Saturday, June 1, 2024
Saturday, June 1, 2024
This Thursday INSIDER Daily Digest has news on the Space Force's National Security Space Launch program, the Pentagon's soon-to-be-released China Military Power Report, the Marine Corps' Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle program and more.
We start off with news from the Pentagon's latest selected acquisition report on the National Security Space Launch program:
Space Force releases final RFP for Phase 3 launch acquisition program
The Space Force yesterday posted the final request for proposals for Phase 3 of the space launch acquisition program, a dual program approach with two separate contract types.
Document: DOD's December 2022 NSSL selected acquisition report
Ely Ratner, the assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, spoke at a Center for Strategic and International Studies event this morning on the upcoming release of the China Military Power Report:
Senior DOD official previews risks cited in upcoming China military power report
The upcoming release of the Pentagon's annual China Military Power Report will state that Beijing has increasingly come to rely on its military -- the People's Liberation Army -- as a tool for coercion and "revisionist" aims in the Indo-Pacific amid the rapid modernization of its nuclear arsenal, according to a senior Defense Department official.
An upcoming "demonstration event" for the Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle program will be held at Camp Pendleton, CA, with "Fleet Marines participating to get feedback on the potential vehicle designs and capabilities," according to a Marine Corps spokesperson:
ARV program prepares for 'demonstration event' as prototype competition continues
The Marine Corps is preparing to hold an Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle demonstration event later this month, marking the latest action in the service's continuing evaluation of three prototypes in a contest that will determine the maker of the future ARV family of vehicles.
Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks last month announced the Replicator program and said it would rapidly produce a swarm of autonomous drones to counter the Chinese military:
Replicator to support AFCENT's Task Force 99 operations
The Pentagon's new Replicator drone program will play a crucial role in supporting Air Force Central Command's Task Force 99 operations, according to the command's top official.
We close out 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.