastlake district.

Navy Contractor Finds Off-Road Opportunity

DEFENSE: Particle Separator May Save Filters and Engines

Lily Aragon’s company has Southern California written all over it.

Viasat’s Radio Project Puts Pentagon Procurement in Fast Lane

DEFENSE: Viasat Gets System in Hands Of Troops in 17 Months

Viasat Inc. did not take the conventional path to developing the handheld radio known as BATS-D, which soldiers on the ground use to call in airstrikes on enemy positions.

End of Fiscal Year Is Awards Time for Military

The usual deluge of contract awards came with the end of the Pentagon’s fiscal year.

Northrop Delivers on Lifesaving Jamming Devices

Northrop Grumman Corp. said this month that it delivered all of its JCREW software-programmable signal jammers created during the program’s low-rate initial production phase. Final delivery of the dismounted systems was in June.

Co.’s Radio Technology Keeps Lines of Communication Open

TECH: Military Is Major Customer for Software, Hardware

Making radios that successfully connect on the battlefield is a real-world challenge. When soldiers have to go into cities — or tunnels — radio communication gets even more difficult.

Kratos Expands Military Training Projects

Kratos Defense and Security Solutions Inc. said Oct. 11 that it received more than $30 million in scope increases on multiple existing military training contracts.

GA Wants to Be Part of Moon Mission

General Atomics is part of a team that wants to support NASA’s next, unmanned trip to the moon. Under a proposal submitted to NASA, GA’s Electromagnetic Systems division would build a lunar lander in the United States.

Harper Gets Military Construction Deals at Camp Pendleton, Fort Sill

Harper Construction Co. recently won two Pentagon construction contracts, for work on "starship barracks" and high-explosive magazines.

With Eye On Expansion, Co. Consolidates Its Diverse Pharma Forces

Japanese food and drug manufacturing giant Ajinomoto Group is reorganizing, placing three disparate drug-making businesses on three continents under one umbrella.

Cubic Adds Jobs to Support Transportation Projects

Cubic Corp. said that it is in the process of hiring 150 people in San Diego for new positions in its transportation business. It also plans to upgrade its headquarters in Kearny Mesa to accommodate company growth.

Leidos to Support Navy Health Research in $58M Deal

Leidos Inc. recently received a five-year, $57.8 million task order to perform work at Naval Health Research Center in San Diego.

U.S. Bank Names Manuel Rodriguez as Market President

U.S. Bank has promoted Manuel E. Rodriguez to San Diego market president. Rodriguez, 38, was previously vice president within commercial banking at U.S. Bank in San Diego.

RAF Cashes Out of Industrial With $170M Portfolio Sale

In what some brokers are calling the biggest deal in a decade or more, RAF Pacifica Group has sold a portfolio of 12 industrial and office buildings in North County San Diego and Temecula to an undisclosed industrial investor for $170 million.

Investor Gets Observer Status on Viasat Board

Viasat Inc. said on Oct. 3 that a major investor, the Baupost Group LLC, will get a presence on its board as a non-voting observer. As of Oct. 4, Baupost had an $861 million stake in the Carlsbad company.

Swinerton Strives to Build Both the Team and Community

2018 Best Places to Work Winners: Mega Employer Category (2,000 Or More U.S. Employees)

BUILDING: From Nonprofit Efforts to Instant Bonuses, Co. Recognizes Good Work

Sempra Unlikely to Be Hurt Initially By China’s Tariffs on LNG

ENERGY: Co. to Serve Other Customers; It May Hurt Facility Construction

The Chinese government’s new schedule of tariffs should be no concern for San Diego’s Sempra Energy, according to at least one industry analyst.

Co. Aims to Counter Possible Device Dangers

TECH: Cases for Phones, Laptops Address Concerns Over Radiation Exposure

Cary Subel and Alaey Kumar have built a business on the foundation of technology — specifically, public unease over technology.

Kratos Receives Contract for 6 Drones

Kratos Defense and Security Solutions Inc. announced Oct. 2 that it received a new contract award for six high-performance, jet-powered unmanned aerial drone system aircraft.

Navy May Partner to Redevelop SPAWAR Site

The U.S. Navy is mulling its options to renovate or redevelop its 42-acre SPAWAR complex in Old Town — a former aircraft factory — as well as a nearby 24-acre complex on Sports Arena Boulevard.

Cohu Closes Acquisition of Xcerra

Cohu Inc., the Poway company that makes equipment for semiconductor factories, announced on Oct. 1 that it has completed its acquisition of Massachusetts-based Xcerra Corp. for about $800 million.

NASA, General Atomics to Look Down on Air Pollution

NASA has awarded General Atomics a $38.5 million contract to host a NASA instrument on a GA Electromagnetic Systems Group satellite, which is scheduled for launch in 2022.

Jim Cable Takes Helm at PSemi

PSemi, the business formerly known as Peregrine Semiconductor, announced that former CEO Jim Cable will take the role of pro tem CEO. He succeeds Stefan Wolff, who will remain as a strategic adviser until December.

Aeromexico, La Compagnie Choose Viasat Wi-Fi

Viasat announced new customers for its in-flight satellite internet service, which provides Wi-Fi to airline passengers.

Cos. Partner for In-Home 5G Broadband Service

Mira Mesa-based Inseego Corp. is supplying the wireless routers for Verizon’s in-home 5G broadband service. Financial terms of the relationship, announced Sept. 13, were not disclosed.

Cubic Collects $22M Transportation Contract

Cubic Corp. said it received a $22 million contract to upgrade the fare collection system of a current client, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The agency, also called Metro, uses a smart card called TAP.

Cubic Wins $394M Bay Area Transit Deal

Continuing a winning streak in transportation, Cubic Corp. received a $394 million contract to provide the fare collection system for the San Francisco Bay Area’s transit providers. The deal runs through 2032.

SDMAC Is Earning Respect as a Role Model

NONPROFIT: Group Seen as Example of Cooperation, Effectiveness

The San Diego Military Advisory Council has become a role model.

GigaIO Closes $4.5M Funding Round

Carlsbad-based GigaIO Networks Inc., which is developing a novel computer architecture, received $4.5 million in its series A round. Mark IV Capital led the round, announced on Sept. 25.

Cubic Collects $22M Transportation Contract

Cubic Corp. said it received a $22 million contract to upgrade the fare collection system of a current client, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Renovate America Plans Layoffs

Renovate America Inc. of Rancho Bernardo plans to lay off 83 employees by Oct. 30, according to the state Employment Development Department.

Qualcomm Plans to Lay Off 94

In the latest round of job cuts this year, Qualcomm Inc. plans to lay off 94 San Diego employees by Nov. 20.

Coffman Specialties Gets $15.8M Defense Contract

San Diego-based Coffman Specialties Inc. received a $15.8 million task order to repair airfield pavement at March Air Reserve Base in Moreno Valley.

Innovation Title Fights Set For Connect’s Competition

The Connect accelerator program has set Nov. 29 — that’s the Thursday after Thanksgiving — as the date for naming its latest set of Most Innovative New Products.

Reporter's Notebook: NASSCO to Begin Work On Auxiliary Ship Orders

General Dynamics NASSCO was scheduled to begin building a series of U.S. Navy auxiliary vessels Sept. 20 at its Barrio Logan shipyard.

Sempra, Activists Strike Deal for Board Change, Business Review

Sempra Energy has signed a deal with activist investors Elliott Management Corp. and Bluescape Energy Partners LLC, agreeing to seat two new board members among other provisions.

‘Boot Camp’ Gets Small Cos. Competitive For Contracts

Fifteen small defense contractors from San Diego County have been chosen to participate in the Defense Innovation Voucher program, called DIVx for short.

Pioneering Service Provided To Visually Impaired at UCSD

Vision-impaired people working to navigate their way around UC San Diego now have some significant help from Aira, the San Diego startup.

Sempra to Sell Solar Assets for $1.54B

Sempra Energy has agreed to sell its U.S. non-utility solar energy generation assets, one wind facility and certain battery storage facilities to Consolidated Edison Inc. for $1.54 billion in cash.

Renovate America Names New CEO

Renovate America has promoted Harold Lewis from chief operating officer to CEO, effective Sept. 1. The privately held company made the announcement on Sept. 19.