Monday, May 20, 2024
Monday, May 20, 2024
Key Issues GAO on F-35 SLCM-N program office PrSM funding
This Wednesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on artificial intelligence, Army helicopters, Marine Corps organic precision fires and more.
We start off with news on artificial intelligence:
Senators introduce bill for 'Governing Council' to oversee DOD AI priorities
Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) launched bipartisan legislation yesterday to establish the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Officer's Governing Council intended to oversee the Defense Department's future AI priorities.
Under the Army's Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP), General Electric Aerospace's T901 flight test engine was accepted by the government on Sept. 28, according to a Wednesday service announcement. A second T901 engine is currently "going through the acceptance process," according to the Army:
Army says two FARA prototype engines are on track for delivery this month
The first two engines that will power the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft prototypes are scheduled to be delivered by the end of this month, the Army announced Wednesday.
The Marine Corps' Force Design 2030 update, published in June, directed service officials to identify options for expediting organic precision fires acquisitions and training by September 2023, saying the service is "moving too slow in OPF":
Marine Corps advances plan to accelerate fielding OPF
The Marine Corps has completed a plan to accelerate the fielding of organic precision fires, advancing a priority highlighted in the latest Force Design 2030 update and moving ahead with efforts to rapidly procure vehicle-mounted and man-packable OPF systems.
The Pentagon's latest Selected Acquisition Report on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program has new figures for how much operating and sustainment costs will be over the aircraft's lifespan:
F-35 full-rate production decision may come this quarter as O&S projection tops $1.5T
The Defense Department may finally make a full-rate production decision for its F-35 Joint Strike Fighter before the end of the year, but operating and sustaining costs are now expected to top $1.5 trillion over the platform's lifetime.
Document: DOD's December 2022 F-35 selected acquisition report
Lockheed Martin is investing in a robotics company:
Lockheed investment arm backs AI autonomy start-up Vayu Robotics
Lockheed Martin's venture capital arm has teamed with other investors to provide $12.7 million to Vayu Robotics -- a "non-traditional robotics company" that is making its public debut with this development -- to scale development of artificial intelligence-backed autonomy technologies for potential use across a wide range of markets.