{"id":61511,"date":"2026-05-02T00:38:30","date_gmt":"2026-05-02T04:38:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-defense-sector-pivots-pentagon-inks-ai-deals-hanwha-expands-naval-empire-and-axsome-secures-major-fda-win\/61511\/"},"modified":"2026-05-02T00:38:30","modified_gmt":"2026-05-02T04:38:30","slug":"us-defense-sector-pivots-pentagon-inks-ai-deals-hanwha-expands-naval-empire-and-axsome-secures-major-fda-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-defense-sector-pivots-pentagon-inks-ai-deals-hanwha-expands-naval-empire-and-axsome-secures-major-fda-win\/61511\/","title":{"rendered":"US Defense Sector Pivots: Pentagon Inks AI Deals, Hanwha Expands Naval Empire, and Axsome Secures Major FDA Win"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-defense-sector-pivots-pentagon-inks-ai-deals-hanwha-expands-naval-empire-and-axsome-secures-major-fda-win\/61511\/#Key_Takeaways\" >Key Takeaways<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-defense-sector-pivots-pentagon-inks-ai-deals-hanwha-expands-naval-empire-and-axsome-secures-major-fda-win\/61511\/#Geopolitical_Shifts_and_Rising_Anti-War_Sentiment\" >Geopolitical Shifts and Rising Anti-War Sentiment<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-defense-sector-pivots-pentagon-inks-ai-deals-hanwha-expands-naval-empire-and-axsome-secures-major-fda-win\/61511\/#Pentagon_Accelerates_AI_Integration_with_Tech_Giants\" >Pentagon Accelerates AI Integration with Tech Giants<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-defense-sector-pivots-pentagon-inks-ai-deals-hanwha-expands-naval-empire-and-axsome-secures-major-fda-win\/61511\/#Hanwhas_%22Arms_Empire%22_Expands_to_US_Shores\" >Hanwha\u2019s &quot;Arms Empire&quot; Expands to U.S. Shores<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-defense-sector-pivots-pentagon-inks-ai-deals-hanwha-expands-naval-empire-and-axsome-secures-major-fda-win\/61511\/#Axsome_Therapeutics_Secures_Landmark_FDA_Approval\" >Axsome Therapeutics Secures Landmark FDA Approval<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"#\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/us-defense-sector-pivots-pentagon-inks-ai-deals-hanwha-expands-naval-empire-and-axsome-secures-major-fda-win\/61511\/#Housing_Market_Pessimism_Hits_Record_Highs\" >Housing Market Pessimism Hits Record Highs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Takeaways\"><\/span>Key Takeaways<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The Pentagon has secured landmark agreements with seven tech leaders<\/strong>, including Nvidia (<a href=\"\/stock\/NVDA\">NVDA<\/a>) and Microsoft (<a href=\"\/stock\/MSFT\">MSFT<\/a>), to integrate artificial intelligence into <strong>classified military systems<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Public sentiment regarding the Iran conflict has reached a critical tipping point<\/strong>, with <strong>61% of Americans<\/strong> now labeling the war a &quot;mistake&quot; just three months after its commencement.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Axsome Therapeutics (<a href=\"\/stock\/AXSM\">AXSM<\/a>) received a major FDA expansion<\/strong> for its drug Auvelity, targeting Alzheimer\u2019s agitation, a market with projected <strong>peak sales of up to $3 billion<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>South Korea\u2019s Hanwha is aggressively scaling its U.S. presence<\/strong>, investing <strong>$5 billion<\/strong> to transform the Philly Shipyard into a high-capacity naval production hub for the U.S. Navy.<\/li>\n<li><strong>U.S. housing aspirations have plummeted to a 13-year low<\/strong>, as only <strong>25% of non-homeowners<\/strong> expect to purchase a property within the next five years.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Geopolitical_Shifts_and_Rising_Anti-War_Sentiment\"><\/span>Geopolitical Shifts and Rising Anti-War Sentiment<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>USS Gerald R. Ford<\/strong> aircraft carrier has officially departed the Middle East following a record-setting <strong>300-day deployment<\/strong> that included active operations against Iran. While the carrier returns to its home port in Virginia, the regional presence remains significant with the <strong>USS Abraham Lincoln<\/strong> and <strong>USS George H.W. Bush<\/strong> maintaining a fragile ceasefire.<\/p>\n<p>Public support for the ongoing conflict has eroded at an unprecedented pace compared to previous American military engagements. A new <strong>Washington Post-ABC News poll<\/strong> reveals that <strong>61% of Americans<\/strong> view the Iran war as a &quot;mistake,&quot; a level of disapproval that took <strong>three years<\/strong> to reach during the Iraq War and <strong>six years<\/strong> during the Vietnam War. <em>Analysts suggest that rising economic anxiety and fears of a war-induced recession are driving this rapid shift in public opinion.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pentagon_Accelerates_AI_Integration_with_Tech_Giants\"><\/span>Pentagon Accelerates AI Integration with Tech Giants<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In a strategic move to maintain a technological edge, the U.S. military has reached deals with <strong>seven prominent tech companies<\/strong> to deploy AI on classified computer networks. The partners include Alphabet (<a href=\"\/stock\/GOOGL\">GOOGL<\/a>), Microsoft (<a href=\"\/stock\/MSFT\">MSFT<\/a>), Amazon (<a href=\"\/stock\/AMZN\">AMZN<\/a>), Nvidia (<a href=\"\/stock\/NVDA\">NVDA<\/a>), <strong>OpenAI<\/strong>, <strong>SpaceX<\/strong>, and the startup <strong>Reflection<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>These agreements aim to &quot;augment warfighter decision-making&quot; by reducing the time required to identify and strike targets. <em>The exclusion of Anthropic from this list\u2014currently embroiled in a legal battle with the Pentagon over ethical guardrails\u2014highlights the administration&#39;s aggressive &quot;American-first&quot; approach to AI development.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hanwhas_%22Arms_Empire%22_Expands_to_US_Shores\"><\/span>Hanwha\u2019s &quot;Arms Empire&quot; Expands to U.S. Shores<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>South Korea\u2019s <strong>Hanwha Group<\/strong> is solidifying its status as a global defense powerhouse through its strategic control of the <strong>Philly Shipyard<\/strong>. The company has secured its first U.S. Navy contract to assist in the design of <strong>next-generation logistics ships<\/strong>, marking a milestone in U.S.-South Korean defense industrial cooperation.<\/p>\n<p>Hanwha has pledged <strong>$5 billion in infrastructure investments<\/strong> to modernize the Philadelphia facility, with the goal of increasing annual production from <strong>1.5 vessels to 20 vessels<\/strong>. <em>This expansion is a cornerstone of the &quot;Maritime Alliance for Shipbuilding Growth and Advancement&quot; (MASGA), intended to revitalize the aging U.S. naval industrial base.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Axsome_Therapeutics_Secures_Landmark_FDA_Approval\"><\/span>Axsome Therapeutics Secures Landmark FDA Approval<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Axsome Therapeutics (<a href=\"\/stock\/AXSM\">AXSM<\/a>) shares surged following the <strong>FDA\u2019s approval of Auvelity<\/strong> for the treatment of agitation associated with Alzheimer\u2019s dementia. This marks the first time a <strong>non-antipsychotic medication<\/strong> has been cleared for this indication, providing a safer alternative for the <strong>7 million Americans<\/strong> affected by the disease.<\/p>\n<p>The approval is expected to be a significant revenue driver, with <strong>William Blair<\/strong> projecting peak sales between <strong>$1.5 billion and $3 billion<\/strong>. <em>By avoiding the &quot;black box&quot; safety warnings associated with traditional antipsychotics, Auvelity is positioned to become a first-line treatment in the geriatric psychiatry market.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Housing_Market_Pessimism_Hits_Record_Highs\"><\/span>Housing Market Pessimism Hits Record Highs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Economic pressure continues to weigh heavily on American consumers, as a recent <strong>Gallup poll<\/strong> shows homeownership intentions have crashed. Only <strong>25% of non-homeowners<\/strong> expect to buy a home within the next five years, the lowest level recorded since the survey began in 2013.<\/p>\n<p>The data reflects a &quot;perfect storm&quot; of <strong>high mortgage rates, record home prices, and tight inventory<\/strong>, with <strong>67% of respondents<\/strong> stating that now is a &quot;bad time to buy.&quot; <em>Younger adults aged 18 to 34 are pulling back most sharply, signaling a long-term shift in the American real estate landscape.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways The Pentagon has secured landmark agreements with seven tech leaders, including Nvidia (NVDA) and Microsoft (MSFT), to integrate 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